Ask the fitness expert
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With more than 18 years of experience in the fitness industry, Armand Tecco has personally trained and prescribed exercise programs for thousands of people, from professional athletes and corporate executives to stay-at-home moms and older adults. Armand has a Bachelor of Science degree in fitness management and a Master's in Education degree in exercise physiology. He is certified as a health/fitness instructor by the American College of Sports Medicine and as a strength and conditioning specialist by the National Strength & Conditioning Association.

Dear Armand:
I work in an office and spend most of my day sitting. I play tennis two or three times a week and walk once a week. In spite of this, I feel tired most of the time and would like to know how I can increase my energy level.

Answer:
There are a few ways to increase your energy level throughout the day. First of all, try to get up from your desk often to do walking and stretching exercises. This will help circulate some blood through your body and help your muscles stretch and relax.

Also, if your schedule allows, try to grab a noon workout for 30 minutes. Try walking, or taking an aerobics class, etc. This will serve as a "pick me up" that will help your energy level throughout the day and help you sleep better at night.

It would be good if you could walk at least two times a week as well as play tennis. Your fitness level will increase and you will feel better, too. Make sure you eat a healthy breakfast, as this can get your day off to a good start.

Dear Armand:
I will turn 38 years old in August. I normally play basketball, but over the last three years I have stopped playing. I really want to start playing again, however, I have gained about 20 pounds.

Answer:
Basketball is such a terrific sport -- you do not realize what good shape it keeps you in until you have not done it in a while. It is great that you have started back on a fitness regimen. The best way to get your endurance back and lose those extra pounds is to do cardiovascular exercise. Spend 30 to 40 minutes doing the bike, treadmill or stairstepper -- along with some time spent weight training.

The good news is that for men, when you lose excess body fat it will come off from the abdominal area, thereby reducing your waistline. Perform some abdominal curls and crunches to firm up those abs. You may also want to take stock of your diet. Try to cut back on high-fat foods, eat more fruits and vegetables and drink lots of water.

You should start to notice a difference in about six weeks. It is different for everyone and depends on how serious you take it, so keep those things in mind in case it takes a couple of extra weeks. You will immediately have more energy and feel better overall, so focus on that for the first few weeks. Good luck!

Dear Armand:
My name is Brian, and I'm a 15-year-old guy who is serious about getting in shape, but the only problem is I don't have the facilities. The only thing I have access to is my AbRoller.

I need a natural workout that will sculpt and define my whole body. Oh, and also I don't want anything to hurt my growth. Any advice on how to stimulate my growth and how to get in shape naturally? Thanks.

Answer:
The natural way of stimulating your growth and getting in shape is to increase your cardiovascular activity and supplement with weight training. Since you are limited with equipment, you can take your workout outdoors. Your cardiovascular activity can simply be a walk, jog or run, in-line skating, or cycling outside.

Start off slowly, with 20 to 30 minutes of continuous activity three to five times a week. As you progress, you can increase your workout time to 30 to 45 minutes, three to five times a week. Since you don't have the facilities for weight training, try these activities for muscular toning and strengthening: pushups, dips, crunches, lunges or squats. Perform these three to four times per week and try to increase the quantity each week. Keep up with your AbRoller as well. Getting more active is the key to a natural workout.

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