Q&A for: 10-Aug-06
1719. Q:
Hi mike it's me again from question 1715. Before taking these two weeks off I just finished the push/pull program. I had seen you mnetion on here that the push/pull workout was a low to medium volume workout. So since I just finished eight weeks of that and took a two week break would it be ok to start with another high volume heavy weight to failure type of workout. Thanks Again.
A:
Sure, that should be OK.
1720. Q:
hi mike, i'm 15 this year and i'm always feeling hungry and when i eat, i always eat more than the rest of my family, am i having any problems? my height is 174 and my weight is 60
A:
That's normal. Your body is growing and requires extra energy. Your height and weight are perfectly fine. Don't worry about how much you're eating, just stay active and eat healthy foods.
1721. Q:
Mike,
I'm a 43 year old male, 6' tall and weigh 245lbs. I've actually be successful losing weight and getting to where I want, however overtime, I pick the weight up again. Only once did i incorporate weight training into my program. I worked out 3 to 4 times per week for about 9 months. I injured my groin and had to stop. I wasn't real pleased with the results. I thought after 9 months, I could have been more toned and cut, but wasn''t.
At that time, my weight loss program was the Atkins diet. I'm wondering if this may have been the reason I didn't get the results I wanted.
I'm now ready to lose the weight again and at the same time, want to weight train. I don't really want to bulk up, I'd rather get toned and cut. What is the best way to weight train and lose weight at the same time? How long before I see great results?
Thanks,
Steve
A:
Check out Q&A #186 for why I don't like Atkins too much. The keys to optimal fat loss are definitely a healthy balanced diet with slight calorie deficit that leads to slow gradual weight loss, whole-body heavy weight training, and moderate cardio.
If you haven't already, please read my nutrition and weight training articles. They will tell you the basics of a good fat loss routine. Then you can fill out the fitness guide to get a complete fat loss program -- the diet may look intimidating at first, but read the paragraphs about how to adopt it to your tastes and schedule.
As far as how fast you can lose the extra weight, keep in mind that the slower you lose weight the more likely it'll be actual fat loss and not muscle and water loss. So set your goal at losing 1 pound per week. Slow weight loss like that will preserve your muscle mass which in turn will prevent fat and weight from coming back later. Your first week on a new diet may result in big fluctuations in weight, but from then on weigh yourself in the morning on empty stomach and try to stay at 1 pound/week pace.
If you find that you're losing weight too fast, then increase your portion sizes slightly. If you find that you're not losing weight fast enough, then decrease the portion sizes slightly... UNLESS you're already eating 2000 calories or less per day. In that case (eating little but not losing weight) you will need to first rev your metabolism up to high level before starting weight loss. The way you'll accomplish it is by eating the calorie level suggested by the fitness guide for a few weeks -- you may gain a pound or two in that time and then your weight should stabilize. Once your weight stabilizes then you can drop the calories a little and the fat loss will start.
With about 1 pound per week pace, allow at least full year to gradually get in good shape. It's probably not the quick result you were hoping for, but this will actually work as opposed to all the get-slim-quick solutions which lead nowhere. Good luck!
1722. Q:
Person from 1717, incline bench does not work out the place where man boobs are, it works out parts higher than that. What type of bench press do you recommend to firm up my man boobs? Thanx
A:
You're assuming that doing chest exercises will directly burn chest fat -- that is incorrect. Just because you do chest exercises doesn't mean you're burning 'man boob' fat (and just because you're doing crunches doesn't mean you're burning stomach fat). Your body burns fat all over and the more of your muscles you are exercising in the course of the week the more fat will be burned -- that is why I always emphasize whole-body weight training. A complete weight training program will hit as many muscles as possible, including the biggest ones in your legs and back, which will cause the most overall fat burned which will eventually lead to the 'man boobs' going away.
So why do specifically emphasize incline bench press when talking about 'man boobs'? That's because by developing your upper chest muscles you will effectively hide your chest fat on the lower chest -- your chest will be bigger and broader and the little extra fat on it won't be nearly as visible. Plus it will stretch the same amount of fat over a bigger area also helping to hide it.
So the key to 'man boobs', just like to any other kind of fat loss, are whole-body weight training and a healthy balanced diet. But emphasizing incline bench as part of the whole-body weight training has an additional benefit of hiding the chest fat a bit better.
1723. Q:
Mike, I'm confused. What should I do, Muscle training + cardio, or Cardio alone. My goal is to lose weight, because I am pretty big and overweight. 15 years old, 5'11, 210 lbs. I want to get to a lower weight, about 170. If I weight train + cardio, won't I just get bigger? Thats the last thing I want if it is. I have Man Boobs so im wondering if I should add benching to build muscle in my upper chest. Thanx for the advice
A:
It's always a good idea to include weight training in your program when trying to lose fat (unless you have a medical reason for not doing so, of course). You do NOT get big and bulky from weight training UNLESS you are overeating and gaining weight. By watching what you eat to make sure you eat healthy and do not overeat and gain weight you get the full effect of weight training as a fat burner. The key is controlling how much you eat -- weight training will make you hungry (precisely because it does burn calories so effectively) and if you just always eat whenever you feel the slightest hunger you will gain weight and become big and bulky. So do weight training along with cardio, eat healthy, keep portion sizes moderate and weigh yourself occasionally to make sure you don't gain weight -- if you are then you need to decrease portion sizes.
Couple more things... Because of your age you need to be very careful about losing weight -- you are most likely not done growing and if you lose too much weight too quickly you risk stunting your growth. So don't try to lose more than a pound per week and slower is better. For the same reason you need to be careful when weight training -- a serious injury can likewise stunt your growth so don't try to lift very heavy weights, make sure you learn the correct form for all exercises, don't go all the way to muscular failure, and have an adult supervise you whenever possible. Good luck!
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