Health Alert

New evidence indicates that exercise and weight training in combination with lowered levels of alcohol consumption actually help to promote fat gain and muscle loss.

Today I had a one-month-or-so physical revue at the gym. After diligently waking up at 6 am three to four times a week and jogging to the gym where I cram as much weight training in as I can before it's time to go to work, while my weight has stayed the same, I have actually gained fat mass, and lost muscle mass.

How can this be? I asked the fitness expert, and he told me I should watch what I eat. Well, I have pretty much stopped drinking, I eat more vegetables, and fruits, less potato chips (which were my only greasy weakness) and haven't received a box of cookies and chocolate from home for over a month.

The expert looked stumped. He suggested I try jogging. I told him I run to the gym every day. Granted, it's not a marathon, but it raises my heart rate.

I suggested the machine that measured me was wrong. After all, I feel one-hundred times better, I'm running faster and lifting heavier, and I am closer to my high-school form than I have been in years. Obviously loosing muscle mass wouldn't make me (more than before) ripped. Obviously the extra fat mass is not making me stronger.

His response to this was that it is probably due to my form while lifting. He then followed me through the weight room looking for anything that may have been a little off in my form, such as I lowered the bar 1 second to fast, that would account for the fat gain. When I objected to some of what he told me was bad form, and harmful to my body, he stuck by his story until about ten minutes later, having forgotten what he said previously, he told me either way is fine. To the end, he never accepted that the machine might be wrong.

Oh how I love talking to smart people like that.