Five Common Weight Loss and Exercise Questions I Get Asked All The Time!

- April 07, 2020

I get random questions about fitness and massage all the time. I could write a blog post about each topic but I've provided just a little information about each question I get asked. Here is a few of the most common questions that I get asked all the time.

Fitness/Weight Loss Related Questions:

How can I lose fat around my belly/arms or any specific area? This is not a simple question to answer and when people ask it they are typically looking for me to respond with a super quick answer. You can't target one area to reduce weight because when someone loses weight it just comes off however the body decides it wants to lose it. The arms are tricky because women in general always ask how to get rid of the flabby skin on the tricep area. Unfortunately you can't get rid of this either and especially if you're older and have already lost some weight it's just extra skin so without surgery to cut it off its not going anywhere. You could build muscle under the skin and it might fill it out slightly but it's not going to get rid of it. Generally speaking the best plan for weight loss is to incorporate a healthy eating lifestyle, do strength training 2-4 times a week and cardiovascular exercise 2-4 times a week. I would say take at least one full day off from exercise each week and workout the other 6 days alternating some form of strength/ cardio and stretching.
Are carbohydrates bad for you? Some carbohydrates are bad for you and some are good for

you. Processed carbohydrates and carbohydrates from sugar are bad for you. Good carbohydrates will contain nutrients and fiber and provide some nutritional benefit. Processed carbohydrates such as crackers, pasta, bread, and chips are not good for you. The good carbohydrates will come from beans (which contain fiber), yams, brown rice, oatmeal, fruit (certain fruits like berries and apples are better and contain less sugar). Even with good carbohydrates you can still eat too much. You will always need to pay attention to portion control.
I eat healthy non processed food so why don't I lose weight? If you are truly eating a clean diet and still not losing weight you are probably eating too much. You can eat healthy foods and still gain weight or not lose weight because you're eating too much. The portion size will play an important role in your ability to lose weight. I would suggest measuring everything out and even better meal prep with pre-portioned meals measured and ready to eat. I would also suggest using an app to track your calorie intake for a few weeks to see how much you are eating. It's likely too much OR you need to move more by getting some form of exercise. If you have a job that requires very little movement and you are not exercising then try moving for 30 minutes a day.
As a vegan how do you get your protein? Honestly I don't obsess about my protein intake. If you eat a variety of foods and foods that are not processed you will probably get enough protein. Most people get way too much protein in their diet and I'm not likely at risk of being protein deficient because I'm vegan and an athlete. Vegans can get protein from many sources such as beans, nuts, tofu, some vegetables, and some grains because there is protein in so much of what we eat. Grains like Quinoa, Farro and brown rice even contain some protein. I personally don't love tofu so I eat lots of nuts and beans. In fact I eat salads regularly and they usually contain garbanzo beans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and pine nuts.
What should I eat before my workouts or should I eat anything before my workouts? This question depends on several factors and is very different for each person. The best thing to do is test what works best for you. I can give you what experts say is best to eat before a workout and you could try that and it might make you feel like throwing up. Then guess what? Thats not the best thing for you to eat before a workout. Ideally if you workout in the morning you should have something light before your workout and then have a real quality meal after your workout. Before your workout about 1/2 serving of oatmeal with some blueberries would be good for most people. Some people don't like to eat anything before a workout and if that works for you thats fine but I don't think you have to do this to burn more fat as some people might think. I personally like toast with peanut butter and honey on it and a cup of coffee. That works for me and has worked for me for many years so I stick with it. Ideally a complex carbohydrate prior to exercise will provide enough energy for a short workout that will last 90 minutes or less.