That's Fit

Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose two per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Dear Fitz, I know that most people are trying to lose weight, but I am trying to gain. Gain muscle, that is. I am going to the gym three to four times per week. I'm using the weight machines there, but It doesn't seem like I am gaining any muscle. Could you give me some advice? What types of healthy food should I eat? Should I be doing more reps with less weight or fewer reps with more weight? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Lea Rettig

A. Hey Lea, your question is superb, and the answer thank goodness is quite simple. Strength training should be challenging. Funny enough, my clients always seemed shocked and follow up that feeling of shock by giving me dirty looks when I pass them the dumbbell I'd like them to lift. Along with that dirty look, I receive chronic cries of, "Fitz! That's heavy!" Well, yes. Yes it is. The purpose of strength training is to get stronger, and yes ... build muscle. If I were to give them weights they could already lift comfortably ... they wouldn't be getting any stronger!

Often, we provide workouts designed to work certain parts of your body -- abs, biceps or leg, for example -- but what's the best workout routine if you want to tone your entire body? The folks at eDiets have put together a total-body workout. Here's what it entails:

• Squats for legs
  
• Lunges, also for your legs
  
• Chest press, for your chest
  
• Dumbell reverse lat row, for your back
  
• Lateral raise for your shoulders
  
• Bicep curl, for the biceps

Are these all exercises that you do on a regular basis? They're part of my routine, and perhaps you should make them a part of yours too. What do you think?

Push-ups are by far my favorite upper body exercise. In fact, if you had to choose only one exercise to do for your upper body for the rest of your life.......you better pick the push-up. This all in one exercise works just about every muscle above your hip and then some. No other strength training exercise has the ability to work your chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, forearm, abs, erector spinae (low back), glutes, calves, anterior tibialis (over your shin), neck. and more. Not only are they the best, they're something almost everybody can do. Barring spinal injuries and rotator cuffs, unless you've specifically been told not to do push-ups.....you should do them.

Here's a bunch of fun ways to do a push-up, in order from easiest to hardest. Keep in mind, your back should always be straight, Your tushy should not sag down, or stick up. Breath, breath, breath. Suffocation is rarely useful. I normally start my clients with three sets. Do the most you can possibly do on your first, rest and repeat two times. You'll be surprised at how quickly you progress.

Level 1:

Wall push-ups. Hands on wall, feet on floor about a foot away. Push out.

On knees, butt high. Hands and feet shoulder width apart on ground, push-up.

On knees butt flat. Hands and feet shoulder width apart on ground, push-up.

If you're one of those people who plan to go to the gym, yet somehow talk yourself out of it before the end of the day ... you need to stop. Truth be told, we all get busy, we all get tired, and we all have a bazillion things to do. I'm positive the reason you planned to go the the gym, or wherever else it is you exercise, is because you know it's wonderful for you and you want the results. You probably even have a bag packed with exercise clothes in the trunk of your car. Use them!

The secret to getting past this self-defeating instinct is to trick yourself with really small goals. Instead of just bailing out, tell yourself you'll only walk for five minutes on the treadmill. Or plan to only do bicep curls. Odds are, once you get on the treadmill you're going to want to go a little further. You probably won't want to ditch the gym after doing just bicep curls either. Being in the gym just feels good, and the atmosphere will more than likely inspire you to do what you originally set out to do.

Have you ever finished a workout and thought, "Gosh, I wish I hadn't done that?" No! Nobody does that, because exercise feels great and the sense of accomplishment feels even better. And, even if you do just walk for five minutes, it's certainly better than nothing. I guess a little lying isn't always a bad thing.

I'm definitely more of a pear-shape, so I've never really given much thought to my arms when it comes to the whole fitness/body image thing. That is, until I started doing yoga about 2 and a half years ago and realized that positions that others can do with ease, such as downward dog, were a struggle for me because I was severely lacking in arm strength. After that, I began paying attention to my arms and noticed, with horror, that when I hold my arms out to make a T shape, I actually had these saddlebag things that wiggle. Ick. You know how wen daffy duck tries to show off his muscles and a section of his upper arm droops into a U shape? That's how I felt.

So, in the interest of cute tops and not embarrassing myself in yoga class, I've set out to make my arms as strong as my legs, which are toned from endless hours of walking, running and climbing up stairs.