advice for dad

**mg0922** · 12-31-2010, 09:07 PM

So my dad is 50 years old and is 6 ' 0 210 lbs

He used to be in very good shape , but has put on alot of body fat. He has a very bad back problem where his nerves are messing up his legs and feet. Pretty much hes in pain ALL THE TIME. Ive been trying to get him to the gym with me, he can go but he takes it very easy there.

hes very limited to the workouts.
Ive been here for a while now guys and i just have so much respect for you all, and i come to you in need of some help for my dad.

What do you recconmend for a guy who cant do very much physical workouts, but wants to lose that body fat.

I know by eating right, but any comments suggestions would be hugely appreciated. Thank you!

mg

**SlimmerMe** · 01-01-2011, 11:13 AM

Find out what, if any, types of exercise he likes to do. Anything. Whether riding a bike or playing tennis, golf, bowling, swimming, hiking or just tossing a football. Something. Ask him what his favorite sports used to be as a kid and see if this sparks something. Maybe he just does not like going to a gym. He might be an outdoors type of guy. I have no idea. Just searching. There has got to be an interest somewhere.

And once you uncover the interest, then try to get that going. And then one thing will lead to the other and he will start getting back into shape. Anything that gets him moving.

Is he addressing the pain? as I wrote the above, I kinda left that out.

**deladude** · 01-01-2011, 02:07 PM

sounds like the same kinda problem my dad had with his back. they ended up fusing a lot of his lumbar and had to grind out bone around the nerve that was affecting his legs. they have him on lyrica and it has been doin wonders.
he lost a lot of weight bird hunting if that helps at all.
i'm no expert but getting his diet in order and getting him to do any activity even just walking an hr on the tredmill (if he's able)would surely be beneficial

also i have seen at my gym a machine the you pedal with your hands instead of feet, that may be an option

**mg0922** · 01-01-2011, 05:56 PM

Hey guys Thx for the input. Maybe ur right. Ill start asking him questions. I know he can do some work outs. He actually has a tumor on his spinal cord. Its not cancerous or anything but they can't remove it all because it couldparalize him. I just don't know where all the body fat comes from. Because he really doesn't even eat to his bmr calories I don't think. He stresses alot, maybe stress causes fat
Idk. I'm gonna get him in the gym. He has to build some.muscle and burn calories to lose fat. I'm gonna help him some way some how.

Mg

**SlimmerMe** · 01-01-2011, 07:12 PM

I was thinking.....6' and 210? is that really fat? or does he just not have any muscle so it appears more like fat.

**mg0922** · 01-01-2011, 09:52 PM

my bad he's 5'10 i just asked him. Most of the fat is ALL IN THE STOMACH. I want to see him lose that so bad. Im gonna start forcing him to the gym doing easy wrokouts to burn some calories and build some muscle.

but i mean you can see it in his face too. back when he was like 35-40 he looked very good, inshape and everything. But he does NO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. His job is not physical at all , and he's never going to lose weight just eating right.. he needs to start getting active . period. And im gonna make sure he does.

Any suggestions or comments???

Thx alot

mg

**SlimmerMe** · 01-01-2011, 10:31 PM

how about beer and such?
With just a few pounds gone, he will look like a different man. I have seen men lose 5-10 pounds all from their stomach and it is amazing how much better they look.

**mg0922** · 01-01-2011, 10:59 PM

He drinks beer once a week. Prob like 10 beers. That's prob not helping his case but he's oblivious to the fact the beer is not helping his case.

**SlimmerMe** · 01-02-2011, 12:23 PM

Beer is famous for the belly. Can you switch him to another drink? It is all baby steps which add up...or down.

**maxwkw** · 01-02-2011, 04:22 PM

His diet will affect far more than any workout he'll be able to do. Get him to start eating better, and in a caloric deficit and he'll start to lose weight.

As far as workouts go, he should see a doctor or physical therapist before he starts anything. Your intentions are noble, but you don't want to see him get hurt trying to get leaner.