The Healthy Way To Get Fit and Lose Weight
Simple Diet, Hard Workouts!
The Motley Health fitness and weight loss system is based on the best performing exercises and dieting methods that we have researched and shared with you over last half a decade.
The MCD Weight Loss Plan is a unique way to lose weight. It combines the best Muscle building workouts with Cardio routines and Diet rules to help you lose weight quickly and safely and keep the weight off.
(advertisement)
If you have any questions about the plan please ask below and we shall answer you personally.
M is For Muscle
Muscle is essential for a fit and healthy body. Few people have adequate muscle mass to perform even the most basic exercises. More muscle means you can workout harder and also, most importantly, you burn more fat because muscle increases your metabolism.
C is for Cardio
Cardio workouts are the traditional way for most people to try to lose weight, but not all cardio is equal. Some workouts will help you lose weight much quicker than others. We will teach you how to workout in the most effective way possible.
D is for Diet
Last but certainly not least is diet. By diet we mean everything that you eat and drink. No exceptions. Years of fitness and weight loss research have shown that a calorie controlled diet is the best way to lose weight. However, counting calories is so last century. Instead we teach you how to eat, and when to eat, to help you burn maximum fat and shed weight quickly.
MCD Weight Loss Plan
Putting it altogether we have the MCD Weight Loss Plan. For this system we provide you with workout plans, weekly routines, motivational tips and advice on how and when to exercise, plus advice on what you should be eating.
Here we cover a weight loss regime, which will be adequate to help most people start losing weight quickly. To make things more interesting for you we shall be adding new workouts and pointing you to specific parts of the site where you can find more detailed information on how to get fit and lose weight. This weight loss plan is not only for people looking to lose belly fat, it is for everyone that wants to lose weight and get fit.
(advertisement)
First we will discuss the exercises that will be done as part of the MCD Weight Loss Plan. Then we shall explain the diet rules. Finally we shall put it all together in a weekly plan that you can follow and later modify to help you get started on your weight loss journey.
What Do You Need?
There is an emphasis on weight training, so you will need access to some weight training equipment. Ideally some free weights with a power cage, but resistance machines are also effective. A power rack/cage and some free weights is actually cheaper than many annual gym memberships so you should consider making an investment in a home gym. Then you have a 24 hour, 7 day a week gym that you have exclusive use of. But if you have a gym at work, or friends have weight training equipment, then make use of this too.
For the cardio workouts you can make do with just some good running shoes, or some swimwear if you choose to swim. If you have an exercise bike, rowing machine, elliptical trainer or treadmill then these will all be very useful as you will be able to guarantee that you exercise on a regular basis.
Muscle Building Workouts
There are two ways to build muscle: bodyweight exercises and weight training exercises using free weights or resistance machines. If you have done no strength training at all then you will benefit a lot from starting off with bodyweight training alone. In fact, one of the most advanced muscle building exercises are bodyweight exercises – the pull up.
The Big Bodyweight Exercises
For maximum muscle growth and fat burning you should perform these big movements as part of your strength training workouts each week:
- Squats. Perform full / deep squats. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart with toes pointing slightly outwards and then squat down, keeping your head up and your back straight, until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Your backside will almost be touching the floor. Perform these slowly at first as you should be warmed up well before doing these with any intensity. As part of your weight loss plan keep challenging yourself to perform more squats. Start with 50 repetitions (reps) and aim to increase this on each workout.
- Pull Ups and Chin Ups. These are the exercises where you lift your whole body weight with just your arms (using the back muscles). They are extremely hard to perform but are excellent for building real strength and burning fat. Before you start performing standard pull ups you will need to perform various modified and assisted pull ups to build your strength. Learn how to develop pull up strength with our pull up workout.
- Dips- Dips work the triceps (the largest muscle in the arm) and the back. They are extremely hard for the novice trainer and require some solid dip bars / parallel bars. Which is why you can start with modified dips:
- Modified Dips – Like modified pull ups these allow you to perform more repetitions, and therefore work your body harder, before you have gained the strength required to perform the full exercise. To perform modified dips sit on a chair (a solid chair) or on a weight training bench. Grip the edge of the seat either side of your hips, and then raise yourself off the chair (with feet still firming on the ground and legs straight) and shift your weight forwards. You then use your arms to lower yourself to the floor and lift again. This exercise works the triceps and shoulders as well as the back. It is an excellent muscle building exercise. Perform 3 or 4 sets of 10.
- Push Ups- The classic bodyweight exercise, also one of the most important. They work the arms and back, as well as shoulders. They build muscle and improve overall strength. When done correctly they strengthen the back and support the spine.
- Standard Push Ups – These are performed with your palms on the floor approximately shoulder width apart and the finger tips facing forwards. Your body should remain straight, your back should not arch. Simple lower your chest to the floor and raise again.
- Modified Push Ups – If you cannot perform 10 standard push ups, then do modified ones instead. Start in the same position as the standard push up and then place your knees on the floor. Keeping your body straight from shoulder to knee, perform push ups in the same way. You should only do these on a soft surface, such as on grass, a fitness mat or well cushioned carpet, to avoid knee injury. You can also place a towel under your knees for extra comfort. Test yourself each week – if you can perform 10 standard push ups you do not need to do the modified ones.
- Bicycles – Bicycles are almost a cross between a V sit-up and a crunch. They are thought to be the best exercise for the core and the abdominals, which is why we favor them over crunches. To perform these you have to perform 3 movements: Lie on the floor as you would to do a crunch / sit-up. While lifting one knee towards your head, stretch the other foot out straight and also twist your torso upwards with your hands behind your head (or with fingers lightly touching your temples) so that the opposite elbow comes to meet the knee. Then repeat on the opposite side. Do as many of these as you can then stop for a rest and repeat. Your legs should follow a cycling motion while your waist and upper body is twisting and lifting.
These are the main bodyweight exercises that you should be performing to build athletic muscle that will help your burn more fat and raise your metabolism.
You can either add these to your usual workout or perform them all together as a workout.
- Squats: The squats are a good way to warm up, so it comes first. Perform at least 50 to start with, even if that requires 5 sets of 10 squats.
- Pull Ups: Perform the modified pull ups first (easy modified if required), then the assisted pull ups, then the chin ups. Try to complete 20 repetitions in total, which could be 10 modified, 5 assisted pull ups then 5 assisted chin ups. You should feel exhausted after these, if you are not then your legs are working too hard.
- Dips: Perform as many as you can, then rest for a couple of minutes and repeat.
- Push Ups: Next do the push ups, keep a good form and do as many as you can, rest, repeat.
- Bicycles (for abs): Finally the bicycles to work the abdominals and core. Perform as many as you can, rest, repeat.
The Weight Training Exercises
We recommend that you perform weight training exercises with free weights whenever possible. However, if you only have access to resistance machines, use these instead. Weight training is a vital part of a fitness and weight loss program, so do not neglect it for any reason.
(advertisement)
Both men, women and young adults (teenagers) will benefit from weight training. The advice to teenagers is to not go heavy too soon as your spine and other bones are still developing and frequent heavy lifting can cause problems, especially if correct form is not maintained at all times.
For women, please believe us when we say that you will not bulk up. The purpose of weight training is to build lean muscle tissue that will make you look curvier and healthier. Your goal should be to look more like a professional tennis player than a female bodybuilder, and these workouts will help you achieve that look.
The first of these exercises are the ones that we introduced to you in the MotleyHealth Core Four workout.
- Squats – These are performed in the same way as bodyweight squats, only instead you hold a barbell on the back of your shoulders. They work the thighs and glutes and are excellent strength and muscle builders. Many gyms have leg press machines which mimic this exercise, but we prefer the free weight version. Learn to squat properly.
- Bench Press – The classic upper body weight training exercise. Lie on a weight lifting bench, ideally inside a power rack / cage for safety. Then using a weighted barbell lift the weight from your chest upwards until your arms are straight. The movement should be steady. Palms should face away from you and your elbows will point outwards. Perform 3 sets of 8 at a weight that you are comfortable with, but which challenges you in the last 2 reps. The resistance machine equivalent is the chest press. Bench press tutorial.
- Bent Over Row - These are performed using a barbell again. During this exercise you should have your knees slightly bent and your back straight, and facing forward while bent over.You start in a position so that the barbell is at knee height, then lift the weight to your torso. Lift in smooth movements. Ensure good posture, that your back does not curve, keeping your chin up and looking forward instead of down helps. The resistance machine equivalent is the cable row. Learn to do a bent over row.
- Barbell Curl - This is the classic bicep exercise. There are many ways to curl, but the barbell curl is possibly the best for building strength and burning fat. You lift a heavier weight and do more work for each exercise, so burn more fat. If you wish to start building bigger biceps and changing their shape then you will need to “isolate” the muscle and do a variety of bicep exercises, but for weight loss and general muscle growth the barbell curl is ideal. Find out how to do a barbell curl.
- Shoulder Press - The shoulder press is often also called the military press. Sit on a solid bench, ideally with a back support, and lift a barbell from shoulder height, but in front of you (bar resting on upper chest) until it is above your head. Lower and repeat. It is important to keep your back straight and erect to avoid injury, and also avoid utilising the muscles in your upper chest. The upper chest muscles are stronger than the shoulder muscles so you will be assisting the exercise too much if you lean back even slightly. Shoulder press / military press tutorial.
- One Arm Dumbbell Rows - These are done by standing next to a bench, with one knee on a bench and the other next to it, and bent over with one hand (same side as knee) resting on the bench. The other arm holds a dumbbell. Then lift the dumbbell to your ribs and lower again slowly. Perform a set of 8 on one arm and then change to the opposite arm before repeating the sets.
- Lateral Raises - Lateral raises are another shoulder exercise. They are done with a pair of dumbbells. Hold the dumbbells in front of you at about waist height while bending very slightly forward, and keeping a straight back. Keep your elbows slightly bent, and then lift the dumbbells outwards to each site until they are shoulder height. More on how to do lateral raises.
- Tricep Extensions - Ideally these should be done with a tricep bar. Holding the tricep bar above your head with a parallel grip you simply lower the bar behind your head by bending your arms then lift up again. Learn how to perform tricep extensions.
- Deadlifts - Last but not least are the deadlifts. These are another of the big movements. They should be performed at the start of the weight training workout when you still have most energy. They strengthen the core and back. Start with a barbell on the floor, your feet slightly under the bar. Grip the bar in an overhand grip (palms facing you) and while keeping your back straight you straighten your legs and lift from your lower back, pulling the bar up to your upper thigh area, keeping your arms straight. The same exercise can be done with dumbbells as well. Look at the Deadlift lesson for more information.
Many of these exercises work the same muscles as the bodyweight exercises so you will not be doing all the exercises on the same day. Splitting your workouts so that you only work some muscle groups on any one day is a good way to allow you to work harder, maintain energy levels and reduce risk of injury.
The number of repetitions you perform also makes a difference to how your body develops. It is recommended that as a beginner you start with higher reps using a lower weight, as this means you do more work (burn more calories) and give your muscles some time to develop before you start hitting them harder with more intensive workouts. This article explains how different rep ranges build different muscle.
Also, some of the weight training exercises will help you to develop your strength to perform the bodyweight exercises. For example the bent-over rows and dumbbell rows will help with pull ups, the curls will help with chin-ups and the tricep extensions will help with the dips. So it is important to do all the exercises in the way set out in the workout plan that follows.
We have some good weight training routines across the site already, so it may be best for you to pick one of these and work with it for a while, and adapt it to your needs. Or if one does not work try another. The weight training workouts:
- Basic Weight Training Routine – This is a very basic routine that will get you started. Aim to perform 2 sets of 8-10 reps for each exercise.
- Push & Pull Split Routine – This is a good routine to get started on, as it divides the pushing and pulling exercises into two groups. This means that you can work harder at each exercise then give more time for recovery, rather than doing a full body workout on each gym session.
- 20 Beginners Weight Training Exercises – You could work through all of these exercises. However, 20 is really too many for one session. So a better way would be to do half of the exercises for upper, lower and core on each session, and train twice a week.
- Military Strength Training Exercises – This routine is inspired by army fitness training. It is a full body routine with 22 exercises designed to build muscular endurance. It burns a lot of fat in the process.
Cardio Exercises and Workouts
Cardiovascular exercise is a vital component in building a healthy and fit body. The problem with cardio for weight loss is that as you get fitter you become more efficient at exercising, and therefore burn less energy. The key to maintaining weight loss through cardio is to always strive to increase your work effort.
Also, not all cardio is equal. Sports and exercise researchers have shown that the best way to exercise to maximize both fitness and weight loss is to perform High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). This simply means that rather than plodding along at a constant pace for an hour (many people do this on treadmills, elliptical trainers and exercise bikes in gyms and homes all over the World) you need to exercise at full intensity for short bursts – you literally sprint for part of the interval. After your sprint you then exercise at your recovery pace to lower your heart rate and be ready for the next sprint. This cycle of high intensity sprinting and recovery helps burn fat and get you fitter (for fitness it helps raise VO2 Max levels, which is the capacity for your cardiovascular system to transport oxygenated blood from the heart to your working muscles).
Interval training can be applied to any exercise but you need to be in complete control. So we do not recommend that you do interval training on a treadmill, as you have to manually adjust the settings to slow down. Interval training works best with:
- Jogging / Sprinting – ideally in a park on a flat, grass surface. Hard to sprint flat out on pavements and roads when there are other people and traffic to contend with. Learn more about the health benefits of jogging.
- Exercise bikes – Find a Spinning class for some of the best in high intensity interval training. You can perform interval sprints on the road too, so long as you have good quality and safe routes to sprint on.
- Elliptical trainers – pre-program them to do hill workouts, using the dips to recover and the peaks to work hardest. Read our intensive cross trainer workout article.
- Rowing machines – keep a constant resistance and do sprint intervals – read our Rowing Machine Workout
- Swimming – work at you own pace, one length at maximum intensity followed by 2 or 3 recovery lengths. If you want to improve your swimming then you can perform weight training for swimming to increase your strength. This is a good way to combine cardio and strength training as each compliments the other providing more motivation.
- Circuit training – circuit training by its nature produces an interval training workout as you often have to work harder in different exercises. To increase the intensity perform one exercise at full intensity (such as push ups) and then the next at a recovery pace, or just do a gentle jog between each station (exercise).
- Tabata Training – This is a form of high intensity interval training that improves fitness and burns fat quickly. Performing the Tabata circuit every day will help you lose weight.
- Punch bag workouts / pad work – martial arts workouts provide an excellent opportunity for interval training. Start with shadow boxing to warm up and then work a heavy bag hard for 1 minute and then spend 2 minutes in recovery focusing on perfect technique.
- Dance Workouts – You can exercise to a DVD or just do your own dance routines to your favorite music. Great way to get fit at home.
Many activities and sports provide intensity training. Martial arts classes, dance, sports training and athletics all involve periods of maximum intensity followed by recovery. The only rule is that you should be working hard enough to work up a good sweat, and during the intense phases you should not have the breath to talk. Get out of breath, sweat and raise your heart beat and you are working hard enough.
How intense the intervals are depend on how long you are exercising for and how long each interval is. So a 20 minute exercise session with 4 intense intervals of 1 minute followed by 4 minutes recovery should see you sprinting like Usain Bolt in those 1 minute intervals. If you exercise for 30 minutes with 1 minute intensity then 2 minutes recovery, the intensity will have to be less to allow you to recover in time for the next one.
There are no strict rules, just workout in a way that you enjoy. Mixing up the routines helps too.
Diet for Weight Loss
Your diet needs to do two main things:
- Provide you with energy to live and exercise intensively
- Provide you with nutrients to grow
Every single person that is overweight eats too much food. Some people require less food than others. Often some people will seem to get away with eating huge amounts of food and never put on any weight, but often these people are more guilty of eating irregular large meals and then almost starving themselves the rest of the time.
When people start a fitness and weight loss plan mistakes are often made. These are the most common diet mistakes:
- Rather than reducing calories, people increase calories to provide extra energy to exercise
- Massive post workout protein shakes are drunk just before the evening meal
- Exercise induced hunger leads people to grab at unhealthy snacks
- Meals are skipped to reduce calories
- Copious amounts of fruit juices, smoothies and energy drinks are consumed because they are “health foods”.
- Not drinking any water as it contains no nutrients
The biggest problem with the modern western diet is that we consume far too much sugar. This has been a well known fact for around 4 decades now, but for some reason everyone still blames fat for making people fat. Low carbohydrate diets have lost popularity in recent years, but really this is because most people misunderstand them. The final phase of the Atkins diet is not much different from diets favored today, such as the paleo/caveman diets or any other diet advice from fitness professionals. The same rules are given with a slightly different wrapping.
The MCD Weight Loss Plan only has a few diet rules:
- You must eat when you are hungry, but the meal must follow the diet rules
- Do not skip any meals, especially breakfast
- In between snacks must be sugar free and protein rich, such as cottage cheese, natural yogurt, bananas (medium GI but excellent for energy)
- The only liquids that you can drink are water and black coffee or tea
- All refined sugars, refined carbohydrates, junk food and processed food are restricted. This includes bread, cookies, ready meals, candy, soda, takeaways, pizza, white rice
- One simple rule to follow is: if you do not know what the ingredients mean, do not eat it. Food should be as close to its natural state as possible. So nuts, seeds, fruits and meat are OK. Bread, sauces and hotdogs are not.
- Focus is on low and some medium GI foods. High GI food is not allowed while on the diet plan. This eliminates many breakfast cereals (oat based cereals are low GI so allowed)
- Most vegetables are allowed, as are beans and pulses
- Dried fruits, dates and water melon are not allowed
- Every meal should contain some protein and a healthy, nutritious carbohydrate.
- Eggs are your friend at breakfast time – there is no such thing as too many eggs!
- Always eat from a smaller plate, and never fill the plate up
- Eat slowly, take your time
For any weight loss diet to work you must be consuming less energy than you need. For a diet to work you will have to reduce calories a lot. Most people really underestimate how much they are eating by a long way. And, just because you are exercising does not mean you need more food. Research has shown this to not be true. In one study subjects that only exercised and did not alter food intake failed to lose any significant weight. Likewise, people eating less and not exercising also failed to lose significant weight.
Our bodies are very good at adjusting to small changes. If you eat less, your metabolism slows down, you burn less energy. If you exercise more, you become more efficient at using your energy source, and continue to store fat. The trick is to eat less and exercise more.
Here is an example of a daily diet that will provide enough energy to work and exercise:
- Breakfast: 2 eggs on 1 wholemeal slice of toast (this will be your only bread for the day)
- Snack: a banana
- Lunch: A small green salad with tuna/chicken
- Snack: small pot of cottage cheese
- Supper: 1 banana and prunes with yogurt
There is enough energy here to allow you to not only function, but also exercise. The eggs, fish/poultry, cottage cheese and yogurt provide proteins for muscle growth. The salad, banana and prunes are healthy, fiber rich carbohydrate sources that supply you with nutrients and aid bowel movements.
It is vital to drink plenty of water throughout the day too. Many people fail to drink enough water. One simple rule is that if your urine is not clear at least once a day then you are not drinking enough fluids.
Water has many benefits over any other drink:
- It has no calories so you can drink lots without worrying about putting on weight
- It is vital to help transport nutrients around the body, essential for muscle growth
- It helps digest food so that you absorb more nutrients
- It is refreshing too!
One study showed that often people mistake mild dehydration for hunger. We are so unused to listening to our bodies that we no longer know what signals mean. Instead of pouring a glass of water to relieve thirst, people grab a sandwich or other sugar laden snack instead.
As you get much fitter and stronger you may want to add a protein shake to your daily food consumption. Not all protein shakes are equal though. Look for shakes which are whey and casein based only. Many shakes are designed to help fuel the muscles as well as rebuild, and these contain carbohydrates which provide the glycogen source for muscle function. If you already have enough carbohydrate in your diet this excess will be converted to fat. So be careful! The best time to drink a protein shake is within 30 minutes of finishing your workout. This is when the muscles are demanding nutrients to start the repair and regrowth phase.
I have seen new gym goers leave the gym with a large protein shake in their hand, following the advice of their new gym sponsored fitness instructor. If you are overweight and eating a healthy diet then you will not be needing the extra energy in those shakes when you start exercising. You simply will not be working hard enough to use that energy.
We often hear about celebrities that have protein shakes throughout the day – remember that these guys are working out much, much harder than you will be and have a team of professionals on hand all the time preparing their meals and shakes. They do not run the risk of eating more than they need.
This is all the information you really need to get you started on the MCD weight loss plan. Remember, you need to change your diet and exercise on a regular basis. Aim to do 2 cardio sessions and 2 weight training / bodyweight sessions per week – that is exercise 4 times per week. And each session should be from 30 – 60 minutes long. If cardio is done intensively with interval training then 30 minutes will be enough.
Weekly Exercise Routine
- Monday – Weight Training, with emphasis on pulling muscles including pull up training
- Tuesday – Cardio, intensive intervals on a machine (cross trainer, rower, bike, etc.)
- Wednesday – Weight Training, with emphasis on pushing muscles, including squats, bench press, etc.
- Thursday - More gentle cardio training, longer session with 2 sprint intervals near the end
- Friday - Tabata style circuit training for 15 -20 minutes. Fast and intensive
- Saturday – Full rest day
- Sunday – gentle exercise, walking in the park, cycling, jogging, swimming, family activities, etc.
This routine is simple, keeps your weekends free for family activities and ensures that you work your whole body with both resistance training and cardio training.
Any questions or suggestions please make use of the comments below. We hope that this will teach you how to really lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way.
If you would like an alternative solution then we have reviewed the web’s best weight loss plans here.
Please note that the Cardio section will be published shortly, followed by the Diet section and then the weekly programs.
Cardio rules now updated. Diet next.
Diet rules are now online. We shall be expanding on each part soon. Next step is the weekly workout ideas and meal plans.
Links to all the main weight training and bodyweight exercises have now been added. The Pull Up exercises have also been expanded on and moved to their own page – How To Do Pulls Ups and Chin Ups
What about milk?
You can drink milk.
pls i need exercise routine on how to lose fat. do i need to jog, push-ups,..
Thanx
Hi Jonsin, the last item in the plan is the “Weekly Exercise Routine”. This is a good place to start. The links to the various different exercise workouts all provide more details of the exercises you should do.
If it is not clear please let me know and I will add more details to this page.
Is it ok to drink caffeinated diet sodas that have zero calories?
Yes, zero calorie drinks are OK.
can you drink whey protein i normal drink it after i exercise
You sure can Rob.
Hey!
Great article! One of the few places where everything was given without sending you through tonnes of false advertisements!!
How does an ectomorph go about losing that last layer of fat without losing any muscle? I eat pretty healthy, workout heavy, and play tennis, so what is it that’s not letting that last bit of fat go? Will HIIT help?
HIIT will certainly help. Really you just have to try it and see. Some HIIT, some weight training, more diet adjustments.
Hi
Great Site. I cant find the links to find the cardio section, the diet section or the weekly programs.
Am i missing a link that s obvious
It’s all in the article above.
Thanks for the response, a fantastic site and article.
I found the example of a daily diet that will provide enough energy to work and exercise extremely useful and it going to help me immensely as that guide is simple and easy to undestand whilst feeling confident I have enough calories to burn fat.
Can you give more examples pls, of a food plan day , or more suggestions as snacks..
Thank you
Wonderful website and such a great help.
I don’t know if i skipped reading anything about the different types of milk. Can i consumer regular whole milk or should it always be skimmed or non-fat milk?
Thanks
Any form of milk is OK really so long as you factor in the additional calories of whole milk and do not let that send you over your daily limits.
i really cant eat too much fish (weird seafood allergy) i can eat salmon and tuna, also shrimp and crab, with light lobster. I need to know are there any differences using these as replacements to any fish that i cant eat? (tilapia, catfish, perch, and others)
Hi Danielle. Sounds like you are eating a healthy range of fish and seafood, more than most people do. Your best bet is to search for each on in Wikipedia and look at the nutrition information. Generally all seafood/fish is a good content of healthy fats and proteins. Farmed can be less healthy than some wild. Some shellfish can have high levels of heavy metals, depending on where they are caught in the wild. But generally a fish diet is healthy, certainly healthier than eating red meat every day.
Hi I am 18 years old and I am in a weights class at school, doing muscle building workouts four days a week, for 30 minutes. My arms and legs have become toned but my stomach and “muffin top” seem to only be getting worse. What can I do to help this?
are quaker chewy bars ok for a snack?
Hi Bre. Weight training is a great way to get in shape, but as you may have noticed it will only increase muscle size, if you still eat too much then you will still gain fat. You may benefit from some more intensive exercise to ensure that you burn more calories, or as your muscle grow and your metabolism increases you may start to burn some fat too. If losing that stomach fat is the key now then you will need to look carefully at your diet and ensure that you reduce calories enough to aid fat burning while still eating a good balance of proteins, carbs and fats to aid muscle growth.
So long as you are adding those calories to your daily total and not exceeding the amount of calories you are allowing yourself for weight loss, then yes. But you have to ask, do you need all that energy? Maybe something with fewer calories would be better, such as fruit?
hello i am 22 years old, i have a fairly good diet as i am careful about what i eat and quantities of bad foods as i limit my intake of bad sugars etc. i also go to the gym 3 times a week doing 40 minutes of cardio and 40 minutes circuit training in each session, along with this i play golf at the weekends so another 4/5 hours of walking, but despite all this i cant lose that bit of fat that im working so hard to get rid of, any advice? Thanks
If you are active then the problem is probably that you need to reduce the amount of food you eat. You say that you limit you intake of of bad sugars, but do you limit your intake of other food? Excess calories causes weight gain, does not matter if those calories are healthy fruits or burgers.
Hey, thanks for the article. For once, I can actually find a website that gives me the help I need. Anyway, over the summer, I weighed 160 and dropped to 138 in a couple months. I accomplished this by following an excersising DVD. (Dancing and etc., 10 mins. each excercise, targeting different parts of the body.) My height is 5’5. Even though I’ve lost the weight, I’d like to tone up and harden my legs, arms, and especially my stomach. I still have some fat but I don’t know what to do. I’m a teenager, so does everything in your article apply to us or not? Also, is whole wheat or multi-grain bad to eat?
Hi Mary, heavy weight training is best avoided for younger teens (until around 16 years) but bodyweight training and other cardio / strength workouts are OK. Also using light weights should be OK too.
Whole grain is much better than white bread, but it is still calorie dense. To lose weight and get fit you really need to minimise calories and ensure that your diet provides all the macro-nutrients and vitamins that you require also, so bread and other staples should be reduced and replaced with fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods.
Thanks for the quick response, it’s very helpful.
Hi,
I am 23 years old 5′ 1″ tall, I currently weight 147 with a BMI of 28%. I used to be a runner in High School and I have kept my resistance. So now I run and it takes a lot more effort to get my heart rate up, since I used to run. I have been running almost every day for the past two weeks in combination with lifting weights (this has not been intense), I run a total of three miles per day and weekend 5 miles; my first 2 miles I run them at level 6 which is 1 mile in 10 min and then I increse the velocity to 7.5… So basiclly I finished very exhusted but my heart rate still doesnt go up that high.. highest it gets is 158. I have been following a healthy diet (I think) but I still don’t lose the body fat, I have lost two pounds tho. Could you please advice me on a good routine? This is so frustrating also a good diet?… I am assuming I must be doing something wrong. The following is an example of my meals
Breakfast: Two scramble eggs with Two stripes of thin Turkey bacon and 1 glass of fat free milk.
Snack: walnuts
Lunch: Salad with turkey, ham and some sprinkle cheese on it with tomato, avocado
Snack: Cheese stick
Dinner: Chicken Breast (only with salt and pepper) with steam Vegetables.
Please I need some HEEELOP!
Thnak you very much in advance :)
Hi Eunice. I think that you are doing well. You have lost 2 pounds in 2 weeks, and those are the first 2 weeks too. As you get fitter and put on more muscle, you will be able to exercise harder and also you will raise your metabolism (more muscle) so you will burn more fat, and lose more weight. By following a healthy diet and exercising you are setting yourself up for long term health, in terms of both fitness and dietary health. You may want to swap the cheese stick snack for something that will aid you more, such as cottage cheese.
For weight lifting it is best to do the big compound moves, such as bench press, shoulder press, deadlift, squat, row and standing bicep curls. Do 2 or 3 sets of around 8 reps for each exercise 2 or 3 times per week, in addition to the running.
Remember, you have only just started again and already lost 2 pounds, so you are doing OK really.
I’m 16 and 5ft 3in 144lbs. I want to loose stomach weight, my arms and legs are toned. I try to eat smaller portions but when I only eat a salad for dinner my parents say I neeed more. At lunch I buy school lunch which is a sub on white bread, what would be good to bring for lunch?? I really want to weight 120lbs, wanna do whatever it will take.
Lunch – if you can get a brown/wholemeal sandwich with a chicken and salad filling that would be better. Start doing some regular exercise, if if just a very simple workout at home, such as squats, push ups, mountain climbers, leg raises, back extension and crunches. This will get you fitter, burn fat, tone muscles. If you salad is a good size and there is some protein with it, then it should be enough. Do you have breakfast?
I usually have a pop-tart and apple juice or a bagel with peanut butter, depending on how much time I have. My salad is in a normal bowl with ranch dressing.I play volleyball right now and we don’t really do any running or excersices. How long should I run on a tred mill or stairs if I work out 5 times a week. Id like to loose 2-4 lbs a week.
You may need more protein in your diet, especially mornings. Ranch dressing has high fat content, a typical 2 tablespoon serving contains 145 kcal (608 kJ) and 15 g of fat. 94% of those calories come from fat. Instead of range dressing use olive oil and season to taste.
I’m a collegiate athlete so I’m in good shape but I still have some weight. The cafeteria on campus doesn’t have a lot of healthy options since most of the food served is processed. What should I eat for major meals of the day?
Do you have cooking facilities? This page sets out a healthy diet. Really you need protein with each meal, plus a variety of fruits and vegetables throughout the day, and some healthy fats. Eggs for breakfast, salads, chicken, soups etc. all good.
Yes, I have a kitchen in my dorm but I don’t have enough refrigerator space for a lot of groceries. I usually eat eggs, grains, and cereal for breakfast but for lunch the only protein they offer is chicken patties, turkey burgers, and deli sandwiches.
When I was working in London I used to grab a bag of watercress/rocket salad and some cooked chicken legs from the supermarket and eat those for lunch. Maybe you can do similar?
I am 16 yrs old,5’2 and weight 155 pounds. I have try almost anything to go down to 135, but I just can’t after school I good to my school’s fitness room and do cardio for like 10 – 15 mins, i do 25-20 sit-ups, 10-20 push ups and do some weight lifting. Im every tone in my arms and legs but I have THAT FLAB, that is driving me crazy. My daily diet is:
Breakfast:Two Chocolate chip cookies and 1 cup of coffefe or sometimes a little cartoon of milk of about 80 calories.
Lunch: A wheat bread sandwich with ham and turkey, some tuna, a bottle f water and a fruit, mostly apples.
Dinner: May Vary, but I try to eat little portions.
And every time I eat something, like in 20-30 mins, I feel hungry again and i feel like i didnt eat for days.
I REALLY NEED HELP TO LOSE THESE ANOYING FLAB!!!!
PLEASE HELP ME.
Hi Chino88. First, stop eating cookies for breakfast. Have eggs on 1 wholemeal toast instead. Lunch – consider having a salad, no bread, just ham, turkey with green salad, tomatoes and cucumber with an olive oil dressing. Dinner, just keep the portions down, and make sure you are not filling up on bread.
Regarding hunger, soup helps to make us stay full for longer, so consider a soup lunch or dinner.
I am 42, 5’10″, 146 lbs. I would like to lose some fat but mostly just maintain my weight, have enough energy to do my workouts and tone muscles ……what do you recommend? What kind of workouts do you recommend?
Hi Deb, I recommend either the workouts in this plan, or as an alternative one of these plans.
I am 36 years old and like most i have a few pounds of fat to lose, as I am also trying to shape my upper body and legs the same time. As well as eating protein through the day, Would you advise me to have a protein drink after workout…Or is this a no no .. thanks
Hi,
Is it healthy for me to eat pretty much the same as what you outlined in the example day? So:
•Breakfast: 2 eggs on 1 wholemeal slice of toast (this will be your only bread for the day)
•Snack: a banana
•Lunch: A small green salad with tuna/chicken
•Snack: small pot of cottage cheese
•Supper: 1 banana and prunes with yogurt
I would like to eat that every day for a month with slight variations, just want to make sure its healthy. Also after a weights session, the supper looks a little light? Should I not be having some grilled fish after a weights session?
Peter, having a protein drink after a workout is a good idea as it will provide your muscles with the extra nutrients with which to grow, and this will hopefully mean that you get fitter, stronger and increase your metabolism more. But, these calories have to be counted, do not have a protein shake on top of your daily diet, but as part of it. Also, try to get a whey isolate as these contain less sugar, more pure protein.
Hi Mac, this is diet designed to reduce calories to aid weight loss. If you are doing the weight training and looking to build more muscle mass then by all means eat more protein. Just monitor your weight, if you stop losing fat then you are probably eating too much food.
im trying to build muscle and lose fat the same time. im training in the gym 2 nights a week and also using my rower at home 2 days a week.. is this a good way to workout or should i change it …thanks
This can work Peter. You need to make sure that you are getting your extra protein after your weight training, but the rest of the time limit calories.
thank you very much….. this is a great site
HI, I am 20 years old and i am extremely over weight. Not just 20-30 pounds but more like 80-100 pounds because of my height and ive always been a heavier person since i was a child. I recently started working out on the tread mill for 30 min a day and the elliptical for 30 min a day. Should I just work on getting all the weight of before I start building up muscle? Its clear that i cant to pullups because of my weight but what other excercises would you prefer me to do. Its so hard and i have a longggggg way to go.
I am trying to balance weight loss with strength gains and I could use some advice. I am 5’10″, weigh 213 lb. Currently I do three full body strength training workouts a week at 70-80% 1rm hitting all muscles 2-3 times. I plan to add cardio once my physical therapy for my knee is complete. My question is how many calories should I aim for now with only strength training? And how many once I get the all clear for cardio? Also how many grams of protein should I aim for?
I don’t want to lose x lbs, I want to lose pouch and chest fat and replace it with muscle.
I started weight lifting in September and lost 10 lbs, since gaining 3 lbs and increasing bench/squats/deadlift 1rm by 100lbs. However appearance hasn’t changed.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Kiera, probably best that you stick to the treadmill and elliptical for a few weeks to start to build your fitness levels up and get your body used to exercising. What changes have you made to your diet?
A rule of thumb on protein for bodybuilders is 1 gram per pound bodyweight, so you should be aiming for around 200 grams of protein a day. There is more on the subject in this article on protein.
What you really need to try to do is consume lots of protein, which means more calories on your lifting days, then reduce calories on your non-lifting days.
If you can keep Calories down to around 2200 while getting enough protein and a good supply of carbohydrates (essential muscle fuel) then you should do well. Some people consume up to 3000 Calories on lifting days then reduce down to around 1000 Calories on rest days. Others just focus on building muscle and then start cutting afterwards. If you have already put on some muscle then maybe time to reduce calories on rest days.
I was wondering I work nights from 8pm to 6am and I am curious when to eat and when not to eat.
Hi Bryan. I would be tempted to try “breakfast” at around 7pm, then a “lunch” during work, then dinner afterwards. What time do you sleep? When you get in from work, or later in the morning?
Hi,
I was wondering if you have any advice on exercise routines for people with stomach conditions? I’ve been told I’m limited on what I can do due to issues with my stomach but I’m wanting to lose some weight for the summer, I’ve been advised to not do anything too intensive such has running, sit ups, jogging and extensive cycling, I do a lot of walking up and down hill, and swimming on the odd occasions, I think my diet is ok;
Morning: weetabix / porridge with a glass of orange juice or water
Snacks: n/a stick to drinking such as water, orange sqush or cuppa soups.
Lunch: Rice with lean meats or veg rice,
Dinner: pasta with chicken and salad / chicken salad, tuna boiled potato pasta or home made chicken and veg soup.
I’m not really looking to gain a muscular structure but to burn the excess fat I’ve gained over the past few months or so.
Thanks for the advice.
Hi Sarah. I cannot recommend anything specific, and really feel that the doctor that advised you not to exercise your stomach should be able to provide some exercises that you can do. However, if you cannot exercise your core then continuing with the walking may be the best option. You may be able to do some weight training exercises such as bench press and lat pull downs.
Regarding diet, you say snacks are n/a, but then you mention cuppa soups – these still contain calories. Otherwise it looks OK, so long as you are limiting total daily calories.
Ok, Thanks for the speedy response :)
i weight train 3 times a week and have been told i need to have a high protein diet….can you tell me how much protein i need to take each day in order to build muscle and not lose any weight..at the moment i weigh 193lbs and im 5ft 10
You should aim to get around 200g protein each day. A basic calculation is 1 gram per pound bodyweight. This article explains more about protein: How To Use Protein Timing for Maximum Muscle Growth
Hey, nice article
What are good food with proteins?
and I do workout with my friend everyday. I do bycling or sometimes run on treadmill for 30 min, pull ups, ab workout(bicycle crunch), pushing and pulling exercise for about 2 weeks now and so I dont see the difference but I try my best everytime. What can be wrong or i just have to passion???
Hi Sam,
Food with proteins: Recommended Protein Sources for Bodybuilding
2 weeks is not long, stick to the plan, give it a few months.
Hi 31, 6, foot about 12 an half stones with a beer gut want to keep fit an an eat right were should I start?
Start by following the diet rules and fitness exercises in the MCD Plan.
Hey, I’m 18, male and 4 months ago I had back surgery, and so I’m not allowed to be active for about another full year, and I was told that I would get plump because I couldn’t be physically active. I’ve got a huge stomach and I hate it.
I’ve tried eating good, like having 6 small meals throughout the day, like carrots, celery, peas and bannanas. Is it bad that I usually wake up too late to have a “normal” breakfast? Anyways, 4 months of eating vegetables, my girlfriend tells me that I look skinnier, yet I don’t see any difference in my stomach.
Honestly, its just my stomach and back fat that I have a beef with. I haven’t had soda in 4 months, I’ve had the very occasional doughnut. It just sucks that I can’t do intense workouts. Should I keep continuing with just eating healthy? Should I try something different?
This is normal really. If you are totally inactive your body will still store fat. Just carry on avoiding junk food as much as possible. Can you do any exercise at all? Walking maybe?
hi, im 19 yeats of age and about 6 fooy, ive always been active, i currently weigh about 14 stone amd im quote broad, ive started to jog about 3 miles everyday and i have saturday and sunday off, ive been doing this for about 2 weeks and have not yet seen amy results, would you be able to give me some advice?
Hi Luke, mostly you just need to stick to the plan. Jogging will get you fitter and help you manage your weight, but it takes longer that a couple of weeks. First you need to improve your cardiovascular fitness and strength so that you can run faster and for longer. Then you will start to burn more fat on a regular basis. You do also need to look at your diet and eliminate junk food, processed food etc.
Sorry if this has already been asked (too many comments to read through).
What about taking a multi vitamin? I am currently taking Centrum Protegra, good? Bad?
Hi Dylan, nothing wrong with a multivitamin.
Hi. I’m trying to lose weight. Only thing is that I don’t want to lose weight (or much anyway) as I’m 5’10″ tall and weigh around 163 lbs. I have started using the diet and excercise tips from your site. Any tips on losing the stubborn fat without losing too much weight and getting too skinny?
thanks
If you want to lose fat but not weight, then you have to replace that fat with muscle. So make sure you are doing weight training 3 times a week as part of your weight (fat) loss plan and also getting plenty of healthy protein to aid muscle growth.
Can I drink Rum with diet pepsi when I go out?
hey, I was just going over your website, I’ve visited tons of websites over thousands, literally. I’ve been wanting to get rid of my excess fat for years now but haven’t achieved it. I’ve been fat almost my whole life, and the max I’ve ever weighed was 210 pounds and now I’m down to 74. I know pretty awsome but its not. Coz I still havent achived what I want that is a flat stomach, for me abs are too far away but im still trying, fat covers your abs so I do lil abs but more cardio, I heard walking for an hour helps you lose just fat rather then running for 30-45 min or interval …. so im really confused.
I’ve been weight lifting for about a little more then 2 years, I just want to get rid of the excess fat and keep my muscles, I want my abs really flat and hard not loose or wiggly u know like hard and flat … I have a huge lower belly, my diet lately for past month I’ve been on a strict diet.
I have can of tuna with 2 brown breads pre workout thats 23 grams in tuna and 3.5 grams of protein in bread each, and then I go to da gym.. workout out each part of the muscle each day … then walk for an hour on incline 6 at 4.5 speed. I hear to lose just fat your heart rate needs to be around 105-120 and then after than after 20 min I drink a shake and a bananan then after 40 min I eat my oduh meal which is half can of tuna and 1 egg whole and 1 egg white with 2 brown bread and 24 almonds for good fats, so almost a lil over 30 grams of protein, then after 1.5 hours a shake and 1.5 hours later… another meal so half can tuna plus 5 egg whites, 20 almonds and no bread coz its after 8 and I have no carbs. So then 3 hours later before I sleep I drink a shake and a half a spoon of peanut butter for slow digesting. So I have bout 180 grams of pretin 120 grams of carbs and 40 grams of fat and I have one cheat meal in a weak. Please help really desperate.
So long as you do not go out every night Terresa! Learn to moderate drinking like you moderate eating and you will still lose weight. Remember that alcohol is a form of energy. When we drink alcohol our bodies stop burning sugar and fat and burn off the alcohol first, so any food you eat is “saved” then you end up taking in excess energy. So go easy.
Hi Aamir. Well, first of all, well done! You have lost 136 pounds by following a healthy diet and exercising. Excellent. You should be very proud, and you set a great example to others.
OK, as for losing the last of the fat. This, as you have found out, is much harder to achieve. You are probably doing all the right things – the weight training, the abs workouts, the cardio. Regarding walking being better than running, I do not think that this is the case. If you can run, run. The “fat burning zone” that you mention is likely to be a gym myth. Some researchers showed that increasing intensity leads to greater fat burning.
Of course, saying that, a relatively unfit person can often walking for 90 minutes if they want to, but will struggle to run for 15. So in this way walking will be better at fat burning simply because you can sustain the exercise for longer.
One last point about your situation – getting a six pack is a very hard thing to achieve. Bodybuilders and fitness models work for months just to “get ripped”. It requires very restrictive dieting and lots of fat burning workouts. Do not give up, just keep working harder at it.
Studies have shown that the more people exercise, the more they burn
Hey guys, i just wandered: in the daily menu you mention that for lunch you can get a small green salad with tuna or chicken, but i’m wandering… what about the oil and vinegar in the salad. In case you follow this diet, can you eat them, and if yes, in what quantities? Thanks !
You can eat olive oil, it is full of vitamins and essential amino acids. Balsamic vinegar is OK too. Avoid dressings that are creamy as these are the high calorie ones.
hey motleyhealth thankyou so much for the reply i wasnt really expecting it lol….thank you very much i really appreciate it. well actualy i made an error, yes i was 210 pounds but now im 74 kg not pounds… forgot how much dat is in pounds..sorry for the confusion ye so im not 74 pounds lol thats just bones…okay so i just wanted to ask is my diet okay or should I make some changes, plz do tell me…coz I’ve taken out milk also I really want to go extreme. I’m tired of having a pot belly, I just want to get rid of it even though my abs don’t show. I just want a nice tight flat stomach.
Right now despite having lost so much wegiht with rigorous excercise heavy lifting and cardio still cant seem to lose this excess fat, its realy annoying there are days when I look at my self and just wann give up but then i just cant coz ive come to far, and nowadays I have no motivation nor energy to go to da gym but I still force myself.
I eat junk once in a week my “cheat meal”. Well just wanted to say that this diet is a real killer. Well 2 days ago I started doing interval cardio, hope to lose my fat, please do reply and give me some tips I’ll be waiting thanks.
OK, so you have still lost almost 50 pounds, which is still excellent. If you are doing the weight training and cardio workout and still not losing any more fat, then the first option is to stop those cheat meals. Maybe they are giving you too much?
diet is the hardest, plus the cheat meals give me something to look forward to. honestly if i had to live on my diet forever then i wont be able to go on. cheat meal has to be in der somewhere..sorry if im asking to much….just frustrated but maybe im not waiting enough..i actually kind of impatient..just want a tight stomach so im going to try this for a month and lets see…if you have ne diet suggestions or excercise tips that i should add please let me know….sorry i knw i ask to much…but thankyou for listening
Well, the diet and exercise tips I suggest are the ones in this weight loss plan. Alternatively take a look at one of the weight loss ebooks.
Hello im 23 years old and im 5’5 and 190lbs …i have been fat every since i was 8 years old and i know its probably a false hope but i want to become a professional bodybuilder…but first of all i want to start off by loosing my fat and gaining some muscle…..i was wondering if u could help me with any diet plans and workout plans i am totally lost with all this………also i cant really say how many calories i consume right now cause some days i dont eat anything and some days i get about 2000 calories in me please help me……
Hi Boyd. Firstly, it is never too late to do something new, and 23 is pretty young! Start by finding a proper bodybuilding / weight lifting gym in your area. Start lifting to build muscle, and as you go you will burn fat off. Keep in natural all the way though, do not be tempted by steroids or anything else (other than protein supplements etc.). Just start lifting, and focus on a healthy diet to start with, as you are going to need good nutrition for bodybuilding, not junk food.
I am 16 years old 5’4″ and 126 lbs. I need to loose some inches in order to fit into my prom dress by may 21st. I think the best thing for me to lose some inches with would to be trying to get rid of my flabby gut that I have or possible trimming down my obliques. I have a high metabolism and my diet is fairly healthy. I am enrolled is a total fitness class in school but ive been building more muscle then i want to. What are some things I can do to try to lose some inches!!!
Hi Islandgirl64, muscle is good, what is not so good is continuing to eat too much when trying to lose weight. You will have to reduce calories a little more to speed up fat loss – do not starve yourself, just look for foods that you can reduce or eliminate. If you drink any milky coffees, soft drinks, sodas etc. stop all these. No junk at all, no candy, no chocolate. Just healthy food and nothing else, and watch how much you eat. Also, increase fitness classes, how many do you do each week? 3-4 times a week should help.
Hi im 14 and im 1m 40 tall and weigh around 7.5st im trying to get rid of some stomach fat any tips ; sorry about the height being in metric
Nothing wrong with the height being metric, I prefer the metric system, and you should use kg too!
Tips? Do the workouts in the MCD plan and follow the diet rules. Read it all, and if you have any specific questions ask.
I’m 6’4″ 204 lbs and I find it extremely hard to build muscle due to my fast metabolism unfortunately the fat has started building up. Right now I have about an inch in my mid section.
I think the Protein Mass Builder shakes I’m taking are counter productive to keeping my fat intake low.
Do you have a mailing list I can join or anyway we can have a one on one?
Hi Rick, we cannot provide individual consultations at the moment.
What exercise are you doing? If your fat levels are increasing and your muscles are not, then this could be either that you need to workout differently, or more, or change other parts of your diet (or do both). A fast metabolism does not stop people building muscle, if anything it should help keep fat levels low. So maybe you are not eating enough a protein, and getting too much sugar.
Thank you so much for this article. Have been trying to lose weight for a long time but i seem to go back to my cravings of rice and chicken. Does it mean that i cant eat those if i really want some pounds off.
Chicken is good (so long as not deep fried). Rice is OK if wholegrain and not eaten in excess. Just a little. But ultimately, the less sugar you put into your body, the more likely your body will need to tap into the reserves stored in the fat. When there is no glucose in the blood (blood sugar) a hormone called glucagon is released which acts in the opposite way to insulin, in that it triggers the breakdown of fat.
The only way the body can recover sugar is to breakdown fat. If the body lacks protein it breaks down muscle. Which is why low sugar / low carb diets can be effective at reducing fat.
Hi, im 16 and im a pretty big girl. I play sports like martial arts, softball, and soccer so im pretty active. Im hungry all the time no matter how hard i try to eat healthy. With all the time i spend on homework, i dont have time to do anything other activities. With everything i do, i still have excess fat and i want to get rid of it. With my busy schedule, do u think you can help?
Hi Liz. When you say that you eat healthy, what do you mean? What is your usual diet like? You should not be hungry all the time if you are following a healthy diet. Are you getting adequate protein and fat in your diet?
Breakfast i dont eat because i arrive to school late. Lunch i usually have a turkey sandwich. Snack i grab a banana. Supper, it depends on what my mom makes
Eating breakfast is important, it fires up the metabolism and helps reduce snacking before lunch, or eating too much at lunch. A banana could be eaten for breakfast.
Im 21 years old.
I weigh 16 stones [224 pounds] and i want to be 12 stones [168 pounds]
I want to achieve this by August in 5 months time..
How do i go about doing it?
Hi Lola, so you want to lose 56 pounds in 5 months, which is just short of 20 weeks. So you need to lose 2.8 pounds per week. On average, restricting calories to 1000 less than your daily requirement will result in a 2 pound weight loss per week. If you do a lot of exercise and also aim on getting very fit over these 20 weeks, then you should be able to exceed this. However, it will be tough.
I really suggest that you find some local exercise classes that will push you hard, such as circuit training classes, kettlebell classes, or even martial arts.
You need to be prepared to do at least 3 intensive workouts each week as well as some exercise on the other days, such as walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, i.e. lower intensity.
Exercise everyday, eat healthy and you can do it. A very active 21 year old woman, on average, requires 2350 Calories per day. So you will need to attempt to restrict yourself to 1350 Calories, while also exercising (exercising does help reduce appetite) and ensuring that you are still getting a well balanced and healthy diet.
Hi -
I am a 25 year old; 5’8″ and weigh 190lbs. I just started getting back into the gm 4 days a week. I have cut my calorie intake down to about 1500 a day. I drink a protien shake after working out and sometimes substitue that in for breakfast. I wanted to see your thoughts on white rice? Here is my daily mealplan now:
Breakfast: 2 eggs, over easy and 2 pieces of wheat toast (if not this then aprotien shakewith 1 scoup of powder. which is around 20g of protien.
Snack: Peanuts
Lunch: 1/2 cup of white rice and a grilled chickenbreast seasoned with a dashof lemmon pepper. I switch of with this one day and a turkey/cheese/butter/whote wheat sandwich.
snack: carrots/ or small salad no dressing
Dinner: Varies, but try to have a source of meat and a veggie. either Pork, or chicken and some brocoli or green beans.
Also a Protien shake after i work out (which is usually before dinner)
Besides the diet, is a 1500 calorie diet going to help me lose 15 lbs in 2 months? I wieght lifting 3 times a week and doing cardio 3 times a week as well.
Do you have any other helpful tips on burning the fatr cutting something out of my diet tohelp speed this process up?
I love the site by the way.
Thanks,
Hi Jason, looks good. I’d be tempted to swap the peanuts for cashews or almonds, these are also high in protein but have less fat/energy.
White rice – eat brown. White is high GI so will cause insulin spikes and affect appetite.
Lunch, you wrote whote – should this be whole or white? Hopefully whole!
See how it goes, if you are exercising 6 times a week then 1500 Calories is restrictive and should result in fat loss.
I wanna run everyday for at least 20 min, is this good? I eat good enough but man I wish I could lose the last of this fat. It’s not even my stomach it’s my lower stomach like a little pouch. It’s aggravating, how do I lose weight in 3 months? pls help
Hi Daniel, yes running every day is a good idea, you will get fitter and lose fat. You should also consider doing bodyweight exercises and some weight training too.
Hi, I’ve lost nearly 10kgs over the past 8 weeks by just changing some eating habits and doing some ad-hoc exercise, but the last 2 weeks I have really upped the ante. The past week I have run on the treadmill every day bar 1, 3 days for an hour and one day for 30 minutes. I have also some some light weight lifting and 200 sit ups a day. I only ever eat two meals a day, one when I wake up – cereal or a chicken sandwich, and then my evening meal which is usually fairly small. But I cant understand how I lost 10kgs so easily without too much effort and now, I am exercising religiously and must be eating less than 1000 calories a day and I havn’t lost weight for 2 weeks? Am I doing something wrong? I don’t drink anything but water and green tea and I only eat 2 small meals a day.
Hi Hannah, well done on losing the weight you have lost. Give it more time, just keep exercising as you are and as you get fitter and stronger you will burn off more fat.
Are protein shakes ok to drink?
Yes they are, but do remember to include the calories in the shakes when planning your daily meals if you are trying to lose fat.
Is sushi a good thing to eat when your on a diet?
Hi Hannah, yes it is. Well, fish is a healthy and lean protein source, so very useful when trying to lose weight. White rice is not so good.
Hey, I’m 6’7 214 pounds and I’m trying to lose this unwanted excess fat. About 14 months ago I was 267 lbs and really didnt do anything but eat less and play more basketball and volleyball to get to where I am. I was wondering if I follow the diet plan you listed above (2 eggs on wholewheat.. Etc) would speed up my weight loss? Like would my body need more food intake because of my BMI? Oh nd of course follow the exercise routine, but I work also and I try my best to make room in my schedule to use the school’s weight room. I’m 19 years old.
Hi Danny, as you are tall and exercise on a regular basis this diet plan is probably not for you. You have done very well to lose over 50 pounds – and with diet and exercise this is the best way to do it, so well done.
You could try reducing some parts of your diet for a week or so, such as reduce bread, sugar, refined carbs. Moving to more low GI vegetables will possibly help, as will reducing fructose (fruit juices). It is important to ensure that you maintain your muscle mass, so keep eating healthy proteins (fish, chicken, eggs). Just focus on improving fitness more and making some small changes to your diet.
Hi, i currently weigh 200 lb and im 5 foot 10. Ive got fat all over basically, but mostly in the chest and stomach area. Ive started a diet of no crisps, cookies etc for around 2 weeks, i was 201.5 lb now im just under 200. I consume 1500 calories a day using a calorie tracker – is this too few ? I exercise around 4 times a week doing cardio (treadmill) , however i cant last that long. I will typically burn around 150 kcal in 25 mins – thats bad right? I want to weigh around 170 lbs, do you think its achieveable by September , and can you suggest how to maintain losing weight? I will eat breakfast which is typically weetabix with skimmed milk. Then ill eat a snack like an apple or similar. Lunch will be 2 x brown bread with quorn meat and salad. Dinner will be anything from lentil beans to mash potato and salmon. I appreciate your help.
Hi Aaron, that is a good start. You have about 22 weeks until September, so losing 15 pounds should not be too tricky. 1500 Calories a day with regular exercise should do it, you just need to stick to the plan and stay focused.
Regarding not lasting long on the treadmill, do not worry, as you get fitter and stronger you will last longer, go faster. Just keep avoiding all junk food, sugar, processed foods and soft drinks and you should do well. You lost 1.5 pounds in 2 weeks, so you have proved that you can do it.
Hello,
I am 20 years old, i weigh 150 pounds. I graduated High school two years ago. While i was in high school i was very active in sports. Volleyball, softball, basketball, and cheerleading! I was worn down everyday, but was very fit. Now, i am in college and i keep gaining weight in the tummy area: i sleep more than anything! do you know why?
I would like to lose all this weight in the tummy area because in July I will be competing in a Pageant and they judge you on your body figure?
I am currently working at a nursing home and i walk ALOT, but that doesn’t help at all. I would love to have some help!
Thank you!
Hi Jessica. You need to start exercising again. Walking is not enough. Also diet is really important. Every extra sugary snack can lead to fat accumulation. Find some exercises classes or do home workouts, or look for some local sports clubs you can join.
I am 14 yr old and I really want to have a flat stomach for the summer. I have been dieting and doing ab exercises. I can feel I have strong abs but they dont come out becuase of the tummy fat, what should I be doing from now on to lose the tummy fat?
Hi Mr Rugby. Do you play rugby or do other exercise? The first thing is to address your energy balance, so get active and do regular exercise. If you can be fit and strong then you will not have tummy fat. Then it is a matter of following a healthy diet, so cut out all the junk food.
What are other good exercises to have your stomach flat and in shape?
Hi Kara. Really, if any exercise is done with enough intensity on a regular basis then it will help flatten your stomach.
will 1 or 2 slices of pizza ruin my diet? And, When i flex, I have a 6 pack, but when i un flex i just have a tummy, is this normal?
Hi Josh, how often? Once a week, no. Everyday, yes. As for the 6 pack, yes that is normal.
hi
i have muscles, but i also have a layer of fat covering them.
how can I cut the fat, but keep my muscles. I don’t want losing my fat to result with losing the muscles.
hello i’m 19 i weigh 16 stone looking to go on a diet and lose weight can anybody recommend a good healthy diet please
Hi Sto, just do weight training and some cardio workouts while maintaining a healthy diet with plenty of lean protein.
Hi Mark, all of these options are good. If you really only want a diet, then The Diet Solution is the best one. But really you should exercise too, so either the 31 Day Fat Loss Cure or the Truth About 6 Pack Abs. Both are excellent.
Thanks for this awesome article. I weigh 250 pounds, and I have just started getting active. I lost 10 pounds in the first week, and I’m starting to feel better then ever. The problem I have is that I don’t have much money, and I’m in highscool. The lunch in highschool is awful, and I don’t want to over eat when I get home. What’s something that I can eat when I get home that will help substitute the hunger that I have?
Hi Michael. soup is good, nutritious and cheap.
Hi I’m 17 and I weigh about 130 pounds. I’ve been working out, but I haven’t been watching my diet too meticulously. My muscles are coming out but they are surrounded by some body fat, especially around my stomach. My main goal is to lose all or most of the stomach fat by summer, and I have started to adopt this diet along with my exercise. I was wondering how much of sugars is fine to eat during the day. Also, I have started to eat a lot lately and cutting the food isn’t the hard part but it’s knowing what to eat. When it’s time for snacks, I don’t really know of any that are healthy so I was wondering what sort of things I could eat as well. And if I follow this diet, along with exercise, will I be able to lose the body fat that surrounds my muscles?
Ideally cut out all “sugar” from your diet, as in refined sugar in junk food etc. Go low GI. Read this article on healthy eating.
hi, im 25 years old. im about 6 foot tall and i weigh about 80 – 85kg’s.
there is very little fat on my stomach but the actual size of my stomach is quite big… i have just changed my diet recently and although i feel much better my stomach has not shrunk. i have to suck it in all the time to make the appearance look normal.
is there anything i can do to reduce my stomach size and burn the rest of the fat off as soon as possible??? its my dream to have a 6 pack…
thank you very much!
Hi Daniel – just keep up with the healthy diet and do plenty of exercise. There are 2 types of fat (well 3…): subcutaneous fat (skin fat) and visceral fat (belly fat). Visceral fat is what you have in your stomach, it surrounds the internal organs. This makes the stomach seem solid, not flabby. But the fat is still there. If your gut sticks out, there is fat inside pushing it out. This type of fat is thought to be much more unhealthy than the skin fat.
Hi! I’m 23, 5ft 1in and 120lbs. I’ve never really been a very active person, so although I’m pretty small, I’m out of shape. I am happy with my weight, but my stomach is way too flabby for someone my size. I don’t have my muscle definition and wouldn’t mind gaining weight (muscle), but I desperately need to lose my tummy. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!
Hi Christine, sounds like weight training would be ideal for you. Do a simple weight training routine twice a week to start with and see where that takes you. Kettlebell classes are great fun too, they will burn fat and tone your muscles, so see if there are any classes near you.
Hi,
I have been following a similar diet to the one you describe above except I have porridge in the morning and have an extra snack. One thing that is confusing me is the recommended amount of protein per pound of bodyweight. Some articles on the web suggest 1g per pound, which would be 180g of protein a day for me. Some suggest 1g for about 2.1 pounds of body weight. Now the diet that I am following is roughly 90g of protein a day. I’m confused as to whether I should up my protein intake or not?
Hi Mac, if you are getting fitter and stronger, and those are your goals, then you are most likely getting enough protein. If you are looking to build more muscle and muscle development has slowed down then that could be a sign that you need to increase protein intake. No need to just increase it for the sake of it.
Hi,
I am looking to lose weight, I have fat all over mainly the chest area and a big stomach. I have joined a gym which I use 3 times a week for weight lifting, and i do cardio 4 times a week via the use of a treadmill which I have at home. I follow a 1600 calorie diet, with plenty of water, fresh fruit and vegetables. I weigh around 90kg/ 197 lbs, what would you suggest would be a healthy weight for me to get down to so that I dont have fatty chest or gut, and do you think this is achievable before November this year if I follow my diet plan?
many thanks
u know that multigrain EVERYTHING is one of the most fattening subsances so just saying that u shouldnt even put that on a healthy diet
That is not really true. You could argue that no food is actually “fattening”. Too much of anything is bad for you, even too much water! Multigrains are certainly much healthier than white bread. If you control your calories then you will lose weight. I think that butter and cheese form part of a healthy diet and both of those can be very fattening when eaten in excess.
Hi Aaron, a healthy weight depends largely on your height and how much muscle you plan to build. Although a rough guide would be 75-85 kg, depending on your height and muscle mass. You diet and exercise plan looks good, what is important is making sure that you plan to stick to it. Also, for the diet you say 1600 Calories with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables – are those included in the 1600 Calories or additional? You could quickly exceed your daily targets. However, if you are training 7 days a week and weight training 3 of those days then you are going to need some extra (healthy) calories.
It is certainly achievable by November, you have 5 months to lose about 10 kg. Carry on as you are and you should reach that goal.
I am a 52 yr old white male who at the age of 50 weighed 265 lbs. I am 5’11″ tall. I was diagnosed with diverticulitis at 50 and was told by my physician as well as the gastro doctor to make a lifestyle change in regards to my level of physical activity and loose the weight. I decided to take that as a challenge and joined the gym as a result. I hired a personal trainer who I have worked with for the past 2.5 years with great results. I have lost 58 lbs and my last physical proved it has been worth every bit of the effort to get where I am today. The thing that plagues me at this point is the stubborn fat that will not go away. I currently do strength training 3X a week, swim 3X a week, run 4X weekly, and I cycle 3-4 weekly as well. I have completed two triathlons in the past year with 3 more in my sights before fall of this year. Nothing I seem to do will make the fat on my stomach disappear. Suggestions? Thanks!
Hi Bo, how much fat are we talking about? It sounds that you must be pretty fit by now. Just maintain the diet and fitness routines. The only way to cut more fat is to reduce calories and increase exercise, but it sounds like you are already doing more than one workout a day. Have you spoken to your personal trainer about cutting fat and building some lean muscle?
Motley,
I’m 16 years old and I do not have access to a gym. I was wondering is there any good alternatives for the muscle building section to do at home and work me from beginner level to advanced? Also i was wondering how much calories and carbs should i be consuming during the day.
Hi Carter, just do more of the bodyweight exercises. Also consider running to get fitter. A 16 year old male need on average 2700 calories on days with moderate exercise and 3100 Calories on days with high intensity exercise. Carbs – just follow a healthy and balanced diet.
Do you exercise Thomas? It sounds as if a year ago your were underweight and now you are a healthy weight. Exercising on a regular basis (a few times a week) should improve your fitness and solve your problems. Consider joined a school sports team.
hi motley health by the way am on summer vacation now but i cycle a little bit but do u have any diet tips and also should i take on a major or minor diet because my goal weight is and am being hopeful 99pounds
thanks for taking your time and reading this
Hi again Thomas, not sure what you mean by a major or minor diet. Really my advice remains the same – eat a normal, healthy and well balanced diet, avoid junk food, get your 5 a day (fruit and veg) and keep active.
Hi, I am 5’1 and very over weight, I weight about 222 lbs and would like to loose as much as weight I can in about 1 month. Can you please suggest anything to me? Thank you for your time! I’m only eat chicken, not even eggs. Please help!
Hena, what are you prepared to do? To lose a lot of weight you need to eat healthy and exercise every day, without fail. No cheat days, no days off, 31 days of exercise and healthy diet. Maybe you should try to 31 Day Fat Loss Plan.
How about drinking milk or is that not allowed? Also, I’m assuming tea is without milk or sugar. I want to incorporate squats in my exercise routine but sometimes I hear my knee creaking when I’m almost at the floor. Is that because I’m doing them incorrectly or because I’m 39? I’ve stopped doing them because I’m afraid I’ll injury my knee. Thanks in advance.
Milk is allowed, dairy calcium is good for us. Sugar should be avoided, unless you are doing a lot of cardio then it does not matter so much. As for squats / knee, maybe better not to go so low, stop when thighs are parallel to the floor, or even just before.
I can agree with your sample menu except for the dinner. The dinner, quite frankly, seems a little light to me. I could never get by with just that, it’s too little food. I like salmon for dinner with steamed spinach. Do you make allowances for gender, age, activity level when trying to build a meal plan?
This is just a one size fits all plan that aims to help people who need to lose weight to do so through dieting and exercise. It is not really suitable for people who are in good shape and exercise already.
What’s your view of the carb cycling.I tried it for 1 week doing 3 days low and 1 day high and so far i was down from 168 lbs. to 166 lbs. but my waist measurements are the same with 85.0 cms.Thanks and morepower!
My view is that if you can make it work for you, carry on. You seem to be getting results, so keep up the good work.
i think it works because i’m losing weight but the problem is that my waist seems to be the same.Am i losing only muscle because of carb cycling?All i want is muscle to build and lose visceral fat.tnx.
Give it time Doogles. If you are eating a balanced diet it is unlikely you are losing muscle, even if you are carb cycling.