Ask the Expert!

Our Ask the Expert feature encourages employees to submit questions on exercise, nutrition and healthy eating, stress management, injury prevention, risk factor reduction, or anything else related to health and wellness! Questions will be answered by our Wellness staff professionals and posted on our website (your name will not be included). Selected questions and answers will also be published in our new monthly Wellness Newsletter. To submit your question, simply email us at wellnessprogram@hsc.wvu.edu and include "Ask the Expert" in the subject line. Thanks!

QUESTION: I am sure this has been asked a lot times, but how do you work on the weight in your middle? I hadn't realized I had gained so much weight there. Are there certain exercises that help, or just exercise in general?

RESPONSE: Muscle tone in the abdominal muscles helps with posture and a flatter stomach appearance. It will not spot reduce fat from that area, however. To reduce abdominal fat, exercise aerobically in your target heart rate zone (220 - age = max heart rate, take 60% to 80% for your range). The longer you can spend in this zone, the more calories you will burn.

Dave Harshbarger, MS, Wellness Program Manager

QUESTION: I am interested in slimming down. I want to lose the fat but not the muscle. I was just wondering if the human body metabolizes muscle or fat cells first. Also, is there a regiment (diet, anaerobic/aerobic exercise, etc.) that can specifically target fat cells. Thanks.

RESPONSE: The best way to maintain muscle while trying to decrease body fat is to exercise while eating more healthily. Caloric restriction with no exercise does result in the loss of muscle and fat. So combine the two and avoid severe caloric restriction. The body burns fat first and only metabolizes muscle as a last resort if it is in a state of severe caloric restriction, nearing starvation. Aerobic exercise targets fat burning. You can not isolate from where you burn off fat, but it does tend to occur more from where there is more. But it does get burned off proportionately.

Dave Harshbarger, MS, Wellness Program Manager

QUESTION: I know I need to drink at least 64 oz. of water per day. It's hard to drink that much water without adding flavor to it. I add a pack of Crystal Light to a 20 oz. bottle. I can drink three of these everyday, but I'm wondering if this is harmful to my health since it has aspartame in it.

RESPONSE: Aspartame was approved for use as a sweetener in 1981 by the FDA and by the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization and the World Health Organization. They have concluded that aspartame does not cause cancer or other adverse health effects in the general population. Over the years, the FDA has received hundreds of complaints of a variety of symptoms after ingesting aspartame i.e. headaches, dizziness, stomach problems and change in mood, etc. It was concluded that certain individuals may have a sensitivity to the product but that human exposure studies have not shown any evidence of harm. The FDA has set "Acceptable Daily Intake" (ADI) levels for many food additives. The ADI is the amount of an additive that, if eaten every day for the rest of a person's life, would be considered safe. The ADI of aspartame for humans is 50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. This is equivalent to 3500 milligrams per day for a typical 70-killigram (about 150 pound) adult. A can of diet soda contains about 180 milligrams of aspartame, so a typical adult could drink 19 cans of diet soft drink each day before going over the recommended level or ~ 13 bottles (20 oz) of a powdered soft drink with aspartame. Having said this, research is ongoing. Moderation is the way to go. If using a product like Crystal Light helps to meet ones fluid requirement, that's fine, but also be aware that aspartame is present in over 5000 consumer foods and beverages. Read labels.

Mary Anne Yanosik, RD, LD

QUESTION: I am trying to find a snack that I can have around 3 in the afternoon that will boost my energy level but is not loaded with calories and sugar. Around 3 I just seem to "bottom out" on energy. Any ideas?

RESPONSE: It can be very tempting to just grab a quick snack from the vending machine when your blood sugar dips in the afternoon and causes your energy levels to take a nosedive. But there are many healthy snacking options that provide long-lasting energy and satisfy your hunger. It can be especially helpful if you plan your afternoon snacks in advance and bring them from home. That way you can avoid the temptations of the cafeteria or vending machine altogether! Here are a few options to try:

Sara Fehling, MHA, Wellness Program Health Educator

QUESTION: I have heard that there are foods that you can eat that helps to burn fat cells faster. Is this true? And if so can you tell me what they are?

RESPONSE: There are several foods that, according to some studies, may have a slight effect on your metabolism. These include green tea, chili peppers, soy products, grapefruit, garlic, and ginger. But keep in mind that the best way to lose weight is by simply eating a healthy and balanced diet and exercising regularly. There are no quick fixes, and the slight impact that one of the previously-mentioned "fat burning foods" might have on your metabolism is not likely to result in meaningful weight loss. For more information on planning a balanced diet, visit www.mypyramid.gov.

Sara Fehling, MHA, Wellness Program Health Educator