Mumsnet Talk

I am overweight and not very fit. I can manage up to an hour brisk walking and gentlish aerobics per day, but easily get knee and backache. Can anyone recommend a good DVD for this level of fitness. I don't want to go the Jillian Michaels route, as I am a wuss. I quite like Rosemary Conley Fat Attack.

I would still recommend Shred. Just watch level 1, do what she does until you feel like you can't do any more of that particular exercise, sit on the sofa, and wait for the next exercise where you can get up and try again. As time goes on you will see you'll be spending less time on the sofa and more time on your feet :D

While you start out, I'd also combine that with going for a walk as well (20-30mins).

thanks for the reply, you are probably right, I should gear myself up to working towards a full shred! I would plan on combining with walking to get up to my hour a day.

Apart from Jillian Michaels I think the only ones worth doing are Davina's.

I would say a Davina DVD. The Shred DVD has a lot of jumping around, jumping jacks and the like which I don't like, (although I'm sure it gets the results) Davina is gentler but you still feel like you've worked hard.

thanks for the davina recommendation as well, LoubieLou and Lighter

I think Davina dvds are a good starting point - they do beginner and advanced versions and so you have something to progress to. I'd start on those if I were you. Hannah Waterman exercise dvd was something I also liked - its based on intervals like the shred though so would start with Davina and work your way up.

Davina and Tae-Bo is very good too. The first tae-Bo is quite simple with punches and kicks. Its half an hr and still feels like a workout.

Davina is ok but I hated the music and the fact that she'd gush about it. I found her to be annoying but the exercises themselves are fine. Another dvd I like is the 10 minute solution ones - I have the target toning which is good. I used to love tae bo but only have it on video now. I might invest in the dvds.

Nadia Sawalha has a fab DVD out - it's high intensity aerobics but just do it at your own level.

I don't 'get' the Shred tbh. It's ok, but it's not the be all and end all of fitness DVDs, not by a long measure. I hated it! It had no music, and she wanted you to do mega aerobic moves from a standing start.

I prefer Nadia to Davina, but Davina's great too (Nadia half the price though!)

thanks for the recommendations, I will look out for any offers on Davina, atm Rosemary is winning out on a cost basis!

Is Taebo a Davina one, or the Billy Blanks one?

I've got a couple of the ten minute solution ones - Carbs and Calorie burner which I like, and Rapid Results Pilates, which is terrifying!

There's tons of mega results pilates for free on YouTube.

I have all of Davina's. She's great. Hers are mainly interval training too but it works.

hmmm if I can pick up Nadia q cheaply you may have convinced me Morris . Thanks for the recommendations Morris and SOH

I'm on level 1 of the Shred and it honestly isn't hard. I did nothing before. You wouldn't want any gentler than level 1 because you wouldn't feel any benefit.

I have done it before (last year) and found it too hard, I really am that unfit!

Leslie Sansone 'Walk at Home'. It's very simple aerobics based on power walking. Easy moves, easy to follow. You get out of it what you put in. No complicated steps to learn and you can choose how much you do. Useful to build up from no fitness whatsoever, which is what I did and then you can move on to Davina etc. Warning: Her chitchat is a bit annoying sometimes. Good luck.

thanks very much for the recommendation 101handbags, am checking out an extract on youtube!