Running is extremely effective in improving the efficiency of your heart, increasing lung power, toning muscles (particularly leg) and improving blood circulation. It helps to reduce stress and plays a great part in improving your all-round physical fitness. Devotees say it even increases your self-esteem.

You can jog alone or in company, at any time of the day, and for whatever distance you wish. Of course, you should not over-do your exertion. You’re not aiming to win Olympic medals or prove anything to anybody.

Your running speed has little effect on the number of calories you burn – weight counts more than pace. For instance, a 220-lb person would use 150 calories running a mile, while a 120-lb person would only burn 82. If you ran 5 miles a day (at a weight of 180-Ibs) you would lose about a pound in weight every 5-6 days, without changing your eating pattern! Running combined with a diet is an extremely effective way of losing weight.

If you have never done more than run for the bus before, here’s how to begin. First of all, don’t worry about speed. Just move along easily and stop when you get tired. Never strain yourself. Build up your stamina first. A 20-minute jog three times a week is enough to keep you healthy and fit.

Week 1: Try some brisk walking.

Week 2: Begin by walking for 10 minutes. Break into a jog for about 50 yards, then slow down to walking pace again.

Week 3: Continue walks but with two or three 50- or 100-yard jogs breaking them up.

Week 4: Take a walk and jog for 100 yards. Do alternative walking/jogging. If you feel out of breath for longer than two minutes after stopping, take it slower.

Week 5: Continue to build up to jogging for the whole 2.0 minutes.

Repeated running brings improvement in your condition and stamina. You have to keep it up. But you don’t need to take on more than you wish. Little and more often is better than straining once in a while.

What can go wrong? Over-doing running could result in ligament strain, knee and back injuries and inflamed tendons, in addition to blisters and other aches and pains. You can get Jogger’s Kidney, where blood leaks into the urine (brought on by exertion; it clears up with rest but do see your doctor) or Jogger’s Nipple, caused by the friction of blouse and bouncing, unprotected breasts. Keen runners prevent it with strips of plaster or special bras.

Joggers’ Guide

• Get your doctor’s permission to run if you are more than two stone overweight, over 35, have a family history of heart disease, suffer from high blood pressure or are recovering from illness.

• Warm up your muscles first. See exercises.

•Do not go jogging up to three hours after eating a heavy meal or taking a hot bath. Wait half an hour after waking up.

• Stop immediately if you feel dizzy or nauseous, develop cramp, chest pains, or uncomfortable breathlessness.

• Good supportive, well-fitting running shoes which have enough room for your toes to lay straight are a good idea if you intend to run regularly. If you run a mile, each of your shoes lands on the ground about 1000 times. A good running shoe should be flexible, especially at the ball of the foot, and should have a fairly hard sole with a layer of soft cushioning between it and the foot. You don’t need spikes.

• Socks are probably more hygienic than bare feet. Choose cotton or wool, which will soak up sweat. Don’t buy them so tight that they restrict toes or so loose that they may cause blisters.

• You can run in any clothes you wish, but most people find easy clothes such as track suits or shorts best.

• Keep your toenails trimmed. If your nails are too long, they take a beating in shoes.

2.   Instead of a ballet barre, use the back of a chair, sideboard, bureau – anything the right height. Stand sideways to support and just rest your fingertips on it lightly. Your arm should be a little forward. Lift the unsupported arm out, stand with legs together, feet out in ballet position, and extend the leg not near the support, pointing your toe. Body facing front, lift the free leg, bending the knee and pointing your toes towards the support. Swing your outside arm in as you do this. Now extend the leg with knee bent sideways, as high as you can, with your arm outstretched gracefully. Repeat twice, keeping to the beat of the music.

3.   For a trim waist, stand with your feet together and arms loosely by your sides or lightly on your hips. Keeping your knees together, bend them slightly. Swing them to the left and then to the right, keeping to a firm brisk beat. Keep the top half of your body facing the front so that you twist at the waist. Repeat 20 times.

Ballet takes a great deal of discipline but it gives you grace and fluid movements, and helps your poise and posture. Your kicks, bends and leaps will have grand-sounding names like grands battements, plies, jetes, sissonnees, ports de bras and arabesques. Barre-work helps you with leg exercises. After two weeks, you’ll feel some improvement, but it will take about six months to see a change of shape. It’s well worth the effort. Beginners’ classes can leave you stiff if you haven’t done exercise too often, but the aching subsides the more exercises you do.

Disco dancing isn’t as good as modern dancing and ballet for limbering up but it is an aerobic exercise which builds stamina and burns up calories.

Modern dance routines exercise every part of your body. Try this at home: Sit on the floor with one leg bent in front and one behind. Sit up straight and raise your arms. Stretch from the waist and do graceful sweeps to the side, around and down, brushing the floor in front, making one continuous sweeping circular motion.

Jazz ballet is much more free, releases your inhibitions and gives your pelvis and hips a good work-out.

Tap dancing fulfills your fantasies, gives you a marvelous sense of accomplishment and is a fun way to shape up.

This has to be the easiest exercise of all! Start and finish off each yoga session by lying flat on the floor, legs straight, arms at sides, trying to relax every muscle in your body. Have your palms upturned and breathe rhythmically. Close your eyes and try to relax your mind as well as your body. Try muscle-tightening and letting-go when you have the time. This consists of tensing and then relaxing the muscles in each part of the body in turn, starting with your right toes.

Think of your eyes being deep inside your head and feel as though you can see out of the back of your skull. If someone lifts your hand, it should be so relaxed it is floppy. Stay like this for 2 minutes.

The cobra

An exercise for the pectoral muscles which support the breasts; also good for the chin, neck and back. Relieves tension. Lie face down, elbows bent so that your hands are resting palms down on the floor, near your shoulders and chin. Rest your forehead on the floor. Slowly raise your head, straightening your arms, so your spine is curved but your navel touches the ground.

You do not have to straighten out your arms completely if it is not comfortable. Tilt your head back and hold for about 10 seconds. Gradually work up to 30 as you get better at it. Gently lower yourself down. Repeat twice.

The crocodile

This exercise aids suppleness of the spine. Do it smoothly. Lie on your back on the floor, arms extended at shoulder height, feet together. Inhale, keeping your shoulders flat to the floor, turning your head to the left and twisting your spine, hips, legs and feet to the right. In a continuous movement, and holding your breath, twist the other way. Return to starting position and exhale. Repeat 3 times.

The stick position

Stretches sides and waist and tones arms, legs and back. Lie on your back on the floor with your arms stretched over your head. Inhale and stretch out your whole body, feeling yourself fully extended. Exhale and release the stretch. Contract the muscles on either side of your spine, pressing the small of your back into the floor. Hold for count of 5 and relax. Repeat 3-4 times.

Pose of a child

This is wonderful if you feel edgy, cramped or tired. Kneel on the floor, sitting back on your heels, your hands pointing back. Slowly bend forward and lower your head until your forehead touches the floor in front of your knees. As you do this, bring your arms gently back, palms up, so they rest on the floor beside your body. Relax with your chest against your knees. Hold for as long as you feel comfortable.

The cat

Good for your back and abdominal muscles. Kneel on all fours on the floor, your hands and knees parallel, and bend your head down. Your spine should arch like an angry cat. Do deep breathing, pulling the abdomen in and up with each exhalation. Inhale, hollowing the back, raising your head.

A variation is to kneel on all fours and lower your chest to the floor, with your weight on your arms. Hold for about 5 seconds. Return to first all-fours position and arch your back like an angry cat. Hold for 5 seconds. Relax. Now lift one leg and bring it towards your head. Touch it, if possible, and hold for 5 seconds. Then lift your head up and back and stretch the lifted leg outwards, raising it high but keeping it straight. Arms should be straight, too. Hold. Now return your leg slowly to your head and hold. Relax. Repeat with other leg. Do complete exercise all over again.

Knee rocks

Sit on the floor with your knees bent, clasping your hands under your knees. Bring your head as close to your knees as possible. Rock gently back onto your spine, with back rounded, legs together. Rock back and forth rhythmically about 12 times. If you like, start the exercise from your back rather than the sitting position.

Knee and thigh stretch

Tones inner thigh muscles, helps to stop leg stiffness and flabbiness. Sit straight on the floor and bend your knees, bringing the soles of your feet together and close to your body. Clasp your hands firmly round your feet and pull them towards you, flattening your knees and thighs to the ground as much as possible without straining. Hold for at least 5 seconds. Relax and repeat 3 times. Don’t worry if your knees will not reach the floor – with practice they eventually will.

The camel

(Gentle, OK for anyone past middle age.) This makes your spine more flexible and improves posture and rounded shoulders. Kneel on the floor, legs together, back straight, toes pointing backwards. Put your hands on your waist and bend slowly backwards, your pelvis pushing forward. Lift your chin and let your head hang back and your hands hang down. When you are more supple, you can try to touch your feet. Clench your buttocks and push your thighs and pelvis forward as you lean. Hold for 5 seconds, and increase holding time as you become more supple.

The plough

Marvelous for the spine, good for stomach muscles, thighs and hips. Lie on your back on the floor with your arms at your sides, palms down, legs stretched out straight and together. Lift your legs slowly, pushing down on your hands, and bring your legs over your head. When they are vertical, give the small of your back some support with your hands. Now try to touch the floor behind you with your toes, keeping your knees straight and moving your legs very slowly. This is very difficult unless you are extremely supple. Hold the pose for as long as comfortable, then very carefully move your legs back to the original position, and relax.

Spread and stretch

Sit on the floor with your legs spread wide apart. (If you are very supple, the best way to reach this position is to do a split.) Place your hands on your legs near your knees and, bending forward from the waist, bring your head down towards the floor. Stretch as far as you can, hold for 10 seconds, relax and repeat twice more.

1.   Sit in a comfortable position, with your back straight, and close your left nostril with your ringer. Inhale slowly and deeply through the other nostril, counting to 4. Now close the right nostril with your thumb, retaining your breath for a count of between i and 4 seconds.

Open the left nostril and exhale, taking between 4-8 seconds to empty the lungs -the longer the better. Breathe in through the left nostril to a count of 4, close the nostril again and hold for a count of 1-4 seconds before slowly exhaling through the right nostril for 4-8 seconds. Repeat the exercise about 5 times.

When you inhale, concentrate on expanding your ribcage, pushing out your abdomen. When you exhale, pull in your abdomen as much as possible.

2    Sit up straight in a chair and inhale through your nose, breathing deeply. Take about 5 seconds to fill your lower lungs, expanding your ribs and pushing the abdomen out. Then fill the top of your lungs for about 5 seconds, expanding your chest and tightening your abdomen. Hold for 1-4 seconds and exhale slowly and completely.

3    Sit up straight. First empty your lungs completely to remove the stale air by breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth, pulling in the diaphragm. Relax your arms. Inhale very slowly through your nose, counting to 8, pushing out your chest and abdomen. At the same time, raise your arms. If you do this exercise standing, rise onto your toes. Hold, then relax, exhaling slowly. Repeat about 5 times.

Although originally an Eastern cult embracing philosophy, diet and meditation as well as exercise, Hatha Yoga, the physical discipline, is now practiced by people all over the world. The asanas (body postures) are designed for each part of the body and consist of slow, controlled movements. Yogis, those who practice yoga, aim to have better control over their physical selves in order to leave their minds free to meditate. In our stressful modern society, yoga has a place in relieving tension and achieving tranquility.

Do not hurry your exercises. Go into each particular posture slowly, concentrating hard, taking about 10-15 seconds from the start to your final position. Once you are there, hold for as long as comfort allows. The final phase o any exercise is a slow return to the original position . . . always the emphasis on slowness, concentration and control. After completing each asana, relax completely.

As a beginner you may be able to hold a pose no longer than 5 seconds, but you can increase your holding time by about 5 seconds a week as you become more efficient. As you gradually build up more strength and suppleness you can increase the scope of the exercises you do. Always do yoga ii complete silence, and always be sure to go to the toilet before you begin. Your body must be completely relaxed.

Stretch ups

Stand up straight, legs together, arms at your sides. Rise on your toes and swing your arms up and over your head, touching hands. Stretch your body up, pulling in your seat and stomach. Return to first position. Repeat about 10—15 times.

Side benders

Stand with feet apart, arms at your sides, head straight. Lean sideways, sliding one hand down the side of your leg. Straighten up again, then lean to the other side. Repeat 10 times.

Shoulder rolls

Stand, feet apart, arms at your sides. Shrug your shoulders up to your ears, then bring them back and down and reverse the action, making a rolling movement. Do 5-10 times.

Penguin flaps

Stand with feet slightly apart, arms at your sides. Stretch out your arms sideways, letting wrists go limp, and flap your arms up and down at your sides quite briskly while counting to 10.

Forward flops

Stand with feet together, arms at your sides. Drop forward from the waist, like a rag doll, keeping your arms and shoulders relaxed. Keep legs straight but not tense. Straighten up slowly. Repeat 3-5 times.

Knee pulls

Stand, feet together, arms at your sides. Raise one knee as high as you can, grasp it with both hands and pull it towards your body. Keep your back and head straight. Repeat with other leg. Do 10 times.

Hip circles

Stand with feet slightly apart, hands on your hips. Pull in your stomach, then rotate your pelvis, as if using a hula-hoop, first one way, then the other. Repeat about 10 times.

Leg stretchers

Face a wall, tree or heavy stationary object. Place your hands flat against it at shoulder level, with arms outstretched, and slowly shuffle backwards. Keep your feet flat on the ground. Go sufficiently far back so you feel the strain on the backs of your knees and legs. Hold for about 2.0 seconds. Go back to stage one and repeat 2.-3 times.

Leg swings

Stand straight with one arm resting on the back of a chair for support, and swing one leg forwards and backwards. Turn to face the other direction and swing the other leg. Repeat 10-15 times.

Body alignment affects your health as well as grace and elegance. Sagging shoulders cramp your chest, stopping you breathing naturally and fully. Slouching cramps your digestive system. Poking your head forward puts strain on your back. Lifting and bending incorrectly leads to back strain and pain.

Standing your ground

Pull yourself up as if an invisible thread were attached from the top of your head to the ceiling, stretching out all your muscles, making you taller. Stand up straight, shoulders back but relaxed and down, not held ramrod stiff or hunched. Hold your chest and ribs high. Pull in your tummy and tuck in your seat, keep your knees together but not stiff, balance your weight evenly on both feet.

Sitting pretty

When you sit down, don’t poke your bottom into the chair awkwardly and slump like an old beanbag. Try to descend into the chair as if between two vertical lines. Stand with your back to the chair, the back leg almost touching with the other just in front. Keeping your back straight and your head up, lower yourself into the chair smoothly — as you sink down, your knees bend, moving forward.

Sit deep into the chair, don’t slouch. A hard chair is best for long sitting — it gives more support. When you are seated, your back should be straight, tummy tucked in, the weight supported on your sitting bones, not your thighs. Keep your chin and chest high, midriff lifted. Keep legs together, too. Splayed-out legs look ungainly. Don’t twine legs together either – crossing your legs can impede circulation so it’s a particularly bad idea if you have varicose veins.

Walking gracefully

Pull yourself up straight, without being stiff. Pull in your stomach and seat and do not lead with your chin – keep the top of your head aligned to your body as in standing. Walk relaxed with toes pointing forwards, swinging each leg from the hip – not the knee. Traditionally, models trained to walk more gracefully by practicing with a large book balanced on their heads — the body had to be aligned properly for it to stay there unaided.

Bending and lifting

Backache is one of the commonest pains of all and may be caused by lifting heavy objects incorrectly or by bending awkwardly. Do not bend forwards to pick something up, taking the strain on your back and shoulders. Instead, bend your knees and take the strain on your thigh muscles. Always find ways to take the strain off your back and use the muscles in your legs, arms and stomach – which benefit from the exercise.

When shopping, distribute the weight between two bags instead of one. When stooping, do not bend down from the waist with feet together, but bend your knees, with one foot forward bearing your weight, arm back for balance. When carrying a suitcase or heavy bag, change hands frequently to distribute the load. Do not slump to one side with shoulder dragged down, weight on one hip, neck craned with the strain. Instead, balance your body weight, keeping your back straight, arms and shoulders level, tummy and seat muscles pulled in, and head up to straighten your spine.

Start your exercise program slowly and gently until your body becomes more supple. Don’t move up to more strenuous levels of activity until you’re sure your body is able to take it. Never force yourself. Always check with your doctor first if you have been ill, are very overweight, over 40, a heavy smoker, suffer from stress, or have any history of heart or back problems. This applies to any kind of exercise you do – isometrics, for instance, may seem gentle enough, but can be dangerous for those with high blood pressure.

What’s the minimum exercise you need? I’m afraid I can’t give you an easy way out on three minutes a week. You really need about three half-hour sessions a week for the greatest benefit, although 15 minutes a day would be fine if you did it seven days a week. Always begin with some warm-ups before moving on to aerobics and stretching exercises. As you lose weight and become more fit, add weights, try yoga.

Early morning, last thing at night, during a break in the middle of the day — do your exercises whenever you wish. Don’t, however, exercise immediately after a heavy meal; wait about two hours before beginning. Comfortable, casual clothing is the best kind to wear — preferably a leotard and footless tights. But anything — or nothing — will do so long as it is not tight and constricting. Always wear tennis shoes when running in place. Choose a fairly open space so that you won’t feel cramped by furniture. Some of the exercises can be uncomfortable on a bare floor, so if you don’t have a carpet, use a rug, blanket or mat.

There are a number of machines on the market that are claimed to help you lose inches and reshape your body. I’m thinking of vibrator belts, electric massagers and machine exercisers. Avoid them. As you know, the only way you can lose weight is by dieting, and the best way to tone your body and take up the slack is by exercising your muscles yourself. The only ‘gadgets’ that approximate real exercise are stationary exercise bikes; these can be useful if you prefer to exercise indoors or live in a city and don’t want to fight traffic while you cycle. Most gyms and health clubs have exercise bikes.

The first, and most convenient, is on your wrist. Using three fingers, lightly press your wrist at the base of the thumb joint, palm facing upwards. You should feel the light, steady beat of your heart pumping.

The second place is the artery just below your jaw, at the side of your throat — press on one side only so you don’t shut off the blood supply.

The third is the artery near the front of your ear, towards your temple. If you keep mislaying your wrist pulse, try drawing a small cross on your skin as a guide.

To take your pulse rate, use the second hand of a clock or watch and count your pulse beats. Rather than count a whole minute, you can count for 30 seconds and multiply by two, 15 seconds and multiply by four or six seconds and add a o. Your resting pulse rate, when you are calm and sitting down, can vary, but averages 75-80 (women), 82-89 (girls), 72-76 (men) and 80-84 (boys).

To test your fitness, you have to assess your pulse rate after exercising. Run on the spot, or step up and down alternately on to the second step of the stairs or a low stool, bench or chair. Do it for 2 minutes, but stop if you feel any strain. Take your pulse immediately you stop. The six-second count will give you a quicker assessment, which would be more accurate because your pulse rate will drop soon after you stop exercising. To calculate your own particular recommended pulse rating, subtract your age from 200, then subtract a handicap of 40. For example, if you are 32, your pulse rating norm, exercising, would be 128. If your pulse is that, you are fine. If it’s much higher, you are not fit. Much lower? You must be very fit.

As your fitness improves you should reduce your handicap, first to 30 and then to 20, when calculating your recommended pulse rate.