ANSWERED! How to lose weight, gain stamina and more!

Fitness expert Brinda Sapat addresses readers' weight and exercise-related questions.

How to overcome muscle pain?

How to get a flat stomach?

What is the best breakfast for weight loss?

In the following pages, Brinda Sapat answers all these fitness-related queries from readers and more.

How to increase the strength and stamina?

-- Quest

Cardiovascular exercise done regularly at a moderate to brisk pace most days of the week will increase stamina levels, while resistance training (weights, body weight exercises, gym machines, stability ball etc) will improve strength levels.

Also read: Yoga to tone your body, build stamina and stay young

How to overcome back muscle pain

-- Ilapakurti Satyanarayana

Rest your back when it hurts and use a hot or cold compress depending on which one feels more helpful to the pain.

Do regular back strengthening and stretching exercises, which includes abdominal, back and hip exercises (all these muscles support the back).

If you are at a desk job, adjust the height and back rest of your chair to hold you upright. Take frequent breaks by standing up, walking around and stretching.

Also read
Four ways to a strong and sexy back
Practice these yoga poses for better posture 

After eating food, should one take a short walk for digestion?

-- Quest

Walking or making movement right after a meal is not going to aid digestion. Further, lying down will cause digestion to slow down and may also give you some acidity. Staying upright is good enough.

Do YOU have a question for Brinda? Log onto http://qna.rediff.com/ask-expert/5020982 to post your queries and have them answered.

Brinda Sapat is Group Exercise Instructor at Gold's Gym, Napean Sea Road, Mumbai. Certified with Training Zone & Progressive Fitness (USA), she has been a fitness instructor for over a decade.

What are the primary source of protein and fats?

-- Balveersingh Lodha

Fish, chicken, egg white, soya, lentils, pulses and dairy are protein sources. Fat comes from butter, ghee, cream and oil, while good fats come from sources like fish, olive oil, nuts, avacado, to name a few.

Also read: Seven protein foods your diet MUST include

What's the best way to remain fit and healthy?

-- Lime Cordial

A regular dose of cardiovasculr exercise, weight lifting (or other resistance training) and stretching, along with eating a well-balanced low-fat diet and frequent meals will keep you fit and healthy.

Also read: Lose that paunch! 10 belly-flattening foods

-- Jafar

A wholesome breakfast is a must for weight loss. You want to fuel your body with energy to kick start the day. Eat a bowl of cereal with skimmed milk, a fruit, wholegrain bread, egg white/ low fat cheese/ low fat yoghurt and tea/coffee with skimmed milk and no sugar.

Also read: Top 15 healthy breakfast ideas

I want muscled body without going to gym. Are there any tricks that can help me to have good biceps? Please advise.

-- Bandopadhyay

You don’t have to go to the gym to get a great body! You can do the same at home. Buy yourself a set of light, medium and heavy dumbbells. Get onto a good fitness website and get going! Eat a protein rich diet to help with muscle growth.

How do I get a flat stomach?

-- Vikas Mehta

Walk, cycle, swim or do aerobics 5-6 days a week for 30 minutes at a brisk, non stop pace. Do some abdominal and back exercises like crunches and hyperextensions to tone the tummy area.

Cut down your fat intake. Have 5-6 small meals in the day instead of 2-3 heavy ones and most importantly, eat your dinner 3 hrs before bedtime.

Also read: Workouts for a flat belly and sexy thighs 

How to reduce fat from arms within two weeks?

--Shailesh Kumar

Walk, cycle, swim or do aerobics 5-6 days a week for at least 30 minutes at a non stop, brisk pace.

Cut down your fat intake. Have 5-6 small meals in the day instead of 2-3 heavy ones and eat a light dinner 3 hrs before bedtime. While you will start feeling good in two week, it will take up to a month and a half to two months to see definite change.

What are the unusual ways to lose weight?

--Mahesh Gopal Shanbhag

Walk instead of taking a vehicle for short distances. Use the stairs; keep as physically active through the day as you can. Try to squeeze in some exercises at your chair. Eat 5-6 small meals instead of 2-3 heavy ones. Get enough sleep.

How to reduce the weight around my stomach? I exercise regularly but I haven’t seen any visible changes.

-- Vijay Bhagwat

Are you doing regular cardiovascular exercise (like walking, swimming, cycling, aerobics)? Are you doing it 5-6 days a week for at least 30 minutes at a brisk pace? And are you following a low-fat diet and eating a light dinner? If not, you know what you need to do.

If you have been doing all of the above, you need to increase the intensity of the exercise by working out for a longer duration, or switching from walking to cycling or running etc.

My weight is 62 and I am 22 years old. I feel I am underweight....What should I do to increase my weight?

-- Chandan Acharjya

Since you haven’t mentioned your height it’s difficult to say whether you are underweight. Your doctor would give you the right answer. To increase weight you should start weight training exercises and increase your intake of carbohydrates (chapatti, bread, rice, pasta, cereals, fruits) and proteins (chicken, fish, eggs, soya, dairy, lentils and pulses) as well as good fat (fish, nuts, olive oil).

I'm a college student. I would like to know how to reduce fat. I am unable to exercise because of my busy schedule. Please help!

-- Rupali Shetty

Cut down your fat intake. Have 5-6 small meals instead of 2-3 heavy ones and eat a light dinner 3 hrs before bedtime. Snack on healthy foods like fruits and nuts.

Since you can’t exercise try to stay as physically active as possible by walking when you have to go a short distance. Climbing stairs works wonders. If you can squeeze in even 15-20 minutes of exercise every day, it will help you.

What could be the main reasons behind shoulder pain?

-- Nauty

Poor posture, lifting a heavy weight with the same hand or on the same shoulder (like a handbag or backpack) regularly, exercising incorrectly, sleeping with pressure on the shoulder, degeneration of cushioning in the shoulder joint, weak muscles are all reasons that could lead to shoulder pain.

I have cervical spondylosis and lumbar pain too. How many times can I do Suryanamaskars every day?

-- Padmanna Dravidan

If you are in pain I would not recommend Suryanamaskars at all!! Rest your muscles, use hot or cold compresses; mobilise the muscles and joints with light exercise like walking and appropriate stretching. Start strengthening exercises only when pain subsides completely.

How is BMI or Body Mass Index calculated? What does it indicate?

-- Uttam Wavge

BMI, or body mass index, is a simple calculation that is commonly used to indicate whether you’re a healthy weight for your height. Your BMI is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared.

There are several websites which have a BMI calculator making it easy to work out whether you are over weight or not by just entering the details required. Try this one! http://www.medindia.net/doctors/clinical_cal/bmi.asp