ADRIAN Kibbler considers the options and shares his own experience at a time when we are all being urged to get into better shape.

BY the time this appears the Rev Neil Richardson will hopefully have completed what will have been his marathon number 12 or 13 – he has lost count.

The former leader of the Methodist Church in the UK who remains very active in the town keeps turning out the miles and his ‘poison’ when it comes to keeping fit is long distance running.

He is aged 71 and, no, this is not another Kibbler typo as might be thought because he could easily pass for 51 and does not appear the carry an ounce of excess fat as is sadly, for most of us, a consequence of the passing years.

No, I am not as old as Neil and no-one could say that I looked under-nourished but, believe it or not, I have been ‘working out’ most days for the past 20 years.

After giving up playing squash, I tried running but, like many people, discovered that this is a ‘contact sport’ in that it takes its toll of bones and joints.

So, almost every day I give myself a tough workout at home for up to an hour on a series exercise cycle.

People often ask what are the best ways to exercise and the general opinion of most experts seems to be swimming because it provides a no-impact all-body workout.

The problem is that unless we have access to a private pool or live next to a swimming baths it is all a bit of a faff.

Exercise brings greatest benefit when it is sustained and I believe that this is the key word.

If we find something that we can do for at least 20 minutes most days of the week and, even better, if we enjoy it then that is just the ticket.

Useful exercise will get our heart and lungs working and probably raise a sweat but without pushing us to the limit. Unfortunately, unless we do an awful lot of it, exercise is unlikely to have a great impact on weight but this does not mean that it is not doing us good.

Weight loss is much more about what and how much we eat, allied to genetics.

I like the exercise bike because it is possible to get a good machine that will last many years for £250 - £300 or less, it is not weather-dependent and I can easily fit it into my daily routine.

Some people don’t like the boredom but it is possible to work out and at the same time watch TV, listen to the radio or even read.

If I had to exercise outside of the house some competitive sport commensurate with my age, such as tennis, would be first choice. Cycling also appeals but a good machine plus all the necessary extras such as a helmet, padded shorts etc mean it is not cheap. Riding a bike is also not without its risks.

There are very few people who will not benefit from extra exercise but those that have been sedentary for a long time or have chronic illness are advised to run their plans past the doctor before starting.