A well-chiselled body is the envy of any man.
But how do you get those flat abs and brawny biceps?
Fitness expert Samreedhi Sharma Goel, who chatted with rediff.com readers in an hour-long chat on May 10, has some great suggestions.
For those of you who missed the chat, here is the transcript:
Part II: Should I have protein supplements?
Samreedhi says, Hello everybody and welcome to this month's FITNESS CHAT. Please start your queries with a mention of your height (cm) and weight (kg). Let's get started!
inder asked, hi samreedhi, i am 5 feet 7" having a lean body. weight is 68kg. i want to put on some weight. so that can have a good body. can u please help me
Samreedhi answers, Assuming you have a medium body frame, you should weigh between 63-69 kg. In order to build a lean physique: train with weights with a 'GOOD KNOWLEDGEABLE TRAINER' three to four times a week. Eat at least five to six small meals (take a good diet plan from a nutritionist/ dietician).
If you are non-vegetarian, consuming good quality protein is easy by way of milk, eggs, chicken and fish. For vegetarians, make sure you drink milk and combine cereals and pulses for good quality protein. Just over-emphasis on protein won't help, however. See that your diet includes plenty of complex carbohydrates ie whole grains, cereals, pulses, fruits and vegetables.
sameer asked, hi samridhi i am sameer 5'8 45kgs 21 year old i want to know what is the reason of nausea during weight lifting and how to avoid it thank you
Samreedhi answers, Hi, you could be doing your exercises too fast or most probably eating something right before your workout or maybe drinking too much water/ fluids. Eat whatever meal/ snack 1.5-2 hours BEFORE the workout. Do not drink large quantities of liquids at a go. Drink water throughout the workout sip by sip.
baby asked, I hear that drinking hot water with honey & lemon early in th emorning but empty stomach help in reducing the fat, PLZZZZZZZZZZZ tell me whether it is true
Samreedhi answers, Hi, no it is not.
maheshinblr asked, Hi Samreedhi, I am 28 year old, I have 2 question 1. Best ABS exercise to reduce my lower abs, and get formation on my ABS. I do some of well know lower abs exercise, but i need to know which exercise will show fast results. 2. Which is most promising exercise for Biceps and Triceps to build MASS and for Formation, Please help me in know the how and which exercises shows the result faster, Thankyou
Samreedhi answers, Hi, no specific exercise can build muscles. It is a combination of a good diet and regular training the right way which will help you achieve the body you want.
Bhaskar asked, Hi, Samreedhi,this is Bhaskar from Kolkata,I am 5ft 7 inches with weight of 77 KG , I know I am overweght , I paly lot of Table Tennis and Badminton ,but I am not loosing weight , what should i DO?
Samreedhi answers, Hi, have you looked into your diet? Cut off fried food and sweets from your diet, drink plenty of water, snack on fruits and include lots of vegetables in your meals. You will definitely lose weight.
Bharat asked, Hi Samreedhi.I am 25 yrs old,my height is 6 feets 1 inches,weight is near about 111kgs.I started exercising from november end and since then lost around 9kgs(earlier i was 120 kgs). 1)My question is whether I have lost correct amonut of weight or I should have loast more. 2)Due to me exams coming nearby I will be unable to go to Gym for atleast 20 days .What precautions ahould I take? 3)please tell me what should be my exercise routine(How many hrs of cardio and weight training)?and How it should be done in week? thanx and Regards, Bharat
Samreedhi answers, Hi, your weight loss is okay. Assuming you are of medium frame, your weight should be 74-82 kg. You can aim at losing 2-3 kg per month so that your weight loss is permanent. During exams, take a brisk walk for 30 minutes everyday to stay active. If you cannot do that, try to avoid eating junk due to stress. The perfect exercise routine would include cardio 3 times a week for 40-50 minutes and weight training on alternate days for 45-50 minutes.
prabhakar asked, I am 5'8" & weigh 61Kgs , a vegetarian. I suffer from lactose intolerance so what would be a good substitute for milk to build muscle mass & gain weight
Samreedhi answers, Hi, even if you are lactose intolerant, I am sure you can tolerate curds/ lassi/ paneer. Initially, you can have curds/ lassi in diluted form (add water) and gradually increase the concentration. Combining cereals and pulses too is a good idea. Speak to your doctor about prescribing a lactose free supplement.
Nirmal asked, Hi Samreedhi.. I had been working out for the past 1.5 months in the Gym. My workout includes 20 minutes of Jogging and 10 minutes of Walking . After that i do Either Bench Press/ Arms/ Lateral PullOver. I am 5'11" and 79 Kgs. But I havent lost much. Suggestions Please!!
Samreedhi answers, Hi, you did not mention a leg workout. You are ignoring the muscles of half your body -- some of them are the biggest and strongest and you are surprised you are not getting results? Ask your trainer to chalk out a routine which targets all the muscles and see the difference.
shiv asked, hi, I am shiv. my age is 42 and my height is 5.10 and weight 81 kg. is it correct weight or over weight. if so what should I do
Samreedhi answers, Hi, assuming you are of medium frame, you should be 68-75 kg. Join a gym, go to a park and walk, get involved in any activity. Alter your food habits by having 4-5 meals a day. Drink lots of water and eat fruits instead of calorie rich snacks. You definitely will lose weight.
BalajiK asked, Hi Samreedhi, I have joined few GYMs a couple of times but somehow I quit them after a few months. How do we remain focussed and continue gymming for a long time? Basically, how do we set out goals/what to expect through a GYM?
Samreedhi answers, Hi, join a gym only after speaking to the trainer and if you feel you can develop a rapport with him/her. Don't be afraid to ask questions to test their knowledge. The idea of going somewhere and exercising under supervision is so that when your motivation drops there is someone who can bring the level up again.
dhonifan asked, hi, i want to gain weight, my weight is constant from many months.My weight is 50 kgs, height is 5'11".What should i do?What should be my diet, whether i should join a gym
Samreedhi answers, Train with weights with a 'GOOD KNOWLEDGEABLE TRAINER' three to four times a week. Eat at least five to six small meals (take a good diet plan from a nutritionist/ dietician).
If you are non-vegetarian consuming a good quality protein is easy in the way of milk, eggs, chicken, and fish. For vegetarians, make sure you drink milk and combine cereals and pulses for good quality protein.
Just over-emphasis on protein won't help, see that your diet includes plenty of complex carbohydrates ie whole grains, cereals, pulses, fruits and vegetables.
Sourav asked, Hi Samreedhi, I am 25years old, height-5'11" and weight-62Kgs. I am working and staying away from my home,and I don't get chance to eat homely foods. So I eat outside everyday. My office timings are 12:30pm to 10:00pm. I want to be fit and healthy. Pls sugest me some tips to be healthy taking into account all the constraints I am having.
Samreedhi answers, Hi, it is not a good idea to eat out all the time. The food is loaded with fat, often the wrong kind, excess salt and sugar. Teach yourself to make simple meals like sandwiches, poha, pulao, parathas, etc. If that is not possible, hire someone to cook for you. If even that is not possible, arrange for a tiffin service and specify how you want your food cooked ie lots of vegetables, less oil, salt and spices. If you make up your mind, I am sure you will find a solution.
Ramesh_ asked, Greetings Samreedhi, I am in the habit of skipping lunch. I eat light breakfast in the morning and then eat a hearty dinner. But i skip lunch to avoid getting sleep at work :-). Friends say that we SHOULD have lunch? What is your say on this?
Samreedhi answers, Hi, skipping meals is a bad idea. When you skip your lunch you are missing out on vital calories and nutrients that are needed to get you through the day. If you keep having a hearty dinner very soon, you will have to worry about the health of your heart. Why not divide the calories and have a light lunch and a moderate dinner? You definitely will feel more energetic this way.
Softwaredude asked, Hi, as my name says I work for a software company. I get irregular shifts and so I am not able to join a gym or swimming class which I badly want to join. I am 5'4" and 55Kgs. Am I underweight? And also I have flab around my waist. What can I do to reduce that? Does Honey + warm water + lemon really help?
Samreedhi answers, Hi, your weight should be between 58-63 kg. The only way to rid your self of flab is to exercise regularly. If honey, lime and warm water was the solution, would you need to ask me for my advice :)
Krish asked, I am 6 ft tall, I dont have any bad habits.I work out for a hour everyday @ home but still I dont see to loose my weight around my tummy.. can you help me
Samreedhi answers, There is no such thing as spot reduction! You cannot lose inches only on one part of your body. However, if you do a full body work out and you do abs crunches, the work out will help you to burn fat over all, while the crunches will help you to tone your abdominal muscles. Controlling your diet, ie lowering your intake of fried food, sweets will also help you chisel off those extra inches from your tummy!
deepblue asked, Hi, I'm 5'*", 78kgs. I inflicted an injury (plantar fasciitis) in my heel two yrs back when I used to jog a lot. It hasn't been healing at all since then, though i've given up jogging completely. It causes me a lot of pain and discomfort at times. I've tried physiotherapi for it but to no avail. I do calf and hamstring stretches everyday once in the morning. But this hasn't been much help either. Can u please suggest any good excercises that may help
Samreedhi answers, Hi, change your physiotherapist. Seek a second opinion. Why must you live with the pain?
PowerKiller asked, hi, i want to gain weight, my weight is 48 kgs from many months and i am 6.0 height. i don't feel like eating. what should i do?
Samreedhi answers, Hi, don't you get hungry? Is it due to stress or is it because you do not give enough time to your meals? Keep aside 10-15 minutes for meals everyday at fixed times. Start with eating small quantities and gradually your appetite will build up. Exercise will also help you to build it up.
bharat123 asked, Hi Samreedhi Thanx for the reply.Sorry to trouble u again. I have few queries: 1)My mother is 5 feet 3 inches.her weight is 85 kgs.The problem is she is suffering from Arithritis.Please suggest something for her. she does execise on cycle at home but only for 5 mins in few hrs. 2)As told to you earlier,I am doing cardio 3 times a week and 3 times a week weight training.In cardio Wht is more imp to keep THR above or burning more calories? My exercise shedule goes like this. Mon-cardio,tue-upper body,wed-cardio,thrus-lower body gym,friday-cardio,sat-upper body,sun-off,mon-lowerbidy.i.e basicallu alternate day gym but consisting of upper body and lower body. is this correct? 3)Is it beneficial to take steam bath for fat loss? 4)plz suggest some diet.I don't eat juck food atall.I have stopped taking fried food.apart from tht My sugar intake and potato intake is also very low. suggest something which you find may help me. Thanx a lot
Samreedhi answers, Hi, take your mom to a good physiotherapist. If the THR is up, you automatically burn more fat calories. Your routine is fine. Steam does not help fat loss.
shetty asked, hi am yogesh shetty from mumbai i just wanna know tht by doing which workout i can reduce my abbs(stomach) which is 37 and wht diet i should prefer to control my abbs i hope i will get the answer this time atleast.am 23 yrs old with 5.6' height and weight 78 kgs.
Samreedhi answers, There is no such thing as spot reduction! You cannot lose inches only on one part of your body. However, if you do a full body work out and you do abs crunches, the work out will help you to burn fat over all, while the crunches will help you to tone your abdominal muscles. Controlling your diet ie lowering your intake of fried food, sweets will also help you chisel off those extra inches from your tummy!
Part II: Should I have protein supplements?
Samreedhi Sharma Goel is a certified personal trainer and nutritionist. She runs Size Wise, her training studio. She also conducts fitness workshops. Besides training with the International Sports Science Association, USA, she has a post-graduate diploma in nutrition and food technology and writes for a variety of publications. DON'T MISS!
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