Ask Gilad

How To Lose Belly Fat

Question: I can't understand why I can't lose my pot belly. I have been doing sit-ups and crunches like crazy but it just doesn't seem to work. What am I doing wrong?

Answer: Attempting to lose weight in any particular area is called 'spot reducing', and unfortunately, it can't be done. Your problem area is your waistline and there is no possible way to get tight, defined abdominal muscles just by doing a million sit-ups when those abdominal muscles are covered with a layer of fat. You will develop the abdominal muscles all right, but you will never be able to see them until you shed some body fat. This means following a sensible diet and doing aerobic exercise as well as strength training.
The same principle applies to every part of your body. If the backs of your arms are flabby you can tone the muscles underneath, but you have also got to lose the fat on top. And fat loss never happens in one place. It happens simultaneously all over the body.
Now that you have the formula your goal is attainable. Think about it. You were motivated enough to do all those sit-ups. Now all you have to do is channel that energy into your revised fitness plan and watch that belly disappear.

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Running Versus Walking

Question:  I am considering starting to run for exercise but I have heard that you can get just as much cardiovascular benefit from walking.  Is that true?

Answer: If you are a beginner to exercising, or if you are more than 15 pounds over-weight, you don't want to go outside and just start running.  In fact, I would recommend that you go outside and start walking instead.  Walking and running can produce the exact same cardiovascular benefits and will burn the same number of calories.  The only difference is that with walking, you have to be out there longer.  Runners can get a great workout in half an hour of running, while walkers would probably have to walk briskly for about an hour to get the same results.

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Question: After my workout, how much stretching is enough?

Answer:  I suggest you do 3 sets of any given stretch. In the first set, you get into position, making sure you are maintaining good posture, and try to feel your range of movement by slowly breathing out. Then relax and let go of the stretch.
In the second set, start by taking a couple of deep breaths, and then on the third breath, slowly exhale and get back into position, trying to go a little further this time without feeling tense and uncomfortable. Keep breathing and reaching into the stretch. As you exhale, try to let all the tension in your body dissolve. Let go of the stretch and gently 'shake' out the area being stretched.
In the third set, repeat what you did in set two, and try to go just a bit further, still maintaining a relaxed posture throughout the whole stretch. Remember, you are stretching to the point of your own limitation and not to the point of pain.

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Question: Is counting calories a good way to lose weight?

Answer: I, personally don't count calories...but I do believe that you should be knowledgeable about calories. If you understand that calories are not created equal it can steer you in the right direction when you are deciding what to eat. Some foods are rich in calories and poor in nutrients and others are just the opposite.
For example: An average breakfast muffin has about 720 calories but since it is probably made with white flour it has very little nutritional value. On the other hand, for just under 720 calories you could eat this entire list of foods that are loaded with health promoting nutrients: 2 whole wheat roles, 1 pear, 1 apple, 5 ounces of grapes, half of a papaya, one kiwi fruit, ½ cantaloupe and a half of a pineapple...total? About 710 calories!
Which would you rather eat? The choice is yours.

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How often should I exercise?

Question: How often should I exercise?

Answer: No matter what kind of training you do I recommend you do something at least three times a week.  If your fitness level is high enough you should be exercising more often - maybe five or 6 times a week.  But I do believe that everyone should take at least one day a week off from any exercise program.  One day of complete rest for the body will vastly improve your performance on the other six days.

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Question: Can you explain why form is so important when exercising?

Answer: I can't emphasize enough what an important part form plays in performing exercises, not only for the effectiveness of the exercise but also for safety and injury prevention. For example, when you are doing conditioning exercises such as squats, lunges, calf raises and all the standing shoulders, arms and chest moves here are some basic guidelines to follow:

1. Always keep your abdominals pulled in to help support your back.
2. Unless otherwise directed, keep your feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent and back flat.
3. Complete one breath for each repetition of an exercise. Exhale during the contraction of the muscle and inhale when the muscle relaxes.
4. Avoid arching the neck and back.
5. Avoid 'locking' any joint.
6. Always maintain good alignment and technique and complete the largest range of motion possible for each exercise.

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The Importance of Cooling Down

Question: How important is the cool down after exercising?  Sometimes I feel like just skipping it....but I figure that because you always do it, it must be important.

Answer: You are right. The cool down is important. It is designed to allow your heart rate to gradually decrease after aerobic exercise. This procedure is important for the health of your heart and will also actively stretch some of the muscles used during exercise. Following an aerobic workout, whether it is walking, running or high or low impact aerobics, it is necessary to continue working aerobically at a significantly reduced level to allow your heart rate to come down slowly. This is what is known as the Aerobic Cool-down. It should be followed by the General Cool-down, which stretches the major muscle groups. The General Cool-down will help your muscles recover faster and help you avoid soreness after exercising. No workout is complete until after you have done your cool-down.

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Question:  I can't tell you how many times I have tried to start a regular exercise regimen but I always end up getting distracted. How have you motivated yourself to stick to your routine all these years?

Answer: Finding out you have the perseverance to stick with an exercise program is a powerful discovery. It means that you possess a tool that can get you through the toughest times of life. The strength you develop by sticking to your exercise routine - even if you don't feel like doing it that day - is the same strength that gives you control over other areas of your life.

Let's be honest, it takes a fair amount of self discipline to exercise regularly, especially in the beginning when it feels uncomfortable and your muscles get sore easily and you think that everyone is more advanced than you are. But people that set and achieve physical goals discover time and time again that by tapping into their powers of perseverance, they suddenly realize greater success in other areas of their lives like personal relationships and careers.

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Myth Buster: Weight Training

Question: Is it true that I am more likely to injure myself during weight training than during aerobic exercise?

Answer: The only time you are likely to injure yourself doing any kind of exercise (weight training or aerobic) is if you use improper form and/or try to push yourself too hard.

Weight training can actually decrease your risk of injury! The muscles of your body are like shock absorbers taking the pounding that the body gets each day. Stronger muscles can better protect ligaments, tendons, bones and joints from everyday wear and tear.

Here is some news that may persuade you to take up strength training: Studies have shown an effect from weight lifting called 'caloric after-burn'. Muscles that are exercised consume calories for fuel, and it turns out that muscles continue to burn calories even after the exercise is completed. So the more muscle you have, the more calories you are burning even at rest. Muscle, unlike fat, is a very active tissue that requires 50 to 100 calories per day per pound of muscle just to sustain itself. The best fitness results come from combining aerobic exercise and strength training for a strong heart, healthy lungs, low body fat and lots of lean muscle mass.

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Question: If I stop exercising are my muscles going to turn to fat?

Answer: After age twenty, if we don't exercise and keep our muscles active, we begin gradually losing our muscle mass. Since most people who are inactive weigh more in their later years the conclusion is simple...they have replaced a lot of their muscle mass with fat.

Notice that I didn't say that their muscle has turned to fat, because muscle can never turn to fat, and fat can't turn to muscle. But muscle can be maintained and rebuilt and fat can be burned off at any age.

Muscular strength exercises are the quickest way to reshape, build, strengthen and tighten all the major muscle groups of the body helping you get that fit/lean look.

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