4 Common Fitness Questions
There are so many questions out there about fitness and nutrition. There are also a lot of different answers and opinions which makes it hard to know what to believe. As long as you have the basics down, you should be able to find out what works for your body in a correct and healthy manner. Below I list some basic and common fitness questions that fitness professionals often get asked.
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 an array of 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.