Ask Gilad

THIS WEEK’S “ASK GILAD” BLOG

Question: I have upped my free weights program recently and I have a feeling that I am not eating enough protein to sustain it. I am going to up my intake of protein. What is the best way?

Answer: Be careful when choosing the types of protein you eat. Despite our increased knowledge of nutrition, at least one out of five people are still eating a greasy bacon cheeseburger for lunch. Certainly it has protein, and plenty of it, but it also comes with an artery-clogging quantity of fat. That same person is probably having red meat at one or two more meals of the day, maybe bacon and eggs for breakfast or a big steak for dinner. That average diet is way too high in fat...and probably unnecessarily high in protein as well. While eating too much protein is not going to harm you the way eating too much fat is, it is still tough on the body.
Remember the alternate, non-animal sources of protein like rice, beans, seeds and nuts and bon appetit!

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

Question: What types of exercise require a warm-up and can you explain what a warm-up consists of?

Answer: No matter what physical activity you are about to perform it is always important to start with a general warm-up. A general warm-up should start with some short easy aerobics to raise your heart rate and get your blood circulating. These aerobics should consist of 3 to 5 minutes of light aerobic activity like marching or jogging in place, fast walking, low impact knee lifts, side stepping or any easy aerobics.
Then move on to more specific stretching exercises targeting the muscles you will be using in the sport or workout you are about to engage in.
A general warm-up will help you prevent injury and allow you to get a better overall workout. So, before you do any exercise, warm up!

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.

Cholesterol: Good or Bad?

Question: What is cholesterol and why is it so bad for us?

Answer: Cholesterol is the waxy substance in body tissues that is associated with hardening of the arteries and heart disease. Cholesterol is also an essential substance in our systems though, one which we need to survive. It forms cell membranes, lines our nerves and makes up much of our brain tissue. Too much cholesterol is not good. More specifically, too much of the wrong type of cholesterol is not good.
The body has 2 different types of cholesterol. HDL - High Density Lipoprotein (or 'good cholesterol') and LDL - Low Density Lipoprotein (or 'bad cholesterol').
It is the balance between these two types of cholesterol that is so essential for good health.

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

Question: What is the difference between my aerobic and anaerobic Systems?

Answer: One of the main goals of my fitness programs is to improve the efficiency of the aerobic and anaerobic systems. The aerobic system can provide a steady supply of energy with minimal fatigue for an extended period of time such as in long distance running.  In this case the goal is to increase the rate at which oxygen can be supplied to the muscles through what we call aerobic/cardio workouts.

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

Question: I'm 62 years old and I want to build more muscle and lose fat. How much protein do I need? 

Answer:

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

Question: Tell me about FAT in my diet.  Should I be trying to eliminate all of it?

Answer: Just hearing the word 'FAT' probably makes you shudder because fat has gotten a lot of bad press lately. We have all heard the warnings by now. Excess fat in our diets is blamed for arteriosclerosis, chronic heart disease, cancer, etc. But don't forget the fact that fat is also an important nutrient source for the body. Fat keeps you warm, lubricates your cells and helps your body absorb important vitamins and minerals.
Fat comes in saturated forms such as in butter and lard, and unsaturated forms such as plant oils. The saturated fats are the ones to watch especially carefully because they contain large amounts of cholesterol. Unsaturated fats have just as many calories as other fats but they do not contain cholesterol and they do provide us with an essential fatty acid, linoleic acid.
I suggest you do some more research about the specific fats you are consuming before eliminating all of them.

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

Question: I have had your tapes for 20 years and your sisters as well, my question is What type of exercises should I do to avoid getting problems with sciatic nerve pain . Thank you for teaching me to stay motivated.  Laura

Answer: 

Laura, Sciatic nerve pain is a complicated one. As a general rule I would try to avoid any exercise that put pressure on the lower back and try to focus on easy stretching.

Any exercise you can do that helps 'open' the lower back area could be helpful such as laying on your back with your legs against a wall at a 90 degree angle for 10-15 minutes could be helpful.

Also, Childs pose with a pillow tucked between your upper thighs and lower abs to create space for the lower back can help. Another good stretch would be to do standing gentle waist twists from side to side.

I would avoid doing exercises that require deep forward flexion or extension and exercise that put pressure on the lower back such as squats with weights.

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

Question: How do I measure my body fat?

Answer: You can find out your percentage of body fat by being weighed under water (hydrostatic weighing) or by using skinfold calipers.  Since most households don't have an underwater scale you are probably going to want to go with the calipers.  Most hospitals, sports medicine clinics and many health clubs perform skinfold caliper body fat testing in which the skin is 'pinched' between calipers and measured.  It is very important, however, that the technician using the calipers knows what he or she is doing.  It is easy to get a misreading.  You might want to have your caliper test done twice by two different people.  Hydrostatic weighing, where your underwater weight is compared to your dry-land weight to determine body density, is a more accurate method of measuring body fat. 

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

Question: I have been exercising with you for 2 years and I am happy with what I have accomplished, but now I want more! I want to develop my core. I want to be able to participate in track and field events and I want to be able to swim better. Where should I start?

Answer: You have reached your initial goal and now you are feeling like you can conquer the world. It's a great feeling, isn't it? A good way to move forward is to make a list of the new goals you want to achieve. Review your list once a week or so to see if you are progressing, maintaining or slipping back into old habits.
Remember, work patiently and progressively on one goal at a time. Don't overdo it. The key is to avoid discouragement at all times. Instead, encourage success! Tell yourself that you are in control of your eating and exercise habits. They do not control you. Tailor-make a plan that works for you.

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

Question: It took me several months to get to the level of fitness that I am at now.  I lost close to 30 pounds and I don't have to struggle to do the workouts anymore.  My problem is, I am very happy with where I am fitness-wise but I am wondering if I could actually take it to another level.  Is it worth the effort?

Answer: It's all a matter of desire. Whether you are just starting a fitness program or increasing the intensity of your program, there will always be an initial period of accommodation and discomfort until your body and mind adjust to the new demands. This period should not last more than about 3 to 4 weeks. Soon you will realize that you are working at the level you set out to achieve. It takes less effort to do tasks that several weeks earlier you could only imagine doing.  If you begin and stick to a new or expanded exercise program for 3 to 6 months, It's a safe bet that you will feel better and look better than you ever have.

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.