Q&A for: 14-Dec-06
1917. Q:
where do i find articles on nutrition adn weight training
A:
Click here and look under 'Fitness Articles
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1918. Q:
Is there a way for me to get a six pack in 2 weeks if i weigh 136 pounds and im 5'6'? because i want to try and impress this girl i like with some nice ripped abs. Im 15 years old about to turn 16 on the 24 of december.
A:
It's not possible to accomplish any significant change in body composition in just two weeks. If you are nearly at six-pack stage (body fat level close to 10%) already then it's possible that you can make them come out clearer in two weeks, but if you're starting out in just average shape (around 15-18% body fat) then it's not realistic to expect to see six-pack in two weeks or even in two months.
Assuming you are starting out from average shape, if you are willing to be patient and disciplined then you should be able to get a six-pack in 6-12 months along with getting yourself in much better shape. They keys are learning how to eat right and being active which at your age mainly means playing sports and exercising and possibly doing supervised weight training. But you have to revise your expectations away from short-term unrealistic goals (six-pack in two weeks) and towards developing long-term program and displine that will lead you to success.
1919. Q:
I've lost about 6 pounds just by eating every three hours instead of eating 3 large meals a day.my daily caloric intake actually increased by 300.it took about three weeks.
A:
Congratulations! That's a perfect example of how merely changing your eating schedule to have more smaller meals can have a great metabolism boosting effect.
1920. Q:
I want to lose weight without losing my breast size
A:
I can't guarantee that your breast size won't reduce but as long as your weight loss is slow and gradual and you don't lose too much weight overall, the change in breast size should be minimal. If you end up losing a lot of weight (over 20 pounds) then it's almost unavoidable that your breast size will decrease somewhat. However most women find it a very worthwhile (not to mention healthy) trade-off. To learn how to best lose fat and weight, please read this. Good luck!
1921. Q:
what i can do to get in shape
A:
I can't give you any detailed answer to that without knowing more about you and what kind of shape you want to be in, but for anyone who wants to get in shape, learning to eat right is the most important thing, followed by being generally active, whether playing sports, running, skiing, swimming, jogging, biking, weight training or anything else.
1922. Q:
hello, I'm 17 and I just got into wrestling. I've been working out for a few months and i've seen big gains but now i'm worried about controlling my weight. Would Muscle Milk be a good choice for a supplement?
A:
Muscle Milk is an OK supplement, but just like other protein supps there is no magic in it that you can't get from regular healthy foods like lean meats or fish. Muscle Milk by itself will certainly not help you control your weight.
If you are worried that you are gaining too much weight, then you simply need to reduce your calories -- start by substituting light veggies in place of starchy carbs like potatoes, bread, pasta, or rice for evening meals. Drink plain water instead of sodas or juices. Cut out junk food and sweets. Check out my nutrition article to learn how to structure a complete healthy diet for yourself.
1923. Q:
how can i do a pullup in one week without any weights
A:
I can't promise you can progress to a pullup in just one week, but within a month it's certainly very doable -- check out Q&A #1738 for my advice.
1925. Q:
When on a bulking diet is it ok to run only once a week for thrity to forty five minutes? I am really trying to get a sixpack, but it is just difficult to get to the gym 7 days a week. I am on your five day a week heavy volume program as well. I am 23 5'7 about 150-152. I am on the brink of seeing my six pack really well( right now I can see slightly, and really well when I flex) and I just dont want to mess up. I know I need to get into the shape I want NOW because the longer I want the harder it will be.... Thanks Mike
A:
In general it's counterproductive to try to do cardio while bulking in an effort to keep fat gains to a minimum. You can certainly run if you enjoy it or do it to stay in shape, but realize that it goes against the very point of bulking -- you can't both gain muscle and lose fat at the same time when you are already in very good shape (as you are).
I would not run during the bulk and just accept the fact that you'll gain a bit of fat along with new muscle. But after you are done with the bulk, then you can start on a cut and then doing cardio will be appropriate.
1926. Q:
When i do the cutting face after the bulking should i avoid foods that contain oil even if that is the good one?One bodybuilder told me that i should avoid foods like that cause even though they are home made and healthy they contain much oil which has a lot of fat(and calories as well).What do u think?
A:
It all depends on your situation. If you have a good control of your diet and know more or less exactly what you are eating, then it benefits you to have 20-30% of your calories come from healthy fats.
On the other hand if you have no control of what you eat, then you certainly should be careful about eating either homemade or store or restaurant foods because, yes, they do tend to be very high in fat and calories (and it's usually the bad kind of fat).
I would try to make sure you control as much of your diet as possible so you know what and how much you eat. If that is not an option, then yes, go easy on foods that you know are cooked with fat because most such foods have more fat and calorie than you want.
1927. Q:
mike, so today while i was at the gym, and i was arguing with a guy there i know. He said that you're sposed to train to failure on every set you do, but i argued it was overtraining, and u should only do like the final set to failure. we were discussing a schedule in which you do around 18 sets.
in the end it was a draw, because he is bigger then me, so i dont have much evidence on him.what do you think?
AND
with kickboxing on Mon. and Wed., i dont have time for the 5 day/week schedule i had off your site before. do you think i should still do it, but do some leg work on sundays with arms? or, just go to a 3day 5x5 in which i would workout tuesday, thursday, saturday. but, do u think i would not get enough recovery time, because of all the kickboxing and the high intensity of a 5x5?
thanks for the help
A:
As far as all arguments about which system is best, my opinion is that there is no one best system. Best system will periodize throughout the year. There will be times when you go to failure all the time and times when you never go to failure, times when you only do a few sets per session and times when you do 20 or more, times of high-rep sets and times of low-rep sets... A well constructed periodized system which constantly changes the demands placed on your body will be better than any one other system that prescribes the same training week after week for a whole year.
As far as weight training while kickboxing, I would certainly look to decrease the volume and/or intensity of weight training. Unfortunately I'm not sure what 5x5 system you are talking about -- different people use that term to refer to different programs.
If you are thinking of doing my 3-day strength routine, then it's a good choice since it is quite low intensity for most of the time, only maxing out in last week so even though the volume is high your body should not be overly stressed by it.
On the other hand if you do 5x5 where you do 3-4 exercises exercises daily with 5 sets of 5 or fewer reps each, going to failure each set, then it'll probably be too much stress on your body when combined with kickboxing.
1928. Q:
HIT cardio more efficient than regular cardio?
A:
Yes, see see Q&A #1394 for a discussion of HIIT. I prefer it to regular cardio when the goal is to burn fat.
1929. Q:
Why isn't okay to go on a water diet but eat very small amounts of food(two fists of food)??
A:
What you are describing is called 'starvation diet' and is almost always a bad idea unless your doctor prescribes it for health reasons. As a way to lose weight and fat it is almost certain to fail. Please read through my response to Q&A #998 for reasons why.
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