When it comes to exercise – cardio exercise in particular – I am a firm believer in interval training. Steady-state cardio is necessary in some instances, but in terms of building endurance, strength and targeting fat, interval training is best. Moderate steady-state cardio will merely burn down your energy stores – carbs – whereas explosive intervals in your session will push your body, get you into your fat burning zone, and strengthen your body effectively. Compare the body of a sprinter with a long-distance runner – the sprinter is lean and shapely and has taut, toned and strong muscles, whereas the long distance runner has broken down a lot of lean muscle and has more of a ‘string bean’ look. Training like a sprinter will also help prevent shin splints in the future, although you need to ensure you are getting proper support from your current shoes, especially if you have high arches. Also make sure you have a post-workout meal/shake after your workout to replenish your carb and protein stores. Start small, with sprinting intervals of 20 seconds, followed by 60-90 seconds of rest. Increase these after a week to boost your endurance.