By Dave Patania
Personal trainer

Question: Last February, I had my second child at age 45. I have always been thin, but with this last pregnancy, my stomach is bulging and it just won't go away. I heard that surgery is my only option. Is this true?

Answer: Before you think about surgery, think first about drafting a plan to attack that tummy of yours.

The first step is to get a body fat analysis done by a fitness professional every week or so for four to 12 weeks. This will cost you little or nothing and is a great way to determine your overall body fat percentage and how many pounds of lean muscle mass vs. pounds of body fat that you have. When you know these numbers, you take the guesswork out of determining how to adjust your eating to provide positive results. A trainer and/or nutritionist can draft up a workout and meal plan based on your numbers to guide this attack on that tummy.

Adding variation or switching your training style is the next step. The body adapts quickly to our activity patterns and thus needs to be challenged with different intensities, exercises, durations and styles. For example, if you are a walker, try doing two or three days of higher-intensity aerobic classes, spinning classes or interval training on a stationary bike or elliptical trainer. The change will force your body to use more energy to adapt to the higher and different intensities. Be sure to use a heart-rate monitor to make sure you are training in safe but effective training zones.

If you don't train with weights, I would highly suggest two fast-paced, intense lifting routines per week to add lean muscle mass to your body. Having more lean muscle mass means that you will use calories and fat much more efficiently. The key is to monitor your body, make necessary adjustments and work harder than you ever have before. Don't forget to train your upper and lower abdominal muscles.

The hard work or discomfort of a killer workout is nothing compared to that of recovering from surgery. In your mid-forties, you are still young, so work with a pro and you will achieve results.

Contact personal trainer Dave Patania by e-mail: davpatania@aol.com