Thursday, February 26, 2009

Your Fitness and Fatloss Questions Answered

Ask Your Questions!

I've a question for you.

If you could ask me anything you wanted to know about achieving your health, fitness or fat loss goals, no matter how big or small, what wouldyou ask?

What if you could ask me any TWO questions... On ANYTHING related to the getting into the best shape of your life and staying that way?

That's what I'm offering all of my readers today.

Just post your 2 questions about achieving your fitness or fatloss goals in the comments section below and I'll do my best to answer them in the coming days.

Go on, post away! : )

Dax Moy
The UK's leading personal trainer and fitness expert
http://daxmoy.com


P.S - If I get a lot of similar questions I'll host a series of
free teleseminars to answer them... so get asking! : )

38 comments:

Unknown said...

to what extent does coffee and caffeine affect me? aside from the high due to the caffeine, more due to the health and fitness issues?

Cheer Dax

Ursula said...

Hi Dax
I would like to know how bad decaf coffee is. I can't drink caffeine, so therefor I drink decaf, but heard it is actually unhealthy. MOst of the time I drink Rooibos Tea which as far as I know is ok.

Do you think it is better to exercise in the mornings on an empty stomach or in the afternoon. I have heard different versions.

Thanks Dax
Ursula

Susan said...

Dax, my training philosophy has been that if you want to lose weight/fat, the best strength training protocol would be circuit training using a lower than max. weight/higher reps/little to no rest between sets.
Cardio would involve HIIT 2 - 3x/week.

Conversely, if you want to add mass/bulk, you would look towards a hypertrophy program such as 5x5 - max. weight/lower reps/rest between sets. Cardio would be steady state.

Obviously, there are diet manipulations based on the goal, but I was having a discussion w/ someone this week who told me its a "myth" that you won't cut lifting using a program such as 5x5 or Rippetoe. That through diet manipulation they can cut as much weight using a training program focusing on hypertrophy based on their diet, and not sacrifice muscle.

I would love your expert opinion on this to clear up any misconceptions I may have.

Thanks!

Susan

kelly said...

hiya my 2 questions are...

1.after having 5 children can i REALLY lose the fat on my belly and sides and be more toned,whats the bes way to achieve this

2.im 5ft 9in and always been big boned (my smallest as an adult was 14 uk size) , i would love to get to size 12, is that realistic,im currently 16/18,uk size,and how long would it take to achieve this,with how much work

please answer these if you can,i really want to lose the weight and inches, but find im stuck in the "oh i'll never get there so whats the point in trying" mode, i need confirmation that I CAN do it & that it is achieveable...thanks...

Colin B said...

My weight has dropped and seems to be settled at 15 stone +, Following ED, KCA (which really works well, I now use my muscles correctly, they fire well), I am enjoying the progress.

Should I worry about my weight?, I am more than happy about my body changes, and do realise muscle is more dense than fat so am expecting my weight to be different, but it still bugs me I suppose.

Ursula said...

I asked 2 questions but for some or other reason the commment is not there. This is just a test.

Ursula said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Unknown said...

Hi,

I am an avid readers of yours in the US :) My question is realated to my back...It seems that no matter what I do I cant get rid of these stubborn rolls...(I dont even want to talk about abs). I am a female that tends to lose weight first in my legs and arms and then finally in the ab area....but even when I do I still cant get my back to match the rest of me.... :( Thanks! Trice

michelle said...

hi. i know that you're not a doctor, but i wondered if you have had any experience with clients who have gained significant weight following gallbladder surgery. from what i understand, one of the organ's functions is to metabolise fat. i have gained over 60 pounds, and though i try to watch what i eat, and exercise moderately, i cannot lose the fat. thank you.

Tane F. said...

1. What about genetic fat allocation (like my saddlebags)? How realistic is it to banish them completely?

2. Having never maintained a weight loss, what is your best tip for keeping motivated (when the thrill is gone?)

Simon Voggeneder said...

Hi Dax,

I would like to use the short 'window of opportunity' to shoot the two questions you allowed your readers to ask.

1.
What do you think is the main reason for the epidemic dimensions of obsesity the society is facing right now?

2.
As for myself: If I am already following a healthy diet (Warrior Diet style, cycling between carbohydrates and healthy fat as main fuel types, cycling between under- and overcaloric days to shed fat while maintaining metabolic rate (5-6 undercaloric, 1-2 refeed days)), what do your recommend as an edge to such a diet in order to lose the last percents of body fat?

While the first question is not quite on topic, it is of high interest to me.

Thank you for this opportunity - I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,
Simon

jules said...

one of the challenges I have is staying motivated, I start out really motivated and then I fizzle any pointers thanks

Unknown said...

Hi, Dax:

1. Sometimes, whether it's the weather or that time of the month for me (sorry), I get some really bad pain/aches and pressure in my whole back, shoulders, neck and back of the head. Lately also it's been my right elbow. Should I continue my workout and add more stretching or skip my workout? I must admit last week for 3-4 days I didn't workout cause of the pain and pressure. I'm back to normal though.

2. How many times a year do you recommend following the elimination diet?

Thanks a lot Dax.

Christina said...

1. Knowing that the body quickly adapts to any fitness routine, I changed my overall total body workouts every 4 weeks to keep things fresh. Can I eventually return to my original routine (since it would then be a change from what I'd currently be doing). For example, if I'm doing routine A for 4 weeks, then routine B for four weeks, then routine C, etc., can I eventually restart the cycle back at routine A? If so, what is a good amount of time to wait before restarting?

2. Do heart rate monitors display the NET calories burned (difference between what you'd be burning ANYWAY at rest and what you actually burned just doing your exercise) or does it just display total calories burnt in general?

Catherine Gordon said...

Here are my two questions. First, how much of an effect does moderate wine drinking have on fat loss? Second, what's your wisdom on losing the last ten pounds. Thanks! Catherine

KarenJoy511 said...

I am a 47 y.o. woman with two kids. Ever since my kids were born I have been unable to shake the last of my pregnancy belly fat. What do you recommend?

PegLeg said...

I have a question regarding fat loss on a raw food diet. I gravitate toward a raw vegan diet due to digestive issues that prevent me from eating meat, dairy, and grains. My question is how do I lose fat while on a raw vegan diet? I find that when I switch to a raw diet, I am able to lose weight but my body fat increases. If it is a lack of protein, I'd be willing to add a portion of meat to my evening meal. Would that be enough protein, though? My other question is in regards to the timing of a post-workout meal. Is it better to wait an hour before eating or should I refuel immediately after working out? My goal is fat loss, so I'm more concerned with burning more fat than increasing my workout performance.

misscmac said...

I would like to know:

- How would you maintain your weight loss when your spouse is looking for you to gain it back (because "you are skin and bones, and that's nasty")?

- What is the best ratio of carbs to fat to proteins that you should get daily, and is that number different for men and women?

Thanks so much, Dax!!
Clarissa (misscmac)

Lindsey said...

Dax-
I've had three babies and lost all the weight after each one (well, i'm still working on number three). Needless to say, I've had plenty of time to figure out at what calorie intake I lose best at. I weight 145 lbs and my goal is about 138. I lose best at about 1400 cals a day or sometimes less. I've tried higher calories and I dont' lose. At all. At this level I lose about 1/2-1 lb a week.

My question is, should i be worried about damaging my metabolism since my cals are on the low side? Or since I've done the trial and error can I be confident that this is a good level for me?

PS. I know more than the average person about nutrition; I eat my veggies; I eat clean 80% of the time; I get at least 100g protein a day.

Thanks!

Ace said...

1) My friend told me that it is not good for your body to do power exercises in the morning. Is that really so?

2) In your opinion, can someone be "fat and fit"?

Thanks,

Ace

richad said...

first of all congrats for your nice blog, it is really useful.
i am training for fat loss, that's why i found your blog as well as tt and so on. i have been overweight since i was 10 years old, at 17 i started martial arts but as soon as i got to see my 6-pack i quit, due to some time related issues ( at that time i got ludibriated by muscletech about hidroxycut)so.. i guessed that quitting martial arts and solely taking hidroxycut would do it for me.NOT!!!
my belly grew agayn but my legs and arms continued fit to this day, i learned through time that my body repponds well to exercise, so that made me lazy. my two questions are:
i have some stretch marks and the skin i have in the belly...will it be shrinked??or it will stay fllaby

DCFR Citizen Reserve said...

Hi, Dax - you are a true inspiration!!

My question is how do you get a clear vision for goal setting when you have myriad passions that could each become a career if you throw all your energy into making them happen? How do you know which to pursue?

Thanks in advance!

SpiritChaser
Atlanta, GA

Owen said...

1.) I've recently returned to weight training as a means of becoming leaner. But I'm not clear on why people use ascending or descending weights per exercise rather than the same amount of weight.

2.) Would you recommend doing one exercise for each major bodypart per session until I have a good base?

Thanks Dax
Owen

Anonymous said...

Hi Dax,

Okay here's my 2 questions for you:

1. If I am weight training on the same muscle groups twice a week regularly, how much muscle will I put on and how quickly? I'm not worried about bulking up coz I know that won't happen, but I'd like to know how quickly the average female puts on muscle (ie 1 pound a month, 2 pounds a month etc).

2. I know I can't target a particular spot on my body and shape it without doing total body workouts to burn fat, but what is the best exercise for 'saddle bags'? (As in the excess fat women carry on top of their butt at the back of their hips)

Thanks for all of your hints and tips - I love that I have such a reliable source of information. I've been checking out your website and blogs for the last year, but only this year when I did your ED did I really get a handle on how bad I was eating. My progress has now sped up considerably and I've lost 9kg and 10cms of my waist since sorting out my diet. So a million times thank-you for your support and great reality checks!!!

Kelly

GCF Student Ministries said...

I mix up my workouts every 4-6 weeks, and generally focus on a lot of explosive moves, supersets,intervals and use workouts from Remedios, Ballantyne, Mens Fitness, Rooney. I am finding that things are becoming too easy to some degree, I am not sweating or getting my heart rate up nearly as quickly,not a bad thing. I workout at home with a pair of 40lb d-bells, 20 lb d-bells, a jump rope and a heavy bag. I also run on a field behind my house. I have two small kids and can't afford the time or money of a gym pass. How do I increase my workout intensity?

Claus said...

This is not so much for me, but more for my girlfriend, soon to be wife. She hates the gym, mainly because people looking at her. How/What can I do to motivate her with exercises at home. PS Great blogs and websites by the way, have found your name on quite a few links so keep up the good work

Claus Schiko

Unknown said...

Hi Dax,

1. I am an active university student living away from home 8 months of the year. I didn`t gain the Freshmen 15 or anything - in fact, I lose weight when I`m at school, as I buy my own food (very healthy!) and work out around 10 hours/week with Triathlon practices. I`ve be an intense exerciser for 5 years now, and I`m embarressed to say that I have gained some weight when I return to my house.

Question: How do I avoid gaining weight when I go back home for Christmas, summer, etc. (by eating all the good food at my family house and not having Triathlon practices to go to?)

Thanks!

Paula said...

Hi Dax,

Question No.1: How does one control hunger while on a fat loss journey? I follow a clean whole foods body building type diet (5 times a day) and target for 1500-1600 cals daily. However, 300 cal meals leave me terribly hungry and require some snacking in between meals or simply more quantity at meal times. I don't crave for the wrong things, just more of the good clean stuff like lean proteins, fruit and nuts. But nuts especially take me easily 300 cals over the daily target. I'm still on a calorie deficit and observing some fat loss, albeit much slower than I would like to. So, what can I do to stay with my calorie target without going crazy with hunger? Would for example 4 larger meals be better than 5 small ones? I believe I have discipline but with the current exercise routine my body seems to want/need more fuel.
Question No.2: This one has to do with my exercise. I do 4 weight training workouts a week, 2 split upper and lower body routines. In addition, I do HIIT 5-6 times a week. I enjoy doing my intervals on the treadmill running but lately my knees are hurting and I want to avoid damage/injury. I tried to do spinning intervals but the intensity just did not compare to running + felt in the knees as well. What other type, knee-friendly, intervals could I be doing at least in rotation so as to give a break to my knees but not to my fat loss?

Many thanks in advance.

Anonymous said...

My 2 questions:

1)are short workouts really the way to go? I know you can lose fat, but can you really gain strength? if you do these short workouts do you do more than one a day?

2)what do you think about strength training? Is it included in your "Look Great Naked" workout--which I tried to buy, but couldn't download.

Unknown said...

Hello Dax,

My main goal today is not fat-loss (I think I don't have too much fat to lose when I look at myself), but it is to get bulky and muscular.

Will I be able to achieve that goal with a quite normal (as healthy as possible, but without having to count on different food portions) diet and not a fitness supplement, but mostly based on long term results of reasonably hard resistance training (I mean near muscle failure, but trying to avoid it)?

Thank you for your kind answer,

JuanMa

Anonymous said...

Question 1 As I age, I am losing the battle of firmness. What do I have to change as I go from rock solid to soft jello even though my workouts remain constant?

Question 2 The biggest problem is in the belly area. What can I do to flatten that thing out as I prepare for social security?
Rich

Louise Wedgwood said...

Here's a tough one for you (I think):
What do you recommend as a way to balance the need for discipline and determination and achieving results no matter what it takes, with being balanced - retaining your sanity, not being obsessed or too focused on what you eat (and then feeling terribly guilty about eating what you shouldn't), and still enjoying life?

Unknown said...

1) How can you truly find what caloric deficit works for you? Do you recommend Harris-Benedict formula? A different one? Zig-zagging for fat loss?

2) What about fruits? Is there any reason for weight/fat loss that you should eat more veggies than fruit? Or it doesn't matter as long as you're eating clean?

My husband and I followed the ED starting January 1st - and we both have more energy! At first I thought it was going to be really tough, but we both decided we felt so much better that while we do indulge from time to time - 90% of the time we are making ED our way of life.

Unknown said...

How many times a week can I do ab workouts to maximize the results? Thanks Dax!

kellz said...

I eat mostly clean food and exercise regularily but my question is about a friend that has asked me to help her loose weight. She is morbidly obese (hate that term!) and cant walk very far. What kind of exercises can I give her to get her started? I was thinking of getting her to use a pedometer to get her moving more, challenge herself to walk more each day and maybe training with some basic boxing and/or resistance bands?

Thanks Dax

Unknown said...

Dax -

What do you think about weekly 24 hour fasts for weight loss like eat stop eat?

Unknown said...

HI Dax,
I hope I'm not too late for this. Just returned from honeymoon to a box full of emails.
Just wanted to start out by thanking you for your great blog and emails. I lost 8 kg for my wedding and felt truely fabulous thanks to all your help.
Keen to stay on the wagon now!
Two areas i can't seem to tone up though are my upper arms or "bingo wings" and my inner thighs.
Why is this? Is this also hormone related and what tips have you got for making these areas lean and toned.
Thanks again
Susi

kellz said...

Hi Dax, I am enjoying the daily answers, great work
I do have another question though, are there any exercises that can help strengthen the rotator cuff? I hurt mine a few years ago and it is still stopping me from working my shoulders properly
Thanks