Ask the Trainer

Publication: Las Vegas Athletic Club Magazine
Fall 2006

1. I want to slim down my legs. They are naturally muscular, but to large for the rest of my body. What do I need to do?
Answer: It's great that you have a clear-cut goal in mind, but the problem is that we can't "spot reduce" fat on our bodies. This simply means that everyone's body burns fat from different areas preferentially regardless of the resistance and cardiovascular exercises one does. Unfortunately for women, their bodies store more fat in the lower extremities and this is usually the last place the fat will also be lost from. So how do you lower your body fat as quickly as possible in order to start slimming down those legs? By putting your body into a caloric deficit utilizing proper diet and exercise. To accomplish this caloric deficit you have to burn more calories than your body takes in on a daily basis. Diet is of paramount importance and you must consume less calories than your body burns by eating primarily lean sources of protein, fiber-rich complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. The best exercise programs for rapid fat loss use high intensity interval training for cardiovascular exercise and multi-joint, compound exercises performed in a circuit fashion with short rest periods for resistance training. These are the most efficient and effective ways to boost your metabolism and therefore accelerate your fat loss efforts. And yes, you still need to do resistance exercises for your legs along with the rest of your body in order to burn the fat as fast as possible and build a well-balanced body.

Grabarczyk, Marzena and Boguslaw Pawlowski. Center of Body Mass and the Evolution of the Female Body Shape. American Journal of Human Biology 15:144 -150 (2003).

2. I love working out, but I just found out that I'm pregnant. My doctor said I
could still work out, but what do you recommend?
Answer: Your doctor was correct in his recommendation for you to continue to exercise throughout your pregnancy. You can follow your regular pre-pregnancy routine as long as you keep a few important guidelines in mind.
- Listen to your body and don’t push yourself to breathlessness or total exhaustion as this is a sign that your baby and body isn’t getting all of the oxygen it needs.
- Take in plenty of fluids and avoid exercising in extremely hot weather so that your body stays properly hydrated.
- Avoid contact sports (this should be common sense!) and avoid running or cycling on rocky or unstable surfaces since your joints become more lax during pregnancy and more susceptible to injury.
- Focus on exercises that emphasize strengthening your abdominal area since it needs to be stronger to support the weight of the baby and avoid overhead lifts and other exercises that put extra strain on your back. It is already under extra stress due to the extra weight of the baby and at increased risk of injury, so be careful with it.
- In your second and third trimesters avoid exercising lying on your back since this decreases blood flow to your womb.

So there are a few pointers to keep you doing what you love throughout your pregnancy, but always remember to listen to your body as it is better to be safe than sorry.

1. Planning Your Pregnancy and Birth Third Ed. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Ch. 5.

2. American Academy of Family Physicians, http://familydoctor.org/