I've had a few of you send me fitness and exercise questions, and I figure, for every one of us wondering about something, there are tons of others silently pondering the matter, too.
So, I give you another Q&A edition of Workout Wednesday!
From Sare: How important is it to drink protein shakes just after you work out? I was told it helps repair the muscles you just damaged when you lift weights. Is that true?
In theory, yes, this is true. You see, as you strength train, you create teeny, tiny tears in your muscle tissue.
As your body repairs those tears, you get stronger, fitter, and leaner. So while it sounds counter-intuitive, it is indeed a healthy, fit process.
Now, some people will tell you that you can use protein shakes to help that muscle repair along. And yes, technically, that's correct. But in many cases, protein shakes can also add unnecessary calories to womens' diets. They also can dehydrate you, which will hurt your progress and the repair of your muscles. Water is a huge part of the muscle-building process.
So unless you're doing extremely intense weight-lifting, you're better off drinking lots of water and eating a snack that has some good fats, some protein, and some healthy carbs. A glass of milk and an apple with peanut-butter, for example, are doing to do wonders for our body after a workout, especially when coupled with a bottle of water.
But, if you're still interested in protein shakes, or you feel that your weight-bearing workout is particularly intense, then make sure you look into shakes that are made specifically for women. And when in doubt about some of the shake's ingredients, consult a nutritionist. They can tell you what nutrients in the shake will help or hinder your performance.
From Mrs. Southern Bride: Do you ever recommend exercise videos?
This is a tough one for me. Technically, I'm all about any exercise method that gets you up and gets you moving.
So, yes, exercise videos are a great way to get in your daily dose of exercise right in the comfort of your own home.
However, I have two big issues that I sometimes find cause problems for people who use videos as their main source of exercise.
1. Boredom: Unless you own a library full of fitness videos, you can only do the videos you have so many times before you start to know what's coming next, or even, what the instructor is going to say next to push you forward. That's not good for your psyche; i.e., you're going to get bored stiff and stop exercising. And it's also not good for you body. Because when your body knows what's coming next, it becomes efficient. An efficient body means you burn less calories and use less energy doing the exercises, and that means you're not getting fitter. You're just getting less out of your workout.
2. Intensity: To be honest, I've reviewed lots of exercise videos. A few are decent. But many of them are a crock. They're not intense enough to kick your booty into shape consistently. Especially long-term. Once you've mastered them, there's very few videos that can keep up with your intensity. You will be stronger than the videos at some point. In some cases, the videos out there are so easy that you'll surpass them in as little as two weeks. And at that point, you'll need to find something else to do, and very few videos will help you there. Most of the time, you'll need a gym membership and access to a facility with classes and equipment to take you to the next level.
That's not to say all videos are bad. They are a great way to jump start your fitness regimen, and for those of you that adore routine and structure, you may find the video regimen soothing and productive.
My friend Lindsey, over at Learning to be a Wife, had a great idea to fight video boredom: Find a friend who has different videos than you, and swap on a monthly basis. That way, you can try a larger variety of videos and prevent your body from plateauing and becoming too efficient. Thanks, Lindsey!
From Neha: Can you tell me how to lose fat from my face? My body structure is fine otherwise, but my face is broad and chubby and the first area where I put on weight (the only area sometimes!) I really need to tone it, as tied hair looks terrible on me. Could you help?
Unfortunately, there's no proven way to lose weight solely from one part of your body, whether it be your arms, your abs, or even your face.
The only way to lose weight, or lose fat, is to burn more calories than you take in. In other words, you have to exercise enough per day so that you burn more calories than you eat per day. But even this will cause you to lose weight all over your body: your arms, your abs, and yes, even you face. All of it.
You just can't keep the rest of your body the same size and shrink only one part. That's called spot reduction, and it's a fitness myth, perpetuated by the videos that featured 1980s, Jane-Fonda-style calisthenics.
As far as where you store your fat the longest, and what part of your body you lose it from the easiest, that's largely genetic and dependent on your build.
For instance, I hold my weight in my butt and thighs. That's also the last place I ever lose weight.
The same can be said of women who carry their weight in their middles, or in their breasts, or, yes, even in their faces.
But remember, our bodies are what they are; they are different and beautiful and unique vessels that carry us through life. So even if you're not a fan of your "trouble zone," remember, it's part of what makes you, you.
A good balance of cardio exercise and a healthy diet will keep all of us in well-balanced, unique, and beautiful shape. Genetics will determine the rest.
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So, until next week, Happy Exercising!
And if anyone has a question, feel free to e-mail me or post it below! I'd be happy to answer to the best of my ability!
And if anyone has a question, feel free to e-mail me or post it below! I'd be happy to answer to the best of my ability!
















