[PleaseCallMeSam]

Hello all, my name's Sam and I've been a trainer for a few years now (currently inactive because I'm attending school). I've been a member on this forum for not too long and already I've noticed that the majority on here are mainly focused on weight loss and having the average build. But with that, I also read a lot of questions about diet and exercise and some suggestions I read were pretty out there. I also noticed that some guy on here is also a trainer and has a topic where you can ask him questions and such and thought that was a good idea, yeah I know, it seems like I'm a rip of that guy's idea but really I'm not. I have the experience behind me and I have also trained people for bodybuilding, triathlons, and basic fitness so I have a good measure of experience in all aspects of fitness. Also I have a degree in exercise physiology and nutrition.

So please, don't hesitate to ask any questions regarding fitness and nutrition. Whether it's something you heard from a friend, the internet, the radio or wherever and you want a second opinion, or if it's just a question that's been lingering in the back of your mind, or if you need the motivation to keep working out and stay on that hard diet, come stop by and I'll support everyone in all ways that I can.

I really hope people take advantage of this because I hate the idea of people being out there and lost on where to go or who to ask about their questions.
There's no such thing as a stupid question so ask away.

Man I hope you guys read this...
...and then ask questions.

[dancelover]

thanks for your thread! just wanted to show some support. i also have a question. i know it's really good to drink water, so i try drinking water before i eat and in between meals, but i get hungry really fast. is there any way to decrease that hunger?

[watcher]

i need some basic guidlines on increasing strength.

[k1nkychinky]

hellooo thanks for making another thread about fitness, the other thread seems like no ones replyin.
so neways i know that pop is bad for you and all. but coke is like my gas keeps me alive, i was just wondering is coke zero bad for you, is it just as bad for you as regular coke? and wat about carbonated water?

please and thanks

[PleaseCallMeSam]

thanks for your thread! just wanted to show some support. i also have a question. i know it's really good to drink water, so i try drinking water before i eat and in between meals, but i get hungry really fast. is there any way to decrease that hunger?

Thank you very much! Wow, I'm glad you guys/gals started asking right away! I apologize for any delayed responses ahead of time, I'll try to answer any questions asap.

Drinking at least 8-10 glasses of water is spectacular, now if you can drink more than that throughout the day, more power to you! Okay, if you want to decrease your hunger during your main meals, I suggest snacking in tiny amounts every 1-2 hours, it keeps your metabolism LIT so you'll still be really hungry but the hunger you'll feel between the snacks is okay, as long as you're bringing in that water as much as you can throughout the whole day, so try not to drink a lot in just a few sittings, spread the water throughout the day, it helps to burn and keep off the fat!

For the small snacks, I suggest going to any food store, especially a whole foods place where they sell natural nuts in their own section where you can pick out however much you want and getting LOADS of un salted nuts, preferably almonds, they contain the highest amount of essential fatty acids (those are REALLY good for you, especially if you're low-carb).

I hope this helps, if not, give me your diet plan and what times you eat so I can look at it for you.

Thanks for keepin me busy with questions!

[PleaseCallMeSam]

i need some basic guidlines on increasing strength.

I'm assuming you're already of aware of the basic terms since you're looking into strength training : ) So moving from there, the big 3's are the BEST way to start, those being the benchpress, the squat, and the deadlift. On the benchpress, it's not about the numbers you put up so don't ever worry about that, and anyone who points and laughs because you're not using "a buttload of weight" is the one who obvious should be laughed at, it's form over ego. So to really get an idea of how much you should be lifting, find out what your 1 rep max (1RM) is (the maximum amount of weight you can safely benchpress through the whole motion on your own without a spotter).

After you find that out, do 1 set of 12-15 reps with 30% of your 1RM, 1 set of 12-15 reps with 40% of your 1RM, and then a final set with 50% 1RM.

For squats, you need to find a comfortable weight where you can go below parallel, that is, to go beyond sitting position and to an actual squatting position (imagine, if you will, like you're trying to take a poo behind the bushes). Now foot positioning is CRUCIAL to this because if you don't want thicker thighs for athletics, point your toes inward like a pigeon, but if you want athletic and shapely thighs, point your toes outward like a penguin. And if you just want to lift a lot of weight to REALLY strengthen your legs for a stronger kick in sports or a higher jump in let's say volleyball or basketball, then point your dominant foot inward while keeping your other foot straight for a better balance. And ALWAYS keep your feet a little more narrow than shoulder-width. I usually use shoulder width because I like to have athletic looking legs, it doesn't make my thighs much bigger but it gives that really toned look by the hamstring.
So for toned and strong legs - Toes IN
for thicker legs with bigger hamstrings - Toes OUT
for thick legs with a stronger kick AND hamstrings - Dominant toe IN, other toe STRAIGHT and shoulder-width apart.

Ah, now for my most FAVORITE exercise...the DEADLIFT.
Now if you've done any search on this exercise, I'm sure you've come across MANY variations such as the stiff-legged deadlift to Romanian deadlift.
We won't worry about those for basic strength training : )
We'll focus on BASIC deads.

It is VERY important that you keep your lower back straight AT ALL TIMES on this exercise or you can pinch a nerve or pull a muscle which can impair you for weeks. Big no-no. So if you can, get a friend to watch your form until you have it down, and practice with just an olympic bar without the weights while doing this.
Just like the squat, find a good comfy weight at first to get your form down for the first few weeks. Footing is JUST AS IMPORTANT in this exercise as it is in the squat and the same rules apply.
I usually use the basic dominant toe in and shoulder width apart rule.
Now when you bring the weight up and bring it back down, bend your knees but not your back, don't keep your legs stiff because you'll get enough of a leg workout from squats.
Do 5-6 sets of 10-12 reps each set.
...that's about it when it comes to this exercise : )

Good luck to you! Watch that form!!!

hellooo thanks for making another thread about fitness, the other thread seems like no ones replyin.
so neways i know that pop is bad for you and all. but coke is like my gas keeps me alive, i was just wondering is coke zero bad for you, is it just as bad for you as regular coke? and wat about carbonated water?

please and thanks

Haha funny you ask because as school-mate asked me the same quesion today..and he actually brought one to drink! Um in my opinion, if you're dieting down strictly but leaving yourself some room for sweets here and there, you can have one of those a week but no more. I mean, it's not as bad as regular pop, but it still has aspartame, which is still bad but not nearly as bad as plain sugar. BUT it also still contains fructose and other forms of it! I mean if you're not too stressed about your diet and you're happy with your figure and you're just trying to keep it, I guess you can have one every other day but...that stuff's just plain bad for you! haha sorry to bear the bad news : \

What I like to do is ONLY drink pop when I'm dining out at a restaurant but only if they offer fountain drinks. But if it's a nicer restaurant where I have to order drinks, I usually stick with water.

Carbonated water. What can I say? I love this stuff. Well, mineral water to be exact. I know it tastes funky but if you really can't stand it, CLUB SODA! Haha, I live by a grocery mart that carries orange flavored club soda and I get it every once in a while to treat myself. This is my form of pop! If anything, I recommend replacing your coke love (both the soda and the drug) with flavored club soda. It's a WHOLE lot better for you and just as good!

Sorry if I brought disappointing news to you : \ But I promise to be honest.

[shinuko]

What is the key for losing that last 10 pounds!?

[Kalesty]

I'm going to jump on the bandwagon here and ask a question, because I honestly have no clue whatsoever about fitness/health related topics.

Swimming for weight loss: yes/no?

There's an insane amount of studies about this when I googled it, and the information confuses me. Half of the websites say swimming increases hunger, doesn't get your heart rate up, builds a layer of fat on your body, etc. so it isn't good for weight loss. But I was always lead to believe that swimming is a great form of exercise, so I'm at a loss here.

Thanks in advance :]

[PleaseCallMeSam]

What is the key for losing that last 10 pounds!?

AWW did you hit the plateau where you can't seem to lose the last bit? The key is to SURPRISE your body with sweet treats and high carbs every saturday or sunday, for the whole day you can treat yourself. But the remaining 6 days, stay strict! And keep up with your exercise : ) For your exercises switch up your routine every week because you're body will learn, keep it guessing and you'll burn more fat!

[addickshun]

your thread is really useful.

[yuna]

Because of the crappy weather here( it either rains/snow every day), I'm not motivated to do outdoor exercises...But then these days I feel so tired that I can't concentrate on studying... So I was wondering what are some easy indoor exercises I could do indoor after I get off school?

[nymph]

What degree do you hold in exercise and nutrition? What school did you go to, when did you graduate, what are you currently attending school for, how old are you?

[yvonnex3]

i was wondering what is the best dvd for pilates for beginners to get toned bodies and long muscles.

[PleaseCallMeSam]

I'm going to jump on the bandwagon here and ask a question, because I honestly have no clue whatsoever about fitness/health related topics.

Swimming for weight loss: yes/no?

There's an insane amount of studies about this when I googled it, and the information confuses me. Half of the websites say swimming increases hunger, doesn't get your heart rate up, builds a layer of fat on your body, etc. so it isn't good for weight loss. But I was always lead to believe that swimming is a great form of exercise, so I'm at a loss here.

Thanks in advance :]

I agree with you that swimming is GREAT exercise BUT it has to be put in as a cardio activity. So for weight loss it's not that great on it's own but as one of your activities in accordance to a cardio plan, then yes it's a great activity.

So in all, swimming for weight loss is a no.
I never recommended this to my clients because yes, it does put a layer of fat over those hard-earned muscles because that's your body's way of keeping itself warm from the cold waters.
Yes it does increase hunger but that's the whole point of exercise, to increase the amount of calories burned, and swimming is a GREAT way to burn those calories!
I'm not sure who said it doesn't get your heart rate up but I beg to differ because swimming laps is incredibly demanding of the whole body and it definitely gets the heart rate up and keeps it there. Maybe they were just sitting around in a pool expecting to lose weight? Who knows.

Honestly though, I've only worked with people who really had to diet down hard for bodybuilding contests and figure contests so I kept them away from the pool most always but for a regular person, that tiny bit of fat isn't noticeable. So if you're not planning on peeling down for a figure n fitness contest, swim to your hearts content and screw what the research says! It's a GREAT way to get your heart rate up and an excellent form of burning calories because it sure beats the heck out of running! Plus it's easier on the knees compared to running so you're all set for swimming if you wanna get/stay fit.

Have fun with the swim!

your thread is really useful.

Thank you! Feel free to make use of it anytime!

Because of the crappy weather here( it either rains/snow every day), I'm not motivated to do outdoor exercises...But then these days I feel so tired that I can't concentrate on studying... So I was wondering what are some easy indoor exercises I could do indoor after I get off school?

If you don't have a treadmill, elliptical, stair-stepper, or anything like that, I suggest good old fashioned jumping jacks. I do them everyday because I don't want to run in the rain here. I do count my jumping jacks like this: for every 3 jumping jacks, it's counted as 1. So it goes like this: 1,2,3-1. 1,2,3-2. 1,2,3-3. 1,2,3,-4. Get what I mean? And also do 3 sets with 10 reps of pushups. Do your first set with your hands shoulder-width apart, a second set with them super wide (to hit the inner chest), and then the third set with a narrower position. Don't go too narrow because then they'll work out your triceps! And then finish off the routine with 3 sets with 15-20 reps of twisting crunches to get an all-ab workout. Twisting crunches hit the upper and lower abs but also your obliques to burn love handles.

Good luck! And stay warm!

What degree do you hold in exercise and nutrition? What school did you go to, when did you graduate, what are you currently attending school for, how old are you?

I hold an associates in nutrition from American River College but also a professional degree which holds a bachelors equivalence from the International Sports and Science Association. I also have the same background for exercise physiology (they go hand-in-hand). I'm currently attending school to be a pharmacist and am looking forward to graduating later this year.

And my age...hmm....you guys think I should answer this one? Hahaha this one isn't related so I'll just skip this one.

No, I'm not older than 25, but i'm no younger than 20.

I have been into fitness from high school as I was in track and rugby. So I've had a good amount of time to really look into the anatomy of fitness.

I like the speculation, it shows that you expect me to inform you with factual and proven knowledge : )

[NekoYasha]

Ahh...I just went swimming also~! TT_____TT I didn't know it builds a layer of fat~! A lot of people told me that swimming helps you lose the fat because you are exercise your whole body...sigh. >_<;

How does running on the treadmill help you? Does it help you lose weight? ...or gain weight because of the muscles you are building? Or make your legs thinner...or bulker? O___o;;

Thank you for making this thread~!!! =D

<edit> I just checked out this thread...
http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?sho...94493&st=20

O___o;; Does it really work...? It seems kinda.....stupid. >__<;;;

[PleaseCallMeSam]

Ahh...I just went swimming also~! TT_____TT I didn't know it builds a layer of fat~! A lot of people told me that swimming helps you lose the fat because you are exercise your whole body...sigh. >_<;

How does running on the treadmill help you? Does it help you lose weight? ...or gain weight because of the muscles you are building? Or make your legs thinner...or bulker? O___o;;

Thank you for making this thread~!!! =D

<edit> I just checked out this thread...
http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?sho...94493&st=20

O___o;; Does it really work...? It seems kinda.....stupid. >__<;;;

hahaha don't stress, no worries if you go swimming! I promise you that if you're not totally dieting down to see every muscle fiber for a figure contest, you won't have to worry. But if you want those six pack abs, I wouldn't recommend swimming : \ but it WILL give you a VERY fit shape and figure so swim on!

Running helps you lose weight the same way swimming does, it brings up your metabolic rate which means your body is eating more of your energy cells (glycemic stores, and essential fatty acids) to use for energy. So you're actually burning fat by moving more, so the rate at which you're burning fat is your calorie count. So the more you exercise and the more consistent you are with your exercising and intensity, the more calories you'll burn because you're muscles are working.

hahahaha that's hecka confusing huh?

Running is like swimming. You have to work your body hard so you're muscles are eating away at everything (good and bad). Yes your legs will get a little thicker when you run more but they'll be shapely and very athletic looking, just like what happens when you swim all the time, your shoulders get used more so they get a little bigger but not enough for them to be bad, just enough to build a strong frame.

Have fun with your swimming and running, but most importantly, don't regret the swimming! It's good for you!

[aquapoppie]

Hi, I have a question about exercising with injuries or strain...

I have a bad shoulder (it's slightly out of alignment) and I was told that putting weight on it would make it likely to become dislocated. I want to continue doing weight-bearing exercises for my arms, shoulders, and back, but I'm scared to aggravate my shoulder and/or put my posture off balance by putting more weight on my good shoulder.

Are there any good upper body weight-bearing/resistance exercises you'd recommend that avoids the shoulders? Thanks in advance.

[PleaseCallMeSam]

Hi, I have a question about exercising with injuries or strain...

I have a bad shoulder (it's slightly out of alignment) and I was told that putting weight on it would make it likely to become dislocated. I want to continue doing weight-bearing exercises for my arms, shoulders, and back, but I'm scared to aggravate my shoulder and/or put my posture off balance by putting more weight on my good shoulder.

Are there any good upper body weight-bearing/resistance exercises you'd recommend that avoids the shoulders? Thanks in advance.

Is this a sports-related strain? If it's out of alignment and you're looking to hit the weights for any of the upper body, I highly recommend you not do it. I've seen a lot of other trainers out there who REALLY know what they're doing and still manage to find some way to have their clients get injured with an active recovery. Because your shoulder is involved with every movement of most every exercise, I would have to say you should really restrain from lifting weights until you're 100% back. Believe me, waiting to come back with 100% recovery is MUCH better than injuring your shoulder again which could make it even worse but also extend the time you have to take off from weights : \ I'm a very high believer in active recovery but when it comes to shoulders, I'm gonna ask you to sit it out. It's too dangerous : \

In the meantime, keep your body loaded with the lean meats, plenty of protein from shakes, and branch chain amino acids so you don't lose you're muscle mass you have now. Also take glutamine to keep your insulin levels dormant. You don't wanna spike your insulin levels while you're out on an injury because you can get fat and lose the muscle. So make sure you bring in at least 1.2 x your body weight in protein to maintain your muscles and recover faster!

I hope you make a fast but full recovery! And be careful!

All right world, I'm going to bed and then getting up and spending most of my day at school! So I apologize if you have to wait for a long time for my response but I'll try my best to get to you guys as soon as possible! Thanks for coming to me with all your questions, it means a lot that you guys actually value my opinions enough to ask me for advice! You guys/gals are the best! So good night world and I hope to respond to each and every person with helpful tips or advice whenever I get the chance! So please be patient for I'm still a student haha, much love folks!

[yuna]

If you don't have a treadmill, elliptical, stair-stepper, or anything like that, I suggest good old fashioned jumping jacks. I do them everyday because I don't want to run in the rain here. I do count my jumping jacks like this: for every 3 jumping jacks, it's counted as 1. So it goes like this: 1,2,3-1. 1,2,3-2. 1,2,3-3. 1,2,3,-4. Get what I mean? And also do 3 sets with 10 reps of pushups. Do your first set with your hands shoulder-width apart, a second set with them super wide (to hit the inner chest), and then the third set with a narrower position. Don't go too narrow because then they'll work out your triceps! And then finish off the routine with 3 sets with 15-20 reps of twisting crunches to get an all-ab workout. Twisting crunches hit the upper and lower abs but also your obliques to burn love handles.

Good luck! And stay warm!

I can't do push ups T_T, I guess I'll try the jumping jacks and the crunches..
Time for me to get a mat.. Thanks for the advice!

[watcher]

I'm assuming you're already of aware of the basic terms since you're looking into strength training : ) So moving from there, the big 3's are the BEST way to start, those being the benchpress, the squat, and the deadlift. On the benchpress, it's not about the numbers you put up so don't ever worry about that, and anyone who points and laughs because you're not using "a buttload of weight" is the one who obvious should be laughed at, it's form over ego. So to really get an idea of how much you should be lifting, find out what your 1 rep max (1RM) is (the maximum amount of weight you can safely benchpress through the whole motion on your own without a spotter).

After you find that out, do 1 set of 12-15 reps with 30% of your 1RM, 1 set of 12-15 reps with 40% of your 1RM, and then a final set with 50% 1RM.

...

Good luck to you! Watch that form!!!

thx for the info

if i cannot pull through on the final set, is this a factor of not having enough energy or not enough strength? or is this something i need to experiment a few times to figure out?

hahaha don't stress, no worries if you go swimming! I promise you that if you're not totally dieting down to see every muscle fiber for a figure contest, you won't have to worry. But if you want those six pack abs, I wouldn't recommend swimming : \ but it WILL give you a VERY fit shape and figure so swim on!

does the rule apply for heated pools at the gym? they're not really that cold, though i guess they're slightly cool?

also... what's a good duration for zig-zag? every 2 weeks? every month?