How much weight training do I need to do?

Here's a great question I received today:

When you refer to resistance training (and the Eat Stop Eat program), is there a particular type you're talking about?

To be more specific (and personal), most people use "resistance training" and "bodybuilding-type" workouts synonymously. And by bodybuilding-type workouts, I mean multiple sets of 6-12 reps.

I'm training as a sprinter and am working out specifically for increased power and fast-twitch fiber development. Namely, I'm deadlifting and bench pressing and, for each exercise, doing no more than 5 sets, with no more than 5 reps/set, and no more than 10 reps total (I mix it up each workout) with weights that are between 85-100% of my 1rep max.

Would this be effective with the ESE program?

Here is my answer:

This work out program would definitely be effective.

I believe that as long as your workout program contains a work load that creates enough stress to challenge your muscles (which I'm sure this program would do), I believe it will protect you from any muscle loss.

I often get asked why I never give an "exercise prescription" with Eat Stop Eat. The reason is simple. It depends on the person. (this is the same reason why I don't tell you HOW to eat while following Eat Stop Eat).

For instance, it takes a high amount of volume, stress and exercise frequency for a 250 pound bodybuilder to maintain this high level of muscle mass.

If a 250 pound bodybuilder were to follow Eat Stop Eat then the amount and type of exercise that he would need to do to maintain that mass would be much greater than what a 145 pound women who doesn't exercise at all would need to do.

So your exercise needs are very dependent on your current training status, your goals, and the amount of muscle mass you are currently carrying.

Look at the amount of exercise you were doing before you started following Eat Stop Eat, and make sure to slowly progress from there.

BP

How to keep arm size while dieting

I received a great question over the weekend about dieting and losing muscle.

To paraphrase the question, it was quite simply, "If I am not losing muscle mass while I am dieting, then how come my upper arm has lost a quarter inch in girth?"

Well, to get to the bottom of this problem we need to look at some very basic math.

Lets take a 16 inch arm as an example...

( I apologize for the bashed up knuckles and hairy armpits)

If you took my arm and cut it in half right through the middle of the biceps, this is what it would look like...

(A hypothetical cross-section of my arm, labels included)

You will notice that my arm circumference can be described as circular. If we remember all the way back to grade 11 math class, we might remember that we can calculate the circumference of a circle from its radius and vice versa (I say 'might', because I had to look it up on google)...

(The radius is the distance from the center of your arm all the way to the skin on the outside)

Since we know that the circumference of a circle can be calculated by the equation Circumference = 2(pi)radius, we can determine how much (or little) of a change is needed to the radius of the arm to create a quarter inch loss in girth...

So for a 16 inch arm like the one in the picture above, the radius would be 2.546 inches. For that same arm to lose 1/4 of an inch in its circumference, the radius would have to be reduced to 2.507 inches, a loss of a little less than 1 mm.

So if I lost a little less than 1 mm of subcutaneous fat from my arm (which is more than possible, and barely detectable with most skin fold calipers) I could lose a whole 1/4 inch of my arm measurement without actually losing any muscle mass.

Fat loss happens everywhere,

BP

PS- If you are interested in an easy way to lose fat without losing any muscle, check out EAT STOP EAT here and learn more about flexible fasting for weight loss.