Back to the gym

After a few weeks away from the gym and in the bar over Christmas it can always be hard to get back on the treadmill.

It always amazes me how quickly fitness falls away during periods of inactivity. Depending on your fitness level, I always find walking at a quick pace and on a high incline a good way to build back up to running, while still burning fat.

At my age, 44, I find a heart-rate of around 130 BPM helps to work up a sweat and puts me under enough strain that I feel the benefit.

Ideally, a 40 to 60-minute workout on the treadmill will burn plenty of calories before some compound lifts like squats or deadlifts.

Most gym running machines will suggest the ideal heart rate for your age and measure the BPM. I find the key is to aim for longer duration workouts. Why not build a playlist and take a Kindle along to take your mind off the tedium of treadmill time?

Another trick I find useful to add to a walking workout is to take some small hand weights with you to get the most from the time.