Television ads show flat stomachs and big muscles at work amid high-tech machinery.
Clever voiceovers tell viewers that weight loss and muscle firmness are just a fitness club membership away.
The message, it would seem, is simple:
You’ve got to pay to look that way.
Fine, if you’ve got the cash. But what about people who say they’re barely making ends meet? Are they doomed to walk the Earth in loose-fitting sweaters, fearing that a strong wind will send their flabby upper arms waving in the breeze?
In search of answers, we turned to these experts: Jimmy Mentis, a personal trainer who will compete in the 2000 Olympics as a bodybuilder; Joseph Signorile, an associate professor of exercise physiology at the University of Miami; Alan Ranofsky, a track and field master judge and a race-walking instructor; and Renee Dols, customer service manager for Collage Video mail-order company.
Our professionals were told that most fitness wannabes had similar goals: to use weight training along with walking, biking or aerobics for cardiovascular improvement.
The cost to execute a fitness plan is roughly the same: $30-$70 for a good pair of walking or running shoes; $1.20 per pound for dumbbells (2 pounds and up); and the cost of a couple of videos ($12.95 and up). Also, the pros advised investing in a good fitness magazine or book that illustrates and explains how to perform specific moves.
Of course, before starting any fitness program, you should check with your doctor. Remember to stretch after warming up and throughout your workouts.
Our first dieter has a real sweet tooth and is the mother of two preschoolers, so her schedule and a lack of focus make it difficult for her to work toward her goal, which is to tone and firm her entire body.
The advice was that she needs to put exercise on her schedule, Signorile says. “The same way you say `I’m going shopping on Tuesday at 10,’ say you’re going to work out at this time on this day. Then progress slowly and make it enjoyable.” If it starts to be too much, taper the intensity.
Walk and/or bike at least three times a week for half an hour, Signorile says. “As you increase your weight training, that’s a good time to taper the amount of aerobic activity; as you decrease the amount of weight training, then you can increase the cardio.”
Nutrition: Don’t try to fight the sweet tooth cold turkey, Signorile says. Just as you have to taper training, start adjusting the sweet tooth.
Another dieter wishes she could tuck her tummy away–for good.
“I’ve never been able to do sit-ups, but I’d like to lose this stomach of mine,” says the Ft. Lauderdale woman, who is 60. She asks what she can do to achieve all-over fitness, with specific emphasis on her midsection and arms.
“It’s a matter of losing the body fat and toning the muscle. You cannot spot-reduce. If you’re not eating properly, you won’t lose the weight just by doing sit-ups,” Mentis says. His advice is to pay attention to her diet. She should take a hard look at what she’s eating–and when she’s eating.
Beyond the nutrition, Mentis, a former Mr. Florida, says the way to a tighten your stomach is through increased cardiovascular exercise–that’s where the walking and biking comes in.
Resistance training: Signorile says, “What we need to do is a full-body workout. To hit the front and back of each muscle group, expect to spend between 45 minutes to an hour. It just depends on how much time you have to spend,” he says.
Ranofsky says walking is an excellent way for a couple to get fit together on a budget. He advocates race-walking because the benefits include “weight loss, cardiovascular work, and it gives you an all-around good feeling.” Learning the proper technique, he says, is easier if you have someone to demonstrate.
Resistance training: Once again, Mentis and Signorile stress the importance of total-body conditioning, as described in the accompanying report.
In addition to walking, serious exercisers might consider videos, such as “The New You With Linda Evans” ($19.95), with Kari Anderson as the instructor. It’s 30 minutes of aerobics done in 10-minute segments, so a viewer can progress at his or her own pace.
Cardio: “He’s starting to approach that age where he comes into high risk for cardio problems,” Signorile says. “I would first suggest going to his doctor and getting some blood work done and assessing where he is.
“If he likes the treadmill, fine. If he and his wife like to go for bike rides, they can make a little cart and take the kids. If they want to walk or run, there are carriages that will help you do that. So the presence of a child does not prevent you from exercising.”
Resistance training: Again, start a total-body workout with dumbbells, as described in the accompanying report.
