Fitness FAQs
Return to previous pageQ: I’ve been exercising for five years and still haven’t seen my abs! I run four miles a day, six days a week and my body looks the same as it did two years ago. What do I have to do to break through and see real results?
A: Running is a great choice for building cardiovascular fitness. However, running outside of your Target Heart Rate without incorporating any strength training is a poor choice for building or retaining lean muscle mass.
Research has shown that runners who don’t lift weights have higher body-fat percentages than those who do lift weights. Also, runners who don’t lift weights begin losing muscle mass at the same
rate as sedentary people.
If your goal is to change the shape of your body (and see your
abs), we suggest you exchange three of your weekly runs for three strength-exercise workouts. Not only will this help you maintain or add muscle mass throughout your life, it will also help lower your body-fat percentage.
And, don’t forget that without a sound nutrition program, no exercise program will yield the results you’re looking for. Exercise and nutrition go hand in hand when it comes to real results.
