Question

I’m a 16 year old boy who is 5’8 and I weight 150lbs. I’ve been working out for about 6 months now and I’ve been using whey protein and BCAA’s and other amino acids as supplements. I was wondering if there are any other supplements which are ‘safe’ for use at my age available? I’ve been told not to use creatine until I am 18, and from what I’ve read this is good advice.

Also what is the best way to cut belly fat and fat in general? I have finished bulking and am preparing to cut fat. Thank you for you help.

Answer

Amino acid supplements are used by many athletes, body builders and gym advocates as a convenient and quick way to increase muscle mass which helps with weight loss. When the body is composed with a higher percentage of protein, it helps the body burn fat more efficiently. Amino acid supplements should be used in conjunction with a tailored diet and exercise plan, with a qualified fitness trainer who will advise both resistance (weight) training and cardiovascular exercises, in order to maximise fat loss, increase cardiovascular health and increase fitness.

You have rightly been advised to avoid creatine until you are at least 18 because your body is still undergoing growth and development and will continue to do so until you are at least 21. It is actually illegal to sell creatine to anyone under 18 in the USA for this reason.

It may not be advisable to take any type of protein supplement at all until you are over 18 years old and focus only on an appropriate exercise plan and proper diet that includes protein at every meal, because your body is still developing and growing and you should be getting adequate protein in your diet from the foods you eat.

Consult the school fitness instructor to give you more information about a diet and exercise plan tailored to your needs.

Question

My husband and I are in our late 50’s. We’re about about to retire and are both out of shape but physically healthy. My husband has declared we’re going to take 1 year off and slowly get into a daily routine of exercise – 5-6 hours a day and healthy eating. Gym, walking, bicycling etc.

Have you had any experience with this amount of exercise and is there a program for us? We’re both very excited about the prospect.

Answer

Congratulations on your upcoming retirement! It is good to be comfortable and make healthy choices in the process.

I like your husband’s “declaration” about taking 12 months to change your lifestyle. It will take some time, discipline, determination and “stick-to-it-ivness” to form new habits for the rest of your life. It is possible for late bloomers and I do have a few ideas and cautions for your to consider.

Healthy eating will be important, along with 6-8 hours of restful sleep, for sure Carol. It is the 5-6 hours a day of exercise for two late-bloomers that are admittedly “out of shape” that worries me. It is very hard to go from zero to running a marathon, 5 minute mile on desire and wilfulness alone. Your excitement is admirable and very important. To keep it as a motivator, I would make the following recommendations to begin the process:

1) Plan to invest time and money with a Certified Professional Trainer. It will be very easy to fall back into poor form and habits, hurt yourself and thus throw aside your 12 month plan in less than a month without the support, advise and modifications required for starting a new program at this stage of your life. The dollar invested will save you hours of pain and recovery.

2) Find and join an organized group exercise class/program to support flexibility training, e.g., pilates, yoga, tai chi or martial arts. Building strength and new muscle will require stretching and lengthening that each of these disciplines can provide. Everything you do will be noticeably easier with flexibility training added to your regimen.

3) Plan to use a massage therapist (bi-monthly) to iron out the kinks your body will run into with the new program approach you are planning to pursue.

I believe if you plan to incorporate these three variables into your 12-month lifestyle re-design, you will find that moderation is key to the success of fitness and longevity. In my experience, amateur and professional body-builders who compete for titles on the world stage workout 5-6-7 days a week (not hours a day) and incorporate cardio 30-40 minutes and 1-2 hour workouts a day.

I provide personal training to non-athletes, such as yourselves, and recommend a 3-4 day/week cardio program; incorporating walking, cycling, running, elliptical, swimming, etc for 40-50 minutes and a 3 day/week 60-minute, upper/lower body split in the gym with the use of the equipment for muscle development, strength and toning. For most people, I advise doing cardio on the alternate days, i.e., Strength Training on M/W/F and Cardio Training on Tu/Th/Sat. Further, as a Certified Pilates Instructor, I also advise my clients to utilize 1-2x day/week of stretching and toning through pilates, yoga or tai-chi, for the reasons mentioned earlier. For example, one of these classes can be incorporated preceding/following a cardio session with great benefit for the overall body and psyche.

In this moderate approach to fitness and health, the muscles being work are given a chance for rest and recovery; the cardiovascular system is challenged with focused attention; flexibility and toning can be achieved with the mind/body programs. Lastly, by moderating your approach to the end goal, you are more likely to stay in the game and the process and enjoy the benefits free of pain and restriction.

Please come back and let us know how you are doing in about 6 months, won’t you?

Question

Is it better “cardio-vascular wise” to run 2 mi 3 times week or 3 miles twice a week?

Answer

In terms of cardiovascular fitness, it really depends on a number of factors – your age, your current health and your fitness levels. In all types of exercise, you need to ensure you start slowly and build up to more physically demanding workouts over time, especially if you have not been exercising as much previously.

In general, it is more beneficial to do some exercise which strengthens and works out the heart muscle around 3-4 times a week, to help the heart function properly and keep it healthy – this is what cardiovascular exercise does for the body. Also aim to incorporate some strength (or resistance) training in your work-outs on the other days, to improve muscle tone and keep your bones healthy.

A personal trainer can work out a fitness regime tailored just for you and help you get the most out of your exercise routine in terms of cardiovascular health, fat burning and strength training.