Good program for a beginner.

First off, let me explain.

My wife is not the fitness type. WHATSOEVER.

We tried P90x. She made it 3 days. Too tough for her.

I need something simple she can do to get started. Something that isn't going to frustrate her. Something she will actually finish and see some results with. Then after that, we can do P90x or Insanity or whatever we decide then.

She has NO motivation at all. And she isn't in shape at all. She walks everyday with some friends, but that's about the most of her exercise. We have a 3 yr old, so time is limited as well.

Anybody have any ideas on what i can get her started with?

She's not overweight at all, just has a little baby fat left around the belly she is very self conscious of.

I need some advice...

 

What kind of shape are you in? Not to sound like a dick, but if you're not in shape, why should she be?

IMO, Try and make it a family event at first. That way it's more fun than anything else. Get out and do some hiking or bicycling. Nothing extreme, just something to get active. Once she starts seeing results, she will most likely be motivated to do more strenuous activities. And you will slowly reap the rewards.

Also, eating habits. As a family, you need to start eating a balanced diet. That way you are supporting each other. Not fair for you to eat Mcd's while she eats a home made salad.

Be careful on how you approach the subject. Weight loss is a very tricky subject for most women. My wife loves hiking, raquetball, snowshoeing, and a lot of other things. She's not a gym rat like myself nor is she super athletic. But she likes to do active things with me, so we manage.

This is just general info and is my opinion on the subject. I'm not a professional trainer or therapist, but good luck.

 

^^ No sugars, no bread, no pasta, no alcohol. Should be a good start.

 

if shes not motivated its not gonna work, thats the first thing that needs to change. and cutting out "boredom" snacks helps wonders too...when you bored and raid the kitchen but your not hungry, dont get the snack, go for a walk, bike ride, do something instead.

excersizing first thing in the morning is best, gets the metabolism going

 

oh yeah when i started working out, i did 1 set of ten reps then increased accordingly.
10 situps
10 pushup
blah blah

but if hers is tummy have her do lateral work. then after a week increase the number of reps. using 8 or 10lb weights help too...i got pretty toned using a 10lb but have her work her way up to it. helps if you have a work out buddy unless your motivated to do it so find something you can do with her.

 

Well for 1 thing, it looks to me as the OP's wife wants to do something, just can't seem to get into it. That it OP? My honest opinion for someone like her is the Wii or something similar. The Wii has some good work out "games" and not only that but there is some actual games that git you moving. My wife didn't really like to workout either, but she likes to do things on the Wii. She has a few work out games for it. Something like that is fun and itnot so much like working out. Also, if you get the right diet, they have yoga on there too, that if you get into it is a good workout for her.

 

ZUMBA!!!!

the ladies here at work love it and say it works, im not that much into dancing.

 

i've been wanting to try p90x...interested in selling yours?

 

Yoga or Pilates.

 

Changing diet - cutting out sugar (balancing sugar with carbs intake) has done unbelievably well for me. I have lost 23 pounds in the last 2 months by just cutting out chocolates and soda/juice/sweet tea.
I still use a little sugar, but try to limit it to under 20 grams a day. A soda or sweet tea for instance has 36 grams of sugar, a milkshake has 80 grams etc.
I lost the 23 pounds without changing my exercise routine, I am sure if I get a little more active that would have helped even more.
So, for me, aside from regular exercise, diet is very important.

 

I second the WII thing. However, instead of doing workout specific games, pick up a couple of dance games. There are several that are specific to kids. Now youve got something to entertain the 3 y.o. and while your wife works on perfecting the technique, she will start toning without realizing it. Btw this works on multiple levels, child bonding, family activity, stealth workouts.

 

Thanks for all the tips...

Here's some answers to the above questions...

I am in pretty decent shape. I mountain bike, ski, walk the woods hunting, stuff like that. So it's hard for me to do something with her. Something easy for me can be brutal for her. Example, P90x, the pushups...first time i did the chest workout, 30-40 pushups at once was brutal. I looked over at her, she barely squeezed out one.

I've lifted and been active my whole life. She's not the most athletic person alive...lol.

But she has the will. She wants to do it, she just wants something she CAN do. Make sense?

diet wise, we aren't the healthiest eaters, but there are no Little debbies in the house or things like that...Hell, the most junk food in my house right now is a bag of sun chips and a bag of cheetos for my son.

We just need to get moving...And its tough when your used to coming home and kinda relaxing all evening to get out of that habit.

We have a Wii. We used to use it alot, not so much once the initial fun stage was over.

I think for starters, I am just going to start walking our dogs every evening when we get home...Hot, Cold, Snow, Rain, whatever, just always walk the dogs. Then when she gets used to that, maybe start jogging the dogs. Then maybe work our way up to a few pushups between commercials or something. I had a pullup bar at the top of the stairs when i was in college. Everytime i walked up or down, 10 pullups. Kinda simple, but it worked.

 

This, it don't get more begginer than this:

http://hundredpushups.com/


http://www.onefiftydips.com/


http://www.twohundredsquats.com/


http://www.exrx.net/Aerobic/Exercises/MountainClimber.html


http://twentypullups.com/


VERY Effective! I've done them. Don't sweat if it takes you longer to achieve than 6 weeks, but stick with it, and it will take you places, you could only dream off!

 

Great starting point. My wife and/or I walk our dogs twice a day. She's been doing it for the past four months since I'm deployed.

 

when you work out with her, pay attention to her, if she starts falling behind slow down to her pace, it will keep her more motivated and less left behind and frustrated feeling

 

How bout a Moutain bike for her? She into that at all? How old is your son? that could be a family thing. Me and my wife have both have a bike, we have not rode them in a while , but they are easy to toss in the truck and go to somewhere everyone can ride. Even just a little bit every day. I think walking is always put down as not good enough, but if you walk at a nice steady pace and for a nice distance, I think its just as good if not better than jogging. Easier on the joints too.