Actress Amy Huberman tells Patricia Westonthat despite doing Ashtanga yoga for a year, she found it boring and kept it up only because her friends were doing it with her
Have you a regular exercise routine?
No, I try to keep fit but I'm not into the gym, I'm lazy that way.
I don't have a specific routine but I walk every day so I suppose that's regular exercise.
I live in London and walk from Battersea to Sloan Square every day, which takes 40 minutes.
I don't use the Tube. I'd rather walk because I think it's a nice way to exercise.
Due to the congestion charges there's no advantage to having a car in London.
Have you tried any other form of exercise besides walking?
I did Ashtanga yoga for a year and I kept it up out of pure guilt. I just went along with a group of friends but I wouldn't have kept going if I were doing it alone.
We exercised in a warm room for an hour and a half and it was no fun at all. I never really enjoyed it.
Are you body conscious?
Yes, I go through phases. Sometimes I couldn't be bothered about how I look and then when I start filming I become conscious.
Have you any weight issues?
I've been the same weight for years and I don't obsess at all. It doesn't consume me and I don't diet. I don't have a huge appetite anyway. I'm a grazer, I eat every couple of hours.
Do you use alternative remedies?
I've taken a huge interest in alternative remedies in the past year and I've become very open to alternative medicine. I'd go the holistic route if I had any illness.
Have you any food vices?
I eat chocolate every day; it's definitely my vice. I don't smoke and I'm not a big drinker at all.
Amy plays Daisy Callaghan in The Clinic on RTÉ One, which will be returning in the autumn.
Patricia Weston recommends:
If, like Amy, you're not inclined to join a gym or take on a fitness class but like to walk everywhere, here are some tips to turn your walking into a workout:
Aim to walk for 30-40 minutes at least three times a week for maximum fitness benefits and remember that three 10-minute walks have the same benefits as a continuous 30-minute walk.
Music is a great exercise motivator, plug in your earphones as you walk and play some upbeat tunes to get you moving faster.
Add intensity to your walking by adding weights. Using weights burns more calories and tones muscles. To reduce the risk of injury, select light hand weights but avoid the use of ankle or wrist weights because they may increase your risk of strain and injury.
Try using poles as you walk to tone the upper body and burn more calories per mile than regular walking. Nordic walking poles are available in most sports shops and are fun and easy to use.
Gadgets such as pedometers and heart rate monitors are a good idea because they can make your walking more interesting.
Devise a walking journal so you can log your times and distances to keep you motivated and see how much you have achieved.
Patricia Weston is an NCEHS fitness instructor, personal trainer and Pilates teacher.