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

Osteoporosis is a terrifying disease: bones are so porous and brittle that a fall or even an exuberant hug could cause a fracture. We associate osteoporosis with old age, with stooped-over little old ladies. But just last month a dear friend, who's only 44, learned she has lost a significant amount of bone, apparently a consequence of early menopause. She knows she's at risk for osteoporosis, and she asked me for suggestions. I reminded her that I'm not a MD, and I urged her to follow her doctor's advice. But I gave her these suggestions:

All women need to be aware of osteoporosis, since it will affect about half of us after age 50. But there's a lot we can do to protect our bones, especially if we get an early start. The good news, as I told my worried friend, is that medical experts now consider osteoporosis a preventable disease.

If you want to learn more about osteoporosis, these Web sites have helpful information:

Q: I now do a combination of Stay Slim/Stay Young every other day. On the other days, I use my NordicTrack. When I do the NordicTrack, my pulse goes to about 155 (I'm 46). But when I complete the strength training, my pulse is only about 70, which is my average pulse rate. Is this normal for strength training?

A: Your heart rate response to the aerobic exercise and to the strength training is perfectly normal. During a strengthening workout your heart rate should be just slightly elevated. It returns to the usual resting rate by the time that you measure it. Strength training doesn't place a great demand on the heart. That's why you need to do aerobic exercise as well, (which you're doing) for optimal health.

Q: I recently read an article linking testosterone levels in women to libido. After 10 months of working out, consisting of 2-3 sessions weekly on Nautilus weight training equipment with progressively heavier weights, 2-3 aerobic workouts per week, and a modified diet (I'm now 50 pounds lighter), I've found that my sex drive has significantly increased (I'm soon to be 42 years old). Of course, I'm also now totally addicted to working out. I know that it can be attributed to psychological aspects of improved body image, self-confidence, etc., but I was wondering if there are physiological reasons for it also...does increasing muscle mass and decreasing fat also cause a women's body to produce more testosterone?

A: Congratulations on your impressive accomplishments! You've lost a lot of weight - and you did it the healthy way.

Quite a few women have told us that after they got fit, they experienced an increase in libido. We aren't sure why. As you say, the effect could result from emotional changes - better self-esteem, body image, etc. But there might be physical factors at work as well. We've looked at testosterone levels before and after strength training, but the preliminary data do not show any difference. It's a very interesting question for further research. Perhaps someday we'll have scientific proof that strong is sexy!

Q: I recently started your strength training program, and just learned that I have arthritis. I want to continue the training and am at 10 pounds. I have no problem with ten pounds, except that a few hours later my wrists begin to ache badly. Thank you for any suggestions you might make.

A: We've done a lot of work with people who have arthritis - both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis - and they've done very well with strength training. The key is to increase the weights very slowly. If you're having pain, the reason could be that you have been progressing too fast. We recommend that those with arthritis increase their weights only every three to four weeks. This allows all parts of the body - including hands and wrists - to get strong together. Here are three suggestions:

Q: My legs are stronger than I thought from walking and hiking in the mountains. I've already increased my leg weights up to 20 pounds. How can I add more weight for my legs? Are there ankle weights that are heavier than 20 pounds?

A: Don't go above 20 pounds with the ankle weights - heavier versions could become a problem orthopedically. If you outgrow your weights, switch to exercises that use your body weight for resistance, like modified squats and lunges. These are standard exercises, which you can find in many books. One good source, which has a lot of lower body exercises, is Complete Book of Butt and Legs by Kurt, Mike and Brett Brungardt (Villard Books); it's available from Amazon.com if your local bookstore doesn't have it. Another option that's practical for some women is to use strength training machines. Because you're held in position by the machine, you can safely lift heavier weights.

The British edition of Strong Women Stay Slim received a rave review in the London Times on February 14. Wrote nutritionist Amanda Ursell (known as a tough reviewer): "This book is so jam packed with excellent advice, it's hard to do it justice. Suffice to say that it provides all women, whatever size, age, or lack of fitness, with the inspiration to get back into shape. The diet is realistic, the goals achievable and the plan easy to follow. If you're serious about losing weight and keeping it off, you owe it to yourself to invest in this book. Mine, for one, will not be leaving my sight."

Here is an excerpt from a few of the inspiring letters we received last month. If you enjoy reading them, check out the longer collection of reader mail on our Web site.

"I thought about you yesterday on the plane home from Pittsburgh when, all by myself, I easily hoisted my suitcase up into the overhead rack, much to the amazement and admiration of the strapping young man who was at the ready to help me! Thanks!"

"In June I came across Strong Women Stay Slim, and decided to start the program. Well! Within three weeks of starting, everyone started saying 'You've lost weight.' When I visited my family, they were surprised and told me I looked great - even though I was only three pounds lighter than the last time they saw me! My mother's lifting 3 lbs. now and very proud of herself. People have started to tell HER how good she looks.

I think what is best about both books is how reasoned, well explained, slow and steady the program is. Many people in the fitness industry are so well trained that I think they have trouble imagining what couch potatoes the rest of us are. Your books explain clearly what to do, and let us know that it's OK, even good, to start slowly. I went from doing the moves without any weights at the beginning to lifting 12 lbs. three months later, without ever feeling sore or stiff - only stronger. Now I've joined a rowing club, which I've wanted to do for a long time. I thank you with all my heart for helping me change my life."

"I'm delighted to tell you that I gained no weight over the holidays and I'm down 27.5 pounds! My family has been very supportive and bought me dumbbells, an exercise mat, and ankle weights. I am still strength training 3 days per week, and walk/jog every day but a few. I'm still working on that lower abdomen 'beach ball,' but I know it will disappear some day. Several women I work with have bought Strong Women Stay Slim, because I've been such an inspiration! My daughter is almost 14, so it was very important to me to make a healthy lifestyle change and not follow a crash diet or something foolish like that."

Garlic Oatmeal Soup

This unusual soup is delicious, nutritious, and a snap to prepare. In case you're wondering: Brief cooking mellows the garlic and onion. And the oatmeal bears no resemblance to breakfast cereal - it looks and tastes like tiny dumplings.

Ingredients

1/2 cup uncooked rolled oats - not quick cooking type (2 Grains)

1 onion, finely chopped (1 Vegetable)

3 large cloves garlic, minced (Next to Nothing)

3 tomatoes, fresh or canned, chopped (3 Vegetables)

3 cups chicken or vegetable broth (Next to Nothing)

Salt to taste

Prepare the soup in a saucepan that holds at least two quarts. Start by toasting the rolled oats in the saucepan: Heat over medium temperature for about three minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning. The oats are toasted when they darken slightly and start to smell like toasted grain. Put them in a dish and set aside.

Put the chopped onion and garlic in the saucepan and cook for a few minutes, stirring. Some of the onion may stick to the bottom, because you're not using oil, but it doesn't matter. Add the chopped tomato and the broth, and stir to release any stuck-on bits of onion. Bring the soup to a simmer. Add the toasted oatmeal and continue to simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste the soup and add salt if needed. Serve immediately. Note: Leftovers will taste just as good, but the texture becomes a little cereal-like if you don't serve it right away.

Serves 4

Per serving: 1/2 Grain, 1 Vegetable