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Q and A Sessions:
Weight Loss
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. How much weight should I lose each week?
2. What is the best cardio exercise for losing weight?
3. Is it better to go to a gym or use a fitness video at home?
4. Should I ever change up my cardio workouts?
5. What is the normal weight for my size?
6. Why am I not losing weight?
7. What is the best weight lifting exercise for losing weight?
8. What rep range in weight lifting is best to lose weight?
9. Is losing more than 5 lbs a week common?
10. Do genetics place a role in weight loss?
11. What percent body fat is needed to see my abs?
12. How long should my workouts be?
13. Can I combine other forms of exercise with my cardio plan and lose weight?
14. How can I make cardio exercise more fun and interesting?
The Answers:
1. How much weight should I lose each week?
Many times people will ask if losing the biggest possible weight they can is a good thing. While it may seem good for yourself image it can have disastrous results. You will often only want to lose a maximum of 2 pounds ever week. If you are losing more than this a week it could be water weight that is contributing, time of day you are weighing yourself, or some other factors.
Losing weight will also come easier to those who initially start off heavier. For example if you have a 200lb and a 400lb man both competing to lose weight, the 400 pound man will lose an overall higher absolute value of weight due to his already bigger initial weight. As you get thinner it will become harder and harder to lose weight. If you want to learn more on weight loss, check out this article: The Top Ten Reasons You Are Still Gaining Weight.
Another reason to consider opting out from losing more than 2 lbs a week is that it can be extremely bad for your health. Not only does it increase risk for illness, but it can actually have a rebound effect where you do well in your diet and exercise for a few weeks, maybe a few months, and then go back to your old habits. Your hard earned muscle will also be a factor in this extreme weight loss!
So say you don’t lose 2 lbs a week, but more like 5 because you are working out super hard and not eating enough calories for a healthy diet. You will end up burning fat, this is true, but muscle will also be used as fuel because your body naturally wants to hold fat. We need fat to survive and it is your bodies defense mechanism telling you to stop losing fat so fast! So by training consistently and losing only a maximum of 2 lbs a week, you “trick” your body into thinking it isn’t losing fat “too fast”. To learn more about fat loss and why fat is actually really important, read: The Top 7 Reasons We Need Fat For Survival.
2. What is the best cardio exercise for losing weight?
I would say there is no one “true” best cardiovascular exercise. However, we can choose our exercise based on certain characteristics to maximize our weight loss. Here are a couple guidelines to help in your cardio selection:
• Choose an exercise that uses the maximum amount of muscle
• Choose an exercise that has a degree of impact for joint health
• Choose an exercise that incorporates some level of balance and coordination
• Choose an exercise that you can safely perform
So from the above guidelines, think of exercises that you can do. Some of the most common that follow all the guidelines is running. It can be outside, inside, or even on a treadmill (although less effective). Running uses all the major muscle groups, involves impact to help keep your joints strong, and involves balance to a degree. If you have painful joint issues or other conditions such as COPD, then running may not be for you but there are plenty of options out there.
Be creative when choosing a cardio exercise. It doesn’t have to be popular but relate it to the above guidelines. Seated bike cycling would be less effective that running for example because of the lack of balance, impact, and not using all muscles in the seated position. One thing I will caution you on is elliptical machines! Yes they are popular and for good reason, people will think they are getting a great workout and they feel easier than running.
This is true, it is easier because you aren’t involving as much balance, almost no impact, and isolating specific muscles. A big issue that has been brought up in scientific literature is the fact that more and more young kids are turning to elliptical for exercise. Later in life they will have deteriorating joints due to lack of use. Our bodies need constant stress and challenge to not become weak! I would say unless you have joint issues, stay away from ellipticals.
3. Is it better to go to a gym or use a fitness video at home?
The simple answer here is that it is all up to your personal preference. There are many effective exercise programs put on video now a days that can really bring your fitness to the next level without having to leave your home.
My favorite would have to be the P-90X video program which is well worth the price. I would say if you love being surrounded by people and enjoy the social aspect to fitness, go to the gym. If you prefer to workout in private and like the idea of not getting ready to go, driving, and paying for gym membership than exercise videos may be the choice for you.
Think of which location will give you the best workout or try them both out for yourself. I know many gyms have a free trial period with no obligations to join if you find it’s not for you. You can find some of the most effective exercise videos available here on this site in the Video Store.
4. Should I ever change up my cardio workouts?
Sure, this will not only keep your body “guessing” and adapting, but not let you get bored with your own workouts! Often times I see people give up on their fitness plans because they get bored while doing cardio. Changing up the scene from time to time can give you a fresh outlook on fitness.
5. What is the normal weight for my size?
The “normal” weight for your size will depend on a few things. This will mostly be affected by such characteristics as height and weight. But these alone are only estimates which reflect off the norm of the entire population. Using these alone will not account for a very muscular man who may be heavy due to his muscles and not fat. A good tool to at least give you a good idea where you might fall is called, “BMI” or “body mass index”. It is a simple equation that can calculate an ESTIMATE of where your weight should float around given your current height and weight. I have the equation below and a listing of the norm values by which you can compare yourself:
• A BMI of less than 18 means you are under weight.
• A BMI of less than 18.5 indicates you are thin for your height.
• A BMI between 18.6 and 24.9 indicates you are at a healthy weight.
• A BMI between 25 and 29.9 suggests you are overweight for your height.
• A BMI of 30 or greater indicates obesity. If you are obese, try consulting a doctor or losing
weight.
Remember! BMI does not account for muscle mass. A short individual who has a large mass will be considered obese. Use the BMI as a guideline, not as a “be all, end all” tool. As an example: I read at a value of 26 on a BMI scale and know I am not by any means overweight, but the muscle unaccounted for jacks my BMI reading up.
6. Why am I not losing weight?
The age old question still frequently gets asked by many with many more too shy to bring it up. There are multiple reasons why you are not seeing weight loss results but can usually be narrowed down with ease. Your weight loss may not even be due to one problem, but many small problems compounded. Main aspects of your life that may be hindering your ability to lose weight are:
• Diet (no surprise)
• Stress levels
• Exercise Plan
• Motivation
• Confidence
• Lack of trying new ideas
A few of these bulleted points are links where you can find more information on the topic.
These are only a few of the most common reasons you may not be seeing weight and other factors may play a role depending on your specific needs. So ask yourself if any or all of these major categories apply to your life. If so, ask yourself how you will deal with these obstacles. For instance, if you find you never really want to try new exercise plans or diets than open your mind to more fitness possibilities you will be surprised at the great results of a newfound fitness idea that you wish you would have started earlier.
A good example could be that men typically do not participate in such activities as yoga. I can honestly tell you first hand I was one of these people and after suffering a back injury I decided to do the P-90 X yoga video to help with the back pain. That type of exercise caught me off guard and is quite difficult to perform for even the most athletic of people. I would highly recommend trying yoga if you haven’t already. But yoga isn’t the only thing you can do. Try a new weight lifting program, take up rock climbing, or start cycling. The possibilities are endless to solving the puzzle of your unsuccessful weight loss.
If you would like to learn more about solving your weight loss problems, please check out this article: The Top Ten Reasons You Are Still Gaining Weight
7. What is the best weight lifting exercise for losing weight?
If you would like to incorporate weight lifting into your weight loss plan the best exercises will be those that incorporate the most muscle into the activity. Some such exercises are the squat, bench press, and dead lifts. Although these exercise all have huge calorie burning potentials, they require the user to learn proper form or injury will likely take place. Even if you never suffer an acute or “injury right away” such as a sharp pain in your shoulder, improper form over time can stretch out ligaments and other tissues causing huge imbalance problems down the road. You can learn more about proper exercise technique in the Exercise Guide.
So think about exercises that cause you to use many joints and muscles. These are called, “compound exercises” and are the key to burning the most calories while building the most muscle tone. Other good notable calorie burning exercises are: bent over rows, push-ups, pull-ups, and lunges to name a few.
8. What rep range in weight lifting is best to lose weight?
After you have found a compound exercise (see previous question) to burn the maximum amount of calories, the next thing to think about is the best rep range in which to perform the exercise.
You will typically burn many calories from fat doing high repetition exercise which you may have heard from other sources. Well I’m here to say there is an even better way to burn even more calories. If you workout in a moderate to heavy rep range with high intensity, you will burn more calories from carbohydrates at first, but you will boost your metabolism far more than if you did low intensity high repetition exercise. This range can vary but should be in the ball park of 8-12 repetitions (select individuals may notice greater effects slightly above or below this range).
Using higher intensity, moderate rep range exercises, and your body will burn more calories even after you exercise! While metabolic boost effect may not last more than two days (I think the latest research shows just over a day) but is better than getting almost no boost at all with high repetition exercise.
Well you may be asking, if the calories primarily come from fat in high repetition exercises and I want to burn fat, why is that not the rep range to train in? The low to moderate rep range I am encouraging you to perform here burns more calories from carbs because of the energy system your body uses in “more intense, short burst of energy situations”. Your body doesn’t care where the calories come from whether it be carbohydrates or fat, you will lose weight.
Remember this simple equation: Calories going in < calories being burned = weight loss. Period. It doesn’t matter where the calories come from and this is the reasoning behind why higher intensity exercise will help you burn more calories.
As a bonus low-moderate repetition ranges will burn fat after exercise during that two day metabolic boost I spoke of earlier! This means during your workout you will burn carbs because your exercise requires intensity and fat after your workout because your body uses its low intensity system whenever you aren’t exercising (your resting metabolism).
9. Is losing more than 5 lbs a week common?
Losing weight should never exceed more than two pounds a week unless the individual losing weight is a heavier person. This is because you will lose more absolute weight the bigger your initial body weight because you have more to lose. As you get slimmer your body will try to hold onto fat, and thus it will become increasingly difficult to keep burning fat at a fast pace.
Losing more than 2 pounds can be indicative of a few things. This can be due to body weight and should be the first thing that pops through your mind when you hop on a scale and you “magically” lost 8 lbs overnight. So what should you do now? Drink lots of water! As you exercise you will require more water than normal and this is why individuals just starting to exercise often see a drastic loss in weight initially.
Losing too much weight can also actually be bad for your health (ironically). This is because you are shocking your body and it will react with tons of stress hormones and other metabolic changes which lead to your body holding onto fat more easily and other serious conditions down the road. While losing weight is absolutely a very good thing, do so at a steady pace and don’t try to lose it all in a few months. This will take time and you should be ready to make a lifestyle change, not a “temporary get skinny quick change”.
10. Do genetics place a role in weight loss?
Unfortunately the answer is yes but, I will make it a “conditional yes”. Genetics should never be used as an excuse to not exercise. You should always try your best to lose weight and become healthy. Even if you don’t think it is doing anything for your image, it is doing you worlds of good on the inside of your body.
Often times I hear people make remarks such as, “I’m just big because it’s my genetics and there is nothing I can do about it and I’ll always be this way”. Depressing, I know but many people think this way unfortunately. I want you to believe you can lose weight because it is always possible! No “believe” isn’t the right word, I want you to know you can lose the weight.
Positive reinforcement on yourself will have a dramatic effect if you know your on the path to losing weight. Your efforts will come out tenfold subconsciously and thus your results will be greater. Our minds are powerful tools we can manipulate for the better if we simply allow it.
As a side note, I will point out that some individuals may have certain conditions such as a “Hypo-active thyroid disorder” which will hinder your ability to see the same effects had you been disorder free. This is still no excuse to give up exercise altogether. Keep your chin up and know you can improve your body, it will just take a little longer and more effort. Don’t ever let people tell you (or yourself) it is impossible to do something. Get out there and make it happen.
11. What percent body fat is needed to see my abs?
A very popular question in the very highly aesthetic world we live in today. Often to see your abdominals it requires you to reduce your stomach subcutaneous fat into a thin layer to accentuate the abdominal muscles underneath. Usually most individuals will need to make it below 10% body fat to see abdominals well (including the bottom abs). If you feel you are below this mark and still not seeing your abdominals you may be getting pretty frustrated right about now. This is due to another reason.
Losing your body fat is only half the battle to a set of visually pleasing abdominals. The other half is growing them in the first place! Perform heavier lifting in this area to really see this muscle group grow and when combined with a low fat body percentage, your abdominals will visually become well developed.
The opposite problem is far more common in which a set of strong pair of abdominals lay under a layer of stomach fat! So you have the hard work complete, just no way to display your hard work. Check out the Training Guide for effective weight loss strategies, tips, and abdominal routines.
12. How long should my workouts be?
If you have read through some of the above questions than the same principle will apply to this question regarding training length for effective weight loss. While longer exercise sessions may “appear” to be logical in losing weight, there is a more effective method. Try making your workouts last no longer than 45 min max. Even less than that would be better. Think you can do that, no problem? Well then you aren’t training intensely enough.
This is a good self measure to determine if your workouts are intense enough. If you feel you can do more after 45 min that next time makes it more intense. What do I mean by more intensity? Training with higher weights and lower repetitions will be effective at weight loss. Now I don’t mean super low repetitions as this would be more power and strength training and not the most effective way to lose weight. Rep ranges of 8-12 utilize enough repetitions to use the proper energy system to losing weight while maintaining a higher intensity workout.
13. Can I combine other forms of exercise with my cardio plan and lose weight?
Sure you can! In fact I highly encourage it! Make losing weight more appealing to your personality and hobbies is a great way to stay on track. Try playing sports that you like or take up a fitness class at your local gym. Weight lifting and/or even combining different forms of cardio are great ways to keep your fitness routines fresh and interesting. Not to mention this is a good way to “keep your body guessing” by applying various stresses to keep muscle building and fat burning high.
For instance if you regularly perform 30 minutes of high intensity treadmill exercise, your body will quickly adapt and your results will become diminished. Try incorporating interval training into your program which incorporates periods of low intensity exercise for a few minutes followed by high intensity exercise for another minute and continued in that fashion repeatedly.
14. How can I make cardio exercise more fun and interesting?
This kind of ties into the answer for question 13 in that you should use your creativity to make your workouts as enjoyable as possible. They don’t have to be a chore and you should want to exercise, not have to. If you don’t yet feel this way you are not alone and can be fixed with reestablishing your workout plan. Not only will bringing more fun into your program help you want to exercise, it will bring better results too!
For instance when I do my cardio routines, I prefer to do high intensity exercise for about 20-30 minutes with only 10-15 minutes on any given cardio machine. I will perform 5 minutes of warm- up always to start, then 10-15 minutes of treadmill exercise followed by 10 minutes of using the exercise bike. In this way I don’t get too bored during my workouts. I also like to bring music into my workouts with my Ipod or at least a set of headphones to plug into the ports (most gyms will have these) on the machines to listen to the nearby televisions.
Adding stimuli to your senses can greatly enhance your workout experience, whether it be visual or auditory. Another little trick I like to do to increase my focus and alertness is chewing gum. This simple act keeps my face active and this leads me to becoming more “awake” during my workouts. The music component cannot be stressed enough! If you haven’t already started bringing your own personal Ipod or other Mp3 player into your workouts, you are missing out! Try it and reap the benefits of increased productivity in the gym!
1. How much weight should I lose each week?
2. What is the best cardio exercise for losing weight?
3. Is it better to go to a gym or use a fitness video at home?
4. Should I ever change up my cardio workouts?
5. What is the normal weight for my size?
6. Why am I not losing weight?
7. What is the best weight lifting exercise for losing weight?
8. What rep range in weight lifting is best to lose weight?
9. Is losing more than 5 lbs a week common?
10. Do genetics place a role in weight loss?
11. What percent body fat is needed to see my abs?
12. How long should my workouts be?
13. Can I combine other forms of exercise with my cardio plan and lose weight?
14. How can I make cardio exercise more fun and interesting?
The Answers:
1. How much weight should I lose each week?
Many times people will ask if losing the biggest possible weight they can is a good thing. While it may seem good for yourself image it can have disastrous results. You will often only want to lose a maximum of 2 pounds ever week. If you are losing more than this a week it could be water weight that is contributing, time of day you are weighing yourself, or some other factors.
Losing weight will also come easier to those who initially start off heavier. For example if you have a 200lb and a 400lb man both competing to lose weight, the 400 pound man will lose an overall higher absolute value of weight due to his already bigger initial weight. As you get thinner it will become harder and harder to lose weight. If you want to learn more on weight loss, check out this article: The Top Ten Reasons You Are Still Gaining Weight.
Another reason to consider opting out from losing more than 2 lbs a week is that it can be extremely bad for your health. Not only does it increase risk for illness, but it can actually have a rebound effect where you do well in your diet and exercise for a few weeks, maybe a few months, and then go back to your old habits. Your hard earned muscle will also be a factor in this extreme weight loss!
So say you don’t lose 2 lbs a week, but more like 5 because you are working out super hard and not eating enough calories for a healthy diet. You will end up burning fat, this is true, but muscle will also be used as fuel because your body naturally wants to hold fat. We need fat to survive and it is your bodies defense mechanism telling you to stop losing fat so fast! So by training consistently and losing only a maximum of 2 lbs a week, you “trick” your body into thinking it isn’t losing fat “too fast”. To learn more about fat loss and why fat is actually really important, read: The Top 7 Reasons We Need Fat For Survival.
2. What is the best cardio exercise for losing weight?
I would say there is no one “true” best cardiovascular exercise. However, we can choose our exercise based on certain characteristics to maximize our weight loss. Here are a couple guidelines to help in your cardio selection:
• Choose an exercise that uses the maximum amount of muscle
• Choose an exercise that has a degree of impact for joint health
• Choose an exercise that incorporates some level of balance and coordination
• Choose an exercise that you can safely perform
So from the above guidelines, think of exercises that you can do. Some of the most common that follow all the guidelines is running. It can be outside, inside, or even on a treadmill (although less effective). Running uses all the major muscle groups, involves impact to help keep your joints strong, and involves balance to a degree. If you have painful joint issues or other conditions such as COPD, then running may not be for you but there are plenty of options out there.
Be creative when choosing a cardio exercise. It doesn’t have to be popular but relate it to the above guidelines. Seated bike cycling would be less effective that running for example because of the lack of balance, impact, and not using all muscles in the seated position. One thing I will caution you on is elliptical machines! Yes they are popular and for good reason, people will think they are getting a great workout and they feel easier than running.
This is true, it is easier because you aren’t involving as much balance, almost no impact, and isolating specific muscles. A big issue that has been brought up in scientific literature is the fact that more and more young kids are turning to elliptical for exercise. Later in life they will have deteriorating joints due to lack of use. Our bodies need constant stress and challenge to not become weak! I would say unless you have joint issues, stay away from ellipticals.
3. Is it better to go to a gym or use a fitness video at home?
The simple answer here is that it is all up to your personal preference. There are many effective exercise programs put on video now a days that can really bring your fitness to the next level without having to leave your home.
My favorite would have to be the P-90X video program which is well worth the price. I would say if you love being surrounded by people and enjoy the social aspect to fitness, go to the gym. If you prefer to workout in private and like the idea of not getting ready to go, driving, and paying for gym membership than exercise videos may be the choice for you.
Think of which location will give you the best workout or try them both out for yourself. I know many gyms have a free trial period with no obligations to join if you find it’s not for you. You can find some of the most effective exercise videos available here on this site in the Video Store.
4. Should I ever change up my cardio workouts?
Sure, this will not only keep your body “guessing” and adapting, but not let you get bored with your own workouts! Often times I see people give up on their fitness plans because they get bored while doing cardio. Changing up the scene from time to time can give you a fresh outlook on fitness.
5. What is the normal weight for my size?
The “normal” weight for your size will depend on a few things. This will mostly be affected by such characteristics as height and weight. But these alone are only estimates which reflect off the norm of the entire population. Using these alone will not account for a very muscular man who may be heavy due to his muscles and not fat. A good tool to at least give you a good idea where you might fall is called, “BMI” or “body mass index”. It is a simple equation that can calculate an ESTIMATE of where your weight should float around given your current height and weight. I have the equation below and a listing of the norm values by which you can compare yourself:
• A BMI of less than 18 means you are under weight.
• A BMI of less than 18.5 indicates you are thin for your height.
• A BMI between 18.6 and 24.9 indicates you are at a healthy weight.
• A BMI between 25 and 29.9 suggests you are overweight for your height.
• A BMI of 30 or greater indicates obesity. If you are obese, try consulting a doctor or losing
weight.
Remember! BMI does not account for muscle mass. A short individual who has a large mass will be considered obese. Use the BMI as a guideline, not as a “be all, end all” tool. As an example: I read at a value of 26 on a BMI scale and know I am not by any means overweight, but the muscle unaccounted for jacks my BMI reading up.
6. Why am I not losing weight?
The age old question still frequently gets asked by many with many more too shy to bring it up. There are multiple reasons why you are not seeing weight loss results but can usually be narrowed down with ease. Your weight loss may not even be due to one problem, but many small problems compounded. Main aspects of your life that may be hindering your ability to lose weight are:
• Diet (no surprise)
• Stress levels
• Exercise Plan
• Motivation
• Confidence
• Lack of trying new ideas
A few of these bulleted points are links where you can find more information on the topic.
These are only a few of the most common reasons you may not be seeing weight and other factors may play a role depending on your specific needs. So ask yourself if any or all of these major categories apply to your life. If so, ask yourself how you will deal with these obstacles. For instance, if you find you never really want to try new exercise plans or diets than open your mind to more fitness possibilities you will be surprised at the great results of a newfound fitness idea that you wish you would have started earlier.
A good example could be that men typically do not participate in such activities as yoga. I can honestly tell you first hand I was one of these people and after suffering a back injury I decided to do the P-90 X yoga video to help with the back pain. That type of exercise caught me off guard and is quite difficult to perform for even the most athletic of people. I would highly recommend trying yoga if you haven’t already. But yoga isn’t the only thing you can do. Try a new weight lifting program, take up rock climbing, or start cycling. The possibilities are endless to solving the puzzle of your unsuccessful weight loss.
If you would like to learn more about solving your weight loss problems, please check out this article: The Top Ten Reasons You Are Still Gaining Weight
7. What is the best weight lifting exercise for losing weight?
If you would like to incorporate weight lifting into your weight loss plan the best exercises will be those that incorporate the most muscle into the activity. Some such exercises are the squat, bench press, and dead lifts. Although these exercise all have huge calorie burning potentials, they require the user to learn proper form or injury will likely take place. Even if you never suffer an acute or “injury right away” such as a sharp pain in your shoulder, improper form over time can stretch out ligaments and other tissues causing huge imbalance problems down the road. You can learn more about proper exercise technique in the Exercise Guide.
So think about exercises that cause you to use many joints and muscles. These are called, “compound exercises” and are the key to burning the most calories while building the most muscle tone. Other good notable calorie burning exercises are: bent over rows, push-ups, pull-ups, and lunges to name a few.
8. What rep range in weight lifting is best to lose weight?
After you have found a compound exercise (see previous question) to burn the maximum amount of calories, the next thing to think about is the best rep range in which to perform the exercise.
You will typically burn many calories from fat doing high repetition exercise which you may have heard from other sources. Well I’m here to say there is an even better way to burn even more calories. If you workout in a moderate to heavy rep range with high intensity, you will burn more calories from carbohydrates at first, but you will boost your metabolism far more than if you did low intensity high repetition exercise. This range can vary but should be in the ball park of 8-12 repetitions (select individuals may notice greater effects slightly above or below this range).
Using higher intensity, moderate rep range exercises, and your body will burn more calories even after you exercise! While metabolic boost effect may not last more than two days (I think the latest research shows just over a day) but is better than getting almost no boost at all with high repetition exercise.
Well you may be asking, if the calories primarily come from fat in high repetition exercises and I want to burn fat, why is that not the rep range to train in? The low to moderate rep range I am encouraging you to perform here burns more calories from carbs because of the energy system your body uses in “more intense, short burst of energy situations”. Your body doesn’t care where the calories come from whether it be carbohydrates or fat, you will lose weight.
Remember this simple equation: Calories going in < calories being burned = weight loss. Period. It doesn’t matter where the calories come from and this is the reasoning behind why higher intensity exercise will help you burn more calories.
As a bonus low-moderate repetition ranges will burn fat after exercise during that two day metabolic boost I spoke of earlier! This means during your workout you will burn carbs because your exercise requires intensity and fat after your workout because your body uses its low intensity system whenever you aren’t exercising (your resting metabolism).
9. Is losing more than 5 lbs a week common?
Losing weight should never exceed more than two pounds a week unless the individual losing weight is a heavier person. This is because you will lose more absolute weight the bigger your initial body weight because you have more to lose. As you get slimmer your body will try to hold onto fat, and thus it will become increasingly difficult to keep burning fat at a fast pace.
Losing more than 2 pounds can be indicative of a few things. This can be due to body weight and should be the first thing that pops through your mind when you hop on a scale and you “magically” lost 8 lbs overnight. So what should you do now? Drink lots of water! As you exercise you will require more water than normal and this is why individuals just starting to exercise often see a drastic loss in weight initially.
Losing too much weight can also actually be bad for your health (ironically). This is because you are shocking your body and it will react with tons of stress hormones and other metabolic changes which lead to your body holding onto fat more easily and other serious conditions down the road. While losing weight is absolutely a very good thing, do so at a steady pace and don’t try to lose it all in a few months. This will take time and you should be ready to make a lifestyle change, not a “temporary get skinny quick change”.
10. Do genetics place a role in weight loss?
Unfortunately the answer is yes but, I will make it a “conditional yes”. Genetics should never be used as an excuse to not exercise. You should always try your best to lose weight and become healthy. Even if you don’t think it is doing anything for your image, it is doing you worlds of good on the inside of your body.
Often times I hear people make remarks such as, “I’m just big because it’s my genetics and there is nothing I can do about it and I’ll always be this way”. Depressing, I know but many people think this way unfortunately. I want you to believe you can lose weight because it is always possible! No “believe” isn’t the right word, I want you to know you can lose the weight.
Positive reinforcement on yourself will have a dramatic effect if you know your on the path to losing weight. Your efforts will come out tenfold subconsciously and thus your results will be greater. Our minds are powerful tools we can manipulate for the better if we simply allow it.
As a side note, I will point out that some individuals may have certain conditions such as a “Hypo-active thyroid disorder” which will hinder your ability to see the same effects had you been disorder free. This is still no excuse to give up exercise altogether. Keep your chin up and know you can improve your body, it will just take a little longer and more effort. Don’t ever let people tell you (or yourself) it is impossible to do something. Get out there and make it happen.
11. What percent body fat is needed to see my abs?
A very popular question in the very highly aesthetic world we live in today. Often to see your abdominals it requires you to reduce your stomach subcutaneous fat into a thin layer to accentuate the abdominal muscles underneath. Usually most individuals will need to make it below 10% body fat to see abdominals well (including the bottom abs). If you feel you are below this mark and still not seeing your abdominals you may be getting pretty frustrated right about now. This is due to another reason.
Losing your body fat is only half the battle to a set of visually pleasing abdominals. The other half is growing them in the first place! Perform heavier lifting in this area to really see this muscle group grow and when combined with a low fat body percentage, your abdominals will visually become well developed.
The opposite problem is far more common in which a set of strong pair of abdominals lay under a layer of stomach fat! So you have the hard work complete, just no way to display your hard work. Check out the Training Guide for effective weight loss strategies, tips, and abdominal routines.
12. How long should my workouts be?
If you have read through some of the above questions than the same principle will apply to this question regarding training length for effective weight loss. While longer exercise sessions may “appear” to be logical in losing weight, there is a more effective method. Try making your workouts last no longer than 45 min max. Even less than that would be better. Think you can do that, no problem? Well then you aren’t training intensely enough.
This is a good self measure to determine if your workouts are intense enough. If you feel you can do more after 45 min that next time makes it more intense. What do I mean by more intensity? Training with higher weights and lower repetitions will be effective at weight loss. Now I don’t mean super low repetitions as this would be more power and strength training and not the most effective way to lose weight. Rep ranges of 8-12 utilize enough repetitions to use the proper energy system to losing weight while maintaining a higher intensity workout.
13. Can I combine other forms of exercise with my cardio plan and lose weight?
Sure you can! In fact I highly encourage it! Make losing weight more appealing to your personality and hobbies is a great way to stay on track. Try playing sports that you like or take up a fitness class at your local gym. Weight lifting and/or even combining different forms of cardio are great ways to keep your fitness routines fresh and interesting. Not to mention this is a good way to “keep your body guessing” by applying various stresses to keep muscle building and fat burning high.
For instance if you regularly perform 30 minutes of high intensity treadmill exercise, your body will quickly adapt and your results will become diminished. Try incorporating interval training into your program which incorporates periods of low intensity exercise for a few minutes followed by high intensity exercise for another minute and continued in that fashion repeatedly.
14. How can I make cardio exercise more fun and interesting?
This kind of ties into the answer for question 13 in that you should use your creativity to make your workouts as enjoyable as possible. They don’t have to be a chore and you should want to exercise, not have to. If you don’t yet feel this way you are not alone and can be fixed with reestablishing your workout plan. Not only will bringing more fun into your program help you want to exercise, it will bring better results too!
For instance when I do my cardio routines, I prefer to do high intensity exercise for about 20-30 minutes with only 10-15 minutes on any given cardio machine. I will perform 5 minutes of warm- up always to start, then 10-15 minutes of treadmill exercise followed by 10 minutes of using the exercise bike. In this way I don’t get too bored during my workouts. I also like to bring music into my workouts with my Ipod or at least a set of headphones to plug into the ports (most gyms will have these) on the machines to listen to the nearby televisions.
Adding stimuli to your senses can greatly enhance your workout experience, whether it be visual or auditory. Another little trick I like to do to increase my focus and alertness is chewing gum. This simple act keeps my face active and this leads me to becoming more “awake” during my workouts. The music component cannot be stressed enough! If you haven’t already started bringing your own personal Ipod or other Mp3 player into your workouts, you are missing out! Try it and reap the benefits of increased productivity in the gym!
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