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I'm 22. Female. 244 lbs. 5 ft tall. I'm lost at how to make a fitness plan to follow. I have been working out and eating right sense may 12th 2016. I started out at 251 pounds ... I'm thick and proportionate everywhere. Nothing on me is small. My question is should I just do cardio to loose the weight and then start on weight lifting .. Or do both simultaneously.. I've been doing both.. I set my first realistic goal to 50 lbs weight-loss and then will continue from there.

First the most important thing is your diet.  Since you left out details of your diet, I'll tell you that in general I recommend a calorie restricted ketogenic diet.  For example, this means that if you were accustomed to eating 2400 calories/day, you will now starting reducing it by 200-300 calories per month until you are around 1200 calories or perhaps less.  And because it's ketogenic your ratios would look like this:

  • - 70-75% of total calories from Fat
  • - 20-25% of total calories from Protein
  • - 5-10% of total calories from Carbohydrates

Let's say you set your total calorie intake for the day to be 1500. Here's one way to calculate how many grams of fat, carb and protein to eat:

1500 x .70 = 1050 calories from fat.
Fat has 9 calories per gram = 1050/9 = 116.5 grams of fat. (Reference: 1 tablespoon of butter has 12 grams of fat.)
1500 x .20 = 300 calories from protein.
Protein has 4 calories per gram, = 300/4 = 75 grams of protein. (Reference: an ounce of meat has 7 grams of protein).
1500 x .10 = 150 calories from carbs.
Carbs have 4 calories per gram, = 150/4 = 38 grams of carb. (Reference: 1 slice bread has 25 grams of carb.)

Second... Exercise:
The most important part of exercise is INTENSITY.  While steady state, low intensity exercise (ie. "cardio" such as walking, running, etc.) is beneficial for some calorie expenditure, it really doesn't do much else... unless you simply enjoy walking or you dog could use a lap around the block - then by all means - GO!  But in general cardio does not give you the most bang for your buck. By that I mean it's not the most efficient use of your time or effort.  For example, if you road a stationary bike or walked on a treadmill for 30 minutes you would roughly burn about 300 calories... or about 2 slices of bread.  That's it.  The moment you get off the bike or stop walking the boosted calories expenditure stops as well.

But on the other hand, if you training focused on intensity (meaning high level of difficulty and minimal to no rest) lets say doing a 30 minute high intensity weight lifting circuit (again with minimal rest), you would not only nearly double your calorie expenditure (if not more than double... depending on your level of intensity: 500-700 cal.), you would have the added benefit of further caloric expenditure after you train, as your body responds and recovers due to the intense stimulus you provided.

So to summarize:
  • - Correct dietary lifestyle is most important. (again I suggest a ketogenic diet at a moderate caloric deficit)
  • - "Cardio" is optional... do it if you enjoy it.
  • - High intensity training is a much more beneficial form of exercise, and necessary if you want a more sculpted appearance, stronger bones and muscles, and healthier cardio/pulmonary system.

Answered by Roman Footnick


This is pertaining to a friend, but I am needing some assistance. My friend was previously anorexic (around 2012-2013). She started to eat healthy again (late 2013-2014) and her body went back to its normal weight range. However, recently she has needed to take birth control for some medical issues, but other than that her life has stayed pretty much the same. She had gone astray with her eating habits earlier this year (such as too many sweets, eating out too much, eating late at night, etc.) but recently, she cut all of it back out for the most part. She also started to work out more as well. In about 4 months’ time, she has gained around 40 pounds, which she cannot account for (she doesn't think that her eating habits contributed to this major weight gain, but the birth control cannot be the reason why because its usually only responsible for about 5-10 pounds of weight gain). She keeps trying to tell me that the only time that she’s ever seen weight loss results is when she starves herself, as if her body just “likes to hold on to fat”. She has once again considered starving herself because she is at wits end, but I’m trying to convince her that she cannot give up, even if she thinks that she’s doing everything “right”. She said that her workouts are frequent and that they are at a moderate to strenuous activity level, but I still feel as though there hasn’t been enough time for her to see results because she is very impatient at the moment. Can you give me a new reason to explain to her why she might not be losing weight like she wants to? And why she keeps gaining? I know that there can be a LOT of factors that would contribute to this (I am a nutrition major and I plan to get my degree in personal training in the near future), but as of now, she is thoroughly CONVINCED that her body is just a “fat magnet” that won’t let go of the excess weight that she currently has. Thanks for everything in advance! (she is 19 years old, 240 pounds, and she has ovarian cysts which is the reason that she was put on birth control)

I'm very happy to hear that your friend is not anorexic anymore and that she eats healthy.
Your friend will need to consult her doctor about replacing her birth control pills. Her body might react differently to other birth control solutions and with the right type of birth control she will go back to her normal weight range.


How do you get rid of lower belly fat?

This is a common question on Workout Doc, you may find a few answers here.

Answered by Jamie Kerem


I am 19 yr old boy weight 160lbs. I have a layer of fat on my belly. I want it gone and a flat stomach..Please give me some exercise to get rid of it fast.

The best exercise I know of to get rid of belly fat is to rotate your head left to right and back again. Do this any time someone offers you bad food.


If you couldn't tell from my hilarious joke, fat loss comes in the form of proper nutrition, not exercise. You can aid in fat loss with exercise through extra calories burned, but you will never get anywhere if you make bad food choices.


Cut out the junk, soda and fast food and start eating more whole foods. Meat, complex carbs like sweet potatoes and veggies and some fruit thrown into the mix will see your stomach shrinking in no time.

Answered by Jamie Kerem


I have a extra flesh (fat) on my stomach. I wanna lose it the fastest way i can and the most effective way. What are the exercises i should do? And please tell me the schedule for them. I am a male, 19 yrs, 160 pounds. Along with that if i could build some muscles it would be great.

High intensity interval training has been proven to burn fat more efficiently than most other cardio routines and I am a firm believer in it's methods.


3 or 4 times a week, go and do cardio in a manner that will raise and lower your heart rate intermittently. It's simple:



Pick a cardio exercise you enjoy (running, biking, swimming)



Perform the exercise all out for 30 seconds. When I say all out, I mean with the most intensity you can endure, giving it 100% for 30 seconds.



Rest for 1 minute.



Repeat 4 or 5 times. 


You can, of course, tweak this to your needs, but research has proven that doing HIIT in a 1:2 manner (work:rest) gives best results.


HIIT has also been proven to build muscle as you are firing your muscles in a rapid manner, much like a sprinter would, and therefore stimulating them for growth.

Answered by Jamie Kerem


dear trainer, i am 26 years old . weigh around 100 kilos have to get some weight down, have started going to the gym, need a small piece of advise on whether i can take fat burners to aid my weight loss. is lipo 6 a good fat burner . please do let me know regards anish

Yes, Lipo 6 is a reliable product. You should always check with your doctor before taking any sort of stimulant, but I know of Lipo 6's previous results.

However, keep in mind that a fat burner is not a magic pill, you need to have your training and diet in perfect check before you can start seeing magnificent results. 

Answered by Jamie Kerem


I am 15 years old, 125 pounds and 5'4, and I am a female. I have little belly fat and I have abs underneath the fat. I've tried many ab workouts and none have work to eliminate the fat. I want to have a toned mid section with no fat. So I was wondering, what is way to do this? Diet plan, exercise plan, tips. etc., Please and thank you :)

Hi there,


There's a reason the ab workouts won't reveal your muscles. The only thing that reveals a toned muscle is fat loss. When your body fat goes down, the muscle will be more prominent.


Instead of focusing on ab exercises, aim to train your cardiovascular system, working high intensity training into your routine. Try things like hill sprints, jump rope, even high knees and jumping jacks in the comfort of your living room.

When you lose the body fat, your coveted ab muscles (which are already there) will show. 

Answered by Jamie Kerem


Hi, my name is Samantha. I am just wondering if this it is unhealthy to do 3 20 minute workouts daily? I am trying to lose maximum weight and for once i have the time. I have been doing jillian michael's 30 day shred and I am seeing great results. But obviously, i need more. I dont need to lose 20 pounds in 20 weeks! I know that's impossible, but will 3 daily workouts benefit me, or actually be an issue.

It can become a serious issue if you are under-eating and therefore not recovering fully. I'll assume you are under-eating in order to be in a caloric deficit and lose poundage, so doing 3 20 minute workouts can affect your recovery.


However, if you are smart about it, eat balanced meals, drink plenty of water, supplement for recovery, and do so around your workouts, it could be beneficial to speed up weight loss. Aim to lose 1 pound a week, this slow and steady goal will keep away the fat longer than losing 2 pounds a week and having it creep back after a while.

Answered by Jamie Kerem


Hello, Reikiron here with another update before the new year. I am now under 240 ibs as of Dec 16th! Again, I am a 23 y/o male, stand 5'9" with a weight just below 240 ibs, down from 280+ in Sept 11th, 2013. My goals are to be walking on my hands, pullups, etc by June, 2014. My diet consists of quite a bit of fruit, meats, cheese and naked juice to cover some veggies. As of Nov 22nd, I had to stop exercising altogether because I found work at amazon, and have been on my feet for 11 hour shifts for 5 days a week. I'm exhausted! On that note, I'm still going strong and eating what i love in a healthy manner. I plan to incorporate some slow, low impact calisthenics in the weeks following the new year; burpees, flutterkicks and hopefully regular pushups! I look forward to reading your advice! -Reikiron

Hey Reikiron!


I am so very impressed with your progress. It is great to receive constant updates from you.

My one tip in regards to your update would be to watch the sugar content on that juice, often times these juices are just as bad as soda and processed juices and are just disguised to be healthy.

Please let me know how those calisthenic exercises work for you.
On a side note, you really should take pictures (front/side/back) to track your progress and look back on when you are rocking your new healthy and fit body. 

Answered by Jamie Kerem


Hello, Reikiron here with an update. I followed the advice given on my previous question and am now down to 257 ibs as of November 12th, 2013. Again, I'm a 23 y/o male, now 257ib (down from 280 Sept 11th, 2013), and my goal is to do hand-stands, a single pullup, etc by June 18th, 2014. I changed my workout routine a little. I now run H.I.I.T. every morning for 15 sec running and 40 sec walking; 15min max or if I can't run again. I then do 3 sets, 15 reps of Pushups (on me knees), Lunges, and supported crunches. I cannot do all of the reps per set, but I try to do as many as possible. I've been eating small amounts, but in much more quantity throughout the day; Handful of lean meat portions along with a handful a fruit, which lasts me around two hours, then I eat whenever I feel the need (which is usually every 1hr and 45min or so). My Question: Is this an ideal workout for losing weight and toning my body for the heavier body-weight workouts later on? My entire workout (running+body-weight exc.) lasts about 45-50min. Also, I've noticed a slight plateu as of last week. I calculated my weightloss as roughly 5ib a week, now I'm at roughly 2ib a week. -Reikiron

Reikiron I am so glad that you followed up with an update.


It's exciting to hear of your accomplishments so far, and from the sound of it, you will go far in your weight loss journey. You have the dedication, listened to my advice, and are headed in the right direction. 


Rest assured that you are doing what you need to. H.I.I.T shouldn't last more than 20 minutes (even for in-shape athletes) so 15 minutes is plenty, as long as you are giving it your all.


Eating small amounts frequently sounds like it's going a long way to ward off hunger and keep you eating the right foods in the right amounts.


To adress your concern of a weight loss stall, it simply comes down to water weight.


You were losing 5lbs a week because a decent portion of that was all the water your body was holding on to from an inconsistent diet.
2lbs a week is plenty! I would estimate that by June you could get down to ~215. I wouldn't want to limit you though, you could be able to get below 200! The important thing to remember is to stay consistent and progress.


I'd love to hear from you again in a couple of months.


 

Answered by Jamie Kerem


what are some good exercise to help reduce your love handles fast? i'm 15 years old i weigh 160 pounds and i'm a female i don't really care about losing weight i want to lose inches insted.

Weight and inches go hand in hand. You cannot spot-reduce fat, meaning you cannot target your love handles and expect weight to only come away from there.


Understand that everyone's body type is different and where you may have bigger hips, someone else may have wider shoulders. You cannot change your bone structure, but you can still look healthy and fit by losing weight by being dedicated to a good workout and nutrition plan.

Answered by Jamie Kerem


i really need help with my lower back fat please

There is no such thing as spot-reduction. That is to say you cannot lose fat in specific, wanted areas. So if you want to lose fat in your lower back area, you're going to need to lose fat in general. Follow a solid exercise and nutrition plan that allows you to gradually lose weight and your back fat will come away.

Answered by Jamie Kerem


I'm a 14 year old, Male, that weighs 185 lbs. I'm 5'5" so, I'm considered obese. I have athsmatic issues and I can't really do a bunch of running before I start to breathe hard. I want to be around 135 lbs, or the healthy weight for my age!. I'm so confused about what to do, and how many calories to lose and to eat, and what to eat and do to lose weight! I want to be skinny, and have a flat stomach. Please Help! I have no exercising equipment and just myself. Help please!

You have come to the right place.I'll get right down to the science. 3500 calories equals 1 pound of fat. Therefore if you wanted to lose 1 pound a week (a steady and sustainable goal) you would need to consume 500 calories less than what you expend. Find out your BMR (there are plenty of resources online available to calculate your BMR - your Basal Metabolic Rate. Once you know how many calories you need to consume to maintain the current weight you have, start by dropping that number by 500 every day. If no weight loss occurs, drop that number by another 200. Do this until you are losing weight at a steady pace.


While your asthma does present an issue, it is no excuse to not get in shape. Proper nutrition and daily exercise will bring you to your goal no matter what.


You do not have to exercise in such a manner that will cause an asthmatic attack, but just moving everyday will teach your body that it's time to change!


You also don't need any equipment if none is available to you. DO bodyweight workouts (pushups, dips, squats, lunges) and play your favorite sports.


As long as you stay away from nutritionless food, you'll soon see your body change.

Answered by Jamie Kerem


i'm a 15 year old girl and want to loose weight, i have an exercising bike at home but i was wondering how long would i have to use it each day for it to make a difference.

Any time spent on the bike will make a difference. Losing weight is a matter of burning more calories than you consume.


So watch what you eat (tracking or writing down what you eat would be even better), and spend 20-30 minutes on the bike.

30 minutes on the bike can burn +- 300 calories (depending on your weight and intensity). If you are in a daily caloric deficit of 300, you can be sure to lose a pound at least every 2 weeks. 

Answered by Jamie Kerem


Hi, I'm 14 and I really want to lose weight. I weight 128 pounds. I was wondering if you could give me some tips of eating healthier and workout tips, Please reply as soon as possible.

Hello! I'm so glad you've decided to take control of your health at such a young age. The habits you form now could stick with you for the rest of your life, shaping you to be the best you can be.


If you'd like to lose some body fat, and start eating healthier in general, I like to say that the first thing to go should be soda.
You wouldn't eat 26 teaspoons of sugar, so why drink it?
Follow up by eating less fast food, processed food, or anything with lots of chemicals and unnecessary ingredients.
Make sure to eat breakfast every day and try to include protein of some sort at every meal. This will ensure your metabolism runs high and you burn more calories throughtout the day resulting in fat loss.


At your age I wouldn't start pushing around heavy weight, you haven't given your body a chance to fully develop, but certainly don't shy away from resistance based exercises. Give plyometrics a try - it's a fun, quick and versatile way to melt bodyfat.
Exercises like burpees, squats, lunges, and sprints could make up a typical plyometrics routine.


Keep it up and don't lose track!

Answered by Jamie Kerem


Everyone in My Family is Fat, is it Impossible For me to Get Thin?

There’s a common misconception that genetics has anything to do with your current weight or physique. Yes, genetics will determine your bone structure (length, size, location of joint connections), as well as where you store fat, but it has not, does not, and will never determine how you look for life.


Weight loss is simple (please note that I said simple, not easy). Calories, much like fuel for a car, are the body’s form of energy. Unlike a car however, when you expend more calories than you consume, you don’t putter down to a halt, but rather begin to burn body fat as a source of energy. A caloric deficit is necessary for weight loss and it’s as simple as that. Now how you go about achieving that caloric deficit for an extended period of time is where the challenge begins. Start by cutting out all unnecessary food groups such as soda, cookies and cakes, and sweets. They provide no nutritional value for your body and put you at an extremely high risk of going into a caloric surplus. Next, watch your portions. It’s been proven that people grossly underestimate just how many calories are in the food on their plate. If you’re unsure, measure it and look it up! There are countless resources available online depicting the exact nutritional value of the foods you eat.


Hard work will overcome genetics 100% of the time. Put in the hours, stay true and dedicated to your goal, and start paying attention to the food you eat, and I promise you, no matter how out of shape your mom or dad is, you will see a change in your body.

Answered by Jamie Kerem


Hi! I have muscular legs, especially in the calves that look really bulky and I'm looking to thin them out. I also want to do cardio to lose some belly fat but I don't want to bulk my legs up even more. Can you offer some insight? Thanks!

Hello there!


First off let me say that, having naturally muscular legs, you're one of the lucky ones. It takes most people years to build up formidable leg size.


Spot reduction, or reducing one's body fat in a specific area or "spot", is a myth and simply not possible. That being said, cardio will lean out your entire body.


The only way you will end up bulking your legs is if you eat to bulk! It's physically impossible to add more size to your legs if you are eating in a manner to lose weight (a caloric deficit). So I wouldn't worry about your legs getting bigger if you do cardio in an attempt to shed some unwanted belly fat.


I would stick to steady state cardio (as high intensity interval training puts you at risk of building muscle in your legs) and a gradual decrease of carbohydrates over a lengthy period of time. Aim to lose 1 pound a week through your gradually increasing cardio time and gradually decreasing carbohydrate intake and you'll start to see that fat melt away!

Answered by Jamie Kerem


I was wondering if you could give me tips on working out. I wanna lose weight and then tone up with muscle. I looked online about it and I kept getting weird results.

Hi there,


If your main goal is to lose weight while simultaneously toning the muscle you already have, your best bet would be to follow a HIIT (High, Intensity Interval Training) program. This typically involves short bursts of intense workload (like sprints), followed by 30 seconds - 1 minute rest.


While this may not burn as many calories during the workout as compared to steady state running, it does fire up your metabolism through post workout oxygen consumption, and allows you to burn more calories throughout the day.


This, coupled with a healthy diet will help you lose weight (and keep it off!) and tone up muscle.

Answered by Jamie Kerem


Would like a workout program that includes, swimming three times a week. Monday, Wednesday & Friday. and the use of my in home Bowflex extreme. Current weight at 265lbs. Want to be 200lbs in 4 months ? Mostly belly fat . Can it be done? Please provide a plan that will increase strength & stamina.

I do not recomment losing more then 3 lbs a week.


If you want to lose 65 lbs in four months, then swimming three times per week and working out on the bowflex 5 time a day for 1 hour will be helpful. But you need to focus on nutrition, It is necessary to consume fewer calories than you normally do.


Just to make it more clear, if you wise to lose four pounds per week, you'll need to use 2,000 more calories than your calorie intake.

There are many other factors that effect fitness outcomes, I strongly recommend you to hire a local trainer to provide you with a personalized plan.


Hello, I am a 15 year old boy, I weigh 170lbs and I am 5'8". I am fairly active and just started watching what I eat. Im in fairly good shape, but I have some unwanted fat around my stomach and butt. I would like to know what training would be best in order to lose this fat and get 6 pack abs.

Everyone has abdominal muscles, but some appear less defined because they are covered by a layer of fat. In your teens, you may still be shedding some of the extra fat deposits that developed in your childhood or during puberty. Staying active by playing sports, riding a bike or doing another fun activity like swimming will help you burn fat from your problem areas. You can strengthen the muscles in those areas with toning exercises, but you will see more definition once the muscles are no longer covered by fat.


I am 18, weigh 128. I would like to loose a couple of pounds, and get some muscle. Should I lose weight and then gain muscle?

Ideally you would work on toning up at the same time as losing weight. Cardio is important for weight loss but so is resistance training. When you do resistance exercises you are also burning calories as well as increasing your metabolism. As a side note, muscle 'looks' better than fat, when toning up you will appreciate the benefits just as you would with losing a couple of pounds. Aim to workout 3-5 days a week and incorporate both cardio and resistance (weights, bands, or using your body as resistance).


Weight training for weight loss

As you go about your busy day do you sometimes wish you can burn more calories even when you don't have time to squeeze in a workout? Well you can. The more muscle you have on your body the more calories you burn every day , even when you're sleeping! unlike fat, which just sits on your body, your muscles actually work all day, burning calories all the time. the more muscle you have the more calories you will burn. thats why doing a workout that includes resistance training is very important. resistance training is any exercise that requires your body to work against resistance, this can be an external weight (like a dumbbell), your own body weight or even an inaimate object (like a wall). Resistance training is not just for those people who want to build muscles size (ex bodybuilders) but even for women who just want to 'tone up' and lose weight. If your resistance workout is geared towards your workout goals then you will not end up with bulkier muscles than you would like.So when it comes to losing weight resistance training will help you burn more calories and at the same time give you a more toned appearance.