How would You Respond to This...

[askthetrainer]

I (5'5", 135) had a baby last year and I'm trying to find an exercise equipment that doesn't take up much space, and will target specifically my abs and my thighs (the 2 areas that got fatter during pregnancy).

I ONLY want to target my abs and thighs -- no other areas, because it ends up looking as fatigue on my face! I'm not as concerned about my weight as I am about toning up the abs (lower abs esp) and thighs.

What piece of equipment do you recommend? I'm considering the exercise ball at this time... something I can do for 30 minutes every day.

[BSCSCS]

Thighmaster and Ab Lounge. Case closed.

edit: And the Neckline Slimmer for the face.

[askthetrainer]

Thighmaster and Ab Lounge. Case closed.

Nice, they're widely available at every single garage sale in the entire nation too...

[Keltron]

operating table of a plastic surgeon. lol..

[askthetrainer]

operating table of a plastic surgeon. lol..

[STRENGTH COACH]

ez enough, sounds like she can do crunches on the ball for 20 minutes then lay on her side and do hip ab/adduction for the last 10! Jeeze, gotta love women that THINK they only have fat in 2 areas!

[AshDancer]

Do 30 min of stairs! Targeted lower body exercise and cardio to help burn the cals and reduce bodyfat (if diet is on point). No purchase of equipment necessary!

[BSCSCS]

Do 30 min of stairs! Targeted lower body exercise and cardio to help burn the cals and reduce bodyfat (if diet is on point). No purchase of equipment necessary!

Give her this advice and she'll laugh in your face! How is she going to tone her abs and thighs without doing millions of adduction/adduction exercises and crunches???

[hamrogers]

Well I can fit a jump rope in my sock drawer...but how will jumping rope for an hour a day help to tone her abs? Dammit. If only some fitness genius would come along and invent a device to help these people! It could even be marketed on TV so that people know such incredible products exist. My only request would be for a plan of three easy payments. I want the poor to be able to afford to look good too.

[jdmalm123]

Squat and sit-up holding the baby.

(PS - She missed a year of progressive training as the baby went from 8 lbs to 35lbs!!!)

Why the hell do they think milk production burns calories, unilateral baby carrying builds your core and playing with the baby works everything from head to toe? Oh, it was designed that way.,,,Duh!

[trance__dreamer]

I (5'5", 135) had a baby last year and I'm trying to find an exercise equipment that doesn't take up much space, and will target specifically my abs and my thighs (the 2 areas that got fatter during pregnancy).

I ONLY want to target my abs and thighs -- no other areas, because it ends up looking as fatigue on my face! I'm not as concerned about my weight as I am about toning up the abs (lower abs esp) and thighs.

What piece of equipment do you recommend? I'm considering the exercise ball at this time... something I can do for 30 minutes every day.

high intensity intervals will "tone" that shti; no problem.

[jules_d1]

In my head i would be banging it against the wall and then calmly try and explain the whole "spot reduction" myth for the 10th time that week and then offer her a basic yet effect program and simple nutrition advice which she will never do as there are no miracle machines or expensive pills involved

[trance__dreamer]

i get a lot of my group fitness participants comming up to me @ the end of class asking random spot reduction shti. i smile sweetly & tell them to run 'til they can't run anymore; & then run some more.

[Cincimanatti]

in my head i would be banging it against the wall and then calmly try and explain the whole "spot reduction" myth for the 10th time that week and then offer her a basic yet effect program and simple nutrition advice which she will never do as there are no miracle machines or expensive pills involved

(this)

[broad.stance]

Sounds like she needs the standard wake up call before you can give her any real advice. The focus on her abs and thighs, and not wanting to expend energy on anything else is her biggest obstacle to achieving her goals in a timely manner. Because they (may) show as fatigue on the face is not a reason to avoid other exercises, it's an excuse, and a weak one at that. Do her a favor and call her out on this BS; let her know even moderate intensity exercise will raise her energy levels and make her more alert.

If you give her simple movements which can be done on an exercise ball that ONLY target her abs and thighs, let her know it will be a very gradual process. A lot of people get discouraged when they don't see immediate results, and progress can be derailed if her workout schedule and diet aren't consistent. While everyone is different I have yet to come across a person willing to bore themselves for an entire year to get a figure that can be achieved with three or four months of real work.

I would attempt to sell her on a 20min dumbbell workout - lower body emphasis - followed by a 10min progressive core routine. This can be performed three days a week, and three or four days a week she would engage in a 30 min calisthenics routine that has various bodyweight (stationary lunges) and aerobic (jumping jacks) exercises. To keep this interesting, have a couple of variations for the resistance routine, and introduce her to the deck-of-cards concept for the calisthenics. To better engage the lower body during certain exercises she can also invest in a pair of 10/20lb. adjustable weights.

Two dumbbells, ankle weights, and a deck of cards; doesn't take up a lot of space, and can be packed away in a nylon tote at the end of the day or for travel.

[askthetrainer]

In my head i would be banging it against the wall and then calmly try and explain the whole "spot reduction" myth for the 10th time that week and then offer her a basic yet effect program and simple nutrition advice which she will never do as there are no miracle machines or expensive pills involved

^^^^ Exactly

It's hard wasting your breathe when you know she's just gonna buy the thighmaster or some other product that won't really help her...

[popupwindow]

Forget about trying to comprehend what 'fatigue in my face' even means, or trying to bring her to her senses. You need to meet her halfway. She's fat, she needs to lose weight all over her body, but she doesn't want to hear that. So, give her detailed nutritional advice (what will actually help her lose fat), then get her a small range of exercises to appease her, without insulting her. Turkish getups, plank hold, goblet squats, overhead squats, walking lunges and step ups. If she does them with a dumbbell, does enough reps and at a reasonable intensity and changes her diet, she'll see results, you won't be condescending, win-win.

To clarify, I know many of you want to break her out of her 'spot reduction' myth, but when you burst people's bubbles, they tend to get upset and defensive. Best to give them what they want (as I suggested), without actually saying that spot reduction exists.

[notgumbel]

In my head i would be banging it against the wall and then calmly try and explain the whole "spot reduction" myth for the 10th time that week and then offer her a basic yet effect program and simple nutrition advice which she will never do as there are no miracle machines or expensive pills involved

^^ this - and a link to bodyweight exercises - you could point out that *she* is a miracle machine because of the gift of birth (awwww LOL)

[GermanBarbarian]

Forget about trying to comprehend what 'fatigue in my face' even means

I assume she doesn't want her face to lose it's shape and get too thin.

[trance__dreamer]

I assume she doesn't want her face to lose it's shape and get too thin.

^^ this. but better than having a butterface, though. o-_O