Questions about Exercise & Losing Weight
Here we have answered some of the
questions we received from various visitors. We hope you find these
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Answers to more questions
Question
Regarding
female body types, is it possible to be a combination of 2? It
appears that I fall in between Ectomorph and Mesomorph. I'm quite lean
with a fair amount of muscle. I have the typical cross country runner/
track athlete body type. So what would I be classified as if I can't fall
into 2 categories? Any reply would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Answer
Yes, it is possible to fall between 2 body types, in fact it is rare for
someone to be 100% of one samatotype, we often display various characteristics
from each type. although in many cases one type seems to dominate. It will
be
the dominant body type characteristics which determine what type we are.
If you are muscular with broad shoulders then you may be more of a
Mesomorph body type. These body types are often lean as well as strong and
muscular.
Ectomorphs are usually wiry in appearance with naturally small muscles.
They usually find it hard to gain muscle weight.
Also don't forget we cannot change our body type through training, we are
what we are!
If an Endomorph builds up his muscles he wont become a Mesomorph. He
will
still be an Endomorph with larger muscles.
Hope this helps.
Learn more about Body Types Here!
Question
Hi. just want to clarify, is it correct to say that if i jog at a
reasonable pace, which i can still converse, then im burning fat. But if i
really push myself to jog faster till im breathless, then i am burning
carbos instead?
Answer
Yes, basically if we train at a lower intensity we tend to burn a higher
percentage of fat.
We actually burn all 3 types of fuel (carbs, fat & protein) all the time.
The difference is the percentage of each fuel used. While resting or doing
light work we burn a higher percentage of fat, the only problem is we
don't burn lots of energy at light work rate. As we work harder we burn
more energy but the percentage shifts.
As an example, ( forget the protein energy used for simplicity reasons) we
may burn 80% fat, 20% carbs when resting but only about 60 calories per
hour burned. That's equals about 48 calories of fat per hour.
When walking we may burn up to 180 calories per hour, the ratio of energy
burned may shift to 50%, 50%, that equates to 90 calories of fat burned.
It means it's better to exercise, however there is a limit. If we exercise
at too high intensity we may shift the ratio too far ( 90% carbs 10% fats)
so even though we may burn about 500 calories per hour, it equates to only
50 calories in fat. Another problem is if we use up our carbs stores
quickly we tend to crave sugar to replenish stores, this can often lead to
overeating. We also
burn more protein when exercising harder.
To complicate matters fitness plays a huge role. The fitter the person the
harder they can work and still continue to burn higher degree of fat
calories - it's basically because their energy system is in top shape.
That's why you never see an overweight distance runner!!
The idea is to select a balance of work rate which is suits you. Train
enough to burn sufficient calories without overdoing it. As you gain
fitness over the months of regular training sessions you can gradually
workout harder to burn off more calories and fat weight.
Hope this helps you!
Question
I am losing weight VERY SLOWLY (TOO DAMN SLOWLY) while lifting weight
and building muscle. I used to be a total cardio freak (several hours a
day) and I could drop weight quickly. Well, I would like to speed up my
weight loss but everyone says too much cardio is bad for muscle building.
What about easy cardio like walking or riding a bike (keeping the heart
rate below 120). Can you do that for HOURS and HOURS without sacrificing
muscle?
Answer
Yes, I think you're right. I believe
low intensity activity is best to
limit the muscle loss. High intensity cardio can cause the body to release
catabolic hormones which break down certain amino acids in muscle. Although, I
think too much low level cardio can also cause loss of muscle due to
the calorie deficit effect - building & maintaining muscle requires sufficient
calorie intake, it's a delicate balance. Remember, building muscle is an
anabolic process so it requires extra calories and not just more protein.
Also too much low level cardio can lead to minor injuries which may impair
your training, so take care!
It is extremely hard to build muscle AND
slowly lose body fat at the same time.
It can be done, yes, but this is often seen by those who are new to
training and have a lot more scope for physical adaptation. People who have
been training for some time and have gained some results will find it hard
to do both. Competitive bodybuilders for example, can lose huge amounts of muscle in
order to cut up for a show!
Remember to concentrate on body fat percentage rather than body weight
alone. If you gain 2 pounds of muscle, but stay the
same weight then you
must have lost 2 pounds of body fat. This is why using
accurate body fat
percentage monitors is the best way to see results.
Hope this helps.
Question
I am having
muscle cramps while I am dieting....why? They are in my legs,
primarily, my calfs and hamstings..."
Answer
I found a few pages which help explain the theory of leg cramps, here they
are:
http://www.digitalnaturopath.com/cond/C466089.html
Hope it helps.
Question
I am losing weight VERY
SLOWLY (TOO DAMN SLOWLY) while lifting weight and building muscle. I used
to be a total cardio freak (several hours a day) and I could drop weight
quickly. Well, I would like to speed up my weight loss but everyone says
too much cardio is bad for muscle building. What about easy cardio like
walking or riding a bike (keeping the heart rate below 120). Can you do
that for HOURS and HOURS without sacrificing muscle?
Answer
Yes, I think you're
right. I believe low intensity activity is best to limit the loss of
muscle mass. High intensity cardio can cause the body to release catabolic
hormones which break down the amino acids in muscle. Although, I think too
much low level cardio can also cause loss of muscle due to calorie deficit
effect - building & maintaining muscle requires sufficient calorie intake,
it's a delicate balance. Remember, building muscle is an anabolic process
so it requires extra calories and not just more protein. Also too much low
level cardio can lead to minor injuries which may impair your training, so
take care!
It is extremely hard to build muscle AND lose body fat at the same time.
It can be done, yes, but this is often seen by those who are new to
training and have a lot more scope for the body to adapt. People who have
been training for some time and have gained some results will find it hard
to do both. Competitive bodybuilders can lose huge amounts of muscle in
order to cut up for a show, and that's even with use of drugs!
Remember to concentrate on body fat percentage rather than body weight
alone. If you gain 2 pounds of muscle, but stay the same weight then you
must have lost 2 pounds of body fat. This is why using accurate body fat
percentage monitors is the best way to see results.
Question
Is it ok to fast to lose weight?
Answer
Since the human body burns calories and needs protein,
vitamins and
minerals 24 hours a day, I would not say that fasting is healthy for
anyone. Fasting does not provide the raw material - food - that the body
needs for fuel. Fasting tricks the body into thinking that a famine has
occurred and your metabolism slows down. You
burn fewer calories so that you can survive longer on your stored fat and
lean muscle tissue (organs and muscles).
Some religious beliefs include a day of fast or even several days, which
should not be harmful, if the person drinks enough water to prevent
dehydration. However, fasting has no scientific basis in improving health.
Thanks for the question.
Question
My husband is a rugby
player. He's very healthy and doesn't look fat at all, but his body mass
index says he's obese. Should he be worried?
Answer
The BMI rating is not
completely accurate, and in fact, it is only supposed to be used as a
guide. It has been criticized for the inaccuracy for those with more
muscle mass. It is possible for someone to register obese on the BMI
ratings and yet be fit and healthy. That's where waist measurements come
in. If your husband has a waist measurement of more than 37 inches, he is
considered at risk of conditions like heart disease that are related to
being overweight.
You must seek approval from your doctor
before using any of the advice given on this page.
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