Training advice for my partner

[payney24]

Hi,

I'm after a bit of advice for training for my partner. She is currently on a diet and is doing really well, She's lost nearly a stone and is hoping to lose nearly another to get to her target weight of about 8.5 stone. She's only 5'1 tall and struggles to lose weight due to being type 1 diabetic. She is what would be described as the classic pear shape. She has decided she should be doing some form of excersize aswell as just the diet now to aid with the weight loss and to help her tone up and has asked my for help. However, i have basic knowedge of training but for men. I suppose it will be different for her as we dont really have the same goals and thats why i'm asking for advice. Can anyone recomend any excersizes or routines to help her tone up and generally help with the weight loss? (She in particular wants to tone her upper arms/triceps and hips/ass) I have told her that you cant choose where the weight will be lost from but toning may help, is this correct? Equipment wise what we currently have for her to use at home is a swiss/ stability ball and a set of small dumbells (0.5, 1, 1.5kg) a wii fit and she has some running trainers. Any advice would be much appreciated. She has said that if she gets in to the swing or things and enjoys it she may join a local gym.

Thanks in advance

[MissVanda]

Well good for her for doing so well already, she must be very proud and really fired up to keep on it. There's lots she can do, and lots of different ways to do it. Others will give you masses of ideas and probably be much more helpful, but she wouldn't do badly to just start with some body weight exercises a couple of times a week. And stick to big compoud exercises. I'd so something like circuits that helps to keep people a bit more interested?

[Just a Girl]

Well,as I'm sure you're aware you cannot tone a muscle. The look she is seeking will come from losing body fat so that the shape of her muscles is visible. However if she doesn't have a great base, she's just going to look scrawny once the fat has gone.

She doesn't need to train differently to you - she has the same muscles and they need to be worked the same. I'd recommend a full body routine comprised of big compounds with a few isolation exercises thrown in at the end.

Make sure she is eating plenty - so many women try and lose weight by drastically slashing calories which isn't necessary. A 10-15% reduction (from diet & exercise combined) will be plenty.

And please, get her to lift heavy. 1.5kg dumbbells aren't good for anything really

[payney24]

Quote

Well good for her for doing so well already, she must be very proud and really fired up to keep on it. There's lots she can do, and lots of different ways to do it. Others will give you masses of ideas and probably be much more helpful, but she wouldn't do badly to just start with some body weight exercises a couple of times a week. And stick to big compoud exercises. I'd so something like circuits that helps to keep people a bit more interested?

Thanks for the reply, She's very proud of her self and i'm proud of her too for sticking withit and seeing the results. The results are motivating her to continue aswell which is a good thing.

[payney24]

Quote

Well,as I'm sure you're aware you cannot tone a muscle. The look she is seeking will come from losing body fat so that the shape of her muscles is visible. However if she doesn't have a great base, she's just going to look scrawny once the fat has gone.

She doesn't need to train differently to you - she has the same muscles and they need to be worked the same. I'd recommend a full body routine comprised of big compounds with a few isolation exercises thrown in at the end.

Make sure she is eating plenty - so many women try and lose weight by drastically slashing calories which isn't necessary. A 10-15% reduction (from diet & exercise combined) will be plenty.

And please, get her to lift heavy. 1.5kg dumbbells aren't good for anything really

Thanks for the reply, Your right about her needing to get a bit of muscle she may look scrawny as you say. I think she is like most women and thinks lifting weights is for men and if she does she'll end up looking like a bloke! Like so many others she thinks it's all about cardio. I'll point her in the direction of your blog and get to have a read of that, (if you dont mind that is) Show her what can be acheived as you've made a great transformation.

I know the small dumbells are pretty useless but i think they will be good to get her used to using weight and getting form correct aswell, couple this with some body weight excersizes to start with like BW squats ect. She is currently very inactive and i think she needs to start out light and and take it from there.