Tip of the Week: You are greater than the sum of your parts, but you shouldn't forget to pay attention to each of those parts to create a great sum.

There are lots of options for the person looking to get into shape these days, many of them quite good. From bicycling to swimming to hiking and even yoga, there is a system of exercise for almost everybody. Yet as good as all of these are, only bodybuilding can be used to target specific areas in need of a shape up.

For this reason, I am, and have always been, a strong proponent of bodybuilding. Only through bodybuilding can you make specific self-directed changes when you want, to whatever degree you want.

I've seen runners with bellies and swimmers with weak-looking legs. To me, exercise is about working the whole body, not merely the heart or lungs or even the abs. To my knowledge, bodybuilding is the only form of exercise known to man that has the variety you need to create the total package.

Q: Which is the most important meal of the day? I've heard breakfast, but it seems like dinner, or whatever you call the last meal of the day, would be crucial, too.

A: That's a good question and one that isn't easily answered. Truthfully, I feel that both meals are vitally important to one's health, as are the ones in between. I say "ones" — plural — because I believe in eating at least five meals per day, each slightly smaller than the traditional three-a-day meal.

Eating more frequent, smaller meals ensures better nutrient absorption throughout the day and reduces insulin spikes, which occur when the body is faced with processing sugars. A lessening of insulin spikes means a smaller likelihood of storing fat and steadier energy throughout the day, as opposed to peaks and valleys.

But back to your question: I would say that breakfast is indeed the No. 1 meal in terms of the impact it has on the rest of your day. By getting in a solid breakfast full of protein, complex carbs and healthy fats, you set the tone for the next 16 hours or so. I recommend a slow-burning carb like oatmeal, a piece of fruit, eggs for protein and plenty of fluids to make up for the state of dehydration we enter during sleep.

Nevertheless, your last meal is also greatly important. It should provide enough protein so that your body doesn't cannibalize your muscles overnight, along with fats for long-term energy. For this meal, two to three hours before bedtime, I recommend cottage cheese (casein, its main protein, is digested slowly) and some nuts or peanut butter spread on whole grain bread. A meal like this will be easy to digest, but long-lasting in your system.

Q: Four years ago, I was involved in a car accident and as a result lost the use of my legs. I'm in a wheelchair and have recently decided to begin lifting weights. I'm only 21 and was thinking of competing as a wheelchair bodybuilder. Any advice?

A: First of all, let me congratulate you on your fortitude. Lesser men might have given up after finding that they could not walk again. But not you. In your chest beats the heart of a champion!

Needless to say, I am wholly supportive of your decision to become a wheelchair competitor. Although a relatively new sport, it has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade, enabling hundreds of men and women the chance to show their hard-earned muscles onstage.

As for advice, I would encourage you to start slowly. This goes for anyone, regardless of their degree of mobility. All too often, guys get into the gym and feel the ego kick in right off. Invariably, they try to lift weights that are too heavy, often with dangerously poor form and to no good end.

So I would tell you to read voraciously — bodybuilding books and magazines — and ask questions of those who have experience first. Then, approach exercise with focus and diligence, and the results are guaranteed to come. I hope to see you onstage one day!

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.

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