My mom has been trying to lose weight for a long time but she struggles with pounds here and there and hasn’t made too much progress over the past few years. I’m wondering what kind of diet and / or strength program she should be on.
Any time she lifts any kind of weight or just does movements she complains about everything hurting her and she doesn’t have the self esteem to go to a gym (shes tried it before and hates it). Any info on diet and working out would help.
For diet, read Berardi’s 7 habits article, and you’ll be pretty much set. For the soreness, try having her add fish oil to her diet. I imagine that at 50, her joints are probably starting to cause her some trouble.
If it’s just DOMS, a post workout drink might be helpful. As far as training, why not start her off with bodyweight exercises? You might also want to consider having her do some mobility work. Once she’s able to knock out a good number (15-20) of pushups, single leg squats, etc, she should be able to lift enough to feel confident with real weights, and maybe even a gym.
I bet she’d be more comfortable pretending to lift with pink dumbbells then she would be doing bodyweight exercises.
Start her off with real movements (squat, bench, lunges, military press, lat raises, bent rows, abs etc.) just use very light weight. The lighter it is, the easier it is and the less sore she’ll be.
What makes you think that this time she’ll listen to you and try harder than she did last time?
What is her diet like right now? Does she do anything physical at all like walking or swimming? How much weight does she have to lose? Any old injuries or joints that especially give her problems?
Um, it doesn’t matter what diet/program she goes on, they will all fail. If she hasn’t made much progress over a few years, she hasn’t been trying.
Any exercise session worth beginning will make her sore to some extent. Tell her to take a hot bath afterwards and it’ll help with muscle soreness later.
She just has to get over the self-esteem thing - I don’t know how else to say it. I signed up for a gym one day at 17 years of age weighing over 300lbs. I had to give myself a hour long prep talk just to stay there, I stared at the floor the entire time, and I stammered and fumbled whenever anyone talked to me, but I still went 4 days a week.
There’s no way to get over it except going outside of the comfort zone, so she just has to do it - it’s both very simple and very hard.
Aside from that, a little more info is needed on her. Does she have a lot to lose or a little? Is she interested in gaining muscle/getting stronger? What’s her diet like now?
[quote]Squiggles wrote:
She just has to get over the self-esteem thing - I don’t know how else to say it. I signed up for a gym one day at 17 years of age weighing over 300lbs. I had to give myself a hour long prep talk just to stay there, I stared at the floor the entire time, and I stammered and fumbled whenever anyone talked to me, but I still went 4 days a week. There’s no way to get over it except going outside of the comfort zone, so she just has to do it - it’s both very simple and very hard.
[/quote]
Hell of an example and great post, and I’m sure the rewards are worth every minute of stepping outside of that old the comfort zone. I really admire anyone who can get over themselves and step up to the plate.
I would say she probably needs to lose around 50 pounds. She has a good diet for the most part. Lots of vegetables, salmon, chicken, whole grains and absolutely no high fructose corn syrup. She is a chocolatte lover and give in but she is by no means a binger (unless i just never see it, which is possible…) but the only thing she really does for exercise is walk.
She use to have a heart condition (mitrovalve prolapse? spelling? where her heart would go into an irregular beat pattern but she got surgery to fix it a number of years ago. She will do some band exercises such as biceps and some crunches. but i feel like every time i talk to her she asks me if i’m embarassed of her and “i must look terrible”.
keep in mind whenever i say something we are watching some weight loss tv show featuring Dr. OZ and its because she says something to me. Im not a dick to her, i just know she wants to lose it. I think part of the problem is she has done Weight Watchers for a long time and its hard to teach an old dog new tricks.
The key for her is consistency and I feel like she doesn’t get enough results doing what she does to keep the ball rolling. I can’t even get her to walk with me in our neighborhood b/c she is afraid of ppl seeing her and settles for walking on the treadmill in our house instead of getting outside with me.
Workout : Bodyweight squat
band or db curls
standing db press
abs-crunches, leg raises, db side touches, and bridging (hopefully)
Does she really need any post work out nutrition? She will probably do any of these exercises after walking for a good 45 minutes. I’m thinking a little bit of whey with half scoop Surge just make sure we hit the muscles but not much more. Maybe after a month we can try some single leg stuff or get her acquainted with womens gym.
And thanks for the advice! I just wanted to make sure I was on the right track and if any women had some good ideas to help a guy out handling his mom!
[quote]sic wrote:
I bet she’d be more comfortable pretending to lift with pink dumbbells then she would be doing bodyweight exercises.
Start her off with real movements (squat, bench, lunges, military press, lat raises, bent rows, abs etc.) just use very light weight. The lighter it is, the easier it is and the less sore she’ll be.
What makes you think that this time she’ll listen to you and try harder than she did last time?
What is her diet like right now? Does she do anything physical at all like walking or swimming? How much weight does she have to lose? Any old injuries or joints that especially give her problems?[/quote]
i like these work out ideas. and she actually has some pink and yellow db’s.
[quote]dianab wrote:
Squiggles wrote:
She just has to get over the self-esteem thing - I don’t know how else to say it. I signed up for a gym one day at 17 years of age weighing over 300lbs. I had to give myself a hour long prep talk just to stay there, I stared at the floor the entire time, and I stammered and fumbled whenever anyone talked to me, but I still went 4 days a week. There’s no way to get over it except going outside of the comfort zone, so she just has to do it - it’s both very simple and very hard.
Hell of an example and great post, and I’m sure the rewards are worth every minute of stepping outside of that old the comfort zone. I really admire anyone who can get over themselves and step up to the plate.
[/quote]
Kudos to you, Squig!
Have your Mom read this. Over and over.
Most people are too busy working out at the gym to really notice someone who is 50 pounds overweight, anyway.
Body for Life is a program that can put her on the right path, and it is easy to tailor to beginners.
The only time I ever notice anyone at the gym is if they’re doing something stupid. Any overweight people, kudos to them for doing something about it.
If she is really that terribly self conscious, perhaps she could join an all-women’s gym like Curves. I don’t know where you live but I’m sure there are options like that around you. They tend to be very supportive and non-threatening environments.
Stress that you are trying to help her in this venture for her health… you want her around in the years to come. Tell her it is never to late to start being more active and health-conscious.
Also, try to get her to do the typical carb+protein (breakfast to lunch time) and fat+protein (afternoon to bed time)split. That seems to work really well for body recomposition. If you don’t understand this concept or need more info to explain it to her, let me know and I’ll go into more detail.
Fish oil is important for heart/skin/joint health. Glucosamine/chondroitin will help her joints. As far as PWO, she doesn’t need Surge. There is no way she’ll be working hard enough to deplete glycogen stores or to need such a high dose of sugars and the subsequent insulin spike. A shake of milk, banana (or any other fruit) and some whey would be sufficient.
[quote]Yo Momma wrote:
dianab wrote:
Squiggles wrote:
She just has to get over the self-esteem thing - I don’t know how else to say it. I signed up for a gym one day at 17 years of age weighing over 300lbs. I had to give myself a hour long prep talk just to stay there, I stared at the floor the entire time, and I stammered and fumbled whenever anyone talked to me, but I still went 4 days a week. There’s no way to get over it except going outside of the comfort zone, so she just has to do it - it’s both very simple and very hard.
Hell of an example and great post, and I’m sure the rewards are worth every minute of stepping outside of that old the comfort zone. I really admire anyone who can get over themselves and step up to the plate.
Kudos to you, Squig!
Have your Mom read this. Over and over.
Most people are too busy working out at the gym to really notice someone who is 50 pounds overweight, anyway.
[/quote]
Seconded. My response to seeing overweight people in the gym is “Glad you came.” Especially if they are really applying themselves to the work at hand.
My wife has many of the same issues as your mother, but she’s “grown a pair,” gone to the gym and is using a personal trainer to guide her and help her through her discomfort. Your mom probably just needs to feel she’s not alone in what she’s doing.
[quote]Squiggles wrote:
Um, it doesn’t matter what diet/program she goes on, they will all fail. If she hasn’t made much progress over a few years, she hasn’t been trying.
Any exercise session worth beginning will make her sore to some extent. Tell her to take a hot bath afterwards and it’ll help with muscle soreness later.
She just has to get over the self-esteem thing - I don’t know how else to say it. I signed up for a gym one day at 17 years of age weighing over 300lbs. I had to give myself a hour long prep talk just to stay there, I stared at the floor the entire time, and I stammered and fumbled whenever anyone talked to me, but I still went 4 days a week.
There’s no way to get over it except going outside of the comfort zone, so she just has to do it - it’s both very simple and very hard.
Aside from that, a little more info is needed on her. Does she have a lot to lose or a little? Is she interested in gaining muscle/getting stronger? What’s her diet like now?[/quote]
I kept at the lifting for about two years before I finally started losing weight. Dropped about 55 lbs or so and recently started losing weight again.
You’ve got it right that it is very simple, it just isn’t easy.
thanks you guys. some sound, simple advice. Hopefully I can convince her that its more important to look good outside the gym rather than in it.
Make sure she does some activity every day. It doesn’t have to be high intensity. Whole grains are better than refined grain but they are not as good as no grains. Vegetables should comprise the bulk of her diet. Grains should be used only at breakfast. A bowl of fresh berrys with cream makes a good evening snack. Fish oil and flax seed are important.
Stu
[quote]stuward wrote:
Make sure she does some activity every day. It doesn’t have to be high intensity. Whole grains are better than refined grain but they are not as good as no grains. Vegetables should comprise the bulk of her diet. Grains should be used only at breakfast. A bowl of fresh berrys with cream makes a good evening snack. Fish oil and flax seed are important.
Stu[/quote]
Um, no. You sir are a carbophobe. Carbohydrates have their place in a well balanced diet, especially for women in their 50s. She is not trying to be a lean bodybuilder and therefore will benefit highly from keeping grains in her diet.
Fresh berries and cream is a shitty evening snack. That’s a carb and fat combination with no activity happening immediately afterwards. You’re pretty much telling her insulin to store whatever fat she eats along with it.
Fresh cream and berries… wow she might as well put that in the freezer and then eat it as ice cream, which is what it essentially is.
[quote]sic wrote:
stuward wrote:
Make sure she does some activity every day. It doesn’t have to be high intensity. Whole grains are better than refined grain but they are not as good as no grains.
Vegetables should comprise the bulk of her diet. Grains should be used only at breakfast. A bowl of fresh berrys with cream makes a good evening snack. Fish oil and flax seed are important.
Stu
Um, no. You sir are a carbophobe. Carbohydrates have their place in a well balanced diet, especially for women in their 50s. She is not trying to be a lean bodybuilder and therefore will benefit highly from keeping grains in her diet.
Fresh berries and cream is a shitty evening snack. That’s a carb and fat combination with no activity happening immediately afterwards. You’re pretty much telling her insulin to store whatever fat she eats along with it.
Fresh cream and berries… wow she might as well put that in the freezer and then eat it as ice cream, which is what it essentially is.[/quote]
I have nothing against carbs if you don’t need to lose fat. Berries and cream have fibre and fat and a little protein, very little carbs. They will satisfy and allow fat loss to continue through the night.
Compared to popcorn, chips, cereal, etc that most people eat, it’s not a shitty snack. It will not spike her insulin. Please don’t respond to this post. I have no interest in discussing this further. I was just giving my opinion and telling you what works for me.
Stu, please don’t read this post, I wouldn’t want to waste your time.
1 cup of strawberries has 13 grams of carbs, minimal fat and minimal protein.
1 cup of blueberries has 21 grams of carbs, minimal fat and minimal protein.
1/2 cup of cream (half and half, not full fat) has 16 grams of fat, 5 grams of carbs and 3.5 grams of protein.
1/c cup of canned whipped cream has 6 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of carbs and 1 gram of protein.
Any of those combinations do not equal a food that is either low in carbs or provides adequate protein.
I am 50 something, and I started back at the gym last week, everthing hurts. I start up with a trainer next week. I watch my carbs. I have been up 90 pounds over weight and down several times.This time it was due to illness. I was sick for two years and gained 70 pounds back. I am going to get back into shape.
I have learned (yes old dogs do learn) that you do not try to lose weight in the first three months. you work on the BMI.If your mother does not know what this is, teach her. Get her on the internet and do some research. I expect to gain weight, I have put the scales in the closet. I will only measure BMI for the next three months.
I do expect my clothes to fit better. But muscle weighs more than fat. Most women do not or can not keep at it, because hard as they try, they gain weight and they stop because they feel like a failure. Does your mother know this concept?
After three months my BMI will cause my body to turn around, and slowly start to burn. All the pink barbells on earth will not help without understanding you have to gain to lose. this may be why she never keeps at it.
It is scarey for a woman to hear this, I bucked it for years until a trainer made me submit to BMI tests and hide the scales. I did not know for six months what I had lost or gained. This did me a world of good. Find your mother a trainer who will explain and do the same for her.
work out with her, build her a micro gym in the house, yard or where ever and go over it with her… she would not let you stop brushing your teeth as a child, well, don’t let her stop. For her pains, get asprin or something, it helps. I know, I take it daily. Goodie powders do great for me. I will write more later, have to go to the gym, I am drinking Muscle Milk, she may like that for recovery. I do, I hate the other stuff and muscle milk has fats for her joints. look into it.
[quote]wibs121 wrote:
I do expect my clothes to fit better. But muscle weighs more than fat.
[/quote]
I know what you’re trying to say, but a pound of muscle weighs exactly the same as a pound of fat. But the pound of muscle is more dense, so it takes up less room than the pound of fat does.
I’m your Mom’s age (male) and go to the gym regularly. I have never felt anything but admiration for anyone that goes in there and tries. Your weight doesn’t matter, the weights you lift don’t matter, as long as you try.
I would be careful about “just joining a gym”. First she needs to know her aim. Fitter? Stronger? Slimmer? They are not the same and require different approaches (Note that that doesn’t mean that one approach excludes results in the other areas.) Many gyms are not very well staffed and you can get dubious information. I started by looking for a programme to take me through exercises before i set foot in a gym.
For mthis I like the Schuler-Cosgrove book “New rules of lifting”. It is not for advanced lifters, but it explains the basics very well and will lead to results if she sticks with a programme. I know there is a version for women now that may be more suitable.
Goo luck
TQB