Weight Watchers Article Archive
William Sukala has been writing for Weight Watchers International since 2000. He covers a broad range of health and fitness topics and strives to let his readers know that exercise is for everyone, no matter what your current fitness level!
Healthy Body Fat Measurement?
Q: What is a healthy body fat measurement and
how can I get mine checked?
Weight Gain From
Exercise?
Q: I work out using an elliptical machine 2-3 times per week for
about an hour. The other days I use an exercise video. When I use the elliptical
machine, I seem to gain weight! Should I limit my time on it? I feel I am not
improving my conditioning level nor am I losing weight.
The Ups and Downs of Weight
Loss
Q: I am a Lifetime member and I have met my goal weight. My
question is how much weight is okay to fluctuate?
Target Heart
Rate
Q: What is a good target heart rate per minute for brisk
exercise?
Taking
Measurements?
Q: When I don't see results on the scale, it helps to see progress
in other places. I need help taking my body measurements. I feel like I'm
guessing when I do it now.
Healthy Weight
Q: When I calculate my Body Mass Index (BMI), I come out with 31,
which the charts define as obese! I exercise 3 to 5 times every week, eat right
and have recently lost 70 pounds after gaining 65 during my pregnancy. I am a
comfortable size 14 and certainly don't feel overweight, much less obese. What
is up with the BMI?
Exercise and Weight Gain
Q: My husband and I have both noticed that on weeks when we
exercise more, we tend to lose less weight on the scale than if we don't
exercise as much. Why is this?
Can I Exceed My Target Heart Rate?
Q: Is it dangerous for me to go over my maximum heart rate (85%)? I
wear a heart rate monitor, and I notice that my heart rate sometimes goes over
85% when I am finishing leg weight training or taking a spinning
class.
The 'Spare
Tire'
Q: I have excess weight right above my waistline (the "spare tire"
look). Can you suggest good exercises for this area?
Weight Gain with
Exercise
Q: Why does my weight go up when I exercise more
frequently?
Does Muscle Weigh More Than Fat?
Q: There seems to be quite a bit of controversy over whether muscle
weighs more than fat. If I am weight training and increasing my muscle mass am I
likely to see an increase in my weight?
Metabolism
Boost?
Q: How can I speed up my metabolism?
Good Athletic Shoes
Q: Can you recommend some good athletic
shoes?
Cardio Machines (what
machine to buy for home?)
Q: I want to buy a cardio machine for my home
but am uncertain as to what will give me the best results. Should I look for a
treadmill, an elliptical machine, a stairmaster or some other piece of
equipment?
Stationary Bike for Building
Legs?
Q: Will exercising on a stationary bike build big leg muscles or
help to tone and slim your legs?
Heart Rate Monitors and Fat
Burning
Q: What is the difference between the fat-burning zone and the
cardio zone on heart rate monitors? If I find my heart rate is in the cardio
zone does that mean I'm not burning fat?
Heart Rate
Monitors
Q: I am considering buying a heart rate monitor to help keep me
moving during my walks, but I want to be sure they're worth the money. Do they
help you maximize your workout? Which types are good?
Infomercial Equipment
Q: I would like to know about the exercise equipment infomercials
we see on TV. Do any of these machines work or are they all
gimmicks?
Painful
Stepping
Q: I started step aerobic classes a few months ago, and although I
try to keep the impact low — no jacks, no risers under my step — my knees ache
when I go up and down steps. I'm 55 years old and weigh about 160 pounds. Is
exercise harming my knees? I can get temporary relief with NSAIDS, but I don't
want to do any permanent damage.
Achy Feet
Q: I've just added working out to my life. I'm starting slow with
30-35 minutes per day on a treadmill at a rate of 3.0-3.5 miles per hour.
However, my feet have begun to bother me after about 10 minutes on the
treadmill. The discomfort is in the balls of my feet and across the top of my
feet at the base of my toes. Any suggestions? Could it be my
shoes?
Achy All Over
Q: I need suggestions for how to treat sore muscles. My husband
and I went on an 11.5-mile backpacking trip this weekend. The trip was fun, but
boy are my feet, ankles, calves, thighs, butt, back and shoulders feeling it
now.
Numbness and Throbbing in the
Hands?
Q: My hands sometimes throb after I walk more than 20 minutes. Lately
my joints feel a little sore and today my fingertips are numb. Do you know what
might be causing the numbness?
Walking Pain
Q: My hips get stiff and achy during and after my walks. I can do
any other exercise without pain (step aerobics, treadmill, elliptical machines,
bicycle, snowboard, swimming). What could be the reason behind this
discomfort?
Snap, Crackle, Pop
Q: My joints constantly pop and crack when I do exercises like leg
lifts, squats and arm curls. I'm not straining myself, and I try to use my 5-lb
hand weights properly. It is not painful, just irritating. Is there any way to
fix this?
Sore After Lifting
Q: I no longer feel any soreness when I lift weights – only the
burn during the workout. Am I working out hard enough? I currently do four sets
of 15-20 reps on the lower body and 3-4 sets of 15 reps on my upper
body.
Love
Your Back and It'll Love You Back
Q: I often end up carrying my children and other heavy objects.
How can I build up my back muscles so that I am not so
sore?
Hurting Ankles
Q: When I walk very fast, the front of my ankles begin to hurt.
This happens more on the treadmill than when I walk on my own. Any idea what's
wrong, and how I can make the problem go away?
Ouch! Pulled
Muscle!
Q: I recently pulled a muscle during exercise. I was wondering how
long is appropriate to wait before working out again.
Resuming a Workout?
Q: Due to arthritis, I sometimes neglect to exercise for as long as
an entire week! When I begin again, should I cut back to a previous level, or
try to pick up where I left off?
Unsightly Veins
Q: I work out six days a week and, along with muscles, I've
developed bulging veins in my arms and abdomen. I'm even starting to see them in
my legs. This is not an attractive look. What can I do to stop the
bulging?
Cardio Fitness with Knee Problems
Q: I have a lot of knee problems and cannot walk very far. Because of
that condition, I have not walked (far) for a long time and get winded extremely
easily. I swim, but I would like other ideas for exercise that will build up my
cardiovascular fitness.
Should I Walk or Run?
Q: Which is better for you, running or walking on a treadmill? Also,
can I lose weight walking uphill for 45 minutes with some variation of how fast
and the angle of the hill?
Picking up the Pace
Q: What is the difference between leisure walking, moderate
walking and brisk walking?
Exercise Timeouts?
Q: Some people say that you don't need rest from exercise, and
others say that you should only work out four or five times per week because
exercise breaks down your muscles, and they need rest to recuperate. Who's
right?
Tackle Weights or Cardio First?
Q: I am starting an exercise program tomorrow and am not sure what
to do first. Should I weight train and then do cardio, or the other way
around?
Varying
Intensity
Q: Is it better to vary the intensity of my workout or stay at one
continuous pace?
Should I Count
Steps?
Q: I've heard that I should use a pedometer to count my steps each
day, and to try to go for 10,000 per day to keep fit. Have you ever heard of
this, and do you think 10,000 steps a day would help maintain a good level of
fitness? I'm kind of curious as to how many steps I cover in a day and am
thinking about buying a pedometer.
Heart rate or Perceived
Exertion?
Q: I am about 100 lbs overweight. I can do 30 minutes on the
elliptical trainer easily. But my heart rate indicates that I should slow down.
I can still carry on a conversation and am not out of breath. What do I measure
by, my heart rate or perceived exertion?
Exercising Barefoot
Q: I like to work out at home and I don't like wearing shoes. It
feels comfortable to me when I do my workout tapes. I use a padded mat and
carpet. Am I hurting my feet by NOT wearing shoes during my
workouts?
Yearn for the Burn
Q: I'm in very good shape, yet some days my
quads burn more than others. I know lactic acid is the cause of the burning
sensation in muscles, but how can I get rid of it?
Exercise First
Thing?
Q: Is there anything wrong with getting out of bed and exercising
immediately?
Varying
Workouts?
Q: Some of my co-workers told me that I should alternate my
exercise routine every other day. I really would like to do the same routine
every day without thinking, including abdominal crunches. What do you
think?
Heart-Safe
Exercise
Q: I have a heart condition but I still need a
cardiovascular workout. What form of exercise can I do that is safe but
effective?
Losing Love Handles
Q: I often see a guy at the gym with a bar across his shoulders,
twisting at the waist while keeping his feet planted. Does this exercise get rid
of love handles?
Breathing Basics
Q: I can never remember when I need to breathe in and when to
breathe out when I am working out, especially when I am weight training. Also, I
can never remember if I should be breathing in through my nose and out of my
mouth or vice versa. I hope you can help.
Walking for Upper Body
Results
Q: I am walking 2.5 miles briskly every morning and can see the
results in my lower body. But although I pump my arms vigorously, I see no
results in my upper body. What can I do to lose the weight from the abdomen
up?
Treadmill
Confusion
Q: My YMCA offers treadmills with fat burn, cardio, manual and
random programs. Which would be a better choice for me? I need to tone and
lose fat.
Back to
Running
Q: I used to love running but injured my knee a few years ago and
then was in a car accident. I really want to start up again but am in bad shape
now. How do I begin: Do I just run until I can't anymore? Do I
walk?
Desk Job
Metabolism
Q: Does sitting still at a desk for a long
period of time slow down my metabolism?
Insomnia Due to
Exercise?
Q: I exercise after work and usually don't go to sleep until
around 11 p.m. For the past month, I've had problems falling asleep. And when I
do, I wake up frequently during the night. Can insomnia be caused from dieting
or too much exercise?
Pilates for Beginners
Q: I will be starting a beginner's Pilates class in a few weeks.
Do you think this will be a good exercise to get me back into exercising or
might it be too rigorous?
Sore
Shoulder
Q: My right upper shoulder and arm become painfully sore and hard
to lift after I weight train. It does limber up with time. But what can I do to
minimize the soreness?
Sagging
Back
Q: I'm 53 and in pretty good shape, but I have
noticed recently that my back is sagging slightly at about the area where my
elbows would line up (lower back off to the sides). Do you have any suggestions
for strengthening my back muscles?
Calorie-Burning Chores
Q: Do housecleaning and yard work burn calories? Which chores burn
the most?
VCR
Fitness
Q: Do home exercise videos work as well as gym
workouts?
Taking the Pain Out of
Exercise
Q: I am developing arthritis in many of my joints. What sort of
exercises can I do that won't aggravate my symptoms?
Eating and Exercise
Q: If I exercise early in the morning, should I eat first? If I go
at night after work, should I eat something before I leave
work?
Does Walking Really Work?
Q: I am now on maintenance, and I walk 30-40 minutes four to five
times a week. Is this amount of walking as effective as other exercises in
maintaining weight loss? Running just seems too hard on my
joints.
Talk Test
Q: I am 65 yrs old. When I walk at a brisk pace I can barely get
in enough air to answer questions my friend is asking. I am relatively healthy
and weigh 208 lbs, at 5'5". Is it just my extra weight that makes me
short-winded?
Walking vs. Running
Q: I read that brisk walking burns more calories than running
because running is more energy efficient, whereas walking requires more "work"
to keep grounded at a power-walk pace. What are your thoughts on
this?
Office
Workout
Q: Do you have any suggestions for incorporating exercise into a
day at a desk? I need ideas for upper arms and inner thighs, in
particular.
Water vs. Land Walking
Q: Do I expend more energy walking in water for 30 minutes, or
walking on land for 30 minutes?
Stair
Climbing vs. Running and Walking
Q: How does stair climbing compare to running and
walking?
Avoid Aerobics if
Overweight?
Q: I seem to remember reading that someone who is seriously
overweight shouldn't do step aerobics because of stress on the joints. Is that
true? I have arthritis in my knees. Am I being too cautious?
Running vs. Walking
Q: Which burns more calories, walking one mile or running one
mile?
Cross-Training with
Weights?
Q: I am currently doing yoga and Pilates each one day a week, as
well as tennis 1-2 times a week and walking on non-tennis days. I feel that I
need to add some true weight training. Could I do weights on a day after Pilates
or yoga, or should I wait a day?
Arctic Exercise
Q: What precautions should I take before going outside for a jog
on a very cold day?
The 30-Minute
Workout
Q: I can find only a half hour a day for exercise. How can I make
the most of my time?
Free-Weights vs. Machines
Q: Which is better for middle-aged women, free-weights or
machines?
Eating During
Exercise?
Q: Are certain food groups easier to use for fuel in the middle of
an exercise session?
Breaking Up
Exercise Sessions
Q: What is more beneficial, walking for 50 minutes or going on two
25-minute walks?
Walking: Good for
You Inside and Out
Q: Why is walking outside more difficult than on a
treadmill?
Wet With
Sweat
Q: Why does my husband sweat more than I do
when we're doing the same workout?
Large Calf Muscles
Q: I have large calf muscles. Will using the incline on the treadmill
increase their size? I want to slim them down.
Beginning Walking
Q: I am a woman who weighs more than 200 pounds. I would like to
start walking, but I'm not sure how long I should walk and how often. Do you
have any ideas or a workout schedule for beginning walkers?
Low- vs. High-Impact Fat
Burning
Q: I have read that low-impact exercise burns more fat than
high-impact exercise. How can this be?