Fitness FAQs
When I first started working out in a gym, I honestly had NO idea what I was doing. I stuck with a cardio machine because it was like my own little bubble and I blended in. The last thing I wanted to do was stand out especially if I was doing something wrong. Eventually, I joined a Bootcamp at the gym which taught me so much and gave me to confidence to workout in other areas of the gym on my own.
Below I have listed a few questions that I had when I started. Trust me, I had a lot more but lets start with some the basics and more common questions. Remember, there are so many questions out there about fitness and nutrition which means there are also a lot of different answers and opinions. I am not saying i’m right or others are wrong but this is what I believe to be true and what I have had success with personally.
What's the difference between free weights and resistance machines?
Free weights are dumbbells, barbells or any weight you are lifting on your own. Lifting free weights shows a true reflection of your strength. This is because they offer you no help; you have to pick them up and complete an exercise without any assistance.
Resistance machines are designed to assist your muscle when lifting the weight. They also will generally isolate only the targeted muscle groups, whereas free-weights will call upon stabilizers and assisting muscles to aid the lift.
How long should I rest between workouts?
Rest required between workouts depends on both your conditioning and the intensity of your workouts. If you are well conditioned to exercise, you may be able to train everyday– although almost certainly not the same targeted muscles group.
If you are new to exercise, particularly resistance training, you should rest periods of at least 48-72 hours. Always listen to your body. If a certain muscle group is really sore, make sure to avoid that muscle group and focus on another until it is recovered.
Which diet is the best to follow?
Generally speaking ... none.
“Diets” are temporary, and many popular diet plans are so restrictive that thinking you are going to be able to sustain them probably isn’t realistic. The real solution to healthy dietary intake is to find a balanced, non-restrictive eating plan that you find easy to sustain. This way you will be able to maintain your ideal weight. One thing you do want to figure out is what your body responds best to. Some people respond better to carbs and some respond better to fats. Once you figure out what your body likes then you can build a healthy meal plan around that.
How do you get toned but not build muscle?
This is a common questions asked among women. They want that toned muscular look but do not want to be bulky like a man. They often avoid lifting heavy to prevent this but do not end up seeing the results they want.
To get that “toned” look you need to add muscle to your body. Bulky usually is when women or men build that muscle but do not remove the extra body fat over it. If you focus on lifting heavy and a healthy diet, you will get that “toned” look. Remember, the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns to compensate for that added muscle. The more calories you burn, the less body fat you have.
Cardio or weight lifting first?
My personal opinion is do whichever one you dislike the most first. If you hate cardio and lift first, you will be less likely to do cardio because you already used up most of your energy lifting. Same if you hate lifting. Getting what you don't enjoy out of the way first gives you a better chance of completing both.
Here are a few common options…
Cardio in the morning - Weights Training in the evening
If you have the time, it would be best to do cardio first thing in the morning before you have eaten. This is called “fasted cardio”. Fasted meaning your body is in a fasted state from not eating all night. You would then eat throughout the day and lift weights at night. This allows you to have more energy for your lifts from the food you had eaten that day.
Weights then Cardio during the same session
When you do any physical activity, you are using stored glycogen as fuel. Glycogen is our bodies preferred fuel source. Since weight lifting requires more energy, it’s best to lift first then do cardio after since cardio does not require as much glycogen (depending on the type of cardio).
Cardio day - Weight Training day
Another way you can do it if you are normally short on time with your workouts is split up your cardio and weight training days. You would do cardio on the days you do not lift. Not only does this save on time, it allows your bodies to rest from Weight Training. This is a good option for people who are able to make it to the gym multiple times a week.
Do Weight Training and Cardio at the same time
Lift faster and harder to get your heart rate up. Add in cardio exercises during your lifts such as burpees, jumping jacks, squat jumps and so on. This style of training gets both accomplished in the shortest amount of time.
Don’t expect to know everything about fitness when you start. Also, don’t wait to start until you think you know everything. You will need to go through trial and error. You need to find out what works best for your body. I have gone through many styles of fitness and many styles of eating. Some works for me and some don’t. You have to remember that this is a journey. You learn the most through first hand experience. Just start out slow, don’t put pressure on yourself and give yourself time to reach your goals.