BUTT, HONEY ...

I train six days a week, I do cardio every day and I watch everything I eat. I basically live like a bodybuilder. I don't do anything that will make my physique look worse. However, my girlfriend is a different story. I fell in love with her three years ago. She had an amazing body and a great ass. Since then she has put on about 25 pounds and it looks like all the weight went to her butt. This change is affecting our relationship. We fight all the time. We finally talked about the situation and she agreed to start dieting and follow a cardio and weight-training program. It has been about six weeks and she has lost some weight, but not in her rear end. Can you recommend a training program that will help her slim down that area? Thanks, Frank. I really appreciate your help.

Jim Slim
Woodland, California

Let me start by saying, you can't force somebody to follow the lifestyle you have chosen for yourself. Just because you are living the bodybuilder lifestyle doesn't mean she will.

Now, let me ask you a question. What's wrong with a big ass? A lot of guys like a girl with a big ol' butt. Didn't you ever hear the expression, "More cushion for the pushin'."

First of all, she is never going to lose the weight unless she wants to lose it You can talk to her until you are blue in the face, but if she really doesn't want to lose the extra cushion she won't.

You have to get her motivated. Instead of making her feel bad about her big butt make her feel good about herself. You should compliment her and make her feel special. I know it sounds painful to be nice, but you have no choice. The more you belittle somebody because of her shortcomings the more she will refuse to do anything about it.

Congratulate and bit her a gift when she loses 5 pounds. This token will keep her motivated. If you don't you have two choices. The first is find a new girlfriend who is in great shape because that seems to he the most important element in a relationship to you. The second is stay with the girl who has the big, fat butt and learn to live with it.

In regards to training, you can't spot reduce. I don't care what anybody says there is no way you can just reduce one part of your body. For your girlfriend to lose that butt she has to follow a complete diet/cardio and training program.

Here's another old saying, "The first place you gain fat is the last place you will lose it." In this case it is your girlfriend's butt. I do, however, have some suggestions that may help speed up the process. Do the following three cardio exercises. They are very effective in working the gluteus and hamstring muscles.

1. Treadmill on the highest ramp level
2. Stairclimber
3. Elliptical rider

Here's a few more exercises that will work that area:

1. Step ups using a barbell or dumbell
2. Lunges
3. Butt Blaster
4. Stiff-leg deadlifts
5. High-rep Smith machine squats

Good luck in getting your girlfriend back into shape. You better hope she doesn't leave you afterward. She may feel resentful if you don't treat her right. Try to make this experience a fun one so that there are no hard feelings Also, you better stand for ten or she might turn around and point out your shortcomings.