Questions from my wife

[Thewarrior]

My wife wanted me to ask you guys a question. She has been working out with me now for about 2-3 weeks. Since she started to workout with me she has started to gain weight instead of lose weight like she wants. I have told her that muscle weighs more than fat, however, she doesn't believe me. Her size measured in inches has not changed to much for the most part stayed the same. Our workouts are as follows in this order:

All are the same sets and reps.
a Chest day 3 sets of 15 reps
A bicept and forearm day
A shoulder day
A leg day
A back day
A tricipt day


I do more sets, with heavier weights she uses low weights. We workout 2-3 days then atleast a 1-2 day off. 1 muscle group per day. Any and all coments welcome. And sorry if I put this in the wrong forum thread. Thewarrior

[TheMudMan]

I never use the scale to measure my progress. I always go by body fat measurments and the mirror. If she's gaining weight in the right places and not in her waist then I would say she's putting on muscle.

[DBarcelo]

It sounds like she is working out the right way to get the muscles active, which will speed up her metabolism. The only thing is that she should throw in cardio, such as treadmill or bike. Also, the main thing that will decide if she loses weight or not is her diet. What is she eating before and after working out? How much?

I usually suggest women that want to lose weight, to eat some carbs just before working out. I then suggest they do some cardio (I prefer the tredmill) before they work with the weights. The best is an hour of cardio before working out. Then she should do a full body workout with the reps and sets you're already doing. Then do some light cardio for another 15 mins to half an hour (walking on the treadmill). Then I suggest they not eat anything for at least a few hours after. But drink plenty of water (not Gatorade) while working out and after working out (don't wait until you get thirsty). She can work out every day if she wanted to, but since working out like that is very time consuming, I suggest doing some cardio every day she is not able to work with the weights (I would prefer half an hour to an hour on a treadmill).

Working out like that for a woman will make the punds melt away, but you have to be dedicated to it and it takes about a week before you start to really see a difference.

Why a woman should work out like this..........
Your body has a heirarchy when it comes to getting energy to fuel itself.
1) Blood glucose
2) Muscle tissue
3) Liver storage
4) fat cells

By eating carbs before working out, you are giving yourself enough fuel to get through the workout without passing out.

By doing the cardio, you are puting yourself into oxygen debt. When you are in oxygen debt, you have depleted your blood glucose and your body is pulling energy from your muscle tissue.

By the time you get to start working the muscles, you should be pulling energy from your liver.

By working the muscles with low weight and hi reps, you are keeping your body working, rasing your metabolism by continuing to keep your body looking for energy. Working with light weight is more of an aerobic excercise than anerobic. Working full body gets the maximum number of muscle groups looking for energy, so you will be burning more energy than if you only had a couple small muscle groups looking for energy.

By finishing off with cardio, you are cooling your body down while continuing to keep your body active and looking for more energy.

At this point, your body should be well into attacking your fat stores for energy.

You keep drinking water thru the entire workout, of course, so you don't dehydrate. You don't want to drink Gatorade (or any other sport drink) because it contains carbs. Your body will start to burn the carbs you're drinking instead of burning your fat for energy.

You shouldn't eat for at least a couple hours after you work out. That's because, your body is burning almost just as many calories right after you work out, as you were burning while you were working out. Your heart is beating faster, which is burning more calories. Your lungs are pulling more air in, which is burning more calories. And you have all of the normal body functions which are still burning calories.

The rest of the time, just remember to eat right.

I hope that helps a little.
Good luck.

I know the general concesus is that muscle is hevier than fat, but I really don't remember. It's been a few years since med school, but from what I remember, a person that's muscular will apear to be hevier than what they actually are.

[mfenske]

Tell her to keep with it. Also I would have her work in ranges from 4 to 6 reps and with weights as heavy as she can handle for those reps. I mention this because it's the same routine that my wife uses. Get her on a clean diet, I am sure you know what that means seeing as huge as you are (I think I saw that you're like 270ish lean). Good postworkout nutrition will also be beneficial. If she's still not convinced here's one for her. My wife went from a size 20 to a size 8 using what I just described. Man she looks good. Gotta go, thinking about my wife if you know what I mean. Mark

[Warrior]

Its kinda like what weighs more, a pound of feathers or a pound of lead? But fat is not as dense as muscle so for the same volume - in that case, muscle weighs more than fat. You can drop bodyfat while maintaining bodyweight or even gaining additional bodyweight... if your wife is losing weight the best way - with plenty of resistance training, then her new muscle weight will also aid in speeding up her metabolism. The best thing for her to do is not look at a scale - but look in the mirror...

Thewarrior - catchy username... mfenske has already confused us - hopefully my title and avatar will help seperate us...

[mfenske]

Thewarrior - catchy username... mfenske has already confused us - hopefully my title and avatar will help seperate us...

OOps my bad. Sorry about that. I wish both you and your wife the best of luck with your goals. Mark

[Bound for Muscle]

well, since she's only been working out with you for 3 weeks i would venture to say that she has not seen any results either way from it

tell her to give it 2 months and THEN see what she thinks

[Thewarrior]

I just want to say thank you for all the advice from all you guys. She has decided to give it more time before she quicks.lollol

[Juggernaut]

Tell her not to get discouraged..............it takes time for the body to adjust. Her weight will move up some to begin with but once she has "filled out" (lean muscle addition) she'll see the scale go the other direction.

Definitely check her diet (90% of the battles right there) and if she isn't doing cardio have her start that as well. Like most of us she'll not be to enthusiastic about it but it will for sure knock the weight off her big time. Let us know how it goes. Better yet have her drop in herself and give us the word. I'm sure all of us can help you keep her motivated with some encouraging words. And make sure to tell her you see changes as well, nothing better than having your mate tell you how much better looking you're getting everyday.

Tell her we’re pulling for her.

[Warrior]

If she is already thinking about quiting then you are putting her through to much from the start. Fitness should not be thought of as a temporary thing - but more like personal hygiene. She should look more long term.

But as her coach you need to be able to recognize certain warnings of overtraining and lack of supercompensation (productivity from exercise). Putting your wife on a routine that mirrors yours is too much. Having wives or girlfriends as workout partners is not a good thing. It will only hinder each others goals. Training partners should be at about the same fitness levels - and deffintitly the same sex (males and females differ greatly in their bodies adaption to exercise - for one, females have far less naturally occuring androgens).

Putting your wife, a beginner, on an advanced workout split like you mention in your first post is not good for her. She should be on a upperbody/lowerbody type split working her entire body every 4 days or so... and over the first few months focussing more on CNS adaption (learning to perform certain lifts) and strengthing connective tissue (getting rid of the quivers). This adaption is where initial strength increases will come from too. But the real results happen once she is conditioned - after the first few months.

Going back to the current training split... an advance bodybuilder would use a split similar to the one you mentioned because of the stress put on the system (actually I know of nobody that devotes an entire day to triceps). Muscle atrophies and becomes stronger - but your organs (liver, kidneys...) do not. A person performing 10 reps, 10 sets in 30-45 minutes with 315lbs on a Flat Bench Press would produce more trauma then a person doing 135lbs for 10 sets, 10 reps in the same amount of time.

Your wife would never need to be on a training split like in your first post. And the main reason she is unsatisfied is becomes she is probably feeling lathargic, unmotivated and uninterested in her routine due to it being too much.

Here is a better way for her to get started:
Day 1: Lowerbody
Day 2: Upperbody
Day 3: Cardio
Day 4: REST
Day 5: REST
Repeat

You can share the same time in the gym - but have her get one of her girlfriends involved and simply be a mediator. Teach her good form and how to use free weights - since free weights will help get her through the initial CNS/connective tissue adaption phase fast. Give it about 6-8 weeks before her movements start to become more fluid and easier to perform. Then evaluate how she feels and her progress and see what changes can be made in her routine.

Bottomline - it should be something she can enjoy. Exercise releases all kinds off feel-good hormones in the body and improves self confidence. She should think of it as taking a shower or brushing her teeth... something we do to be healthy.