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Do carbohydrates make you fat?
Why Lift Weights?
Do I Have Extra Fat Cells?
Just what occurs
when I reach my target heart
rate?
How can I lose my saddlebags?
Why do I sweat so
much?
Can I take pain relievers before a workout to head off
aches and pains?
How can I get my unmotivated body to work out?
How can I get faster results?
I finally got the
weight off - now how do I keep
it off?
Won't my appetite increase if I exercise?
Can I make losing weight easier?
What's the best
way to get rid of fat?
Are eggs really bad for you?
If I eat too much
salt, will I get high blood
pressure?
Do carbohydrates make you fat?
Any food
can make you fat, not just those foods high
in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates, like
protein, provide 4 calories per gram; fat
provides 9 calories per gram. But complex
carbohydrates (starches such as bread,
pasta, rice, and potatoes), especially those
derived from whole grains, are the body's
best source of energy nourishment when they
replace saturated fats and excess protein in
the diet. Eating more calories than you work
off and leading a sedentary lifestyle are
what add the extra "poundage."
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Why Lift Weights?
As we
age, our lean body mass shrinks and our metabolic rate - the rate at which
we burn calories - slows. We can eat exactly what we did ten years ago and
weight the same, but have a higher body-fat percentage. More fat carries
risks including diabetes, arthritis, back pain, high cholesterol and high
blood pressure. It can even raise your risk for certain cancers. Strength
training lowers body fat by building lean muscle mass; 20 minutes, two to
three times a week, is all you need. Get body fat measured at a gym or
health club - that number is much more important than your weight.
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Do I have extra fat cells?
Commonly
believed theory: We are born with a certain number of fat cells that just
grow and shrink when we gain and lose weight. Is this true? For the most
part, yes. You develop fat cells between the ages of 12 and 18 months and
again during puberty. After that point, your 25 to 35 billion fat cells
respond to weight gain by growing up to twice their size. But if all of your
fat cells have already doubled in size and you continue to gain weight, your
body starts making new ones. So if you have gained more than 30 or 40 pounds
since your teens, you could have more fat cells than someone who has gained
less.
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Just what occurs when I reach
my target heart rate?
Once you achieve your target heart rate, your body releases adrenaline,
causing your fat cells to release fat into the bloodstream. When the fat
passes an exercising muscle, the muscle picks it up and burns it as a source
of energy. As the body withdraws fat from the cells, they begin to shrink,
eventually making you appear slimmer.
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How can I lose my saddlebags?
The only
way to lose weight there is through aerobic exercise and by eating a
healthy, low-fat diet. But you can tone up the underlying muscles. Add the
following move to your routine two or three times a week:
Lie on your
stomach with hipbones on the floor, legs extended. Rest chin on hands.
Slowly lift left leg, foot flexed, about six to 12-inches, keeping hips
glued to the floor.
A. Move leg to the left 12-inches, hold for two
counts and bring it back to center.
B. Then shift leg 12-inches to the
right (or as far as you can without lifting your hips), hold for two counts
and return to center. Lower leg to ground and repeat. Do three sets of 15
reps on your left leg, the switch sides; repeat.
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Why do I sweat so much?
Sweating
is how your body dissipates heat and keeps its core temperature down when
you are working out. Usually the more you train, the more easily you sweat,
because your body knows it is going to get hot and starts working to cool
itself off. There is also the possibility of some having more sweat glands
than others have -- men sweat more than women do for this reason. Overall,
when you find yourself sweating more easily, take it as a good sign you're
really fit!
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Can I take pain relievers
before a workout to head off aches and pains?
No one
is really sure if taking such painkillers will prevent aches and pains such
as cramps and/or muscle soreness. Most experts agree however, it is better
not to. More important: Cramping or pain is your body's way of telling you
something is not right. Masking pain in order to exercise could aggravate an
injury. If you are just feeling a little leftover muscle soreness though,
taking aspirin, ibuprofen or Tylenol before your exercise can make you feel
better.
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How can I get my unmotivated
body to work out?
This is
so common and understandable! You meant to get to that gym or take that walk
yesterday, the day before, last week... Take heart -- it's okay! All you
really need to do to get healthy and lose weight is move. Research reports
that so-called lifestyle exercisers, those, who regularly take stairs
instead of elevators, walk instead of drive, cleaned the house, etc., lost
just about as much weight and body fat as those following a structured
exercise regime. The real key to weight control is simply becoming more
active in general. Try shooting for 30 to 40 minutes of unstructured
exercise daily.
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How can I get faster results?
Change
your workout every four to six weeks, or switch the order of what you do.
For example, if you usually do weights and then aerobics, switch it around.
Better yet, try new moves for old ones in your weight routine and try a new
form of cardiovascular exercise. This way you challenge your muscles in a
new way, which forces your body to work harder. This helps ward of that
dreaded plateau and continue to see results. In addition, it wouldn't hurt
to take a look at what you're eating. Your exercise efforts won't trim you
down if you eat high-fat and high-calorie foods.
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I finally got the weight off -
now how do I keep it off?
The best
way to keep off pounds is to keep moving. Don't quit exercising just because
you've meet your goals, and turn off the TV! Experts say the more you watch,
the more you gain. When you just sit, you only burn about 1.4 calories per
minute verses 9 or more when in motion. If you simply gave up one half-hour
sitcom and replaced it with a walk, you'll burn 171 calories in that
half-hour which will translate into 13 pounds of weight. If you insist on
sitting on the couch, do some tricep dips or squats, or march in place
during commercial breaks.
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Won't my appetite increase if
I exercise?
No, but
this is a common myth. Many feel if they workout more, they'll eat more and
blow their diet completely. But in truth, nothing is further from the truth!
Regular exercise, including strength training, will help you lose and
control your weight. High intensity exercises such as running or in-line
skating actually help suppress appetite. In addition, studies show that
those who practice strength training tend to eat less fat while boosting
their metabolism with added muscle.
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Can I make losing weight
easier?
You can
sure try! Monitor your eating and exercise patterns by writing everything
down. Studies show that one of the common links of those that lost more than
65 pounds and kept it off for six years was that they frequently kept track
of the calories they ate and burned.
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What's the best way to get
rid of fat?
Good
question! There is a lot of debate about whether longer, slower workouts are
better as opposed to shorter, more intense ones. Technically, you burn a
greater percentage of fat calories with the slower workouts (long jogs,
walks). But high-intensity workouts such as running or multi-impact step
aerobics burn more calories overall, so you end up burning more fat calories
in total. You really can't go wrong either way, though - both approaches
will help you lose weight if you are consistent. It basically comes down to
personal preference - do whichever you prefer -- and whether you have time
for a longer workout or more energy for a shorter, very intense one.
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Are eggs really bad for you?
Eggs are
an excellence source of high-quality, inexpensive protein. Eggs are also
lower in cholesterol than once believed -- an average egg having about 210
mg cholesterol. The American Heart Association, noting recent research that
indicates eggs don't by themselves significantly raise blood cholesterol
levels, now says it is possible for healthy persons who have normal blood
cholesterol levels to enjoy 1 or 2 eggs a day.
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If I eat too much salt, will
I get high blood pressure?
Salt by
itself does not cause an otherwise healthy person to develop hypertension.
Unless you already have hypertension problems (or are diagnosed as
salt-sensitive), you don't need to restrict your salt intake. This doesn't
mean you can eat your weight in salt every day. What it does mean is that
you can relax and enjoy those salted pretzels, unless you already have a
medical reason to control your sodium intake.
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