Fitness Q&A

Q. A friend told me I shouldn't lift weights until I lose more weight because otherwise I'll look even bigger. Is this true?

A. No, quite the opposite. You'll burn calories during your strength workouts, and if you use enough resistance, you will gain muscle, which, in turn, can speed up your metabolism. In fact, if you lose weight without lifting weights, you're likely to lose muscle along with fat; with less muscle, your metabolism will slow down.

Be sure you lift heavy-enough weights that your muscles fatigue between eight and 12 repetitions. With lighter weights, you won't develop enough muscle to make a significant difference.

Don't worry, moderately heavy weights will not make you look bigger: "Women have to lift extremely heavy weights in order to see big gains in muscle size," says Evanston, Ill., trainer CC Cunningham, M.S., a spokeswoman for the American Council on Exercise. With a moderate strength-training program, you'll develop tone, not bulk.

Keep in mind that while muscle is heavier than fat, it takes up less space.

"Most women report that as they start to develop muscle, their clothes fit better," Cunningham says. Plus, you'll have more power when you hike, jog or use the stair climber, which means you can work at a higher level and burn even more calories.

Q. How many times a week can I safely take Spinning classes? Do I still have to do weight training for my lower body if I Spin regularly?

A. If you're new to Spinning, even if you're already fit, start with one or two classes a week, alternating Spinning with other cardio activities.

"Spinning is more intense than other group fitness activities," says Kevin Burns, a spokesman for the American Council on Exercise and a group fitness instructor in Mankato, Minn.

It may take a while to build up your tolerance. If you're accustomed to Spinning and enjoy it, Burns says, it's fine to take three to five classes a week. Just make sure you don't push hard on consecutive days. This may be tough, given the music and the energy of the class, but you'll start to burn out and impede your progress if you work out intensely every day.

Though Spinning is a group class, Burns says, "remember that you have control over the resistance."

Even if you are Spinning several times a week, you still need a lower-body lifting program. Spinning is a killer cardio workout and can help you develop muscle tone, but resistance training is necessary for maintaining bone density and muscle mass as you get older.

Use heavy enough weights that your muscles fatigue after eight to 12 repetitions, particularly when doing squats, dead lifts and lunges -- the exercises that load the spine.