Help my wife change her workout routine

folders333

Hi all,

My wife joined a gym about a year ago. She's been going fairly regularly (3-4x / week). She also eats very healthily (she's a dietitian, and I'm very knowledgeable as well). My wife loves the long-distance type machines at the gym. So anywhere between 30-60 minutes on the treadmill.

Fast forward 1 year, and her weight and body fat percentage has barely changed. I've seen her work out, and she does go pretty hard when she's at the gym. She's always exhausted when she's done. But I really don't think she's working out correctly. I really think that she should be doing high intensity cardio (spurts of going all all, short break, and then do it again) instead of 60 minutes on the treadmill

As a husband, I've been giving her a ton of positive encouragement when she's going to the gym, telling her how great she looks, and she really enjoys going. I've mentioned other types of workouts, but it's a touchy subject with her, so I don't want to cross any lines.

I joined the gym at the same time as her, and I was able to lost 2/3rds of my body fat percentage in a year. I'm continuing to do this, and I'm looking and feeling better by the month. So the "proof by example" isn't working either.

What do I do? She's motivated, but she just doesn't want to work out the correct way. But I don't want her to continue to be disappointed with her results.

chocgirl4665

Maybe gift her and yourself a trainer?

folders333

That was my first thought too. She had a trainer around 5 years ago, and the trainer was useless (as most of them are at the large gyms). She went to the trainer 1-2 times / week, and most of the time, the trainer would show her random weights or other exercises to try (and I know that weights are important for weight loss)

But the other times she went to the gym between sessions with her trainer, she went back to the usual long-distance cardio workouts.

The only way that would work was if she had a trainer each time she went to the gym, and that trainer insisted that she stayed off the treadmill each time she went.

Sinisterly

Sounds like she may be over eating.
If she doesn't have any medical issues that you know of, she's got to be doing something wrong along the way.

If she spends that much time on the machine, she should be able to get a pretty good burn.

AJ_G

As a dietitian she should know that it doesn't matter how "healthy" she eats, a calorie deficit is required to lose weight and thus lose fat. If she's not losing weight she needs to increase activity or decrease calorie intake.

MelsAuntie

Does SHE want to change, or is this something YOU think she should do? Because if it is your idea and not hers, back off and MYOB.

AJ_G

Does SHE want to change, or is this something YOU think she should do? Because if it is your idea and not hers, back off and MYOB.

Seriously? You don't need to immediately attack him and tell him to mind his own business. He thoroughly explained that his wife is killing herself in the gym because SHE wants to lose weight and he's been nothing but supportive the whole time and has told her she looks great how she is...

As a husband, I've been giving her a ton of positive encouragement when she's going to the gym, telling her how great she looks, and she really enjoys going. I've mentioned other types of workouts, but it's a touchy subject with her, so I don't want to cross any lines.

folders333

She does know that she needs a deficit, and she really doesn't eat a lot, calorie-wise. She's never tried to count calories though, so maybe she isn't in a deficit like she should be.

The only thing I can think of is that she does usually have a whole-wheat carb snack in the evening (an hour or so before bed). Maybe that is really messing with her results. I do the same thing a couple of times a week, and when I don't have the snack, I know that I feel noticeably thinner in the morning.

And MelsAuntie, she's the one that wants to change. I just want her to see results since she is working her butt off.

chocgirl4665

Maybe suggest to lay off the carbs, or have her checken by a doctor to see if the thyroid is ok?

AJ_G

She does know that she needs a deficit, and she really doesn't eat a lot, calorie-wise. She's never tried to count calories though, so maybe she isn't in a deficit like she should be.

Ding! Ding! Ding! People are terrible at estimating calorie intake. Most people who track their calories but don't weigh and measure their food are usually way off on their actual calorie intake, so if she's not even tracking calories, I guarantee there's your issue right there. Here's an excerpt from an article written about calorie intake that's backed up by scientific studies on nutrition (Any numbers that follow a sentence are referencing scientific research citations):

"People are horrible at estimating their calorie intake.72-101 102-120

Overweight and obese people (especially women) are often the worst, but most people underestimate their calorie intake to some degree.

It’s true for men and women and people of all ages.

It’s true when people are given specific instructions on how to measure their food intake.

It’s true for dietitians.102

It’s true even when people are paid to track their food intake.104

In some cases, people who claim they can’t lose weight by cutting calories underestimate their food intake by 47%, and overestimate their exercise levels by 51%.75 Other data has shown that people can underreport their food intake by up to 2,000 calories per day.89"

The only thing I can think of is that she does usually have a whole-wheat carb snack in the evening (an hour or so before bed). Maybe that is really messing with her results. I do the same thing a couple of times a week, and when I don't have the snack, I know that I feel noticeably thinner in the morning.

To be honest, this makes absolutely no difference. All that matters is total calorie intake for the day, doesn't matter when you eat the calories or what those calories are...

Sinisterly

She does know that she needs a deficit, and she really doesn't eat a lot, calorie-wise. She's never tried to count calories though, so maybe she isn't in a deficit like she should be.

This is the only part that I'm sure the problem is.
Have her come here and log her stuff.

folders333

Thanks everyone.

Her thyroid has been tested recently so that's not it. Good thinking though.

Funny enough, I know that food is just as important for weight loss, but I never really thought of it for some reason.

I'll see if I can get her on here to start tracking
Since she is a dietician, won't be an easy task. I'll probably start tracking mine too, just to get the idea into her head.

canadjineh

Weight loss happens mainly in the kitchen - figure out how long you have to work on that treadmill to burn off the cheeseburger & fries that took you 25 minutes to eat. Just an example, not saying she eats that way but she does need to weigh & track what she is eating & find out what her body needs caloriewise and eat at a deficit...
BTW most machines overestimate the amount of calories burned while you are on them. Also steady state cardio is not as effective as high intensity intervals for fat burning. She needs an ACE certified trainer (American Council on Exercise), not just some hot lookin' dope who took a couple courses

Spelling edit

natmanJ

Hi there. Sounds like you really want to be supportive and that is in itself half the battle!

As someone who has lost more than 50kg I can say that once you get to the point of a plateau you need to change things up.

I would suggest looking at the efficiency of the workouts. I do triathlons now (long course - so hours for each event) but you can't always train that way. The idea that training starts in the kitchen is exactly right, however carb restriction may cause more issues than you solve as the body needs to adjust the source of energy. In my humble opinion the greatest success I have seen for me personally has come from high intensity interval training coupled with weight training. These are shorter sets, but using different muscle groups and little gap between each set. They can be done as simply as running on the spot or using a treadmill on an incline faster than usual.

Weight training is important as it is the muscle that eats the fat! The bigger the muscle the faster the fat burn.

I hope this helps. The other suggestions about trainers etc (especially getting an accredited one) are excellent, but you must have the motivation first to make that worthwhile.

My coach always told me that the best and most effective fitness and weight loss program starts out as the one you will stick to - then modify from there!

All the best to you both!

Sinisterly

Thanks everyone.

Her thyroid has been tested recently so that's not it. Good thinking though.

Funny enough, I know that food is just as important for weight loss, but I never really thought of it for some reason.

I'll see if I can get her on here to start tracking
Since she is a dietician, won't be an easy task. I'll probably start tracking mine too, just to get the idea into her head.

You sound like a very supportive husband. She's lucky to have you :flowerforyou:
I hope she does come on here and starts logging.
If you guys don't have one, get a food scale that zeroes out and has tare, oz, grams, fl oz etc. on the top so that you are able to accurately log everything that's had.

People assume that just because a food is "healthy" that it is not high in calories and this may also be another issue of hers.
We really can't say what it is until she starts logging a food diary.

kristenveganvixen

Re food she needs to start measuring- a portion size as recommended on the pack can look surprisingly- and disappointingly- tiny next to what you're used to being served. A lot of people also seem too think fruit and veg are "free foods" thanks to some faddy diets in the 80s but they can add up- especially if she's having things like smoothies and fruit juice it can add up pretty quickly.

I enjoy going to classes, these may be worth a try if her gym does them and a lot of them give a few toning exercises as well as just cardio- it's also imho a bit more fun than just jogging on a treadmill. If she goes to the gym to use cardio machines then others like the rowing machine work your abs, crossfit/ellipticals work arms and stairmasters are one of the fastest calorie burners, using almost double what jogging on a treadmill does. HTH x

LKArgh

If the goal is weight loss, it does not matter if she runs outdoors at a steady pace for 1 hour, does intervals on the treadmill or joins a Zumba class. Sure, there are variations in calories burned during different cardio routines, but this is not going to affect the big picture unless she makes sure to not eat these calories back, at least not all of them. If she has lost nothign in a year, she is eating all her calories back, it is not the workout routine which is at fault. Eating healthy, it does not mean being thin, and vice versa.

GiddyupTim

She may want to change. She may need help. But, it is her problem, not yours. I would just continuing being supportive. No one wants to hear "pointers" from the spouse. She learn herself, or she will ask you if she wants some advice.
It is the old thing about teaching your spouse/kid to drive....not a good idea.