Question and Answer: Part 1

Something big is coming to a Calorie Counter pretty soon. And yeah, you’re going to like it… a lot.

Until it’s all ready to go though, I came up with a fun little idea. See, I get a bunch of emails daily from people asking me a variety of stuff. I then try to answer as many of those people as I can. While doing this I always kind of think “hey, I bet other people would like to know the answer to this question too.”

That’s right, I begin all of my thoughts with the word “hey.”

So, I figured now would be the perfect time to try out the first ever round of a Calorie Counter’s Question And Answer Blog Post o’ Fun!

…or something like that.

Think up your best diet, nutrition, weight loss, weight gain, weight training, muscle building, product, supplement, food or aCalorieCounter.com related questions… and uhhhh… ask me them in the comments below.

I’ll then answer as many of them as I can in either one giant post or possibly separate posts if my answers are too long.

Feel free to ask more than one question. If you do though, just remember to do it in separate comments.

So um, get on your mark, get set, ask stuff.

**EDIT** Wow, ok… 71 questions have now been asked. I think that’s enough to keep me busy for a little while. Comments are now closed. Answers are coming soon.

71 thoughts on “Question and Answer: Part 1”

  1. i been on vacation for 2 weeks, finding it hard to get back TO MY WORK OUT AND CALORIE PLAN. DID NOT GAIN MUCH WEIGHT ON VACATION ABOUT 3 LBS BUT MY MEALS ARE VERY DISTORTED

  2. Hi!! I’d like to know why or what is the cause of that heartburn when working out? What would be advised to prevented? Every time I’m working out, after ten or fifteen mns I start feelling a kind of heartburn. I drink a lot of water when I work out. I also got a little pill for acid control (ranitidine 75 mg), but I’m not confortable using it only to have a confortable work out. Thanks for you help!!!!

  3. Supplement question: The liver is vital to metabolism and food digestion. I have read some articles regarding Milk Thistle and how it aids the liver in it’s tasks. Do have any comments on Milk Thistle as a supplement during weight loss?

  4. I have been working out my upper body for about two years and want to get into doing leg workouts, but I am totally clueless how to go about it. I have started my mixing machine squats into my arm workout. Should I have one day just dedicated to lower body? What exercises for legs do you recommend? Thanks!

  5. I am trying to gain muscle.

    I work outside, year-round, in a very active job with no guaranteed lunch breaks (don’t ask).

    Creating a calorie-surplus has proven to be quite a challenge. Any advice?

  6. Hi I so want to gain weight but its very hard to can you please tell some ways to do so. I eat normal but my weight just doesnt go up.
    Thanks

  7. Sometimes we ALL get caught up in the moment, of work or vacation etc. What are some simple excercises, that we can do to maintain what we have all worked so hard for. I follow the your routine of 2 days on 1 day off 2 days on 2 days off. But sometimes I just get pressed hard at work an dfind myself with little to no time to hit the gym. Any recommendations?

  8. I have been training at home recently as I’m over going to the gym. Would like a good weights workout (free weights) or a good DVD to guide me as I’ve always had someone telling me what to do at the gym.

    I’m a 53 year pretty fit woman.

  9. I recently discovered Orovo Detox on the internet and would like to know your thoughts. I myself would like to lose a little weight, more for toning, but my sister is very overweight and she also has bad skin conditions including acne, stretch marks and rashes where her skin rubs.

  10. Hi,

    I have been working out for around 6 months and I am not getting the growth results I am after. I work hard in the gym and my strenght gains have been great. I just want to get bigger quicker.

    I am eating well and taking Whey proten and Creatine. I am pretty strict on when and the amount I take before and after workouts, before bed and when I wake. Do you recommend any other suppliments or tricks to start seeing better results?

  11. After reading and learning from your websites I have gained almost 30 pounds in the past 4-5 months and have seen significant strength gains.I just graduated from Grade 12 and plan to continue building muscle until the end of summer. I am leaving for school in September and I can already tell I will not have as much time to work out and will probably lose a bit of weight. I am wondering if L-glutamine will help me in keeping most of my muscle and have most of my weight loss due to fat loss, not muscle loss. Or does L-Glutamine only prevent muscle breakdown during cardio activity? I am not sure.

  12. In your “The Ultimate Guide To Building Muscle” blog, you mentioned in the “Frequency” section that:

    “An upper/lower split (upper body on Monday and Thursday, lower body on Tuesday and Friday, for example) where each body part is hit in some form twice per week seems to be the most often recommended training split among the really smart people whose recommendations I value…”

    Can you cite who these people are and perhaps some articles/books for reference?

    Thanks!

  13. Would you say the the best way to gain muscle mass would be to completely not worry about fat gain? I ask because I’m not making the type of gains I would like, prolly cause I’m stuggling to maintain a caloric surplus due to working outside. Anyways, I’m doing your suggested workout. Is it an OK idea to just eat everything in site and worry about it next Feb?

  14. I was pretty used to working out regularly: 5 days a week, always with cardio and lifting. I’ve recently switched jobs however, and I’m working the midnight shift. I can’t get a handle on how I should be eating to avoid my morning “carb” meltdown, or how I should adjust my routine to best benefit my new schedule. Any advice would be more than welcome!

  15. I have been dieting for about a month now. I eat 5-6 meals per day each containing 2 eggs, small piece of meat, and 5-10 baby carrots. I will also have one protien shake pre workout and one post workout.
    I am not loosing any weight at all!! My muscle mass is staying the same, but the fat isn’t dropping!
    What do I need to do/change to get the results I want. (no stomach fat!)
    Thank you soooo much!

  16. I’ve been going to the gym for three months now: 6 days a week and do cardio (30 minutes each time) and lift a different muscle group each day (shoulders, back one day arms, chest next day..etc) I lost 30 pounds in 2 months and have been at a stand still for 1 month. I still have a long way to go…about 80 more pounds. I’m pretty regimented/balanced about my diet (in a healthy way). I’m wondering what I need to do to get back to losing weight…I’m wondering if more cardio and less weights might be the answer?

  17. hi tnx for ur wonderful posts iv been reading them they hve been helpful in many ways.
    i want to know that if i want to start with creatine what should i do coz iv got my self one of ON should i load it or 5gms every day which one will show me results quickly iv been asking my trainers about dis but each has a different story some say u should load it some say 5gms per day and some say u shold take it post workout some say pre workout and with what sauld i take it with grape juice or glucose

  18. Elloo..I have a friend who is a vegetarian but who wants to gain weight through body building..huuh..Wat r the routine meals u suggest??? Thx

  19. i’ve been trying to get ripped in my mid section but its proving a major task. i’d even tried cutting down my sugar intake…please advice

  20. 1) Would you recommend the use of a steam room after workout? Why?…

    2) Would you recommend the CKD Diet for someone who is trying to lose fat and not muscle?

  21. At 5’8 and 145lbs (give or take) I’m looking to gain weight. I’m excercising 6 times a week now and need to eat more to keep up with my workout program, but I just can’t seem to eat enough. Any suggestions on what I can buy from the store to help with proper weight gain?

  22. I wanto design weight traning program that has me working out 4 days/week. I was looking to stick to ur upper/lower split with ON, ON, OFF, ON, ON, OFF, OFF layout through the week.

    Question: wouldn’t the legs get more training than the upper body using this layout? eg:
    Day1. chest/triceps
    Day2. legs
    Day3. off
    Day4. back/biceps/shoulders
    Day5. legs
    Day6/7. off
    As you can see the legs get worked twice throughout the week where as the upper muscle groups only get worked once. Also this layout forces me to have a day where i have to work 3 upper muscle groups (back/biceps/shoulders) and a day where i only work 2 (chest/triceps).

    My concern is with working the legs too much and the upper body not enough. And also working 2 upper muscels one day and 3 the next. Are any of these things bad??? should i be worrying???

    Also I came up with a workout plan to try and avoid the concerns i have-
    Day1. chest/triceps
    Day2. legs
    Day3. off
    Day4. back/biceps
    Day5. legs/shoulders
    Day6/7. off
    would this qualify as a “non-idioic” weight training program?

    Any help, comments, info, suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.
    Also great site, great info and very well put together!!

  23. like what they keep on asking regarding the weights training the same time with the loosing weight program should be keep separate training, so what is the schedule or program for this problem? is 30 minutes staionary bike everyday good for my diet? how about the weights training?

  24. Question:
    I have an slipped disc in L5-S1. Which exercises can I do to get the lower back muscles strong?

    Would deadlifting with light weights work?

    Thanks,

  25. how does it work ? if you eat 6 meals a day you will always have glucose ready for fuel in your blood for when you do your cardio so when is fat getting burned ? muscle is easier for your bodie to burn to get energy from so if you run out of glucose in your blood while doing cardio is the bodie going to get it’s energy from muscle or fat ?

  26. HELP ME!!!! I need some guidelines to help lose weight. I am 5’6″ and 240 lbs I am woman, I have been working out for 5 years now and just in the last 2 months I have been working out EVERY MORNING a mix of cardio and weights for about 1/2 an hour to 45 min for cardio and 1/2 an hour for weights, but I keep gaining weight!!!! what should I be eating? NOT EATING? I really need to lose at least 50 lbs (more obviously but 50 seems like an attainable goal) what can I do to CONTROL appetite? PLEASE HELP. I feel out of control.

    Jamie.

  27. Hi,
    I have followed the advices you provided in the Ultimate Weight Loss Guide, and it has worked great for me. I focussed on calorie-in Vs calorie out ratio to loose weight and I have lost 1Kg per week for six weeks on a row, then without changing anything, I have experieced a plateau. It’s two weeks now that I am stagnating @68 Kg.

    My question is: Is it possible that our body adapts to lower calorie input? and if so, Is there a way to break this plateau and go back to loosing weight.

    Thank you!

  28. hello,
    i found a protein powder that i can actually enjoy. the only drawback is that it is high in cholesterol. shalli use it less frequently than 2x’s a week because of this?

    i will add that i have gastric problems with most of the powders…either the soy (which i’m very allergic to) or the high sugar content.

    i would love to hear your feedback!

    (the type i love the flavor of is hank’s)

    thanks

Comments are closed.