Q&A for: 25-Jul-06
1680. Q:
I'm the guy from Q1662.I 'm losing almost half a pound a day doing cardio. and twice I have lost 1.4 pounds in one day.I have lost 6 pounds in the last three weeks but my body composition has not changed and I have not lost even a pound of fat.If its not fat that I'm not losing what is it that I'm losing?.It cant be muscle since its impossible to lose 6 pounds of muscle in 4 weeks unless I was bedridden 24 hours a day.
A:
Don't worry about it -- if you're losing weight as you described you're most likely on the right track or close to it. Body composition measures are notoriously inaccurate, especially if you're using a body fat scale or handheld device. The best way to get body fat measurement is by a professional trainer or medical professional using skinfold calipers and even that measure will not be that accurate. With only 6 pounds lost you cannot rely on any body fat measure to give you precise evaluation of fat lost.
My only advice is to eat a tiny bit more (healthy foods, not chocolate!) so you lose weight slower, at about one pound per week pace. My other advice is, of course, to include weight training in addition to cardio. If you do those things and keep losing weight at slow steady pace you'll soon be able to tell the difference without any need for a formal body fat measure.
1681. Q:
If one loses a lot of water weight when going on the atkins diet why doesnt this cause dehydration and other illnesses?
A:
Atkins does actually have potential to cause medical problems, especially if the person does not drink enough water as well as not eating enough veggies to provide vitamins and minerals.
But the dramatic weight loss that happens in the beginning of Atkins is indeed mostly due to water weight. What happens is that molecule of glucose (which is the end carbs after your body processes them) and other carb molecules 'attract' to them water molecules. So the food sitting in your intestines as well as glucose distributed throughout your body (muscles and other organs) causes you to retain extra water as well. As you suddenly cut out carbs from your diet on Atkins all these carb remnants are flushed out and not replaced -- and along with them flushed out is the water they retained.
1682. Q:
how can i lose weight in 2 weeks for wen i start school im 14 and get made fun of im weigh 150
A:
Don't try to lose any significant amount of weight in just 2 weeks, especially at your age! Any crash diet like that is unhealthy, can potentially stunt your growth, and pretty much guaranteed to fail with all the weight coming back in a few weeks.
Instead of looking at it as a short-term fix, think of what you need to change in your life to start being healthier. Most likely your diet could use a lot of improvement -- read my nutrition article to learn how to eat healthy (don't focus on HOW MUCH to eat, but rather on WHAT to eat). Start being as physically active as you can -- run, bike, swim, play sports, mow the lawn, etc. You can also start on light weight training under adult supervision, but don't start lifting very heavy weights until you're 15 or 16 -- instead for now focus on learning exercises and performing them with medium weights. Don't try to lose weight -- instead eat healthy and be active and weight loss (and more importantly fat loss) will take care of itself.
I guarantee that if you truly commit to making these changes in your life in a few months to a year you will look completely different and be much healthier to boot. Good luck!
1684. Q:
I’ve heard that eating little and often burns calories – why is this exactly?
A:
Check out Q&A #1564 for the answer to that question.
1685. Q:
Hi mike! I need to change my workout. i have been doing high volume heavy wieghts for the past year now. I think it is time I switch to medium or low volume. How long should I stay at a medium or low volume workout? Do you have any suggested routines?
A:
If you've been doing heavy volume for a year non-stop, I'd first take a couple of weeks or even a full month off from the gym completely, then switch to low volume for two months and then maybe another two months of medium before considering going back to heavy. As far as what program to choose, pick out anything that looks good from sample weightlifting program on my articles page -- there's one program titled 'Low Volume Recovery' which may be particularly applicable but any low volume should be fine.
1686. Q:
how many calories do situps burn?
A:
Check out Q&A #1309.
1687. Q:
Running in the morning- Does it have more benefits than running at night? I heard it does because your body starts burning fatty deposits immediately and your metabolism is boosted throughtout the day. Also, I did run in the morning once, but then I ended up binge eating later that day. I think the reason was that I only had a bowl of special K with 2% milk after and a small dinner. What should I eat after running in the morning? Egg whites, tuna? Something big?
A:
Check out Q&A #159 and for my view on early-morning cardio. I recommend having at least a small breakfast with a source of protein before doing any exercise, including cardio.
1688. Q:
I am trying like the devil to get my eating habits under control but having little luck. I have CHF (Congestive Heart Failure) and a special pacer that's brought my heart function back to normal. I'm VERY active, including a twice weekly 90 minute Kung Fu training session. When I try to reduce calories, I become insatiably hungry. When I try to reduce fat I am unable to satisfy my hunger. Any suggestions?
A:
Glad to hear you're staying active! Getting the diet right can be tricky and certainly varies from person to person. As you noticed, cutting out fat is not a very good solution -- you become hungry quickly. In addition healthy fats are good for you. Instead, my recommendation would be to try and lower (but not cut out completely) carbs. A meal like a chicken salad with a good olive oil-based dressing can be very filling and satisfying while being very healthy and lowering calories compared to a regular meal.
So the idea is to replace calorie-dense carbs in your diet -- anything made of flour as well as sweets, white rice, and juices with sodas -- with 'lighter' versions such as vegetables (except corn and potatoes), various beans and lentils, whole grains like old-fashioned oatmeal and brown rice, some whole fruits, and plain water. Besides reducing calories this diet change will carry a tremendous health benefit because the whole grains, veggies, and fruits are much more nutritious than artificially processed foods. On top of it, 100 calories of, say, white rice is much more likely to cause fat gains than 100 calories of brown rice! That has to do with how our bodies process carbs into glucose -- artifically processed foods are coverted to glucose very quickly creating an energy rush that our bodies have no immediate use for and that therefore ends up as new body fat. Finally, natural nutritious foods will keep your satisfied longer.
So focus your diet efforts on replacing artificial processed foods with whole natural foods. And check out my nutrition article for more specific suggestions. Good luck!
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