The 7 Day Exercise Plan for Fitness and Weight Loss has been so popular that we have had to move the discussion to this page. There are over 1200 comments below. These comments may provide you with answers to questions that you have. The main reason for keeping them is to ensure that any readers who have asked a question can come back and re-read the replies.
No Nonsense Fitness
That sounds good. Stick to it for at least 2 weeks and see if you lose weight.
Okay thank you so much!
Hey! Im sixteen years old, a girl… im really tall for a girl, 6ft tall. I way 68kg, and have always had a good body – until this year. I was just wondering what weight I should be?… and how I should loose the gross fat from my stomach.
Thanks.
Hi I’m bob I am 16 and overweight but for some reason it is mostly in my stomach and compared to other normal weight people that I know I am faster and fitter (running wise) yet I do play sports. 3 times a week but rarely go the gym how do I lose the belly??
Hi Bob, you belly fat is caused by a poor diet. If you play sports 3 times a week that is enough exercise to keep you in good shape, provided you are eating a healthy diet.
Hey there,
I just turned 15 and I’m 5’3″. I weigh 54 kgs and I have been trying so so so hard to get rid of these last few pounds of belly fat. I’m very athletic and like to stay active but my diet is very on and off. Some days I go without eating anything and other days I stock my body full. My legs are muscly and I dont want to run anymore to lose body fat because of this reason, I dont want to lose fat anywhere else on my body except for on my belly! I understand that you cant ‘target’ a specific area but I like my curves and dont want to lose them. Please help me out , thanks in advance. -Bianca
Hey I’m Dan, 25, 172cm and approx 86kg. I recently had surgery as a result of overtraining and am looking for a review on my diet and fitness plan currently. At the moment I am six weeks out of surgery. My previous body form was relative.
At the moment my diet is:
Morning:
– Rolled Oats with banana
Lunch: either –
shredded chicken with brown rice and vege’s, or
wholemeal bread with tuna.
Dinner: either –
Steak,
Lamb,
Chicken or tuna
1 Poached egg, veges.
Small avacardo
Post Workout:
Protein shake (200mils water with i scoop)
Banana and maybe some almonds (6-7)
Late (ish) (Depending on the days intensity)
Cinamon, spoon of cottage cheese and some almonds or
a protein shake
Snacks (if peckish)
The cottage cheese thing as above or
Almonds or
Tuna
Apples
My current workout (due to still recovering) is:
Pre – breakfast:
30 – 45 mins swimming
Afternoon – evening
45 min gym session generally attacking the following
– pressups
– pullups
– biceps (dumbells)
– abs (swiss ball)
My normal routine pre and post surgery recovery is:
Mon:
Morning: PT session (up to 120 mins)
Arvo: 12 k run
Tue:
Morning: PT session (up to 120mins)
Arvo: 12 boot run
Wed:
Morning: PT session (up to 120 mins)
Arvo: 12 k pack walk
Thu:
Morning: PT session (up to 120 mins)
Arvo: circuit, 600m intervals with pullups, pressups in the break.
Fri:
Morning: PT session (up to 120mins)
Arvo: 12 k jog / nothing
I also surf a lot as well as play sports. I have heard that once a week you should have a cheat meal to keep your system on its toes, can you provide some advice around that.
Pre-op I was in pretty good shape (ish) but still had a random diet. Now my diet appears to be better, starting to regain definition etc but can you please comment your professional opinion regarding that. I understand my carb intake will have to increase as I look to regain my orginal routine. Still looking to drop back down to around 78-80 kg which I think is good for my height. I do carry a bit of muscle around my shoulders and arms which I wouldn’t midn keeping due to the nature of my job.
Can you please review and provide any further direction.
Thanks,
Dan
Hi Dan, I would say that your current plan looks good, certainly you have given it a lot of thought. What are your goals and what are your overtraining problems? There still seems to be a lot of training, but that may not be a problem if you are getting good rest too. Are you getting 8-9 hours sleep a day? That alone could make a big difference to your recovery. You may want to look at adding more carbohydrate to help keep your muscles well fuelled during your endurance training. Make sure they are nutritious sources to boost vitamin and mineral levels too.
Hi Bianca. Just taking control of your diet may be the solution you need. You say “Some days I go without eating anything and other days I stock my body full” – this does not help you burn fat, it helps your body store it. Get into the habit of eating 3 healthy meals per day, that are well balanced, free from junk food, takeaway, processed foods etc. No sodas, just drink water, tea and coffee.
If you are athletic use that to your advantage, workout more, do bodyweight exercises and core exercises if you do not want to train your legs any harder. You may find that you are still carrying some intramuscular fat in your legs making them look more muscular than they really are.
Hi! i have had a lot of belly fat ever since kindergarten. the rest of my body features are pretty thin though. i am chinese so my parents dont let me have junk food.for breakfast-a hard-boiled egg with water. lunch-at the school cafeteria but when they serve pizza, i take off the cheese, when there is a desert, i dont take it, etc. dinner-pretty healthy; white rice with whatever dish mom cooks. i run a mile each day for 5 days a week. for some reason, i’m still not losing any belly fat. i eat a carrot for snack and i am 11 years old. i weigh 88 pounds, so definately not overweight. i know i shouldn’t worry about weight at this age but im really scared that my stomach fat wont go away and that the fat will spread through my body when i’m older. please help me!!! i’ll do anything!!!
oh and i am 5ft 1″
Hi Cathy, you really should not worry. If you are not overweight and are eating a healthy diet then that is by far the most important thing right now. Take up a sport with school if you can, to become a fitter and healthier person. You will not develop more fat as you grow older if you remain healthy and active.
Just seen your height update Cathy. You may actually be slightly underweight. You should probably eat a little more and try to become more active. Speak to your PE instructor at school about the options available.
these are all the sports i do: basketball:since i was 5,swimming, figure skating, track and field
and thanks for telling me that i am not overweight :)
Track and field is great. I have friends that starting running 400/800m at your age and are still running now (25 years later) and in great shape and good health. Swimming is also an excellent way to get fit. Both will allow you to compete if you work hard at them. You should certainly speak to your PE teacher about doing more of these activities.
hie i am 15years old and weigh 65kg’s and want to know if i’m overweight,,i am 4ft3
Am 5ft3 am 24 and i weigh 61 kg,i jog everyday for the past two for atleast 2km, is dat enough to lose weight wat do i do
Hello. I am male, 6 foot, 76 kg and have a bmi of 21.2. I am generally happy with my weight, do press ups and sit ups everyday and play rugby most weeks.
What is the quickest way to lose weight around the stomach in 10 days for me. My diet is inconsistent, brilliant one day or atrocious the next. Cheers
Hi James. Best way for you would be to sort out the diet, be consistently good. You could do some more intensive exercise during the week, maybe some weight training will help you bulk up a little, which will be good for rugby.
Hi there. I’ve just been reading all these comments and your reply seems to help many people so I was wondering if you could help me. I’m a 22 year old female and I weigh around 54-57kgs (been a while since I jumped on the scales). I’m pretty happy with my body shape, it’s just the fat around my stomach. Summer is here and I want to look good in my bikini.
I’m about to start going to the gym, but I don’t know what to do there. I heard that I should go on a cross trainer. But for how long a day and what else should I do? I’m planning on going to the gym for an hour every morning as well.
My diet is pretty bad and I know I have to change it. I usually miss breakfast then snack throughout the day. I know I know it’s nowhere near good, so I’m planning on changing that too. No more bread, just a piece of toast in the morning etc.
Thanks :)
HI THERE, I JUST STARTED TO DO ZUMBA AND SO FAR IS WORKING. BUT I HAVE TROUBLE LOOSING MY BABY BELLY FAT, HOW CAN I LOOSE MY BABY FAT???? I DO ZUMBA 5 DAYS A WEEK SOMETIMES ON WEEKENDS TO, I ONLY EAT SPECIAL K CEREAL WITH FAT FREE MILK AND A SANDWHICH. I EAT THE SPECIAL K EVERY 2 HOURS AND MY LUNCH/DINNER IS A SANDWHICH WITH LIGHT MAYO,TURKEY HAM, TOMATOES, YELLOW CHEESE, LETTUCE, AND SPINACH.THIS IS WHAT I EAT EVERY DAY. SO EVEN THOUGH I DO ZUMBA LIKE 90 MIN I STILL CANT LOOSE THE BELLY FAT WHAT CAN I DO?????
I have been dieting and exercising regularly for around 6 months and have reduced my weight to 139lb from 165lb. But I still have fat around my belly and waist although my legs are now quite thin. I need to do something to lose this fat. My waist measurement is 32in and I am 5ft 8ins tall. How to target my belly fat without my legs becoming skin and bone is my question.
Hi,
I’ve been struggling to lose my belly fat so badly and yet nothing is really happening. i’ve purchased the hip hop ab video and also cutting back on my carbs and really trying to eat healthy. any advise to really speed this up or just get a more effective and rewarding result. Please let me know.
thanks
HI ,
I am 6 feet 2 and weigh 90 kgs , I have been exercising regularly. My diet is a sfollows: Breakfast: 2 Glasses of fat free milk and one chapati
Lunch : 4 Chapatis (wheat breads) bowl of cereals and green vegetables with a bowl of rice
Dinner 2 Chaptis and a bowl of cereals.
I am a vegetarian and looking to bring down my weight by 5 kgs which I am finding difficult. I have fat on my navel part and also on the love handles. I need to be skinny and lean. The following is my exercise routine:
MONDAY – SATURDAY: Running 5 kms in under 30 mins. One body part 3 exercises with 8-12 repetiitions.
What I a seeing is that my thigh muscles have goon down but the fat on the body is still the same.
Also I would suggest that you should mention a vegetarian diet in the 7 day programme. 8 exercises of each body part that you have mentioned would take around 2 hours to complete. Is that exercise paln that you have mentioned correct?
Hi Ashish, I will see what vegetarian options there are. I would suggest cutting back on all those chapatis and eating some vegetables ad fruits instead for starters though.
As for the workout, at most there are 5 exercises, you should not be taking 20 minutes to complete each exercise. They should take somewhere around 30-40 minutes, depending on the speed of lifting and rest between each set. If you like to lift slower that is fine, cut down the sets or do less, not a problem. So long as you are working hard for those 30-40 minutes you will burn fat and build muscle.
hi :) I was just reading some of the problems people are having here and while it seems like the issue of exercising is stressed alot, there is a missing piece; how to exercise. little things can make a huge difference and when exercising, the key is to do it fast; you’ll get the best results that way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8f6x_aICXM&ucbcb=1
this is a video made by a trainer/nutritionist. his channel is focused on helping people lose weight and live the healthiest lives possible. thought it might help :)
Intensive is good, but trying to go as fast as possible all the time could lead to injury as well as meaning that you burn out too soon. Interval training has been tested by sports scientists (published in the Journal of Physiology) and shown to be the best way to get fit and lose weight – go fast, then slow down, recovery, fast again.
Hi! I’m 23 years old and 204 pounds. I’ve always been overweight but in the past three years it’s gotten out of control. I have a relatively meager income so I usually eat the food at my job [a coffe shop so lots of treats] I’ve stopped eating the donuts and cookies so now I’m pretty much onto one sandwich a day, water water water and sometimes a banana. If I make enough tips I usually blow it on something fast [boooo I know] I’m wondering if you can help me design very very affordable meals that are easy to make and require as little cooking as possible as I work all day and don’t cook/have time to cook. I also have low iron so anything with extra iron is a plus. A friend lent me her Jackie Warner fast fat burning something something something DVD and I’ll try it for a day and then in excruciating pain, I give up. Can you recommend some other type of at home DVD to help me burn fat quickly? I’m tired of people telling me ”they’re worried about me” Thanks!
Hi Maria. With regards to the DVD workout, if you had not done any exercise for a while it will hurt a lot after the first time. But muscles recover, and that is a sign that they are getting stronger. So do it again, and again. Within a few weeks, if you do the workout every 2-3 days, you will not be aching afterwards, or at least not in a painful way.
Diet – you seem to know what you are doing wrong. If you have no time to cook, just eat simple healthy meals. Tomato soup, or another vegetable soup, is nutritious and low calories. Do not have bread with it. Grab a ready made salad bag (about £1.50 in supermarkets) and eat with tinned tuna, hard boiled eggs, chicken or ham and cheese. Dress in olive oil, with some salt and pepper. Easy, fast and healthy – and still cheaper than most takeaways.
Each day try to make sure every meal is healthy. Avoid the cakes, biscuits. If you are hungry have an extra banana instead of a wheat/sugar based treat.
Hey…
I am only 14 but I need to lose some pounds. I’m about 5 feet 5″ and weigh 153 lbs. I know I am over weight and I have high cholesterol. My mom tells me to try to lose the weight but I really don’t have the time for it. I tried a diet a few years back but I barely ate anything and I felt so weak, so I stopped. I lost a lot of weight from it but I haven’t really done anything to keep the weight off. I do exercises in gym during school, but that doesn’t really help me. I want to know how to lose stomach, thigh, and arm fat and gain a six pack and some muscles. I want to be able to do it within a month or so. Maybe less. My diet consists of…
Breakfast: Usually nothing
Lunch: Mexican food, sandwiches, chicken nuggets, pizza, burgers, fat and greasy things
Dinner:we don’t really eat dinner together as a family so whenever someone is hungry, we just go into the fridge and get something to eat, usually not healthy
Can you please help me… in a fast, safe , easy, healthy way?
I also love to drink water, especially ice cold. I was wondering that if you drink ice cold water, do you lose 60 calories?
Hi J5. Lets break this down;
1. Water is great, but you do not lose weight from drinking cold water. But drink only water from now on, nothing else (unless you like black coffee and green tea).
2. You don’t have time to lose weight? Why do you think this? Everyone has time, learn to make time.
3. Going on a fad diet will not help you, as you proved. A diet should not leave you feeling hungry and not eating.
4. Diet is key, but by diet we mean everything you eat on a daily basis, for the rest of your life. Read this article on how to eat healthy.
5. You will not lose weight and get a 6 pack in a month. This goal is not possible and attempting to get a super fit body in a month will lead to failure and more low self esteem.
6. Eat 3 meals a day and make them all healthy. Eat breakfast – get up 20 minutes earlier and cook 2 eggs, have on a slice of brown bread toast.
7. Are there any healthy options for lunch at school?
8. Have you spoken to your mom about getting healthier food in the house? She tells you to lose weight, but does not cook a healthy dinner. Maybe you should suggest this?
9. Exercise. You have to start exercising, and learn to love it. Your trips to the school gym are not helping because of your diet. But once you sort your diet out you should start to see change. You need to do intensive exercise. The best exercise I have found for kids of your age is martial arts classes (I have done various kung-fu styles, kickboxing, jitsu and they all provide an excellent workout and are fun!)
10. As for the stomach, arm and thigh fat – this will all come off once you adjust your diet and start exercising properly. There are not tricks to lose fat from those area, other than working it off and eating a healthy diet.
So there are 10 tips / ideas / questions. Tackle each one. Remember the words – nothing taste as good as fit feels. Keep asking questions if you have any. Start exercising today, even if you just do a basic circuit training workout.
hi my name is shannon and I have big hips and would really like them to be resized. Also I have a flat tummy but I have a little fat bump at the bottom i am trying to start a job in becoming a model and really need tis gone before i do it
please help me.
Hi Shannon. All you can do is increase your workouts, running is very good for toning legs. Be careful if you cycle as this can build up more thigh muscle. Keep your diet very healthy, avoid empty carbs, eat nutritious fruits and vegetables.
Hi! i would like to know how much i should run, i am 11 years old. i do track and field and i’m just wondering how many miles to run each day to stay healthy
~thanks
Hi Cathy, have you asked your track and field coach? If there is a cross country team then that would be a good guide. 3-4 miles should be just fine, work up to it though. Do you have somewhere safe to run by yourself? Or will you be running with adults?
i usually go to the gym with my mom and dad because my whole family is basically very athletic. i usually go on the treadmill and run 2 miles then fastwalk 1 mile with weights. track and field season is over for me and now i’m goin skiing.
That sounds like a good healthy distance then. When did your parents start being more athletic? Did they run at your age?
hi. i’m 16 and i’ve always had a problem with my belly area but about 3 months ago i had extreme stress problems and gained about 10 pounds. Then a little under a month ago i got on the depo shot and i’ve been gaining weight from that too. i would estimate right now i weigh about 130 or 135. I’m a vegetarian and my diet is awful. i cant really head to the gym so whatever workouts have to be done with no equipment. oh and whatever the food is it has to be normal household items or thing from the cafeteria. Sorry to be a bother with all my conditions but thanks in advance anyways!
Hi Brianna. You need to start planning your meals well to ensure that you do not creep over your daily calorie limit with snacks. You only gain weight on the depo or with stress because you eat more, so being strict helps – mind over matter.
For workouts, there are many home workouts here. Most of the circuit training workouts can be done at home with no equipment. Exercises such as squats, lunges, jumping jacks, burpees, mountain climbers, squat thrusts, crunches, push ups, dips – all excellent fat burners, no equipment required.
Start by looking at your diet, i.e. everything that you eat. Look in your fridge and cupboard and ask yourself – is this healthy? do I need this?
Plan your meals, eat healthy, and ensure that there is nothing unhealthy to tempt you. You may need the support from parents/carers.
my dad was athletic when he was a kid and my mom not so much. my dad played all kinds of sports like me when he was young and our whole family has moderately fast metobolism. i am about 24 inches around my stomach…is that healthy?
~thanks~
Being active increases metabolism, and generally more active people are healthier. A 24 inch waist is neither healthy or unhealthy – it is not so much the size of the waist but the overall health of the body that is important. If you are eating a healthy and balanced diet and taking regular exercise, then you should not really be worrying about your waist, as you will be healthy. For an active 11 year old I suspect it is about normal though. But really you should not worry about that.
Did you dad run when he was your age? Because if he was running each day then that would be a good guide to go on.
Hi. I’m 13, about 5ft 4 and weigh 123 pounds. I really want to lose some weight so i can be 110 pounds. I want to lose the fat on my stomach and thighs. Also, are there any ways to make my hips smaller?
Normally i don’t eat breakfast. During Recess at school i’ll have a snack and a drink. For lunch it’s usually hot food from the canteen or a ham sandwich. I don’t exercise at all during the week.
What can i do to guarantee that i can lose 13 pounds in about a week or two ?
Thanks.
Hi Highschoolgirl, you are a good healthy weight at the moment, so that best option really is to start to exercise more. Consider taking up an after school activity, such as dance, sports, athletics or martial arts. This will get you fit and help manage any body fat. It is a much healthier way than trying to lose a little weight with a short term diet. As for the last question – there is no way anyone can lose 13 pounds in a week or two in a healthy way. You are a healthy weight already, so just improve your diet a little by having some fruit and yogurt for breakfast (very quick to prepare) and get active.
Just took a look at this routine. I’ve got a wedding in two weeks, and i fill out my suit more than i’d like, so i’m looking for all the help i can get. Two questions; first, would this plan help me get a bit… well, smaller? (I know i wouldn’t lose much weight in terms of pounds, i’m asking if it would help me trim some inches around my waist.) Secondly, would it be healthy for me to follow it for two weeks?
Thank you.
Hi Mike, it will help, and yes, you can keep doing it for as many weeks as you like really. You will only see results in a short time if you are very strict with your diet though.
Hi, i am 15 years old and i have stretch marks on my inner thighs, i am not particularly fat but have a lot of fat around my thighs and stomach.
my regime as it is now:
breakfast: toast or oaty cereal with skimmed milk
lunch: pasta or a baguette with chicken inside
dinner: whatever mu cooks (usuall healthy)
i excercise mainly on Tuesday Thursday Wednesday & Saturday by dancing for up to 5-9 hours.
i just cant lose the weight =/
is there any tips to help me, i wanna lose it quick xxx
Hi Charlotte. First, change your lunch. Change the pasta/bread for salad, so eat a chicken salad instead of sandwich or pasta meal. Breakfast is OK, make sure the toast is wholemeal and not white bread. Dinner – try to eat as healthy as possible. Avoid snacks and any drinks other than water, black coffee and tea.
Hi.. I am a 36 year old male who used to be in shape but let myself go over the last few years. I am going to start working out agian this week & have put together a great work out plan(5 days a week all from your website) my problem/question is about diet. I am currently overseas & the food options are limited. the other issue I don’t like fish, eggs, tuna, tomatoes.. can you suggest ideas I have access to fresh fruit, vegtables (raw & cooked) grill chicken. But i am sure that all the food cooked here is not cooked healthy or lean. My goal is to lose 20-30 LBS in the next 9 months & to be in better shape over all.
thanks