Cathe, fitness program question...

[jbabefit]

Hi Cathe! Thank you for reading my post! I have a few questions for you... I am currently taking a class where I have my very first personal training experience. I have a client who is 40, 5'5", 169lbs, 35inch waist. She has been eating healthier and exercising since July (roughly 8 weeks). She has not lost a pound nor have her clothes been fitting looser. She is getting a little frustrated with her results and is counting on me to help figure out what she's not doing correctly. I am having her record her food intake, but verbally she has reported eating foods like: bran, low-fat yogurt, deli turkey sandwiches on whole wheat bread, veggies, animal crackers, bananas, cantaloupe, tuna burgers, etc. She eats out once/wk at the most. She currently exercises 6-7 days/wk which consists of: aerobic classes 3 days/wk (cardio, strength endurance), and walking on an incline on the treadmill 3-4 days/wk. I am having a difficult time trying to pinpoint where her problem lies. She says that she's been overweight since her childhood. Could it be her genetics that are interfering with the ability to lose the weight? I know 8 weeks isn't a lot of time, but you would think that she should see some budge by now. I too would get very frustrated and discouraged after 8 weeks. I know all this information isn't even adequate enough to see the whole picture, but I thought I'd take a stab at it to see if you could shed any light on the situation I just want to help her succeed! I hope you can help me a little with this pickle;-) Thank you so much in advance!!!!:7

 

[crazystepr]

Just bumping for ya! Interesting question (and predicament)

You might also get some good info if you were to post this in the Open Discussion forum. I know most of us aren't nutritionists/PT's but you might get some really insightful info from people who have been in the same boat as your client.

Good luck!

Allison

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi jbabefit! Its hard for me to give you a true answer without having this client's personal health history, etc. However, at a quick glance here a few things stand out ...

1) It sounds as if she hasn't exercised prior to starting in these past 8 weeks. Starting after age 35 may effect how quickly you see results because the body's metabolism naturally and gradually slows down year by year after this age. A person who has been active most of their life can ward this decline off a bit longer than a person who wasn't. In any case, don't let that discourage her because she WILL see results eventually as long as she is faithful to her fitness/nutrition program.

2) To add to point #1, eight weeks is really not that long of a time for a person who has not exercised before. The adaptation phase occurs at this time and during this phase the body is so busy recovering from the newness of almost every exercise it is exposed to that the body holds more water due to the muscle recovery/repairing process. So again, let her know to keep her chin up, she is doing great

3) A quick look at her food intake looks like a lot of sodium and sugar (deli turkey, processed breads, high sugar fruits, and cookies. Also, how are her veggies prepared? Are they steamed or sauteed, fresh/raw/frozen in natural state or canned. This will effect the sodium content greatly. An abundance of sodium, sugar, and starches hold water in the body.

4) If she has been heavy all of her life then perhaps her genetics are playing a huge role...no way for me to know for sure without knowing her health history record as well as seeing if her parents are overweight as well though.

5) For someone new to exercise, 6 to 7 days per week can be too much and the body may not be getting proper recovery time to allow her to obtain optimal results. She may be overtraining and her body can be in a constant state of repair and breakdown. I thing 4 days per week (every other day) might be better initially.

Ok, sorry I can't offer more info than this but hopefully it helps some. Please keep encouraging her though. The fact that she has made the effort to work with a trainer and do this shows great effort on her part. Thats half of the equation right there. I really commend her for taking the bull by the horns and saying "I'm going do this"

 

[BelovedHeather]

Age and Weight

“Starting after age 35 may effect how quickly you see results because the body's metabolism naturally and gradually slows down year by year after this age.”

Cathe:

This is not the news I wanted to hear. :-( I know you are right though. I could drop weight in my 20s with diet alone. Now I need to eat right AND work my butt off for much slower results. If this is going to keep getting harder, I need to put my game face on and conquer this now. ;-) Cathe, I just have to say that I am always blessed when you respond to a thread about someone who is struggling with his or her weight. You are never judgmental or condescending. Sadly, many fitness professionals are. Thank you for being so loving, compassionate, and supportive. I appreciate you more than you know. :*

Jbabefit, I do not think your client’s situation is unusual. I too have battled obesity since childhood and started my fitness journey in my 30s. I did not see dramatic results during the first few weeks as many people do. It took 7-8 weeks of consistent exercise and good nutrition to start seeing changes. It is also possible that she is an emotional eater. Many of us who have battled this since childhood have to master the art of eating for energy and nutrition and learn to recognize normal portion sizes. I will be the first to admit that “moderation” in this area still does not come naturally to an all-or-nothing girl like me. Just something to consider if she continues to struggle. You might also ask her how many calories she is drinking. I can do a lot of damage with sweet tea. God bless you for reaching out to help her. I am blessed by your desire to see her succeed.

Blessings,
Heather B.

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV).

 

[nenita]

Hi Cathe,

I agree with Heather - you're one truly amazing and compassionate person! It's great that you took time to answer the OP's questions and concerns. I was able to get a lot of info. from your response too, and had the same situation happen to me when I first started working out over a year ago. I did everything on my own and was starting to get frustrated when I wasn't seeing results after 2 months of exercising consistently. I kept at it and around the third month I began to see major changes in my body and how I felt.

Jbabefit, your client is lucky to have someone like you who is concerned and cares about her progress. Tell your client not to give up. I almost did after 2 months, but I started to see results right after that. I ate fairly healthy, but when I cut back on the foods that Cathe pointed out was when I saw the results come a lot faster. Tell your client to hang in there. I'm rooting for her!