DEAR DR. DONOHUE: How is frame size determined? I have wondered about that all my life. Many people say they can weigh more because they have a large frame. I would love to say I am not overweight, just large-framed. – C.J.

ANSWER: One way of determining frame size is to measure the circumference of your left wrist if you are right-handed (lefties use the right wrist). For a man, a wrist circumference between 6.75 and 7.25 inches (17 to 18.5 cm) indicates a medium frame. Anything above is a large frame and anything below, a small frame. For a woman, the comparable wrist circumference for a medium frame is an inch less than a man’s.

If you want to take a simpler route, right-handers encircle the left wrist with the right thumb and middle finger (left-handers, the right wrist). If the tip of the thumb and finger meet, that’s considered a medium frame. If they overlap, it’s a small frame. If there is a gap between them, it’s a large frame.

On each side of the elbow you can feel a bony bump. If you have calipers, measure the distance between the two bumps. If you don’t have calipers, fudge the distance. A measurement between 2.75 and 3 inches (7 to 7.6 cm) constitutes a medium frame. Anything above 3 inches is a large frame, and anything below 2.75 inches is a small frame. Women can use the same numbers.

These days, frame size is something rarely spoken of when determining body weight. Height is, but the “big-boned” determination is not made when considering ideal weight. At least, not very often.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have just begun to jog. Can a person burn as many calories in walking a certain distance as he does when jogging that same distance? I can walk a mile in 20 minutes, but I cannot jog for a whole mile. I’ve been told that either activity burns equivalent amounts of calories.

True or false? – H.H.

ANSWER: False.

Calorie burning in any exercise depends on a person’s body weight, the time spent exercising and the intensity of the exercise. In running and walking outdoors, terrain should also be factored in, as should weather conditions.

Speed is definitely important in estimating calorie expenditure. Walking at a pace of 3 miles an hour, the pace you indicated, burns about 300 calories in an hour. Jogging at a pace of 5.5 miles an hour burns 655 calories in an hour.

Beginners are often at a loss for how to go about designing an exercise program. The pamphlet on aerobics furnishes you with that information. Readers can obtain a copy by writing to: Dr. Donohue – No. 1301, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.50 U.S./$6.50 Can. with the recipient’s printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Is there any truth to the rumor that jogging and running damage face muscles so that a woman will have to have a face lift? I run track for my high school, but I am going to quit if it will make my face sag. – C.K.

ANSWER: No, that is a ridiculous rumor.

Running might be doing your face a favor. It gets blood circulating more briskly to the entire body. You are actually nourishing your facial muscles. You might stay young forever.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I weigh myself before and after playing racquetball. One hour of play makes me lose 2 pounds. By the next day, however, I have gained that weight back. Where did it go, and how do I get it back so fast? – M.S.

ANSWER: You are not losing fat from one hour of play. You are losing fluid. A 1-pound weight loss represents 1 pint of fluid. You are losing a quart. That’s a significant amount of fluid. You should replace the lost fluid quickly, or your body can suffer from disturbances brought on by dehydration.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am 61 years old and have diabetes, high blood pressure and arthritis. All are under control. I do aerobic exercise. I also lift weights. How do I build muscle mass? I currently perform three sets of 12 lifts for each muscle group. If I should increase the amount of weight I lift, how do I do it? – M.P.

ANSWER: Exercise is good for all three of your illnesses. None of them precludes lifting weights.

Weightlifting sounds bad for someone with arthritis, but it is not. Such exercise keeps joints limber and strengthens muscles. Stronger muscles protect joints. However, you have to clear your exercise with your doctor, who will know what the limits should be for you as a unique, individual patient.

When you get that clearance, you will build muscle mass by lifting heavier weights. Muscles need a constant challenge to keep growing. If a person stays with the same routine and lifts the same amounts of weight, muscles do not become larger and stronger.

When you can lift a weight 12 times consecutively, take a break and then do two more sets of 12 consecutive lifts, with a break between the second and third sets. You can add more weight to the dumbbell or barbell and drop down to three sets of eight consecutive lifts.

How much more weight should you add? For a person with arthritis, a 2-pound addition is appropriate.

Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.

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