Getting fit: live chat transcript

choochibaby: What do you think of Geri Halliwell’s figure – is she too thin?
joshua_salzmann: Most importantly, Geri should be happy with her own figure, but from a professional fitness consultant point of view, she is over-training. And perhaps not now, but eventually, she will experience a lack of progression and/or injury from doing too much exercise.

soul4l: Josh, isn't vigorous exercise pre-breakfast bad for the body?
joshua_salzmann: This really depends on the individual, but most healthy people can benefit from an occasional 30-minute only interval cardio workout on an empty stomach once or twice a week.

oasis_rocks2001uk: I'm 6'4” and broadly built, but I’m also very thin. How can I bulk up a bit?
joshua_salzmann: For you, I'd recommend a good weight-training program 3 times a week plus a good sound nutritional programme. Your sessions in the gym should not take more than an hour and your eating habits should be six small meals a day, each with a complex carb and a protein component. Allow yourself to rest between workouts since this is important for true fitness progression to take place.

kat_76_2005: I've got a so-called pear-shaped figure. What aerobic exercise would be the best – step, tae –bo, normal aerobics, or just machines?
joshua_salzmann: Variety is not only the spice of life, but of exercise as well so, keep it in your fitness program and you'll find what's best for you by getting the positive results you are after.

purple_acki: How many hours per day, and for how long, did Angelina work out to get her Lara Croft body?
joshua_salzmann: I worked with Angelina 3 times a week for no more than 50 minutes per session. On top of that, she obviously had to practice kickboxing and gun-handling routines, but the basis of her strength, cardio and flexibility fitness was through these 3 sessions a week. Remember – it's always the QUALITY not the QUANTITY of exercise that counts. More is not always better.

swithyc: I have heard that getting a little trampoline and spending 15 minutes a day jumping is good for the bum – is this true?
joshua_salzmann: Any exercise that you do should not be done every day. By alternating your exercise programmes and taking days off, you get fitter. This is because you get stronger through allowing your body to recover from exercise. A trampoline is not an intense enough exercise to make a major difference to your glutes. Instead, do squats and lunges and other exercises that add more intensity and engage these muscles more fully.