{mosimage}Q: How much water do I need to drink in a day? I constantly hear different standards from different nutritionists, trainers, dietitians etc. I have been seeing some saying one should have half the amount of one’s weight. Right now I have lost some weight since working out with you guys and I am down to 240 pounds. That would mean I would have to drink 120 ounces or 15 cups of water.
                                  — Kevin, Fayetteville

    A: Kevin, while that’s a valid question, what we look at is how much water are you consuming in a day and how can we make that as easy as possible. So the easiest “formula” to follow is to answer these questions, “is your urine clear or dark?” Does it have a strong smell? “Does the flow ‘feel’ slow or ‘thick’?” These are some of the questions I’ll ask someone regarding their water consumption.
    The problem is that there are so many theories and ideas that can be “scientifically” proven — good or bad; however, the best gauge is to use common sense. The body is comprised of protein and water, so doesn’t it make sense to refuel it with what it needs to rebuild? Let me know if this helps.

    Q: I had a baby two months ago and my doctor told me I need to start exercising to lose weight. What do you suggest?
                               — Shirley F., Fayetteville

    A: Start slowly — start moving around again and stretching your body. Once you’re used to moving around, you need to add in weight training. One of the reasons we recommend weight training, even over traditional cardio, is that with an effective program you’ll not only strengthen your heart like you would with cardio, but also condition and strengthen your muscles which is going to help you in your day-to-day activities. Additionally, if you pair your cardio with weight training like we do with our training, you’ll see huge positive results stemming from your body having to constantly adapt to ever changing challenges.
    Starting out, we normally recommend two days a week — no more than three — of exercise …You don’t need another job! We believe functional, compound movements to be the best for your body. These are full body movements like squats, lunges, overhead pressing, and pull-ups. These are going to use more muscles and energy than the fluffy exercises you typically see – inner thigh machines and the like! Think of it this way, the more muscles you use, the more “tone” you will get and the more calories you will burn. Yes, that is an overly simplified view of it, but you get the picture.

    Q. I am getting ready to join the military and need to lose 20 pounds to enter — what do you think I should eat? My recruiter keeps telling me to do these seaweed wraps and eat once a day. That doesn’t sound healthy
    A: Your recruiter is going to hurt someone! You need to be eating frequent, small meals throughout the day to rev up your metabolism and exercise on a regular basis. While not a dietitian, we have seen our clients succeed by eating meals or snacks balanced out with protein, vegetables, fruit and good healthy fats while cutting out sugar like sodas, breads and pasta.
    Seriously, the recommendation to only eat once a day is setting you up to lose muscle and actually gain more fat — regardless of what weight you might lose. What that means to you is that you’re going to be weaker than before and fail your pt test.
    The seaweed wraps will help you lose subcutaneous water (below the surface) and dehydrate you. Whatever inches you “lose” will come right back as you rehydrate yourself. In the end, the advice given — while possibly well intended — will not help you. If you are serious about getting into the military, do it right and set yourself up to succeed in this adventure.
    E-mail your questions to John Velandra at: john@designsinfitness.net or call him at (910) 306-3142. John is a certified personal trainer and the owner of CrossFit Cape Fear and Designs In Fitness Personal Training Services in Fayetteville.