Q&A for: 1-Apr-08
2617. Q:
Im 13 and hav recently started your bodyweight resistence program but i always leave it untill last thing in my day to do it because if i do it earlier im tired for the rest of the day. but most days im too tired last thing at night and end up skipping it. can you help me
A:
You'll just need to find some time to do it. I don't know your schedule so I can't suggest a good time. Perhaps some time between when you get back from school and have your dinner. Keep in mind that while the program may feel exhausting at first and you'll probably get sore after you do it the first few times, your body will soon adopt to it and it won't feel nearly as tiresome and it won't make you sore. So just set some time during the day and do it.
2619. Q:
I'm 37, 5'7, and 270 pounds. Several years ago, I went to a gym and they checked out my body fat percentage and other things. They said that to weigh what I am supposed to that I would have to lose about 100 pounds in fat and 50 pounds of muscle. I understand losing the fat and know how to do that. What do I do about the muscle? And doesn't that mean that I shouldn't do any extra weight lifting/muscle building types of exercise?
A:
I think you should interpret their advice as more like what will happen if you lose 150 pounds of weight. Whenever we lose significant amount of weight, those lost pounds will come at the expense of both fat and muscle. Usually you'll lose more fat, of course, but inevitably you'll lose some muscle as well.
Losing muscle is virtually never desirable because muscle is your best friend in fight against fat, not too mention the obvious benefits of strength which become even more important with age. So by all means, you should lift weights in addition to having a good diet and doing cardio. But even with weightlifting, you will certainly lose a large amount of muscle in those 150 pounds. That's what their advice meant -- NOT that you should intentionally try to lose muscle.
2620. Q:
I am 29 years old, 5'5", and weigh 190. How many calories should I eat per day to lose 50 lbs., and about how long will this take to lose? I also do 20 sit ups per day in increments of 5.
A:
First thing, please read my How to Lose Fat article, along with its Weight Loss companion article. After you read those articles it will hopefully become clear to you that your chances of success go up exponentially if you don't just focus on calorie count, but on having a complete balanced diet to go along with weight training and cardio. 20 situps daily is a start but you'll need a to train your whole body and not just your abs. Read the article I linked carefully and link the Nutrition and Weight Training articles it links to as well. Once you understand the comprehensive approach to weight loss, then you can get a sample starter program from Fitness Guide. Good luck!
2621. Q:
Hey Mike, Great website! Very informative even for an experienced bodybuilder here. I had a quick question and I'd like to hear your opinion if you don't mind. Do you see any benefit to increasing starchy carbs (in small amounts) later in the day for its metabolic effects or is eating a good deal of green beans with lean protein and some healthy fats just as much of a metabolic booster? So basically, is there a slowdown in metabolism from eating more green veggies as opposed to starchier carbs later on in the day? Thank you!
A:
Thanks, it's always great to hear that my site is helpful! To address your question... I would go different route depending on your current goal. If you are bulking up, then you want to provide enough energy to your body around the clock so that muscle growth can take place. This means that you ought ingest starchy carbs all day long.
On the other hand if you are cutting, then the emphasis is on fat/weight loss. That means that most starchy carbs should be limited to the first half of the day and possibly pre/post workout meals. In the evening meals things like leafy greens are enough. And if you eat substantial amount of green beans (or any other legumes), then certainly I think they alone provide sufficient carbs for evening meals during a cut.
2626. Q:
Im a 16 year old male, about 5'6. I usually excersie, and do some weight lifting. My current weight is around 145, but i do have a problem. I have a little excess fat on my chest, and i was wondering how i could get rid of it before late in the summer. I have read some of the fat loss articles but i didnt know exactly what i should do. It is pretty embarrasing to have and i would really like to know what i can do.
A:
There could be a couple of things going on... One is that a little extra chest fat is very common for guys your age due to hormonal changes that take place during teenage years. It's just part of your growing process and it disappears on its own in later years. You can't do very much about this on your own, but if it's really bothering you you may want to talk to your doctor about it. Just keep in mind that many if not most guys your age are going through the same thing and it's nothing to be embarassed about.
The other possibility is that it's really extra fat. I am skeptical about this possibility because your weight is perfectly normal for your height. Even if this was the case, to actively lose this extra fat (just like to lose fat anywhere else on your body) you'd need to lose weight and losing weight for you is almost definitely not a good idea -- weight loss at your age can stunt your growth and there's an excellent chance you are not done growing in height yet. Furthermore, as you grow in height, that extra fat is burned to fuel your growth and you naturally lean out as you grow taller.
So between those two things, my approach would be two-fold... First, realize that very likely this is just result of normal hormonal changes that pretty much every guy goes through during teenage years and is nothing to be embarassed about. Second, note that even if it's really extra fat your approach should be NOT to lose weight because your weight is perfectly healthy and you are probably not yet done growing. Instead, you should continue to be physically active, exercise, and eat healthy nutritious foods so that your continuing growth can take care of whatever little extra fat is there. Hope that helps!
|
