I have a client who wants to see results asap for losing 10 lbs and getting a butt lift. What do you recommend?
Some clients do have unrealistic time frames for goals. I have a client who wants to make marked changes in her body in a month. We have worked together for a month already and she said that she feels like she just wants to run a lot to shed 10 lbs.
I have designed several workouts that target her legs, glutes and midsection. Most of the programs include weight lifting along with Tabata or HIIT cardio. She has limited equipment. The heaviest weights she has are 2 10 lb dumbbells. This I know will only get her so far with lower body transformation. She does have cellulite in her buttocks and thighs. She seems to have a tendency towards this as her mother did.
What would you recommend as far as a program for her in the coming month? I feel like she needs to hit the gym where she can do some leg presses/extensions and such with heavier weights and less reps to actually build muscle and not just depend on cardio for body changes. I think she needs to build muscle first and do some cardio at the same time.
I am afraid that if she does heavier lifting and cardio at the same time or at least on the same day, that she will compromise muscle growth.
Really good insight from everyone. The only thing I would like to add is that her goals may not be all that unrealistic.
Really. Ten pounds in a month is not unheard of and falls within the rate of what we consider safe – 1-2 pounds per week and the occasional 3 pounds doesn’t tax the liver and kidneys excessively.
But it depends on how much she has to lose. How close is your client to her final weight goal? If she has 40 pounds total to lose, losing ten of those in a month can be accomplished in one month with just minimal to moderate effort.
But if these are her only 10 pounds that she wants to lose, it’s going to take a lot more focus on her diet than on her workout. Also ask her if she has a pant size she’s working toward – you know, so that she keeps thinking about THAT rather than a number on a scale.
Help her design a plan of eating that follows the general guidelines for weight loss by showing her the information you know about basal metabolic rate. Give her the tools to figure out what hers is, and then ask her to begin writing in a food journal. Help her see where she can make some healthy adjustments to her diet – substituting a few lower calorie items for the higher calorie ones, or adding healthy fats to help her feel satiated.
Also, HIIT training and Tabata often leave people feeling exhausted and hungry. I would save those for just one or two training days.
If she wants to run, let’s get her running. Train her to find her threshhold. I know people are turning away from commonly used terms and I don’t want to get into a debate about the presence of oxygen in the metabolic process, but training clients to do a couple of days a week of low and slow cardio, coupled with HIIT or Tabata on other days, and a systematic approach to lifting with push, pull, and back/legs using body weight for resistance will be incredibly effective.
How old is she? Does she have any limitations? Is she used to running? You’ll want to reduce the risk of injury as she increases mileage – only 10% increased per week is the general guideline that has been effective for my clients.
I hope this has helped you think about things a little bit differently… if you would like to collaborate or have any questions or if there is any way I can help at all please email me at [email protected]. I love collaborating and helping resolve client issues and training challenges.
Ida