general fitness & lifestyle management

What's Your F.Q.?

The number that determines your intelligence is called I.Q.  A recently developed test to determine emotional maturity is called the E.Q. Let’s take my F.Q. challenge to determine your fitness savvy:

Question 1: Can I eat whatever I want if I exercise enough to burn off the calories?
A.) True, running an hour each day plus lifting weights for an hour should be enough exercise to burn off any overindulgence.
B.) False, no way.

Answer B, False, no way: Even if you ran at a 7-minute-mile pace for an hour, a 170-pound man would burn about 1100 calories.  The strength training would burn about 300 calories.  The 1,400 calories burned through this intense exercise regimen could have been consumed through one fast food meal.  It’s not just fast food: two glasses of wine, several handfuls of mixed nuts and a healthy dinner in a fine restaurant could easily exceed 1,400 calories.  Overtraining, which can result in injury, is often a sign that you are trying to exercise off too many calories.  A sensible balance must be struck between eating and exercise.

Question 2: There are three basic nutrient groups, proteins, fats and carbohydrates.  Which group has more than twice the calorie content of the other two?
A.) Protein: These must be good for you because the shakes at the gym all have extra helpings of protein.
B.) Carbs: We know they are bad because everyone is trying to cut back on carbs these days.
C.) Fats: We know these are OK because we can eat an unlimited amount of bacon and steak on the Atkins Diet.

Answer C: Fats contain nine calories per gram compared to proteins and carbs, which each contain four.  So a pound of fat contains over 4,000 calories.  A pound of carbs or protein each contain just over 1,800 calories—less than half that of fat.  Though all fats are dense with calories, not all are bad for you.  Some fats can actually protect your heart.  Eating smart means understanding the nutritional value of what you are consuming, then making informed decisions.

Question 3: If you gain a little extra weight around the middle, is it possible to target exercise in that area to achieve a spot reduction?
A.) True, that’s why ab rollers and products designed to help with sit-ups are so popular.
B.) False, spot reduction is a myth.

Answer B, False: Unfortunately spot reduction is a myth.  Exercises targeting a problem area can make the underlying muscles stronger. But having strong abdominal muscles and a flat belly are not the same thing.  The layer of subcutaneous body fat between your muscles and the outer layer of skin will decrease at about the same rate as the fat in all other areas of your body.   The right mix or nutritional guidance, cardiovascular conditioning and strength training will facilitate lasting weight reduction.

Question 4: Where is the best place to exercise?
A.) At the gym
B.) On the couch watching an exercise video
C.) In my house
D.) At the Yankee’s Spring Training complex in Florida

Answer: All of the above except B:  Your muscle fibers do not know the difference between stimulation from a Cybex machine, dumbbells, body weight or an old paint can filled with rocks.  The best place to exercise is the place where you will do it on a consistent basis.

Question 5: We hear so much about rotator cuff injuries in athletes these days, especially baseball pitchers, tennis players and swimmers.  What are the names of the muscles that make up this group?
A.) Manny Moe and Jack
B.) Semitendinosus, semimembranosus and biceps femoris
C.) Compressor, condenser and coil
D.) Supraspinatus, infraspinaeus, teres minor and subscapularis

Answer D: I realize this is a cheap shot.  If you know this one, you are either recovering from arthroscopic shoulder surgery or studying for the personal trainer exam.

I have had my go at challenging you.  Now I am ready to answer any fitness questions you may have.  Whether it’s something you need to know, a myth that needs debunking or you simply wish to play stump the trainer, I would enjoy your call or e-mail.  Now…how much weight could a weightlifter lift if a weightlifter could lift weight?