Ask the MisFits

Vicky Hallett and Howard Schneider
Washington Post Health Section
Tuesday, June 3, 2008 11:00 AM

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, June 3, to respond to fitness-related queries.

The transcript follows

Discussion Archive.

MisFits Archive.

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Howard Schneider: Morning everyone ... Vicky has ambled back from vacation so I am going to sit back and let her do most of the work today. A couple of things from today's paper -- including a post mortem on my training for the Marine Corps Half Marathon that took place in Fredericksburg a couple of weeks ago, and a story on a new study that rates Washington as one of the country's fittest cities. Anyone have an opinion on that? Are we really eating our veggies and using all those great parks we have in the region? Speaking of being outside: Saturday is National Trails Day, with a big effort locally for trail maintenance and other projects at the Scotts Run Nature Preserve. You can find more info at www.americanhiking.org. Now, on with the chat...

Vicky Hallett: I'm bummed I missed the chance to hang out with Denise Austin last week, but I'm sure she enjoyed the alone time with Howard. And while I've been away from y'all, I've explored some fitness options abroad -- hiking in the Alps, biking in Holland, lifting large glasses of beer in Germany -- so I'm eager to talk about staying in shape while on summer vacations. Anyone have a favorite trick?

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Virginia: I just want to say thanks to you guys. Many months ago, someone wrote in, discouraged that they had been working out and seen no changes. Vicky (I think) told them to keep at it, that the weight would come off soon. I started working out soon after that, and it was a month before the scale budged. But, when it did, it started moving pretty quickly. So, thanks for giving me the motivation to stick with it! And if you're working out and not seeing results, keep at it. It'll happen (though it helps to double check your diet, too).

Vicky Hallett: What a warm and fuzzy way to start the day, Va.! Glad to hear about your success!

And thanks for the good advice from the trenches -- it can be very frustrating to think your hard work is going to waste.

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Silver Spring, Md.: I do a spin class four or five times a week. Do I understand correctly that the more you do the same exercise, the more efficient your body gets at performing it, thus you burn fewer calories? I'm just wondering if I'm burning fewer calories even though the workout still feels challenging.

Vicky Hallett: You do understand correctly, Silver Spring! Gold star for you. But the thing with spin class is that you control the difficulty by turning that knob. Presumably, the more used to it you get, the higher you're turning the resistance (even if you don't notice it) and you're experiencing a harder workout. So if it feels challenging, I'm guessing it still is...

And just because you burn fewer calories doing something you're used to, that doesn't mean you're not still burning a heck of a lot of calories doing it. That's why some Olympic athletes need 12,000 calories a day. (At least, I think that's what they said on the Today show this morning.)

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Atlanta, Ga.: I went to my high-end health club this weekend and they did an assessment noting that I was in bad cardiovascular health since my heart rate went up high and then plummeted rather quickly when I was done with the treadmill test. I am a regular runner who just finished a half-marathon last month, so this was shocking news. They went on to tell me that I needed further testing to get my metabolic rate correct so I am not burning sugar. They said that I had to keep my heart rate down during my workout which I tried but I didn't even break a sweat or feel like I worked out.. Help! Is this an accurate thing to say or are they just trying to sell me more services?

Howard Schneider: To quote Monty Python: Run Awwwaaaayyyy!!!!

"Not burning sugar?" That's the bodies basic fuel -- otherwise known as carbohydrate.

As far as the heart rate "going way up," it depends on the type of test, how fast you were going, how much of an incline, etc. Some fitness tests -- usually done in a clinic and under medical supervision -- are designed to push you to a limit, with the intensity increasing until you cry uncle. Your heart rate is supposed to climb high in that circumstance -- with the outcome contingent on how much work you are doing as your heart rate climbs. That is probably not the type of test they administered, but even at a lower intensity, the conclusion of where your heart rate should be still remains relative to how much work you were doing. Can't comment on that without more information.

Now, as to the other point -- that your heart rate came down quickly. Rapid recovery from exertion is a sign of fitness -- not the opposite -- and is consistent with your being a regular runner. If you are in half-marathon shape, it sounds to me like they are trying to create a problem you can pay to have solved.

What did you go in for the assessment?

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Washington, D.C.: I recently graduated from college and moved to the city. As an intern, I make little money and have little time to workout. I have gone for a couple jogs in my neighborhood, but feel uncomfortable with the stares. Do you know of any cheap or discounted gyms in NW? Thanks!

-Getting Chubby

Vicky Hallett: I actually have one of OUR interns looking into this for a story for next week's Express -- I'm thinking a few gyms have discounts for summer memberships for folks like you. So I can give you a more detailed answer in a couple of days. But in the meantime...

I think the cheapest gym membership around town is Fitness First. I believe it's still just $33 a month (although it may be a bit higher in the city), but it only has one D.C. proper location (at 19th and L NW). But you don't need a gym to stay in shape. One thing that's great about D.C. summers is the number of sports you can play. Pick up soccer at Fort Reno Park (now that it's safe from arsenic again!), pick up roller hockey in front of the White House, and even pick up extreme croquet!

I'm totally serious about that last one:

http://www.readexpress.com/read_freeride/2008/06/something_wicket_this_way_comes_extreme.php

Granted, it might not be the most effective workout, but things like that keep you active...And it's better for you than $2 beers at the Front Page.

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Pain-ville: I do a lot of walking. I'd like to sprint or walk much faster as a kind of interval training (can't run or bike for a variety of reasons). But whenever I walk especially fast either on the treadmill or outside, the point where the ankle and foot meet begins to ache painfully and I have to slow down to make the pain stop. The pain does not extend more than a few inches up front of the leg. It hurts most on the right side of the top of the foot and the ankle bone on the inside of the leg. Is this shin splints? The trainer at the gym says she doesn't know what it is. I'd like to find something to help get over it so I can work out more effectively. Thanks!

Vicky Hallett: This sounds like one for an orthopedist...It could be just a matter of switching your shoes. Good luck!

Howard Schneider: Sounds like it could be shin splints , but my experience with them is that they don't really extend into the foot (but are limited to the tibia, the lower leg bone). The foot/ankle are a complicated device: there are a couple of dozen bones in the foot, that flex and rebound as you walk. Something is happening as you increase the stress. You can read up on this at www.footpaininfo.com, but if you are symptomatic -- and want to get over it -- you'll probably need a trip to the doc. ...

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Arlington, Va.: We all know that there's no such thing as "spot reduction," and that to lose inches from around your middle you have to lose weight overall. But does the same thing work in reverse for calories consumed? I read an article that said the calories from wine and beer go straight to the fat around your abdomen. Is that true? If so, no fair!

Howard Schneider: I think this is one of those weird, wired-into-our-genes sort of things: your body will stick fat where it wants, and everyone is a bit different. Basically, your guts are a big chemical factory --- deconstructing what goes in and rearranging it. No reason the sugars in beer and wine would be handled any differently than those in lemonade or coke...

The abdomen is obviously a popular spot for the excess. I think the issue with beer and wine is the same as with any liquid calories: they don't really fill us up or add to daily nutrition, so they tend to just be "extra." Of course with beer, that's a very popular extra. It gets blamed for going straight to the gut, but so would a six-pack of Code Red Mountain Dew, which is delicious.

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Silver Spring, Md.: My community pool opened, but the water is pretty cold at about 70 degrees. If I'm doing laps in cold water, am I burning more calories? That would be an incentive to deal with the 1.5 frigid laps it takes to get used to it!

Howard Schneider: I'm afraid you are going to have to grin and bear it without that extra incentive. If you are working out, your body is generating internal heat, so even if it feels chilly on the skin at first, your organs are doing fine (which is pretty much all your brain cares about in this circumstance...) No reason to think that external temperature would change what it takes for your muscles to work.

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Washington, D.C.: Fitness First at 19th and L is $38 a month.

Vicky Hallett: City living: more expensive. But worth it!

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Wheezing, Badly : Hey guys! I've been going to kickboxing for six months and have been going on regular walks for longer than that. I thought I'd take things to the next level and start jogging. Oh boy. I was really disappointed at what a strain it was for me, specifically with breathing. I could only go for a couple of blocks before I started gasping. I ran on my high school track team, so I know that I should breathe in a rhythm and not gasp, run from my hips not my knees, etc. I intend to keep at it but was wondering if you had any advice for additional ways to improve my respiratory fitness. Thanks.

Vicky Hallett: It sounds like you were trying to go perhaps five levels ahead instead of just that next one. Did you read my column from last week?:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/23/AR2008052302540_2.html?sid=ST2008052501836

John "The Penguin" Bingham (Runner's World columnist extraordinaire) is a huge believer in getting into running very gradually, and only doing what feels good. So maybe next time you're on a regular walk, run just two blocks (at a not-so-crazy pace) and see how that feels. If you build up from there, your gasping should be limited.

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Northbrook, Ill.: I recently started a job where I am working from 8 until 5 p.m. When I get home after the long day, as well as sitting through traffic, I don't have the energy to go the the gym. I just want to sit and relax the rest of the night. What can you suggest to change this habit and get my lazy butt to the gym?

Vicky Hallett: By relaxing, do you mean sitting on your couch and watching TV? 'Cause maybe you can watch the same shows while working out at the gym. You might not have a ton of energy, but you can do something light (like leisurely elliptical or treadmill walking) and burn some calories you wouldn't at home. Plus, you won't be tempted to snack while you do it...And if you know you'll only allow yourself to watch a certain show if you do it at the gym, that can be a great motivator.

It's the same thing with reading a book, or listening to music.

Another suggestion: Is your problem that you go home first before going to the gym? Your pajamas beckon you, and so does that glass of wine? Skip the temptation and go straight to the gym from work. (And if your gym is close to work, maybe you can even manage to avoid some of the traffic that way, too.)

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Washington, D.C.: Good Morning, Howard. As a long time D.C. area runner I can tell you the trails are more and more crowded with runners, bikers, walkers, and roller bladers so yes I can see D.C. being a fit town. As for eating vegetables, I just don't know. Congratulations on your half marathon finish and excellent summary. Any plans to run a full or are you smarter than the rest of us?

washingtonpost.com: Washington Earns a Spot Among the Nation's Fittest Four (Washington Post, June 3)

Howard Schneider: Thanks and yes the trails do get dense this time of year. As to the full I am looking (with heavy heart) ahead to a house without kids next year as my son heads off to Bates College in Maine, and my daughter resists all efforts to lure her back here after graduating college and insists on moving to New Orleans...

So a full? Maybe...also thinking about dipping into a short triathlon...

Any advice?

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Falls Church, Va.: Hello! I don't have funding for a personal trainer and was wondering if you have any specific resources or exercises to reduce the size of my thighs/glutes (am doing cardio to reduce overall weight). I generally have trouble finding clothes that fit properly because the distance from the front of my thigh to the end of my glutes seems disproportionately large. Any assistance is appreciated!

Howard Schneider: Morning Falls Church....Sounds like you are doing what you can do by aiming for overall weight loss. Keep in mind: our bones are what they are. I have pretty broad hips and there is an architectural limit to what is going to happen there (and I use a building reference by design, in my case).

Now, the thighs are one thing and the glutes are another. The glutes are muscles -- a set of them actually -- that are pretty important in keeping us upright and mobile. If you have good strong muscles back there, you probably don't want to make them smaller (they'll do that on their own, over time...no reason to rush the process). The thighs are a more general area of the body that include muscles like the hamstrings and quads (and likewise, we dont want them any smaller).

What's left? The fat. And the only way to diminish that is to do what you're doing, which is bring your weight into line.

Focus on getting rid of that, and be proud of what remains. Now, if you want that area of the body to be more well defined as you lose weight, running is great, combined with lower body exercises like squats and lunges.

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For Weezing, Badly: I just wanted to add to Vicky's comment: pace is key. I see a lot of people trying to sprint everywhere and can't keep it up. When I first started running, I went at the same pace that I would use to cross a lawn to retrieve a lost ball or frisbee during a game of catch. Jog along until you get comfortable, the breathing will follow.

Vicky Hallett: Jog first. Run later. It's sage advice, people!

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Gym bag: Okay, so not entirely a work-out question but related so I thought I'd see if you have any recommendations. I'm looking for a new gym bag -- I work out at lunch so I need to be able to fit a towel, my sneakers, workout clothes and some trial size items. I'd prefer to find something smaller than my current duffle, which is too big and breaking my back. Any ideas? Thanks.

Vicky Hallett: Hmm. I'm guessing it's not the weight of your bag itself that's breaking your back, but the amount of stuff you put in it. But never mind that! Let's talk about shopping.

I happen to dig the gym bags from Lululemon, but they are way out of my price range. This one, for instance, is awesome:

http://www.lululemon.com/products/accessories/gear/activa_gym_bag

Or this one, which is more guy-friendly:

http://www.lululemon.com/products/accessories/gear/guru_gym_bag

And this one from REI gets rave reviews:

http://www.rei.com/product/747933

Any suggestions from our knowledgeable chatters?

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Munster, Ind.: I am a 53-year-old that does not have time for the gym. I am interested in the Wii Fit. Is it worth the money. I already use a treadmill and walk outside during good weather. Any thoughts? I am not connected with the company. I just want to find an inexpensive way to keep fit. Help!

washingtonpost.com: Wii Fit Does a Body Good (Washington Post, May 30)

Howard Schneider: I played with some of the prototype software about a year ago, and what struck me is this: you don't need electronics to do pushups. If I was setting up a home program I'd focus on a strong round of calisthenics -- pushups, pullups, jumping jacks, burpees (the old gym class squat thrust with a jump at the end) -- and some cheap, old fashioned equipment like a jump rope. The technology might be fun, but I don't think it will make you work that hard and you don't really need it. You can invest far less (get a stability ball along with the jump rope), and get better results IF you are able to push yourself.

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Maryland: In terms of fitness and calorie burn, am I better off running for 30-40 min 3x per week, or running once, biking once (same time frame) and doing a pool aerobics class (again, same duration)?. I also have been doing weight training 3x per week for the past six weeks. Not seeing huge fitness gains or weight losses yet (but hoping), and am wondering where I get the most benefit.

Howard Schneider: Regarding the cardio options, remember that time is only one dimension. There is also intensity,which has a great bearing on how many calories are burned. Thirty minutes of climbing hills and sprinting on the bike will burn more calories than thirty minutes of slow jogging. Likewise a hard tempo run will burn more than a lazy trail ride. Working out in water is a popular supplement for even some high-level athletes, and a good rehab option (jogging in water) for people coming back from injuries. The key, since you seem to be starting out, is to build the intensity of whatever you are doing. Develop a sense of how hard you are working (keep a 1 to 10 scale in mind, with 1 being, say, three hours of Sponge Bob reruns, and 10 being way too hard to think about),and try to build that over time...As you get stronger, add more activities to avoid getting stale.

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Rehab Help!: Hi MisFits! So I had an ACL replacement in March, and am now getting to the point where I can do some activity (currently limited to the exercise bike and some very light, swimming). Unfortunately neither of these is exactly meeting my fitness needs (used to running about 20 miles a week).Do you guys have any bright ideas about how to add some cardio back into my routine? The pants are getting a little snug these days...

Thanks!

Vicky Hallett: If your doc says your legs still need the rest, it sounds like you're a candidate for an upper body ergometer -- it's basically a bike, but for your arms. There's a new, fancy twist on this called the Krankcycle, but unfortunately, no gyms around here seem to have it yet:

http://www.krankcycle.com/where2krank.htm

I'll keep you posted on any new kranking developments...

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ABS: Simple question: can doing too much ab work (sit ups, crunches, leg lifts, etc) cause gastrointestinal issues?

Howard Schneider: We will throw this one out to the crowd, but I have never experienced this. The big GI issues with exercising come with people who don't eat wisely (cramming down a sloppy grilled ham and cheese sandwich right before a run, for example, which I promise is not a good idea), or from exercises like running that really jostle the intestines.

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Washington, D.C.: Good morning! Walking is my preferred form of cardio (goal is weight loss and overall fitness), and during the nicer weather I'm usually out there 6 days a week. I have two different routes that I take. One takes about an hour and includes one moderate hill, but the rest is mostly flat. The second route is 40-45 minutes. It includes the same moderate hill, but also a second longer and steeper hill. Since I'm going for calorie burn but would also like to be time-efficient, which of these walks do you think is better? I'll still do both of them for the change in scenery, but I just wondered if your opinion matches mine (which is that the shorter walk actually burns more calories because of the hill). Is this just a rationalization?

Vicky Hallett: Without heading out on each course with a heart rate monitor, I can't tell you for sure. But it sounds like both are good for you!

If you're looking to increase calorie burn and be more time efficient though, I have an easy suggestion: Go faster. By putting a little extra spring in your step (either for the whole way, or just in short intervals), you'll burn more calories in less time, and maybe you can even extend your routes to cover more distance.

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Yoga video: Can you or anyone else recommend a good yoga video? Something that focuses on stretching, not a tough workout type of yoga. Thanks!

Howard Schneider: I have not done a bunch of video shopping, but for introductory purposes have like those done by Desiree Rumbaugh, published by Acacia. There is also YourexerciseDVDS.com which has a big compendium of user reviews organized by type of exercise.

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Honest Comment - I just don't like to exercise: I know some people who get a rush from it and I'm certain that eventually it'll make me have more energy but how do I get to that point? I try to walk every week. I do Yoga. (which I have to say I only do because a friend goes with me.) On weekend mornings my husband & I play tennis for about 45 minutes and he just got into bike riding so we're going to try that too. I do all these exercising things, but really do not like them. Am I just doing the wrong activities or is it OK to think of exercise like eating all you vegetables - you may not always like it, but you've got to do it anyway.

Howard Schneider: Well, for someone who does not like exercise you seem to be doing a lot of it. Maybe you are in it more for the community -- time with your friend at yoga, time with your husband on the bike trail -- but, so what. If that's your motivation it still counts. And yes, you have our permission to equate all this with brussel sprouts (which I happen to find delicious, too). Just stick with it regardless of the reason.

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Washington, D.C.: I am 37 and looking to get back in shape after two kids. They are 3 and 5 now, and I'm sick of looking like I'm still pregnant. So I've joined the YMCA because it's cheap and has a ton of great equipment and pools, so now my question: should I fork over the $50 per hour they charge for a personal trainer to kick-start my butt in gear? I need to lose 20 pounds to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight, but I have never been one for gaining much muscle mass and, honestly, I am quite intrigued by the idea. It's easy for me to do 45 min. on the elliptical and I feel I have pretty good form (not moving my trunk). I have 6 weeks without kids in the a.m. -- will 2x a week with a trainer plus the other weekdays show dramatic results, or am I just kidding myself?

Howard Schneider: If you have the extra cash, I'd say go for it. If the trainer is any good (and you should definitely met him/her ahead of time, or even ask for an introductory session before making the commitment), you will do a heck of a lot more than you would on the elliptical, and learn much about how to train yourself. If you do that for six weeks, and supplement with cardio and other workouts on the other days, I think you'll see some changes. Twenty pounds in six weeks might be a bit aggressive -- depending on your metabolism and nutrition habits -- but you could certainly shoot for ten. And dont worry about the muscle mass, unless you start amping up on testosterone or human growth hormone, which probably would not be the best example for your kids, not to mention your husband.

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Gym bag: Backpacks are good for gym bags, and I used to use one of those teardrop shaped "healthy back" backpacks. I got mine at LL Bean on sale for $25 or so. It wasn't very big, but I could fit my shoes, gym clothes, and travel-size toiletry bottles without any problem. Now, if you're carrying a hair dryer, it might be too small. I would also recommend getting a microfiber towel if you're carrying a towel. (my office gym doesn't have towels.)

Vicky Hallett: The healthy back backpack might solve our earlier chatter's spinal woes as well...

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Silver Spring, Md.: Hello. I'm a 39-year-old married father of two and I am trying to get six-pack abs but would settle for four-pack. I can't seem to get the muscle definition I want. What are a couple of exercises that target the stomach muscles (and obliques)that I can do in as little time as necessary to get the abs I want?

Howard Schneider: Six-pack abs are not just a product of the muscle you've got, but the number of real six-packs you are slurping on the side (see above question). There are plenty of great ab exercises -- one study by the ACSM, I believe, found that the bicycle activated the most muscle in that area the most intensely. You can check out the core exercises we have at the Post's exercise demo site for some others. Stability balls, by the way, are great tools for building abdominal strength.

But: strong ab muscles are not a guarantee of six-pack abs. That is also about body fat, and there are some estimates that the ab muscles really dont become well defined and visible until the body fat drops to about ten percent of total weight. That is LLLOOOOOWWWW, so don't count on seeing those babies unless you really drop the pounds.

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Walker with Foot/Shin Pain:: This is not unusual. Make sure you are stretching the whole lower leg/top of foot/achilles/calf; and try strengthening excercises such as sitting in a chair with legs crossed and lift/lower a bag of tennis balls or other light weight. Finally, don't speed up too much too soon, same as with running.

Howard Schneider: Some advice from the field....

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Colorado: Cool Running has a "Couch to 5K" program that just about anyone can do and succeed. You'd be surprised how your fitness improves in just 9 weeks.

washingtonpost.com: Cool Running's Web site

Vicky Hallett: One of our writers just did a first person piece about completing that program and running her first 5k. It ran the 27th, and annoyingly, it doesn't seem to be online. Poop. I'll try to get to you next week...

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Takoma Park, Md.: I would think that a good rule for your column is that each time a questioner mentions advice from a club or PT, you should ask, "who certified them?" That's an essential question to ask someone to whom we're entrusting our health and well-being. There are programs of certification that will -- at least -- make advice worth something (even though second opinions are very important, too!).

Howard Schneider: A good point that Vicky and I wrestle with. It'd be hard to vet everything that comes across, and trust that people who say "try X Y or Z" are not somehow affiliated with X, Y or Z. Almost impossible in this free form and rapid fire format. Ultimately, we have to trust to the common sense of our dear readers. Plus, even if they said I have such and such a certification, there is no way to verify, so going down that road in a token way does really produce the certainty you're after. As a fellow Takoma Parkian I know we love our government regulations, but there is not much we can do on the fly. Maybe we could form a commission to study it?

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washingtonpost.com: High Risk of Injury for Female High School Athletes

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Glover Park: To the intern in search of cheap exercise: If you live in the city, or in any of it's environs, just walk. Walk everywhere. D.C. is a very walkable city and it's continuous motion that burns more calories than you think. And, obviously, it will attract fewer stares than running. I don't have to go to the gym now that I've taken up walking to and from work. Just a pointer.

Vicky Hallett: D.C. is totally a walking town. In fact, on my walk to work this morning (you can't beat weather like this...), I saw Donald Rumsfeld also hoofing it. Which would be so exciting for an intern, right?

It's a good way to see the city, too!

Howard Schneider: Let me add to that: while you are walking, you are likely to come across a par course -- slant boards and pull up bars and other stuff scattered around local parks (at Rock Creek near Calvert, for example, in Woodley Park. If there are not any in your neighborhood, that's what playgrounds are for. Go find yourself some monkey bars.

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Germantown, Md.: Hi Misfits! Most weeks I weigh around 205. After starting a weight lifting program, I jumped up to 210 on the same scale. Now seemingly overnight, i went back down to 205 after having been at 210 for a few weeks. What is the cause of this volatility? I started running last week, after taking a week or so off to rest my knees. Would that explain it? Also, how good are those body mass composition scales sold at Bed Bath and Beyond or Linens-N-Things?

Vicky Hallett: There are a lot of variables at play here -- like how much you're running, how much you're lifting and what "around 205" means. On many scales, it's common to see the numbers jump around a little bit.

Whatever is going on, you're right to look beyond the tyranny of the scale and think about switching to a body composition monitor. The mass market ones are never perfect, but they offer more numbers (and more meaningful ones) than what you'd get off a regular scale.

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Boston, Mass.: Hi MisFitters. I'm sure this is a question you've answered before, but I can't find the answer in the archives. I workout with a friend and we're trying to lose weight through diet and exercise. She is having trouble losing the final 5 lbs. She thinks it's because of her weightlifting exercises -- she's building muscle, which puts on pounds. I don't think that's it, because doesn't building muscle mean you're burning more calories? Also, neither of us are doing heavy-duty weight lifting (at most we do 10 lbs. free weights). So should I cut out my weight lifting, or keep it up?Thanks!

Vicky Hallett: Okay, let's review. Building muscle burns calories, but muscle weighs more than fat. So weightlifting can make you weigh more but be thinner. This is why scales are not as helpful as they should be (especially for people so close to their "goal" weights).

So yes, keep up the weight lifting! It's helping you burn calories. And that's the important thing here. (Well, that, and it has lots of health benefits, too.)

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Boston, Mass.: I'm interested in training to run a half-marathon. No chosen race yet, but more like the interest in proving to myself that it is possible. Plus, the weather is warming up and I can finally run outside. The question is this: I workout almost everyday (switching up short runs of 1 mile to 5K, elliptical, weights, occasional yoga), but I don't know how I can push myself past that 5K mark. How should I start lengthening my runs in a way that I can sustain my motivation and not burn out/hurt myself? How often a week should I run, etc?

washingtonpost.com: Endurance Training Doesn't Have to Be an Uphill Battle (Post, June 3)

Howard Schneider: Hi Boston. You can find lots of guidance on this at sites like Runnersworld.com or Coolrunning.com. The mileage is built slowly, so then you go for your 5k this week, make it a 6k -- that's only a few extra minutes. The basis of these programs is a weekly long run, supplemented by two or three shorter runs during the week. Find a program you like the looks of and stick with it. If you add a half a kilometer a week you'll be up to a 10k in a couple of months -- that's six miles, already halfway there.

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Maryland: Hi, I'm interested in becoming a personal trainer and am mystified by all the certification agencies out there. I've polled a few trainers from area gyms to see what they used and the results were mixed. Do you have any idea which would be the best bet overall?

Howard Schneider: Anyone with thoughts about this please email us at misfits@washpost.com. It is an issue I am interested in looking into and would like to learn more. Sorry to use your question not to generate an answer but to ask for help. Stay tuned to the column and we will try to get to it.

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Chicago, Ill.: I'm halfway through my six-week postpartum moratorium on exercise, and looking forward to rejoining the active world of exercisers. Coupled with this wait is that I was essentially put on bed rest for eight weeks during my second trimester. I was a very active person prior to this pregnancy, having run a half marathon last summer, bootcamp, yoga, etc.

What is the best way to break back into the gym/running routine? Not wanting to hurt myself or be too sore too quickly, how should I proceed?

Vicky Hallett: I've written about Stroller Strides (strollerstrides.com) around here, and there are franchises out near you, too. It's a program for new moms, with exercises geared specifically to your needs, and you can bring the kid along. Sound good?

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Silver Spring, Md.: I seem to be stuck in the worst plateau ever. I lost about 130 pounds in two years and have been at 200 pounds for about a year now. I started with cardio six days a week, but have since cut back to 3-4 days, adding weight training (when I reached 200). I've tried switching up the cardio and weight training, upping the intensity, all while watching my diet. But my body is refuses to go under 200. I'm trying to go back to 6 days a week, but I end up exhausted when I do and I feel like I'm overtraining then. It's frustrating, but I stick with it. Is there anything else I can do?

Howard Schneider: That is quite an accomplishment Silver Spring, congrats. How much more are you trying to lose? If you are feeling exhausted, that's a bad sign.This might be one where you should take stock with a doc and your nutritionist. You don't want to eat so little that your body hangs onto calories, and it sounds like you are exercising plenty.

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Vicky Hallett: Maybe you spotted that errant link earlier in the chat for injuries in teen girl athletes? That was our producer's subliminal way of telling you that if you stick around chat world, author Michael Sokolove is about to get that discussion going.

Anyway, sorry for so many unanswered questions this week! I think it's because I'm rusty after taking two weeks off (chatting, it's just like exercise...). Next week, we're back and faster than ever!

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