OUR BODIES, OUR MINDS

Harvey Thompson, M.D..

With so many of us interested in. improving our personal appearance, there has been a rapid increase in the numbers of gyms and athletic programs aimed at people who are more interested in the cosmetic improvements of exercise instead of

the competitive aspects. With that increase has come a good amount of misinformation. Let's consider some of the more common questions about weight-lifting that crop up for the amateur.

Q. Is a special diet needed for weight-lifting?

A. Probably not. The body is adept at transforming fats, carbohydrates, and proteins from one form into another.

Calories are a more inportant consideration. Body mass is determined by this formula:

INTAKE (calories) ENERGY EXPENDITURE + CHANGE (in body weight) The equation may seem simple, but it is frequently misunderstood by the obese, the underweight, and the athlete and weightlifter. Any one of the variables influences on the other two. For example, if more calories are consumed while energy expenditure remaims, constant, body weight will increase in anyone with no disease and good health. However, if less food is eaten while energy expenditure remains constant, body weight will drop. Amazing as it is, there are still patients who exclaim, "But, Doctor! I don't eat anything and I still gain weight!" That's obviously impossible.

Q. When you stop lifting weights, does muscle turn to fat?

A. No. Fat cells are from endoderm. muscle cells are from mesoderm. They do not transform themselves from one to another. Probably, the number of fat and muscle cells are "set" at birth and don't change. Obesity is not an increase in the number of fat cells, but a change in their lipid content. Muscle cells hypertrophy, or enlarge with exercise, but don't increase in number, either.

Q. Does weight-lifting increase your life span?

A. Maybe not. As unreasonable as it may seem, there is no good proof that exercise protects against heart disease. However, one positive benefit of exercise has been seen in a study of longshoremen; their heavy physical activity seemed to protect against "Sudden Death Syndrome," a type of heart attack.

Q. Will situps reduce the size of my waistline?

A. No. Most large bellies are fat. To get the waist size down, one must depend on weight reduction, either through less intake or more energy expenditure through exercise. The exercise will work an allover reducing benefit; spot reduction, aimed at melting away fat in a specific exercise area won't work. The waist vigrators and wide rubber belt gimmicks were fads of the 50's.

Q. Is weight-lifting better for you than jogging or aerobic dancing? A. No. Weight-ligting is mostly

cosmetic. It looks healthy, but it's not a real cardiovascular conditioner.

Q. Is it better to work out with weights every day or a few times a week?

A. Doing workouts can be boring and time-consuming. A daily work-

out is necessary for the weightlifting pro, but the amateur who wants a body that's "a cut above the average" will find an alternate-day-of-the-week regime productive enough, as well as a more efficient use of time that's more likely to be followed than daily grinds.

Q. What are the lats? the Quads? the Pecs? Biceps? Triceps? Deltoids? Hamstrings?

A. All are different parts of the muscular anatomy. Knowing those parts is invaluable in setting up a sensible workout pattern for each muscle group. For example, the biceps in the front of the

arms are developed by curls. Dips or benches develop the triceps in the back of the arms.

Bench presses are pretty standard Shrugs for the chest pectorals. build the trapezius of the shoulder. Arm extensions (front and side) are for the deltoids, situps for the abdom. Quads and leg extensions exercise the quadriceps femoris (the big thigh muscles up front). Leg curls done on the stomach are for the hamstrings in the back of the thigh.

Q. Didn't you say situps 'don't reduce the waistline?

A. They don't. They help build muscle but will not reduce specific area fat.

Q. How many repetitions? How many sets?

A. Three sets of the maximum weight that allows you to perform 6-10 repetitions for each exercise. If your're looking for definition and not more bulk, use lighter weight with more repetitions.

Q. How about steroids?

A. Steroids are not approved by the FDA for muscle building because of their numerous side effects. Be careful with them if you have high blood pressure, liver disea fluid rentention, diabetes, etc) Professional lifters insist they work, but there is no good studi to compare users against non-us with regard to strength and siz Some steroid users admit they g meaner, more aggressive, and hornier on these male steroids. Q. Aren't gyms intimidating? Will they make fun of me because I'm Gay?

A. More and more straight and Gay men are lifting weights togethe without hassle. It may require some discretion in small towns; straights don't appreciate bein stared at, and you may have to hold back on conversations abou Gay Liberation or AIDS. Stay o the weights and leave other heavy subjects for later.

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