Questions & Answers

Below you will see some commonly asked questions and myths about exercise and fitness. I will answer all questions personally and also keep this page updated with new questions and answers.

If you would like to ask a question, please send me an e-mail.

Q) I have weak knees and would like to improve the strength in them, is there anything I can do?

A) Weak knees can really affect an exercise program, a few good exercises that you may consider are: Cycling, wide squats and knee curls. These exercises work by strengthening the muscles around your knees such as the hamstrings and quadriceps, therefore this should give you much better support and less pain.

Q) I have a very slow metabolism, is there any way of improving it?

A) Metabolism slows with age so you may find that participating in exercise does not have the same effect that it had 20 years ago. A few ways to get your metabolism running faster are: Eat breakfast, build muscle - the more muscle your body contains the faster you are able to burn fat, have 5 small meals instead of 3 large meals a day, have a balanced diet - you need protein, carbs and fat in your diet so make sure you are eating them but in the right quantities. 

Q) I am a female hoping to start an exercise program so that I can tone up and lose weight, however I do not wish to weight train as I dont want to look masculine, what would you recommend?

A) Many women feel the same as you regarding weight training, however there really is nothing to be worried about. If you want a successful exercise plan it will need to contain some weight training. This does not mean lifting a very heavy weight until you are blue in the face! Starting off with light weights when squatting or lunging will actually help to tone your leg and bum muscles up quicker, this works with any muscles of the body. The weight should be heavy enough so that you feel a slight burn on each set of about 15 reps as long as you keep to this rule you wont get bulky. As mentioned above in a previous question, extra muscle will actually help you to burn off more calories. Men also bulk up when lifting heavy weights due to the high levels of testosterone in their bodies, females would not naturally be able to build as much muscle as men. I would recommend seeking the help of a personal trainer to guide you through some good exercises for a few sessions.