WELLNESS FAQ

Nutrition

Is skipping meals a good way to lose weight?
In theory, skipping one meal while keeping everything else in your diet the same will help you lose weight. However, skipping meals will change your eating patterns which will cause you to overeat and overcompensate later.  This will likely lead to weight gain.
Source: American Council on Exercise

Will eating late at night cause weight gain?
No.  The time of day that you eat does not play a role in weight gain.  Weight gain occurs when you consume more calories than you expend.  However, some people who eat late at night consume more calorie-dense and are eating more calories throughout the day which can cause weight gain.
Source: American Council on Exercise

Fitness

Crunches Will Help Me Lose My Lovehandles, Right?
Not quite!  While crunches will help you tone your abdominals, they will not make you lose fat just in your stomach. As the old saying goes, “Abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym.” Everyone has a perfect 6-pack, but most of us have fat that hides it. So, if you want a smaller stomach, healthy eating in conjunction with a weight training program is the best way to go.
Source: American Council on Exercise

How Do I Stay Motivated?
If you can’t find the motivation to continue your running schedule, try cross training - take a spinning class or dance aerobics, or something to keep you entertained and still having fun. If you’re injured and physically cannot cardio train, hit up the pool! Swimming is a full body exercise with countless cardiovascular benefits, and also takes all the stress off your joints.
Source: American Council on Exercise 

Which is better: Free Weights or Machines?
When walking into the gym it can be intimating to know what to do and where to start. There are so many different peices of equipment to choose from. If you are a beginner, it is best to stick to machines because they are safer and you are less likely to get injured. For an experienced patron, free weights are a good option because the work can be done in different planes of motion and more muscles are incorporated. Including both types of lifting into your workout to add variety to your workout, yielding the best results.
Source: American Council of Exercise

Should I exercise when I'm sick?
Most sports-medicine experts recommend that if you have cold symptoms, but no fever, then moderate exercise (i.e. walking) is probably okay.  If you have signs of the flu (fever, extreme fatigue, body aches) then it's best to wait two weeks before resuming intensive training.  Always check with your physician! 
Source: American Council of Exercise