Just the FAQs: answers to frequently asked questions on health & fitness - Q&A

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, Dec, 2002

Diamonds Aren't This Girl's Best Friend

Q I have really big, muscular calves, which I've heard women can get from using the stair-stepper Is this true? Regardless, how can 1 slim them down?

P.C.

Canyon Country, California

A Tammie Leady, a personal trainer who placed seventh at the New York Pro Fitness contest in May 2002, responds: "Genetics play a major role in the size of calf muscles, so that's one contributing factor As for what's making them bigger than this genetic endowment, muscle growth generally results from resistance training, and you'd have to be using some pretty heavy weights to bulk up your calves to the point you describe. If you are, try going lighter, or take a hiatus from calf training altogether for a while.

As for stair-stepping and calves, women often make the mistake of stepping on the balls of their feet, which keep the calves in a state of constant contraction. Instead, try keeping your heels down so that you aren't always emphasizing your calves."

To Be or Not to [B.sub.12]

Q I recently became a vegetarian, and I've been told that if I don't take supplemental Vitamin [B.sub.12], it could have negative effects not only on my workouts but also on my health. Really?

H.T.

King of Prussia, Pennsylvania

A Suzanne Havala Hobbs, MS, RD, an adjunct assistant professor at the University of North Carolina's School of Health Policy, adviser for the Vegetarian Resource Group and author of Being Vegetarian for Dummies, responds: "B12 does come primarily from animal food sources, so it's not an issue unless you're vegan, meaning you abstain from all animal products. If you're the kind of vegetarian who eats some dairy products or eggs, or who indulges in seafood, don't worry about taking supplemental [B.sub.12]. And even if you are vegan, you have the option of consuming foods fortified with the vitamin. Check labels to make sure, but these [B.sub.12] foods can include certain breakfast cereals and particular brands of soy milk."

Muscle Soreness vs. Injury

Q How do I distinguish between muscle soreness and an injury?

K.T.

Beverly Hills, California

A Nicholas A. DiNubile, MD, clinical assistant professor in the department of orthopedic surgery at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and orthopedic consultant for the Philadelphia 76ers, responds: "The muscle soreness that commonly results from a weight workout is usually symmetrical, involving the left and right sides of your body. It tends to be concentrated in the middle of the affected muscle bellies, tends to feel better if you rub it, shouldn't last more than a few days and won't keep you up at night. What's more, the discomfort will often lessen rather than increase if you warm up the muscle and stretch it a little bit to get blood flowing.

"If it's an injury, you'll tend to feel the pain more in the joint than in the muscle belly itself Also, you might feel it on, say, your right side but not your left. Or maybe you won't be able to lift your arms overhead for a while. It's a different kind of feeling, one you'll probably need some training experience to recognize. When you feel something like that, pay even closer attention to form, move the weight more slowly and reduce your poundage a little bit. If the pain continues, see your doctor."

Core Frequency

Q I keep reading and hearing different opinions about how often to train abs and the lower part of my back. Should I train them with the same frequency I hit other bodyparts, or more often than that?

T.Z.

Scottsdale, Arizona

A David McWhorter, PhD, CSCS, assistant professor of anatomy at the University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City, Missouri, responds: "It depends on how hard you train your core. Some women do a few sets of sit-ups, crunches, back extensions and so on at the end of every workout or every other workout, and that's okay. Because they're placing a demand on their body to which it's accustomed, they'll simply maintain their level of physical performance and development. In contrast, if you train abs and low back to failure, you're disrupting the body's desire to keep everything the same--which is great if you're trying to improve the strength and endurance of those muscles. But it also means you're going to have to give your core time to adapt to these new demands. In that case, training these muscles once or twice a week, like other bodyparts, should suffice."

Fat Loss and Breast Size

Q: I'm getting ready to diet for my first figure contest, and I've noticed that when some women prepare for physique contests, their breasts shrink as their bodyfat decreases. I like what I've got, so what are the chances this will happen to me? And if it does, is it reversible?

L.U.

via e-mail

A: Michele Olson, PhD, professor of exercise science at Aubum University (Montgomery) and lead investigator of the university's human performance lab, responds: "Breast tissue is largely composed of fat, or adipose tissue. That's why lean women tend to have smaller breasts than women with more bodyweight and bodyfat. Since there's no such thing as 'spot reduction,' women who lose weight and bodyfat experience a reduction in the adipose tissue sites throughout the body. So your breasts will likely become smaller as you drop fat weight and become as lean as posible. However, once your contest dieting ends, your overall bodyfat will normalize and your breast size will also increase.