Q: I am working as a software professional. I have to sit 8-10 hours a day in front of the computer. Before this job, my belly was normal, but in the recent past it has started increasing. My waist is 34 cm now. For the past 4 months I have started walking for 5 km. Is there any difference between morning or evening walk? I get pain in my knees if I jog. I walk with a speed of 8 km/hour. Will walking make a difference or jogging is necessary? Do I need to increase the speed of walking? I walk for 5 km a day in the evening. I can see the reduction in my weight but my belly is still the same. I think this is due to extra skin. I have been walking for the past 4 months, but I can't see any reduction in my waist size. Please suggest some exercises, I can do at home.

A:There is much debate about the timing of exercise. Some say the early morning is better since you have digested all the food from last night and it speeds up your metabolism. But then again, the evenings are considered a peak time for some. So find your own suitable time and pursue it with vigour. Jogging is good if you are have high fitness levels and do not tend to get joint injuries. But brisk waking is also great, though the calories lost by walking are slightly less than from jogging. So therefore you have to walk a longer distance and for a longer time to get the same benefit, but with less risk of injury. So if your knees hurt, stick to brisk walking and build it up to a speed of 6 km/hour As far as extra skin is concerned, remember that the skin is elastic and stretches when you put on weight to accommodate the extra fat. So when you lose weight it is quite a task to get the skin to go back to its original shape so soon. What can help here is to take on a resistance program which will see your skin tightening up over time when done consistently. You can include some push-ups and squats for the upper and lower body respectively. And with some abdominal crunches and back extensions you will find that you are getting closer to your goal. Keep a gap of 48 hours before you embark on the resistance program again; so 3-4 times for the above should be fine.