The FastDay Forum

I wake up and do 20 minutes low impact aerobics, walk the dog and a try to cycle on the stationary bike 3 or 4 times a week while I watch tv - usually about 20 - 30 minutes. I really would like to go back to yoga but haven't got round to it..I do find I can eat more when I exercise without putting on the weight!

I usually attend three exercise classes a week, including one yoga class. The other two are a ladies fitness - aerobic/toning and Fitball, mostly toning. I also try and swim. But this icy weather has put the mockers on it for me this week and I haven't been to any of them. I normally cycle there and back to my classes which adds another forty minutes or so aerobic exercise. I am glad we're having a thaw now and i can get back into my routine. Try as I might I cannot self-motivate and exercise at home, other than doing my normal chores and going up and down stairs etc.

I get up at 6am three times a week and go to exercise classes in a park nearby. These are pretty full on and I have found that doing them at the start or end of my fasting days makes no difference and I have no lack of energy, blood sugar dips etc. I also have a fitbit and try to walk 12-14000 steps a day. Having an office job this can sometimes be a challenge but I park as far away as possible, make my cuppas in the furtherest kitchen, pee in the far toilet etc so I usually get there

I'm not too keen on exercising either, but since I am unpleasantly aware of the benefits I try to make it as easy as possible for myself to follow through. I take a yoga class once a week together with my SO, have done so now for 5 years. The price for the course is a motivator to actually attend classes Also good for stress reduction and flexibility. I periodically attend a weekly cardio/strength class at work - doing that before I get home to the warmth of the sofa helps a lot. Once I'm home, I'm not likely to go out again to a gym.
I also saw the BBC program with Mosley doing the 3x 20 sec high intensity training and decided to give it a try. Since I don't have an exercise bike, I'm doing it at work: after a 5 minute warmup, I run up a flight of (little used...) stairs (5 floors) as fast as I can, 2 steps at a time. We'll see in a couple of weeks how that feels...

Also, I have become better at using my daily routines, just like Mousie - I take the stairs, I get off the bus 1 stop early, I take out the garbage, I go shopping on foot, etc.
BTW, had a tough exercise class yesterday on my fasting day, hadn't eaten anything by that time - no problem at all!

I own an exercise bike and try to get on it as much as I can (usually three times a week for 20mins) and am also swimming once a week, although I find this harder than doing a full hour on the bike!!!! I'm now trying to use the car a LOT less and walking more (which I did last year before I got the car)!!

Hi Caroline,

Don't waste your time on an exercise bike. So far, all the research on maximum fat loss and exercise points to high intensity interval training (HIIT). It is more like maximal effort with minimal time, but you can do it without spending money on gym or equipment - at home! Here is a website: bodyrock.tv with free exercises uploaded daily. Please don't be discouraged by the hard looks of these exercises. It is fantastic for your body - tones you down instead of bulking you up and builds your form. Plus nobody can find excuse not to spare 12 mins a 3-5 times a week!
Good luck!
x Justina

[carorees]

I've got the exercise bike already so I do the HIIT program that Dr Mosley has suggested based on his talks with the scientists working on exercise physiology. I do 30 secs flat out biking with a 1-2 min recovery period repeated 3 to 5 times depending how shattered I am! It takes me about 8-10 mins so as you say, Justina, no excuse not to do it!

I am planning to do the exercise bike HIT program too - my kids like going on the bike while watching TV, so it's worth getting one for me.

I had a look at bodyrocktv so thanks will2Bslim. Looks pretty hardcore and I would need to start slow but interesting and free!

Caroline and Fast Jo,

HIIT is pretty hardcore and eventhough there are options for beginners, will be better to get on these once your fitness level is high and let's say, you hit the weight loss plateau. These bike exercises can be done on treadmill too. What's important with HIT is that you keep yourself challenged all the time. If after a week the 'hard work' part of exercise gets easier, increase the speed on cut your rest period. Good effort on your weight loss so far Caroline and thumbs up for you Jo!:)

[carorees]

In Dr Mosley's programme about exercise he found that there is a genetic component to whether HIIT increases your VO2max. He found he was genetically programmed not to respond (but it still gave good improvements in blood chemistry). I think I must have the same problem...it's not getting any easier!

At present most of my exercise consists of looking after my horses. It's hard work mucking out two, taking hay out to the fields twice a day for them all, poo picking etc. I do a bit of riding when it's not horrible January weather, but no where near what I could when younger.
I try to swim each week and do pilates. I try to join in the dog walks on days when there is time. Thank goodness the days get longer soon. I do a lot of bed making and housework in my little B&B too so am fairly active.

I'm not able to exercise as such, but a bit of stretching and walking, I figure any movement is better than none.

I must admit I go through my exercise phases though I shouldn't, I signed up for the Yorkshire marathon which is in oct and will find out next week if I'm doing the great north run again this year (last years was full of injury and weight) so in my diary I have 3/4 runs a week booked in based on a runkeeper program on my phone.
My problem comes because I start work at 8am and prefer to run in the mornings so out early but as the miles increase, the prospect of a 8+ miler upsets me before work as 6am wake up is just about do-able for me. Then I also prefer to run on fast days because I know I've eaten well the day before so plenty energy for a longer run.
Then I make up numerous other excuses.
So to end that random tale I exercise, I run, sometimes and less than I should! X

Well done Becca I couldn't run to save my life, too knackered in the joints these days. We do have GN runners here in the B&B though, same ones back for the third year on the trot this autumn so that is my connection to the big event.