Exercise & Fitness FAQ

Your body prefers to run on the sugar in your blood (glucose). Carbohydrates like bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, cereal, crackers (starch), fruit or fruit juice are good foods to eat before exercise as they quickly break down into glucose. After exercise, carbohydrates quickly replace glucose your body used during exercise.

Another important food to eat before and during exercise is water. Read the fluids topic for more information.
 

Hello, I am 5'2" and weigh 130 lb. I have lost 10 pounds doing this year. I workout three times a week and swim twice a week. I would like to know if swimming a good exercise to loose weigh. Thank you.

Congrats on the weight loss! Swimming is a good exercise, but the body doesn't seem to lose as much fat during water sports as land sports. Fat enables a person to float and therefore swim on top of the water rather than sink. Any exercise you do, will be beneficial to your aerobic capacity and feeling of well being. Just do it.

Have you tried the Healthy Body Calculator?

Thank you for your most informative page. I have used it to inform myself and others who can use this valuable unbiased information.

I am a recovering quadriplegic(central chord syndrome C3,6,7) and am working out in the gym 6 days a week. 3 on, one day off. I do upper body one day, lower the next and on day three combine aerobics and back. My problem: I feel that I do not have the energy based upon what I am eating. I am eating about 50 grams fat/day, 1500 - 2000 calories/day. What should I be eating in the A.M. vs. P.M.?

I have heard that I shouldn't eat certain foods at certain times because it will cause me to have a low of energy in the afternoon, causing me to be weaker in afternoon or evening.
 

You're welcome. Sounds like you have a great exercise program and are dedicated to maintaining your flexibility and strength.

Have you used the Healthy Body Calculator to determine how many calories and grams of fat to eat based on your weight goals? Unfortunately, I have not been able to find good data for persons with spinal cord injuries and any effect it may have on metabolism.

Limit carbohydrates (in particular starches and high sugar foods that have a high glycemic index) mid day and eat more low fat protein (meat, poultry or fish) for more energy. Have you considered working with an physical therapist who does strength training with spinal cord injured people?

I went and filled out the Healthy Body Calculator that you created. The information it provided was very helpful, but I do have another question.

Given the nutritional results it provided for me, how do I split them up throughout the day? Do I measure what I should have for each meal that will provide me with the dietary results indicated in the chart?

My problem is mainly that I am a college student, on board. So buying foods and measuring them is a problem in the fact that I don't do it. I don't live at home, so I do not have the opportunity to really be a label reader and such. However, I am able to measure my foods at school by cups, 1/2 cups, 1/4 cups, tsp., Tbsp., ounces, etc.

Is there anyway I could provide you with my results and you could help me come up with a regime for the days and how I should plan my meals, such that breads, meats, veggies, fruits, free foods? I have done the exchange sort of programs before but they never took into consideration my personal nutritional needs. Thanks again.
 

Generally, meals can split the total calories into 1/3 at each of 3 meals. For instance if you wanted to eat 1500 calories, aim for 500 at Breakfast, 500 at Noon and 500 in the Evening.

Unfortunately, I cannot analyze your food intake given the volume of mail I receive. It would be much better for you to do that, then you can modify your food intake to meet your nutritional goals. Given that you are able to measure the foods you eat, you could use nutrition analysis software to analyze the meals that you eat. Find one that is easy to use and reports that displays your weight, food intake and calories expended through exercise.

I am aware that you have no idea who I am, but this morning I was on the Women's Sport & Fitness page and I got to your link. I have many questions that hopefully you can give me some answers.

I completed the Healthy Body Calculator and it provided me with information regarding what my nutritional daily intake should be. What I had wanted to know was, is there a way for me to set a dietary program, exercise included, that will help me lose weight and tone my body?

I am already a moderately active person. I eat healthy, meaning that there is hardly any grease, salt or fat in my diet. I eat a lot of vegetables, rarely do I eat red meat and try to encompass my four basic food groups within my three a day meals. I understand that you might not be able to help me out or give me any information, but if you could I would appreciate it.

I work out about 6 days a week, running 3, biking 3 and weight training all 6 but different groups every other day. My main concern is that I am not losing any weight and not toning like I want to. I am not sure if this is result of exercise program or my eating habits, which I feel are rather good. I just have those target areas(hips, abs, inner thigh and butt) that I would like to see in better condition.