Women's Fitness: Women's Fitness Q & A With Hugo Rivera

[RF]: How many times a week would you recommend training for a woman looking to body sculpt?

[HR]: At the very minimum, 3 days a week of 45 minutes of weights coupled with 3 days of cardiovascular activity.

[RF]: What is the biggest mistake that you see women doing when attempting to lose weight?

Three mistakes come to mind:

a) Doing too much cardio and too little weight training thinking that they are going to get huge muscles. Fact is that women do not produce the amount of testosterone necessary to look like an Arnold Schwarzenegger back in his bodybuilding competitive days for instance. I have trained with women who hit the weights as hard as I do and they look very fit and feminine, not big. So having said that, please do not be afraid to hit the weights hard!

b) Not eating enough. Girls, you have to eat in order to increase your metabolism and prompt your body to lose the body fat and gain the muscle. Otherwise, your body will rebel in response to the low caloric intake and instead will retain body fat and lose the muscle.

c) Obsessing about weight. Remember that muscle weighs more than fat so sometimes when you start a body sculpting program the scale does not move but inches do. So focus on inches lost and not on weight as the scale alone does not give you an accurate picture of what’s going on.

[RF]: What sort of nutrition program do you recommend for women who are looking to lose fat and firm up?

[HR]: For most women with pretty sedentary lifestyles, a diet consisting of 40% carbs from low glycemic sources such as brown rice, oatmeal, sweet potatoes and vegetables, 40% proteins from lean sources such as turkey, chicken breasts, lean fish and lean red meats, and finally 20% good essential fats, such as extra virgin olive oil, fish oils and flax oil, is best. Calories wise, 1200-1500 calories is enough for most though if your activity levels are higher, you will need to increase your intake. It is crucial that meals are consumed every 2-1/2 to 3 hours to keep feeding the body so instead of three large square meals we will be having 5-6 small meals instead. The least amount of meals any woman should have would be 4.

[RF]: How important are nutritional supplements for a body sculpting program?

[HR]: They are very important because with today’s processing of foods it is virtually impossible to get all of the nutrients that one needs from food alone. Therefore, I would recommend a good multiple vitamin and mineral formula with extra calcium to guard against any nutritional deficiencies, chromium picolinate and alpha lipoic acid to ensure proper insulin metabolism, a meal replacement formula with a ratio of 40/40/20 if always “on the go” in order to facilitate the 5-6 meal consumption requirement, extra vitamin C for its immune system building and cortisol reduction properties, and some essential fats in the form of extra virgin olive oil, fish oils or flax oils.

[RF]: What are the type of gains that someone in this program would experience?

[HR]: Within two weeks they should see an immediate increase in muscle tone and inches lost on the problem areas. More energy and better outlook on life are just a few of the side effects that come from it as well.

[RF]: If you could give one tip to women who are looking to lose fat and firm up, what would that tip be?

[HR]: Be consistent, be determined and be prepared. If you do not prepare your food in advance then you will most likely fail. Also, do not be afraid of weight training exercise as weights are your best friends when it comes to reshaping your body.

About the Authors

Hugo Rivera, About.com's Bodybuilding Guide and ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer, is a nationally-known best-selling author of over 8 books on bodybuilding, weight loss and fitness, including "The Body Sculpting Bible for Men", "The Body Sculpting Bible for Women", "The Hardgainer's Bodybuilding Handbook", and his successful, self published e-book, "Body Re-Engineering". Hugo is also a national level NPC natural bodybuilding champion. Click here for more information on Hugo Rivera.

Randy Featherston is KBJS 90.3 FM Station Manager and Morning Host. His Music and Ministry Program has a variety of the very best programs in radio anywhere. Randy's interviews feature leading Christian authors with a focus on family concerns, American History from a Christian perspective and health and fitness improvements. Randy loves being part of what God is doing through KBJS.