Q&A for: 10-Jan-10
2918. Q:
Mike, You answered my "active" vs. "passive" question - but Have about 10-15 lbs more to lose to aim for being "cut". Workout hard for muscle. So, not sure whether to eat the "lose fat" or the "build muscle" plan - thanks
A:
If you are looking to lose weight, then for the purposed of the Fitness Guide you should select 'Lose Fat' as your goal. Note that it's still possible to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time if you are starting with fairly high body fat, especially if you are relatively young.
2919. Q:
my 3rd question to you, Mike ! Ok - waiting on whether I should eat the build muscle or lose fat plan asked on 12/6 - looking to get cut (about 10-15lbs away) - next would mixed berries with whey be best after (midday) workout? or whey and brown rice? - only meal after that is dinner, protein & vegetable. Thanks! you are a great resource !
A:
Either of those meals should be OK. It's a little hard to answer a question about an individual meal without knowing what your entire daily diet looks like. In general, if you have relatively little carbs in the first half of the day, then a good helping brown rice would be appropriate. If not, berries is more appropriate. But either way should be fine.
2921. Q:
hi mike, i'm thinking of doing hiit every time after my gym session, how long should my hiit last?
A:
HIIT is perfectly fine 2-3 times a week, up to 15 minutes per session. More than that would probably be overdoing it for most people, especially if you also do weight training for legs. Unless you are in a very good shape already, even a few minutes of HIIT should be very challenging, so you may want to start with just a few minutes of HIIT per session and add a minute per week till you build up to 15 minutes per session.
2922. Q:
Do you have application for I-phone?
A:
Not at this time. If there is enough interest I would definitely consider one, so if you are reading this and would be interested in one, please let me know.
2923. Q:
i am 5'8 160 pounds everything on my body is developing and i see results except in my chest i have lower chest fat that is really getting to me how do i get rid of this lower chest fat and turn it into muscle or get rid of it??
A:
Unfortunately lower chest is one of those places where male bodies like to store fat, so it'll be one of the last ones to go. If you are still a teenager, you should see the chest fat decrease naturally as your body matures, so that should help. Aside from that, there is unfortunately no way to 'spot-reduce' (lose fat in a specific place) -- your body 'decides' where to burn the fat from. As you lower your bodyfat overall, you will lower it in the trouble spots like the lower chest. As you probably have seen already I have an article to help you get started on losing fat.
Another thing you may want to try is to build up your upper chest and shoulders more -- that would mask the extra fat on your lower chest better. To build up upper chest and shoulders, focus on more incline bench presses and shoulder presses -- do more sets of them in the beginning of your workouts when you are still fresh.
2924. Q:
what is the best way to loose weight off your legs?
A:
There's no way to tell your body where to lose the fat, but you most definitely force it to lose fat overall which would result in reduced leg fat as well. Please read my How To Lose Fat to get started. You may want to start your own fitness blog so I can monitor your progress and answer your questions (it's all free, of course!)
2925. Q:
I am 41 have have always been very thin (105-110) regardless of what or how I eat. I have tried for years to gain weight with no real success. At this point I am also extremely out of shape and have lost most of the muscle mass I had in my younger years. I tire easily and have low little strength overall. I also tend to get a bit dizzy when I do even the mildest workouts like yoga or pilates - kind of like when you stand up too fast and things kind of go black and buzzy. I would like to be in better shape and build muscle but am always afraid of anything that is even remotely cardio because I don't want to lose any weight. What is the best way for me to get some muscle back and get back in shape at home?
A:
If you have difficulty just performing everyday tasks it's probably a very good idea to see a doctor about this. Aside from that, your priority should be gaining weight and not even worrying about working out for now. I am not a doctor and can't tell you if you have a more serious medical problem, but I've seen numerous cases of underweight people with symptoms similar to yours (lack of energy, weakness, dizziness) which completely vanish after a person gains some weight. So if your doctor doesn't think there's anything else wrong with you, I would strongly recommend focusing on eating, especially more calorie-rich foods.
Calorie-rich does not have to be unhealthy! Dry-roasted nuts of all sorts and natural peanut butter (only ingredients should be peanuts and salt) are a great way to add quick calories to any diet. Whole grains like brown rice are also full of good calories. Don't forget healthy protein-rich foods like fish, poultry and lean meat. My personal favorite for putting on weight is a natural peanut butter and banana sandwich: take two pieces of whole-wheat bread, slap some natural peanut butter on them, slice a banana and make a sandwich out of it! That's 400-500 quick, healthy, and tasty calories. Or you can make your own smoothies by blending various fruits and berries with milk and maybe some of that natural peanut butter again. Or just keep snacking on dry-roasted nuts throughout the day, in addition to your regular meals. The point is find a way to eat more and start gaining weight.
It probably won't be easy, especially if you've always been thin and are not use to eating much, but if you are otherwise healthy, then gaining weight is what you should be focused on to get you back to feeling normal. And then you can start thinking about working out as well. Best of luck!
2926. Q:
hey mike, i have a question, im 21, 6ft 1, and weigh about 13 stones. Ive had man boobs for like sinse i was 16, and i thought maybe as i grew older i would loose the man boobs due to people saying your body changes and what not. Like if someone was to look at me they would think im athletic, only until i take my top off. I have even trained for a year with good weight training and my diet was verry good also, and i got bigger my arms back and legs had got bigger. I mean i know i have muscle in my chest because i can tense them up and down. Do you have any advice on what i should do, thanks.
A:
Sorry to hear that. You definitely sound like you are doing all the right things already. There're a couple more things you could consider... You are not overweight by any means, but if you wanted to you could still safely lose 15-20 pounds and still have healthy weight (not be underweight). Done right -- with continued weight training and eating healthy but less than before so you can lose weight no faster than a pound per week -- this will lower your overall body fat and in process lose some of that lower chest fat as well. You will likely lose some muscle and strength in the process, but it may be worthwhile if that lower chest fat really bothers you.
The other thing to try is to build up your upper chest and shoulders more, which would mask the extra fat in the lower chest better. To do so prioritize exercises like incline bench press, shoulder presses, upright rows, and shrugs. Do these exercises first thing in your workouts and do more sets of them. If you make your upper chest and shoulders bigger, then the lower chest will look smaller in comparison. Good luck!
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