Hi Ade Rai,
I am 30 years old and I feel that my chest is very thin. I want to have a broad chest. What exercise should I do to achieve this? To date I do push-ups, heavy lifting, and sit-ups, but I never go to the gym because it's too expensive. Thank you.
Johan K
Jakarta
Hi Johan,
Thank you for your question. Please allow me to get straight to the point.
Broad chests are linked to clavicular width and that is something we can do very little about. Our chest anatomy shows chest muscles originate at the clavicle and sternum bones, stretching all the way to the bone of the upper arm. We are all born with our own unique clavicular width, so although we can do nothing to expand the clavicle bone, we can optimize it with the right training and nutritional plan.
Push-ups are one of the many exercises that work out the chest muscles. So you can certainly use them as a core workout for chest muscles when training at home. In order to build solid chest muscles, you need to have a proper knowledge and application of push-up techniques and intensity. For the right push-up technique, try to roll your shoulders backward and lock your shoulder blades. As for intensity, you may need to apply more weights once you are able to do 12 repetitions easily. You can do this by asking your five-year-old niece or nephew to sit on your back or you can change your feet position to an elevated surface.
Nutrition plays its part in helping you build a good chest. After all, it provides fuel for your workout and the building blocks for growth. That means fulfilling your needs for proteins, carbohydrates, fats, fibers, vitamins, and minerals. Try the following nutritional tips:
For protein: Have at least two grams of protein for each kilogram of bodyweight per day. You can spread it into three large meals and two snacks.
For carbohydrates and fibers: Have them to the size of your fist at each meal, preferably sourced from brown or red rice, oatmeal, colorful vegetables and other wholegrains.
For fats: Have small to moderate portions sourced from olive oil, fish, or nuts. Please be aware that most protein sources are also sources of fat. With your protein intake recommendation, there is only a little room for adding fats into your diet. Please be cautious with it as a gram of fat has nine calories, which is 225 percent higher than protein or carbohydrates.
For vitamins and minerals: Your best bet is to follow the tips above. However you need to keep it fun with variety of food sources. In case you find it hard to have the necessary variety, you may want to consider a multivitamin and mineral supplement as a nutritional buffer.
Make sure you get enough rest and recovery. I find most people, including me, have a lack of resting time.
If you are a smoker, it is best to quit altogether.
I wish you the best of luck with your endeavor. Hope you gain from applying the tips.
Hi Ade Rai,
I have a terminal problem, it's called food cravings. I can't seem to stop. I am practically on a see-food diet. I eat what I see. My weight has gone up eight kilograms in the past three years after graduating from college. What can I do?
Please help me. I am only 25 years old and am already overweight. I want to take up sports and be active again, but I am afraid it will only increase my already uncontrollable appetite for food.
Rissa
Bandung
Hi Rissa,
Thank you for your question.
You are not alone, and from what I see many people fresh from college and in the workforce experience this phenomenon. The thing is, at college we were still very active and doing all sorts of activities. However, once we get a job after graduating, we become more sedentary and stressed and find solace in food.
The keys to controlling your appetite are aplenty. Here are some of them:
Always have your meals on time, in other words, never skip your meals.
The reason you have problems with food cravings is the state of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) you put yourself into by delaying food intake or skipping meals. Starvation causes low blood sugar and encourages our body to produce ghrelin - a hormone that encourages you to keep eating and store fat. It is further worsened by the surfacing of a new problem, the night-eating syndrome - a condition where you have uncontrollable cravings at nighttime. By having your meals on time, you control your blood sugar level, minimize production of the ghrelin hormone and reduce the chance of suffering night-eating syndrome.
Choose fiber, protein, and unsaturated fats over simple sugars and saturated fats.
Fiber and protein have been proven in studies to prolong satiety and help maintain a stable blood sugar level. It is your best bet when it comes to healthy dieting and eliminating cravings. Unsaturated fats such as nuts (almonds, walnuts and peanuts), olive oil, fish oils and flax oil have been shown to slow down the pace of carbohydrates turning into blood sugar, hence getting better blood-sugar control while maintaining a healthy heart and arteries.
Combine resistance-training and cardiovascular-training.
The primary source of energy for resistance-training is glycogen. Glycogen is derived from carbohydrates such as rice, potato, fruits, sugar, oatmeal, flours and many more plant-derived foods. Research has shown resistance-training stimulates muscle growth and resting metabolism (the amount of calories we burn at rest). Our skeletal muscles are where glycogen is primarily stored. So, in essence, by doing resistance-training we can have our carbohydrates stored as glycogen (immediate fuel for workouts) rather than turned into hard-to-reach fat molecules. Cardio-training performed right after a good resistance-training session is the best way to burn fat.
I hope you take these tips and strategies into action. You have a strong enough will to change; I trust you can make it happen.
Thank you for all the questions. Please keep them coming into my inbox at ask_aderai@yahoo.com. Stay strong, healthy and happy!
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