Meagan on Megan: BMI and Exercise

If you couldn't figure out from the title of the post, this is the BMI and exercise part of the Megan Fox wrap up interview.

As you may recall, the Megan Fox regime consisted of 30 minutes of cardio three times a week along with some core workouts.

Meagan on the three times a week: "If you're already at a lower weight, you don't have to do as much to maintain that...the ASCM [American College of Sports Medicine] recommends 30-50 [minutes] a day of moderate activity."

And what makes moderate activity? Apparently it's all about heart rate. Moderate activity should be 55-60% of your heart rate max (calculate that here).

She continued on the topic of exercise. "The more trained you get, the more your body adjusts to exercise, you don't have to do as much...the optimal fat burning zone is two days a week of moderate activity for 30-40 minutes, and two days a week of 20 intense." (Intense activity--target heart rate is 70-85% of max.)

The benefits? It increases your VO2 max (it's a good thing) and strengthens your heart. In addition, it changes up the exercise level, also important. "Most people constantly stay at even keel...think of losing weight as a plateau."

Fair enough, that's the basic idea behind calorie cycling.  And as for the core training?

"I want 6 pack abs, a flat stomach...you can't just work out the core..think about the long term. Strength training is especially important for women...build bone mass when you're young."

Young? "Teens and twenties...I use the terms strength and resistance training with my clients. It doesn't scare women as much."

This sounded like a mismatch. Girls should be strong, but we tend to aim for skinny?

"Not just women and girls...the exercise movement is a new concept...a new revelation to most people. Moving from working on farms and in factories to desks, our activity level has decreased tremendously."

So what about using BMI as a tool for health? I got a slow head shake.

"I don't like to use it to qualify someone. There's so many limiting factors. It's very easy...but it doesn't take into account gender, or lean mass to fat mass."

She prefers to use body fat to measure health and underweight. "Elite women athletes have about 12% body fat..anything under 12% body fat is extremely unhealthy."

And in the case of celebrities? Again, she shook her head and began talking about her clients.

"I want them to be confident, strong, and not constantly compare themselves...if you see someone who is skinny and thin and think they're healthy, they're probably not."

Surprise, surprise...healthy and skinny aren't the same. She addressed the social issues too.

"Being underweight is not as addressed...society appreciates it...There needs to be a shift from appreciating the super skinny to the healthy lifestyle living...to emphasize to girls that strength training doesn't mean beefed up woman, and get away from comparing ourselves. What is it going to take for me to feel confident?"

Finally, she threw in some added wisdom about the supplement market and fad diets.

"For credible nutritional or physical information, look at scientific journals..I really like Idea Fitness Journal--all professors, researchers, and peer reviewed articles...look for credible sources."

Smart stuff. That wrapped up the interview. Upon leaving, I promised to try that cardio kickboxing class--you guys should look into it too. Details in this post. Maybe I'll see you there!

Meagan on Megan: The Diet and Nutrition

Before I get into the interview (yes, I'm FINALLY posting it--thanks for your patience!), a few things.

A) That handy little subscribe button on the left? Or even that 'follow by email' one below it? They're really cool. Do it. You know you want to.
B) I've been asked a lot of "what's next?" type questions. Don't worry, there's definitely a next. But until then....
C) Yes, this is only half of the interview. However, when I put the whole thing together, it was long and naturally in two parts--diet and nutrition, and BMI and exercise. Between the information readily available and the links, there's enough to get you thinking. So, presenting....

Diet and Nutrition
I met Meagan at a Caribou on Friday, ready to discuss the end results of the Megan Fox diet. After we sat down with our drinks (god I love my mochas...), we dug right into it. First up? Cider vinegar.

Meagan looked at me like I had a screw loose. "There's no nutritional benefits," she said. "And if you don't feel like eating...that isn't the best way to diet and lose calories. Your body will go into starvation mode, move into fast and famine...and try not to burn fat or calories."

Um. Yikes.

When I asked her about the detox effects, she still didn't change her position. She recommended probiotic supplements, or drinking water with lemon. However, she very quickly added that it was important not to have "too many acids--the body's pH is very sensitive." I cast a very sad glance at my coffee.

We moved onto the diet next. I wanted to know if there were any benefits to the high fat and protein diet. She sighed.

"I don't like the term diet," she said. "Your body needs carbs, fat, and protein...I do believe in portion control. Eat in moderation. If you're going out to eat--take it and automatically cut it in half...take away a half or a third when you're eating at home."

As for the protein?

"It depends on the activity...generally, Americans get more protein than they need." She then gave me a break down of how the calorie intake should be broken down--about 40/50% carbs, 20/30% protein, and 15/20% fats. Healthy fats that is--"no trans fats. Monounsaturated, poly unsaturated..."

She specified rules about grains too. "Your body needs carbs...make a smarter choice when eating grains." Her recommendation? "Oatmeal in the morning for breakfast, it's a whole grain and the fiber makes you feel full." And when it comes to buying bread? Look for 12 grain.

"Wheat is misleading...it won't necessarily have the complete grain." She followed this by her stance on the no-grain rule in Megan Fox's diet.

"Again, I don't like the term diet...it will lead you to cravings. The body needs grains." Her solution? Moderation. Using the example of a baguette:

"If you have cravings, you might go ahead and eat the whole baguette. Don't. Enjoy a piece of the baguette--make a sandwhich out of it. Don't feel guilty about it...if you have cravings, you might eat twice as much."

Again: yikes. And even if she doesn't stand for dieting, she's all for what she calls "tricks."

"We're...unconcious eaters. People aren't thinking about what they're putting in their body." I'll agree with that--during the Megan Fox diet, I was suddenly paying a lot more attention to what I was eating. She still doesn't endorse diets.

"Don't do it for four weeks, six weeks. Ask 'is it sustainable?'...think of it as a lifestyle change. Your body needs calories...and to lose weight you do need a calorie deficit. There is a basic level--1200-1500 really needed calories."

This turned the conversation into the topic of diet supplements. I recalled a particular instance of a diet supplement that claimed to work quickly, all you needed to do was take the supplement...and eat 500 or less calories a day. She shook her head.

"The supplement market isn't regulated by the FDA...they say whatever...to make money." Her suggestion is to "go back to [a] basic well rounded deit getting away from processed food, getting away from fried food..." However, she thoroughly endorses 'cheating.'

"Don't live your life in deprivation...I'll have a couple Oreos once a week. Enjoy it...I say there's two different kinds of people: people who eat to live, and people who live to eat...appreciate food for what it is. Americans...are always in a rush. That leads to unconcious eating."

This was a natural break point in the conversation. Thank you Meagan for your time and your information! The next half will be up tomorrow, covering the BMI and exercise portion, along with some other fun topics (like osteoporosis...). Subscribe! Meagan had a lot of interesting things to say on these topics.