Training Myth: You can’t gain muscle & lose fat at the same time

This belief is you have to consume more calories than usual to gain muscle and eat fewer calories to shed fat.

Even though it’s much harder to gain muscle when your calories are low enough to stimulate fat loss, it’s possible. This is especially true when protein intake is high, carbohydrates are low and adequate protein is eaten at the four most critical times of day: first thing in the morning, before and after workouts, and in the evening.

So YES, you can go in two directions at the same time. Just as you can chew gum and walk simultaneously, you can add lean mass and burn fat during with the correct combination of protein, carbs, supplements, weight training and cardio.

The result? A fitter, better you!
 
Mark Broadfoot, Apprentice Trainer // If you want more information on Bodies By Design’s Apprenticeship Program, click here.

Training Myth: Women shouldn’t lift weights

Some women think they should only do cardio activities because lifting weights will give them a “manly” appearance. This myth is prevalent mainly because of female bodybuilding magazines, where the women resemble men because of the massive amount of steroids they consume.

But these are the facts:

• Much of the difference in muscle mass between men and women is attributed to hormones, specifically, testosterone. Men typically produce 10 times more testosterone than women. Unless you’re a woman who’s on steroids, lifting weights WON’T make you look like a man!
• There’s also a difference in muscle mass distribution between men and women, as men usually carry more muscle.

So ladies, get in the weight room if you want that sexy, toned physique!

Mark Broadfoot, Apprentice Trainer — If you want more information on Bodies By Design’s Apprenticeship Program, click here.

Are fruit juices and fruit drinks healthy?

You may have been brought up to believe that orange, grapefruit or other juices are a healthy way to start the day. But consider this: drinking fruit juice – fruit without the important nutritional component of fiber – is the equivalent of dipping your spoon into a bag of sugar. One 12-ounce glass of orange juice contains a whopping 36 grams of sugar, which will send your blood sugar levels soaring, only to crash soon after. And what are labeled “fruit drinks” often have no real juice whatsoever, which means you may be drinking nothing more than sweetened, chemically altered water.

-Excerpt from fitness expert Tosca Reno’s book, Your Best Body Now

*To read a full interview between Tosca Reno and Kris Simpson, click here!