Exercise vs Diet

Your weight has been the same for the last few weeks, even through it feels like you’ve spent a lifetime in the gym! How can this be? What are you doing wrong?

Read more in the September – October issue of Fitness magazine and feel free to comment below.

Supplementing and Breastfeeding

I have a four month old baby. I’m currently breastfeeding and plan continue to breastfeed him up to the age of one. I have started to train again, three days of resistance training and three days of cardio per week. What is safe and what should I avoid with regards to supplements. I would imagine a pure whey protein is okay, and to stay away from the fat burners and appetite suppressants etc?
Jo via web

The Pro’s Respond

Hi Jo,

Congratulations on the birth of your baby. I’m glad to see that you are already back in the gym. With that level of commitment it won’t be long before your body is back to its pre-pregnancy best!
As for supplementation, while breastfeeding, generally speaking you should have no problem with pure protein powders (e.g. whey protein), as well as MRPs (meal replacement powders). These products are typically formulated with whole food ingredients (e.g. dairy proteins, naturally derived carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals etc), all of which you would consume in your typical daily diet anyway.
In addition to pure protein powders and MRPs, you should have no problem with CLA, amino acids (e.g. BCAAs and glutamine powder), creatine, EFAs, vitamins (e.g. multi-vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E etc) and minerals (e.g. zinc, magnesium, iron etc).
In fact, supplementing with essential fatty acids and an appropriate multi-vitamin should prove beneficial to both you and your baby.
You are quite correct; the supplements that you should ideally steer clear of are those that are stimulant based. These are generally your thermogenic fat burners and appetite suppressants.
Other than those, the only other kind of product or “supplement” that I can think of to steer clear of are those that are marketed to impact on your natural hormonal system (e.g. oestrogen blockers, testosterone boosters, thyroid enhancers etc).

As a final word of advice, if you are ever unsure of a certain product you’d be well advised to give the manufacturer a call and ask to speak to their technical manager. He/she should be in a position to provide any reassurance that you might need.

My body fat is dropping but Im not losing weight

I am 24 years old. I exercise 4 times a week, 2 cardio sessions and the other 2 times with a personal trainer.  I have done this for the last 3 months. My body fat % has dropped, and I have lost centimetres, but I don’t loose weight. Why is that? Now the other thing, I’m on the Depot provera* injection, and I just can’t loose weight. Is that perhaps the problem?
Thanks for a great magazine; it really inspires me to exercise.
Regards
Louizan via info@fitnessmag.co.za

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Getting back my body!

Thank you for an awesome and inspiring magazine. I am 25 years old and I have been training since the age of 18. It has always been a huge part of my life and, up until a couple of years ago I was in my best shape ever. I now have two children, both of whom were surprises and they were only a year and a half apart. Since having my boys, and also staying on an isolated farm my training has taken a back seat and my body has changed drastically.
I do train (with weights mainly) and I know that diet is key when it comes to losing body fat. My diet is ok, but having two young boys means temptation is always present. On a good day my diet looks like this:

• Breakfast: Oats with fat free milk and raisins, and a lean protein powder
• Snack: Fat free yoghurt
• Lunch: Tuna and potato or Provita’s with light mayo or fat free cottage cheese
• Snack: Fruit
• Dinner: Grilled chicken breast with salad or cooked veg

I drink about 3 litres of water every day and use USN Phedra Cut Liquid and Lean Protein. I superset my exercises and keep my heart rate up with a minute of cardio between my sets. Is it really possible to lose the “post pregnancy pouch” or am I fighting a losing battle?

Any diet and training advice will be greatly appreciated.
Mon via www.fitnessmag.co.za

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