17: 'All Things Exercise (Exercise 101)' | Sarah Fragoso and Jason Seib

AIR DATE: June 14, 2012 at 7PM ETFEATURED EXPERTS: FEATURED TOPIC: "All Things Exercise (Exercise 101)"

Exercise is an often misunderstood aspect of a healthy lifestyle change because it can be interpreted in a variety of ways. From cardio to resistance training, high-intensity interval training and everything in between, the average person just doesn't know for sure what the heck they should be doing to maximize their results along with a healthy nutritional plan. This week we have two experts who know a thing or two about bringing the proper balance into play when it comes to exercise in Sarah Fragoso and Jason Seib from . You probably already know about the incredible Paleo success story that Sarah has from her uber-popular  blog, podcast, cookbook and children's book and she has a brand new book coming in September 2012 entitled . In case you missed it, I featured Sarah Fragoso in  in June 2011. Her EPLifeFit business partner and frequent guest contributor to her "Everyday Paleo" blog Jason Seib is a bona fide nutrition and fitness expert extraordinaire who was featured in  in 2011. Both Sarah and Jason believe that eating a real foods-based diet along with an intelligent exercise program can help you reach your personal fitness and health goals and they stand ready to answer your questions about how to make that happen!

TRY THIS NEW LOW-CARB SNACK OPTION FROM NICK'S STICKS:NOTICE OF DISCLOSURE: 

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this podcast:

CUTZI ASKS:What kind of equipment is needed for your Everyday Paleo Lifestyle and Fitness program? I am a homeschooling mother of 4 and had a C-section three months ago. I'm still nursing and it's not easy for me to leave the house on a regular basis yet. I would love to be able to exercise at home with minimal equipment and minimal time. Any suggestions?

CHRIS FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA ASKS:How would you go about altering your Paleo eating habits to increase weight loss while maintaining my workout schedule of doing CrossFit three times a week? I am kind of at a standstill lately and need some help tweaking what I'm doing. I'm not unhappy with my results but would definitely like to shed more body fat.

CATHY ASKS:I am interested to know what your 'expert' thinks in terms of the differences between exercising in a keto-adapted state as opposed to 'carbing up' or simply being in a glucose burning state and how that may apply to hunger or appetite and endurance.

MEG FROM THE UK ASKS:I'm a 40-year old female and have been eating low-carb for 9 months. I dropped 25 lbs in the first six months but I am now at a plateau for the past 3 months with a BMI of 28 and body fat percentage of 37. My question for you guys is what is the most effective exercise I can do to reduce my "set point"' weight and get through this stubborn plateau?

PETER ASKS:I workout like a maniac 3 times per week and then usually a lighter workout at least one more time. My tough workouts are 75 minute CrossFit/MMA-type workouts with full body tempo weightlifting. I am also VERY VERY strict Paleo and have been for 3 months. I have lost 13 pounds but have been stuck at this point for 3 weeks. Should I cut down my workouts? Adjust my protein/fat? Any advice would be appreciated. I am 5-9" male now weigh 210. I look better since the weight loss and I feel outstanding.

MIKE ASKS:Is it better to train in fasted or fed state and what do you recommend for pre and post workout nutrition?

MACKAY ASKS:Too much exercise can add to chronic inflammation, stress, and eventually lead to burn out. How do you know when you are exercising too much?

KEITH ASKS:How does low carb, even Paleo, fit into the bodybuilding equation? The sarcoplasm is where the glucose/glycogen is stored, is it not? The experience of competitive bodybuilders who go low carb and low fat during contest prep, is it that their muscles "deflate" during this period? And do they also experience more fatigue and lowered stamina which they try to time "carbing up" for the contest, so as not to be smaller. Any thoughts?

MEREDITH ASKS:I have had 4 healthy pregnancies but after eating gluten/dairy/legume free Paleo! I STILL cannot lose my lower belly or develop tone in my abs. It's frustrating because I still look pregnant even though the rest of my body has awesome tone - I'm 5'4" and I weigh on average 107 lbs. It's almost as if my abs are not connected to my stomach because when I bend over the skin hangs - not aesthetically pleasing at all. I currently strength train 3 times a week and run or do sprints 3 times a week. If you have any exercise or diet advice I would appreciate it and gladly make the changes. I have also been treating my leaky gut with elimination diet protocol and take Armour 1.5 for my thyroid. I also have not had a period return after this last pregnancy. I sound like a mess but I truly do feel great except for the occasional digestive discomfort. Sleep and energy are great. I know there are other women out there struggling with their gut so thanks for your help in advance!

LEE ASKS:What exercise will increase blood flow to help reduce belly and stubborn oblique fat?

JOE ASKS:I'd love to know what Sarah's strength numbers look like. A lot of women are afraid to lift heavy out of fear that they will get bulky. Well, Sarah looks great and I suspect she is not afraid to lift heavy. If a woman knew she could safely lift X amount of weight without getting bulky (like Sarah), then she'd be more inclined to look into lifting weights in a healthy way.

TORIE ASKS:I lost quite a bit of weight (30 kilos thereabouts) by following a low carb diet a few years back. I got to a point though, where it stalled. And stalled. And stalled. But my weight (although high) remained stable. Fast forward a few years and it's crept up by about 6 kilos. I start exercising. I cycle for an hour a day. I do the Couch to 10k running program on alternate days. I feel great, but still stalled. Then I can't exercise for a couple of months due to surgery. Back to it now, and my weight has crept up another few kilos. I am back on my bicycle for an hour a day, but not back at the gym nor running again. Yet. I eat very low carb. I'm very strict. I'm in ketosis. But I'm actually gaining weight - not even staying stable. I really didn't think this was possible on low carb. Any suggestions? The whole "measure yourself" thing isn't going to cut it - I'm still about 27 kilos from my high target, 37 kilos from my 'I really wish I weighed that!' goal. But I'm being realistic (hah!). My numbers are good. My doctor said a few months ago my cholesterol was high, so I made some adjustments and now he's very pleased I managed to lower it by fiddling my diet. I've had all the tests for thyroid etc and all appears normal according to the doctor. He's stumped as well - and just shrugs and says 'well done on the exercise'. But it's all pretty disheartening.

CHRIS ASKS:1) I have heard on-and-off from various training forums that on a progressive strength training plan it takes about two years to reach one's "genetic limit" of strength. Is this true or just another example of "broscience?"

2) Can a person effectively build strength while performing very slow, H.I.T. bodyweight exercises while on a ketogenic diet? I have been doing a sort of "Body by Science"-style workout once a week for about two months with just my body weight (pull-ups, decline pushups, bulgarian squats, chair dips, planking) but I have no real way to measure how much I've progressed.

SANDY ASKS:I have been pretty sedentary most of my life except for walking occasionally, gardening, no real period of extended hard exercise. How does someone start resistance training and weight lifting if they are 65 and female? I don't know where to begin and I feel lost looking at all those machines at the gym. Help! I have been eating low carb for almost one year and lost 50 lbs.

BURT ASKS:What is a good motivator to get one's rear off the couch and actually exercise and is exercise important for weight loss and weight management?

STEVE ASKS:This question is about exercising causing a weight loss stall. I repeated this six times and it happened every time. In 2007/8, I was recovering from years of being a hormone wreck, with thyroid, adrenal, insulin resistance, and fatigue issues. I was 315 and made it to 190 in less than a year, thanks to a good doctor. When I got about 50 lb off, I decide to speed things up by riding a bicycle a couple times a day. This was just a one-speed fun bike and I only rode it 10 minutes or so at a time. Each time, by the next day, weight went up at least 5 lb and I felt bloated in my stomach. I would stop riding and it would go back to what it was in a few days. That was hard to believe so I tired again, same thing. Over a few months, this happened six times. How can this be? I read Mark Sisson's blog post about chronic cardio and it is the only thing that makes sense. I wasn't an athlete over-training like Sisson was but could the hormone issues act like someone that over trains and gets "burnout?"