# Figure competitor Jennifer Frudaker answers your health questions.
### I’m eating less, but haven’t lost any inches off my waistline. What am I doing wrong?Surprisingly, eating less may be culprit. It requires energy to keep your metabolism burning and that energy is produced by calories and macro nutrients - protein, carbohydrates, fats, fiber. Just like when you restrict a hose the water flow slows, when you restrict your calories, your metabolism slows. I recommend a cardio and weight lifting program to begin (and sustain!) the fat burning, muscle building process.### There are so many diets- (ex. Paleo, Nutri-System, Adkins, Weight Watchers, etc.) How do I chose the right one?There is vast difference between a fad diets (nutrition-system, Adkins, South Beach, etc.) and an overall healthy diet. Most fad diets require a high caloric deficit filled with pseudo foods. This is why they work... for a short time. Those diets have a finish line, an expiration date. I always ask, “Will I be doing this is 5, 10, 20 years? Is this eating habit maintainable? Is this going to hinder me from enjoying a meal with my family or friends?” Food was never meant to control our lives, it is meant to enhance our lives. A healthy relationship with food is key. I follow a healthy, lifestyle diet where I track my micro nutrients (protein, carbs, fats, fiber) to ensure I’m appropriately fueling my workouts and daily life. This also keeps me from labeling food “good” and “bad” and I just see them as protein, carb, or fat.### I’m looking to put on muscle, but I’m a hard gainer. What exercise routine should I follow, and how many grams of protein should I consume a day?Everyone is different. For that reason, I’m a BIG advocate for hiring a qualified personal trainer. This takes all the guess work out of it. In general, protein intake is based on your lean muscle mass. There are several ways to accurately find this out and in my experience, people (myself included) think we have more lean muscle than we actually do, leading to eating more than necessary. Again, very general terms, weight lifting for strength is a rep range between 5-8. Give yourself a pass to treat yo’ self, take the time to find a trainer you genuinely enjoy and commit to them, and to yourself, for 1 year. You can’t put a price of health and living your best life.### I’m in my late 30s and noticing I’m losing muscle tone, and noticing more cellulite on my thighs. How can I lose that, and tighten-up? First, I know the feeling!! Something happens from 29 to 30. Incorporating weights and resistance into your routine is the only way to wage war on cellulite and loose skin, no matter your age. This also helps bone density.### My day-to-day schedule with unexpected emergencies, children, and work make it so hard to stick to a diet. How do I plan, and discipline myself?Meal prep is a must! If you do nothing else, prep your meals and there’s nothing wrong with a left-over dinner. This way you’re saving money, you know exactly what you’re eating, how it was prepared, and it’s pre-portioned for you. Find an afternoon - mine is usually Sunday after church - to cook. We all have 1 to 2 hours in the week, so it comes down to priorities.### No matter your diet, isn’t it ok to have one cheat-day a week to eat whatever?I like to call it a “refeed” because the word cheating has a bad connotation and we begin to associate eating (insert yummy food here) with something that is all-around bad, and it’s not. Limit your refeed to a single meal not an entire day. This is not a free-for-all. Are you making consistent, forward progress toward your goal? Refeed.
Advice courtesy of **Jennifer Frudaker**.*Nationally Certified Personal Trainer
Les Mills Certified Group Fitness Instructor
TRX Certified Instructor
All Natural Figure Competitor
Facebook - Jennifer Frudaker
Instagram - @jfrudaker*
