Question: I have been going through a divorce from my husband and have been exercising to help relieve the stress. The problem is that I am losing way too much weight but am afraid to stop exercising. What can I do?

        Answer: Although it is true that exercise is a great stress reliever, you must keep in mind that too much of anything can lead to problems.

        I have witnessed many people attempt to forget their problems through exercise and it usually causes more of them. This is because when people drastically increase their activity during times of distress, they usually cut down on their food consumption which leads to dramatic weight loss.

        The risk is loss of lean muscle tissue. You don't want to lose lean muscle tissue because it is important for overall health and the ability to maintain proper immune system function. Continuing to exercise while in this state can cause you to become less apt to fight off a host of illnesses.

        Exercise should be an accent to your life, not another form of stress. It is fine to continue exercising, just tone down the intensity and concentrate on getting consistent, healthy meals that are going to fuel your workouts. If you are eating nutritious foods, you will gain lean muscle, lose excess fat/inches and look good as well.

        Take the pressure off of fitness to forget your problems and find other positive avenues to help you through this difficult time in your life.

        Q: I play on a winning softball team in the spring/summer and just recently had knee surgery and am afraid I won't be able to be the player I was before the injury. Any Ideas?

        A: That might be true if your injury would have occurred say four to 10 years ago. Nowadays, people are coming back from knee injuries and playing at world-class levels of competition. Just a few short years ago, those injuries would have ended their careers.

        With current medical procedures and aggressive rehabilitation programs, people are doing amazing things after serious surgeries.

        I must remind you that all these breakthroughs can be attributed to one thing . . . the human spirit. At some point, someone with an injury said to him/herself that they are not going to give up participating in the sport they love and refused to believe anything else.

        This attitude will lead you to the people — doctors, physical therapists — who can help you get back to the sport you love. With this attitude you can't lose because, in the event you don't come back to softball (which I think you will), the positive attitude will lead you to other activities that will give you the same, if not more, enjoyment.

        Dave Patania, a certified personal trainer, welcomes your questions at davpatania@aol.com.

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