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Q&A for: 5-Jul-06

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Ask Mike Your Fitness Question:

1652. Q: Is there a danger that a young person in their teens who starts an intensive and physical exercise program or very demanding sport will inhibit their growth and development due to the fact that they are burning up so much energy in their sport or exercise program that there is not enough left for them to use grow normally or fully? I remember reading somewhere that its very hard to build a lot of muscles before the teenage years as kids burn so much energy – the book suggested that they concentrate on muscle strengthing.

A: It's very unlikely that even intensive sports participation would stunt a teen's growth AS LONG AS they have an adequate healthy diet. That means eating enough to keep growing and gaining weight or AT LEAST eating enough to not lose weight. The only exception should be the case of the teen already being overweight or obese and using sports to lose some extra weight -- and even in this case, the weight loss should be gradual. The foods the teen eats should of course provide adequate nutritional value as well.

1653. Q: hi mike, i went to the army and i lost weight very fast because i was overweight and they send me to a special course and now im at an average weight but i seem to have excess layer of skin on my face and it seems to be shagging down, is there anything you can teach me to do ?

A: Unfortunately there isn't a ton you can do about loose skin after rapid large weight loss. The only treatment I know of is applying vitamin E oil or cream (like cocoa butter cream) to the loose skin. It will help some, but don't expect miracles. Over time the condition should naturally get better but it may take years. You can also talk to your doctor about it since there're some prescription drugs designed to help with this problem.

1655. Q: is a bowl of oat bran ok to eat instead of like old fashion oats?

A: Oat bran is a very healthy food rich in minerals and thiamin, so if you like it it's a great substitute for oats. The only thing is that ounce for ounce it has fewer calories and more fiber than plain oats. That means you'll need to eat more of it to get the same amount of calories as plain oats and also that you'll be eating A LOT of fiber which may cause stomach discomfort. So just be on a lookout for that and if it's not a problem, then go for it!