#23 Q&A Session 1

I received a comment the other day from a lovely lady by the name of Annalena. The comment contained lots of questions that I’m sure lots of other people would like to know the answer to, so I’ve decided to include this information in a blog post. Here are the 10 questions:

1. What does your daily diet look like?

I have posted my exact daily diet here. I eat around 6 meals per day and 1900 calories per day.

2. What does your workout program look like?

I have posted my workout program here. I work out 6 times per week and always have one rest day.

3. How many times per week do you do cardio?

I have posted my workout program here. I do cardio only 3 times per week and try to walk for 20 minutes after every weights session. I have also written a blog post on cardio and why you should be doing cardio to achieve lean and toned legs. To find out more, click here.

4. Do you think I can achieve a great body without lifting heavy weights, just using body weight and small weights (i.e. 5kgs)?

Definitely! You can achieve fat loss and muscle definition with body weight exercises and using lighter weights. However, you won’t see the same strength gains that those lifting heavier will. You will also not see the same increase in muscle definition, but you will definitely still see a difference.

5. What was the key to your great body?

The turning point for me really was my diet and changing from a cardio only workout program to more weights focused. I used to do cardio 5 times per week and do a few aerobics classes such as cycle, body attack and body pump, but never really saw a great difference. It wasn’t until I started weight training that I noticed my body change significantly. Diet is also EXTREMELY important and if you are not eating right, you will probably see very little change.

6. I am scared to gain weight by eating more than I do now. I don’t know what to eat in the evening. Is it better to eat a few big meals or several small meals?

It can be scary thinking about increasing your food intake, and I must admit, I still feel like this a bit sometimes too. When I look at how much I eat, I think whoa that’s a lot! BUT it works for me, as long as I’m still eating at a slight calorie deficit.

Many people underestimate how much food they should be eating and end up starving themselves, which actually damages your metabolism and will make your body store fat. So that means that when you eat more food or have junk food, your body will be more likely to store it. By eating a consistent diet with a little bit more food, you will be much better off and your body will be able to better handle any slip-ups you may have (as long as they’re not too frequent)!

I find that it is better to eat 6 small meals rather than 3 big meals, as it keeps me from being hungry. But it doesn’t really matter too much. If you’re still eating the same amount of food spread over 3 meals instead of 6 and you prefer this way of eating, then that is OK.

7. Do you eat cheat meals?

I have written a post on cheat meals here. My diet has changed a little bit since this post so I will update it. But no I don’t usually do cheat meals, I just eat everything in moderation.

8. Do you eat dried fruit? And how often?

I do eat dried fruit occasionally, maybe once every 2 weeks? It is a healthy snack, but one that is very high in calories, carbs and fats so I try not to have it too often. To find out more about my top healthy snacks, read more here.

9. What do you think about protein shakes? Will I gain weight by drinking protein shakes? Would you recommend them? Do you drink them on rest days?

I use protein powder daily, regardless of whether I exercise or not. I actually don’t put the protein powder in a shake (except on weekends when I have smoothies), but I add it to my post workout breakfast. I stick to one scoop per day which is about 24g of protein.

I definitely recommend protein! I have written some information on protein and how it can assist you. I’ve also included information on what to look for in a protein powder. Find out more here.

 

10. Did your body change after drinking protein shakes?

I started using protein when I made a lot of changes to my exercise and diet. So I don’t think I can attribute the changes to my body to just protein shakes. It was most likely a combination of changes to my diet and exercise.

Protein definitely helps to keep you full and also reduce muscle soreness, and if you aren’t using a protein powder, I highly recommend that you do!

I will continue to do these Q&A blog posts occasionally, so if you have any questions you would like to answered, please leave a comment below! xx