Q&A for: 7-Jan-07
1930. Q:
Dear mike, My name is Kyle. I am from the Philippines. I am a first year college student. I live in an apartment. Girls always tease me for being fat and manboob carrier no.1..Heck, some of them even think that because of the fat my manhood is small....There was a girl in high school that i really liked but could not get enough courage due to the fact because she likes lean men...Now there is a girl in college whom i really like....I really want to lose fat...In high school i weightlifted because i had free weights...My metabolism grew to a great extent..but it made me bulky...I saw some results but there is still fat in my arms and legs...The manboobs are still hanging and i do not have much of a six pack....I cant do cardio because i have no access to the gym...The road in the city is so dirty and the air very polluted...The only thing i have is free weights...I really want to lose this fat...I have been trying to get help but no one will....Mr. Mike if you can help me on this situation i would appreciate it...Hopefully you can reply and help me..Thank you so much for reading...God Bless and happy holidays.
A:
Hi Kyle, thanks for writing and sorry for late reply -- I've had much less free time to spend on my site lately. Your situation is a very common one and unfortunately there is no quick solution I can offer besides what is written here. One thing that seems to be happening in your situation is that you are not paying enough attention to your diet -- that's why in the past you found that weight training bulks you up instead of helping you slim down. Weight training makes you hugrier so it's very easy to overeat if you don't pay attention to your diet. On the other hand if you have a good control over what, how much, and when you eat weight training will make you leaner. Without a good control of your diet you won't be able to lose significant amount of fat and keep it off. Carefully read the article I linked and start figuring out how to improve your diet along with weight training. Once you have your daily diet figured out, post it here along with your training program and height/weight and I'll try to make specific suggestions. Best of luck!
1931. Q:
reply to 1927.. well its not techincallly a 5x5, here it is http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=712752 do you think it will be too much? my biggest goal is to get big, but i dont want to leave kickboxing either
A:
That program is very good, but it is quite intense even if most sets (besides the last 1-2) won't quite reach failure. You can certainly try it in parallel with your kickboxing but be on a lookout for signs of overtraining (lack of progress, constant soreness/injuries, getting sick easily, etc).
1932. Q:
what happen if we eat too much fats?
A:
Too much fats in your diet, just like too much of anything else can result in weight gain. Some fats (hydrogenated/trans fats) are also very harmful to your health, in addition to weight gain. Plus fatty foods cannot provide all the vitamins and minerals that you need -- fruits, vegetables, and grains which all have no or little fats are a must for many vital nutrients. A good diet, as described here, will have a balance of carbs, fats, and proteins.
1934. Q:
hi mike, im about 30 pounds overweight, and i want to lsoe weight. but i dont have the strenghth to run or the will to go on a diet. i have tryed time and time again, but i want to lose this extra weight that is keeping me from living my life. any ideas on what i can do to just get rid of this little weight fast?
A:
You don't necessarily have to run to lose the extra fat, but a good diet, discipline, and patience are a must if you want to succeed. You also should not expect to lose this weight quickly -- a good sustainable weight loss pace is about one pound per week and certainly no faster than two pounds per week. If you lose weight too quickly, your metabolism will shut down and the weight loss will stop and then reverse leaving you where you started. Please read this to learn how a good diet and weight training can help you lose fat and keep it off afterwards.
1935. Q:
how to get pecs
A:
You need to do bench press to develop pectorial muscles and achieve fairly low body fat so that your muscles are well defined. Please read this to learn how to get the latter.
1938. Q:
I’ve read that if you exercise and eat less(say 500 calories a day) than you need you will lose fat. After a time, your adapts by eating up muscle to slow the metabolism. While I know this can be avoided – my question is surely if you lose muscle mass like this won’t it become harder to lift weights - i.e, won’t your body have to work harder in weight sessions as your lean body weight has decreased ,if you work harder won’t your metabolism go up? Thanks in advance.
A:
You are basically correct that weight training with fewer calories will lead to weight loss. Beyond that things can go several ways. If you are a complete beginner and starting out in poor overweight shape, then despite weight loss you might actually be able to keep your existing muscles or even gain some and increase your strength even as you lose weight. On the other hand if you are already in decent shape, then weight loss is likely to lead to muscle and strength loss as you described. This would not lead to a higher metabolism, though it would certainly keep it from dropping as much as it would have without weight training.
1939. Q:
how many situps should i do daily? to loose weight? And gain abs?
A:
Doing hundreds and hundreds of situps will accomplish absolutely nothing for me. Instead you need to have a good diet and whole-body training program to lose body fat. Please read this.
1941. Q:
How much food and what foods should i eat daily to begin to loose weight?
A:
Please fill out Fitness Guide to get a sample diet plan along with tips how to customize it.
1942. Q:
Hi mike,
I read some article saying that Olive oil does not get absorbed by the body. so means its very healthy right as it does not get absorbed to make us fatter or anthing.
A:
Olive oil is certainly quite healthy, but not because it does not get absorbed by your body. It does get absorbed and serves as a good energy source for your body. However it also means that it's possible to overeat on it and gain weight (just as with almost any other food, healthy or not).
1943. Q:
Im 15 and i have man boobs i ve tried 2 lose them but the i get disgusted and cant get rid of the can u help
A:
At your age it comes down to eating healthy and letting your natural growth take care of extra fat. You should learn how to eat healthier and do your best to be physically active -- walk, jog, run, swim, bike, ski, rollerblade, play sports, shovel snow, mow lawns, etc. You can also start weight training if you can do so with adult supervision, but do not push yourself too hard till you're at least 16. Live healthy and in a year or so your man boob problem will be history.
1945. Q:
please tell me what w=exercize i should do to make only my breasts smaller please!!!!!!!!
A:
There is absolutely no one single exercise (or one single food, for that matter) that will make much difference. Instead you need to have a good diet and whole-body training program to lose body fat. Please read this.
1946. Q:
What is the proper way to do crunches? Should you leave your lower back flat on the ground throughout the whole movement. Or shoud you keep your back straight and lift your entire upper body off of the ground?
A:
Both are legitimate exercises. The first one is tyically considered to be the crunch while the second is a sit-up.
1947. Q:
I can't seem to lose any more weight, I weigh 160 lbs... been dieting or awhile now, I eat right, cardio and hit cardio 2 - 3 times a week plus weight training 4 - 5 days a week, I seem to be stuck... I see no significant changes in body fat. Mike what would you suggest for further weight loss?
A:
Weight training and cardio sound good so it's possible that your diet needs some work -- I may be able to suggest specific changes if you post your diet in detail. If you are still eating relatively a lot (2000 calories or more), then you can simply drop your calories by 200-300 to restart weight loss.
1948. Q:
Seems Like I've Been Stuck In The Same Spot As Of Weight Loss For More Than Acouple Of Weeks Now. It Seems Like I've Lost Muscle Too. I Don't Know What Else To Do, What Am I Doing Wrong?
A:
Sorry I can't help you without knowing a lot more about yourself, your diet, and your program. In general if you are still eating relatively a lot (2000 calories or more), then you can simply drop your calories by 200-300 to restart weight loss. If you are already eating very little, then it's time to re-examine your overall program and possibly increase calories temporarily to boost your metabolism. The exact course of action would depend on the detailed info about you and your program.
1949. Q:
mike, im currently bulking right now, and curious of how the healthy fats are good for you... how much of it should i consume daily? right now im 6'4 220, bulking, and i eat good, but i know i dont eat much for fats. i take 2 omega-3 a day, plus a PB sandwich between breakfast and lunch.. that is pretty much the only part of my diet that i cater specifically to fat intake.
A:
Between 20% and 30% of your overall calories coming from fat is a good target. How much you get now is difficult to say, however, because most animal products contain fat as well. Try to keep track of beef, chicken, eggs, milk, fish and any other animal products you eat to approximate how many fat calories you get from them and see if your overall fat calories fall into that 20-30% range.
1950. Q:
Hi Mike, I'm about to start a cut program, I know I need to drop my calories, and continue exercising, but how much weight should I be aiming to lose per week?
A:
Aim for about 1 pound per week weight loss pace. First week you might lose more as you change your diet and your body adjusts. After the first week, aim for one pound/week.
1951. Q:
whats the quickest way for a teen to lose wieght
A:
For most people fast weight loss is wrong weight loss. It shuts down your metabolism and all the lost weight comes back with a vengence. For a teen fast weight loss is especially wrong since it can stunt your growth. Instead of looking to lose weight quickly, you should learn how to eat healthier and do your best to be physically active -- walk, jog, run, swim, bike, ski, rollerblade, play sports, shovel snow, mow lawns, etc. You can also start weight training if you can do so with adult supervision, but do not push yourself too hard till you're at least 16. Most of all, it comes down to eating healthy and letting your natural growth take care of extra fat.
1952. Q:
what are the signs from ur body that you are burning fat
A:
It should be clear from your shrinking waistline -- your clothes, particularly pants, should feel looser.
1953. Q:
I run about 2-3 miles a day, I also drink 1 raw egg a lil bit before I go running. After i'm done running a few miles I do Different styles of crunches. For example the middle section then changing my position to the right side then the left, the work the lower abdomen, then I run for another 400yrds or so. That is my routine for the day. Is this a good enough way to gain a flat stomach remember that I also do watch what I eat now?
A:
You would find progress a lot faster if you added whole-body weight training to your program. A flat stomach will only happen if you lose a lot of body fat and heavy whole-body weight training is the best way to accomplish that. Your cardio helps as well and it's of course good that you watch your diet. However heavy whole body weight training can take your progress to a whole other level.
1954. Q:
mike, ive been having some hip pain from squatting lately. my stance is slightly wider than shoulder length, with my toes pointed out. when i go down, i try to go back as far as possible, and i go below parallel. there is no pain on the downward movement, but as im pushing up, i think i push with my hips or something, and i get a pinching feeling on my right hip in the upper area of the joint. it happens only when pushing from the bottom, and about half way up, then it is gone til the next rep..
any suggestions?
A:
Sorry that's not something I can help with over the internet. I would see a physical therapist if the pain persists or gets worse. Good luck!
1955. Q:
how do I get rid of man boobs
A:
Please read this.
1957. Q:
average caloroies bunrt daily
A:
It depends on your age, weight, sex, physical activity, and diet. Most people burn in 2000-2500 calorie range.
1958. Q:
I been trying to lose body fat for awhile now, and I'm not seeing no gains. Should I increase my protein intake?
A:
If you are eating less than 1 gram of protein per pound of bodweight daily, then increasing protein intake is a good idea. Otherwise the problem likely lies elsewhere. Unfortunately I can't provide much advice without knowing a lot more detail about yourself, your program, and your diet.
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