increasing exercise

Question
I have been improving my diet for the last three months - sticking to about 1400 calories per day and eating healthy foods.  I also have been walking about 45 minutes 3 or 4 times per week.  So far I have lost 20 pounds, and I need to lose about 75 or 80 more.

I have time in the next three months to increase my exercise  to get into better shape.  I would like to treat this time as if I were at one of those expensive spas.  I can devote about three hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon to some sort of exercise. I do have access to a gym.  It has been awhile since I have exercised (besides the walking) and cannot do high impact activities due to planter fasciitis (which is under control).

What is my best course of action?

Answer
The plan that I recommend would add two vital elements to your walking program - weight training and flexibility training.  The weight training firms the muscles, adds lean tissue, and burns calories for a longer time.  The flexibility relieves muscle soreness, tension, and aids with detoxification.

I would suggest the following for the morning: a light stretching warm-up of 5-10 minutes followed by a 45-60 minute weight training session.  After the weight training, a 20-30 minute cardio workout through swimming or a stationary bike.  Finish the workout with a cool-down stretching session of 5-10 minutes.  

For the evening session, I would suggest a 10 minute stretching warm-up followed by 45-60 minutes of some low-impact cardio such as rowing, bicycling, walking, swimming, or pilates.  A cool-down stretching of 10-15 minutes would complete the session.

You can also add steam room and sauna time for more muscle relaxation and detoxification of your overall body.  You need not spend six hours a day in total exercise to get the body that you want.  In fact, you might even do some harm by moving up to that level without taking smaller steps first.  Take your time and enjoy what you are doing.

Thank you for your question, Patricia.  I hope that my answer was helpful.

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