kentmac Member

Do the barbell squats as deep as you comfortably can. Instead of progressing weight every workout, you might want to stay with each increment for a few workouts and focus on hitting a slightly deeper depth each time. Also, consider trying some goblet squats, either in place of or addition to the regular squats on occasion.…

Yeah, that's essentially the "pump" that you get during higher repetition weight lifting. In terms of improving recovery, however, I would save this kind of activity for off days, not for during a heavy workout (which accomplish this as well, and the added training would be more of a stressor than a recovery aid.) For…

The best ways to tell if you're gaining muscle are a) you're getting stronger and b) your measurements are trending downward. If both of those are happening, don't worry what the scale is saying... it's lying to ya :-P

Hey guys, I'll do my best to keep active here, but I want to tell you about a new venue for Q&As! I get a lot of the same questions over n over, so I started a youtube channel where I'll be posting answer videos for any and all of your questions! That way, more people will be able to find them and make use of them. Check…

I like the term "journey" because it implies a venture into the unknown. You have an idea of where your going and how you're going to get there, but it never goes 100% as planned... You'll get sidetracked, lost, and maybe even have to retrace your steps along the way. Even if you don't end up where you thought you would,…

:smile:

I'd try mixing up your exercise a bit. Some high intensity interval training or free weight work could help shock your body into dropping weight more rapidly again. Otherwise, just stay the course! Remember the scale isn't always the best indicator of progress - try taking measurements to see if you're losing girth without…

It's hard to say just by looking at your diary (so many other factors can be involved,) but my main reaction is that your protein is way too low and your carbs are too high. Try to up your protein to 120g a day at least, leaving out some of those carbs to make room. Spreading your food out throughout the day shouldn't be a…

My pleasure!

Absolutely. The scale is a terrible measure of progress (particularly for people close to their goals, as you appear to be.) As long as the inches are coming off, don't even worry about the scale! You're still losing fat.

1. theoretically could burn more calories than just walking or jogging, but people look ridiculous doing it. If you want a full body cardio workout, go for a swim or hop on a rowing machine. 2. Muscles are either getting stronger or they're not. If they're not getting stronger, they're not getting any bigger or denser, so…

Dude... Absolutely AMAZING work. You should be seriously proud of yourself!

Eventually you'll feel comfortable eyeballing portions while you're eating out or dining with friends. I like to use my hand/fist as rough estimate for protein portions and things like that! Also, I like your point rungirl - weighing and measuring can be detrimental if it becomes obsessive, leading to binging down the…

My pleasure holly! Best of luck!

I like "no pain no gain" as a general philosophy, but there's a difference between a good pain (muscle soreness the day after a workout, some serious burn after a heavy set of squats,) and bad pain (can't walk because your lower back hurts, knees give out going up or down stairs.)

Calories burned is what matters at the end of the day, don't worry about if it's from fat or not. If you can handle higher intensity cardio to burn more calories in a given period of time, go for it! Working out should never feel easy... if it is, you're probably wasting your time. So push hard on that cardio! Just make…

:tongue: I'm tryin! It's way too much to type here, but I outline my general approach to fitness on my site at http://www.kentmccannfitness.com/guides

It turns out that while lower intensity cardio tends to burn more fat IN THE MOMENT and higher intensity burns more carbs IN THE MOMENT, all that really matters at the end of the day is total calories burned. I always tell people the most important things with cardio are 1) You enjoy it and 2) it doesn't interfere with…

If I were you, I'd eat right around maintenance and, if weight loss is still a goal, don't eat those calories back. If performance / muscle gain is more of your goal at the moment, eat some of the calories back, or all of them if you're totally ravenous. Hope that helps a bit! Kent

My cheeky response would be "if it hurts, don't do it," but that's not very productive, now is it...? Interval running can be quite taxing, especially if you're really giving it your all. I'd recommend doing something with less impact, like interval rowing (on a machine) or interval cycling (again, on a machine.) They…

If working out for 15 minutes is all you can handle right now, then yes, that absolutely counts as a workout! Slowly work up to being able to do more, but don't worry about it in the mean time... Constantly strive for improvement, and give each day your all. If you don't feel like you're burning enough calories, the…

Unfortunately there is no way to target fat loss to a specific area - it will come off from all over when you lose weight. However, some spots tend to be stubborn: in women, it's often fat on the thighs, buttocks, hips, and lower abdomen that tend to come off last. My initial recommendation would be to strengthen the…

Swimming is fantastic for people with joint issues! I would say try to encourage her to get back into that if at all possible. She could also try a recumbent bicycle (or the equivalent piece of cardio equipment at a gym.) They have 0 impact on the joints, but if her knees are really bad, it might still cause problems. The…

Net calories are the difference between how much you ate and how much you burned. It sounds like you know exactly where your problem lies! Eating too little and then binge eating is a surefire way to stagnate your weight loss... I'd recommend upping your calories to around 1400 per day in order to prevent those weekly…

Ahh the skinny fat... You're very right, you need to do some kind of strength training to tone up and be comfortable in that bikini. I'm not a huge fan of P90X, it's basically just glorified (and expensive) cardio. The key with strength training is progressive resistance: making each workout slightly more difficult than…

Ah fasting... Intermittent fasting can be a useful way to establish a caloric deficit, burn some fat, and it can be used in conjunction with proper strength training to maximize worthwhile utilization of macronutrients for muscle synthesis. However, it isn't a magic bullet, it doesn't fit every lifestyle, and it certainly…

It depends on your goals, your nutrition, and your weight training regimen. Generally, I recommend either HIIT (hill sprints, tabata circuits,) or low intensity steady state (long walks at a brisk pace.) I currently get most of my cardio at work as an EMT (carrying people up and down stairs, for example,) or going for…

It might not be how much you're eating at this point, but what you're eating, and when you're eating it! Be sure to emphasize lean proteins + veggies at every meal, with a bit of healthy fat as well, to keep your body utilizing it as an energy source. Also, there is such thing as too much cardio, just as you can eat too…

Low-carb would be the best bet for someone who is insulin resistant. Stick to protein/veggies/good fats for the majority of your meals, with some low-GI carbs (potatoes, whole grains) after tough workouts. Hope that helps! Kent McCann

It sounds like you know where most of your issues lay - you gotta find the best way to fit exercise into your schedule. Shift work is really a bear, but if waking up midday helps you get in that workout, I'd make a commitment to sticking to that for a few weeks, and see if you can keep it up consistently! In terms of…