Ask Gilad

THIS WEEK’S “ASK GILAD” BLOG

Question: What is a good resting heart rate?

Answer: Everybody's metabolism is different so there is no ideal resting heart rate but you should take note of what yours is. Your resting heart rate can be used as an index of your general level of aerobic fitness. The lower your resting heart rate the more cardiovascularly fit you are. Regular exercise is going to lower your resting heart rate...which will benefit you any time you are not at rest and your heart needs to pick up the pace.  It is a good idea to know what your resting heart rate is now, because as you become more fit your resting heart rate is going to drop and that will mean that your heart can perform with less effort.

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

The First Steps to Being Healthier

Question:  I am pretty set in my ways and I have a hard time changing old habits to benefit my health.  Is there some kind of system I can use to help me change for the healthier?

Answer: First you have to identify the health and fitness goals you want to achieve.  It helps to write them down.  Then, identify the lifestyle changes you need to make to achieve these goals.  Be sure that your lifestyle changes are not ones that seem impossible to you.  Remember, you want to build success into your program.  Here are some examples of clearly defined goals and the lifestyle changes that will help you achieve them.

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

THIS WEEK’S “ASK GILAD” BLOG

Question: Will running be a good addition to my fitness program?

Answer: If you are past the beginning exerciser stage I recommend you start a mixed program of running and walking. Find a fairly flat path to follow. Hill running will come later.
Walk slowly to warm up, starting slowly and then increasing your pace after about 5 minutes. Then, when you feel warm and ready, jog a few blocks. When you start to feel winded, slow your pace to a brisk walk again. Keep this run/walk pattern going for 20 minutes and then slow to a walk for a cool-down for the last 5 minutes.
A routine like this added to your existing workout, will be a welcome change of pace...and will get you out into the fresh air.

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

THIS WEEK’S “ASK GILAD” BLOG

Question: I know that I am supposed to eat a lot of fiber but I am not sure why. Is it the fact that fiber makes it easier for me to have regular bowel movements?

Answer: Regular bowel movements are an excellent reason to consume large amounts of fiber but they are not the whole story.
Your body is not supposed to absorb all the food you eat. In fact, you should strive to increase the amounts of food you eat that your body cannot absorb. These foods include whole grain and unrefined foods which are high in fiber. The fiber found in unprocessed foods can actually help reduce the risk of colon cancer, diverticulitis, diabetes and heart disease. Fiber is found only in plant foods like whole grain breads, brown rice, bulgur wheat, oatmeal, bran cereals, bran muffins and bran flakes. It is better to eat whole foods to get your fiber than to add bran to everything because too much bran can actually rob your body of some minerals.
Fiber leaves a residue in the intestines that the body cannot absorb. This residue is actually good for the digestive tract and it also aids in lowering cholesterol levels. The effect of fiber that is immediately noticeable is that it fills you up... but with few calories.
High fiber foods include everything mentioned above plus vegetables and fruits. and it also aids in lowering cholesterol levels. The effect of fiber that is immediately noticeable is that it fills you up... but with few calories.
High fiber foods include everything mentioned above plus vegetables and fruits. You can also get plenty of fiber in your diet by eating cereals such as shredded wheat and puffed wheat, or making whole grain pancakes, waffles and muffins. 

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

THIS WEEK’S “ASK GILAD” BLOG

Question: How fast can I expect results from a fitness program?

Answer: That depends on what goals you have set for yourself. But as a rule of thumb, if you are committed to a program and really work at it you can achieve noticeable results in 6 short weeks, good results in 12 weeks and excellent results in 6 months. 

The most important thing to remember is to let go of the idea that you can accomplish your goal faster if you take a short cut such as a crash diet or working harder than your body can handle in its present condition. In fact, those are 2 sure ways to put you right into the 'roller coaster club' of those who gain, lose, gain, lose and so on.

The fact is, if you work within your ability and if you implement slow and controlled changes that your body can adapt to, those changes will become comfortable and permanent and you will achieve incredible results!

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

THIS WEEK’S “ASK GILAD” BLOG

Question: OK, you have convinced me.  I am going to start training with weights.  What can I expect?

Answer: So now we can all lift weights!  What good will that do?  Well, for starters, your strength is not the only thing that will improve.  Your body is going to look different as well.  Your body fat will drop, and you will increase your lean muscle mass, so you will have a longer, leaner look.  Also your chest, back, abdominals, arms and legs will become stronger.  Your posture will improve, your bone mass will increase, your resting heart rate will probably drop and you will decrease your risk of injury to your joints and bones.  Not too bad for a little weight training two or three times a week, and you can do it in as little as 30 to 45 minutes per workout.

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

THIS WEEK’S “ASK GILAD” BLOG

Question: I have upped my free weights program recently and I have a feeling that I am not eating enough protein to sustain it. I am going to up my intake of protein. What is the best way?

Answer: Be careful when choosing the types of protein you eat. Despite our increased knowledge of nutrition, at least one out of five people are still eating a greasy bacon cheeseburger for lunch. Certainly it has protein, and plenty of it, but it also comes with an artery-clogging quantity of fat. That same person is probably having red meat at one or two more meals of the day, maybe bacon and eggs for breakfast or a big steak for dinner. That average diet is way too high in fat...and probably unnecessarily high in protein as well. While eating too much protein is not going to harm you the way eating too much fat is, it is still tough on the body.
Remember the alternate, non-animal sources of protein like rice, beans, seeds and nuts and bon appetit!

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

THIS WEEK’S “ASK GILAD” BLOG

Question: What types of exercise require a warm-up and can you explain what a warm-up consists of?

Answer: No matter what physical activity you are about to perform it is always important to start with a general warm-up. A general warm-up should start with some short easy aerobics to raise your heart rate and get your blood circulating. These aerobics should consist of 3 to 5 minutes of light aerobic activity like marching or jogging in place, fast walking, low impact knee lifts, side stepping or any easy aerobics.
Then move on to more specific stretching exercises targeting the muscles you will be using in the sport or workout you are about to engage in.
A general warm-up will help you prevent injury and allow you to get a better overall workout. So, before you do any exercise, warm up!

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

Cholesterol: Good or Bad?

Question: What is cholesterol and why is it so bad for us?

Answer: Cholesterol is the waxy substance in body tissues that is associated with hardening of the arteries and heart disease. Cholesterol is also an essential substance in our systems though, one which we need to survive. It forms cell membranes, lines our nerves and makes up much of our brain tissue. Too much cholesterol is not good. More specifically, too much of the wrong type of cholesterol is not good.
The body has 2 different types of cholesterol. HDL - High Density Lipoprotein (or 'good cholesterol') and LDL - Low Density Lipoprotein (or 'bad cholesterol').
It is the balance between these two types of cholesterol that is so essential for good health.

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

THIS WEEK’S “ASK GILAD” BLOG

Question: What is the difference between my aerobic and anaerobic Systems?

Answer: One of the main goals of my fitness programs is to improve the efficiency of the aerobic and anaerobic systems. The aerobic system can provide a steady supply of energy with minimal fatigue for an extended period of time such as in long distance running.  In this case the goal is to increase the rate at which oxygen can be supplied to the muscles through what we call aerobic/cardio workouts.

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.