Couples are usually a slam dunk when it comes to our weight-loss programs because working with the one you love to get in shape makes it a lifestyle in which two people work together for the common goal of fitness. Steve and Sherri Glock were the perfect example to back this claim, so if you’re looking to get in shape, the best training partner you can get may be the person you’re married to.
When I first met with Steve and Sherri I wasn’t sure what to expect. Steve was very gung-ho about starting, while Sherry was a little apprehensive. To make matters more complicated, they would be doing their program from Maryland, so we would only see them every three weeks. I knew doing the program together would give them an advantage. Both Steve and Sherri had separate training programs that were customized for their fitness levels, but it would be the support of going to the gym together and choosing healthy meals and restaurants that would make their transformation more likely to be successful.
Like most people, Steve and Sherri had a few old injuries that needed to be worked around. Steve had an old shoulder injury, and Sherri had previously hurt her back, so during the first couple weeks we concentrated on increasing limit strength and targeting weaknesses. We also eased into cardio with only six to eight minutes three times a week for each of them at a challenging level to shock their bodies into slow and consistent progress. As they got better, they progressed to make longer sessions and more difficult workouts.
As each week passed, Sherri’s apprehension turned into excitement, and both she and Steve lost an average of two to three-and-a-half pounds a week, which is just what we expect for people to lose weight without losing lean muscle. Steve and Sherri periodically tested in the Bod Pod – our state-of-the-art body fat testing machine – so they could not only see the weight loss but also their change in body composition, and this served as an excellent motivator that seemed to encourage them to work harder.
On Monday, they drove from Maryland to do their final Bod Pod test after 12 weeks of being committed to their body transformation. I was very excited and couldn’t wait to see their final results, and they outperformed my expectations with a combined weight loss of 61 pounds. Steve lost 35.6 pounds, gained an extra three pounds of muscle and lost over 18 percent of his starting body fat. Sherri lost over 25 pounds, gained two-and-a-half pounds of lean muscle and lost 24 percent of her starting body fat. Needless to say, these are outstanding results, and both Steve and Sherri are now in great shape.
“Sherri has about eight trash bags of clothes that don’t fit anymore, and I have been reluctant to buy new clothes because I’m still losing, and my clothes are falling off me,” said Steve. Both Steve and Sherri lost weight again this week after completing the transformation. “The metabolism is firing on all cylinders, and it was great to lose even more the week after finishing the transformation,” Steve added. However, they have learned that weight is not the only way to judge success. “These days we don’t focus so much on the weight but rather the body fat percentage that is optimum for our ages and good health. The weight is going to be what it is, but it’s still nice to see the scale drop every once in a while.”
I’d like to congratulate Steve and Sherri on an incredible job, and they will be training with us over the holidays with the goal of maintaining and then restarting the transformation in the new year for round two.
As I have always said, your training program is only as good as the support you get from friends and family, and that’s why couples have an advantage when it comes to getting in shape if they do it together. So if you are looking for a new training partner, you might just want to consider your spouse and increase your chances for success. It worker great for Steve and Sherri, and I believe it can work the same for you.