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 fitness writers. They were online Tuesday, March 25 and took readers' questions.

The transcript follows

Discussion Archive.

MisFits Archive.

____________________

Howard Schneider: Ready to walk? Our latest trail challenge begins today -- a stroll around the Tidal Basin in time for Cherry Blossom fever. Hope you all can participate, and good luck with the riddles. We've also teamed up with Sally Squires to form a team for the new Presidents Challenge on fitness -- the aim is for all of us to get active for at least a half hour a day. You can register at http://www.presidentschallenge.org/. Use group number 69734 and team name Lean Plate Club. Now lets chat...

_______________________

Jelly Belly: Hi MisFits! I've found that even though I've lost a good deal of weight over the past few months that I've still got a lot of belly fat and was wondering if there was anything I could do to target that area or what? Thanks!

Howard Schneider: Just in time for Easter!!! And how many peeps lost their life if your family yesterday?
Congrats on the weight loss, and about the only advice on the "jelly belly" front is: more of the same.
You can't really target-reduce (despite all the infomercials and DVDs and secret workouts and supplements and experts that would make you believe otherwise). So the "secret" to getting that belly down is to continue keeping track of your calories, and making sure that you're running a bit of a deficit everyday between the number of calories you consume and the number your body uses day to day. caloriesperhou.com has calculators that will give you an estimate of your underlying metabolic rate. Add that to your workouts for a daily total.
Short answer: Toss the rest of the Easter basket, add a bit to the workouts, and keep track of what you eat...You've lost the "low hanging fruit" (how low it hung I won't ask). Now you need patience as your body continues to adapt...

_______________________

Reston, Va.: The good news -- I just got engaged! The bad news is -- everyone involved agrees this means it is time to get "serious" about losing weight. I've looked briefly online about bride weight-loss plans...are any of them any good, or any better than me just doing it myself? Has anyone had any experience? If anyone knows it would have to be ALL the fitness buffs in this chat!

Vicky Hallett: What a coincidence! Me too! (Not to Howard. Don't worry.) But I'm concerned about the advice of these "everyone involved" people. If my "everyone involved" told me to get serious about losing weight, I'd disinvite them...Do you think you need to lose weight? That's step one.
If you feel you're not as healthy as you could be, and your wedding day is giving you that push you've been looking for, there's nothing wrong with getting fitter for the big day. Those photos, after all, last a loooong time.
I'd be wary though of any advice you get online, especially from brides who are starving themselves or hitting the gym enough to qualify as exercise bulemics (and there's a lot of that out there).
A better option: Getting a personal trainer. That's always a good way to make the process easier and more efficient. I did a story two years ago about Sarah West, a trainer at Results, who works with tons of brides...I'll see if I can find the link.
But, of course, given the expense of all the other stuff you're planning right now, the fees can add up. And, depending on your fitness level and interests, you might be able to get to your goals just by taking up Body Pump and yoga at your gym -- without spending an extra cent.
Another budget option: Buy a copy of "The Healthy Bride Guide" by Christi Masi.

_______________________

Spin Class: In terms of calorie burning and cardio benefit, is spin class a good workout? I don't take a formal class (just ride the bike myself with my iPod) for at least 60 minutes and am completely drenched and tired at the end. I'm a little burned out on the other cardio options at my gym and wanted to try something new. I push myself pretty hard, so I think I'm getting a good workout, but don't know for sure.

Vicky Hallett: The only way to know for sure, my spinning friend, is to wear a heart rate monitor. But being completely drenched and exhausted seems like a good sign that you're getting a workout.
Think about taking a class though! If you've been getting burned out on other cardio equipment, all of the drills and intervals will keep the bike from becoming boring...And you probably will end up getting a tougher workout than whatever you'd do on your own. I know I can never push myself as hard as one of those perky instructors with a headset can.

Howard Schneider: The other aspect is that a good instructor will get you to do different things with the bike that have a different benefits. You won't just spring, in other words, you'll crank the resistance to levels you can barely sustain, stand on the pedals in ways that strengthen different muscles, etc....That's hard to mimic on your own unless you are really deliberate about it....It's a good workout...

_______________________

Silver Spring, Md.: Thank you for taking my questions!

I am a beginner 5K runner. I trained last year doing one of those "Couch Potato to 5K" programs. Although I finished the race, I walked a lot of it (I think it had to do more with nerves than training). Anyway, I plan to do the same race again this summer.

My first question is, how do I warm up for the run? I usually walk about .25 mile before I start running, but it's hard to do in a race situation because most people appear to start running at the get-go.

Also, the first mile of the race is (if you can believe it) uphill. My second question is, how to I train for that?

Howard Schneider: Morning Silver Spring -- and congrats on finishing the race last year. That's an accomplishment, no?
I think you have two choices on the warmup, based on your goal. If you are only trying to finish -- and are not too worried about your time -- you could build a slow warmup jog into the start of the race. Just take it easy for the first few minutes as your body gets moving, then gradually build to the pace you aim to maintain for the full three miles....
The other is to simply get there early enough to walk your quarter mile before the race starts -- estimate the steps you need to cover that distance and do it before your get in place for the start of the event. Alternately, you could run in place, or plan a calistehnic set -- jumping jacks, pushups, etc. -- to get yourself moving.
As to the hill training: Only way to get ready for that is to practice running some hills. Maybe use one workout a week just on that endeavor. If you workout on a treadmill, then do some hill intervals using the incline setting -- maybe five minutes at 2, then down for a couple, then a few minutes at five, then down, etc. Play with the intensity and the time to mimic an actual course. If you train on the road, find a local hill that's maybe a quarter mile in length. After you are warmed up, then run to the top and jog slowly to the bottom...Try doing three or four sets of that before cooling down.

Vicky Hallett: I've mentioned this before, but just in case you missed it, ChiRunning has an amazing technique for tackling hills.
Turn your body slightly so you run at an angle up the hill, leading with one foot and pulling the other foot to meet it. After a few steps, switch to the other side.
It might sound a little kooky, but it's like magic.

_______________________

Renton, Wash.: Hi,

I'm a woman in my mid 30s. I exercise well and eat healthy, but can't seem to get the abs as toned as I would like. DO I need to change my routine and what are the best ab exercises that can kick start the abs to contract and see results?

Thanks

Vicky Hallett: It depends on what you mean by tone. Are you abs not as strong as you'd like, or is there a little layer of jiggle covering up your secret six-pack?
If it's the latter, you can cure that by doing the old-fashioned weight loss formula: more exercise, fewer calories. Or, possibly, it's an issue of stress. That can make your body cling to belly fat...
If it's the former, you're in good luck because I'm in the middle of researching an abs spectacular. The most killer move I've had to do so far is "super crunches": lay flat on your back with your arms over your head (on the ground), and then lift your legs and your arms so you're touching your toes in mid air. Ouch.

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Hi Vicky and Howard!

I just read a magazine article that had cardio tips for different goals/body types (people who tend to pack on muscle in their legs quickly, people who have a hard time putting on muscle in their legs and want to, and people who want to lose fat from their legs and tone). I tend to fall in the first group and they said for people like me to avoid Stairmasters and any treadmill/elliptical programs with hills, since it would just bulk up the legs. I had been using the elliptical hill program (short two minute bursts of increasingly high/resistant phases with one minute flat recovery times) because that seemed to be the only thing to really get my heart rate up, but now I'm not sure. What's a girl with big legs to do to get them smaller?

Howard Schneider: I'd love to hear from the audience on this body type issue, and whether people have had success with those sorts of programs...
Regarding the specific question, my guess would be to focus more endurance-type training rather than the hill-climbing/resistance. Going for longer periods of time at a pace that puts your heart rate where you want it to be will build endurance without prompting your muscles to "grow..."
Any ideas from the field?

_______________________

Washington, D.C.: Following up on your sneaker article the other week...I bought a pair of running shoes a month and a half ago at a locally owned running shop and the salesperson helped me pick the size. I've worn them twice and gotten bad blisters. Is it okay to return already worn shoes if they don't fit correctly?

Howard Schneider: Not sure what the outcome will be, but I'd take them back for a conversation with the manager and have them check the fit...Maybe they got the size wrong -- in which case good business sense, you'd hope, would prevail in the form of a new pair of shoes...
It may also be that two times is not enough to work out the kinks. If you are new to running or exercise you may need to grin and bear it and tender spots on the feet toughen up...

Vicky Hallett: Another culprit to think about is the socks you were wearing. Even in the best running shoes ever, cotton is bound to give you blisters if you're running any considerable distance...

_______________________

Hartford, Conn.: Morning MisFits. I'm so excited, I was introduced to hand-balancing this weekend by a friend at my local gym. And with some help, did my first handstands, tried but failed at the planche, struggled with the iron cross(the gymnastic move, not the medal). I work out with resistance machines, but these movements seem wonderful supplements to the basic gym routine. Plus they take incredible practice and strength to execute. Am I on the right track in this thinking? Do you know of any DVDs out there that have very various hand-balancing routines?

Vicky Hallett: Gymnasts are in insanely good shape. I was just interviewing a top fitness model (I know, my job is weird) and he was saying the best shape he's ever been in was when he was doing gymnastics training. To do those kinds of moves takes incredible strength -- they're the stuff the people at Cross Fit get so excited about.
So, right, I'll stop blathering on and say, yep, those are great exercises to do.
But I don't know of any DVDs out there. (And I even checked in with my favorite source: Collage Video.) If they do exist, I'd guess a Cross Fit message board is probably a good way to track one down.

_______________________

Tysons, Va.: Please provide suggestions on how to tone the entire body. I don't need to lose weight but need the formula to get the toned body I desperately want -- without joining a gym.

Howard Schneider: Toning means building muscle, and that means some form of resistance training...Your body builds new muscle once it becomes convinced that it needs it -- a process that involves doing more work than the existing muscle can sustain. That process -- inducing muscle failure, or fatigue -- will involve more or less weight, depending on who you are and how strong you are. You might be able to get to that point with resistance bands. It might require some hefty dumbbells -- can't answer that without more information.
Since you don't want to join a gym, the options are to invest in some home weight equipment, or to get really friendly with bodyweight exercises like pushups and squats and bicycles. You can find lots of examples among our exercise demos.
You can shop around among all the DVDs that are out there too, but make sure you find something that's involving weight and resistance -- not one from the burn-your-boot-in-the-basement milieu...

_______________________

Chicago: For close to the past year, I've made steady progress toward reaching each of my intermediate weight loss goals. But for the past month or so, I've found myself yo-yoing between my current weight. Any ideas for how to bust through this rut? For what it's worth, because I'm not sure if my knees can handle running at my weight (they couldn't 60 pounds ago) and it's way too cold still, most of my fitness plan (if you want to call this a plan, haha) revolves around walking and eating healthy.

Howard Schneider: Well if you've dropped 60 already then you have no reason to be chuckling at yourself...Something's working...
I've had the same experience -- that the weight seems to come off in cycles, then the whole process stalls. I assume you're keeping track of your calories -- be hard to get as far as you have without doing so. Have you recalibrated what you need each day based on your new weight? Keep in mind you have 60 pounds less of "you" to maintain, so your base metabolic rate has also changed. Check out caloriesperhour.com to update that number.
What's helped me get through these plateaus is to look for the foods that continued to cause problems and specifically limit them (I've spoken before about my war with grilled cheese sandwiches....)
Second, it may be time to up the stakes on your excercise. You can ease into running with a walk-run program. If you are walking for an hour, then try to break that into intervals -- walk 9 minuties and run 1. See how that feels. Work up to 8 and 2, etc. That should ease your knees back into it.
Also, consider beginning a weight lifting program. That will strengthen the lower body for other exercise, and also add lean muscle mass that will, at the margins at leastm, add to your ability to burn calories through the day...
Good luck!!

_______________________

McLean, Va.: I've been going to power yoga about two times a week for the past six months and have dropped from a size 4/6 to a size 2/4. I am worried that only doing yoga will not help me build enough muscle for later on in life. I say this because my mother is going through menopause and is having trouble losing weight due to her lack of muscle...should I be lifting (I'm 23) one or two times a week. And if so, should I lift overall or focus on specific muscle groups?

Vicky Hallett: Do enough yoga and you'll have strength that will put body builders to shame.
But it never hurts to try to build more muscle, especially if there's a hereditary reason to focus on it. The easiest way to get started, and to make sure you're got most of the body covered, is to do a circuit at the gym.
Either once or twice a week is fine, but I wouldn't do much more than that, especially if you're working hard in yoga class. Overtraining won't be good for you as you age either...

_______________________

DC ectomorph: Hello! Much to the chagrin of many women in my office, I am a male that is trying to GAIN weight! I bought protein shakes yesterday, and have maintained muscle tone after a recent knee surgery but am ready to try to bulk up again. My problem is that when I am stressed I LOSE my appetite, and it is hard to make myself eat as much as what my trainer suggested, 4-6k calories a day! Any suggestions?

Signed

Musclehead trapped in Audrey Hepburn

Howard Schneider: So, what's happening that has you so stressed? Did Buddy Ebsen show up asking too many questions?
Hard to imagine a life too complicated to eat -- for many of us it's the other way around. Stress becomes an excuse to gorge. Nothing like a muffin and latte on deadline.
I don't think there's any secret about what to eat -- plenty of starches, pastas, peanut butter and related stuff, lots of dried fruit and juice -- everything, in other words, that the dietmeisters tell us not to do. Here are some tips from a UCLA article...
As to the stress -- seems that's also might be worth your attention. Any way to cut that back and regain the urge to pig out?

_______________________

Waldorf, Md.: Have you seen the new show "I Can Make You Thin"? If so, what do you think about it? Also, I am in the process of using sparkpeople.com, which is a blessing for people who really need help with weight loss and exercise. I am sure you have addressed how to get through a point where no matter what you do, the scale won't move?

Vicky Hallett: I have the screener from TLC next to my computer, but embarrassingly, I haven't watched it yet. According to the press release, it sounds like this Paul McKenna guy hypnotizes you into eating less -- there's something about an "anti-diet" and "mental exercises." What do you think of it??
And if no matter what you do the scale isn't moving, I'd first take a look at where you are. Maybe you don't look like a super model, but if that's a healthy weight, that might just be where your body is happiest. If that's not the case, we always advocate trying something totally different -- new ways to work out (basketball! rock climbing! tap dancing!) make your body burn more calories and can get you out of a rut.
Or, possibly, you need mental exercises. We'll see.

_______________________

Anonymous: I'm pretty skinny. I eat very healthy, try to keep my portions low, get my five fruits and vegetables, etc. My problem? I can't get rid of the "inner tube" around my waist. I've been dieting for months now, I'm at a goal weight, but the stomach and side fat persists. Should I do crunches? Pilates? Is there a magic solution? It's driving me nuts! I want to get into that bikini this summer...

Howard Schneider: I'm going to go out on a limb here: it's possible to be skinny and "fat" -- i.e. to concentrate so much on your weight that you ignore body composition (fat versus lean muscle). Remember, your body needs a healthy level of fat, and unless you are eighteen and ready to dehydrate and starve yourself, that "inner tube" may be really hard to shed. That being said, if you are interested in "shaping," you'll need to add exercise to your circumspect dieting (you may even need to eat more to support muscle growth...you may find that you physique becomes more slender even as you put on a couple of bounds since muscle is denser than fat). You can't target weight loss, but you can start to reshape your body. Pilates is a good whole body workout that focuses on that "core" area you seem concerned with...Maybe start with that, and see how your body responds...

_______________________

Rockaway, N.J.: Hi -- I have a question on hygiene after a workout -- I typically do cardio for one hour every evening, so build up quite a bit of perspiration, including in my hair -- should I be shampooing every day or just rinsing the hair after the workout?

Thanks.

Vicky Hallett: I have an embarrassing anecdote I feel like I should share. This morning, the woman next to me on the treadmill said, "Excuse me, your pony tail is whipping your sweat on to me." Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.
(If my hair has ever done that to anyone else, I can't apologize profusely enough.)
Anyway, my point is that of course you should wash your hair after sweating.

_______________________

Alexandria: Regarding blisters... not too long ago, for the first time I bought some "running socks" and started wearing them. The kind with a double layer of material. One day I had a blister (painfull skin rubbed off and all) from new work shoes, and figured I'd go ahead and go to the gym, warm up on the treadmill as long as I could stand it, and then do weights or something not likely to rub the blister. I wound up doing a full, normal run without irritating the blister at all. Those socks are wonderful. (of course I also had running shoes that fit, but trust me before the socks i would not have been jogging with blisters no matter how good the shoes)

Howard Schneider: Great advice that I neglected in the heat of battle...Technical socks -- either of the double layered or other variety -- are a good addition to go along with the shoes. They are narrower than usual cotton gym socks, along with having features like the double layer option...Available at any specialty running store....

_______________________

Washington, DC: Good morning. I'm looking for a DVD recommendation. Specifically, a yoga routine for flexibility and relaxation (not strength) that I can do in my tiny apartment (not much floor space). Also, I'd rather have 2-3 short (30-minute) full routines rather than 60-90 minutes that I have to arbitrarily chop in half. Does this exist? Thanks either way.

Vicky Hallett: How about Gaiam's A.M. & P.M. Stretch?
http://www.collagevideo.com/workout-video/am-and-pm-stretch-7108
It seems to fit the bill (2 short routines, more about flexibility than strength) and it has great reviews.

_______________________

Virginia: I'm trying to create a playlist for 2 separate workouts: cardio and weights. Unfortunately my personal library isn't expansive enough to get the 90 minutes of music for each that I'm looking for. I'm thinking 120-160 beats per minute for cardio and 90-120 beats per minuts for weights. Are there any resources where I can look up music by beats per minutes or am I going to have to randomly test the 30 seconds of music through iTunes to see if anything matches. How did you find your playlists?

Vicky Hallett: The only place I've ever seen music sold by bpm was at a fitness conference. Those folks take their music choices seriously! So, if you belong to a gym, it might be worth asking a few trainers what they like. People who run Spin classes tend to be extra obsessive about their playlists, I've found.
Another fun resource is Women's Health Magazine's site:
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/playlists

_______________________

Richmond, Va.: Good morning.

I'm a 45-year-old male. I'm currently 180 pounds but would love to be able to tone-up and lose some of the fat forming around the middle. Is it too late for a guy my age to tone-up? I doubt I'll ever see a 6-pack (or is that even possible for a normal guy my age?) but can I still build muscle mass or is that just for the younger guys?

Howard Schneider: Hey Richmond....Good News!!!!
While the ability to build and sustain muscle does slow over time, it does not disappear -- so yes you can tone and get stronger and lose weight....EVEN AT AGE 45!!!
Be patient with yourself -- but the process does work. As we've said before, as you design your program, make sure you include all the major muscles, and keep in mind that to really build muscle you need to use an amount of weight that will induce muscle failure after about eight or 12 repeitions....

_______________________

After the race: I just completed my first half marathon on Saturday (yay!) and while there are plenty of training programs for before the race I'm honestly at a loss as to what I should do now -- after the race. Because I doubled up on local running shop training programs I actually have a 5K this upcoming Saturday but my coach for that program has given me the option of sitting it out. But I don't know what to do. Any advice?

Howard Schneider: I'd let your body and mind be your guide. You just hit a great milestone -- why not not savor it and let your body recover? A 5k is not going to be a challenge at all in regards to distance, so you'll have no trouble finishing. The risk is that you're tempted now to focus on speed, and go out there and hurt yourself. That'd be a downer after what you did Saturday....Why not recover from this and then pick a new event to focus your summer training?
Give yourself permission to rest...

_______________________

Philadelphia: A couple years ago I regularly ran with wrist weights and found that it toned my arms very effectively. I've just started running with ankle weights and definitely find that I have to work harder than is typical. My friend says the ankle weights are a bad idea for running, as they'll increase impact on my knees. What do you think?

Vicky Hallett: I think your friend is right -- ankle weights will definitely increase the impact on your joints. And besides, isn't running without the weights hard enough???

_______________________

Fairfax, Va.: Congrats, Vicky!!!

Vicky Hallett: Thank you!! But I have bad news if any of y'all were waiting for the link to that story I promisded you: it's not on the Express site.
But I know Washington Sports Clubs offers (or at least, used to offer) a special package for brides-to-be -- and grooms, too. So that's worth investigating...

_______________________

Vicky Hallett: Okay, time to go! But we'll be seeing you on Saturday at the cherry blossoms, right? Even if it's raining, we'll be on lip balm patrol.

_______________________

Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.