5 Months To Look Good

[quote]Soco wrote:
Make sure you compare measurements using calipers rather than the scale. Bodyweight isn’t everything and she needs to understand that.

[/quote]

Absolutely - throw the damn scales in the trash. A tape measure and calipers is going to be the barometer, not scale weight.

Excellent suggestions. I would like to add my 2 cents.

You might want to consider getting her a pedometer. Besides hitting the gym and getting her eating in order, I would suggest that her “goal” be 10,000 to 12,000 steps a day. I think it’s a good way to just increase the overall energy expenditure over the day.

I use it myself and constantly check it to get as much movement I can get through the day. At 4 or 5 in the afternoon I take a walk to to get over the 12,000 step mark if I have to.

It may seem very small, but it starts to make a dent after a while. In her case, because of her poor condition, it will probably be huge.

Derick

[quote]jaimeo wrote:
Dude, with no training history I think fat fast and 4 x a week compound lifting will cause burn out or worse.

Why dont you give this girl some knowledge she can use? After all- teaching her to drop fat for her wedding day is all well and good.

But- educating her on a healthy lifestyle for life is so much more.

At 200+ pounds she will react well to any consist training- why not let her enjoy it too?

Give her “7 habits of effective nutritional programs” by berardi. Get her to take a food diary. Possibly in stages- you know, write the food down first. then write down the macros if the 1st stage is happening on a daily basis.

Get her on something like the beginners blast off program or a very simple 3 day split. Dont put too many difficult exercises in. Remember that she is likely to be self concious squatting etc. when carrying extra fat- try to formulate a program that does not draw attention to her in the gym- and lets be honest, a bona fide T-Man/Woman plan WILL draw attention.

Jaime [/quote]

I agree with this, start her on something simple to train her muscles how to lift properly. Read this article “How to build a T-Vixen” by Sandy Bohlken

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459789

(I hope this link works, if not search by the author or title)

My wife has just started using this program a week ago and even after doing some very basic weights when she joined the gym a few months ago this new program was enough to make her very sore the next day, and by the sounds of it she is in better shape than your friend, so it is defintely enough for someone who hasn’t been exercising at all.

Ben

[quote]rainjack wrote:
Soco wrote:
Make sure you compare measurements using calipers rather than the scale. Bodyweight isn’t everything and she needs to understand that.

Absolutely - throw the damn scales in the trash. A tape measure and calipers is going to be the barometer, not scale weight.

[/quote]

I might also add that since people do obsess with numbers on the scale (she is going to check it no matter what) you might want to take pictures on a weekly basis. She might need visual proof of changes despite the “lack” of progress on the scale.

Derick

Another note on the scales front-

she WILL notice progress on the scales.

She wont be building enormous amounts of muscle at first. She could easily drop 15-20lbs on the scale weight and it might well be the encouragement she needs. Especially the false boost of the first few pounds. She is likely to rapidly drop 5lbs at the very least.

Of course, as body fat dwindles she will need other measurements but as far as I am concerned if someone is carrying 50 lbs of extra fat the small amount of muscle they gain wont offset the tremendous losses she will see in the mirror AND on the scale. The scales and photos etc. will all be useful.

If she is a typical woman tell her to take the before picture. She can take another in her wedding dress, some mag will pay some cash for it I’m sure. Women (the normal, non t-mag kind) will love her story.

Also- telling her she will look “slightly less puffy” after 5 months is harsh. She will look like a different person. She can drop 40lbs easily in that time. Seeing as how she is likely to drop 60lbs with the correct motivation she will look amazing compared to now, her dress size will certainly drop and with all the extra fuss made of her appearance on the big day (extra makeup, 3 hr hair style etc.) I’d be suprised if people will recognise her,

dont allow her to sell herself short before she has even started. You might equate the baby steps with slow progress but for a beginner they are the equivqlent to fat fast etc. They will show the body something it has never seen before and the body will respond.

Hope she does well.

Jaime

[quote]Garrett W. wrote:
You know the saying you have to run before you can walk? [quote] I think it’s you have to walk before you can run. :wink:

Alright guys,

First off. Thank you very much for the suggestions, they were very thought provoking.

I think that the teach a man to fish is great, only one problem, this woman wants like 8 kids(no exaggeration) and plans no starting right after the wedding, grrrr. So part of my goal in doing this is for her not to have gestational diabetes or eclampsia during her “special” time… believe me I know from experience that you must work WITH people because they will do what they want when its all said and done. Therefore, my aim is not for “life changing” here but rather “results” of her liking, with the added hope (and prayer) that this will change her life forever.

I think 2xTBT/wk plus cardio (done to her tolerance) three times per week will be a good START.

You guys did make me think vvvvery beginning stages, but I want her body to have to adapt to something and not in one step incriments, but rather slightly more. If her wedding wont make her stay on track nothing will.

As far as diet the fat fast does still appeal to me, following it up with the T-dawg 1.0, and then T-dawg 2.0.

The TBT plus cardio seems good start, probably adding more days/ intensity as adaptation occurs

Also I think I will get pics. I hadnt thought that far ahead, good suggestion.

So are there any comments on the thoughts on diet, my attack is results turned into lifestyle.

Let me know.

I would say sell her on the proper principles like everyone else is doing and then save fat fast as a last resort last month final slimdown. The last month is going to be the one where you’re trying to eek out those last few pounds and they’ll be the hardest one’s to get rid of. It’ll be a reward rather than a plan.

Good point about saving the FF.

Also- you need to see how this woman reacts to your guidance.

If she is asking you to “bring it on” then by all means crack the FF.

I think most people have (bitter) experiences of the newbie “whatever it takes” line. Of course- YOU are the judge of this woman- we’ve never met her.

For want of a better phrase give it to her as hard as she can take it.

But remember the “take it” bit. And remember nobody learns anything on a totally low carb diet. I would lean towards establishing a “carb ceiling”.

She’s not gonna diet forvever. Sounds like youve got the knowledge at least and most importantly- you care enough to help her.

Let us know how she gets on.

And good luck!

Heh, good luck with a fat fast and total body training regimen for someone who thinks walking to the fridge for some ice-cream is a workout.

I mean, compared to the young guys on here who jump into this shit, I’m assuming she is grade A 100% sedentary. It’s not like she’s out playing sports or anything with the guys, which would give her a base to start from.

She has no base fitness level, no dietary knowledge, no discipline and no recovery ability and not even the first clue how to do anything resembling a lift.

Sure, she has motivation, but in the real world knowing something and doing something are very different things. Anyway, prove us cautious doubters wrong if you can, that would be great. Honestly, it would.

Well yeah I have a lil bit o “hope” involved here too guys. I told her that this would be initially a crash and then slowly work back to normal while increasing working out. What made me laugh to myself the most was when she started talking about tae-bo and how her body “responded well” to it and when she started saying how she didnt want to lose her chest. Hey I’ll give her tae-bo- on cardio days ;o), with the addition of swimming for 45 min…hehe. And as far as the chest thing hell if she were to be 13% BF shed still have a rockin’ chest. Plus we’re taking pics and I’m going to put this on her desires of “motherhood” b/c really if she wants 8 kids then she needs to have her body ready to take that abuse, plus chasing kids isnt easy and no fat ass will be able to keep up. As far as the training goes I’ll take her to my home gym and show her what to do once a week.

I’m not going to just throw her to the wolves and say …duh… I hope this works. No were going to instill some tried and true principles of a food log, making most meals on sunday, workout log, and PICS!!! Plus her will be husband weighs like 170lbs and is just under 6ft. He actually does workout (I just dont think he eats though) says that this will be a lifestyle.

If these two werent wonrderful people in their own right then I’d call the trailor park for openings myself…lol. But hey my favorite poem is Dont Quit. So who knows- but were going to try. Anyhow I’ll let you all know how it turns out…I know that the odds are against them, but what the hell. I’ll try to help her.

You mentioned that she is very top heavy. My suggestion is to focus on strengthening the all the muscles of the back. I get sick and tired of seeing busty women all hunched over. Plus Im sure if shes that top heavy then its putting a strain on her lower back. Train the chain.

I agree with using fat fast later on. Don’t do it right before, as she will be under enough stress already with the wedding, and carbs are key to mental function.

For nutrition, start by getting rid of all her really bad foods. Soda, chips, and french fries. Then start getting rid of bad carbs (white bread etc) while getting her to eat more vegetables.

Personally from what I know about her goals (looking good on her wedding day) she doesn’t sound like someone who is going to stick with this long term(if even 5 months). Changing her perception of weight loss will be key. Who cares if your wife looks good on her wedding day if she is overwiehgt during your marriage? At least as a man thats what I say.

Good luck!

[quote]Soco wrote:
I agree with using fat fast later on. Don’t do it right before, as she will be under enough stress already with the wedding, and carbs are key to mental function.

Good luck![/quote]

The stress of wedding preparation will do a lot of weight loss of its own. My wife (and me as well!) piled on a couple of kg during a 2 week honeymoon, most probably due to lack of stress and being relaxed, even though we still kept active and did heaps of outside activities during the holiday such as swimming. long walks, playing tennis etc. You might want to warn her of this in case she rebounds a little towards the weight gain side after the wedding.

“What made me laugh to myself the most was when she started talking about tae-bo and how her body “responded well” to it”

Dude this is what you need to avoid!!! Of course TB had an effect- she was moving for gods sake. Please please dont toss out her ideas or laugh at these suggestions- at her level Tae Bo will work wonders. After all 5 months of TB 2 x week compared to some boring cardio that she will hate is probably how she sees it.

Unless you sit next to her doing cardio everytime the TB classes could establish a valuable schedule (more likely to skip cardio if you can do it “anytime”). They might also establish a pattern of effort- its all too easy to “sprint” at 8kmh on a treadmill when you are out of shape. In front of a class though?? Get her to the front of it. Hell, do it yourself too! We want pictures of that!!

“she started saying how she didnt want to lose her chest”

Tell her she’ll only lose the fat at the top of the chest and not the fullness she likes. She’ll be getting rid of the fat that makes bras hard to fit.

Jaime

This is gonna be a huge goat screw.

Are you sure she needs to lose the weight? Her fiancee obviously likes “fat” chicks.

Nutrition is the 1st thing. Eat at breakfast and lunch but dinner light with no carbs. Have dinner early. Do not eat anything after dinner. Eat a snack (a glass of milk, a fruit, a protein bar) at mid morning and afternoon. In the training days I would have also a pre workout snack.

As training program I would recommend EDT. Read carefully all the articles about EDT by Charles Staley you find in the section “AUTHORS”. 3 workouts per week, for example mon, wed, fri. Start with only 2 zones of 15 minutes each. Each zone has 2 exercises.
Start with 3 supersets of 5 reps in each zone.

I would perform aerobics 20 minutes 2Xweek in the off days. For example Dan John’s “Tabata” with no weights, some interval sprints with the cyclette, swimming etc.
WALK is a very productive activity.

Hope that helps !
Luca

Diet, training, all that. Some good advice so far.

I will add MOTIVATION. Have her put her money where her mouth is. Buy the dress not that fit her now but that she will fit in, want to fit in to a reasonable point of course. An accheiveable dress. That way if she doesnt make it she will have to pay to get it refitted or get another one. If she goes even further and has to pay to refit it smaller, I am sure she wont mind.

If she has the dress hanging over her head she is more likely to stick to it.

It make the goal real, tactile she can touch it try to put it on etc. She WILL do it.

Hope that helps, just my 2 cc. She has to really want to do this for HER.

Phill

biodoc:

Brock tried – and abandoned, after much ballyhoo and buildup – to put an overweight female on an updated, less-harsh version of the Fat Fast. It failed miserably because she quit.

Many people have hammered home the advice of starting slow so that she won’t burn out – in other words, don’t try to take the broken down bus from 0-60 mph right after turning on the engine.

I want to add another observation, which has perhaps been mentioned above but not emphasized. She will make progress irrespective of what you get her doing, provided you get her doing something. We all remember the great days as beginners when whatever we tried seemed to pay tremendous dividends.

If she’s as out-of-shape as you say, I think you could build her up to TBT and T-Dawg – after a couple months of basic conditioning and learning of the movements. You won’t be selling short her progress, because 1) She won’t quit (hopefully) and 2) She will make newbie gains.

I’ve learned that it’s difficult to get even in-shape women to stick with a weight training program they aren’t used to – beginning with an advanced program and a hard diet at the same time is asking for her to quit.

I would say just get her in the gym instructional purposes for the first bit, and let her take her Tae Bo for cardio. Set her up with a simple-to-follow circuit (free weights, machines, both – doesn’t matter) that hits her whole body, and let her do that a couple times a week for a month or two before you break out the big time programs.

For nutrition you will probably be able to do a world of good just by throwing out most of her junk and getting her to include real meat and veggies with every meal. Get her to agree that her “treats” will be very small pieces of sugar-free candy or something (you will probably need to let her have treats in addition to a weekly cheat, so might as well be one little piece of sugar-free chocolate rather than a moon pie or a fried twinkie).

When you’re starting from absolute 0, the progress that can be had just from doing the little things is pretty good.

Anyway, that’s my $0.02.