Strongwomen.com - Your Virtual Trainer with Dr. Miriam Nelson

I hope you find this newsletter helpful, and that you share it with your friends. Feel free to forward, post or reprint it – but please credit Strongwomen.com for the information and don’t change the content.

A recent study published by the Journal of Applied Physiology has reconfirmed that strength training boosts metabolism and improves body composition. Researchers at the University of Alabama took a group of men and women (61-77 years of age) and had them participate in a three-day-per-week strength- training program for six months. After six-months, the volunteer's who participated in the study got much stronger, lost 6 pounds of fat, gained 4.5 pounds of lean tissue, started participating in more leisure time activities on a regular basis and had 12% increase in total energy expenditure (total calories burned per day). This boost in metabolism meant that these volunteers were burning about 230 additional calories per day compared to when they started the study.

What does this study mean to you? It once again shows us how important strength training is for overall health and weight control. Strength training boosts our metabolism, making weight control easier as we grow older, it decreases our body fat, and it increases the amount important lean tissue in our body. All of this is good news for women!

Over the past two months we have dramatically updated our website. We have added new feature articles, and most importantly, we have added 10 new animated exercises to the three exercise programs. I encourage you to look around the site and see what's new.

Be sure to check out the other questions posed to Miriam Nelson, PhD and Jennifer Layne, MS, CSCS at on our web site at FAQs.

Q: For the maximum health benefit, should I devote more exercise sessions per week to weight training or to aerobics?

A: Strength training has many benefits for health and well-being, but it doesn't train your heart and lungs. For that essential piece of the fitness picture, you need aerobic exercise. Conversely, aerobic exercise won't make you strong. If you are trying to stay fit by only doing aerobic exercise, the ultimate irony would be living to an old age with a healthy heart only to find yourself too feeble to remain independent.

It is essential to strike a good balance between strength training and aerobic exercise to make a healthier you. A good general rule of thumb is to get a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity three times per week and 20 to 30 minutes of strength training twice a week.

Q: I've tried doing yoga but find it too slow and static. Is there a faster-paced form?

A: Yoga is one of the most ancient art forms, originating in India thousands of years ago. It is terrific exercise that reduces stress and increases both flexibility and coordination, and it improves overall health and fitness. Yoga can be practiced by anyone and can be tailored to satisfy every individual's needs.

Power Yoga, which is also known by the Sanskrit term Vinyasa Yoga, is likely the best form for those looking to enjoy the benefits of yoga without the methodical pace. A vinyasa is a series of flowing movements that warm up the body. Power Yoga is an active form of yoga, in which a person moves quickly through the poses, called asanas, not holding them as long as in other styles of yoga. It is virtually guaranteed that Power Yoga will give a real challenge to the muscles.

Q: Why can't I make my own weights for working out?

A: I have seen suggestions ranging from lifting one-pound soup cans (harmless for you and soup, but it won't build muscle), to lifting buckets or gallon jugs filled with sand. Please do not improvise! Plastic jugs and buckets are not made for strength training: they're not designed to hold that much weight; and, the handles are designed for carrying - not lifting. They could easily break and injure you, not to mention impede good form and doing an exercise through the full range of motion.

Q: How can I assess the trainers at my gym, other than by asking at the front desk about their credentials?

A: It takes more than certification to make a great teacher - the same holds true for trainers. The best person is the one that matches your needs. The trainer I would recommend for an Olympic caliber athlete is not the same one I'd suggest for an out-of-shape forty-seven year old woman who wants to begin training. Check to see if they have helped people like you; does the trainer understand and share your goals? Are their instructions easily understood? When correcting you, do you feel helped rather than criticized? Do you feel comfortable asking questions? Has the trainer adapted his/her program to fit your needs? It is advisable to do a trial session with the trainer and/or get recommendations concerning the trainer from other clients at the facility.

Here are excerpts from a few of the inspiring letters we've received recently. If you enjoy reading them, check out the collection of reader mail on our web site at Success Stories .

"Just wanted to drop a note to tell you of one more woman who is grateful for your program. I had just got back to walking last May after a bad winter and had joined our new YWCA because of their indoor walking track when I found Strong Women Stay Young. Like many of your readers I figured if 70 to 90 year old women could do this -- this 54 year old certainly could. I was concerned about bone health first of all since I had a bone density test and already have osteopenia. I have been following the program since June, have a personal trainer at the Y and have been using much more than just the indoor track--they have a great weight room and aerobic machines. I have lost 30 lbs (down from 180) 4 inches in girth pretty much all around and two dress sizes. I started out with a diet based on the food pyramid notes in the first book. Then I decided to buy Strong Women Stay Slim and have been using those more detailed guidelines. I find it remarkably easy to stay within the 1200 calorie all week and allow a few indulgences on the weekend (more toward the 1600). Your portion method is by far the simplest I have found. I would like to lose 10-20 more but currently am just very happy to be back into the healthy BMI range and to have lost waist inches so am now at 32 inches. When I hit menopause it seemed like my waist just disappeared overnight. I have also been recommending the program to my doctor, my personal trainer and anyone who comments on my new look at work. One of my colleagues just bought the book and went to buy weights. When she explained what she needed, the young man behind the counter said 'Oh, are you doing Strong Women?' Your book must be taking Minneapolis/St.Paul by storm. I don't often write fan letters but I am really a fan of yours. Thank you."

Jennifer Layne, MS, CSCS has been directing a very successful community exercise program for older adults around the New England area. The exercise program is based on our Tufts University research. She recently visited several of the sites in Vermont and received these comments from the enthusiastic participants. They truly are Strong Women!

* "I feel more confident-less concerned about falling. I feel like I have more energy."

* "My balance is better, my energy has doubled. I have a positive feeling of regaining actions I thought I had lost for good."

* "I believe there is now hope for my severe osteoporosis. I have been very discouraged, but now I believe I will be able to address it with more than just Fosamax."

* "I used to have cramps in my legs, but haven't had them since starting the program."

Mim's Meltaways

Judy Knipe, my collaborator on my new book, Strong Women Eat Well (due out July 2001) developed these cookies for me because I love nuts and have a soft spot for cookies. The cookies freeze well, but they might need an extra dusting of confectioner's sugar before serving.

(For more deliciously nutritious recipes, be sure to go to Recipes.)

Ingredients

3/4 cup ground unblanched hazelnuts or blanched almonds

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, plus more for sifting

grated zest 1 orange

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine the hazelnuts and whole wheat and white flours and set aside. In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter until it is light. Add the confectioner's sugar and orange zest and beat until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix very well, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Cover with wax paper, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until firm enough to handle.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper (the paper is easier to handle and makes for much easier cleanup).

Shape the dough into balls 3/4-inch to 1 inch in diameter and place 1½ inches apart on the cookie sheets. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes, or until golden around the edges, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Cool the cookies for 2 to 3 minutes on the pans, then carefully slide them off onto a sheet of wax paper. Sift confectioner's sugar over the cookies while they are still warm. The cookies are fragile while hot, so don't handle until they are cool.

Nutritional information per cookie:

51 calories
3.9 g total fat
1.5 g saturated fat

3.8 g carbohydrate
0.6g protein
0.3 g fiber

Portions:

1 Extra