I’m a fitness fanatic, I clench and unclench my hands at least twice every morning without fail.
I can only quote Gough Whitlam when he said, “I get all the exercise I need attending the funerals of people that do exercise.” (he’s 98)
Anita - you’ve got me interested in pilates too. Do you have to go to classes to be shown properly?
I would imagine then you could do the exercises at home…
I used a DVD that my daughter gave me Carol, before she started the class. I think, my opinion only, that it would be very easy to happily follow the DVD but not be in the correct position and so not get all the benefit. Fay, my daughter, walks the class so she can correct anyone who is a bit out of positioning or show them a different way if they have a particular injury etc.
I loved the class and definitely had the benefit of a better core strength and also posture…I can also stand on one leg for longer!!!
There are definitely DVD’s that you can follow at home. I think you can do it at home no probs as long as you follow the principles of engaging the abdominal muscles and not tensing the wrong areas when working on a certain muscle group.
Pats I do pilates because it’s given me a virtually completely flat stomach and much better core strength than I had in my 20’s. I also do a dance/aerobics class to music and aqua-fit but not all of them every week though ideally I would like to.
When I get my leg out of plaster I’m going to join a pilates class. I think it’s best to be taught to do it right.
How many times a week and for how long, should it be done Anita for maximum benefit?
I was sure I had a Pilates DVD. Just checked but obviously not! Did get rid of stuff recently to a table top sale and it wouldn’t surprise me if something useful got chucked out with the stuff.
I have a Yoga for Dummies VHS tape, but they have to be rewound and are not as easy to use as DVDs, obviously.
My exercise? Not enough. Pain from my surgery has prevented me from doing too much, as I used to have short walks, going round my home town in a circle, down to the local park (where I could sit down in between, have a cup of tea), or go out on buses and trains and sight see - walking once I’ve got where I’m headed.
Could do swimming, but I need a really big push to go to my local pool.
Or, I do gentle gardening at my allotment. My tongue gets good exercise if I see friends and we stop and chat! ;-)
Just finished my 2nd 5K walk this weekend. I’m feeling pretty good… It’s getting easier as the weight drops. I’m down 18 pounds… I think that’s 1 stone 4 pounds… In your language… lol!! I’m looking for a total of 50 pounds, but doing it in smaller increments of 10 pounds a month. I’m on target for August…
No artificial sweetener
No alcohol
fish, chicken, fruits, and veggies plus whole grains
Lots of water… and more water… and then some more…
Portion control.
In my language that’s about 8kg.
I’m anxious to keep up the level of fitness I had before I broke my ankle so later today I’m going to Argos to buy a rowing machine. That will do me nicely until I can get walking again…
I like 18 pounds the best… It SOUNDS bigger… 
You’re doing well Audrey. You have my admiration.
1.2 Stone sounds even more
A stone is 14 pounds right? I know that “stone” means something to you in the UK… But it has no form of reference for me. I can picture how much a pound is though… A stone to me is something I get in my shoe.
My daughter once asked me, ‘What are lumbs and ozzies’ I thought at the time they even sound archaic.
Where does the measurement “stone” come from… It’s not metric.
This should answer your question, Audrey … 
Thanks… very interesting
Well I cannot do much these days, I used to do Keep-fit every day plus Weight Training, but that’s all stopped, I have two pro-lapsed discs. in my back that sticks out which gives me sciatica down my left leg, so most of the time I am in pain, but I still go out for a walk at least 1 hr a day, but I cannot get up any hills or high slopes and I live at the bottom of a big hill, I can climb it but I have to stop three times, but I still carry on, I try to do some slow keep-fit but the weights I can only use on my arms.
I enjoy swimming three times a week at the local pool. I cannot walk up hills or banks nowadays, but try to do 5k on the flat every day.