I play tennis once a week for about an hour or so. On top of this, four days a week I walk two miles at a pretty fast clip. I'm 26 years old and want to lose five to seven pounds by October. What can I add to my exercise regime?

-- Gloria

I don't know how fast your clip is Gloria, but if you're completing those two miles in 30 minutes or less, it's time to add a mile or two.

You need to walk for about 45 minutes to really get the cardiovascular benefits as well as the calorie burning benefits of walking. If you're spending 40-45 minutes walking already, step up the pace.

Four days a week is plenty, especially since you're playing tennis once a week also. (I hope you mean singles -- you don't cover as much ground or get nearly as good a workout from doubles).

Since walking and tennis use your legs, why not add some upper body exercises to the equation? Do some exercises for the chest, shoulder, back and arm muscles. A good general upper body exercise is the push-up.

To do push-ups, lie face down on an exercise mat, carpeted floor, or a couple of towels. Place your hands on the floor slightly wider than, and in line with, your shoulders, palms flat. Flex your knees so that your feet don't touch the floor.

Press yourself away from the floor until your elbows are straight. (Don't lock your elbows). Ease yourself back down to the floor. Remember to keep your back straight and don't let it sag. Do as many push-ups as you can.

Five pounds is not a lot to lose. Exercise a little more, watch those calories and you should be right where you want to be come October.

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