Ask the MisFits

He's a veteran reporter, digging up the latest fitness news. She's an irreverent columnist with a knack for getting people off the couch and into the gym. Together, they're here to handle your worst work-out dilemmas and exercise questions.

Vicky Hallett and Howard Schneider are the MisFits, The Post's fitness writers. They were online Tuesday, May 6 at 11 a.m. to take your questions.

Discussion Archive.

MisFits Archive.

A transcript follows.

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Howard Schneider: So that was great fun being hung from a meathook and dunked underwater and learning afterwards that I STILL probably need to lose a few pounds....

I guess information is power, as they say...

Anybody have stories from the body fat war they'd like to share? Had success/frustration using body fat monitors at home?

Vicky Hallett: All I know is I'm glad I work across the river and didn't have to join you on that one...Yay for Arlington.

Okay, folks, what do you have for us today?

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Sass in Arlington: Hey Misfits! Just an update here -- I am the person who wrote in asking about training for a 5K on treadmills versus road-running. Everyone gave the excellent advice to turn the treadmill to a 1% incline, which was a great idea.

I ended up doing most of the training on the treadmill and finished the ACLI at about 9:06 per mile, which I am terribly, if unjustly, proud of. Thanks!

Vicky Hallett: Great job, Sass! I did it in just under 25 minutes, which I guess I'm unjustly proud of too, even if some people don't think that counts as racing...But I was wearing full Express distributor garb, so I think I should get extra points for that. (And we still didn't get the spirit award! Next year, I guess we have to distribute beer.)

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Rockville, Md.: One issue I have found with body fat testing both when I use calipers or hydrostatic is that age is always factored in. On some charts there is no body fat measurement that correlates with that age. For example a 47-year-old woman very lean below 10 percent could not get accurate numbers in hydrostatic as charts did not factor in this age at a low percentage. If someone is at the age breakpoint you can put in age 49 or 50 and it will change the percentage of bodyfat. Unfortunately many people focus on the numbers and dont factor in the other variables.as you mentioned in the article time of day and hydration make a huge difference.

Howard Schneider: And interestingly, the off-the-shelf monitors typically won't apply some of their tests to people below a certain age.

The reason is that all of this is based on assumptions derived from population data. The validity of those assumptions gets stretched if you move outside the age and body composition norms of the people that the companies have tested. To the extent that assembling this data and improving the algorithms costs money, I can only assume they'd rather focus on their core group of consumers -- middle aged men and women with usually body profiles -- rather than try to see how their equations work on smaller sub-populations.

Same goes for their athlete/non-athlete settings. It changes the assumptions about distribution of muscle and fat.

In the end the general precaution holds: Use these devices for trending, not clinical accuracy....

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Mixing it up for the summer: Is belly dancing a good abs workout? I want to try something different for a summer exercise session. Will I see a difference in say eight weeks?

Vicky Hallett: Sure it is! And it's always a good idea to mix up your exercise routine. But I'm not making any promises about how quickly you'll see results. That all depends on what you're doing for exercise now, and how vigorously you plan on shaking it.

Howard Schneider: There may be a chicken and egg issue here: does belly dancing make for great abs or do great abs make for great belly dancing? Maybe you could be our guinea pig on that one...Want to report back in two months and tell us how it went...My son's a decent tabla player if you need an accompanist...

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Washington, D.C.: Good morning. I have an idea for a fitness-related diagram for your website: How do you shave your legs in the tiny shower stalls in the gym locker room? I was saved by trousers and tights over the winter, but now that warm weather is upon us, I'm stumped. Any ideas, Vicky?

Vicky Hallett: I'm not sure it's humanly possible. So I save my razor time for when I'm at home...But any chatters have suggestions?

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Skin caliper test: Interesting article today on body fat testing -- are the skin calipers used in most gyms even more inaccurate? I had my body fat tested a year ago with them and again a couple weeks ago. This time, each individual numbers (taken at the shoulder, hip, and thigh) were larger than last year's numbers, but the trainer arrived at an overall smaller number. Is his math just poor or is there something else at work? I was hoping the smaller overall number was accurate since I've actually gained 10 pounds in the past year (despite increasing the number of days I work out at the gym from 3 to 5 or 6) and I was hoping that despite weight gain I'm healthier than I was a year ago, but I fear that's not the case.

washingtonpost.com: Should You Trust That Body Fat Test? ( Post, May 6)

Howard Schneider: The calipers are prone to operator error. Did the same person do the test each time? Were you working with someone who has done these tests alot or not so much? Also, the formulae involved take your height and weight into account, so if that measure is inaccurate the result will also be off.

My sense of all these tests is: you're ultimately resonsible for yourself. The fact that you gained ten pounds over the past year doesn't necessarily mean anything. If you were a 15 year old male and the hormones were kicking in, that'd be great news...The relevant question is: how much of the extra 10 is fat? You probably know the answer to that without being pinched...

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Alexandria, Va.: I am not good at motivate myself to workout, but I haven't been able to find a good workout partner, so I am looking for a program that will really push me, any suggestions?

Vicky Hallett: There's nothing quite like a boot camp for that -- you could try the ever-popular Sergeant's Program (sarge.com), which has locations in Alexandria.

Another option is to hunt for a workout partner a little harder. A lot of people use Craigslist to find someone to lift, play tennis or run with. You might also ask to put a sign up in your gym, or see if the trainers there know someone who might be a good match for you.

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Washingtonm, D.C.: Howard,

In your article, you made a comment about pinching your waist and seeing what your get. I'm a woman in her forties. For me, that's where my fat seems to congregate, along with stomach area. My arms, legs and butt are lean and muscular. When caliper measurements are done, do they focus on the waist only? I don't think that would give an accurate measure in my case.

Howard Schneider: The caliper tests take measurements at several points -- anywhere from 3 to 11, depending on who is doing it...Those numbers get put into a formula that depends on population information built up over the years.

So (in your case, for example), someone with a plumper stomach but lean legs, for example, would still get a reasonable estimate of overall body composition...

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Washington, D.C.: Guy hops on a plane to run a marathon. Wins the marathon. Hops on another plane to take a law school exam.

McGrath, Jessica Allen Top Finishers in L.I. Marathon ( Newsday.com, May 4)

Vicky Hallett: I'm suddenly feeling very lazy.

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Rockville, Md.: Enjoyed the article on body fat. So, at the end, you basically say if you can squeeze fat, that's bad. Is it realistic to get rid of this fat completely (assuming I'm not a celebrity with my own personal trainer and 5 hours a day to exercise)? I'm petite -- 110 to 115 pounds on a 5'2" frame -- and I exercise 5 times a week, but I certainly can grab quite a bit of belly in my two hands.

Howard Schneider: Didn't say it was bad. Said it did not need to be there...

A healthy body fat count for a man is around 20 percent, for women around 30ish...

That won't give you a "six pack"...My intuitive sense is that you'd need to probably halve those numbers to start looking like a swimsuit model...Is that realistic? People do it, just not many (that's why they are the outliers on the curve of what's 'normal'). It's a matter of genetics and whether the work you'd need to put in to achieve that goal (and the attention to nutrition) is an acceptable price, or whether you're comfortable being normal and healthy (if a bit 'grabby' about the belly....)

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washingtonpost.com: Should You Trust That Body Fat Test? ( Post, May 6)

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New York, N.Y.: I'm going to be participating in a century ride on September 7th. I've had some problems finding training schedules, any suggestions?

Howard Schneider: Here is a good series of articles mapping out the basics...When I did this last summer the best advice I got was to be certain that whatever else I did, I logged adequate time on the bike each week. Intervals, speed, hills, are all important to scatter during the week...But if this is your first time out a basic part of the challenge is to become comfortable with what may be four or five yours in the saddle...

Howard Schneider: Okay, that would be "hours" in the saddle...so much for proofreading....

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Contract your abs and grab your belly. Anything in your hands doesn't need to be there: Easy for you to say! I'm a male, just on (gasp) 40, 5' 9" 155 lbs. I do strength training 3 times a week (back/biceps, legs/shoulders, chest/triceps) along with a pretty intense ab routine 5 times a week. I eat a healthy low fat, high fiber, high protein diet with lots of fresh veggies and ride a road bike about 40 miles per week at an average of about 18 mph. How do I get rid of the roll around my middle that hides my abs? I seem to only have fat in that area. do I just need more cardio? I'm working on upping my biking schedule.

Howard Schneider: Did you check out the video? Believe me, I still have plenty to grab...According to the BMI charts you are right in the normal range, and given your workout schedule and diet I can't imagine you have too much fat on you...Keep in mind that genetics and body type are going to come into play...Those folks you see with the rippling midsection have an easier time putting on muscle than the rest of us, not to mention the fact that at age 40 (48 in my case), the capacity to build muscle still exists but it is a more sluggish process than it was a couple of decades ago.

My advice? Focus on the fact that you are doing all the basic stuff to keep yourself healthy...There's only one David Beckham...

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Annapolis, Md.: Hey Misfits,

Love the article because I have been curious what my body fat percentage is lately. I am a 24-year-old male weighing around 165-170 pounds. My question is that when I tighten my abs they are clear as day but when I don't they aren't. How much body fat is normal for abs to always be visible and how close do you think I am?

Thanks!

Vicky Hallett: I wouldn't freak out too much about this, mainly because people's expectations of what abs can look like have been totally thrown off by pictures in magazines. Those models dehydrate themselves like crazy so they'll be more defined -- and then they often get more help from Photoshop. So even the top fitness models don't have abs that look like that most of the time.

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Website to map out a running route from your home...: I know I've seen it here and I'm checking the MisFitness page, but do you have a quick link to this? Time for me to get some running done with my dog! Thank you!

washingtonpost.com: MapMyRun

Vicky Hallett: There are a bunch of other ones out there too:

http://www.walkjogrun.net/

http://www.usatf.org/routes/map/

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

Let us know if one's better than the rest!

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Washington, D.C.: (Praying this is truly anonymous!)

Hi guys,

I'm obese but have lost a significant amount of weight (over 70 pounds!) in the last year. I've put on a ton of muscle but (ugh)now I have a lot of extra skin. If I get my body fat measured, will the results be thrown off because of the skin?

Howard Schneider: Morning...and congrats on the weight loss...Off the top, if there is less fat when the person takes the pinch, and all they are getting is loose skin, that shouldn't affect too greatly the body fat measurement (the calipers would be measuring the thickness of the skin, which presumably is factored into the tables translating those measurements into body fat...)

You might ask your tester if they have a bioelectrical impedance monitor -- the sort we wrote about today -- to back up their caliper test...Or invest in one for your home...

I think, by the way, there are ways to improve your skin elasticity, which might help with the loose skin problem over time...

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I ended up doing most of the training on the treadmill and finished the ACLI at about 9:06 per mile, which I am terribly, if unjustly, proud of. Thanks!: Vicki --

You keep posting these comments and I'll keep responding. Let's review: you said that a training on a treadmill is just as effective as training on the road for a road race. Any knowledgeable runner would find this laughable. Why don't you go to the finish line of any local race and ask the top finishers whether they do their speed work on the treadmill?

Vicky Hallett: I really would like to end this debate. I didn't mean that treadmill running is just as effective as training on the road for a road race. Obviously, inside, you can't copy the kinds of weather challenges you might be facing on race day, and several other variables.

But for someone training for a run who prefers a treadmill, there's nothing wrong with it. It can prepare you to complete the race. I don't see why you're not getting this point. I finished the race. Sass finished the race. And maybe you did too -- way ahead of us. We should all be proud of that!

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Silver Spring, Md.: Hi Misfits,

A few weeks ago I asked your advice about increasing my ability to do pushups in response to a challenge from an exchange student in Norway. Here's an update: I can now do 10 pushups (hurray), but only on my knees (boo). I want to be able to do full military-style pushups when I visit Norway. Is it weakness of the core or the upper body that's the problem? I have about 8 weeks left before I need to defend the honor of the U.S. in Norway!

Vicky Hallett: You are so going to be ready for Norway! Look at all of the progress you've already made, huh?

One way to help with your transition may be holding the pushup position in plank. That'll get your core used to keeping everything lined up. But I say start the way you did with the knee kind. You can probably do at least one military pushup, right? Just stick with it, and keep adding gradually as you feel stronger. You'll get there.

Howard Schneider: Have you tried the "negative" pushups -- starting at the top and going down as slowly as possible?

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Razor in the tiny shower: Please, please, please save your shaving for home. Nobody wants to stand in somebody else's shavings. Maybe they make them tiny for that reason.

Vicky Hallett: Another vote for keeping your hair at home...

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Can you clarify:: On the fat-squeezing?

It's not if you can hold onto your stomach with two hands, we can all do that. It's if you can pinch between fingers a serious amount of fat (not a little bit of skin)...

And yeah, if only craigslist was better for finding exersize partners. Any other suggestions?

Howard Schneider: I'll admit to being a bit flip in the line about grabbing the belly...

Point being: the more we can figure out how to judge these thigns for ourselves, the less we are reliant on gyms and trainers and Japanese conglomerates to tell us if we are okay or not...

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Reston, Va.: Can you explain what happens if we exercise at heart rate over MHR? What exactly is the problem with anaerobic exercise? Am I shooting myself in the hip if I am slipping into anaerobic exercise mode for like 10 minutes out of 40 minutes of exercise? Thanks.

Howard Schneider: Morning....and good question...

By definition, you can't exercise above your maximum heart rate (because you're heart can't go any faster than its maximum). If your monitor is saying you are over your maximum, then you are one of those for whom the standard formulas underestimate what your heart can do.

Don't confuse the anaerobic threshhold with the maximum. If you are able to sustain something for ten minutes, you're probably not yet at the anaerobic level (which is an activity so intense the body has to rely on a faster acting but more quickly depleted source of energy that can be tapped without oxygen...)...If you are doing short, say, one minute intervals during that forty minute session, then no, you aren't shooting yourself in the hip. For people who are fit and looking to improve further, anaerobic/interval training is an important strategy...

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Florida: I use a Tanita body fat scale/monitor at home, but only for trending purposes. Why? As a 29-year-old woman who probably need to loose 5 or 10 lbs, my scale at home gives 33-34 percent hydrated, 36-37 percent dehydrated. The hand-held models used at gyms have read anywhere 22 percent to 29 percent, depending on whether "athletic" is selected. The Navy's measurement test (tape measure to hips, waist, and neck for women, numbers manipulated and fed into a chart), gives 39 percent or more, which is failing for the body composition test (I just stay under my max weight for height so I don't have to deal with it). End result -- I have no earthly idea what my actual body fat measurement is, but my scale at home says it's not increasing, so I'm okay with that.

Howard Schneider: Interesting window on the notion that the only accurate test is an autopsy....And again: the important thing is to know yourself, and be honest about it....

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Alexandria, Va.: Thanks for the advice, I tried the Sarge Program; it was good to a point, but our group was very "runner" intensive and because I am slow (bad knees, shins, etc.) I oftentimes get left in the dust and miss the lifting that I am really looking for. I will look into Craigs list, but I don't belong to a gym (my building has a full gym I use when I do workout) so that may not workout for me...

Vicky Hallett: If you love lifting, maybe you'll be a fan of CrossFit Old Town (crossfitoldtown.com)?

Good luck!

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Washington, D.C.: I have stepped up my activity level significantly in the last couple of weeks, from a somewhat sedentary winter (gym/treadmill 1-2x week on 4.0 for 30-40 minutes). I am playing full soccer games twice a week in a competetive league and ref'ing games for 2-3 hours as well another day of the week. I have been carefully tracking my food intake, and yet I've noticed a 4-5 lb weight gain over the last couple weeks, and it isn't budging. Is it possible this is due to the increase in activity, and when should I start to see the weight come off. My clothes are not fitting tighter.

Vicky Hallett: Hmm. I have to admit that more cardio and the same amount of food should probably equal a weight loss, not a gain. Are you sure your scale's not busted?

I'd maybe take a closer look at your food intake. More exercise can make you more hungry, so it's possible you're downing more calories and not realizing it. As long as you keep that in check, you should start to see weight coming off.

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Centreville, Va.: Hi MisFits!

I'm just finishing up my masters degree, and realizing that I've let myself get incredibly out of shape while I've pursued higher education. I was in okay shape when I started two years ago, but have managed to gain 20 pounds and lose a lot of strength and endurance over those two years.

Is there such a thing as getting back in shape "quickly"? I'm not looking for an overnight miracle, but a program that will help me consistently re-build my fitness over the next couple months. My idea is: cardio (exercise bike) 5-6 days/week, 20 minutes each to start (working up to 30 minutes), Curves gym 2 days/week for strength, stretching after exercising each day.

Is this sufficient? Will I see reasonable gains doing this, or should I up any portion of my workouts? If it helps, I'm a 27-year-old female with Type I diabetes (exercise helps amazingly with diabetes control!)

Thanks!

-Looking for the shape I lost.

Howard Schneider: Sounds like you'll be off to a good start. Whether this is enough will depend on the intensity of what you do, the persistence in doing it, and the nutrition you use to support the activity...Don't try to drop the weight too fast or you'll just end up tired and frustrated...Give the new program a month and see where things stand... Try to keep notes on your workouts to see if you're sticking with it and whether you are gradually increasing (as you should) the intensity...

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Washington, D.C.: How much training would it take for a non-runner like me to run a 5K (without walking, with a non-embarrassing time)? And do you have any tips on a training regimen? I do walk a lot -- about 4 to 5 miles a day (my commute is on foot). But I haven't run in years. And I'm in my mid-30s. Thanks!

Howard Schneider: Coolrunning.com has a 12 weeks program for beginners to prepare for a 5k. That might seem like a long time but the trick here is to do in a way that ups the chance of remaining injury-free...Since you are interested in a decent time, it's also better to give yourself more time to work into the intervals and other speed workouts...

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Old Rag sufferer: Thanks for the discussion. A few friends and I hiked up Old Rag on Sunday. I am an occasional hiker -- not hard core but I seem to be suffering extremely this week with the soreness. Any tips on how to ease out the soreness? I had to have my coworker scratch my elbow cause I couldn't reach around. I don't want to have to do that again.

Thanks!

Howard Schneider: That's a classic case of delayed onset muscle soreness -- a sign you had a good workout...This should disappear in a couple of days...Meanwhile, if you feel you need it, ibuprofen or alleve might help....Some people find light stretching helps...You might also try going for a light walk just to heat up the muscles a bit...Typically, however, time is the best remedy....

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Maps: The ATF one is the best. You should click on "hybrid," so you get the satellite photo plus road names, and you can pick out actual houses, trees, paths, etc to get the exact route. Very handy tool.

Vicky Hallett: Good to know. Thanks!!

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Re: Pushups: Howard,

I have tried the negative pushups and they are helping. I'll focus on working in the plank position from now on. I know there's progress because being in a plank used to hurt my hands, lower arms and elbows and pain is mainly in my abs. The pain, it stabs, but mainly in my abs (apologies to Henry Higgins).

Howard Schneider: good luck...try to add one regular to nine on the knees...build from there...

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Shaving at the gym: I use the Schick Intuition razor at the gym. The blade is surrounded by soap that lathers as you shave, so I don't need to worry about keeping my leg out of the shower so the shaving cream doesn't wash off.

Sorry about the product placement, but it really does work!

Vicky Hallett: So I guess if you have to shave at the gym, there is hope out there...

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Riverdale Park, Md.: Hello Howie,

I enjoyed your story about determining fat content. My one big complaint: You should have involved at least one other person whose body shape is different from yours.

It's conceivable that the devices you tested work better (or worse) for women, fat people, short people, and so on.

I'm guessing your past exposure to the scientific method has been minimal.

Howard Schneider: What do I look like, the FDA?...don't answer that...As for exposure to the scientific method, I received that vaccine just like all other children...

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Treadmill vs. road -- ending the debate: The NY Times has a short piece in today's health section on this. Bottom line is that running on the road burns 5 percent or so more calories, but you run a considerably higher risk of stress fractures in the lower leg.

washingtonpost.com: The Claim: Running Outdoors Burns More Calories The New York Times, May 6)

Vicky Hallett: I was hoping it'd be by Gina Kolata (best byline in the biz!), but worth a read anyway. Thanks!

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Bethesda, Md.: Hi,

You're saying the goal body fat percentages for women is 30 percent? That seems very, very high.

The timing of your article is good. They were giving free body fat reading at my gym on Sunday. The guy told me the normal range for women was 16-35 percent. I can't really imagine being 30 percent, I'd be obese. (I'm 27-years-old, female, 5-9, 17 percent body fat according to the reading).

Thanks!

Howard Schneider: Factor in kids, age, etc...That's is the quoted healthy range for women...

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Washington, D.C.: Hi, I have a dream vacation (for which I want to wear a bikini) coming up in 15 weeks. I want to lose 1 pound a week for a total of 15 lbs lost by vacation day... so how many calories should I try to burn each day to reach my goal? I'm a female 5'4 who currently weighs about 138. Thanks! Also, what's a good way to accurately calculate how many calories I burn outside the gym (ie, walking to work?)

Vicky Hallett: At 5'4 and 138 pounds, I'm guessing you don't look too bad in a bikini now, so I wouldn't go overboard on this. But here's what you need to know. To burn a pound, you need to cut out 3,500 calories. If you want to do that in a week, that's 500 a day. You could attempt to do that entirely through exercise, but if you're already exercising, adding 500 a day will be no fun. So, you could also trim a couple hundred through smarter eating habits.

But don't get obsessed with the scale! Numbers can fluctuate, even as you're looking better. The best way to gauge your progress may be seeing how you look in that bikini...

Vicky Hallett: Oh -- and as for calories burned during daily activity, you can always strap on a heart rate monitor. I'll let Howard tell you more about that.

Howard Schneider: Yea....There are a bunch on the market -- you only need one of the basic models to give you a sense of what you're doing...Look at Timex and Polar -- they have solid entry level devices....

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Columbia, S.C.: We just got new excercise bikes at the gym. No one uses them because the calorie counter gives drastically lower results than the older ones. People stay away. I have tried to tell people about the inaccuracy of these things, but no one listens. But hey, works for me, I don't have to wait in line anymore.

Vicky Hallett: It amazes me how anyone can think those calorie counters are correct. Maybe we're all optimists...

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20-something Female: Hey guys! I'd like to start running again (I used to in high school and college.) The problem is I'm about 30 lbs overweight and am nervous about the impact on my hips and knees. Any suggestions for how to get started and how to avoid injury? (eg would treadmill running be better than asphalt running?) Thanks!

Howard Schneider: Hey...We are running out of time but this is an important issue...People should not be dissuaded from starting to exercise because they are overweight -- that becomes a really self-defeating circle...

To raise your comfort level (and lose some of the weight), start out on the treadmill -- a few minutes of running alternating with walking on an incline setting...You can do the same outside -- no one says you need to run for half an hour without a break to do any good. Ease into it -- run for a minute walk for four. Change the ratios as you feel stronger....

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Howard Schneider: That's all we have time for today...Vicky is going to get into the body fat basket this afternoon and I am going to watch, so need to scram...see you next week....

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