Tip of the Week: Forget the antiquated notion of eating three square meals a day. In case you haven't heard it before, that's yesterday's news. In fact, for bodybuilders, that's never even made it into the paper!

Your body is a machine that is processing nutrients all the time. It runs best when it is fed at a steady rate, rather than in the fits and starts that come with eating large meals spaced many hours apart. The answer, then, is to consume several small meals throughout the day spaced apart at equal intervals.

Keep in mind that a meal doesn't have to be a traditional sit-down affair. It can constitute a meal replacement shake or a bag of a fruit and nut trail mix. The important thing is that you keep stoking the fires of your metabolism, never allowing it to go on the kind of rollercoaster than can wreak havoc with your weight.

Q: This may not be your typical question, but then I'm not your typical girl. I absolutely love exercising and have been known to be in the gym seven days a week. Do you think this is a bad thing, as my friends tell me, or can I get away with it?

A: A girl after my own heart! I love that you love training. That is something you and I have in common. It's a trait you also share with my friend Arnold Schwarzenegger, who to this day trains almost every day, twice a day. So, I believe you're in rather good company.

That being said, I do believe that it's just as important to give your body a break as it is to train it. After all, it is only when you are resting that your body is responding to the stresses placed upon it during exercise.

Why not take one day a week off — say, Sunday — and use it to recharge your batteries? I think you'll find that your Monday routine will be a lot more energized. Make sure to get plenty of fluids and nutrients into your body on that day off — the better to recuperate.

Also, while it doesn't sound like you need reminding, I can't overstate the importance of splitting your routine, especially when training consecutive days.

By breaking up your body into three muscle groupings and devoting a day to each, you'll give each body part ample time between workouts. Remember, it's just as important to train smart as it is to train hard.

Q: I'm a 55-year-old man who's been back to exercising for nearly six months now after a 10-year layoff. I'm losing weight, my energy is up, and I'm building up my strength again. However, I've also noticed that my skin has become dry and flaky. Could this have something to do with training, or is it just a coincidence?

A: Well, this is actually a problem I've never heard of before. What I usually hear from people is that their skin glows from regular exercise. While I'm not a doctor, I do have a few hunches as to where the problem may lie.

For one, exercising dramatically increases your need for hydration. I've seen a number of people not increase the amount of fluid they take in after starting a routine. A common sign of this is muscle cramping. If you experience muscle cramps, then my advice to you would be to make sure you drink a minimum of 1 gallon of water a day and as much as 2 gallons. That's eight to16 glasses a day. That's a lot, but so long as you're nourishing your body with electrolytes, you will simply excrete the excess.

My other thought is that you could be in need of more fats, especially omega 3 fatty acids. When we exercise, we tend to pay closer attention to our diet, as well. That often means cutting back on fat intake. However, healthy fats are important for everything from processing vitamins to lubricating joints to keeping skin moist and full. Try adding salmon oil supplements to your regimen, and see if your skin doesn't liven up.

Finally, you may simply be experiencing an allergic reaction caused by sweat mixing with synthetic materials or dyes in your clothing. Wearing 100 percent organic clothing would certainly take care of this.

Joe Weider is the co-founder of the International Federation of BodyBuilders, creator of the Mr. Olympia and Ms. Olympia bodybuilding contests, and publisher of numerous fitness magazines. To find out more about Joe Weider, write to him and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2008 CREATORS SYNDICATE INC.