Answer Fitness®: Practical Fitness Advice for Everyone

How Can I Lose Weight In A Day Or Two? | Ask The Fitness Nerd

Is It Possible To Really Lose Weight In Just A Day Or Two? More Importantly, Is It Safe?

Hey Fitness Nerd,

I’m leaving on Monday morning for a vacation to the Bahamas. I’ve been working out like a fiend since the end of December, lots of cardio and I’ve really cut back how much I’m eating.  I’ve managed to lose a fair amount of weight so far. About 12 lbs. The problem is that I really need to lose another five to get into the shape I want for the beach.  I have less than four days left, how can I lose some more weight in just another day or two? I’m desperate and time is running out on me. — Jenna  (Dallas, Texas.)

Jenna, you’re probably not going to like my answer, but I’m going to shoot straight with you: You can lose some additional weight a day or two before your vacation, but more than likely, you’ll put it back on the first day in the Bahamas.

Why?

Because at this point, any scale weight you lose through additional exercise or restriction of food will probably be the result of lost water and less food in your digestive tract, and not real fat loss. Body fat percentage and not scale weight is always your best gauge of progress and body composition. Losing weight per se shouldn’t be your focus.

Remember, you lose fat over weeks — not days — regardless of what the fad and crash diet marketers say. And losing body fat is really what makes for a great looking physique at the beach — not what some numbers on a bathroom scale say.

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What’s The Highest Protein Content Food? | Ask The Fitness Nerd

Which Food Has The Highest Protein Content? We Dig Into The Numbers and Settle a Bet. Sort Of …

Dear Fitness Nerd,

Can you tell me what is the highest protein content food? My buddy and I have a bet going on this one. He says eggs and I say whey protein isolate has the highest protein. Who’s right? I have $25 bucks riding on this. Thanks. — Josh (Dayton, OH) 

Josh, let me take a shot at this.

Unfortunately, this could actually come to a draw, because you both are kind of right but also both wrong. If I sound like a Zen Buddhist monk, my apologies. This will make more sense in a minute. The good news is by the time your done, you will have a pretty good understanding of how to accurately compare protein content in foods.

How To Determine Protein Content In Food

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Are Cheerios A Healthy Cereal? | Ask The Fitness Nerd

Are Cheerios a Healthy Cereal Choice? We Take A Look At The Nutritional Profile of One Of America’s Favorite Cereals and Let You Decide.

Dear Fitness Nerd,

Are Cheerios a healthy cereal? I’m trying to eat breakfast more often, but I don’t care for oatmeal. I do love Cheerios, however. But I’m not sure if they are a healthy choice. Fat is low and they don’t seem to have many calories. What’s your opinion? Is there a better cereal out there instead? – Carolyn (Portland, Maine)

The “healthiness” of cereals and foods is often relative. Same goes for Cheerios.

For example, if you are regularly skipping breakfast and then grabbing a bagel and cream cheese at the office, a bowl of Cheerios with skim milk would be a much better option from a nutrition standpoint than your usual choices in the morning.  So from that perspective, Cheerios are a healthy cereal — or at least healthier in comparison to the bagel and cream cheese.

On the other hand, given the choice between eating Cheerios or a whole food, unprocessed source of complex carbohydrates in the morning like oatmeal, oat bran or homemade muesli, the Cheerios doesn’t fare quite as well.

Let’s take a quick look at what Cheerios has going for it nutritionally, and what some of its weaknesses are compared to other whole food sources of breakfast grains.

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Taking Protein Before Bed? When & What Kind of Protein? | Ask The Fitness Nerd

When is the best time to take protein before bed? And what kind of protein should you take before you sleep?

Dear Fitness Nerd,

How soon before bed should I drink protein? Right before, or a specific number of minutes before before I actually go to sleep? Thanks! — Bob

The issue here is less about the timing of when to take protein before bed, as it is what kind of protein to take before you go to sleep.

You should try to consume your last serving of protein as close to your bedtime as is comfortable for you. Whether that’s a protein shake before bed, or a whole food souce of protein before sleep is up to you.

Some people experience no problems eating and then immediately going to sleep, while other people find sleeping on a “full stomach” uncomfortable. If you find that taking a protein-heavy snack right before bed interferes with falling asleep, then give yourself at least 30-40 minutes between the snack and bedtime.

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Should I Eat Before Or After Exercise? | Ask The Fitness Nerd

Is it Best to Eat Before or After Exercise? Making Sense of Pre-Workout and Post-Workout Nutrition.

Dear Fitness Nerd,

When should I eat? Before or after I exercise? In particular, if I’m going to wake up and workout in the morning, do I eat breakfast before or after I workout? Jen — Detroit, MI

Timing of meals, especially before or after exercise is one of those things that’s part science, and part personal preference. Let’s tackle the science first, and then deal with some of the personal things you need to consider.

Understanding Pre-Workout and Post-Workout Nutrition

Pre and post-workout nutrition is critical, because it allows the body to have the necessary energy to exercise effectively, as well as the right macro-nutrients and energy after exercise to help with recovery.

As a rule of thumb, you want to try to fill your tank up both before and after working out. How much you need to eat and what you should eat before exercise will have a lot to do with:

• The time of day
• When you last ate
• How your body responds to pre-workout food.

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Can You Mix Whey Protein Isolate in a Blender? | Ask The Fitness Nerd

Does Mixing Whey Protein Isolate in a Blender Make It Less Effective?

Dear Fitness Nerd,

I’ve been drinking whey protein isolate for a couple of years. Usually I mix it up in a blender with some juice or milk after I workout or for a smoothie in the morning. But a guy at the gym recently told me that it’s better to mix your whey in a shaker bottle and not in a blender. He said it has something to do with the blender messing up the whey proteins and interfering with absorption. I’ve never heard that before. Is there any problem I should know about with mixing whey in a blender? Tony — Staten Island, NY

Tony, I’m always fascinated by how myths like this get started.

After looking at hundreds of these types of questions, I’ve come to the conclusion that 90% of them start with some “guy at the gym.”  

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How Many Sit Ups for Stomach Flattening? | Ask The Fitness Nerd

Getting a flat stomach takes more than just countless sit ups. Find out the formula to a flatter, more defined mid-section.

Dear Fitness Nerd,

A very broad question that I’d like to read your opinion on regarding stomach flattening.

I’m a massive gym user and fitness freak. At the moment I weight 12.7 stone and at 6′ 2″ consider myself not only very healthy, but also quite physically fit. However, people who are heavier than me and often shorter have a leaner and more defined mid-drift (abs, obliques, back, shoulders, etc.)

My question is simply with a healthy diet in mind, how many sit ups a day would an average gym user need to do before they see results and a “flatter” stomach? Thanks! — Jack

Despite what you might have heard, a flat stomach really has less to do with the amount of sit ups you perform and more to do with your overall body fat levels.

While sit ups and other abdominal exercises like crunches, jack-knifes and hanging leg raises can all help develop more muscle in your torso (as well as contribute to overall core stability and strength), getting a flat stomach or having definition in your abs is really 80 percent diet.

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