Dear readers,

This next question I just received really tugs at my heart strings. There is so much misinformation about weight loss and nutrition out there and, unfortunately, alot of it comes from the medical community. I am not here to pick on the medical community at all. The fact is that the true nature  and science of weight loss, exercise and nutrition is usually not in their scope of practice. Here's the question:

Thanks for your great question. You are not alone by any means. Like I said, there is too much incorrect information out there about fitness and nutrition. What you had been doing initially (working out with weights 3x per week and some cardio) is a great way to get started on your goal to weight-loss, and more specifically, fat-loss. Weight training is the only form of exercise that builds lean muscle tissue. And no, you do not need to look like an Olympian or professional athlete. "Activated" muscle tissue is what burns calories and body fat 24/7, even at rest. And by activated I mean performing some kind of resistance/strength/weight training. It all means the same thing. Muscles are also activated when they are fed properly. You need to eat what I call Power Portions every three to four hours. By eating every few hours, you keep your blood sugar stable which allows you to burn body fat. When we skip meals, only eat three times a day, or only eat big meals at breakfast and dinner, your metabolism actually slows down. Your body stores body fat when we don't eat consistently throughout the day as a defense mechanism. Fat is stored energy. Your body is always trying to protect itself. If it doesn't get fed, it stores fat as back-up. And within these Power Portions, you need to eat a lean protein, a good starchy carbohydrate and plenty of fibrous vegetables.

Now back to the exercise, Chet. Cardio only will give you an initial weight loss but you mainly lose water weight and muscle and not much fat. You end up with a body that weighs less but is still fatty and flabby. You need to do the resistance training to get firm and lean. Think of your muscles as a fire. When you stoke the fire and feed it fuel, it burns for awhile. When you activate your muscles (i.e. stoke the fire and feed it fuel) by strength training and eating Power Portions every few hours, your muscles are going to get "hot" (this is your metabolism increasing) and burn away at the layer of body fat lying over top them. I hope this makes sense. Understand, I am not downplaying cardio. It is important but it is not the magical piece to the weight loss puzzle. It is a small piece. We need cardio for heart health, endurance and conditioning. But by doing it at strategic times, you will maximize your fat-burning potential and not sabotage your lean muscle. Continue with your three days of weight training for the next two weeks. Try adding a fourth day in for two weeks. I want you to do your cardio the first two weeks for 20 minutes right AFTER your weights. Do some intervals if you can (alternate a faster pace for a minute with a slower pace for a minute). The second two weeks, I want you to do your cardio first thing in the morning, before you eat anything. Water is fine. Do this twice each week, for 30 minutes at a steady pace, on days you aren't weight training. So try lifting Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri and doing morning cardio on Wed and Sat. Write back and let me know your progress.

Chet, you will also find that eating every few hours will help with your energy level. By not eating consistently during the day, your blood sugar drops and makes you tired. All this information and more is in my book. It is a great way to learn how to stop being a victim of your metabolism, but creating a strong healthy one that gets you the results you want. There is a 12-week exercise and nutrition plan in my book as well to help guide you along the way.

Be strong,

John Henry

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