Fast Exercise - journalist from Cookham's new book

Times journalist, a mum and Cookham Running Club founder Peta Bee has worked with BBC presenter Dr Michael Mosley on a book called Fast Exercise, which is currently No 2 in the Sunday Times Bestsellers and No 1 Best seller on Amazon. (Visit http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fast-Exercise-Michael-Mosley/dp/1780721986)

I caught up with Peta to find out how the idea for Fast Exercise came about...

'Dr Michael Mosley presented a Horizon programme a couple of years ago on the benefits of high intens,' says Peta. 'That programme attracted three million viewers and much excitement among those who were bored with slogging away at the gym to no avail. HIT is something I had been writing about for some time in my role as a fitness writer on The Times. My background as an athlete and sport scientist also convinced me that it made sense: put in much more effort and you can cut your exercise time to a few minutes a day rather than hours.

'Together, Michael and I went through the scientific evidence in detail and put the basics of every study to the test. We make an unlikely duo - he a confirmed sloth and anti-exercise, myself an avid runner who rarely misses a day of working out. We are opposites in other ways. When we took DNA tests provided by Loughborough University to find out if we were predisposed to respond to long bouts of aerobic exercise, Michael was found to be a non-responder and I was labelled a super-responder. It confirmed out suspicions: Michael could spend hours a day plodding on the treadmill to little avail. With HIT, though, the differences to his health and fitness were dramatic. For me, the short bursts complemented my regular running routine. In a nutshell, it had untold benefits for the two of us, even though we came from opposite ends of the fitness spectrum. 'And that, in short, is what appealed about fast exercise. Its scientific basis is sound. It’s an approach that has been tried and tested by ultra-fit people but which adapts perfectly well to fit in with my current lifestyle. As a busy, working mum I no longer have the time or, to be honest, the drive and enthusiasm to spend more than an hour a day slogging my way to fitness. Yes, I want to offset middle-age weight gain, to feel good and, of course, look as good as I can. And I want a body that performs well, that defies the ageing process because it is fit and healthy. But I want it fast. And the route to achieving that is what we want to share with everyone in the book.'

Well, I'm sold! I'm going to purchase my copy now...