I’ve consolidated and paraphrased some of the questions you’ve asked over the past few weeks. I hope you will learn from each other’s ideas and that these answers will guide and inspire you.
Question:
How many sets of each exercise should I do to get the best results? How
many days per week should I do them?
Roberta:
Some studies show a very significant benefit from only doing one set of
each exercise, which is great for beginners or if you’re running short
on time. For improvements, though, it’s best to do 2-3 sets for
each muscle group, especially the larger ones. Since strength training
breaks down muscle tissue to a greater degree than cardiovascular activity,
it’s best to do weight training exercises every other day, or 2-3 days
per week, to give your muscles enough time to fully regenerate and recover.
Cardiovascular exercise can be done every day, but it’s a good idea to
take at least one day off per week to recover both physically and mentally.
The minimum amount of cardiovascular activity needed for improvements
in overall health is 20 minutes, 3 days per week.
Question: One of your columns talks
about avoiding fried foods. What about some of our traditional meals
such as BBQ chicken, jerk chicken, curried chicken and smothered chicken? Does
adding sauces and gravies to food decrease its nutritional value? Also,
an article in the Nation of Islam newsletter advocates eating one meal
a day for a longer life. I thought they were on to something. Thanks
for your wisdom.
Roberta: Eating is such a personal
experience that I try to steer clear of telling people what to eat, and
instead focus on how to eat. I know that eating a traditional meal
with friends and family is an important part of our cultural identity.
It helps us feel in touch with our community and our roots. Since
most people these days seem willing to try to live a healthier lifestyle,
why not modify some of the traditional dishes? Perhaps some of the
fried dishes could instead be baked, for instance. As far as the
sauces and gravies, they don’t diminish the nutritional value of your
food, but they do add a lot of extra fat and calories. One option
would be to just use modest amounts of the sauces, even serving them “on
the side.” The other alternative is to use a clear broth or tomato base
in place of heavy creams and oils.
As for eating only one meal a day, based on my own experience and training,
I would prefer to see people eating moderate amounts throughout the day,
using food as fuel. As I mentioned in “Body Food,” we all
need a certain amount of calories and nutrients each day to sustain our
normal bodily functions (most women need at least 1,500-2,000 calories
per day). Since our bodies can only utilize a moderate amount of food
at a time, if we only ate one meal we would store a lot of it as fat.
And remember how the metabolism slows down if our body thinks we’re starving
ourselves? This is my personal position, but I am certainly open
to learning more about the theory you described.
Question:
Is it safe to carry hand-held weights (i.e. 5 lbs.) while walking?
Roberta: This is a great question,
and it shows me that you are really motivated and want to work even harder…Bravo!!
I don’t mean to discourage your enthusiasm, but using hand weights
might be too much strain on the delicate structures of the shoulder that
I talked about in “Solid Shoulders.” I also see lots of people doing
arm and shoulder exercises while they’re walking. I’d rather see
people focus on doing one thing at a time, and doing that one thing well.
To get a more intense walking workout, try to walk where there are rolling
hills or stairs. If you really want or need to carry weighted objects
with you, put them in a fanny pack or wear a weighted vest!
Question:
Is it better to wear sweatpants or shorts to work out in?
Roberta: This is another very
good question. It’s a good idea to wear sweatpants while you warm-up
and cool down, to make sure your muscles stay warm and to reduce your
chances of pulling or straining something. After you’re warmed up,
you may want to peel down to your shorts, depending upon the temperature
and what’s comfortable for you. Remember, too, that you have so
much choice about what you do wear to work out in – choose something that
makes you feel proud and powerful. Dressing in your workout gear
is one of the important pre-exercise rituals that can help set the tone
for a positive, uplifting experience!
Roberta: First of all, congratulations on sticking with it over the past 6 months! We all know how hard it can be, and I’m truly thrilled that you look and feel better. As far as your lower body is concerned, it’s normal for the hips and thighs to sort of lag behind (no pun intended). Many women lose weight and see it first in their faces and upper bodies. I would recommend increasing your leg-strengthening workouts to 2-3 days per week. As you exercise, tune in to how great you feel inside. We can change our size, but some of us may not achieve the shape we’re after. The best we can do is to vary our routines, enjoying the process and appreciating our strength and good health. I’m already planning another “leg and hip” article for the next time, so that will give you some new ideas and help stimulate those muscles even more. Also, try mixing up your cardio routine. If you haven’t already started, throw in some speed play or intervals once or twice a week. Good luck and let me know how you’re progressing!
I’d like to get more feedback from all of you and incorporate a regular question and answer column to address your important issues. Please feel free to email me, and keep up the great workouts! Ask Roberta
“Overall fitness
is an integral part of one’s sense of well-being and happiness.”
- Norman Rousseau, Personal Trainer
