Conference rocks::weight_control

    I didn't start exercising until I had lost over 30 lbs.
    I was having back pains from not carrying that weight around
    (an odd twist...) and had to start doing something to help
    the muscles even up, so I started swimming.
    
    I'm not a jogger, nor really up for anything that pounds my knees
    and ankles.  Swimming is nice, because you can start at any
    pace doing anything for any period of time.  
    
    The important part is to keep going, get into the habit, and
    don't find excuses for not going.  Find reasons to keep going,
    like 'it helps me relax and unwind', 'it makes me feel good',
    'it makes me look better'.
    
    One of my problems with diet and exercise is that I want instant
    response, and it doesn't come that way.  You can't diet or exercise
    for a few weeks and then become dispondent because you don't look
    perfect.  When I finally 'believed' that I didn't get that much
    overweight and out of shape overnight, and I wasn't going to
    be able to reverse it any faster, and that ignoring it wasn't
    going to make it any easier later, I start doing something.
    
    The key for exercise for me was very short term goals.  Things
    like going 3 times a week, and swimming the same number of
    laps each day.  Keeping the goals simple, easily attainable
    made me feel like I was making progress and kept me going
    back.  
    
    I fell off the exercise wagon for a few months, the weight loss
    slowed down, my back felt worse...  When I started again, all
    the negative trends reversed...  I've proved it to myself,
    exercise is good for me, and makes me feel better in lots of
    ways.  I no longer seem to need the short term goals to
    keep me going.
    			Joe

    Exercise!!  A tough subject.  I, for the past few weeks do it
    on a regular basic of six times a week.  Ok!! Maybe I have become
    obsessed with it but with summer coming and after looking at
    myself in the mirror with my bathing suit it gives me that 
    extra little push for a happy medium body, at least for the
    summer. 
    
    I've excerised for several years now, nothing all that fancsy.
    From my experience I have learned that the gym or club needs
    to be convenient.  Its easy for me and I usually can't find
    an excuse not to go too my gym because its on my way home
    and only 10 minutes away at that.  
    
    A variety helps.  Not always doing the same thing day in and
    day out, especially where we all know that exercise can tend
    to get rather boring at times.  I usually do one day of an
    aerobic exercise like bicycling, stair master (which is something
    new, climbing stairs at a chosen speed), or aeorbics.  Never
    could bring myself to throw on a bathing suit and join everyone
    in the coed pool thou.  And the next day I usually lift weights.
    Don't think that you will build your muscles up from this because
    it will only happen if you want it to.  What it does do is help
    to tone you up and you can notice a big difference in a short
    time.  Of course there will always be that pain from sore muscles
    but its a good feeling if you really think about it.
    
    Last but not least, it helps to have a partner that is or willing
    to get involved with you.  Almost like a couch to give you that
    little extra push that you need.  My 'so' is great with this. 
    He might belong to his own gym but he is supportive of me.  He
    has seen me loose quite a few pounds and I've managed to keep it
    off, so if I slack of for a while, which I have been known to do
    on several occasions but still eat right,  then I start right back
    up again and each time I realize how much better I feel about myself
    and everyone around me when I do exercise.  I have found going 
    right after work (like I said earlier, on the way home) helps me
    to release a lot of stress that I might have stored up from the
    night before or from work.  It works wonders for you.  Beleive me
    I am living proof and I have never felt better in my life since
    I started my new program 3 weeks ago.  And the high from exercise
    usually last for 4 hours after a workout and by that time you
    have already eaten and its just about time for bed.
    
    So, give it a try.  You have, in this case, something to loose
    and something to gain.  Also, I have learned to that the only
    way I am going to have a good workout is if I have a good filling
    not fatting meal before I go.  Something that will give me plenty
    of energy to go that extra mile.
    
    Jude
    

    

    	
    	I agree with Joe in .1 -- exercise helps with back problems
    as well as weight loss provided it's done correctly.  My Dr. 
    recommended that I don't jog -- but do brisk walking.  I attempt
    at least a mile 5 times a week.  When I do this faithfully, I 
    enjoy the following benefits: 
    
    	1.  Feel better in general.
    
    	2.  Have more energy.
    
    	3.  Don't feel as hungry. 
    
    	4.  Stomach muscles tighten up.
                   
    	
    
    

    Excercise and proper diet go hand in hand with weight control. I have
    put on 10 of the 40 pounds I lost last summer because I am less active
    in the winter.  With rugby practice starting up again I am starting to
    see that extra weight coming off steadily (provided I don't stop off
    after practice with the guys to bend the elbow a bit). 

    For info on various form of exercise and how they compare to each
    other (as far as effort expended),  check out Dr. Ken Cooper's
    book on aerobic exercise.  I have an old version (about 10 years
    old) entitled "The New Aerobics"; I imagine the current version
    is similarly titled.                             
    
    This book really is useful in developing an exercise program.
    
    Anyone like to comment on Ken Cooper or his book?
    
    
    John

    Eight years ago, when I started college, they had us buy Cooper's
    book for gym class.  It seemed that he had a fairly good program.
    The idea was to start out doing what you could do -- even if that
    meant just walking for 5 minutes -- and build up from there.  The
    book was, of course, filled with stories of people who had started
    out unable to climb a flight of stairs without puffing and ended
    up being avid runners.
    
    Unfortunately my phy ed instructor took this to mean, "run a quarter
    of a mile today, a half-mile tommorow, three-quarters of a mile
    the day after. . " and so on.  
    
    The basic idea is good though.  Start doing what you can and start
    slow.  If you keep doing it you'll build up your endurance and muscle
    tone.  Walking is a very good way to start because you don't place
    undue stress on your bones and muscles, as you might by starting
    with jogging or aerobics.
    
    It's hard to get going, but you will feel better once you get used
    to it.

    On July first in Stow, we're starting a "Walk Massachusetts"
    program sponsored by the Health Services group.
    
    The plan is that you pair up and keep track of how many minutes
    or miles the pair has walked during the week.  HS will convert
    to miles (unless you know them) and move a push pin across the
    map of Massachusetts to indicate your progress.  It's 250
    miles across the state.  You walk at your own pace and at your
    own times of convenience.
    
    Little known fact:  Did you know you burn as many calories walking
    a mile as you do running the same mile???
    
    grins,
    Marge

    I knew walking and running were close - but I thought running
    was a *little* more.  The reason they're close - calories are
    burned when the body does work.  Work means moving some mass
    a certain distance.  No matter *how* you move that mass that
    distance it's the same amount of work (for something, at
    least - legs, bike or car).  That's the reason that it takes
    more calories for a heavier person to walk a mile than for
    a lighter person.  Re. running - I thought it was a touch more
    because you're moving up and down more.  Ie. you're taking that
    mass and moving it one mile forward and x% of a mile up and 
    down because you lift your feet more when you jog/run than
    when you walk.  Any truth to this?
    
    Things like swimming a mile are more because you're moving your
    body in one direction and moving lots of water in various other
    directions.
    
    --Louise

    From the comments in this file, from the advice of weight Watchers, and
    from a book my wife had, it seemed clear that I should start to
    exercise regularly and aerobically    and, each time, for well over
    half an hour. 

    An exercise bicycle seemed almost suitable, especially inasmuch as the
    mosquito population out here in the boonies would drain the blood from
    a walker.  However, it is the ultimate boredom machine after the first
    ten minutes; an hour or even a half hour a day was a schedule that I
    would not sustain over the weeks.  And besides, I already spent an hour
    before work each morning at this terminal while reading my [mostly
    junk] MAIL and browsing through several NOTES conferences. 

    In fact, the terminal activity was part of my weight problem.  The
    terminal is in the kitchen where I eat breakfast alone.  Logged in
    while eating breakfast, I would continue to munch on bagels and more
    cereal and fruit for the duration of my terminal session. 

    The solution was to combine two of the activities and isolate the
    eating activity.  Now, after I finish my cereal, I log in, wheel the
    bike up in front of the terminal, and put the keyboard across the
    handle bars.  The time passes so quickly that I tend to pedal over an
    hour on some days. Once I'm pedaling, there is not the slightest
    temptation to munch. 
    
    I pedal seven days a week so I cannot rationalize that "tomorrow
    will be the next pedal day".

    The benefits of my exercise are obvious.  I feel better even though I
    used to think that I felt OK.  My asthmatic lungs are distinctly
    better, a side effect of the exercise adrenalin.  And my wife of 30
    years notes that I have more "energy", a willingness to do
    non-sedentary tasks. 

    WE ALL KNOW THAT EXERCISE IS GOOD FOR YOU, BUT HOW MUCH IS NECESSARY
    IS THE QUESTION.  WALKING 2 MILES IS GOOD, DOES THAT MEAN WALKING
    4 MILES IS "TWICE AS GOOD"?  WHAT ABOUT 2 MILES EVERY DAY VS. 4
    MILES 3 TIMES A WEEK, WHICH IS BETTER???  
    
    ALSO, IS IT BETTER TO EAT FIRST OR AFTER EXERCISING?  
    
    P.S.  IS IT REALLY BETTER TO DRINK 8 GLASSES OF WATER.  I DON'T
    THINK I'D GET ANY WORK DONE.  I'D HAVE TO GO TO THE REST ROOM CONSTANTLY.

    Cathy,
    
    Excersizing definately helps loose weight!  It also tones your heart
    and makes you sleep better.  Just be aware - MUSCLE weighs more
    than FAT and even tho you don't drop gobs of pounds, check for the
    inches you loose.  You'll notice a difference.  I recommend the
    DEC Aerobics program.  I'm in it now and I love it.  There is also
    a low-impact program.  Good Luck!
    BS

    FYI - There is a walking group in the Mill (Maynard) that walks every
    day at lunchtime called the Mill Site High Steppers.  I went yesterday 
    for the first time and was amazed at how 'awake' I felt all afternoon.  
    For most of us who sit at a desk all day, walking at lunch is a super 
    idea (also keeps you from eating too much!)
       

    
    
    I'm all for exercising. What has really motivated me as far as aerobics
    is concerned are the Television Shows specifically designed for
    those of us who prefer to stay in our homes and exercise in front
    of the television. 
    
    My favorite being: Aerobicise [.20 minute workout]. It comes on
    every morning (Monday-Friday) at 6:10A.M. 
    Sometimes when I am pressed for time, I use my VCR to tape the show
    and do my workout in the evening whenever I get home from work.
    
    This is a really great show and it has helped me not only to maintain
    my weight, but depending on how much energy I exert, I have actually
    lost inches (not so much pounds) within a short period of time.
    
    So try tuning in to these various shows that come on, and you won't
    regret it.
    
    Also, I love to eat sweets every now and then. Regular exercise
    enables me to eat most of the things that I want, and not gain
    any weight. Dieting and exercise go hand in hand. 
          Keep motivated and keep exercising!!!!!
    
    Chris
    

    DEC BTO has a great program through Health Services...
    
    Aerobics three times a week...$30 for 30 lessons...Can't beat it!
    
    Not yet loosing many pounds...But losing inches!!!
    

    Hi.   My spa offers Water Aerobic classes.  As the low impact
    aerobics aren't offered until 8:00 in the evening, I do the Water
    classes 3 times a week.  I find I can run as long as I want to,
    and the water will cushion me, without causing shin splints.
    Depending upon the instructor, it's generally a good workout!
    (hour long class)
    
    My metabolism must be really slow.  I've found I cannot loose weight
    without exercise.  (of course I don't fast either!)
    
    Theresa.

    Is there a walking group at MKO?  If not, is anyone out there
    interested in starting one?  I'm a basically lethargic person, and
    past experience has shown me that peer pressure is about the only
    way to get me off my *ss!  If people expect me to show up, I will.
    Otherwise, forget it.  I expect that once there are on-site aerobics
    I'll do okay with those, but the last thing I saw said the fitness
    center was scheduled to open in March . . .

    Beverly
    

    I imagine that many of the walkers/joggers out there are just as
    frustrated at this week's cold spell in the Northeast as I am.
    
    Since this summer, through the week of Christmas, I had been very
    consistent about getting out and running 4-5 times a week (I even
    did five miles on Christmas day).
    
    However, this last week and a half has been frustrating due to
    the extreme cold and wind chill.  I only got out three times last
    week; this week, it's just been Monday so far, and it looks like
    the weather may not be suitable for outdoor exercise until almost
    the weekend.
    
    However, these last couple of days, I've incorporated a version
    of stair climbing that has given me a better workout than walking
    and almost as good a workout as I get from running.
    
    What I have been doing is this: start at the bottom of a stair.
    Bring one foot up to the first step.  Then, bring the other foot
    up to the first step.  Bring both feet down to the bottom of the
    step, one foot at a time.  Repeat at a pace where you're expending
    some effort, but not killing yourself (for me, about 25-30 cycles
    a minute).  I did this for a half hour this morning, and felt I
    got a good workout out of it (my pulse rate was elevated to within
    5-10 beats/minute of what it is at the end of a session of jogging
    at 9 minutes per mile).
    
    
    py

    
    Down here in the south lately it's even too cold to get out
    and walk/jog...but there is an alternative...here the mall
    closest to us opens early in the morning (just the mall -- 
    not the stores) for walkers.  And it's a great place to walk
    at that time of day before the crowds of shoppers get there. 
    So I have been trying to do that 3 or 4 times a week.  Of 
    course working from 12 noon to 9 p.m. helps me have time to
    do that! 
    
    	Myra 

    re .18:
    
    Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua, NH also opens an hour or two early
    in the morning to accommodate early morning walkers.  They even
    have a one-mile course measured out in the mall.
    
    
    py

    Being 40 pounds (at least) overweight and approaching 40 I am at
    last dieting and as I have exercised for years wondered what I could
    do.  I am out of the house from 7.15 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. and know
    I don't have the discipline to get up and out again once I'm home
    - so - I've started skipping in the garden.
    
    I started with 100 skips and over the week have built up to - wait
    for it - 120!!  It's certainly getting easier - I skip night and
    morning.
    
    Its' too soon to know if it's doing me any good - anyone out there
    know whether skipping is a good exercise?
    

    Skipping is great exercise.  Pump your arms and you get an upper
    body workout too.  

    I have recently purchased an exercise bike with handle bars that you 
    pump to simulate a rowing action.  I haven't used the handle bars just
    yet, I am still trying to get used to exercising after a three year
    slump.  Could anyone tell me approximately how fast and how long you 
    have to pump to burn calories?  I am starting slow and only do about 
    15 minutes and about 4.5 miles.  I just got it last week and still have 
    far to go.  It seems to go faster if I watch MTV while I cycle.  I work
    second shift and have a child under two so it's not easy to go to a spa
    to work out.  
    
    Any ideas on using that rowing action?  I can't seem to get the feel of
    it.  Also, is there any warm up exercises I should be doing before I 
    use the bike?
    
    Thanks,
    Patti

    Can't help you with the "rowing action", but yes, you should be
    doing some stretching exercises to warm up before you start cycling.
    Weight Watchers has an exercise book with various "game plans" for
    adding exercise to your life.  (If you aren't a WW member, you could
    probably borrow the book from someone who is.)
    
    Lynn
    (Who Also Favors The Exercise Bicycle)

re .22		(All statements which follow are the opinion of the author and
		 are not necessarily based on any facts or research done by that
		 author or anyone else;-);-);-)

	I don't know how your bike is set up as far as resistance is concerned,
but I pedal a Lifecycle for 12 min at level 7 (the Lifecycle is a high-tech
machine that varies the resistance as you go - sort of simulates hills).  For
the most part the 12 minutes is run at 80 revolutions per minute with a varying
resistance from very easy (300 cal/hr) to where I almost have to stand to push
the pedals (1200 cal/hr).  If you can believe the readouts, I burn about 100
calories in the 12 minutes. 

	I use the bike ride as a warm-up for a weightlifting session.  At the
end of the weight session I do 12 Minutes on a Liferower at 33 strokes/min and
again if you believe the readout I burn about 170 calories there.

	****	 	 BUT IT DON"T MEAN NOTHIN'.		****

	I do not believe you should be particularly concerned about how many
calories you burn in a given exercise, but rather push yourself until you feel
the 'burn' in your thighs for a minute or two, then slacken the pace or reduce
the resistance for the last couple minutes for a 'cool-down'.  The resulting
improvement in muscle-tone will cause you to use more energy every second of
every day just keeping those muscles tight, just being.  Well toned muscles use
alot more energy (even while you sleep) than do flacid, flabby, out-of-shape
muscles. 

				Good luck on your workouts,
						Al

    Just make sure you monitor your heart rate!!

    Jim

      Hi!  Me again (the one with the bike).  I have a slight problem,
    now that I've been exercising for about a week and a half, my best
    friend told me that I shouldn't begin exercising until I have made more
    progress with my diet.  I thought exercise and diet went hand in hand?
    She told me that all i was doing is furming up the fat not getting rid
    of it.  I'm kinda confused here, could someone help me out?  I really 
    don't want to stop cycling, but I really have to loose some weight
    and want to do it so it stays off.  Thanks,
    
    Patti 

    Patti, don't let this other person fool you, especially with the
    part about firming up the fat.  Many times you may hear or have
    heard about turning fat into muscle.  Let me tell you that this
    is a physical impossibility.  Fat cannot be magically transformed
    into muscle.  It's like saying that bone can be turned into hair.
    It ain't so.  Additionally, I agree with you on the point about
    exercise and diet going hand in hand.  In order to lose weight,
    do MODERATE exercise and adjust your diet.
    
    Glenn

      Thanks so much for the clarification.  I know I am not loosing
    lightening fast but the inches seem to be showing.  I am kinda afraid
    to weigh myself since it's only been 1 and a half weeks.  Got to 
    psych myself up to get on that scale.  Well, I'll let you know what 
    happens tomorrow!
    
    Patti

    Patti, remember that it took awhile for you to put on that weight,
    so it will take awhile for you to get it off.
    
    FWIW, on the McDougall Plan, people usually drop 10 lbs the first
    week and then 8 lbs every month.
    
    Glenn

    Well, no news.  I guess I should be glad that I didn't gain anything.
    Still going to be hard.  I'm doing terrrific on the bike, up to 11.5
    miles and it's only been 2 weeks.  Now comes the hard part, trying to 
    survive Easter and the goodies in the basket!!!  Everything looks good
    even the basket!!!!
    
    Withholding for a smaller me!
    Patti

    Patti,
    
    One thing to be aware of.  You may not lose as much weight as
    fast if you exercise a lot while dieting.  The reason is muscle
    weighs more than fat.  Although Glenn's correct that muscle doesn't
    turn into fat, exercising will build muscle while eliminating fat.
    It's toning or firming the body.
    
    As for weight loss, what's more important to you -- how much you
    weigh or how you look?  Keep exercising; it's good for you too.
    
    					Donna

    Donna,
    
      While looking good is important to me, how much I weigh is very
    important to me as well.  I want the best of both worlds and hope I
    can obtain it by doing what I have been.  I weigh a lot right now and 
    get very upset when I have to weigh in at the doctor's office.  
    Thank you for the advice.  
    
    Patti

    Regarding the "exercise will build muscle and so you don't lose
    weight as fast" issue:
    
    I'm currently doing bodybuilding.  The whole point of my exercising
    is to gain muscle.  IT'S NOT EASY TO GAIN MUSCLE!!!!  I lift the
    heaviest weights I can manage, 5 days a week, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours
    per day.  I may have gained about 5 lbs of muscle in the past year,
    which is a LOT for a woman to gain.  Men can gain maybe 7-10, unless
    they're in their growth period (late teens, early 20's).  Believe
    me, you won't gain muscle unless you're trying to, and even then
    it's hard work!
    
    If you're doing almost exclusively aerobic exercise, like biking
    and rowing and walking, it is very unlikely you will increase your
    muscle weight greatly.  Take a look at people who do a LOT of aerobic
    exercise every day, more than you will be doing.  Look at long
    distance runners.  They tend to be VERY thin, with long, lean
    muscles.  They don't have much fat, but they don't have big muscles
    either.  They also don't tend to be the strongest athletes - but
    their endurance is amazing.
    
    Exercise will tone your muscles.  It will make you smaller and firmer.
    It will improve your circulation.  It will help to increase your
    metabolism so that you will burn more calories, both while you're
    exercising and for hours afterwards.  The small amount of muscle
    you build will take more calories for your body to maintain than
    an equivalent weight of fat, since muscle is an active tissue while
    fat is simply storage cells.  There are really no negatives to doing
    exercise, and there's no truth to the dieter's excuse of "I didn't
    lose weight because I gained so much muscle".  

    I lifted weights the whole time I was on a diet to lose weight.
    I started in Jan 87 and was 50 lbs lighter by the end of August.
    
    --Louise

    I'm in sad shape (in more ways than one at the moment) :-)
    
    Anybody know of some good calorie-burning exercises I can do along
    with situps?  My situation:  I'm currently stuck on Short-term
    disability because I fractured my right ankle and badly sprained
    my left one.  My husband has to help me get off the bed every morning
    because the bed isn't high enough for me to get any leverage.  I'm
    on crutches and would like some ideas on some calesthenics (sp?)
    that I can do on the bed for 1/2 hr or 45 minutes.  I'm not getting
    a whole lot of exercise because of my predicament, but am keeping
    with the Weight Watchers plan.  I don't think that keeping with
    the program will be enough though because I'm in such a sedentary
    state.  Any ideas would be most welcome!  Thanks!
    
    						*** Kristy ***

.34>    Anybody know of some good calorie-burning exercises I can do along

    	The larger the muscle group, the more calories burned.
    
    	Your largest muscle groups are in the back, buttocks and legs.
    Since you're off your feet, you can use your shoulder and upper back
    muscles to exercise.
    
    	Exercises such as the arm motion for jumping jacks, both over
    the head and in front of your chest could help.  In general, the
    more motion and muscles you get involved, the more calories you'll
    use.  Be creative, and remember that even low intensity exercises
    are 'aerobic'.
    
    	A note on the situps - they are easy to do incorrectly.  Many
    popular guides are wrong and can cause injury.  AFAA and IDEA have
    put out a set of guidelines on the proper situp.
    
    	o Only shoulders and upper back come off the ground on a correct
    		situp.  The lower back doesn't.
    
    	o If hands are clasped behind the head, keep elbows back.
    		Otherwise, arms should be crossed in front of the chest.
    
    	o Do not do 'curls'. They stress the lower back.  When rising
    		during the situp, try to point your chin at the ceiling.
    		This will add tension to the abdomen (making it a more
    		effective exercise), and relieve stress on the lower
    		back.
    
    	Don't do your situps on a soft surface like a bed!  A padded
    floor is OK, but situps on a bed is like asking for lower back
    pain.
    
    	If you must stay on the bed, try sliding something hard either
    under or oevr the mattress to minimize flexing.  If you can get
    off the bed, do your situps on a less flexible surface, like a
    floor.
    
    	If you've got the time, check out AFAA and IDEA sponsored books
    at the local bookstore.  Make sure they are recent (1987 or later)
    as this field has improved quite a bit in the last few years.
    
    -mike z

    thanks Mike.

    
    If your ankles don't mind moving, leg lifts would be good to keep the
    leg muscles in tone (just think of the cast as an ankle weight :-)! ).
    Be sure to do stretching too.  A good one for the lower back is to pull 
    each knee as tightly to your chest as you can for a count of 5, then
    pull both for a count of 10.
    
    As for where to exercise -- there are beds and there are beds: we have
    a platform bed with a futon on it, which is a lot like working out on a
    padded carpet.
    
    Beverly
    

    One exercise I do as a warmup is seated twists.  Take a pole, something
    like a broomstick without the broom, and put it across your shoulders
    so it runs behind your neck.  Extend your arms along the pole and
    grip the ends (or as far as you can reach) so your fingers point
    forward (your hands will be gripping from the back of the pole to
    the front).  Sit on a hard surface.  If it's a chair, make sure
    the back is a few inches lower than your shoulders.  You may wish
    to brace your legs on the insides of the chair legs.  Now, twist
    first to the right, then to the left.  This is one repetition of
    the exercise.  Keep twisting R/L/R/L until you're tired.  
    
    This exercise will work your sides, helping to tone the area where
    "love handles" form.  Be sure to twist at a moderate pace.  Don't
    go so quickly that you over-stretch and hurt yourself.  Make your
    first 10 twists slow, stretching out your muscles.
    
    To get more tension on your sides, you can twist while leaning slightly
    backward.  In a chair, you'll need to sit backwards so you don't
    hit the back.
    
    Other exercises for your sides can be done lying down.  Put your
    feet a foot apart, knees bent (Kristy, you could put them on
    a chair, to avoid putting pressure on your ankle.)  Put your hands
    behind your head, elbows on the floor.  Sit up, twisting so that
    your right elbow points to your left knee.  Hold one count. Lie
    back down.  Repeat as many times as you can.  Then reverse so that
    you're pointing your left elbow to your right knee.  This should
    be done slowly.  One count up, one count hold, one count down.
    When that gets easy, try holding for two counts.
    
    --Louise

    Can anyone tell me if exercising will help with popping bones? 
    My neck and back are always popping.  Sometimes it hurts if it's
    not popped.  I was in a car wreck a few years ago and had to have
    cortisone shots in my neck and shoulders.  My neck had never popped
    until then.  
    
    Virginia  

    	Until you know whether it's muscular (tendons sliding over bones)
    or skeletal (joint realignment), and if this is a symptom of another
    problem, it's impossible to tell.
    
    -mike z

    Walking to the restroom is also a good form of exercise don't you
    think?

    After investigating weightloss programs (i.e. nutra-system), I decided
    that the combination of spending the money on exercise equipment
    instead of the high $ programs and returning to eating properly
    (weightwatchers) would do the trick.  We bought a rowing machine,
    an ergometer bike and a good treadmill.  So far (6 weeks have lost
    12 lbs and toned a lot of body parts), I like the treadmill the
    best; it gives me the fun of walking or jogging (I have it in a
    greenhouse room) without the dogs, rain, sleet, etc.  I work out
    about 45 - 60 minutes a day, making my program a little harder 
    when I find my full workout pulse down.  A little music, a little
    scenery, my treadmill and me.  Sure am glad I spent the money on
    exercise and not weightloss programs.  I feel much better and
    look better.
    
    
    

    I Agree with both of you.  Over the last 8 or 9 years i slowly lost
    95 lbs and have hit my goal and stayed there for 1 year.  when I
    feel myself starting to up the scale 1 or 2 or 3... lbs, I just
    start walking and go back on the diet again.  I can see myself getting
    into my "old habits".  That is a good thing to know because since
    it a life-time thing, you have to battle it time and time again.
    I also agree with you with the exercise thing.  I am a walker. 
    I go anywhere two or three times a week for about 50 minutes each
    time and it lets me keep my legs and "backside" in shape.  I really
    should try and do some sit ups to exercise my upper torso in shape
    but I don't.  I got my "Inspiration" from Diet Workshop.  I had
    tried many diets over the past 20 years and a friend suggested I
    try Diet Workshop, and I decided the day I went into this place
    that I would give it one year faithfully, and after that year I
    had only lost 30 lbs but discovered the most important thing, and
    that is "How to Diet".  I didn't realize that you have to be taught
    and re-taught until it sinks in.  It took me a year to suffer through
    this thing but since that time I have lost all the weight I want
    to which is 95 lbs and I am happy as I can be.

    
    While most doctors would readily agree you should get exercise,
    most are not prepared to tell you how.  In MKO, we have a life
    center with a profession staff that can do initial assesments
    of your condition and make exercise recomendations to you.  The
    MKO life center is available to all Digital employees.  The location
    may be inconvient you a lot, but, if you at least use them to make
    an initial evaluation and recomendations, it would be worth the
    trip.
    
    While walking may be recognized as a good form of exercise [it is],
    if you are capable of more, and you will be after a while, use your
    exercise time wisely.  Walking burns calories while you walk.
    Aerobic exercise burns calories during the routine AND after through
    a metobolic rate increase.  So same half hour investment definately
    buys you more weight reduction.
    
    Does aerobics mean the 'dance' type?  Not neccessaryily.  Bicycle
    riding and  FAST walking are types of aerobic exercise.  I perferr
    the 'dance' type.  It's less boring.  The trick is to increase your
    heart rate into your 'training' zone.  Thats where the Life Center
    can help you out.
    
    Of course you may be required to see your doctor before you see
    the Life Center.  Like any diet or exercise program, the first stop
    should be at the doctors to determine what physical limitations are
    present and should be considered.
    
    And, you feel gooooood after a good workout!  In the begining, you
    may be intouch with muscules that you did know you had, but after
    a while you begin to get a pleasureable experience.

    
    I've been lucky so far on my diet.  I haven't had any plateuos [sp].
    I watch the scales and if I see no loose or even a slight gain
    [oh no!], I add in extra exercise.
    
    just my thoughts,
    ed

.44>    Aerobic exercise burns calories during the routine AND after through
.44>    a metobolic rate increase.  So same half hour investment definately
.44>    buys you more weight reduction.

    	Remember, the lower the intensity, the less muscle soreness
    you will experience, and the more *fat* you will use during
    exercise.
    
    	As you increase intensity, blood sugar is used for energy,
    since fat metabolizies slowly, and can't meet your body's demand
    for energy.
    
    	For losing fat, walking and other low-intensity exercise are
    what you should be doing.  The cardiovascular benefits will be missing,
    but once you lose the fat, you can start a higher intensity regimen
    and work on that.
    
    -mike z

    Mike , one of the advantages of the Life Center is that they keep
    up to date on current technology.  Latest thinking is that the
    higher intensity aerobics is BETTER for a weight recduction program.
    This is in contrast to previous reports.
    
    The muscle sorenesss, as you call it, goes away as you continue
    on your program and should not be considered an obsticle.
    That does not mean I endorse the "no pain, no gain", but when you
    start using muscles that have been inactive for any period of time,
    they hurt.  Careful introduction of exercise to them is ok.
    
    elevate your thinking beyond short term loss during exercise.

    #ed
    

.46>    up to date on current technology.  Latest thinking is that the
.46>    higher intensity aerobics is BETTER for a weight recduction program.
.46>    This is in contrast to previous reports.

    	It may be better for weight reduction, but it is not better
    for fat reduction.  Higher intensity will cause more water to
    be sweat out of the body, and it will cause more calories/hour
    to be used.
    
    	But, 1000 calories worth of low intensity exercise will
    consume more fat stores than 1000 calories of high intensity
    exercise.
    
    	I quote from the Columbia Encyclopedia of Nutrition, c 1988,
    page 134 ... "Fuels utilized during exercise : the fuels used will
    vary depending on the intensity and the duration of the exercise.
    During moderate exercise, like walking, fat provides most of the
    energy.  As the intensity and duration increases, carbohydrates
    become the major fuel.  At maximum capacity, carbohydrates become
    the exclusive source of energy."
    
    	It remains, if you want to use fat for energy, the intensity
    must be kept low.
    
    -mike z

        What ever you want Mike.  I suggest that others may want to consult
    the Life center so that they can develope a program for them.
    
    #ed
    

    Mike, that Psychology Today extract you've been sending out talks quite
    a bit about using exercise to raise the metabolism.  Walking may burn
    more fat during the 30 minutes of actual activity, but raising the
    metabolism seems to be very important for sustained weight (and fat)
    loss.

    The aerobics programs at the MKO Life Center are low impact.  While
    they're more strenuous than walking, they're not intended to push you
    to your limits either.

    Walking is good exercise.  No argument.  If you're really out of shape,
    it's a good way to start getting back into shape.  However, moderate
    aerobic exercise to raise the metabolism and lower your body's setpoint
    will yield significant additional benefits (The PT article explained
    this well; I wish I had my copy handy to quote from...).

    Beverly

    
    Beverly, 
    
    	I believe that Mike was saying "low intensity aerobic exercise".
    
    	Walking can very easily be that.  He's also 100% correct that
    	the aerobic energy pathway utilizes carbohydrates, proteins,
    	and fats as a fuel source, whereas the anaerobic pathway
    	utilizes strictly carbohydrates.  If your high intensity
    	gets too high, you will not draw on fat for energy.
    
    	Ed, I don't think Mike's out of date, I was just tested on
    	this material Saturday, and the fact is that low to moderate
    	intensity (meaning within your target heart rate zone, just
    	on the lower side) aerobic exercise that is sustained is
    	the key to using fats for energy.
    
    Karen
                                                                        

    
    	Sorry, one more thing, if you are concerned with increased
    	metabolism, exercising in your target heart rate zone will
    	provide that, during and after exercise, even if it's low
    	intensity (ie. 65% instead of 80%)
    
    Karen
    

	One more note, the reason why some energy expenditure charts
    from more than a few years ago are wrong is that they measured body
    temperature increases only during exercise.
    
    	A standard cool-down period was assumed, and for athletes, this
    is a good assumption.  For non-athletes, it's far from correct.
    Someone out of shape will take much longer to recover.  All the
    while, heart rate and metabolism are increased.  And more calories
    are used maintaing body processes at that rate.
    
    	This is why activity that puts you in your target range for
    30 minutes or more *seems* to have a synergistic effect (more than
    the sum of all the parts).
    
    	This synergism has never been proven, and has almost been shown
    to be a result of improper measurments in the first place.  There
    is no conclusion yet.
    
    	I think in the next year you'll be reading that there is no
    real synergistic effect.  To be honest, why should there be?  Walking
    slow up 5 flights of stairs and walking fast up 5 flights of stairs
    should use the same energy, remember work is force * distance. 
    
    	Rate has nothing to do with it, unless you either change the
    mechanics of the exercise (eg: walking vs running) or push the rate
    to an extreme (eg: aerobic vs anaerobic).
    
    	So, what the heck am I rambling about, you ask?
    
    	If the calorie charts were done right in the first place, there
    would be no confusion.
    
    	Yes, you do burn calories even after you stop the exercise,
    but this should be taken into consideration in any new charts that
    come out.
    
    -mike z

    
 >   	and fats as a fuel source, whereas the anaerobic pathway
 >   	utilizes strictly carbohydrates.  
    
    I think anaerobic means things like wrestling, where demands on
    the muscles are so intense that they can't get oxyggen fast enough. 
    Walking and "aerobics" are both aerobic exercises, as Mike mentions
    in .-1, just at different levels.
    
    Beverly
    

    
    	No, I don't, however, people often cross the "anaerobic threshold"
    	when performing high-intensity aerobics. (def: when energy demand
    	exceeds supply from aerobic pathway)   My point was that as energy
    	demand increases, the body does not have time to convert fat
    	to energy, and must use carbohydrates.  Therefore, if you keep
    	your energy level in the moderate to low heart rate zone, your
    	body will draw on it's fat stores for energy.
    
    	Your low intensity low impact workout is a very good fat burner!
    
    	Karen
      
    

        After all this, I would like to add my few cents worth. Any
    exercise will contribute to your weight loss and motivation whether
    it is high intensity or low intensity. Those of you who are considering
    adding exercise to your wight loss efforts-don't dispair! I suggest
    that you start by walking at a moderate or slow pace around the
    block for about 20 minutes and if you feel really energetic add
    about 10 sidups to your routine. As you feel better about yourself
    walk for a longer period and add more situps. You can then add a
    low-bounce aerobic routine like the Good Morning Workout.
       I am one of those unfortunate people who are very prone to lower
    back injuries, knee problems etc, so I cannot afford to be careless
    when it comes to exercise. My routine now includes a 1 hour walk
    at a brisk pace with .75lb weights in each hand. This is usually
    followed by a half hour workout with Pamela on The Good Morning Workout.
    Pamela is very aware of the danger of injury since she has a lower
    back problem herself. I only started to add weight to my routine
    after 4 months of moderate activity.
       Looking foreward to reading more!
    
    Theresa
      

                 Weight-Loss Wisdom - Go For The Energy Burn
    
    	Slimming down means not only eating less to take weight off,
    but exercising more to keep it off.  Researchers now have an idea
    of just how many more calories dieters have to burn.
    
    	Dieting makes metabolism more efficient.  In a recent study,
    25 obese adults went on a very-low-calorie (760 calories/day)
    liquid diet for 3-4 months.  Afterward, they energy they burned
    per day was almost 20% lower than those in the control group who
    hadn't been dieting.
    
    	To keep their weight down, researchers calculated that the
    dieters would have to exercise enough to burn an extra 500
    calories/day; an hour of vigorous aerobic dancing** (which might
    even tax a serious athlete), or 2 hours cycling at 5mph would do.
    Otherwise, the former dieters would have to cut their daily food
    allowance of 1,300-1,500 calories by nearly 30% - not a very
    realistic option for the long term.
        
    **[ I thought an hour of vigorous aerobic dancing was closer
         to 1000 calories  ???   /mz ]
    
    	"What this means," says Scott Weigle, MD, assistant professor
    at the University of Washington, Seattle, and one of the study's
    leaders, "is that dieting alone isn't really satisfactory treatment
    for obesity.  A better idea is to exercise as you diet, or exercise
    INSTEAD of dieting - for some, exercise actually helps them to eat
    less."
    
    	Even people who just want to lose a few quick pounds should
    pick up their activity level.

    What does 500 Calories equate to in running distances?

.57>    What does 500 Calories equate to in running distances?

    	I think it's 100 calories/mile for a 150lb man.
    
    	For someone who's 200, it would be closer to 130 calories/mile.

        
    	This all varies depending on your overall condition.
    
    -mike z

    Hmm, so I'm using up almost 300 calories on a 2.5 mile run!
    
    ANdy

    	That's a fair estimate.
    
    	By the way, you'd use up the same amount on a 2.5 mile walk.
    
    -mike z

    Really? Ah well, running is quicker!

    I HAVE FOUND OVER THE YEARS, THAT IT'S EASIER FOR ME TO KEEP IN SHAPE
    THAN TO DIET.  I'M A TERRIBLE DIETER, BUT HAVING BEEN INTO SPORTS ALL
    MY LIFE, I CAN KEEP MY FIGURE AND EAT PRETTY MUCH WHAT I WANT IF I
    CONT.. TO EXCERSISE ON A REGULAR BASIS.  ALSO, IF I DO BINGE OUT ON MY
    FAVORITE JUNK FOOD NOW AND THEN, I DON'T SEEM TO GAIN ANY ADDED WEIGHT
    FROM IT.  I ALSO DON'T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT, BECAUSE I KNOW I'LL WORK
    IT OFF.  I'VE ALSO FOUND THERE IS NOTHING BETTER FOR RELIEVING STRESS
    THAN A GOOD WORK OUT.  IT GIVES ME ENERGY, IT'S GREAT FOR MY SKIN AND
    HAIR, AND I REQUIRE LESS SLEEP.  I LOVE TO HIKE AND SKI, ACTUALLY ANY
    OUTDOOR SPORTS.  IF THERE ARE ANY NEW SPORTS VENTURES I WANT TO TRY,
    I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY THAT I WON'T BE STRONG ENOUGH OR BE ABLE TO KEEP
    UP.  I'M NOT AS LIKELY TO INJURE MYSELF EITHER.  I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH
    ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING AND KEEPING IN SHAPE.  IF NOTHING ELSE
    IT MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE A KID AGAIN.  I'M 30 GOING ON 16!!!!!!!!!
    
    
    
    
                                                         KIM

    Kim,
    
    Do you exercise on a regular basis or just when the mood strikes you? 
    I'm just now getting to the point to where I KNOW that I MUST exercise. 
    I was the type that hated gym during school, although I enjoyed playing
    frisbee and baseball, football, tennis, etc. in the neighborhood.  (My
    sister and I were the only girls on a street full of boys!!)  Anyway,
    I'm curious about how others "do" their exercising.  Thanks!!
    
    Virginia

    Virginia,
    
       I can no longer exercise just when the mood strikes me.  I have to
    exercise on a regular basis.  digital here in CO. has a good aerobics
    class 3 times a week.  They offer it 3 different times a day, so there
    is no excuse for me to miss.  I need some sort of group activity, it's
    hard to go it alone and keep it up.  I did belong to the dec women's
    soccer team for a couple of years but participation was non-existent
    this year. I need that team atmosphere to keep it up.  I just know, I
    too, must do it and keep doing it.  
    
    
    
    
                                                   kim

    I committed to a fitness program in September 1989.  Since then
    I have lost 20 lbs, 1 dress size, 1 pant size, and can now stop
    wearing queene size panty hose.
    
    How'd I do it?  Watched my food intake.  Cutting down on quantity,
    lowering fat and sugar (I don't use salt, except on popcorn), and
    started exercising 4-7 times a week for 1 hour. 
    
    My excercise program includes weights and aerobic training.  A
    wonderful addition to my program was the Stairmaster.  I started
    dropping of the inches.  All my skirts are like hula hoops on me
    now.  Start stepping!!!!
    
    A supplement I used for about a month was Stop Drops.  It seemed
    to help, I just never ordered more.  It suppressed the appetite
    and helps speed up the motabolism.  It's made with mostly natural
    ingredients.  But check with your doctor first on any supplement.
    
    I have 20 lbs to go.  With the walking, excerising, diet control,
    it's dropping off at about 1 lb per week.  This may seem slow, but
    I look and feel great!
    
    I think part of my success, especially since the first of the year,
    is do to the way I think about my fitness program.  Notice I'm not
    saying "diet" or "weightloss".  I've taken the focus off of these
    two words.  My fitness program is both mental and physical.  I'm
    working towards health, not thin.  Weightloss is a result or by-product
    of regular exercise and a healthy diet.  I really believe that taking
    the focus off being thin is what is working for me.
    
    Well, good luck with your weightloss/diet/fitness program.  If it's
    important enough to you, you can do/attain/accomplish anything.
    
    trb
    

    <nice bum shame about the tum>
    
    can anyone  give me a good stomach exercise.I have tried different
    types of situps with limited success.I do alot of exercise but I
    have never achieved a flat stomach.
    
     sheppy
    

    re .66

    Has anyone out there tried one of those "abdomenizers" -- those plastic
    seats you sit on that help you do situps correctly?

    I'm sure you've done this but.. when you do situps, you need to curl up
    off the floor, feeling gradually less and less of your back on the floor.
    If you just lift yourself, you'll just build more muscle mass right where
    you're trying to flatten out.

    If you find your back isn't flexible enough, you can increase flexibility
    by lying on your back, bring up your knees up, put your arms over and around
    your knees in a cannonball tuck position, and (gently) roll forward and
    back, say about 20 times. Do it as part of your regular exercise regimen.
    Do it on a padded surface, otherwise you'll bruise your back.

    /Peters

	There are about a million ( Ok, maybe not THAT many :^) ) ways
    to do situps.

	AFAA (or is it IDEA?) recommends the following :

	Lie on floor.
	Bend your knees, feet flat on the floor, ~1 foot from buttocks.
	Press your lower back to the floor.
	Focus on a stationary point on the ceiling.
	Cross your arms across your chest.
	Raise your shoulders and upper back off the floor.
	While keeping your lower back pressed down to the floor, lower
	 your upper back and shoulders back down to the floor.

	As you come up, your head should tilt back slightly, relieving
    the tension along your spine.  As you come down, it should tilt
    forward.  That's why you focus on a point on the ceiling, if you do
    that, the head tilting comes naturally.

	For a harder situp, place the hands behind the head and interlock
    the fingers.  But do not pull up with your arms, your head should rest
    in your hands.

	For harder yet, also keep your elbows back.


	The are so many variations - for upper abs, for lower abs, for
     the obliques ... the list is almost endless.

	But, the situp above is the safest for your back, and also works
    the entire front of the abdomen, lower and upper abdominals, without
    overworking any one group.  You can add a twist during the raise and
    lower to also work the obliques.

-mike z

>	For a harder situp, place the hands behind the head and interlock
>    the fingers.  But do not pull up with your arms, your head should rest
>    in your hands.

    	One major point - you should never interlock the fingers behind 
    your head!  (This is stressed again and again in IDEA.)  Hands
    should be on either side of the neck at the base of the head, for
    support only.  There is a strong tendency to pull up on the
    head/neck if the hands are interlocked.

    	amy

	I think this is a new addition - they used to mention resting
    the head in the hands, but not to avoid interlocking the fingers.
	
	What about the rest of it?  Is it what they're still saying?

-mike z

	I think the rest is basically the same.  From the IDEA Aerobic
    Dance-Exercise Instructor Manual:

    	"Abdominal curls:  On the back with knees bent, feet flat on
    floor, hands across chest and elbows out straight, raise the
    shoulders off the floor toward your knees.  Repeat.  It is not
    necessary to raise the chest and upper trunk completely to a
    sitting position during an abdominal curl.  These final degrees of
    movement are wasted effort because they do not cause further
    contraction of the abdominal muscles.  When the hands are placed
    behind the head during an abdominal curl, be careful not to pull
    the neck and create stress on the cervical vertebrae."

    	In my training class, we were told to caution students not to
    interlock the fingers.  Gently place fingers at the base of the
    head to support, stomach should be in, back on the floor, and
    elbows back so that you can't see them.

    	amy

    How can your hands be across your chest and behind your head at the
    same time?  Or are you indicating that these are two variations with
    the same effect?
    
    Linda B
    

>    How can your hands be across your chest and behind your head at the
>    same time?  Or are you indicating that these are two variations with
>    the same effect?
    
    	Two different variations.  Heads behind the head is a harder
    (more advanced) situp.  With the hands behind the head, there is
    more weight further away from the midpoint, so the abdominals
    have to work harder to raise the upper body.  

    	(Think of a seesaw - the further the person is away from the 
    fulcrum, the harder it is to lift them.  At least, that's the
    explanation we got in class!)

    	amy

I was kinda surprised to see only one note in this notes file that mentions 
Karate as a method for losing weight, so I guess I'll ask...

Is taking up karate a good way to lose and maintain weight?  Isn't karate 
supposed to be about mental and physical self discipline?  

I have a friend who dropped over 100 pounds many many years ago when he went 
to Fred Valare, yet I see no such testimonials in here.  I always thought I 
shouldn't take up karate unless I was already in perfect physical condition 
but looking at some of the people who take it in my roommate's class, you can 
be pretty overweight and still do fine.  Which makes me wonder if maybe 
karate doesn't do anything for taking off the weight, it just makes you able 
to move your weight around better. :-) 

Anybody out there believe in karate for weight loss and maintenance?

Sharon 

    As I understand it, karate is a good form of excercise in terms of
    toning your body, but it is not highly aerobic, so it doesn't "burn
    fat".  BPeople who are in shape lose weight more easily, so it
    certainly wouldn't *hurt* your weight loss.
    
    I imagine that the mental discipline taught by any martial art would
    help you in all aspects of life, including weight loss.
    
    Many karate experts I've talked to scoff at Fred Villare, FWIW.
    
    D!

.74>Is taking up karate a good way to lose and maintain weight?
.74>Anybody out there believe in karate for weight loss and maintenance?
    
    It depends on the style and the teacher.
    
    Some forms are hard and strenuous and focus on physical training
    (kenpo) some are more gentle and focus on mental discipline (tai
    chi).  A good class will start off with exercise and then maintain
    the student's elevated pulse for the entire class.  Most places
    will let you sit in on a real class to see if it's what you want.
    
.75>    Many karate experts I've talked to scoff at Fred Villare, FWIW.
    
    I'm no expert, but I took karate from 1980 to 1984.  Spent a year
    and a bit at a Villare school. Corporate guidelines prevent me from
    saying what I think of Fred Villare schools.                    

    Well, its been a while since anyone wrote in this note, but I'm going
    to try a new form of exercising (for me, anyway) and wanted to hear
    feedback or comments from people who have done it.
    
    I don't know how many of you have tried..... using a jump rope.  I have
    a book with basic techniques--not just things you did as a kid.  You
    need to land on the balls of your feet, and not land too hard.  If you
    hear your feet pounding on the floor then your landing too hard.  The
    goal is 15 minutes a day starting with your basic skipping.  There are
    several variations of skipping, and you start off slow but work up to
    at least 15 minutes a day.  Supposidly its has the same benefits as
    jogging etc.  I also used to have a neighbor who skipped daily and was
    in extremely good shape because of it.  And they suggest having the
    radio on or a good tape.  Nothing *real* slow though.
    
    I don't know.  The knee I had operated on in 1985 doesn't react well to
    low impact aerobics lately, and this sounds ok to me.  If I'm not landing 
    hard my knee seems to be ok. 
    
    Just wanted to share that this IS a real form of exercise, and wanted
    to know if anyone else out there has done it and what you think of it.
    I'm going to do it anyway unless I really learn to hate it, but I'd
    like to hear your thoughts.
    
    Donna
    

    Donna,
    
    Do you have a mini trampoline?  If so, try skipping rope on it.  I do
    it almost nightly, and it really does give a good workout, and is low
    impact as well.  I skip to music, and keep the pace of the song.  I
    also alternate between skipping with both feet simultaneously and
    alternating with both feet (like you are jogging with a jump rope).  I
    have found skipping rope on the mini tramp gives me a better workout
    than just jogging in place on it, and increases my heart rate.
    
    I have also used the jump rope on the floor with good sneakers, but my
    calves really took a beating.  I like the rebounding effect of the
    trampoline, but you do have to work a little harder to get your heart
    rate up.
    
    -Roberta
    

	Donna,

	Jumping rope can be excellent exercise, but it's difficult to
	find a good surface for it.

	Ideally, a suspended wood floor would provide the best cushioning,
	but I don't know anyone who has one in her home.  My husband tried
	a couple times in our basement, and found the concrete floor quite
	unforgiving (no surprise).  Make sure you've got good shoes.

	Karen

    Thanks for the replies.  I'm so overweight that its hard starting out,
    but I'm determined to keep trying.  The main thing that is stressed is
    that you have good cushiony (sp?) shoes and that you land lightly. 
    Your lifting off, not pounding down on to the floor.
    
         
    Donna

.77> I don't know how many of you have tried..... using a jump rope.  I have
.77> a book with basic techniques--not just things you did as a kid.  You
    
    The last time I jumped rope was about 10 years ago.
    
    It's HARD exercise.  Pace yourself!  You can become exhausted quickly.

    I'm finding that out.  I'm starting out slowly.  Basically doing as
    much as I can and taking a rest.  Its discouraging that I can't even
    make the 5 minute mark, but I'm hoping that I'll improve as time goes
    on.  
    
    
    Donna

    I'll echo Mike's comments:  Skipping Rope is a hard aerobic activity.
    When I was in excellent shape, I used a jump rope to help with workouts.
    I don't jump rope now, because I know it's not the best method
    of keeping in shape right now. I would become exhausted too quickly
    for it to benefit my heart and lungs.  
    
    I'd prefer to do an activity that allows me to increase my heart
    rate to 80% of capacity for at least 20 minutes. For me, that
    activity is walking.  It's gentle, it uses lots of calories, and
    it feels good.  
    
    Don't be discouraged by not meeting the 5 minute mark.  5 minutes
    of rope skipping is very aggressive.  Did you ever notice
    that Boxers use jumpropes?  They are in absolutely fantastic shape.
    They are the only people I know who could do extended jump roping. 
    
    Kath

.83> that Boxers use jumpropes?  They are in absolutely fantastic shape.
.83> They are the only people I know who could do extended jump roping. 
    
    So do kickboxers and (amateur, not "professional") wrestlers.

    >....and (amateur, not "professional") wrestlers.
    
    A misnomer if I ever heard one.
    
    :-)
    
    D!

    My son's karate instructor also uses jump rope as a stamina exercise.
    
    Jonnie

    
    
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