Check out the questions on this page, and if you don't find the answers you're looking for, email Ms. Plain Jane today. She'd love to hear from you! Sit at a desk all day? Full-time house mom? Yet serious about wanting to sculpt away bodyfat, build muscle tone, and still have energy to burn? You've arrived at the right place. Read Ms. Plain Jane's answers to recent questions below, and check this page for updates, or subscribe to our free eNewsletter now, and we'll deliver her latest questions and answers right to your inbox! Remedies for Muscle Soreness? Elliptical or Treadmill—Which Is Better? Exercises for Home Workouts? Can You Target Belly Fat? Eat Fruit to Lose Weight? Supplementation on Non-Training Days How Much Sodium Is Too Much? Quick Cooking vs. Traditional Oats Exercise and Pregnancy Overcoming a Plateau

Remedies for Muscle Soreness? I've recently starting working out with weights and have been having problems with muscle soreness. In fact, I'm so sore today from a workout I did two days ago that I really don't think I can work out today. Is there anything I can take to ease the muscle soreness? First, let me reassure you that many people suffer from muscle soreness when starting a weights workout program, but the pain will ease up over time. Honestly, you don't have months of soreness to look forward to—your body will adapt! To help in the meantime, try to wait at least 48 hours between working the same muscle groups. For instance, if you train legs twice per week, then make sure you have at least two days between those workouts. You could also start taking glutamine, which can help with muscle recovery and also promote muscle gains, as well as preventing you from losing muscle. Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body; however, it is stripped from the muscles when your body is under stress (like when following an intense workout program). Aim to take five grams per day following workouts or before bed. It's also important that you re-fuel your body adequately after working out. Make sure you eat a carbohydrate- and protein-rich meal within one hour of working out to replenish your glycogen stores and feed your muscles.

Elliptical or Treadmill—Which Is Better? Which is the most effective form of cardio—elliptical trainer or treadmill? The other day I went on the treadmill for 30 minutes, and it said I had burned 220 calories. I then did 30 minutes on the elliptical, and it said I burned 530 calories. What gives? I definitely felt like my heart rate was higher, and I was sweating more on the treadmill. I want to lose the last five pounds (after previously losing 20 lbs!), so I want to maximize my cardio workouts. Congratulations on the bodyfat you've lost so far! Great job! In answer to your question, the calculators on cardio equipment are generally very inaccurate. They are typically based only on the weight that is inputted in and don't account for other factors, such as sex, age, bodyfat percentage, or heart rate reached. This can be a problem as many women feel that they've burned an over-estimated amount of calories and therefore account for this in their eating, which is not too good for their fat-loss goals. If you were really concerned about the amount of calories burned, you could invest in a heart-rate monitor, which can then be programmed for your specific details and would therefore be far more accurate. In general, though, the treadmill (or running outside) is the number one cardio exercise for burning extra calories. However, it's a good idea to switch between cardio equipment regularly to add variety to your workouts, so you're more likely to stick to them and enjoy them.

Exercises for Home Workouts? I have two small children (two and four years old), so I'm pretty restricted in the time I can dedicate to working out. Plus, there's no way I can make it to an actual gym, so I have to workout at home. Can you suggest any good exercises for home work outs? I have a good set of dumbbells of various weights, Swiss ball, and a bench. For legs, you can't go wrong with lunges. The most effective, in my opinion, are walking lunges, but you can also do stationary lunges and split squats, which are all great for your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. You can start off by doing these without weight and then gradually add weight by doing the exercise with a dumbbell in each hand. You can substitute basically any exercise with an exercise for the same muscle group but using dumbbells. For instance, instead of barbell bench press, you can do dumbbell bench press (for chest), or instead of cable rows (for back), you can do one-arm dumbbell rows. The Swiss ball is a great tool to use to make exercises more effective. You can find a variety of ab exercises using a Swiss ball in our weight training resources section. You can also use the Swiss ball in the place of an incline bench for exercises such as dumbbell flyes. Rest assured, with the equipment you have available, you can get a great workout and consequently reap the rewards!

Can You Target Belly Fat? Since I had my son, I've had a layer of flab on my belly that I just can't shake off! I've lost most of my pregnancy weight but can't see my ab definition any more. I do crunches twice per week—about 100 reps each time. Any tips on what I'm doing wrong? Congratulations on the birth of your son and also well done on losing the pregnancy weight. To get the definition back in your abdominals, you should try doing exercises for all three parts of the abs—upper, lower, and obliques (sides). Pick one exercise for each part, and do three sets of 15 reps for each. Do this routine two to three times per week. You can find some great ab exercises in our weight training resources section. It's best to change the exercises from time to time to intensify your workouts. If you've been doing 100 reps at a time, then you've probably lacked intensity in your ab workouts. Try to stay in the 15-rep range but with added intensity which will help your results. Nutrition also plays a big part in seeing your ab definition. You need to reduce your overall bodyfat levels and keep your eating pretty clean, as well as incorporating cardio into your routine to help reduce your bodyfat.

Eat Fruit to Lose Weight? I've been hearing tons of bad things about having fruit in your diet. Should I be cutting out fruit if I want to lose weight? You shouldn't cut fruit from your diet! Yes, it's true that too much sugar in your diet can be detrimental to a fat-loss program; however, you don't need to avoid all sugars. Mainly, it's important to avoid the refined kind, which causes the blood sugar levels to spike and crash. Plus, they can be stored as fat if you eat too much of them. These refined sugars are contained in products like cakes, cookies, and breads. The sugar contained in fruit is called "fructose" and doesn't cause the same spike in insulin that regular sugar does. Fruit also contains lots of fiber, which makes you feel fuller for longer and is full of antioxidants and vitamins too. If you're still worried, eat more of the lower glycemic fruits, such as apples and pears and eat the higher glycemic ones, such as bananas and oranges, more sparingly. I'd definitely recommend that you consume two pieces of fruit per day, but try to eat them with a little protein for a complete meal. For instance, you could have some cottage cheese with an apple.

Supplementation on Non-Training Days Should I still take my supplements on my "off" days or should I completely rest? Believe it or not, supplementing on "off" days can actually be more important than supplementing on training days. (That doesn't mean you only take them once or twice per week, though!) This is because on your rest day(s), your body is growing and recuperating and repairing those microtears in your muscle fibers. Therefore, it's important to supplement on these days to help with recovery. And some supplements, like H+Blocker or 3-XL, should be taken every day as you're trying to reach a certain level of saturation in the muscle cells, whether it's carnosine (H+Blocker) or creatine (3-XL). So, the short answer is yes, most definitely—keep supplementing even on your rest days.

How Much Sodium Is Too Much? I keep reading negative articles about sodium. Is it really that bad? How much is too much? Sodium is almost impossible to avoid completely as it's contained naturally in most foods and is added in high quantities to many products in the grocery stores, especially canned and packaged foods. Luckily, many foods are now "low sodium" or "sodium free," so it's easier to make healthier choices. In answer to your question, sodium isn't as evil as ingredients like trans fatty acids; however, we can easily go over the recommended upper limit of 2,400 mg per day. Too much sodium in our diets can lead to high blood pressure, so it's important that you consume it in moderation. That's actually pretty easy. Just stick to fresh foods, rather than packaged/canned produce. And, if you do eat convenience foods, then opt for low-sodium choices.

Quick Cooking vs. Traditional Oats I've been eating quick-cooking oats but have read that old fashioned are better. Is that true? The nutrition panel looks the same to me. The difference between the quick-cooking oats and the old-fashioned oats is the way the oats are cut, and this has an effect on the rate of digestion and therefore the glycemic index of each one. In essence, the old-fashioned oats have a lower glycemic index, so they are digested more slowly and are therefore a much better source of complex carbohydrates. In addition, the instant packets of flavored oatmeal should be completely avoided as not only are the oats overly processed, but they contain loads of added sugar and are not a healthy choice at all! I enjoy old-fashioned oatmeal with added protein powder and a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds—this way I get the complex carbs, protein, and essential fats in my healthful first meal of the day! Plus, it's super fast and tastes great!

Exercise and Pregnancy I've just found out I'm pregnant. Can I still work out? Congratulations! What exciting news! And in answer to your question: Yes! Remaining active during pregnancy offers several benefits for both mother and baby. You must, however, adapt your current program to make it safe for you and your baby during this period, and keep in mind that the goal of exercising during pregnancy is to maintain your present level of fitness, not to improve. Also, please heed the advice of your doctor before anything else. Only he or she knows your current state of health, and my advice should be taken only as guidelines, as I don't know you personally or anything about your health history. Having said that, there are many benefits to maintaining an active lifestyle during pregnancy: speedier recovery after delivery, increased self-esteem during pregnancy, help to alleviate cramps and water retention, stronger muscles, which can aid in delivery, and increased energy levels. The amount of exercise you can do is directly related to how active you were before becoming pregnant. If you've never exercised before, this is not the time to start a full-blown weight training and intense aerobics program. A sensible approach for someone who has never exercised before is to start a mild daily 20- to 30-minute aerobics program consisting of walking at a normal pace. Your heart rate should never exceed 140 beats per minute. Therefore, be especially careful to monitor your heart rate during exercise. And, your body temperature should never exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit (or 38 degrees Celsius). If, on the other hand, you have been active prior to becoming pregnant, then you may continue your activities as long as they are not activities that could result in a loss of balance and as long as you remember to lower your intensity levels to prevent an increased body temperature and heart rate. Again, I cannot overemphasize that the goal during this period is maintenance and not improvement. Please, don't push yourself. Pregnant women who are involved in weight training should generally adhere to the following rules: Increase your rest periods in between sets to two minutes to maintain a normal body temperature and a low pulse (below 140 beats). Perform only two exercises per body part of three sets each. To prevent reaching muscular failure (the point at which it becomes impossible to perform another repetition in good form), choose a weight you can perform for 12 to 15 repetitions but perform only 8 to 10 repetitions per set instead. Eliminate exercises where you have to lay down flat in your back (such as flat dumbbell bench press) since this position can decrease blood flow to the uterus and therefore the baby. Eliminate exercises that may cause a loss of balance, such as lunges and squats. Instead, substitute them for exercises like seated leg curls and leg extensions. As a matter of fact, if you have access to machines, this is the perfect time to use them and would make the exercises safer and would eliminate the possibility of losing balance. Also, by using machines, secondary stabilizer muscles, such as abdominal and pelvic muscles, are not activated. This is a good thing as we don't want to create any undue stress in these areas at this time. Another reason why machines are more desirable at this time is to prevent joint injuries. During pregnancy, a loosening of the joints occurs. This loosening allows ligaments and tendons to stretch in preparation for delivery. Because of this, there is a higher risk of incurring a soft tissue injury if free weights are used. If you choose to continue using free weights during this period, then remember to pay close attention to your exercise form and to choose your exercises carefully. Eliminate the abdominal exercise portion of your workout as we most avoid any exercise that may risk even mild abdominal trauma. In addition, avoid exercises where you have to lay down flat in your stomach. For instance, substitute lying leg curls with either standing or seated leg curls. Don't hold your breath while exercising since doing so can cut the oxygen supply to your baby. Again, you must take the advice of your doctor before anything else. If he or she feels you would only see detrimental effects from carrying on with weight training, then please heed this advice.

Overcoming a Plateau I'm working out with two friends, but while they're still getting awesome results, I'm not. I was losing weight at first but now seem to be at a standstill. Help! It's not unusual to see rapid results initially, especially if you've just started a new workout program or nutrition plan. It'd be impossible to lose great amounts of bodyfat every week though, so your body tends to stabilize and you might go through a period for a week or two with no losses, but it should soon kick start again if you stick to the program. Just try not to get discouraged and think of your overall results, rather than on a week-to-week basis, visualize how you'll feel after 12 weeks of eating healthily and working out—most likely, you'll feel like a whole new person! If your plateau lasts longer than a couple of weeks, then you might want to take another look at your program and see if you're really pushing yourself or need to add more intensity or just different variables, like trying new exercises. Take another look at your nutrition plan too and see if there are any tweaks you can make.

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