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Exercise FAQ

What exercises can I do to tone my legs and butt?
 
How many reps of each exercise should I be doing?
 
How much cardio do I need to do per week to lose weight and body fat?
 
What should I eat before I workout?
 
What should I eat after I workout?
 
When is the best time to stretch?
 
How long should I rest between workouts?
 
Is it better to work out in the morning or at night?
 
How long should I warm up for?
 
Should I do my cardio before or after weight training?
 
What is more effective for fat loss, high intensity or low intensity jogging?
 
Is working out seven days a week too much?
 

What exercises can I do to tone my legs and butt?
Believe it or not, there is no such thing as spot reduction. In fact, doing exercises on a specific muscle (to tone) will only increase it's size. For example, you could do lunges till you're blue in the face, but all you would be doing is increasing the leg muscle (not toning). In other words, there is not such thing as toning with exercises!

There is a way to decrease your body fat though and make the muscle appear smaller. All that you need to do is burn more calories then you consume and eventually your body fat will lower, giving your legs a smaller look. However, if you put your body in too high of a calorie deficit, you will lose lean body mass (muscle) and your metabolic rate will dramatically slow. Numerous research findings have determined that people who lose weight too fast almost always gain more weight back due to a slowed metabolic rate. Thus, you should follow a moderate nutrition and exercise program to reach your fitness goals.

How many reps of each exercise should I be doing?
You should select a weight that causes your muscles to fatigue between 15-6 repetitions. Research has found that repetitions above 15 are literally ineffective for stimulating muscle change.

How much cardio do I need to do per week to lose weight and body fat?
No matter how much cardio you do, it alone will not cause you to lose weight. In fact, the only sure way to achieve weight loss is to put your body in a calorie deficit. A calorie deficit is reached by burning more calories then you consume. Therefore, to achieve weight loss, you need to follow a sound nutrition plan in conjunction with a customized fitness program.

What should I eat before I workout?
The food you eat just before you workout will not provide you with fuel for that activity session, however, it will help prevent low blood sugar levels and keep you from feeling hungry. Good choices are high carbohydrate, low fat foods - they tend to digest easily. Try a Power Bar or bagel. Regardless, it's never a good idea to try something new before an important practice or competition. And be sure to leave enough time for your food to digest after large meals (around 3-4 hours).

What should I eat after I workout?
After a workout, your first priority should be replenishing your fluids by drinking water, fruit juice or a sports drink or eating watery fruit. Within 1-4 hours after a workout, you should consume a meal that is high in carbohydrates complimented with a balance of protein and fat. A more scientific approach would be to consume .5 grams of carbohydrates for every pound of body weight within 2 hours of your workout and repeat this 2 hours later.

When is the best time to stretch?
Because of the properties of the connective tissue that surrounds muscle, it's best to stretch when your muscles are warm. This means the best time to stretch is at the end of a workout. However, if you need to stretch before you workout, you should do some light activity like walking or cycling (warm-up) for 6-12 minutes before you stretch to ensure your body temperature has risen.

How long should I rest between workouts?
For adequate recovery time, you at least need a day or two in-between workout routines. Therefore, if you prefer to lift weights every single day, I would strongly recommend to alter the muscle groups you work. This way you will avoid over training and get far better results in the long run.

With regards to cardiovascular activity, it is fine to perform them everyday, however, I would not recommend it. With this level of activity your likelihood of burning yourself out is extremely high especially, if you are not use to it.

Is it better to work out in the morning or at night?
Currently, research supports that individual's compliance levels are higher if they exercise in the morning. The reason, people reported that they were more likely to exercise in the morning, because they made it the first thing to accomplish during their day and got it out of the way. However, everyone is different. You need to find what fits into your lifestyle. If you are like the majority, try an exercising program that fits in the morning. If not, find what works best for you and make the appropriate changes.

How long should I warm up for?
Before you begin your weight training program or cardiovascular program, start with a 5 -7 minute warm up. The warm up should consist of a cardiovascular exercise that incorporates all major muscle groups.

Should I do my cardio before or after weight training?
Glycogen stores are stores of energy that your body uses during weight training and cardiovascular exercise. Although, during weight training glycogen stores are the only energy source used. Thus, completing your cardiovascular routine before weight training will substantially deplete your energy (glycogen) stores needed to complete a proper weight training program. Also, completing your weight training before your cardiovascular program significantly decreases you glycogen stores. So, when you begin your cardiovascular training your body burns less glycogen and more of your stored fat. In summary, to reach you optimal fat burning stages and to have the proper energy to utilize an exercise program, complete your weight training before you cardiovascular training.

You should also warm up before your cardiovascular routine. The warm up should consist of the same exercise you are using for your cardiovascular routine. For example, if you are running, walk first before proceeding to a jog. After your warm up, gradually increase cardiovascular activity to training speed.

What is more effective for fat loss, high intensity or low intensity jogging?
It's true that when you exercise at a lower intensity you will burn an overall higher percentage of fat from fat stores. Although, this research can be deceptive. Research also shows that higher intensity exercise results in greater weight and fat loss. The reason is simple, during higher intensity exercise, not only do you burn more calories, but you burn more absolute fat. So, high, intense exercise is more effective. But remember, the key to success is progress and if low intensity is working for you, stick with it.

Is working out seven days a week too much?
One of the biggest misconceptions in the gym is the belief that in order for people to reach their fitness goals that they need to workout six to seven times a week. Remember the body needs anywhere from 48-96 hours to recuperate from exercise. Growth takes place when we rest our bodies after we workout. If we don't allow for enough rest time, our growth will be hampered and possible workout plateaus will occur. Try exercising 3 days a week, and allow at least one day in between workouts for proper rest.