The minimum exercise

What's the minimum exercise you can do to shift a few lbs? Some people only have to increase their activity slightly to see results, whereas others have to slog away...

Very little increase to shift a few lbs, it's not much.

2 days of veg juice, salad and smoothies can drop a few cheaty lbs in water weight if you need a quick result... as long as you don't mind putting it back on within a couple of days! I did it recently to give myself a bit of breathing room in a corseted dress.

I guess it depends on how fit you are and how much you weigh, as the lighter you are the more you would have to do to lose some weight. I find dieting more effective than exercise for losing a few pounds quickly.

You're spot on Rachel - it is different for everybody, so there is really no definitive answer. The only thing that is set in stone is that 1lb of fat contains 3,500 Kcals, which means that creating a calorie deficit of 500 Kcals per day will yield 1lb fat loss a week.

500 Kcals of exercise is a big ask for most people, a woman of average size and weight for example (5'4" and 65kg in the UK) running at 10 minute miles would need to run for just over 3/4 of an hour to burn off 500 Kcals, that is a lot to do every day.

The thing that really mixes it up is that an increase in activity will invariably result in increased appetite, as the body naturally wants to maintain its weight as it is. The body is programmed for survival.

Perhaps the most reliable way to ensure steady fat loss is to combine dietary control and exercise, it becomes significantly easier if you can cut roughly 250 Kcals from the diet (swap the mid afternoon cake for an apple and you're pretty much there) and do 250 Kcals worth of exercise everyday (20 minutes running after all is much easier to fit into anyone's schedule than 45 minutes will ever be).

When you put it like that - swapping a cake for a napple and running for just 20 mins - it sounds really acheivable. 

Take a strict diet, include salads and green vegetables more. Try running a bit in the morning. It should definitely help.

IT IS !!

Whenever I run for 20 minutes it seems like such a poor achievement. But you're saying that that's okay to only run this far? I am never sure if it's 20/30/60 mins of exercise we should do each day...?

Just pointing out there how easy it can actually be to lose 1lb a week of fat.

For health, almost universally the recommendation is that we should ideally be exercising at a moderate intensity for 30 minutes a day, 5 - 7 days a week.

Funnily enough these two things do tie up quite nicely, 5 - 10 mins warming up, 15 - 20 mins running, 5 mins cool down - job done . 

For those of us who are already more active, or who have greater ambitions than simply maintaining health, such as marathon running, obviously the goal posts will move, as we will want and need to exercise for longer, and / or at a higher intensity in order to achieve our goals.

Hope that helps make a bit more sense of it health_glow?

Yes totally agree - don't dis those 'short' runs. It often happens that once people get into the distance stuff they think they are pointless, but of late I have rediscovered the joy of 15-20 minute runs and they are just fine!

I enjoy the shorter runs and have found that they've helped me to keep the weight off that I lost earlier in the year - better to run for a shorter distance than nothing at all!

This is good to know. I always think I'm being lazy/am really unfit if I only run for 20 minutes. I went for a run on Saturday though, and I just could not get going - I felt pathetic! I did go to bed at 2:30am though...

Hmm this makes me sad. I'm glad people are defending the 'short' runs, but I feel a bit bad that a 20 minute run is definitely not a short run for me! That's literally about the longest time I actually can run!!

Don't let it make you feel either sad or bad Hannah. You really can't compare yourself to other people, it doesn't actually tell you anything when you do. There are people on here who run better than I do, people I run better than. Put me in a swimming pool with the same people, and I'll be worse than almost all of them at swimming. What does that tell me? Nothing I don't already know, I'm just not that interested in swimming. Didn't you already tell us once you're not that interested in running?

Also, when you did get interested (for a 5k wasn't it if I remember correctly?) you did achieve your goal didn't you? You really do have nothing to feel bad about. You know that if you decided to run another 5k sometime, you can do it. You've already proved it, to the world and most importantly to yourself. You know you can build it up from where you are now should the mood take you, so honestly, don't feel bad or sad .

Thanks Rob You're right, I'm not really that interested in running, I just hate feeling inferior haha.

I know the feeling. Even though I don't enjoy running that much, I do it anyway just to say I've done it! And to fit in with my sportier friends. Still, if it gets me exercising then what doesn't matter? 

Lucky you don't have loads of smoking friends then eh?

I reckon where you run is key to enjoying it - find somewhere its just a joy to be, and funnily enough you'll find it a joy to be running there too - with the added bonus that if you're not enjoying the run, you can stop and enjoy the place at walking pace, or just sit under a tree - but find a place you just love to be in - the difference will amaze you .

This is good advice, as I get so bored running around the same places all the time. The same grey buildings, busy traffic etc. not very inspiring! 

I quite like running round the same route - that way I can tell if I've improved or not. I've found a nice little park to run around, so it's quite a nice start to the morning.

I quite like it too because you find little landmarks that let you know how far off you are until you've finished.

Like a specific lamppost that marks the half way point or a pretty rose bush that marks the finish line.