I get LOTS of questions from people who read my blog, facebook friends, twitter, etc. And for the record, i LOVE that you guys ask me questions, whether it's super personal or just my opinion on something trivial, like apples or alcohol (Uh, apples rock by the way). So, I'm going to start compiling the questions I get and writing FAQ's when I have enough.
Q: How do you keep a flat stomach while still drinking alcohol?
A: I DO NOT DRINK. EVER!! Never have been into it, luckily. Since I don't drink, I don't know how it would change my physique, but I've taken enough biochemistry to know that alcohol (beer, in particular, because of the acetyl-aldehyde) DOES contribute to belly fat... And wine is sugar, pretty self-explanatory, we all know how i feel about grapes lately...*big smiles* .. but like grapes, wine is not a recipe for a six-pack. Hard liquor and stuff, well, I don't know too much about it. All I know is that all those dumb articles about staying "skinny" when out with your friends say that vodka and seltzer or vodka and light juice is low calorie and a good option. My advice: if you must, keep it to once a week. Don't blame your excess 20 pounds on a weekly 100 calorie drink. Check your *cough* other dietary staples.
**Fun Fact: I consider my love for MONSTER ZERO energy drink to be kind of like a cocktail love. My mom and I are known to have "cocktail hour" sometimes in the car with our 0 calorie energy drinks :-)**
Q: What time of day is better to work out?
A: Whenever YOU have the most time and the most energy. I understand that these two sometimes do not occur simultaneously. That's why we have HIIT workouts and caffeine, respectively. Lol. But seriously, I used to research workout timing all the time. One day, hearing Dr. Oz say it's best to exercise within 2 hours of waking up, the next day reading its best to do fasted morning cardio, and late night weight training. You know what I've learned? You need to workout when YOU want to. There's no use in dragging your feet on the treadmill at 7am if you could be sprinting your butt off at 8pm! Go to the gym when its CONVENIENT for you, and you'll be more likely to stick to your plan, and feel good during and after your workouts.
**Fun Fact: During the week, I workout after my classes, around 1pm. Weekends I work out in the mornings, about an hour or two after breakfast**
Q: How many calories should I eat per day?
A: I DON'T KNOW!! I cannot tell anybody how many calories they need in a given day. You know why? Well, I'm not you! Here's what I often explain to people who ask me about calories:
1. if you're trying to lose weight, you need to burn more than you consume. Create a calorie deficit through diet, exercise, or both. Meaning, if you currently consume 2000 calories a day, and workout for 20 minutes a day, I would suggest you consume 1800 calories a day, and double your exercise. Compromise. But again, this might get you to lose pounds--not necessarily fat. Losing fat is specific. You need to be very conscious of your macronutrients (carbs/proteins/fats), and be careful to not burn off muscle by repeating hours of cardio, but to combine weight training and cardio to help burn fat. Like I said, I am NOT a professional when it comes to this stuff, it is VERY scientific, and all I can do is tell you what I DO
2. I do NOT count calories for the sake of remaining under a certain value. I might calculate my daily intake to make sure I consume ENOUGH calories, but I am really only concerned with making sure I have a proper balance of protein, carbs, and fat. I am MOSTLY concerned with making sure I eat the BEST and HEALTHIEST food available to me. Little things like choosing to have extra broccoli instead of bread can make a world of difference after a few servings :)
**Fun fact: If I count up all the calories I eat, sometimes they add up to around 2000 calories! But guess what...If you burn 600 calories during your workout...consider that 1400**
Q: How much do you weigh
A: THIS IS THE QUESTION I HATE (sorry for those of you that have asked me this.) Not only is this a personal question, but if you read my blog, you know that I don't focus on WEIGHT--rather, appearance. For those of you who just want to know because we're the same height and you also wear a size 2-4, and wonder why our bodies look so different, the answer is between 120 and 130 pounds. That is the ballpark I will give you. There is nothing wrong with weighing yourself--in fact, it's a great way to stay on top of your progress. However, some people are more likely to get eaten by the numbers, and become obsessed. You should be concerned with your body composition, not your body weight. In other words, ratio of lean muscle to body fat. By increasing your percentage of lean muscle, you decrease your bodyfat--therefore, more muscles start to show through, your abs will poke through that stubborn fat on your abdomen, and you will get that "lean" look that you ask me about. Skinnyfat is NOT cute! Unless you want to wear skinny jeans and t-shirts at the beach. I'd rather be photographed in a bikini than in my regular clothes. That's worth more than seeing 105 on the scale, in my opinion.
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