He's a veteran reporter, digging up the latest fitness news. She's an irreverent columnist with a knack for getting people off the couch and into the gym. Together, they're here to handle your worst work-out dilemmas and exercise questions.

Vicky Hallett and Howard Schneider are the MisFits, The Post's new fitness writers. Vicky was online Tuesday, Nov. 27 at 11 a.m. to take your questions.

A transcript follows.

Discussion Archive.

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Vicky Hallett: I bet I know what's on your mind this morning if you read today's column. No, not racquetball or knees. Farting while running! Anyone else want to help us get to the bottom of this matter? Remember, one of the best things about this chat concept is that you're anonymous...

Howard Schneider: I'm not here today, Vicky. You are on your own with this one. (Nor am I exercising with you anymore....)

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Newark, Del.: I've decided that I'm finally going to start getting back in shape (yay!). I just splurged and bought an ellipitical, which I should be getting the middle of this week. I really want to start working out and losing weight as soon as possible. I want to mix doing the ellipitical with pilates/yoga for toning. If I use the ellipitical like 4-5 days per week, how long should I be on it in order to start seeing results? Thank you so much for your help!

Vicky Hallett: It's not necessarily a matter of time, my proud elliptical machine owner friend! How hard you're working really depends on speed and resistance. And how much you need to do to see results depends on where you are right now. There isn't a magic number.

Of course, if you're starting from scratch and planning on working out five days a week once it arrives, you're sure to get some benefit pretty quickly. If you're a beginner, I'd start slowly (maybe 20 minutes at a level that you find somewhat challenging), before gradually kicking up the time and difficulty level. You don't want to burn out on your resolution before Xmas.

Howard Schneider: Another thought: Make sure you match the new workout commitment with attention to nutrition. Don't starve yourself; understand what your body needs to sustain itself (see the metabolic calculators at misfitness.com or others you can find online) estimatewhat the exercise adds, and shoot a bit below that in terms of the total calories you consume in a day. As Vicky said you'll probably see some quick benefits, but then comes the hard part: After those first few weeks, you are going to have to stick it out and understand that continued progress means working even harder as your body becomes capable of doing so.

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Washington, D.C.: My walking partner is moving away. We have been great at keeping each other motivated but really slack off when we are on our own because one of us is out of town or unavailable. I hope to find a new partner, but would also like to find a way for the two of us to keep up a long distance partnership. Do you know of a Web site or program that we could use to jointly schedule and track our workouts?

Vicky Hallett: Can't you just email or call? Even if you're opposite coasts, hearing that voice say, "Okay, I'm gonna start walking," should provide a jolt of inspiration.

I know of a ton of sites that help you meet partners and schedule stuff in one city but none that are good for coordinating long-distance exercise friends. Can any chatters help D.C. out?

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Baltimore, Md.: Hi Misfits, submitting early because I have a meeting at 11. I recently started the couch-to-5k jogging program and am really pleased with it, but need help with stretching. Do I stretch before and after? For how long? Do you have any recommended stretches that I should incorporate? Thanks so much!

Howard Schneider: Hey Baltimore and good luck with the program. This is something I am planning to write about in more detail soon. I don't understand it well enough yet and I suspect there is a lot of confusion about what to do and how to do it. I know there are a couple of important rules of thumb: don't stretch cold, don't bounce around, and don't "force" the stretch too deep. Any of you who do yoga know there are safe ways to work the edge of a stretch, but that takes coaching and proper breathing, and is not something you'd want to play with in a pre or post-run routine.

Here are some ideas and more background from Coolrunning.com, which I've found to be a good resource.

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Washington, D.C.: I was thinking about asking for a BosuBall.com for Xmas -- heard that it was really effective to strengthen your core -- something that I really need to do, but I cannot seem to get to the pilates class at the gym no matter how hard I try! I didn't realize that it was about $100 and the "as seen on TV" link on their Web site made me a bit nervous that this was just an expensive fad. Thoughts?

Howard Schneider: I think the Bosu has proved its legitimacy -- "as seen on TV" aside. They are standard equipment in gyms now and lend themselves to innovation. It's versatile - you can stand on it, lunge off of it, do dumbbell exercises on it, flip it over and do pushups, etc, and everything requires core stabilization to keep your balance. A couple of weeks ago my friend and trainer Mary Layne played around with the Bosu during a boxing workout -- standing on top of it while whacking the speed bag. Forces a lot of concentration.

But you gotta do the work - and be ready to exploit its diversity.

In terms of the price, I guess the question to ask yourself is whether there are cheaper alternatives. You could look at the inflatable stability balls, which are used for a variety of core exercises and cost only about 25 bucks. I just put together a few links and articles about ab training on misfitness.com that might be worth reading before you decide on the investment...

Good luck..

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Philadelphia, Pa.: Should I marry a man who is so inflexible that he can't touch his toes? (let alone get down on one knee). I do yoga.

Howard Schneider: Absolutely not. How could he possibly honor, cherish and obey without being able to touch his toes? I'd hold out for a full vrischika before you commit...

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Vienna, Va.: Vicky, Howard, I remember a piece on Nordic walking in the Express some time ago. Would any of you be interested in doing a piece on Nordic walking in The Post, or in your blog? I have been running Nordic Walking U.S. in Vienna, Va., for the past four years. Have conducted dozens of classes and free demos about this great activity. Have sold hundreds of pairs of LEKI and Swix poles to almost every continent and U.S. state, but somehow it seems that relatively few people in this area have heard of Nordic walking. Once again, we are conducting a Nordic walking demo on the National Mall on Saturday, December 8. Would love to see you there, or if you prefer, I would be perfectly willing to work with you at some other time. Nordic walking is really the greatest whole-body exercise and I want to see more people taking it up. My Web site is NordicWalkingUS.

Vicky Hallett: Nordic walking is pretty awesome. I took the class at the Bethesda YMCA, and it was a ton of fun. Here's the link to my story in case any of you missed it in June:

http://www.readexpress.com/read_freeride/2007/06/sticking_around.php

Just be sure to bundle up as if you're in Finland if you head to the demo this weekend!

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Anonymous: Pardon my ignorance, but I've only been doing the try and get into shape thing for a few months. But what's a "core"?

Howard Schneider: Hey...Sorry about the lingo. We try to guard against it but slip up in an effort to be quick. "Core" refers generally to the muscles of the midsection -- the outer "six pack" abdominals that we all worry about so much, the transverse muscle beneath it, the muscles that stabilize the back, the gluteals. They are the muscles the stabilize us and keep us upright and, in the case of the glutes, help generate power in the hips. They are a focus of disciplines like Pilates, and have gained more and more notice as the set of muscles that let us age without alot of the aches and pains and back troubles that people suffer.

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washingtonpost.com: Fit: Sticking Around ( Express, June 19)

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Washington, D.C.: What is the rule on exercising when sick? I have a cold (sniffles, runny nose, sneezing) and cannot decide whether it's better to stay out of the gym or do the workout. I've heard that it's okay to work out when sick so long as the illness is not affecting the lungs. Is that accurate? Thanks!

Vicky Hallett: I think I speak for everyone else who belongs to your gym when I say, "Keep your germs to yourself!!"

If you want the cold to end, I'd keep exercise to a minimum. That's not to say you have to sit in bed all day long, but your body needs energy to get better, so using it all up on the elliptical is going to prolong those sniffles.

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Washington, D.C.: What is a good pace for walking on the treadmill? I can't run more than 10 minutes because of bad knees and get bored of the elliptical at times, so I like to do a brisk walk. Is 4.0 good or should I be aiming for more? How about incline?

Howard Schneider: Four-oh for me is write at the border between walking and jogging so it's a decent rate, and yes you can use the incline to up the intensity and the heartrate without adding any pounding on the knees.

Here's the real question: Are the knees bad from injury, or bad because you have not been working them? You might find that if you stick with the walking consistently for a few weeks, you might speed up to 4.1, 4.2 etc., go for ten minutes, then make it 11 and slowly build the joints back up. You might also consider some weighlifting, or bodyweight exercises like squats and lunges to make the knees stronger...

Vicky Hallett: I believe walking any faster than 4.5 mph and you're burning more calories than you would if you were running. So if you can go faster without hurting your knees, why not?

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Washington, D.C.: Cold weather and exposed joints...: Hi Guys,

I enjoy reading about your adventures in fitness, keep up the good work. I have an observation to make. Now that the temperature regularly drops below 50 degrees, one would think that runners and joggers would be adding a couple layers to their workout gear. However despite the frigid temps lately, just the other day I saw someone running in a tank top and shorts. In fact, lots of people seem to go running in shorts despite the cold weather. I had always thought that doing so was bad for your joints-that in cold weather one should cover the knees to keep them warm while you run. Is this correct or do the skimpily clad joggers know something that I don't? Thanks!

Howard Schneider: Hey D.C...Plenty of reasons to be careful running in the cold, particularly if we get into sub-freezing temps. Windburn and windchill. Hydration (you may not think you are sweating as much but you still need to keep the fluids going). But as far as joint pain goes, I think if the people are game enough to keep running in shorts, they probably know what they are doing and are comfortable doing it. If they wanted to be warmer, they'd dress up. We're all different in that regard. Remember your body generates a lot of internal heat when you are working hard...Let your own body be the guide in that regard

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Cleveland Park, Washington, D.C.: I'm sure this question has been asked before, but what are some ways to stay fit during the winter months? I go to the gym about two times per week, but I'd like to bring my fitness routine into my apartment. I am in pretty good shape, and during nicer weather, 50 degrees and above, I run outside 4 to 5 times per week for approximately 3-4 miles.

Are there any DVDs that you recommend? What is the best workout? Pilates? Yoga? Thanks for the help!

Vicky Hallett: Maybe running isn't your bag in the winter, but you don't have to hide from the outside! How about dressing warmly and taking walks to get some of that benefit you get the rest of the year?

But DVDs can be great, too. And don't require good ear muffs.

I'd say the best way to keep motivated though is to have a selection of various DVDs with different workouts -- so get a Pilates, a yoga, straight up aerobics and anything else that seems appealing. As for new stuff, I recently tested "Element: Ballet Conditioning," which is great for strengthening. Billy Blanks has two new Tae Bo DVDs. They're pretty much guaranteed to make you sweat. And there's that Shiva Rea "Radiant Heart Yoga" that I've promised to get to! (I'll do it this weekend and report back next Tuesday.)

Howard Schneider: Just because it's Christmas, send me your address offline to schneiderh@washpost.com and we'll ship you a video to try out...I have a stack here to review that I'll never work through. You want cardio, strength or an ab blast?

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Los Angeles, Calif.: I have very tight hips, hamstrings, and IT bands. I try to balance activities that make it worse (desk sitting, hiking, running, etc.) with yoga 1 to 2 times a week to at least prevent it from getting worse. A friend recently bought a "foam roller" and says that a few minutes with the roller and she feels benefits like hours of stretching. Are these things really beneficial? They come in different sizes, densities, and prices -- what kind is best?

Vicky Hallett: Foam rollers are definitely the next "it" exercise device. Trainers looooove them -- and the people who use them generally do too. The benefits seem legit.

But I have no clue what the best brand is. If your friend likes hers so much, you could ask her. J/Fit has good reviews on Amazon...

Howard Schneider: Been rolling for a few weeks and can vouch for it -- I mentioned Martina Navratilova's book "Shaping Yourself" in the holiday column last week. She includes a whole bunch of foam roller exercises...

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Washington, D.C.: I have heard that you can't really lose weight without lifting weights. However, after 4 years of varsity athletics (swimming), the last thing I want to do is to return to that bulky frame I had back then. What is the best course of action for me? I am really frightened of anything heavy. (I am a 24-year-old female)

Thanks.

Howard Schneider: Hey D.c...It's certainly possible to lose weight without resistance training...BUT, the question is what type of weight you want to lose and why. You no doubt left college in great shape. Why sacrifice it? As a woman, you are not genetically programmed to develop bulky muscles, so you could develop a resistance training routine that maintins the muscle mass you have and burns calories along the way.

What you probably don't want to do is go on a diet that makes the scales move in the right direction but only because your muscle is atrophying. Why head towards your 30s weaker? In addition, the benefits of resistance training as a guard against osetoporosis are pretty well established -- and you still have a few years to create bone density and "bank" it for your later years.

So grab the dumbbells and get back in the pool -- though maybe not at the same time.

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Reston, Va.: I'm a trainer (Hi Howard) and I asked my doctor the question about working out when sick, because clients always ask me. She told me to never workout if you have a fever or gastrointestinal (flatulence not included) issues. You can work at a moderate pace if you have a cold or sinus. If you do choose to go to the gym, be sure to wash your hands obessively to avoid giving it to others.

Howard Schneider: Makes sense...The other answer is: take the cue and rest. It's a great excuse to be lazy.

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Florida: I am a 50 plus female. Can you recommend exercises to tone and firm legs? I work out 2-3 times a week, but nothing seems to help my legs.

Howard Schneider: Lunges one day, squats the next.

Want some other ideas?

Lunges one day, and squats the next.

After that?

Lunges one day and squats the next.

Okay, okay...I assume your gym has a weight circuit, and I just checked in the Mary on our new trainer hotline (otherwise known as the cellphone), and she says to make sure to hit the leg extension and leg curl machine, and also recommends plyometric exercise like box jumping. That may depend on whether your knees are ready to jump, but it will certainly target the right muscles.

Now, if you are already doing these things and not seeing a result, you may need to up the weight. Remember "toning" is our euphemism for building muscle. To trigger muscle growth, you need to lift a weight heavy enough so that by the end of your set -- say the 12th rep or so -- you have reached the point of momentary muscle failure. Once you have mastered that weight, bump it up a little bit...

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Vicky Hallett: Seriously, are we not going to get a single farting question? I'm a little disappointed.

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Washington, D.C.: I sprained my ankle a couple weeks back -- right as I was hitting my stride for endurance running (had never been able to run for 2 miles straight before!). I've had a couple weeks off while the ankle recovers. What's a good guide on how to ease back into my workouts -- walking for long periods? Running for short stretches? Anything as long as it doesn't hurt?

Howard Schneider: Depends on the severity of the sprain. I have had plenty of twists and turns, and probably did the wrong thing by home medicating -- an off the shelf brace, stay off it a while, and ease back into exercise once the swelling and pain are gone.

That may have been fine. I also may have set myself up for a worse injury down the road by not getting it diagnosed and going through rehab to make sure the joint was really back in shape.

Certainly stay off it until the pain is gone, and take it easy as you try to start again. If there is any doubt about the depth of the sprain, bet it looked at. My ankle pops like crazy now, and while I don't have recurrent sprain problems, I do feel I should have had earlier injuries more closely attended.

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Friendly, Md.: I enjoy step aerobics with one or two steps but I feel stiff and achy in my hip area. Could step aerobics be a little too much?

Vicky Hallett: You could quit step, but being inactive can also make your hips stiff.

If you love step, I'd keep at it, and try to incorporate more stretching into your routine. Maybe yoga would help? Lunges can be great for hip stiffness. Here's a link about that from the Sun and Moon Yoga Studio in Arlington:

http://www.sunandmoonstudio.com/Poses/lunge.shtml

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Doylestown, Pa.: Regarding yoga and shoulders. I've had rotator cuff problems with both of my shoulders. I have full motion and no real problems with them now. But, I worry about them a bit. Could yoga help or hurt? It seems to be very hard on shoulders. What should I watch out for?

Vicky Hallett: Here is a very thorough article on this very topic from Yoga Journal:

http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/1102

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North McLean, Va.: I'm a man in my mid 40s, and I keep irritating my shoulder when I lift free weights. Is it time to segue to those rubber-band thingies, or should I just greatly reduce the amount I lift.

Howard Schneider: Is it in the joint or the muscle? If the muscle, I'd scale back the weight and build up from there: If may be you are stronger on one side than the other, and you need to give the weaker joint/muscle a chance to "catch up."

If the pain is in the joint, then ask yourself whether you are irritating it doing an exercise that actually uses the muscle, or which relies on other parts of the body. If the latter, then it may be you are doing that exercise wrong: have a trainer check your form. If the former, then I'd ask a pro whether there are alternatives that you don't find bothersome (that's one good thing about a skilled pro -- they should have a good index of exercises in their head, and could suggest other paths to the same end).

If none of that rings true, you may need to consult a doctor or therapist...BTW, don't consider the rubber band thingies a defeat. That may be what you need to get the shoulder ready for more weight. My son hurt his elbow pitching a couple of years ago, and he has been working with the rubber band thingies ever since...

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Alexandria, Va.: Hi! I have a running-shoe question. I got new sneakers over the weekend (yay!) and they do feel much better than my old ones. The thing is that I tend to hit on the outside of my right foot (left foot is better) -- I can't remember if that's over or under pronating -- and the people at the store said there really aren't any sneakers that "fix" that problem. It's not causing injury (yet?), but is it true that there really aren't any sneakers that fix my problem? What can I do about it? Or should I just not worry?

Howard Schneider: Morning, and congrats on the new shoes. If your foot is staying on the outer edge, that is supination (pronation is when the foot rolls inward, which it is supposed to do by a few degrees...). You'll want a shoe with a softer midsole that encourages that rolling (as supposed to one with stiffer arches, like I have, to keep me from rolling on too much). Runners World magazine has a great "shoe computer," that lets you type in your foot type and see models from a variety of shoe companies. Also, there are several local shops that can offer expertise -- Pacers, Fleetfeet and Bethesda Racquet and Jog are the ones that come to mind...

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Vicky Hallett: Well, folks, that's it for us today! Sorry if we didn't get to your questions -- remember, you can always email us at misfits@washpost.com.

And get your hiking shoes ready. Next week, Howard announces the next MisFits Trail Challenge. It has a holiday twist, and it's Metro-accessible...Stay tuned...

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