Q: I’m dropping bodyweight, but my skin doesn’t seem to be tightening up.

Q: I’m overweight, and I’ve been jogging on the treadmill, but I’m not lifting weights. I’m dropping bodyweight, but my skin doesn’t seem to be tightening up. What’s the problem?

A: The problem is that you have no muscle mass to act as a metabolic engine, which would otherwise help to burn up much of your fat.

You need to effect a basic change to your endocrine system by changing your diet and lifting heavy weights. Having more muscle mass means your resting metabolic rate will increase, and you will use more energy even when you’re just standing around picking your nose.

Ditch the long, slow, steady-state cardio, and start lifting very heavy weights and doing interval training on the treadmill—sprinting occasionally and walking frequently.

Jogging is obsolete and it takes much too long to accomplish the same calorie burn as shorter interval training.

Editor’s note: Ben White won his first IFBB professional bodybuilding contest, the Tampa Pro, in 2010. He is also a champion powerlifter and frequently competes in the World’s Strongest Bodybuilder contest at the Olympia. His best competition bench press is 711 pounds. He is an MPH athlete, www.MHPStong.com.  IM