Ask Gilad

THIS WEEK’S “ASK GILAD” BLOG

Question: If I stop exercising are my muscles going to turn to fat?

Answer: After age twenty, if we don't exercise and keep our muscles active, we begin gradually losing our muscle mass. Since most people who are inactive weigh more in their later years the conclusion is simple...they have replaced a lot of their muscle mass with fat.

Notice that I didn't say that their muscle has turned to fat, because muscle can never turn to fat, and fat can't turn to muscle. But muscle can be maintained and rebuilt and fat can be burned off at any age.

Muscular strength exercises are the quickest way to reshape, build, strengthen and tighten all the major muscle groups of the body helping you get that fit/lean look.

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Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

Is Weight Training Only For Men?

Question: I am a 55 year-old female and I like to do some aerobics to your show 'Bodies in Motion' about 3 times a week. I would like some more muscle mass but I am afraid to lift weights because I don't want to look muscle-bound. What should I do?

Answer: I recommend strength training. Basically that means using barbells, dumbbells, resistance machines and your own body weight to increase your muscle strength.

Years ago weight training was considered 'men's exercise', but that myth no longer applies. Women who weight train, and I'm not referring to body builders per se, have discovered that working with weights makes them slimmer, firmer, stronger and more attractive looking than just doing aerobic exercise alone.

I recommend strength training. Basically that means using barbells, dumbbells, resistance machines and your own body weight to increase your muscle strength. Years ago weight training was considered 'men's exercise', but that myth no longer applies. Women who weight train, and I'm not referring to body builders per se, have discovered that working with weights makes them slimmer, firmer, stronger and more attractive looking than just doing aerobic exercise alone.

And it doesn't take long. Most people who take up weight training start seeing noticeable differences in their bodies in six to ten weeks.

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

How To Improve Muscular Strength & Definition

Question: I do your aerobic workouts along with my wife but I would like to take it to the next level. I would like to work on my muscular strength and definition. How should I proceed? My wife doesn't want to bulk up like a body builder.

Answer: Muscular strength can be improved by the use of free weights, weight machines, special bands and other resistance devices. In addition, many of my workouts work on muscle definition. Workouts such as 'Cuts & Curves' or any that have the words 'Sculpt' or 'Tone' in the title or description will work as well.

Improving your muscular strength will generally improve your muscular endurance too. Muscular strength can be improved by progressively overloading the muscles, or continually challenging your muscles with greater amounts of weight or resistance.

Many people, women especially, shy away from weightlifting because they think it will give them large, bulky muscles like the ones you see in bodybuilding magazines. It is important to remember that you can shape your muscles any way you want. If you would prefer toned, tight smaller muscles, they can be attained by tailoring your weight training program.

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Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

How to Improve Flexibility

Question: My wife and I exercise to your workouts. When it comes to the final stretch it is much easier for her. She has a much greater range of motion than I do. Is this something I need to work on?

Answer: Some people are more flexible than others. And, generally speaking, women tend to be more flexible than men. Much of flexibility depends on genetics but anybody can improve their flexibility through proper stretching.

Proper stretching means stretching when the muscles are warm, such as toward the end of a warm-up or at the very end of a workout. Cold muscles and tendons do not have enough elasticity to be stretched. They must be warmed first.

Proper stretching also means static stretching - holding each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds. Avoid any bouncing movement when you stretch. Although you will sometimes see people do it, there should be no bouncing or ballistic movements in stretching. Movements of this type can actually cause tiny tears in the muscles being stretched.

You may never be quite as flexible as your wife but you can always improve on your flexibility.

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Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

How Can I Avoid Eating Salt?

by Gilad

Question: If I quit using salt on my food altogether is that too much? I know the body does need some salt. 

Answer: Salt, like sugar, is an acquired taste. Salt, or sodium, is needed by the body, but in very small amounts, amounts that occur naturally in the non-processed foods we eat. Too much sodium in the body can result in high blood pressure, which unfortunately often goes unnoticed until it causes a stroke or heart attack.

 It would be virtually impossible not to get enough sodium in our diets...unless we were starving ourselves. Sodium is found in nearly everything we eat and is found in excess in processed and canned foods. Some of the worst culprits are:

CANNED SOUPS * FROZEN DINNERS * FAST FOODS * CHEESES * SMOKED AND PROCESSED MEATS * POTATO CHIPS * SALTED NUTS * CRACKERS * CATSUP * SOY SAUCE * PICKLES * OLIVES * MANY CEREALS * TOMATO JUICE * VEGETABLE JUICE * ETC.  

As you can see, it would be impossible to eliminate too much salt from your diet.

Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

Are There Good Carbohydrates?

Question: What is the difference between complex carbohydrates and simple carbohydrates?

 

Answer: The carbohydrates in your diet should be complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates should be avoided. Simple carbohydrates are sugars that are converted into glucose and absorbed by the blood too rapidly. They will give you an immediate shot of energy followed by a sudden loss of energy. Simple carbohydrates include sweets like candy, cookies and desserts and anything made with white flour...like sandwiches made with white bread, white rice, flour tortillas, etc. You may notice that after you have a lunch of a sandwich on a French roll you feel tired an hour later. That is because white flour has almost the same effect on the bloodstream as straight table sugar.  
Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, are made up of starches and fibers, and break down into glucose slowly providing a consistent supply of energy for a long period of time. 
Foods high in complex carbohydrates include vegetables cooked or raw, potatoes, whole grain breads, pastas and cereals, legumes (beans, peas, lentils) seeds and nuts.

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Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

How Many Days A Week Should I Exercise?

Gilad: How often should I exercise?

Answer: This is a general question so I will give a general answer.
No matter what kind of training you do, I recommend that you exercise at least 3 times a week. If your fitness level is high enough you should be exercising more often, maybe 5 or 6 times a week. But I do believe that everyone should take at least one day a week off from any exercise program. One day of complete rest for the body will vastly improve your performance on the other 6 days.

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Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

Metabolism Verses Diet

Gilad: How does what I eat affect my metabolic rate?

Answer: If your goal is to lose weight you are going to want to increase your metabolic rate. Regular exercise raises your metabolic rate and plays a major role in building lean muscles and burning body fat. The more lean muscles you have the higher your metabolic rate will be, even at rest, for this very simple reason. Muscles burn calories. Fat does not!

To better understand how food works in our metabolism I will use a campfire as an example. The flames represent the body's metabolic rate and the logs represent the food. If we don't add logs to the fire eventually the flames will burn out. If we overload the fire with logs chances are good that it won't burn well. In fact, it could easily choke! The best way to keep a good fire going is to add logs on a regular basis. The same goes for your body. You need to feed it regularly with quality food to keep the metabolic rate burning most efficiently.

Maintain a healthy balance between a good diet and regular exercise and you will be amazed at how quickly you will see and feel the changes in your body and energy level!

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Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

Fitness & Diet Do's and Don'ts

Gilad:

What are some fitness/diet do's and don'ts for hard training male and females 50 years old plus? 

 

Answer:
When we go into our fifties it is more important than ever to pay close attention to our nutrition since the metabolism slows down and everything we eat seems to want to stick to all the wrong places... Nutrition wise it is very important to eat lean and healthy foods and of course not over eat.

Lean proteins, good complex crabs (yams and sweet potatoes, brown rice, whole grain etc.) green veggies and 3 servings of fruits a day are a good base. In regards to exercise, when you get into your fifties consistency becomes way more important the intensity.

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Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.

 

This Week's "Ask Gilad" Blog

Gilad:

Good day, Gilad.
I pray you are well and having a great day.
I have diastasis recti and was wondering how this can be corrected without surgery.
Thank you.

 

Answer:
I think the best thing for this situation is to consult a physical therapist since they would need to determine the level of separation in the abdominal muscles. It is difficult for me to recommend any specific exercise without understanding your condition better. I do believe that with the right physical therapy you can avoid having to go through surgery. I wish you all the best!

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Have a question for Gilad? Click HERE and send it in! Gilad will choose one question each week to answer.

Find out more information about Gilad and his Fitness DVD's HERE.