In
the Spotlight
Denise
Austin promotes feminine fitness
By
Dr. Stephen A. Shoop and Mike Falcon, Spotlight Health
January 19, 2000 - Fitness diva Denise Austin is an expert at getting
her message across - in 33 exercise videos which have sold more than
6 million copies, in six books, and on TV's top-rated fitness show.
On Thursday she'll bring the same up-tempo non-stop energy to the Internet
when she hosts a live chat on feminine fitness at A Doctor in Your House.com.
Joining her for the webcast at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT is Dr. Ralph Potkin, exercise physiologist, pulmonary disease specialist and medical director of the Beverly Hills Center for Hyperbaric Medicine.
"America is faced with two major health risks," says Austin. "The first is those 10 extra pounds that begin the slide toward serious weight problems. The second is poor prenatal lifestyle choices that can impair the health of both infants and mothers. I want to address these issues head-on."
Those 10 extra pounds
"Everybody knows that being seriously overweight carries heavy health risks," notes Austin. "So they start nutrition and exercise programs. But they get stuck 10 pounds short of where the biggest health benefits kick in. Instinctively we know where we look and feel best, but we just can't quite get there."
It's more than just a matter of a few extra pounds that won't come off. The longer you carry around the extra weight, the greater your chances of gaining more. The more weight you gain, the higher your odds of developing significant illness. The key is to acknowledge those 10 extra pounds as an early stage of chronic disease.
"Every disease has a beginning," notes Dr. Daniel O. Belluscio, internationally recognized obesity expert and director of the hCG research center, Buenos Aires, Argentina. "Those 10 pounds that someone cannot seem to lose can also be seen as the beginning of a progressive disorder called obesity. This initial stage may last a number of years. Although the disease is not mature and the body may not be noticeably distorted, the dangers are clear."
As the body ages and metabolism slows down, the pounds can naturally pack on. "People who are 10 pounds too heavy now may be 35 pounds overweight within a decade," Belluscio warns. "Even at 10 pounds overweight, people are gambling with their health. Those 10 pounds signal the potential onset of hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and cancer - all the increased risk factors that come with obesity."
Obesity is defined by percentage of body fat. Women with more than 32% of their weight from fat and men with more than 25% are deemed obese. Experts estimate that 25%-33% of all Americans meet these criteria. Another third are thought to have "some" excess body fat.
Even more alarming is the rapid rate at which obesity is increasing in the USA. "Given what's happened in the past 10 years - a rise of over 25% - within the next 15 years more than 40% of the population could be obese," says Belluscio. He point to the huge swell of aging baby boomers as being most at risk as their activity levels decrease.
Prenatal nutrition and exercise
"Mothers are particularly susceptible to the risks of being overweight," notes Austin, "which is why so many moms refer to their weight and body image so differently before and after they gave birth. It's like they're talking about two different people." By intelligently planning and implementing the right prenatal nutrition and exercise regimens, you can keep that negative transformation from happening, says Austin.
She should know. Austin lost 35 pounds following the birth of her second child. The 40-something fitness expert was at target weight - in a leotard and taping her fitness shows - just six weeks after delivery.
Austin will share the nutrition, exercise, and motivational strategies she used to shed those pounds in Thursday evening's chat. "I want people to know exactly how I lost that weight, including those stubborn last 10 pounds," says Austin. "And I want to talk about how expectant moms can have a healthy baby and stay thin."
Moderately overweight women often find pregnancy the turning point in their battle against fat, says Austin. "In an effort to make sure they're unborn child is well-nourished, they may overeat and wind up carrying far more of those unused calories as their own fat." This often continues through nursing, delaying appropriate weight management even longer.
As a result, "these women face are faced with three tough challenges," notes Austin. They need to take care of their baby, lose fat, and re-enter the job market while they're carrying that extra weight. "That's a lot to ask."
Keys to healthy pregnancy
A complete program to meet these challenges can be found in Denise Austin's Healthy Pregnancy Book: How to Stay & Healthy Through the Nine Months - and Beyond!, her most recent fitness guide designed specifically for expectant mothers.
"There's an enormous body of research that shows the value of exercise for both the mother and the unborn child," notes Austin. "Moms recover more quickly, they have fewer birth complaints, and their babies tend to be more trouble-free."
Austin's program adjusts the level and type of exercise over the course of the pregnancy. "If you don't take into consideration your body's changing needs and abilities and don't implement plans to compensate for them, you often just stop exercising altogether," she says. "That's the worst thing you can do, and it makes excess calorie intake even more of a problem."
Weightlifting is recommended to build muscles used for carrying the unborn child. A variety of exercises without weights - such as modified sit-ups - keeps stomach, back, and pelvic muscles ready to help. Neither of these activities may be appropriate in the second or third trimester, however. "You need to figure out what substitute exercises work well for you and don't hamper the baby developing inside you," says Austin.
For example, while walking is almost always beneficial, bicycling may not be. The dangers of falling off a bike pose big health risks in the late stages of pregnancy. Even a stationary exercycle could pose a hazard. Setting the seat too low, forcing the knees to rise high, may "bump" internal organs and the baby too much at this time.
Nutritional needs vary over the course of the pregnancy as well. "The most common mistakes include undereating in an attempt to keep the fat off you, and overeating to make sure your baby gets all it needs while it's inside you," says Austin. "Neither helps the baby or you."
What's the first dietary essential for both infant and mother? "A great multivitamin and additional supplemental folic acid," This B vitamin is vital for normal fetal development and the avoidance of birth defects.
The need for calcium and protein is also critical. "I'm a moderate in almost everything I do," notes Austin. "I don't really go in for the new high protein diets. But I do recognize that developing babies need adequate amounts of calcium to develop their bones, and more protein to develop muscle tissue."
Mother also needs these nutrients as to develop the strength needed to carry and care for the baby. Any extra calories in the mother's diet should come from protein and calcium sources - not from fat.
"Don't mistake me. I don't advocate a diet so low in fat that it compromises the need for fat in the baby's development," says Austin. "I do, however, recognize that many women can use imagined needs for the baby as a 'reason' to eat more fat than is healthy for either of them."
Finally, the most fundamental element in a healthy pregnancy is a proactive, cooperative relationship between the expectant mother and her healthcare team. "Nothing can replace having regular prenatal checkups," advises Austin. "None of us can accurately guess what's going on in our blood chemistry or in the baby's. We need to eat well, exercise regularly, and check out our plans with our doctor before we begin."
Stephen Shoop is the medical director of Spotlight Health. John Morgan is staff editor.
