The six most in demand weight loss questions YOU want answered!

Question: Will eating past 7p.m., especially carbohydrates, result in weight gain?

Answer: The body does not have an enzyme with a watch that after 7p.m. preferentially stores items, even carbohydrates, as fat. All of us have a certain number of calories we can consume without gaining weight. If you change your schedule and happen to eat a meal or snack late in the evening without changing your calories, you are in no danger of accumulating weight gain as a result of that minor alteration. Ideally, however, you would spread your allotted number of calories throughout the day to prevent hunger and wild fluctuations in blood sugar levels, which can sap your energy levels. However, if that late night meal or snack puts you over your calorie allotment, then you are in danger of weight gain. Not because of the time of the meal, but because of the excess calories.

Question: Is it true that anyone trying to lose fat / gain muscle should be on a high protein diet?

Answer: No. Any amount of protein exceeding 25% would be considered high. There is no advantage to high protein intake for the majority of fat loss subjects. It’s all about calories. High protein diets are generally low calorie diets in disguise that eventually will not satiate the user. This leads to uncontrollable eating behavior and concurrent weight gain. Initial weight loss from high protein diets is predominantly from loss of body fluids.

Question: Are low carbohydrate / high protein diets healthy?

Answer: I know a lot of people who are trying to lose weight may consider going on a high protein diet, but new studies show that there is no proven effectiveness in long term weight reduction with this diet. These diets also pose health threats to people who adhere to them for a long period of time. This includes the Atkins.

Question: Do carbohydrates make you fat?

Answer: This is FALSE. Americans eat approximately 300 calories more per day than 10 years ago and move less - thus we are fatter. The food that is emphasized in the Zone and Sugar Busters diets come from animal sources rich in both protein and fat. Eating large amounts of high fat animal foods over a long period of time can increase the risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes and cancer. It can also raise cholesterol levels when carbohydrate and fiber rich foods that help lower cholesterol levels are eliminated from the diet. High protein diets promote a quick drop in weight primarily through the loss of body fluids caused by the diuretic effect of eliminating carbohydrates. Glycogen, an energy source used by the body is also eliminated. This can cause fatigue and eventually put the body into a state of ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic condition that occurs when the body is deprived of carbohydrates. Keeping the body in a prolonged state of ketosis will lead to further health risks, so carbohydrates will eventually need to be put back into your diet. Normally, when carbs are reintroduced into a high protein diet you regain the weight you once lost. Lose weight the healthy way! Eat healthy levels of all macronutrients. Control your calorie count, not your carbohydrate count. It is the basic law of thermodynamics. It is as true as the law of gravity. If you eat more calories in a day then you burn, you will gain fat. If you burn more calories than you eat, you will lose fat. Plain and simple. Eat small portion sizes every three to four hours and drink plenty of water. If you are unsure how many calories you should be eating per day contact one of your local fitness professionals and get educated. It is safer and more effective in the long run. Calories and increases in technology are the main reasons for our nations expanding waist lines. Excess calories make you fat, not carbohydrates!!

Question: If I want to lose fat quickly, should I do as much cardio as possible?

Answer: Actually, no. The amazing and sometimes frustrating thing about the human body is its ability to adapt. If you start with a lot of cardio, you will burn fat. However, once your body adapts to this amount of work and fat loss slows, you will have to do more. The concern here is that you will soon have to do more cardio than you can fit into your lifestyle. There are other components of a cardiovascular program that can be manipulated other than time. For example the mode and intensity. Question: I read that doing cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach is the best way to lose fat?

Answer: Well, it is in a way, but maybe not the best way. When you awaken, your body is in a fasting metabolic state and burning fewer calories per unit of time than usual. Consuming the food will help perk the metabolic rate up (hence the term breakfa;break the fast). Additionally, glycogen stores are depleted more than 80% in the morning. This will adversely affect your ability to workout at high intensity and may cause weakness and dizziness which lead to early fatigue.