Editor’s Note: Every Monday the Daily will feature a question-and-answer article about fitness written by Irene Lewis McCormick, graduate student in health and human performance. Readers are invited to address their fitness questions to Irene by e-mail at [email protected].

The revolution in the health and fitness industry over the past decade has been dynamic. This change is mirrored in the growth of health and fitness literature, the diet and supplement industry and home fitness equipment.

With increased competition and remarkable similarities among vying product lines and services, people need useful information delivered clearly in order to make good choices. This decision can often be the difference between success and failure, especially in regard to weight loss and improved fitness.

The best way to achieve a healthful lifestyle, one that includes regular fitness and good eating habits, can be difficult to decipher in the face of contradictory information that bombards us from magazines, books and weight-loss plans.

Here are some frequently asked questions about fitness:

Q: “I read in Oprah’s book that exercise is only beneficial for you if you do it in the morning hours. I exercised in the evenings, and after I read that, I stopped exercising because I felt it wasn’t doing me any good.”

A: FOR HER! Oprah may experience feelings of euphoria by exercising in the early morning; however, many people don’t. By no means should you quit exercising because you read that, because exercise is beneficial to you any time of day! Oprah, like most celebrities who dispense fitness advice, is not a fitness professional. Her personal trainer more than likely wrote that in the book she co-authored with him because he probably believes morning is a good time for people to exercise.

One can “get it over with” early in the day and not have to “cram it into a busy schedule” later. However, your body does not know if you are exercising in the morning or at night, in general terms.

The important point is that you get at least 20 minutes of physical activity (preferably aerobic) at least three days per week. The time of day is strictly your preference. The point is, just do it!

Q: If I take chromium picolinate, will I have a leaner, more muscular body?

A: No. Consumers assume that there is research to support those claims, but no such evidence actually exists.

There is no indication that chromium deficiency is prevalent among healthy adults in our population. It is true that chromium is often lost in the processing of foods, and this is another reason our diet should consist of whole, unprocessed foods.

But aerobics for reducing body fat levels and strength training for increased lean mass, along with healthy eating habits, are the only ways to achieve a leaner, more muscular body. Genetics help a lot too! For those who insist on taking chromium picolinate, the estimated safe and adequate daily intake is 50 mcg to 200 mcg.

Q: Do abdominal trainers like “Ab Flex” work any better than crunches?

A: “Lose 10 pounds in 10 days! Four to six inches in a month!” Statements such as these have become standard fare for many fitness product infomercials, including those offering abdominal training devices.

First and foremost, you cannot pick and choose where you are going to lose weight. That concept is called “spot reducing” and there are hundreds of products that have emerged with claims that spot reducing is possible. Research performed at California State University – Northridge compared four different abdominal trainers against a traditional abdominal crunch.

The results indicated that these devices provide no apparent benefit or detriment when compared to a properly performed crunch. However, if purchasing a piece of this abdominal equipment motivates an individual to begin and continue an exercise program, then it may be worth purchasing.