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I keep hearing that some weight-training exercises, such as behind-the-neck presses, should he avoided because they're too risky. True or false?

--R.H., Oshkosh, WI

"My overall answer is no; there is no exercise in the common body of weight-training exercises that is so risky that all weight trainers should eliminate it from their workouts," says Ron Brenner, D.C., M.U.A.C. (Manipulation Under Anesthesia Certified), a personal trainer certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

"Some exercises hold more risk of injury than others, but a person can injure himself doing almost any exercise if he has a predisposition toward injury or is not experienced in proper form and technique for that exercise."

Based on these conditions, which exercises should you avoid and which should you include? Brenner says it's a matter of common sense and personal history. "If you've had any problems with a body part or joint that is directly affected by an exercise, you may need to make modifications. You may need to alter your stance, range of motion, or technique; lighten up somewhat on the weight; or remove the exercise from your program altogether."

Compound movements and exercises performed behind the neck do have more risk associated with them. "Core weight-training exercises such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses or overhead lifts carry more risk because they are multijoint movements, and technique is crucial to performing them properly," Brenner says. "Often, behind-the-neck pull-downs or behind-the-neck presses are not widely recommended, because they require a greater range of motion than is optimal for some people; in those instances, using too much weight may cause injury.

"If your training requires that you perform these or other riskier exercises, don't do them in an explosive or ballistic manner. Rather, use a deliberate, controlled movement, ideally under the supervision of a coach or trainer who is very experienced in these techniques. When in doubt, choose safer exercises and techniques."

BEAT UNHEALTHY CRAVINGS

Even after I eat my fill of healthy foods, why do I still have plenty of room for dessert?

--E.K., PARIS, TX

Larry Krug, who has a master's degree in exercise physiology and nutrition and is chief executive officer of Eatwize.com, an online nutrition consultancy, says that this condition, called "sensory-specific satiety," is normal, and occurs on two fronts--psychological and physiological.

* "First, there's pure habit," Krug says. "At a young age, people are rewarded with sweets and desserts for eating a healthy meal. We come to anticipate and expect it after experiencing that feeling of satiety from eating a full meal. When these cues get into our system, we develop an emotional, psychological response to these foods." Desserts and sweets are often the foods we crave, but similar cravings can also occur with other foods, including salty, rich, or "comfort" foods. Krug says that if you wait long enough after eating, these feelings will most likely subside.

* Physiological issues also come into play. "For instance," Krug says, "a meal high in carbohydrates but very low in fat may not give you complete satisfaction. You may feel full but not satiated, because you have not satisfied all aspects of your appetite. Since you're full, you'll be inclined to eat no more of the foods that made you full.

"However, you may still crave other taste sensations, such as desserts. And you may crave even more fats than you have already consumed, which can often be the result of the digestive process itself. When you eat fat, the hormone cholecystokinin is released in your stomach, and this sends a message to your pituitary gland to sense satisfaction."

In other words, after you eat a meal low in fats, it may not be the sweetness of the desserts you crave, but rather the fats they contain.

* Consider sensory-stimulation factors. "So much of the ritual of eating is based in visuals and smell," Krug says. "Dessert always looks and smells good, so that sensation sends the message that it will give you the ultimate satisfaction. Research has also shown that eating chocolate does mimic some of the hormonal response that occurs when you have sex. Personally, I'll take sex over dessert any day, but women in particular have a strong response to chocolate, especially around the time when they're ovulating."

Krug says that knowing the causes of these impulses may help you better control them.