Need advice badly from experienced trainers!

[soccerpro6]

Hey guys,

I consider myself to be a pretty good, and well versed trainer but I really need some help/advice.

I have been training my girlfriend of 4 years for the last couple months. She is 5'6, 135lbs. She is very muscular, has a little extra fat she wants to burn off, but she is not big by any means.

I have tried just about everything I know with her to help her lose the weight. I have had past clients that I have helped drop 5, 10 and 15 pounds relatively fast, but her body just does not respond to any of the workouts.

We have tried the following:

-Resistance/weight training, followed by pretty intense cardio.
-Intense cardio followed by resistance/weight training.
-She takes classes 3-4 times a week that are resistance and aerobics mixed together. These are actually pretty intense classes, not the standard aerobics classes.
-Long cardio workouts, and then weight training every other day.

She eats roughly 1800-2200 calories a day, but she eats clean. Very healthy diet overall with just the occasional little snack every couple days.

My problem is, I just really need to find a program to help her. Her goal is to lose 5-10 pounds which I really think is a very reachable goal. The majority of the weight she wants to lose from her stomach, because her legs and back and arms are extremely strong (she rows in college). She is having all kinds of self image problems and it is really getting her down, regardless of what I say. I have asked if she wants another trainer, because I know it might be hard for someone to workout with their significant other, but she says no to that and her workouts are very strong and very intense. I just don't want her feeling terrible about herself anymore and I want her hard work to pay off and for her to see the results she wants.

So, if anyone has any programs, workouts, ideas about nutrition,motivation or anything else that you would reccomend me trying, I would really really appreciate it.


Thanks guys, means alot!
Kyle

[Kiknskreem]

Increase energy expenditure
Decrease energy consumption

Its just math.

Also, if she's 5'6 135lbs, an athlete, and eating clean, does she really need to lose the 10lb?

[soccerpro6]

Increase energy expenditure
Decrease energy consumption

Its just math.

Also, if she's 5'6 135lbs, an athlete, and eating clean, does she really need to lose the 10lb?

She does not need too but she wants to lose 5-10. She could easily lose it and not be in danger of becoming too thin or anything like that.

[FlexGC]

might be water weight
anyways
if you're happy with her and she isn't happy with herself
just reassure her she looks fine and does not need the 5-10 and make her happy

[nickmanzoni]

At this point I would ask her to tweak her diet with about 200 cals less a day, and see if she starts to lose weight. If not, then the water weight might be the answer. If so, great.

[gekkoboy14]

Increase energy expenditure
Decrease energy consumption

Its just math.

Also, if she's 5'6 135lbs, an athlete, and eating clean, does she really need to lose the 10lb?

x2 and how long has she been dieting for? tell her to up her cals a bit, then back down again

[NDiNardo]

what's her bf%

[DoItUp]

I would decrease her diet by 200 cals like nickmanzoni said, but i'd throw in a fat day where she eat 250 cals more, usually a Sunday works good. This will continually remind her body of extra cals and keeps her metabolism high so that it does not adjust and lower with the reduced cals. It works well with most people give it a shot and see how it affects her. Aswell whats her abdominal workout like. if you increase muscle in the whole area (abs aswell as obliques) then it will take over the fat. you obviously cannot spot loose fat but you can replace it with muscle and change the composition on that specific area

[soccerpro6]

I would decrease her diet by 200 cals like nickmanzoni said, but i'd throw in a fat day where she eat 250 cals more, usually a Sunday works good. This will continually remind her body of extra cals and keeps her metabolism high so that it does not adjust and lower with the reduced cals. It works well with most people give it a shot and see how it affects her. Aswell whats her abdominal workout like. if you increase muscle in the whole area (abs aswell as obliques) then it will take over the fat. you obviously cannot spot loose fat but you can replace it with muscle and change the composition on that specific area



Thanks for the help guys, I appreciate it. I am going to try tweaking her diet as you guys suggested and see what kind of results we can get. I appreciate your guys's help! Reps given!!!

[The Adam]

Hey guys,

I consider myself to be a pretty good, and well versed trainer but I really need some help/advice.

I have been training my girlfriend of 4 years for the last couple months. She is 5'6, 135lbs. She is very muscular, has a little extra fat she wants to burn off, but she is not big by any means.

I have tried just about everything I know with her to help her lose the weight. I have had past clients that I have helped drop 5, 10 and 15 pounds relatively fast, but her body just does not respond to any of the workouts.

We have tried the following:

-Resistance/weight training, followed by pretty intense cardio.
-Intense cardio followed by resistance/weight training.
-She takes classes 3-4 times a week that are resistance and aerobics mixed together. These are actually pretty intense classes, not the standard aerobics classes.
-Long cardio workouts, and then weight training every other day.

She eats roughly 1800-2200 calories a day, but she eats clean. Very healthy diet overall with just the occasional little snack every couple days.

My problem is, I just really need to find a program to help her. Her goal is to lose 5-10 pounds which I really think is a very reachable goal. The majority of the weight she wants to lose from her stomach, because her legs and back and arms are extremely strong (she rows in college). She is having all kinds of self image problems and it is really getting her down, regardless of what I say. I have asked if she wants another trainer, because I know it might be hard for someone to workout with their significant other, but she says no to that and her workouts are very strong and very intense. I just don't want her feeling terrible about herself anymore and I want her hard work to pay off and for her to see the results she wants.

So, if anyone has any programs, workouts, ideas about nutrition,motivation or anything else that you would reccomend me trying, I would really really appreciate it.


Thanks guys, means alot!
Kyle


A variance of 400 calories a day?

First get her to log everything that she's taking in.
Second, get an estimate of her bodyfat %. Break out the calipers.
Third, calculate her estimated BMR.

Finally outline a plan of attack a sample meal plan based on her caloric needs to reach her goal weight and create a workout/split that will get her there.
Well versed trainers definitely have some very basic questions.

[jules_d1]

less cals as other have said.....

[DaBurg3r]

Sprints, or HIIT and if she must use carbs make sure she has foods available with a low glycemic index. Compound exercises as well.

[soccerpro6]

A variance of 400 calories a day?

First get her to log everything that she's taking in.
Second, get an estimate of her bodyfat %. Break out the calipers.
Third, calculate her estimated BMR.

Finally outline a plan of attack a sample meal plan based on her caloric needs to reach her goal weight and create a workout/split that will get her there.
Well versed trainers definitely have some very basic questions.

Thanks for the info.

When I say 1800-2200 that was a ballpark figure, and it is because she has one day a week she eats closer to the 2200 amount. Typically she stays at 1800.

Thanks for the help, it was just an odd situation for me because I tried alot of the meathods suggested and just could not seem to get results with her.

Right now we cut her calories down to 1650 a day, with one day a week of increased intake. Logging all food and planning all meals in accordance to the plan. Also working in some more speed work, just have to be careful of her bad knees.

Thanks again guys, I know it was kind of a basic question, I was just kind of at a loss after having such great results with other clients and then all my meathods failing with her haha

[MVP]

I would have a hard time training my gf. It's not the same

[kickaaa]

Hey guys,

I consider myself to be a pretty good, and well versed trainer but I really need some help/advice.

I have been training my girlfriend of 4 years for the last couple months. She is 5'6, 135lbs. She is very muscular, has a little extra fat she wants to burn off, but she is not big by any means.

I have tried just about everything I know with her to help her lose the weight. I have had past clients that I have helped drop 5, 10 and 15 pounds relatively fast, but her body just does not respond to any of the workouts.

We have tried the following:

-Resistance/weight training, followed by pretty intense cardio.
-Intense cardio followed by resistance/weight training.
-She takes classes 3-4 times a week that are resistance and aerobics mixed together. These are actually pretty intense classes, not the standard aerobics classes.
-Long cardio workouts, and then weight training every other day.

She eats roughly 1800-2200 calories a day, but she eats clean. Very healthy diet overall with just the occasional little snack every couple days.

My problem is, I just really need to find a program to help her. Her goal is to lose 5-10 pounds which I really think is a very reachable goal. The majority of the weight she wants to lose from her stomach, because her legs and back and arms are extremely strong (she rows in college). She is having all kinds of self image problems and it is really getting her down, regardless of what I say. I have asked if she wants another trainer, because I know it might be hard for someone to workout with their significant other, but she says no to that and her workouts are very strong and very intense. I just don't want her feeling terrible about herself anymore and I want her hard work to pay off and for her to see the results she wants.

So, if anyone has any programs, workouts, ideas about nutrition,motivation or anything else that you would reccomend me trying, I would really really appreciate it.


Thanks guys, means alot!
Kyle


ofcourse eat less will work, but then something also matters....

Well, intense cardio might be the key here coz as you might have neglected the fact that when your focus is to burn fat, your exercise intensity shouldn't be more than 70% of your reserve heart rate. if you're pushing her upto sth like 75 or even 85%, then lots of carbs will be burnt instead of fat, and the main focus will then be your cardiovascular stamina and stuff.

try to keep it 65-70% of her reserve heart rate AND varies the cardio speed slightly from slow to fast and back to slow again gradually at a few minutes cycle all the way for the whole hour, or even 75 min.

also, check if she's really into that 1x% body-fat zone coz if so then her body might just simply react and store more fat as it comes closer to her essential fat level (12% for female), and it's pretty hard to keep it at contest level in the long run.

hope this helps

[The Adam]

Thanks for the info.

When I say 1800-2200 that was a ballpark figure, and it is because she has one day a week she eats closer to the 2200 amount. Typically she stays at 1800.

Thanks for the help, it was just an odd situation for me because I tried alot of the meathods suggested and just could not seem to get results with her.

Right now we cut her calories down to 1650 a day, with one day a week of increased intake. Logging all food and planning all meals in accordance to the plan. Also working in some more speed work, just have to be careful of her bad knees.

Thanks again guys, I know it was kind of a basic question, I was just kind of at a loss after having such great results with other clients and then all my meathods failing with her haha


Right on man, sorry for the bit of attitude. Sometimes people come on these boards and make repetitive posts about nothing, or come to sap a bit of info from trainers here. Instead of a one day increase in food intake, you may want to allow her to eat "off schedule". Meaning, having her eat as she normally would opposed to the 5 meals every 2 hours. She might eat more, she may eat less, but sometimes you have to give the person's metabolism some time to adjust/stabilize. Keep the intensity high with shorter rest periods or with more resistance in her weight training. I like to incorporate cardiovascular training with plyometric movements, or just basic push ups, sit ups, jacks, mountain climbers, before or after resistance training or before AND after. On her off days, just have her hit the fat burn prog. on a cardio machine and keep at her target heart rate. Tell her to increase her fibery vegetables and fruits with her meals as well. Last but not least, make sure she's getting adequate rest (sleeping 8 hours or more, days off) and not overtraining. She might be doing TOO MUCH high intensity work/cardio.

If this doesn't work, you just need to get her another trainer as your relationship is probably inhibiting in some way.