Welcome back to "Rock Your Body," The State News' fitness and nutrition column. Each week, we hit up our local experts with some questions and pass on their wisdom to you.
But before we get to the goods, we thought we'd tell you a little bit about who'll be giving you advice.
Jim Pivarnik: Jim is a professor of kinesiology and epidemiology. Trained as an exercise physiologist, his specialty is in physical activity and exercise on chronic disease risk. He is also director of MSU's Center for Physical Activity and Health.
Tom Ostrander: Tom is the owner of Powerhouse Gym, 435 E. Grand River Ave. He is one of Michigan's top amateur bodybuilding competitors. Tom is a personal trainer with experience ranging from professional athletes to stay-at-home moms.
This week, we asked:
SN: Is cutting calories the best way to lose weight?
Tom: Yes and no. Yes, it is true that cutting calories will initially drop your weight. If you cut calories too low for too long, however, your body's metabolism will slow down and your weight loss will cease. Your body's first instinct is to survive; therefore it will adapt to the amount of calories you are taking in. Cutting calories too low makes your body hold on to body fat, as it needs some to survive on a daily basis.
In a nutshell, you must be in a calorie deficit to lose weight and in a calorie surplus to gain weight. If you restrict calories too long, your metabolism becomes stagnant and every now and then needs a short term "bump" in calories to recharge. You can figure out roughly how many calories your body needs each day by calculating your Basal Metabolic Rate.
It will help to find a calorie guideline to stay in a calorie deficit without dropping too low.
You can find many places to get your BMR calculated if you search online. I suggest the Web site room42.com.
Jim: To lose weight, you can decrease energy input by carefully eating a well-balanced diet, and avoiding extra calories. Clear dietary guidelines exist, but few people take the time to understand them. Standard serving sizes are usually much smaller than people think, and many are often surprised to find they are eating much more than they should. Once you figure out serving sizes and maintain a balanced diet with portion control, safe weight loss can occur.
The best way to increase energy output is to become physically active for as much of the day as possible. You don't have to begin an intense running program to increase energy output. Just adding activity throughout the day, such as vigorous walking, goes a long way toward weight loss. Perhaps concentrating on eliminating long periods of inactivity - such as hours of watching TV - is a workable strategy.
SN: What is the best form of cardio?
Jim: Traditional exercises that have been considered to be the "best" for a cardio workout are running, swimming and bicycling. However, activities such as cross-country skiing, rowing and fast dancing are just as effective. The numerous machines available at health and fitness clubs will work as well. Even walking, the simplest of exercises, has been shown to improve cardio-respiratory fitness for beginning exercisers.
When I am asked, "Which cardio exercise is the best?" my universal response is, "the one you will do." If you don't like an activity, chances are you won't stick with it. I also tell people to mix up their activities; it prevents boredom, and increases the potential for compliance with an exercise program.
Tom: Believe it or not, a fast paced brisk walk is the best form of cardio for fat burning. You must realize that, while cardio is great for your heart and required for fat burning, too much will burn muscle and fat. This can give your body a smaller, but flabbier appearance. Brisk walking is found to be the best because it is intense enough to burn body fat yet mild enough to preserve lean muscle mass. There isn't one form of exercise that is necessarily better than the other. Just make sure to keep your heart rate elevated anywhere from 65 percent to 85 percent of its max for a duration of 20 to 40 minutes.
If you would like to have your questions answered, please e-mail them to msandu@statenews.com.
