Your fitness questions answered!
What do you want to know about exercise? Read on for expert advice for your body...
Q:I jog outdoors, but struggle to keep it up when it’s cold outside. What exercise can I do at home to keep my activity levels up?
A: Jogging or running is great because it gets you outdoors, is a super calorie burner and doesn’t require any special equipment. Try to find some activity to do indoors that works your whole body, the way jogging does. Squats are a great way to keep your legs toned – aim for 20 reps at a time and go as deep as you can. Eventually, you want your bottom to be touching the backs of your heels. If you’re after something more structured, though, try one of the workouts in our fitness hub – they’re good fun and will get you moving.
Q: I’ve started losing weight, but still have quite a large belly. What is the best way to target this area?
A: If we could magically zap fat in one area, most people would pick their stomach, so you’re not on your own! Fat cells are either used to release energy or hold onto it, depending on where in your body they are. When you’re losing fat, you’ll probably see reductions in your arms, face and shoulders first, while areas like your stomach and hips will be slower to respond. Unfortunately, it’s a myth that you can spot-reduce fat in an area of the body by working it in isolation. You need to lose body fat overall, then work on toning specific muscles. Doing ab exercises now will tone the muscle under the fat, but you won’t see the results. So, think in terms of body fat loss. Look at your exercise routine and consider doing short sessions of high-intensity exercise rather than longer, low-intensity sessions, as this results in greater fat loss over time. When you’ve achieved a good amount of fat loss, exercises like the plank will help get your stomach toned.
Q: Can you actually lose weight by doing yoga or Pilates? I know they develop strength and flexibility, but will they help me slim down?
A: If you’re enjoying your exercise – no matter what form it takes – you’ve overcome the biggest barrier most people have. If it’s yoga or Pilates, that’s great because, as with all forms of movement, when it comes to losing body fat and toning up, it’s about how frequently you can do it. Doing exercise classes regularly will help increase the success of an eating plan designed for weight reduction. While most personal trainers recommend high-intensity, short-duration forms of exercise, if you prefer lower-intensity exercise, you’ll still get there as long as you keep it up and do it regularly. Having said all that, have you ever done a vinyasa yoga session? Or a tough contemporary Pilates class? These keep you moving at a pace and offer high intensity levels, and the classes are designed to keep things interesting.
Q: I’m not exactly an exercise-lover, but I would like to get a bit more active to tone my arms. What can you recommend?
A: Remember that eating a balanced diet and getting regular cardiovascular activity will help you to lose weight from all over your body, including your arms. But for an arm-toning home workout, try this simple exercise sequence: 15 press-ups (you can keep your knees on the floor); lifting weights (or shopping bags) off the floor by keeping your back straight and bending at the knees 15 times; and holding a plank pose for 30 seconds. It’ll be over in a flash, but will give you the confidence to do more as your fitness improves. Work up to doing it once a day until it gets easier, then do two rounds in a row with one minute of rest in between. Choose weights you can cope with but which take you out of your comfort zone – your effort level should be around 7 out of 10.