Fitness man Paul Byrne has some tips and more. Personal trainer from Body Byrne Gym in Dublin Paul Byrne chats to Sile.
If you have a question for Paul you can email sile@newstalk.ie or text to 53106. Some sample questions answered this week-
Q: Can I train myself from home? And if so…what can I do? Maria in Howth
Yes it is. The best exercises can be done with your own body weight example, squats, lunges, push ups, dips, dips, plank, crunches to name but a few.
Q: What is better to tone up cardio or weights? Joe Kildare
Weights is the best when it comes to achieving a toned physique, the reason for this is that muscle tissue burns more calories then fat and weight training promotes
Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
It depends on which type and amount is very important. when picking go for 70-75% cocoa and no more then 150 grams is enough to satisfy any sweet tooth butlers is one of the top brands.
Q: When picking foods is it better to go for low fat foods or low carb foods?
When we talk about low fat products you will find they can be loaded with extra sugars so always check the labels, carbohydrates are primarily used as energy in the body so your carbohydrate levels would be determined by your activity and goals ie if you are sedentary you would need a lot less carbohydrates.
Q: Post-training protein shakes- Are they good and what would you recommend?
Protein shakes are used to repair the muscles after training. Watch your carb content on the protein shake you choose if you are restricting your diet but they will not make you put on weight unless you overeat. A standard protein scoop will have around 80 calories. Most of these calories will be coming from protein.
Q: I have a problem with shin splints. Have orthotics already but still troubling me. Any advice? Eamonn in limerick
Symptoms of shin splints include an aching, throbbing or tenderness along the inside of the shin (although it can also radiate to the outside) about halfway down or all along the shin, from the ankle to the knee. This discomfort is due to the inflammation of the tendons on the inside of the front of the lower leg. This is basically the definition of shin splints.