Expert: Kim Farmer - 1/25/2008

Question
I have been training in martial arts since I was 8,took a five year break from 17-22 y.o., and have been back for almost a year.  I am 5'4", 143lbs. and get 4-6 hours of cardio/week in my training.  I don't do weight training, but we do a good amount of push ups, situps and other muscle building exercises.  I don't need to lose or gain weight at this point, but I am worried I am becoming...less voluptuous...and would like to maintain my breast size without cutting back on cardio and muscle mass.  I eat those Cliff builder bars and muscle milk, but I want to know if you know of anything that would be better for me that won't burn the fat I want to keep around!!  Thank you for any help you may provide!

Answer
Hi Jess-
Unfortunately there is really no way to 'spot-check' your body.  In other words, if you lose weight or body fat, you really have no say so of what body parts the fat will come off from.  Just as genetics play a role as far as your body type and size goes, as you lose weight, genetics will also play a role in determining where the weight loss will impact your body the most.  So as for maintaining your breast size, there really is no guarantee (no matter what products you use) that they will or will not stay the same.  I would highly recommend including both cardio and weight training into your exercise routine.  Your health and longevity of life depend on it.

Thanks for the question, I hope this helps.

Kim