Expert: MIGHTY JOE - 12/14/2004

Question
My metabolism is super slow, im 29 was 215lbs, joined the gym, got down to 175, but my target weight is about 160-165(i;m 5'6) so i just dont know how to go about it, its been a 1yr and 1/2 since i been in the gym and about 8mts since i've stayed at 175lbs.. i pig out sumtimes on weekends, but during the week its egg whites or bagel with butter for b'fast and a meal replacement shake for lunch and a normal dinner at home which consist of past and some type of meat(no bread) i'm italian..
i do treadmill about 20mins, 3days a week.. any other food or excerise tips you can give, to help me shed this baby fat i have...

Answer
Joe,
Thanks for your question.  Hopefully I can give you a few pointers you can put to use right away!

To boost your metabolism:

* Small, frequent meals.
Do a search for "harris-benedict equation" to get an estimate of your caloric needs. or use this one at http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/ Be sure to factor in your typical activity level too. Once you have this number, subtract 200-600 (to lose bodyfat, you need a small caloric deficit. By varying it a little bit each day, you keep your body "guessing".
Now take this number and divide it by the number of meals/snacks you're going eat each day - between 4-8 - never more than 4 waking hours without a "feeding". (tip: PLAN your meals at least a day in advance so there's less chance of overeating).
Try to get QUALITY and VARIETY at each meal and stay close to your target calorie intake.
The "occasional" pig-out you described can even be beneficial, but ONLY if it's really "occasional" (once every week or 2).

* High intensity interval training.
I highly suggest you read my article at http://www.absolutefitnessusa.com/spotred.htm for some guidelines on getting the most out of a short, intense cardio session.

* And of course, weight training.  Joe, this is such a braod subject, you might want to check through several other articles I already have posted on my website, www.absolutefitnessusa.com, for more training tips.

Good luck and please keep me posted on your progress!

-joe

Joe Stankowski – ACE, NASM
Co-author – The Power of Champions
www.AbsoluteFitnessUSA.com
P.O. Box 7194
Wilmington, DE
19803-0194