Weigh In: Debated Fitness Topics
Should you quit drinking coffee? Should you lift heavier weights? Everyone has an opinion - we want to hear yours!
Should you quit drinking coffee? Should you lift heavier weights? These are some of the most debated topics in fitness and nutrition, and everyone has an opinion – so we want to hear yours!
Debate 1: Coffee – should you give it up?
This much-maligned beverage is linked to all kinds of ailments, from cardiovascular disease to ulcers. It can raise your blood pressure, increase nervousness and lead to rapid heartbeat. However many studies have also shown that there are benefits to drinking coffee. It can lower your risk of diabetes, stop a headache, and even help manage asthma. Even more, the caffeine in coffee can boost athleticism by stimulating the brain and nervous system.
For most adults, coffee in moderation is fine – even beneficial in terms of energy and endurance. It’s the extras that you put into the coffee – sugar and cream – that can cause the real damage. Unless you have health issues, continue enjoying your cup (or two!) of joe but try using skim or soy milk, and sweeten with Splenda or Stevia to keep your caffeine boost on the healthier side.
Debate 2: Strength-Training – light or heavy weights?
Individuals who train with weights on a regular basis tend to fall into one of two categories: those who lift heavy weight for fewer reps (8-10), and those who lift slightly lighter weights for more reps (12-15+). Research supports both theories, so what’s the problem?
Many women fear that they will bulk up if they are lifting heavier weight. With heavier weights, muscles tear and repair, which facilitates muscle growth and may lead to more pronounced muscles – although most women do not have the amount of hormones needed to build massive muscles. Using lighter weights simply strains the muscle, giving the individual a lean, toned appearance when consistently performed. The downside with lighter weights is that you might not be challenging yourself enough, and your body can easily adapt and strength will plateau.
So what about a compromise? The pyramid plan, similar to EAS’s Body-for-Life official training plan, calls for a combination of both. Choose an exercise and warm up with a set of 12-15 reps. Increase the weight and drop the number of reps with each set, completing four to five sets total. With your last set, choose the light weight that you began with and do as many as you can, working the muscle to failure.
Debate 3: Cardio or strength-training?
Everyone knows the benefits of strength-training: not only are you sculpting muscle, but you’re increasing your body’s metabolism, which means you will burn more calories naturally – even when your body is at rest. Excess cardio, on the other hand, can cause you to burn muscle instead of fat. So should we forgo the elliptical machine in favor of the weight bench?
Not yet. Cardiovascular training should play an important part of any fitness routine. No one is going to see sculpted muscle if it is hidden beneath layers of fat. In addition, improved cardiovascular fitness can lead to a stronger heart and lungs, better sleep, more energy, and positive self-image; plus it has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety and depression.
For best results, perform a 30- to 40-minute cardio session after strength-training — when glycogen levels are low the body will burn stored fat for fuel. Choose at least one or two days to devote to longer cardio sessions (60+ minutes), as well.
Let us know your thoughts on these topics, and stay tuned for Part II…
training with weights is better then cardio..its the only way to change your metabolism permanent. cardio is good, but no more then 20 minutes a day and use the treadmill for best results.
Another big debate is whether or not a Banana needs a case!
and I’m also for weight training especially for weight loss because muscles continue burning fat long after you leave the gym whereas cardio if not done properly can actually put your body into a catabolic state (storing fat and burning muscle instinctively for survival). Just be sure to leave a little weight for everyone else when you’re crushing it!!!
so when doing cardio, is it better to keep your heart-rate lower, in the “fat-burning” zone as opposed to the cardio zone?
Yes, you need to find your target heart rate, which is usually about 50-80% of your max heart rate. Unless you’ve had a stress test to actually determine your max heart rate you kind of have to calculate it. The key to cardio is not to reach a zone and stay there, you have to constantly fluctuate between your max,target,and resting heart rate. remember, your heart is a muscle and needs to be pushed like one, if you just trudge along on the tread mill, you’re body has no idea how long that will last, so…. after burning a couple calories it goes ” uh oh, i better kick in the reserves, this is hard work” you body will then start storing fat and burning muscle. Your body doesn’t want muscle because it’s to hard to maintain so you have to trick your body. To do that you warm up a bit, jog a bit, sprint till your heart pumps battery acid, sprint a bit more, rest/walk until your heart rate lowwers, jog again, sprint etc. Use the flippin heart rate monitors thats what they’re there for stop guessing and get naked, i mean train!!
Ok, so it is basically better to do weight training before hitting the cardio? I have been doing it backwards if that is the case! I just want to make sure so I can correct myself.
I find that it’s best to do a cardio warm-up of about 5-10 minutes before weights, then do weights, then do your main cardio session. You definately want to do your main cardio sessions AFTER weights because by then, you’ve already expended all of your energy on the weights, so your body has to go into stored fat to get energy for the cardio. This is how you burn the butter!
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may I say:
NEVERNEVER
HEAVY
both
Coffee: I drink too much as it is. Cutting down is a goal. I don’t think that coffee within itself is detrimental to your health. Then again I am biased.
The others are really up to the individual results wanted. When I was running around the world, I used to lift heavy because of the work I did and strength was key. Now I tend to lift lighter just to keep tone.