What exercise/activity helped you drop the pounds the fastest?

[Bakingnovice]

I'm doing the shred and c25k. I find the shred really helps to tone and improve stamina. I've just started the running but am doing it to add a bit of cardio to my week. I'm hoping to shift about a stone, and try and watch what I eat. What exercise really helped you shift the pounds? Walking, running, cycling??

[thestringcheesemassacre]

Running for me.
And watching what I eat, limited carbs and lots of fruit and veg

[DolphinnosePotatos]

I personally found that going to circuit training classes twice a week as well as running 3 miles twice a week (approx 9-10 minute miles) really helped me to lose weight. I noticed a difference in about six weeks.

I used to do circuit training on Mondays and Tuesdays and then go for a run on Thursdays and Saturdays - it was great for me because it really broke the week up in terms of exercising meaning I never got bored (which tend to when I just run 4+ times a week). The only downsides to circuit training are that it can be quite expensive and obviously that you are limited to attending classes at set times.

[theoriginalandbestrookie]

I must be unfortunate because I have found that no form of exercise allows me to lose weight unless I change my diet as well.

I find a combination of running & weight and core based sessions from my p/t help me not to gain weight. I have to be careful though as moderate exercise makes me feel more hungry particularly running, so I can end up eating more than I have burnt off.

[HeySoulSister]

a pT has helped me loads too.....lots of encouragement and praise and lots of advice. she also offers a food plan,weighing/measuring,a boot camp and running club.

[Bakingnovice]

I don't lose anything with the shred. But it helps me in c25k. I'm hoping the running will help me shift this super stubborn stone. I'm doing the 5:2 diet, but in the last three months I've really cut down on sugar, bad carbs etc.

[superbadspeller]

The wee step machines you get that go side ways - works the hips bum and thighs. It helped my tummy too. I did 10/15 mins 3/4 days a week.

Between that, cutting down on portion sizes and fried food/junk food i lost over a stone in 3 weeks - 5lbs my first week

I havent done it for a couple of years (always pregnant/looking after newborn) but it makes me feel great and tones my flabby bits. I went from a 20 to a 16 last time.

[flowerpippin]

Swimming non-stop for 30 minutes four times a week (crawl, breast stroke, back stroke).

[CoteDAzur]

Running. The weight dropped off me.

[BsshBossh]

Any form of cardio helps me with weightloss (in addition to diet) especially running and swimming. But weight training helps me eat more and still remain a stable weight. So, losing weight I focussed on cardio and now I'm at goal weight I've shifted the focus to weights (3 times a week) whilst still doing a bit of cardio to keep the endurance up (HIIT running just twice a week now).

[Bakingnovice]

Cote - did you run long distances or short bursts?

[mercury7]

combination of weight training & cardio and I favor going slower for longer with cardio, at least an hour 6 times a week, running or swimming.

I know alot of people get good results from HIIT but for me it lacks the post exercise euphoria of longer sessions, swimming especially is better than drugs :o

[KatoPotato]

Spin! and circuit classes at the gym.

[mercury7]

In theory anything that raises your heart rate enough for long enough should do the trick, there does seem to be something 'magic' about running, but it also seems to have a much higher injury rate :(

[CoteDAzur]

Baking - You have to start running with interval training (I'm guessing that is what you mean by "short bursts") because in the beginning it is just not possible to run any significant length of distance without recuperating a bit. Hence C25K, BUPA's 5K program etc.

Once you graduate from C25K, you can run about 30 mins non-stop but it is still interesting to do some interval training to increase your overall speed. My trainer had me alternating between 10 km/hr (quite a fast run for me) and 8.5 km/hr (which is still running), then between 12 km/hr (running after a bus kind of speed) and 9 km/hr.

[CoteDAzur]

mercury - There is a lot of literature out there about how swimming just doesn't lead to much weight loss, especially when compared with running. I'm not sure if they know why these days.

I remember reading tightly controlled studies of high-caliber runners & swimmers, making sure they spend around the same calories and eat about the same and still seeing a significant difference in weight loss.

[mercury7]

I've been reading up on the swimming vs running conundrum..weird isnt it Cote

I'm just getting back into swimming having overdone the running & gotten some injuries, however when I swam in the past it kept me pretty lean

[CoteDAzur]

I trained as a swimmer for many years and was quite plump at the time. Even now, I have large arms (for my body) and the base of my neck is quite muscled. Overall, I have to say that I'm not happy with the effects of swimming on my body, 25+ years later.

In contrast, running drastically slimmed & toned my body in a very short period of time.

[mercury7]

I've read some speculation that it's to do with the effects of swimming on appetite?
When I used to swim I was around 7st 7lb, a couple of years of running has me at 8stone, then again I didnt weight train then and I do now.

I'll keep my food intake constant and see what happens when I swap running for swimming!

[foxybingodotcom]

Em, breast feeding but that's probably not a lot of help so other than that c25k. Making sure I kept the pace up when increasing the running times was v. important I think.

[Bakingnovice]

Cote im doing c25k. So it's short bursts of running at the moment. I'd live to experience some pounds dropping. I've lost a stone and have one more to go but it's v slow. Almost 1lb a fortnight.

I'm amazed at your running speeds! 12kmp - wow.

[CoteDAzur]

Baking - That is called "interval training". Very soon, your running intervals will not be that short on C25K

That is 12 km/hr (not mph) and I don't run at that speed. I think the interval at that speed was only about 30 seconds, alternating it with 30 seconds of 9 km/hr. The point of doing intervals at this high speed was to increase my overall speed. And it did - I went from 8.5 km/hr average to 10 km/hr average.

[Naebother]

Cycling and walking everywhere. I lost half a stone walking around Prague for a week. When I cycled everyday I could eat anything I wanted. F

[BIWI]

Cote - how often do you go running? I'm doing C25K at the moment - actually, I completed it but have had to rest for three weeks, and then start all over again, because I was injured (shin problems).

At the moment I am only allowed to run every third day, as I build up the distance/length of time I'm running for. I'd actually like to be able to run every other day, but wondering if that's ultimately too much?

I have the last pesky half stone to shift, which is being very stubborn, and I'm hoping that running will help!

[Joycey29]

Kettlercise! I ve tried everything and this is awesome
Toned, slim, happy!

[CoteDAzur]

I started out wanting to run every day (loved it too much) ended up with pain in my knees. Sorted that out with better shoes with support, then increased my speed too fast and ended up with tendinitis in my hip. That took over a year to heal, so now I'm working my way up BUPA's 5K program again. These days, I run every other day and haven't had to ice my hip or take painkillers for a long time, so I'm happy with the progress

Have you had gait analysis done at a running shop & got the best running shoes for you? I can't exaggerate the importance of this.

You might also find interesting a book called "Born To Run". It didn't turn me into a barefoot runner but I learned a lot about how to run from that book. It is also interesting and very entertaining, not to mention a true story.