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FITNESS TALK

Beware of claims

Flab can be fought only the hard way

Frequently asked questions at any gymnasium are, "How much fat can I lose in a month or how much lean muscle can I gain in a month." Expectations of an honest answer to such questions can often ring in disappointment. But, with the fitness industry growing bigger by the day, business minds are now calling the shots. It is needless to say that in such a scenario, the answers a person gets are far from the truth and advertisements brought out by most of these gymnasiums and beauty centres are a testimony to it.

Tall claims

Advertisements claiming that you can shed 15 to 20 kg in three months or some "hardcore gyms" promising to make a champion bodybuilder out of a skinny teenager are all shocking!

This is where a person needs to exercise caution and not fall prey to publicity gimmicks. Just like an educational institution cannot predict what a tiny tot is going to become in the future, a scientist too cannot tell how much physical change a person can undergo in a fixed span of time.

What to expect?

The recommended rate of weight loss is about 1 pound a week which translates to shedding four pounds of body fat in a month (1.8 kg). Trying to lose anything more than this affects the immunity system.

As regards muscle building, a person with favourable genetics to build a championship physique is likely to gain anywhere between five and 20 pounds of lean muscle during the first year of training. But the gaining rate during the subsequent years need not be so fast. The average rate of gain is about five pounds a year. There are no shortcuts to achieving good health and physical perfection. A well-planned workout and sensible diet plan are the only means to such ends.

Cosmetic surgeries may remove adipose tissue and bring down the belly instantly. But they do not increase the metabolic rate (the rate at which the body burns calories and preserves lean muscle) and the client is most likely to gain back all that is removed.

Nothing earth shaking

Several million dollars are being spent on research in the fitness industry each year. But, scientists are yet to come up with anything earth shaking to rewrite the tenets of physical culture. Until that happens, beware of those who claim their products or gadgets to be "proven" in fighting flab.

Always remember that good things are not acquired, they are earned the hard way.

C. LAKSHMI KUMAR

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