Amy Hudson, Brian Cygan, and Dr. James Fisher answer all your burning questions about health, fitness, and strength training.

They cover the best way to warm-up before strength training, eating before or after a workout, and why you should prioritize strength training over cardiovascular exercises. 

• Amy, Brian, and James discuss how becoming stronger can improve all aspects of your life. 
• Question 1 – To warm-up or not to warm-up?
  • Dr. Fisher explains that there is no evidence to support any need for a warm-up before a strength training session.
  • Brian and Amy add–when lifting heavy objects at home, you don’t warm up. As long as you’re increasing the load incrementally during a strength training session, you won’t need to warm up. 
• Question 2 – Do you need to eat before or after a workout?
  • According to Brian, you don’t want to start a strength training workout in a fasted state. It’s always a good idea to have a light, healthy snack 45 minutes before a workout to ensure your glucose levels remain stable.
  • Dr. Fisher talks about eating after a workout: consuming high-quality protein an hour after a workout may help the body recover and build muscle.
  • He adds that consuming a large amount of carbohydrates after a workout can blunt some of the positive hormonal responses you seek from the strength training session.
• Question 3 – Is it possible to improve the aesthetics of our physique at different points in life? 
  • Brian explains that we all possess an ability to improve the aesthetics of our physique throughout our life. What we can’t influence is the order in which body fat is gained or lost.  
  • When it comes to losing weight, you need to play the long game. Have conviction in the process and don’t focus too much on the outcome. 
  • Amy shares how strength training, adequate protein intake, and anti-inflammatory eating will keep you on a positive metabolic trajectory that leads to leaning out over time.
• Question 4 -Cardio vs. strength training: Which is better for your goals?
  • Dr. Fisher reveals what the research says about cardiovascular training versus strength training–and why you should prioritize strength training over cardiovascular exercises.
  • According to Dr. Fisher, cholesterol is not a villain. It’s an essential part of our body and is used in the production of essential hormones like estrogen, testosterone, and cortisol.
  • Dr. Fisher explains why we should approach exercise based on the intensity of effort and how hard you’re working rather than making it about cardio versus strength training. 
• Amy and Dr. Fisher break down the amount of time and effort it takes to optimize health, fitness, and longevity across a person’s lifespan.
• Dr. Fisher highlights how a single strength training session of around 20 minutes is infinitely more beneficial than 150 minutes of low to moderate intensity cardiovascular exercise.
• Does workout length matter? Amy and Brian agree that longer workouts don’t guarantee better results. Effective strength training is about the quality of your workout, not how much time you spend in the gym.

Mentioned in This Episode:

The Exercise Coach – Get 2 Free Sessions!

SCE episode 116 – What is the Best Way to Lose Belly Fat?

SCE episode 105 – Running Isn’t the Only Way To Train Your Heart and Lungs

SCE episode 111 – What about Cardio? – Part 1: Is It Possible To Improve Your Heart Health Without Doing Traditional Cardio Exercise?