Is walking better then running?

o you want your parents to get more fitness-conscious?

Do you want your wife to lose weight?

Nutritionist and fitness expert Samreedhi Sharma has the answers.

Samreedhi Sharma: Hi! Get a good pair of shoes and do interval training, i e walk but, after every three minutes, run for 30-40 seconds. Stretch your muscles well after the workout and strengthen your quads in the gym. You won't have any problems.

Sachin_380: Hi. I am 24, 5'10", 71 kgs. My weight is on the verge of the upper limit. My fat content is quite high and I have a little belly (33 1/2" waist). I don't want to go to gym right now; I want to lose the fat first. I'm planning to start running and, once the fat is burnt, I will start gymming. Is my thinking ok? Please reply. Thanks in advance

Samreedhi Sharma: Hi! Totally untrue. When you do cardio (running/ walking/ treadmill/ cycling), you burn fat. When you lift weights, you tone your muscles, boost your metabolism and lose more fat. For best results, do both and eat right!

krups_268: Hi Samreedhi. Please tell me if boiled potatoes and fried potatoes have the same calories. I am a few kilos overweight. I love potatoes and I can't resist them. I need to bring my weight to normal. Please advise.

Samreedhi Sharma: Hi! Boiled potatoes will obviously have no oil but fried ones will. Eat them boiled or bake them with the jacket and add lime juice and chaat masala. Always mix them with other low calorie vegetables like palak (spinach), gobi (cauliflower), carrot or french beans, so that you end up taking a lesser helping of potatoes. And avoid fried potatoes!

Vinay: Dear Samreedhi, please let me know what is better -- a morning walk or working out in gym or Yoga?

Samreedhi Sharma: Hi! Doing all three is also okay! Change activities from time to time and you'll be good!

Nilesh: Hi Samreedhi. My wife is 28 years, 5'4", but she has put on weight and is around 81 kgs. She love to eat and does not care about her health. Help me. How I can convince or make her interested in physical fitness?

Samreedhi Sharma: Hi! Set an example by exercising yourself, but let her take the first step as to when she really wants to do it herself.

Sithu: Hi SR. You are great in your answers, as always ;-). I'm 31 y/ 174 cm/ 62 kg. Recently, I started going to the gym for light training, three times a week. After two weeks, when I visited my home, to my surprise, everyone told me I'm looking thinner than ever! Is it normal?

Samreedhi Sharma: Hi! Thanks! Yes, it is normal. Weight training done right makes you look compact! Keep it up! What's SR?

amitverma_05: What should be done to reduce weight for a person who is 37 and weighs 105 kgs? The bone density and frame is large -- 6 feet. I also feel hungry when angry and feel hungry between 6-7 pm.

Samreedhi Sharma: Your ideal weight is 83-85 kgs. Have a soup or a bowl of fruit at that time or you can also have popcorn or kurmura bhel without sev. Keep snacking on fruits through the day. Never skip breakfast. Check your blood sugar level. You could be experiencing anger because you are experiencing low sugar. Don't wait till you are starving to eat. Keep exercising.

alokasks: How much time should a normal person spend on cardio? How time should he spend on lifting weights in a 70-80 minute gym session?

Samreedhi Sharma: Thirty minutes of cardio and 40 minutes of gymming.

vinnie_desai: Hi Samreedhi. I regularly work out at the gym -- I spend about half an hour on cardio (20 minutes cycling) and 10 minutes on the stepper or arc trainer and then go on to weights. I find it really hard to burn off the fat from my sides and lower body (my backside, thighs and hips). I'm a 22-year -old male. I keep my heart rate between 125-135 while doing cardio. What would you suggest to burn off the excess fat I'm having trouble with?

Samreedhi Sharma: Hi! How are you measuring your heart rate? All treadmills show an inaccurate reading. It's 220-age=X; 65 to 85 percent of X is your target heart rate. Buy a heart rate monitor if you can and keep up the exercise. You are doing well and will see results soon!

saiye: I am a patient of Myasthenia Gravis and seizure. I am taking steroid (Wysolone) treatment and may be putting on weight because of this. I have managed to keep my weight under control by walking. Lately, I have not gone for my walks because of the cold weather and my weight increased by 5 kgs within a month. I want to reduce my tummy and keep my weight under control. What can I do when walking is not possible?

Samreedhi Sharma: Buy a stationary bike or a treadmill and watch what you eat.

Nitin: Hi Samreedhi :). I want to know what to do about my parents' health. My Dad has cholesterol and diabetes. Mom has had a slipped disc. Both their fitness levels are low. What do you recommend as immediate measures?

Samreedhi Sharma: Hi! Ask your dad to cut down on fatty food, red meat, eggs, butter and whole milk immediately. Ask him to eat fresh fruits and veggies. He should go for a 30-minute walk, six days a week. Your mom can also go for a walk after she gets her doctor's approval.

priya: Hi. I desperately need to shape up and lose flab on my tummy and hips. Is walking enough or should I join a gym? Where is your workshop?

Samreedhi Sharma: Hi! Mail me on sizewise@rediffmail.com. I will give you the contact details of my gym.