Fitness FAQs

Why are carbohydrates important?
How do I lose stubborn fat?
How can I get more energy?
THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS I AM MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED:

The first rule for exercise and energy is to eat properly before working out. You can't take MY kickboxing class without eating breakfast! It is not at all uncommon for a couple of people from my kickbox class to break away from class and lean heavily against the wall. They feel dizzy, lightheaded, and/or nauseous. My first question is always, "Did you eat breakfast?" and nine times out of ten, the answer is 'no.' I can take aerobics, jazzercise, step, ride the bike, run three miles, or work the Stairmaster and not eat breakfast -- although I would be dragging. But there is no way I can take my own bootcamp-style class without breakfast. Why? It is a major carbohydrate burner and, simply put, without carbs, you are finished before you start.

You may be thinking you, "Yeah, but I want to lose weight." But blood sugar is the body's most powerful hunger signal. While you sleep, your body utilizes much of the carbohydrate stores in the liver that help maintain healthy levels of blood sugar. By skipping breakfast, you are sending messages to the brain that essentially scream starvation. The result? You overeat to compensate for the 'starving' signals, eating a bigger lunch than you need and throughout the rest of the day. In reality, those who eat breakfast maintain and even lose weight more successfully because they have (1) the proper hunger signals and (2) more energy to burn more calories. On the practical side, without energy your workouts are going to be less effective. Thus, you burn fewer calories.

Always Eat a Good Breakfast.
Good carbohydrates are what will carry you through a tough workout and throughout the day. "But, what are good carbs?"

Carbohydrates -- Ultimate Energy Foods
Breads- (1 ounce/1 slice)
Bagel, mini, whole-grain
Bread, whole-grain Muffin, high fiber
Pita, whole-grain
Tortilla, whole-grain

Cereal - (1/2 cup)
Cereal, cooked
Cereal, dry
Cereal, granol

Legumes (1/3 cup) 
Beans, black
Beans, kidney
Beans, lima
Beans, pinto
Beans, white
Lentils
Peas, black-eyed
Peas, split

Whole Grains (1/2 cup)
Pasta, whole-wheat,
Bulgar, cooked

Crackers/Snack Foods
Crackers (6)
Melba Toast (5)
Popcorn, air-popped (3 cups)
Pretzels (3/4 ounce)
Rye Crisp (4)
Tortilla Chips (8) *all considered 1 serving

No Carbs Diet
Muscles NEED calories, carbs, and protein to grow. Carbs are crucial for fuel in high-intensity training programs and meet your energy and tissue building needs. There is a reason why people burn out on no-carb diets.

Lose That Stubborn Fat Forget the diet pills and starvation diets. They DO NOT WORK. Here are four simple things you can do to lose weight that will gaurantee success...

1. Eat four to six small meals a day. By eating smaller, healthy meals, you are working out without realizing it. Each time you eat, your body works to break down the food. By overeating, fat is stored more easily. You will feel more energized and more likely to stay active with smaller meals.

2. Consume the majority of your carbohydrates before 1 p.m. By eating low proteins throughout the rest of the day, your body will literally burn off the carbs for your daily fuel. Remember that 'un-used' carbs will be stored as fat in your body.

3. Drink more water and fewer colas. Our bodies LOVE sodas/sodium and will hold on to that excess water weight while pure water flushes through the system, taking impurities with it.

4. Exercise. Even a walk around the block every night will help boost your metabolism. A higher metabolism burns fat even while you are sleeping.

Low on energy?
Forget those promising ads to burn fat and add energy while eating more and exercising less. As the United States government is conducting more and more tests, we are discovering some of these so-called magic pills may be very harmful to our health. Your answer for more energy may be found in another little over-the-counter pill called IRON. You may be iron deficient. Not anemic but iron deficient. Studies have shown that iron deficiency hinders aerobic training and reduces your level of endurance. So, power up and take a 50-milligram iron pill with your multi-vitamin every day.

Vitamin C & E
Recover more quickly from sore muscles and fight injuries and illness.

Got a question about training and pregnancy?
Log on to www.pregnancy.org to ask Alex about personal training, safety tips, and more.

Or Contact us with a personal training question

THE LOCKER ROOM
Doing it all with our kids can be exhausting. How do you know when too much is too much? I had the chance to interview sports greats Evander Holyfield, Mia Hamm, Bo Jackson, Bonnie Blair, Mary Lou Retton, Tony Dorsett, Peggy Fleming, and track star Gwen Torrence and asked how can parents fine tune an athletic talent without putting on too much pressure. Their advice?:

Downtime for Fun -- Whatever the sport, get the whole family involved. Playing a little one-on-one for fun teaches your child about sportsmanship and camaraderie, but also allows your child to show you what moves he or she has.

Learn to Talk the Talk -- Learning the art of pumping yourself up is vital. Many star athletes report their parents put posters on their walls with positive statements such as, "You Are Great," "You Are Loved," and "You Know You Can." Even better, get a dialogue going and have your child tell you why he or she is great.

Practice Makes Perfect - For all the talk of inner drive and passion, there still has to be technique. Being armed with self-confidence and drive is great, but let's build on the foundation. Get extra coaching, ask teammates for tips, and teach your child that practice gives the desired results.

There Is No "Second Sucks" -- It's a slogan that makes professional and Olympic athletes cringe. True athletes do not adopt this attitude. The purpose for your child playing is not to defeat the other team or opponent, but to display all the skills he or she has. Teach your child that each competition is an opportunity to improve skills and learn the game. When a child truly adopts this philosophy, then a star is born.

Log on to www.todaynewspapers.net to see Alexandra's (search Alex Allred) The Locker Room every first and third Thursday of the month.