Staying in Shape
Matthew / Canada
I ride my bicycle. I like to ride my bicycle around most of the time, if I'm able to I'll ride a bicycle to work, and also I like to walk everywhere. I've never owned a car, so I tend to walk a lot of different places.
Lindsay / United States
I like to go running two or three times a week, but to be honest Im not the best runner. I only ... I probably walk for fifteen minutes, then run for ten, and then walk for another fifteen minutes. I'm hoping someday I can work up to run, to do running for at least twenty minutes.
Paul / England
I like to go to the gym a few times a week, I like to go to the gym. I really like running but at the moment it's quite cold outside so I don't like to go running outside so I usually go to the gym and use the treadmill.
Aki / Japan
Every week I go to yoga. I also go do some walking. I also do some push-ups every day, but that's about it. I also try to control what I eat. I don't eat that much oily food, or I don't drink much alcohol, so I guess that's how I try to keep fit.
Eoin / England
To stay in shape, I try and walk a lot, is one thing, and also I cycle into work two or three times a week. Now that might not sound like much but I actually work on top of a mountain, so that's a fair amount of exercise. It takes me about thirty, forty minutes.
Shalini / Canada
Exercise? Including ... going to the gym, doing yoga, dancing, hiking, whatever ... whatever physical activity I can get my hand on that doesn't involve really going to the gym would be preferable.
work up to
I'm hoping I can work up to run for twenty minutes.
When we 'work up' to something, that means we slowly increase something, in this case time, until we reach our goal. Notice the following:
- I trying to work up to four new vocabulary words per
day.
- Start slowly and work up to faster speeds.
treadmill
I usually use the treadmill.
A 'treadmill' is a large exercise machine that we can run on while staying in the same place. It's a common piece of equipment at most fitness centers. Notice the following:
- I do forty minutes a day on the treadmill.
- The treadmill is so boring!
try to control
I also try to control what I eat.
In this case, 'to try to control' something means to organize it, make it work the way we want or restrict. Notice the following:
- Parents should try to control what their kids watch on
TV.
- I've tried to control my diet, but I love to eat.
get my hand on
Whatever I can get my hand on.
We use the phrase 'whatever I can get my hand(s) on' when we are not particular about something, we will use whatever is close by and convenient. Notice the following:
- I read whatever fashion magazines I can get my hands on.
- When I'm hungry, I'll eat anything I can get my hands
on.
doesn't involve
Anything that doesn't involve going to the gym.
When talking about an activity, the word 'involve' is similar in meaning to 'include' . Notice the following:
- The work out doesn't involve free weights.
- The work out doesn't include free weights.
