Posted by Fahad AlYehya | Core Fitness – Kuwait
“Dude, I’m really skinny up top, but down below I’m a MESS!”
“I’ve been doing ab work for ages! I literally spend hours in the gym everyday crunching and leg raising my butt off! Why do I still have this belly!? Where’s my six pack!?”
“I might as well paste that muffin I just ate on my thighs, because eventually that’s where it’s going to end up.”
“I’m a 27 year old guy that has better breast development than Pamela Anderson!”
“I’ve been on Lipo-6 for 3 months! Nothing happened!” Me: what’s your diet like? “I pretty much eat whatever I want.”
These pretty much sum up what I am about to tackle today (and obviously the title). Before I do, I’d like to point the finger of blame:
1) Training is 20-30%; it only refines a physique.
Nutrition is the other 70-80%.
2) Abs are made in the kitchen.
3) Why are you crunching with no weights when you clearly don’t have any abdominal muscles?
4) The abdominals are a muscle. If you work a muscle everyday it’ll shrink and never grow.
5) If you eat like a pig and train like a horse, you’ll lose overall weight; except for those stubborn fat stores you want to get rid off.
Too many of you quit too early to see any significant results. You tend to give it all up once results start to slow down. It took you years to gain all that fat, so why do you expect to lose it in such a short time?
It’s hard to make your first million, but once you do, you’ll know exactly what kind of work ethic you’d have to give in order to get it. Same thing goes with a set of abs or shapely thighs; you’re pretty vague about how long or hard your journey will be, but once you give into the commitment then it’ll be all worth it.
I’m here to serve as a guide to that journey, where simple bouts of information may prove useful for that much needed push you’ve been looking for.
(1) Problem: You’re Fat.
By fat I mean overly obese or anyone that’s beyond their optimal weight by at least 20 kg.
Solution:
Drastic solutions are not the answer. Don’t go out and buy fat-burners and enroll in diet centers. Count your current calories and cut 200 calories every week until you reach half of your total calorie intake that got you fat in the first place. Refer to my previous posts for further guidance.
(2) Problem: You’re not fat, but your butt’s too big.
Solution: Males: Lower body fat is a female characteristic and most probably hereditary. The problem with it is that it tends to trap fatty acids, making it hard for you to slim down. However, a new study has just been published recently claiming that people with lower body fat are less likely to get heart, liver and kidney diseases. Personally, this is all jack pooh when I’m out buying jeans; heart disease, feh. I want to look good fir shirrrr!
Guys, if you got junk in your trunk it means you need to lay off testosterone lowering fast food and sweets. That’s estrogen-induced fat buildup in your butts. Estrogen is a female hormone that we do need, but in minimal/moderate amounts. Too much of it may blunt testosterone (the male hormone) causing your body to soften up, much similar to that of a female. Methods to tackle this:
1) Limit fastfood to once a week (I said once a week, not one day a week).
2) If you’re not a weight-lifter, then I’d suggest you’d start. 3 days a week for 30 minutes is more than enough to boost testosterone levels. And don’t skimp on lower body work; train it as hard as any other bodypart and none of that high repetitions low weights crap. The more muscle you have in that area, the less fat stores.
3) Do your cardio on the 3 alternate days. You may jog or do intervals. Move away from anything that resembles a bicycle; that’ll only push more blood to your lower body. Keep your sessions at 60 minutes MAX! Too much cardio will cause cortisol (a muscle wasting hormone) to rise. Cortisol up, Testosterone down.
4) Eat a testosterone boosting diet, which includes lean red meat (Filet Mignon or any lean cut), monounsaturated fats (Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Nuts, Salmon, Avocados), healthy cholesterol (Whole eggs, specifically egg yolks, 3 per day) and veggies (broccoli and cauliflower, which help stimulate the burning of extra estrogen). Higher test means lower estrogen.
5) Supplement with testosterone boosting vitamins & minerals such as ZMA. ZMA stands for Zinc Magnesium Aspartate. Take it on an empty stomach before bedtime. Zinc in general boosts testosterone.
6) Don’t drink alcohol because (for the Muslims) it’s haram and it significantly inhibits the clearance of estrogen from the bloodstream and decreases zinc levels. Don’t drink alcohol or (for the Muslims) you’ll go to hell looking like a girl.
7) Be patient. Lower body fat is stubborn and needs time to burn off.
Females: Having worked with female clients, I can attest to the difficulty of getting their lower body as lean as their upper body. I have tried many different strategies, but one thing I have learned is that patience and commitment make all the difference.
Details aside, what ultimately must happen is that the upper body fat stores must be depleted before the lower body really becomes active. It’s as simple as that. Refer to number 7 in the Male section above.
(3) Problem: You’re not fat, but your belly’s too big.
Solution: If you’re skinny all over and starting to gain that spare tire around your waist then lay off the high-glycemic carbohydrates, because that’s a clear sign of insulin resistance. Clean up your act by spreading out your meals in 3 hour periods. Early breakfast, a 200 calorie snack, a moderate carb lunch, a 200 calorie low-carb snack, and a low carb dinner. Refer to my previous posts or feel free to ask away.
(4) Problem: You’re crunching your butt off, but nothing’s happening.
Solution: Abs are made in the kitchen. No matter what you do, if you don’t diet right then nothing is going to happen.
How do you attain abs? Millions of books have been written and numerous seminars and products have been sold on the subject, building a six pack is really quite simple; train your abs to failure with multiple sets of increasing resistance and diet off the fat. Unfortunately, similar to earning your first million, unveiling your abs for the first time isn’t an easy process.
Your first set of abs are the toughest because you’re learning and accepting what it takes to do it.
Begin with weighted machine crunches for 3 sets of 10-12 in order to build abdominal muscles. Follow that exercise with 3 sets (25-50 reps) of weightless crunches to pump more blood into that area. End your ab routine with seated leg raises for that lower abdominal finisher with 3 sets of 25-50 reps. Personally, I would add in oblique twists in between ab exercises of 50 reps each. Do your abdominal work after a weight-lifting session.
(5) Problem: You’ve lost 30kg, but your weight won’t budge.
Solution: It’s pretty self-explanatory to lose a lot of weight IF you happen to carry a large amount of it. Once you do, the diet you’ve lost all that weight on will stop working since it’ll grow accustomed to it. Specifically, low-calorie dieting for too long can blunt T3, a hormone produced by the thyroid gland primarily responsible for regulation of metabolism.
In order to undo the damage that has been done, you need to CHEAT. By cheating, you’ll give your thyroid hormones a challenge, thus waking them up to metabolize that huge cheat meal you just ate. I recommend 1 Big Mac, 1 large fries and an applie pie from McDonalds, and if you’re still hungry add in another Big Mac. You may stop pinching yourself now, because this isn’t a dream; I actually said that.
(6) Problem: You’ve lost all the weight, but you’ve got a lot of loose skin.
Solution: Personally, due to my once gargantuan love handles, I have no chance of tightening that area up to what I want it to be. However, I’ve built enough muscle all over to to fill up spaces of loose skin (i.e. arms, chest and legs).
Don’t trick yourself into thinking high-rep light weight workouts will tighten up problem areas. Use moderate to heavy weights and try to rep out 6-12 reps (men) and 10-15 reps (women). Try as hard as you can to fail/fatigue at those rep ranges. If you’ve done the specified routine for years, plus adequete dieting and cardio, and you’re still suffering from the problem at hand, then surgery is the only answer.
The same rules apply to males with breast development. Work hard to fill your pectorals up or go under the knife.
Apples and Endless Lunges will Burn my Butt Away
You can’t localize fat-loss. Emphasis on endless crunches and squats won’t get you anywhere near your goals. Unfortunately for us genetically-challenged individuals, our upperbodies are narrow and are lower bodies are wide. We have to diet harder, train harder and simply bust out 110% all the time.
Posted by Fahad AlYehya | Core Fitness – Kuwait
97 replies on “You’re not fat, but your butt’s too big”
This is a brilliant article! What took me ages to find out was all posted in a mere post. Excellent post, Fahad!
I do have a question. I use to run (not jog) for 20 minutes every other day for around 2 weeks, and I haven’t seen any noticeable results whatsoever. But then I tried doing some ploymetrics exercises, which shown some minor, but visible results. Is there anything I can do to help me lose my belly fat?
Hey Fahad
I’ve been reading your posts since you started writing them here and I gotta say the amount of information you write benefits me and teaches me alot mashallah 3aliek.
Anyways I want your opnion on something since it’s hard to find someone like you here in Kuwait who really understands what he’s talking about.
Recently I found this workout online it’s called Insanity Workout. You can see it here https://tinyurl.com/lc3xtq .
I’m 17 years old.My current weight is 70 and my height is 175 cm .. I know my weight is perfect but the problem is the FAT around the chest area and the love handles ! I take care of what I eat and have a good diet .. But I also have High Blood Pressure (Yea I know am too young for it but I got it ) .. So do you think this is a good workout to get rid of the stubborn fat and increase muscle mass ?
Thanks alot for your time 🙂
@ Xtreme: have you tried this Insanity Workout?
“4) The abdominals are a muscle. If you work a muscle everyday it’ll shrink and never grow”
Not quite right!
Excellent article. Very nicely written. A lot of time & effort must have gone preparing this.
Pastaholic,
Thanks!
I’ll be assuming your diet isn’t up to standards if you’re a pastaholic :P. What’s your diet like?
Remember, nutrition first, exercise second.
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Xtreme,
Appreciate your sincere kind words 🙂
Like I said previously, nutrition first, exercise second. Give me a breakdown of what you eat daily. Moreover, you’re young! Those stubborn stores will decrease once you reach 18-20, assuming you’re currently going through a growth spurt.
INSANITY: I’ve never heard of it, but after a few minutes of research (digging through the site), I discovered it’s an aerobic version of P90X (https://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/p90x.do).
In my opinion, go with the P90X since it tackles both cardiovascular and muscular endurance, providing an overall optimal physical functionality.
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AndyQ8,
I would love to hear your opinion in regards to this; you might know something I don’t. 🙂
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cajie,
Much appreciated! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Gotta say, great article plus the top graphic made me laugh.
Good job Fahad, keep it up.
Thank you for this post Fahad.
I fit into the third problem. I’m 20, 170cm and I weigh 60KG. I’m pretty skinny all over but I’ve been developing love handles and fat around my stomach area and it’s driving me insane. I don’t work out and I have a HORRIBLY unhealthy diet as I eat fast food pretty much every day, and I don’t eat fruits or vegetables. I guess I’m lucky I’m not obese but I really want to get rid of those crappy fatty areas and I want to tone up all-around instead of being a bit athletic rather than just skinny. Could you please be specific with what foods I should be eating and what kind of exercises I should be doing? I really want to change my lifestyle but I find loose and general advice to be very unhelpful and demotivating which is why I haven’t really taken action as of yet (in addition to being lazy.)
Now that’s what im looking for, Sam! Brilliant article. Now i know which category i fall in and i can dig deep to burn my tires off!
[[ Unfortunately, similar to earning your first million, unveiling your abs for the first time isn’t an easy process.]]
I Loved this artical..smart,witty and very informative.
After Reading you’r First artical i thought it was smart and well written but now let me call you a wordsmith..
Keep UP the good work
great article mate .. thanks!! 😀
Burhan,
Thanks 🙂 Glad you liked it!
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Ibrahim,
You are most welcome :). I’ll be more than happy to help you out, but I need you to refer to this post (https://248am.com/fahad/food/summertime/) for an understanding of what you need to do, then get back to me with your daily routine and food preference.
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fahad,
Glad to hear that :). If you need any help feel free to ask away!
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Eden ((Like in the Garden of )),
I highly appreciate your kind words and hope to provide more useful information in the future :).
Fahad,
I had a quick question.
In your twice a week membership. How can you work out all major muscle groups in just two sessions? That too in only 20 mins?!?
Hi Fahad, First, i really appreciate all the info your pouring in on us and the great way your telling it.
My question, what about the people who are married, have to work from 8-5, 6 days a week and eat one meal a day at home.. the only excersise i’m doing is a 3 kilo walk 3 times a week.. and my belly keeps on getting bigger.
P.s. belly is the only problem, everything else looks good 🙂
Q80BOY,
Thank you! And you’re most welcome.
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Ed,
All major muscle groups are hit in 1 day. Specifically, on a twice a week membership, we hit all muscle groups twice a week.
you should really think of writing a workout book. you’re funny, and the info isnt technical at all.
somany,
Thanks, and I’ll take that suggestion into consideration.
Many experts get too technical and lose the interest of their readers really fast. They provide tremendous knowledge wrapped in dull packaging.
They don’t quite understand that not everyone has the same mindset and knowledge. I remember this lecture I attended, great info, and half of the audience missed out on 50% of the information because the lecturer decided to use “Myocardial infarction” instead of “Heart Attack”.
Fahad,
Serious??!? In 20 mins?!?! How is that even possible?!?
So if someone joined it for 3 times a week, they’d be doing it thrice?!
That sounds unbeleivable!!!
Second question,
Can you tell me which vegetables/fruits to avoid?
I remember you said carrots and sweetcorn somewhere before.
And why.
Thanks!
Ed,
#1
Since we’ve spent the better part of our lives (circa 2003) designing and perfecting this, I can safely say that I am confident of its possibilities.
In regards to 3 times a week, we have Day 1 and Day 2, each with their own muscle groups. So on week 1, we hit Day 1 twice and Day 2 once. Week 2 is vice versa.
It is unbelievable up until you try it. Contact me (or anyone interested) for a free trial (up to 4 days).
#2
Carrots and sweetcorn are OK. Don’t mistake my exclusion of them for hatred; I do consume both veggies, but in different periods.
For example, if I’m trying to lower my bodyfat, I’d focus on greens that are high in fiber and low in sugar, such as green/leafy veggies (i.e. broccoli, parsley, romaine lettuce, cucumbers, green/red bell peppers, onion, garlic). When I’m trying to gain muscle mass, my veggie consumption is expandable to other options including tomatoes, corn, beats and carrots.
Same idea with the fruits, high in fiber and low in sugar, including apples, any berry, orange, grapefruit, and bananas. Again, this all depends on your goal. Personally, I’d limit my fruit consumption to once a day when I’m dieting (w/ breakfast) and twice a day when gaining muscle mass (breakfast & post-workout).
Conclusively, when I’m dieting I’m looking for veggies and fruits with a higher ratio of Fiber/Nurtients to Sugar/Calories.
Hi Fahad,
Thanks for the article, it was marvellous, a real eye opener.
Many things which you said take a lot of research and time to understand but you have put them brilliantly in one small article. Bravo !
I want you ask you something, what is the healthy weight loss every week for a male 6.1 and weighing 118 kgs and diet being (a) break fast – lentil & chapatis (i don’t know what they call it in english) (b) afternoon – 1 egg sandwich and 1 mushakil (c) dinner – rice & chicken. (I know it’s a lot but that’s the routine). Junk food weekly once.
Having high blood pressure – 140/103 and high blood sugar around 13 after 2 hrs of meal (still without medications)
walking daily for 30-45 minutes.
majority fat around the belly, other than that I have heavy bones and moderate fat around chest, shoulders, and thighs.
Thank you.
Fahad have you heard of the pcos syndrome in woman? I have been batteling weight loss for years now and assume this has something to do with my failure to loose weight. Anything you can suggest on a diet associated pcos?
@Fahad LOL! I cut down on my pasta intake to like 2 dishes a month! I mostly have a biscuit in the morning with my coffee, white rice in the afternoon, and mostly scrambled eggs at night with 5obiz Irani 😛
I’m guessing that’s pretty bad, lol!
Anonymous,
Thanks 🙂
You’re well over your optimal weight, and it’s good that you realize that. I’m assuming your from India, and with all due respect, your culture’s menu is as destructive (if not more) than the Kuwaiti one.
1)Lentil soup is fine as long as you don’t prepare it with oil
2)Chapati is a HUGE NO.
3)Two sandwiches in the afternoon have a very high carbohydrate content that contributes to your high blood sugar levels.
4)Dinner is OK, as long as you don’t fill up your plate with a mountain-full of rice, which I’m assuming you do (another negative impact on your blood sugar).
HBP and pre-diabetes is NO JOKE! IF you’re willing to do something in order to improve your health then PLEASE listen to what I have to say:
Upon Waking: 500ml of Water
Breakfast:30 MINUTES AFTER WAKING UP AT MOST
Lentil Soup w/ 1 Thin Lebanese Bread OR 2 Brown Toasts
Snack: 3 Hours After Breakfast
1 Red Apple + 1 Teabag of Green Tea
Lunch: 3 Hours After the Snack Above
Home Made Sandwich:
1 Thin Slice of Lebanese Brown Bread
2 Whole Eggs OR 4 Slices of Turkey OR 1 Chicken Breast
1 slice or 1 tbsp of non-fat Cheese (any type)
Veggies (cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, green leafy veggies)
Snack: 3 Hours After Lunch
15 pieces of Raw Almonds + 1 Teabag of Green Tea
Dinner: 3 Hours After Snack
Half-Skinless Chicken in whatever sauce you might like (curry, etc), but make sure you use 1 tbsp of oil IF NEEDED + VEGGIES. NO RICE, BREAD, POTATOES (Carbohydrates in general).
It is important that you sip on 500ml between each meal & snack, for a total of 3 liters of water per day. Yes, you’ll be visiting the bathroom a lot, but it’s a small price to pay for health and longevity.
I had to laugh at the ( going to hell looking like a girl) part!!
All the info is totally right, I lost the weight I gained during pregnancy with a great diet and excersise! People need to have the will power to stick to it too.
pcos,
Yes I am very familiar with that. Pcos is the reason why you can’t lose weight efficiently.
The Good:
You can lose the weight and I’ll be more than glad to help.
The Bad:
You have to ditch carbohydrates COMPLETELY.
How to Tackle this?
1) I need a detailed description of your daily routine/work/eating habits including exercise. Be as detailed as possible, I won’t mind.
2) Any foods you love/hate, allergic to, etc.
3) You have to be uber-super-duper patient with results, but I promise you ensha’Allah they will come.
__________
Pastaholic,
Your diet sucks dude :p, and you most probably hate eating breakfast early in the morning. Did you refer to my previous post(https://248am.com/fahad/food/summertime/)?
Help ME help YOU by being A LOT more detailed; daily routine/work/eating habits including exercise.
@ Ross : I currently don’t have time for it , as this is my final year at school so am focusing more on studies .. I will start as soon as I am done with my exams.
@Fahad : Here’s what I eat daily
Breakfast : Milk with tea and 2 slices of vanilla cake or Hardee’s Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits
Lunch : Steamed rice or brown bread with salad and whatever my mom cooks :p like grilled chicken or meat or shrimps etc..
Dinner : Low fat yoghurt and some fruits.
Junk Food : Don’t eat it alot cause it contains hell lots of salt.
I workout 2 times a week using this program https://tinyurl.com/ygzgrpx
The problem with the P90X is that it needs some equipment which I dont have .. So I think am gonna stick to the INSANITY workout.
The reason why am soo picky bout my food is that my blood pressure medication slows down my heart rate which I think then slows down my metabolism.
My weight has been the same 70 KG for the last 4 months using the diet above.
Thank you Fahad for the advice and yes I’m from India and living the most unhealthy lifestyle , I think now it’s the time to wake up or never.
I forgot to mention my age, it’s 28 and job is IT manager, around 12-14 hours minimum in front of the idiot without any physical activity except walking 30-45 minutes which I hate the most.
Again, you are right, the mountain-full of rice finishes fast and I’m hungry again often.
But still alhamdulillah my blood sugar reduces automatically without any medication but very slowly which I understand is pre-diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance.
I forgot to mention that I drink black tea (big sized cup) in office 4 times without sugar.
I used to eat 1 red apple but stopped some days before, so I have to continue that.
Thank you very much for the advice and inshallah I will stick to it but out of curiosity, how much will I reduce per week if I follow it religiously with increase in brisk walking, let’s say to 1 hour or 1.30 hours daily.
Jazakallah Khair.
3aaaaashhh el semiiii!!
SRSLY man great work, I am calling core fitness atm.
tho I am guessing that you care for limited people and skip the others
I just wana know what you say 🙂
“Don’t drink alcohol or (for the Muslims) you’ll go to hell looking like a girl.” classic!!!
Fahad, I hope your next article is going to be on “How to get rid of Man Boob” every third guy is suffering of it in Kuwait including myself. Tips please… i mean real tips!
Xtreme,
I can see why you stagnated. Here’s your new plan:
Upon Waking: 500ml of Water
Breakfast (10-30 minutes after)
3 scrambled eggs (use LoSalt & pepper) + 1 Glass of Fresh Orange Juice
Break or Recess at School: (3-4 hours after breakfast)
1 Red Apple + 15 pieces of Raw Almonds
Lunch: (3-4 hours after the meal above)
Continue with your current lunch, but make sure your protein source isn’t too fatty. Opt for grilled alternatives if you can.
2-3 Hours Later:
INSANITY OR CARDIO FOR A MAXIMUM OF 60 MINUTES (Minimum of 30)
Do cardio on the days that you don’t usually workout.
Dinner: (Immediately After Exercise)
Yogurt and fruits aren’t going to cut it. You need PROTEIN. Half-Skinless Chicken (grilled) OR 8-10oz Lean Red meat OR Grilled Fish (including shrimps) + Salad
*It is very important to drink at least 3 liters of water per day. Don’t drink sodium-free water or you’ll risk suffering from electrolyte imbalance. Sip on 500ml of water in between meals.
*Don’t cut out sodium completely. Use “LoSalt” to lightly season your foods.
*Drink Green Tea instead of Black Tea and stay away from anything too caffeinated. Diet 7-UP is OK (once a day).
*Blood Pressure medications can really screw up numerous functions in your body. Try as hard as you can to beat this so that you can stop popping those pills.
If you need any help feel free to ask away. Good Luck!
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Anonymous,
28 is very young and you shouldn’t be weighing that much while going through obesity symptoms.
Reduce your black tea intake to only 2 cups per day, 3-4 hours apart.
You have to abide by this religiously; you’re currently border lining on health/obesity problems (i.e. pre diabetes).
Limit your exercise to 60 minutes daily, fast-paced walking all the way through OR 1 minute of brisk walking and 2 minutes of fast-paced walking and repeat.
Lastly, I can’t specifically tell you how much you’ll lose; you have to be very patient and I promise you ensha’Allah the results will come. If you feel that you’ve stagnated DON’T QUIT! Contact me so that we can sort things out.
All the best 🙂
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Fahad,
3ash min gaal! Thank you 🙂
I never purposely “skipped” people and favored other individuals. My apologies if it seemed that way, but it most certainly isn’t.
I like big butts and I cannot lie…
Fahad, I love how you simplify things, especially the cheating part. How often should I cheat and when ? Post workout ? Can we cheat with machbous ?
Thanks !
I wanna be a gym bunny…but I’m still searching for the pill that gives you “willpower”. As far as eating healthy in Kuwait: I’m a little piggy, oink oink! I need a private trainer who totes a whip and a gun! Got any suggestions for motivation?
Fahad,
I admire your writing skills, your sensible advice, and your humor 🙂
I feel sorry for the wife or gf who never gets to enjoy a “chocolate bar” desert with you though 🙂
Seriously though, Im sure you eat out, so can you suggest some healthy options that you like to order at some of the restaurants here? Im an expat and not familiar with all the trillions of places to grab a bite here in q8, but would like to know about some of the healthier options.
Thanks so much.
MO,
And I appreciate you reading this 🙂
My apologies for skipping (by accident) your inquiry, but here goes:
#1: NO EXCUSES. I’m sorry if I sound too harsh, but you need to stop making excuses and realize that YOU ARE LAZY (don’t hate me please :P).
#2: Do something about it, which you currently are doing by inquiring with me.
#3: Post up a detailed routine of your entire day, including all the snacks you eat and drink.
I’m assuming your drinking coffee and tea (probably with milk) from 8-5, probably snack on sweets and biscuits, then head home and eat a GARGANTUAN meal that puts you in a diabetic coma, which causes you to feel drowsy and sleep for 1-2 hours. I’m also assuming you sleep late and wake up early.
I swear, I’m not hating on you. I just believe that ANYONE can make time. You either continue on with your current lifestyle until your belly grows to world record standards OR opt for a healthier lifestyle :).
__________________
Realist,
Thanks 🙂
Cheat ONCE every 7 days, preferably on a Friday or Saturday afternoon/night. You may have an appetizer, entree and dessert. You may cheat with whatever you want as long as you abide by your weekly nutrition plan.
My weekly cheat meal is composed of 1 Big Mac, 1 Double Quarter Pounder, 1 Large Fries, 1 Apple Pie or McFlurry Oreo and a year’s supply of ketchup.
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expatandthecity,
There isn’t a pill in the world that can boost willpower; you have to be really sick of the way you look in order to do something about it.
If you’re interested in a private trainer that’ll “whip” you in shape and get you into that “gym bunny” groove you’re looking for then please let me know.
__________________
Valerie,
Thank you for taking the time to read this and I highly appreciate your kind words 🙂
You may stop feeling sorry since I’m still a bachelor.
I have a healthy lifestyle, and I eat whatever I want “carefully”, including oriental food (Japanese, Chinese, Thai), Middle Eastern & Persian (Kuwaiti, Lebanese, Syrian, Irani) and my favorite, American. I’m not a fan of European food since they focus mainly on carbs and fats.
Health-oriented restaurants include LoFat, Health Stop, Salad Creations (don’t order their new panini, the smallest one has 750 calories), Salad Boutique, PQ, The Baking Tray and Subway [to name a few].
I need you to be much more specific with your food preferences; are you a vegetarian? Favorite protein/carb/fat sources?
@Fahad
Are you serious ?!!!! Pinch me ! This must be a dream !
Realist,
LOL Don’t do what I’m doing! My cheat meal is in accordance to my metabolism and activity level.
A McDonald’s cheat meal for you would be a Big Mac, large fries and an apple pie. This is assuming your current diet and training routine are both intense and strict.
Fahad, thanks for the reply…What’s The Baking Tray and PQ? …And what is a healthy Thai option? I love Thai but always thought of it as unhealthy (at least Im sure my fav dishes are — curries). I love seafood and chicken but not red meat. Sadly, I love creamy pasta dishes, and chocolate, and fruit juice (high in natural sugar, right?).
One quick question…I dont like red meat, but I make myself eat a good-sized, grilled burger each week for the iron. Is this necessary? I cannot stomach red meat in any other form.
@Fahad! LOOL! WHAT! No! I love having breakfast! It’s just that… I love my sleep more, lol! I did look at your previous article. As sad as it may seem to some, I am anti fast-food 😛
I usually just have 2 meals a day, small and big portions. And I tend to eat a lot of sweets during my “diet”. I do have eggs everyday, along with white bread, and rice as well.
This is my exercise routine:
I do 20 minutes ploymetrics twice a week, usually a day after my workout.
I do lightweight lifting along with other exercise combinations, as I don’t want to look to big. Even though the muscles are obvious, it’s just the bloody fat is in the way! I do this 2-3 times a week; 20-30 minutes overall.
20 Pushup+row
20 Standing single-arm shoulder press
20 Chinup+knee raise
20 Mountain climb
20 T-pushup
20 Dumbbell row
20 Jump lunge
@ Fahad : Thanks alot for the plan .. I will begin using it as soon as am done with school along with the insanity workout .. am expecting huge results 😀
Unfortunately I can’t stop taking my pills cause what I have is Secondary hypertension so I guess I gotta live with it.
Again , Thanks Alot 🙂
@ Fahad : Just correcting my mistake .. what I got is essential hypertension .
wow wow!!
love it fahad! excellent way of explaining!
I like the haram part (alcohol) and the way men will turn to women! heheheh
this is excellent. thanks!
ahhhhhhhhhh all I’ve been eating at Salad Creations is their Turkey, Bacon and Cheese Panini! Like 3 times a week, why didn’t you tell me earlier! 🙁
Fahad,
Can you tell me any workouts for CARDIO for MMA (with medicine ball,etc)…i saw Shane Carwin KO Frank Mir at UFC 111 !!!..that was the result of some great CARDIO !!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td1DEOyDcZQ
Enjoy !!!(ignore the song)
should i do cardio after class or when i dont have class..
I’ll be waiting for your reply…
Valerie,
Pleasure was all mine.
The Baking Tray: https://www.bakingtraycafe.com/
PQ: https://bndq8.blogspot.com/2010/02/pq-le-pain-quotidien-at-avenues.html
The two above focus on organic ingredients in their preperations of food.
When it comes to Thai food I’d go with the least greasy, and sodium-infested foods, such as stir-fried meats (poultry, red meat and fish), veggies and steamed white rice. Moreover, it depends on your total calorie intake.
Creamy pasta dishes, chocolate and fruit juice are all OK if you consume them in moderation at their appropriate timings (this is where my expertise comes on).
A lot of females are deficient in iron, and eating a good sized grilled burger once a week will not do the job. Here’s a list of foods that are high in iron:
* Salmon, Shrimp, Tuna, Oysters, Clams, and most kinds of seafood.
* Most kind of Dried Beans: Lima Beans, Kidney Beans, Navy Beans, Soy Beans, Chick Beans, Pinto Beans, Black Eye Beans
* Nuts: Almonds, Cashews, Walnuts, Sunflower * Seeds, Sesame, dried beans, hazlenuts, lentils, peanuts.
* Dried Fruits: Apricots, Rasins, Dates – Prunes, Figs.
* Fruits: Oranges, cantaloupes, lemons, limes, grapefruit, tangerine, tangelo
* Turkey, Chicken, Egg Yolks
* Green Leafy Vegetables: Spinach, Asparagus, Broccoli, Collard Greens, Mustard Greens, Kale, Turnip Greens, Parsley, Cabbage, chard, watercress, brussel sprouts.
* Certain fortied foods: Cereals, Oatmeal, Pasta, Rice, Grits
* Liver, Tofu, Barley
If you can provide me with details in regards to your current lifestyle (wake up, eat, work, exercise, sleep, drink) I’ll be more than happy to help you out.
______________
Pastaholic,
Upon Waking: 500ml of Water
0-30 min Later: Breakfast
3 scrambled eggs + 1/2 Irani Bread w/non-fat cheese
3 Hours Later: Snack
1 Chocolate Bar (Or sweet) under 200 calories + 1 Teabag of Green Tea
3 Hours Later: Lunch
8 oz of grilled chicken, red meat or fish
1 cup of white rice
Green Salad (Dressing: Lemon & Apple Cider Vinegar)
1-2 Hours Later: WORKOUT (WEIGHT-TRAIN + CARDIO)
Immediately After:
Repeat Breakfast OR Lunch
3 Hours Later (If You’re Still Awake)
1 serving of Fruit: Red Apple OR Orange OR 1-cup Berries OR 4 slices of fresh pineapple OR 2 Kiwi
______________
Xtreme,
Anytime :), but PLEASE be patient.
All the best!
______________
eatlikemira,
Haha! I’m glad you liked it 🙂
______________
zaysal,
Thank you for reading it!
______________
Mark,
The panini you’ve been consuming has 810 calories, 42g of fat (LOL), 62g of Carbs, and an entire day’s worth of SODIUM!
LOL This is worse than Double Quarter Pounder w/ cheese by 300 calories!
______________
nahin123,
MMA needs both cardiovascular and muscular endurance; you need to combine your MMA training, weight-lifting and cardiovascular activities all in one session :).
I’ve been following up on these fighters and this is their bread and butter.
The youtube link isn’t accessible via my iPhone :(. I’ll look into it and get back to you. In the meantime, give me a better understanding of what you’re currently doing (MMA, Cardio, Weight-lifting).
wow that sucks, i guess its back to Subway for me..
Eye Patch,
I knew I missed the “man boob” inquiry 😛
1) What Causes Man Boob?
* Excessive body fat percentage.
* Hormones. The reason boys breasts get sensitive during puberty is because of hormonal fluctuations, specifically estrogen.
If you want to get rid of man boobs you’re going to have to be patient and exercise a little self discipline. Below are a few general suggestions for getting rid of or at least reducing the appearance of your man boob:
1) If you’re a teenager and currently suffering from it, don’t worry about it. This is puberty taking action.
2) If you’re no longer a teenager and your man boobs are getting bigger, then it’s time to diet. Refer to my “big butt” recommendations.
3) EXERCISE! You need to weight-lift and do your cardio. Focus on your upper chest, lower chest, shoulders and upper back. A greater amount of muscle mass in the those areas will tighten some of that flab around the nipples.
Please, for the love of GOD, if you’re currently weight-lifting STOP with the high-rep and low-weight training technique!
Fahad,
Well it’s hard to discuss my daily habits as they change so constantly as to when I am “on a diet” or not.. During workdays I am mostly on a diet. In the mornings I will sometimes have just a fruit for breakfast and others I will have a cup of yogurt with museli and rolled oats. Othertimes I will have 2 eggs for breakfast. I drink a lot of water throughout the day and try to eat every 2 to 3 hours. I will usually have a small whole wheat bread (pita) turkey sandwich and a salad for lunch and will have some almonds and fruits as snacks. Weekends is where it all goes to hell. Sometimes I am able to maintain it, othertimes I am not and during the weekend it will usually be like ok this is the last weekend I will eat bad so I end up having a meal or two at a fast food place and indulging in desert. It’s getting to the point where even though I eat healthy during the week I am not losing weight and I have started gaining on the weekends. It seems that everything I eat that is not a fruit or vegetable makes me gain weight even though it can be considered a “healthy option”. For dinner on weekdays I try to keep it light on weekdays with taboulah salads or a whole wheat sandwich.
As far as workouts I have not gotten into a groove of things but sometimes I will jump on a bike for half an hour but not often. Also I am usually too tired and have no energy to work out after a long days work.
2. I am not a very picky eater but one thing is just nutella.. I get those little packets and have it once a week with flax seed cookies (not sure how healthy they are but they taste pretty good!). Another thing I like is cheese I try to use low fat and ive really started to like low fat plain yogurt.
Ok there it is.. Hope I wasn’t too detailed 🙂
Fahad, from what you posted, its either you live with me or have been following me for years!!! this is what my day is like: in the morning, Nescafe 3in1 with some tea biscuits, during work i have 2 (turkey & Kraft) toast sandwhichs with tea and 3 turkish coffes, at around six i have one big meal( magllobih, mansaf, fasoolia..so on) sleep for an hour and stay up late, a cpl snacks in between dinner and bed..
I’m willing to change and want to but haven’t found “the right solution for me”… help PLEASE!!!
That’s the problem, body looks good but I don’t work out or have healthy eating habits. I’m young so it hasn’t caught up with me yet. I look like a gym bunny but inside its all garbage. heehee!
MO,
Haha, that’s pretty much the Kuwaiti lifestyle.
The right solution is to adapt to a healthy lifestyle, which includes sleeping early, eating a large breakfast, snacking every 3-4 hours, eating a moderate lunch, eating a light dinner and drinking a minimum of 3 liters of water per day.
Send me your details, including your height, weight, exercise, food that you love/hate/allergic to, etc.
______________
expatandthecity,
It’ll catch up with you (hopefully not). If you look good and feel good, then I’d suggest you add exercise to your current lifestyle, while adapting better options for food OR spacing out your meals and snacks properly.
well Fahad… i’m 173 cm, 82-84 KG( goes up and down)mainly around the waist, wake up at 7 and sleep at 12-1 am which is usually after the 11 o’clock moveie on MBC 2, i think i drink just 1 liter of water a day, i have an 3 ulcers and recently a disk in the lower back, stressful job. i eat just about anything, at home its mainly an arab cusine, but i do have the chance to eat lunch outside( if you can tell me what to eat at the avenues :)) , I try to walk 3 times a week, but for some reason i do it just once..yaa i know i’m lazy. tried a lot of odd diets but i couldn’t handle the hunger. that’s the main problem with my diets. do you have a simple yet effective diet that i can stick too? really really appreciate it..
Hi Fahad, Thanks for your reply and i’m back, today I started the schedule but I have some doubts:
(a) instead of 1 lebanese bread, i’m eating bread with barley as it contains more fiber and good for sugar i believe, is it ok?
(b) the lunch part seems to be very heavy, for ex. I made a sandwich at home with the 1 barley bread, 2 whole eggs, 1 slice of non-fat cheese and also ate 1 full cucumber and 1 full carrot. I feel very heavy.
(c) are 2 whole eggs ok? any cholestrol problem ? I don’t have cholestrol.
(d) Dinner, you adviced not to use rice or bread then with what shall i eat the chicken ,just like that? or can i use 1 barley bread atleast !!!
I think till this time itself I have drank around 3 litres of water and have been to bathroom 7 times since morning, is it ok to drink so much water, will i melt away?
But at last I feel good that I’m doing something to avoid major health problems and dying due to it, but still life and death with allah, atleast i’m happy that i’m not doing suicide by not taking care.
Thank you very much for the advice.
MO,
7:00 – 500ml of Water (drink ALL of it)
7:30 – Breakfast:
250ml of Low-Fat Milk + 1 Banana
(If you can consume more please tell me)
8:30 – Black Tea, American Coffee or Green Tea
All plain, absolutely no sugar, milk, coffeemate, cream, carnation, etc.
10:00 – Sip on 500ml of Water
11:00 – Snack
15 pieces of Salted Cashews and 1 serving of Fruit: Red Apple OR Orange OR 1-cup Berries OR 4 slices of fresh pineapple OR 2 Kiwi OR Grapefruit
1:00 – Sip on 500ml of Water
3:00 – Lunch (Home Made)
1 Carb: 1-cup of rice OR 1 slice of brown bread OR 1 baked potato OR 2 slices of brown toast
1 Protein: 4 slices of turkey breast OR skinless half a chicken OR 8 oz. of Lean Red Meat
Veggies + 2 tbsp of any dressing or sauce
4:00 – Sip on 500ml of Water
5:30 – Black Tea, American Coffee or Green Tea
All plain, absolutely no sugar, milk, coffeemate, cream, carnation, etc.
6:00 – CARDIO (Minimum of 30 minutes, maximum of 60)- Fast paced walking! + 500ml of Water
7:00 – Early Dinner:
Repeat LUNCH, but exclude the CARB option and double the PROTEIN.
*Since you’re a sweet addict, drink 1-2 cans of diet 7-UP at around 8pm-10pm.
*It is very important that you consume no less than 3 liters of water per day.
*Don’t add any fruit juice with your meals or in between them. If I didn’t write it, don’t touch it.
There are A LOT of restaurants at the Avenues; you have to be more specific and make this easier on me :P.
@Fahad! Sweeet!! A diet with 5obiz Irani is so :’) You’re awesome. *bows*
Sounds Great Fahad, and i know i’m bothering you with this, and telling the whole world my problems, but i hope they can gain from it too..
Breakfast, yes i can handle more, and can we substitute the milk? (it has a bad effect on me)
Can i have turkish coffe instead of black tea?
For lunch, i heard you recomend subway? and can i have it at 2:00 not 3:00?
Dinner, at least my wife won’t have to cook, she’ll be happy about that..
Can i move the Cardio up to 9:00 if i promise to do it? please please
and Fahad.. can you give some suggestions for female lower body fat?
Your a wonderful person Fahad, you are helping a lot of people here..
great work ‘F’ keep it up im following the summertime plan but can i eat sushi ? or it’s a big NO NO please advise
Fahad,
After my class i jus do some cardio and the next day some strength based weight training !!
i want to do such cardio that i know what im doing and how its helping me…
Pastaholic,
Glad you liked it 😉
______________
MO,
Don’t worry about it. The purpose of posting here is to share with everyone else. Others might have the same lifestyle as you.
1) This piece of information would’ve been very useful in the beginning 😛 I recommend 3 scrambled eggs w/ salt & pepper + 1 Glass of Fresh Orange Juice
2) Plain Turkish Coffee is ok.
3) You heard right!
6 Inch Wheat, Turkey Breast or Roast Beef (or both) extra meat, white cheese, veggies and 2 lines of any dressing. Low-carb the meal by telling them to pick out the dough.
4) 9:00 cardio is fine. At 6:30, eat 10 pieces of raw almonds (plus green tea) to keep your metabolism in full blast. Skip the green tea at 5:30 and eat dinner at 10 (post-cardio).
5) I can give you suggestions, but I need to know more details in regards to her lifestyle. Did the lower body fat exist in the past or did she gain it recently?
It is always a pleasure helping people in attaining a healthier lifestyle :).
______________
depp,
Thanks buddy!
Sushi is a GREAT dieting staple, as long as you ditch the crunchy mayo-infested rolls and focus on sashimi (raw fish), unsalted edamame, and 6-12 pieces (1-2 rolls) of pure unadulterated maki.
Personally, I’d start with unsalted edamame, 12 pieces of california roll (boiled shrimp instead of the crab) and 1-2 orders of salmon sashimi, all dipped in soy sauce and lemon with pickled ginger on the side.
If heaven was to be served on plate, then this would definitely be it.
thanks I cant agree more 🙂 dont worry i hate the crunchy mayo
For My diet, how long should i stick to it? Most likely you’ll say forever but be realistic my friend.. when and what to cheat with.. any all you can eat days??
For the other problem, it existed since pubertiy but really increased after maraige, i think they call it cellulite?? the upper body has no problems at all.. and she is open to any diet you suggest..
Thanks again !!
Regular scoop of yummy Baskin Robbins icecream right after lunch. Is that a big issue?
I hope I’m not too late, and you’d reply, I really need your help… i’m 17 years old and I lost a lot of weight recently, 30 kilos to be exact, and i’ve done it without exercise… andd now I’ve seen pictures of ppl who’ve lost alot of weight,with very VERY saggy skin… i’m scared to death that it will happen to me!
so my question is, to eliminate saggy skin, what should I do?? with exercise, i mean… any tip? techniques?? I would like to do it without surgery… since i’ve heard that it’s agony! .. I’ve heard swimming eshed eljism ALOT… is that true??? akthar man6aqa a7is inna it’s starting to sag is my stomach area… so what should I do??
please help!
Just came across your post Fahad and its really great that you’re sharing these info with us ..
I’ve been doing fitness training since 2000 and just thought to contribute here with a little thing .. for all I know if you got bored with your training routine which happened to me few times changing gym, workout time, and routine may give a great boost for those who get lazy after sometime .. that’s what I did when I joined core fitness for 7 weeks 3 days a week and it was great boost for me having tried something new and met professional trainers which was very refreshing experience … keep it dude
*keep it up
pcos,
Perfectly detailed 🙂
I hope you don’t mind if I changed your entire eating routine.
1) I need you to be consistent with everything that I give you. Day in and day out, same boring food.
2) You have to control your cravings.
3) Nothing is in stone; I need to understand how your body reacts to this diet plan. You need to get back to me after 14 days of strict dieting.
Upon Waking:
500ml of Water
Breakfast (Before heading to work):
2 scrambled eggs + 1/2 GrapeFruit (FRUIT, not juice)
3 Hours Later:
15 pieces of Raw Almonds, Cashews or Walnuts + Green Tea
3 Hours Later: Lunch
Strictly GREEN Salad. If it’s not green, then it shouldn’t be in the salad.
Grilled Chicken OR Turkey Slices OR Grilled Fish (Shrimps?) w/ Apple Cider Vinegar & Salt
CARDIO WORKOUT: 30-60 minutes, 3 times a week. Fast-paced walking; if you’re tired then just walk normally outside for 30 minutes.
Post-Cardio Snack:
15 pieces of Raw Almonds, Cashews or Walnuts + Green Tea
3 Hours Later: Dinner
Repeat Lunch
*I’ll be completely honest with you: the diet above SUCKS. You’ll go out of your mind and probably say “3asAllah yakhtik!” :p.
*The reason why I’m strict is because of PCOS. After 14 days, I need you to contact me on one of my new posts and update me in regards to your weight.
*If your sugar cravings get out of hand, reach for a diet 7-UP.
*If it’s almost “that time of the month” then I’d suggest you wait until you’re done, and then start dieting.
*Remember, 14 DAYS! DON’T CHEAT ON WEEKENDS! All the best and good luck:)!
______________
Anonymous,
Nothing is written in stone, so there’s bound to be changes depending on food preference and availability.
(a) Nope. Stick with the brown thin Lebanese bread.
(b) Use the thin Lebanese bread and ditch the carrot, but not the cucumber.
(c) Eggs don’t raise bad cholesterol levels; simple-sugars and the combination of terrible fats & fast-digesting carbs do (i.e french fries, cookies, muffins, cake, etc).
(d) No bread whatsoever. You don’t need the carbohydrate source at night since you’re not exerting any energy after dinner. Try using lettuce instead of bread.
3 liters is the minimum, and your visits to the rest room is completely normal. You’re not used to the high water intake, so give yourself time to adjust.
All the Best :).
______________
MO,
1) Duration: until you lose the fat! This is as realistic as I can get. You’re starting to make excuses for yourself and I suggest you stop if you plan on seeing this through.
2) Stick to the diet for 14 days, then cheat every 7 days. CHEAT ONLY ONCE (1 MEAL) EVERY 7 DAYS.
3) Cellulite is the expression used to describe pockets of fat which are trapped and cause dimpling (a small natural deep recess in the flesh) in the skin.
(a) She needs to diet the fat off. As per my recommendations on the post above, she needs to shed fat COMPLETELY, which includes her upper body. If she starts dieting, her face will get sucked in first, her shoulders will shrink, then her waist will start to close in. When the upper body is depleted on fat stores, fat-burning will be directed below. Your wife needs to understand that she HAS TO BE PATIENT.
Send me a description of her lifestyle and I’ll be more than happy to help :).
______________
Mark,
Dessert after lunch is the reason why our society is plagued with obesity-induced illnesses, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and impotence.
So that’s a definite NO. Eat the dessert 3 hours after your lunch.
______________
Z,
To you and everyone else: IT’S NEVER TOO LATE. Feel free to post away and I will get back to you as soon as I possible can :).
Great job on the weight-loss! Amazing news bro!
In regards to your inquiry, everyone is prone to saggy/loose skin. I’ve lost close to 50kg 9 years ago and I still have “some” areas that are loose and saggy. I solved this issue by packing as much muscle on my frame as I possibly can, which resulted in tightening up those saggy areas and hardening my overall structure. However, this took me 9 years to accomplish; obviously patience (el7imdilah) is one of my virtues.
Since you’re 17, your about to embark on a journey called “puberty”. You’ll go through a growth spurt that’ll hopefully extend you a few inches up and tighten up those areas. I’d suggest you start introducing exercise in your current regimen, including 20 minutes of jogging, 10 minutes of crunches & sit-ups and 20 minutes of swimming.
3 x a week of the activities above are more than enough to help you out.
Good Luck 🙂
______________
ABS,
Thank you for your kind words 🙂
I’m more than happy that you decided to join Core Fitness in order to achieve your fitness goals. If you ever need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask. My number’s posted up at the workout area if a client has an inquiry about absolutely anything.
All the best 🙂
hey fahad thanks 4 all the effort!
can u emphasis on problem no.3 which was on the stomach fat and a skinny body…because i didnt get what ur saying
u mean just lower my carb income will get rid of the fat around my waist?
i do workout ,and im gaining muscle so i need the carbs..as im gaining muscle i eat alot and also gaining fat around my waist:S ..will quiting the carbs gna slow my body building?!?!
thanks alot.
Fahad,
hehe wow that does look pretty tough! but i’m willing to do it.. one question though.. any chance it can be an orange instead of a grape fruit. I tried grape fruit once but didn’t like it too much. I’m willing to try it again but if we can change it that would be awesome.
Anyways thanks so much for this and will definately update you on the progress!
h,
Your welcome! The pleasure was all mine 🙂
Since you’re a bodybuilder, the above does not completely apply to you.
However, I’m not really sure what you’re exactly consuming in order for me to address the problem at hand. It may or can be:
a) You’re consuming too many carbohydrates that are spilling over and causing you to store fat around your midsection.
b) You’re consuming too much junkfood.
c) Your overall calorie intake is high.
d) You’re not spacing out your meals correctly.
When trying to gain muscle mass, you’re bound to gain a few kg of fat in the process (which is normal). However, fat gain should me minimal AT BEST.
Give me a breakdown of your current lifestyle and let me dissect it for you, including the current training technique you are using.
______________
pcos,
Thank God you chose to use “willing” instead of “trying”.
Yes, you may eat an orange (not drink it).
It is extremely important that you update me 7-14 days after you begin.
I m 174/73 female. Recently gained 4kg during holydays from bad esting habits(from 71 to 75 in one month). It is more than a month i m back to my routine and lost 2 kg and planning to lose more 2-3kg. Any advice?
My daily routine is
9.00 cup of nescofee (250 ml) with milk and small croisant
11.00 cup (250ml) of half fat milk and french cofee and 500ml of water
12.30 home made lunch (variety of proteins- maraq bamya, maraq mluchyia, machboos laham and diyaj, fish- i mostly eat the proteins and salad few spoons of rice)and my portion is like 1 chicken drumstic, small bowl of salad and 5 spoons of rice
14.30 cup of nescofee with milk
15.30 laban activia
16.00 green tea
19.00 small diner( few baits from kids dinner, like 2 sausegases, 1 scramlled egg)and 250 ml of water
21.00 cup of skimmed milk (with nesquick)
My problem comes on Fri in family gatherings, cos fri dinner is served late about 22.00
I eat one junk food meal per week (mostly pizza) with kids
-I exercise 2times a week (thu, fri) 55 min cardio and home fitness
-I walk everyday(sun-thur)15 min morning
-I dont use elevator in the morning to my office, i use stairs 7th floor
-Everyday i have 8 min of yoga and stretch exercise before sleep
Thank you.
Fahad, Thanks for the reply. Hope I’m not bothering you too much 🙂
I will stick to the lebanese bread.
Please give me any alternates so that I can eat them otherwise life looks very boring.
Alhamdulillah today is my second day and i’m pretty upset but inshallah i will stick to the plan.
One good news is that yesterday before dinner I checked my sugar it was 6.3 (it used to be high before) and blood pressure was 135/91 (that too used to be high but i think my company & traffic & the way other drivers drive their car contributes a lot to my bp reading)
But one bad news is that when i checked my sugar in morning it was 8.5 and the last thing i ate in the evening was chicken gravy (from restaurant) and 1 bread with cucumber and carrot and nothing after that. So I think I have to stop the restaurant food and make something myself.
Can i cheat on weekends like a big jalapeno sandwich (kfc) + big fries + big diet pepsi, atleast once?? or some alternate just to make my mood otherwise i will go into depression.
I forgot to mention that I also take omega-3 dha supplement (not liver oil) daily twice (morning & evening).
Thanks.
Can’t believe there are over 70 comments on this post! That’s great, it means there is a craving for looking and feeling healthier, that’s a great job Fahad:) Because of your posts I find myself asking you questions in my head all day especially during my workout or when I am eating :D:D is that normal??? It’s like your our “fitness Guru” now:D:D
You already gave me a plan before but I still have a few inquiries.
I am 160cm, 59kg (need to go back to 54-53kg), my main fat area are “love handles”, and tummy. The only way I lost the weight before was through an extreme diet based on ” NAET” which is a belief that you gain weight when you eat food your body has intolerance again, it was miraculous but very difficult and u need to visit the doctor every two weeks, and since I left Lebanon I had no access to him anymore. It’s a 1 year treatment.So my inquiries are:
A-Concerning the Diet:
1- Will the diet change if the workout is in the morning or in the evening?
2- what’s an alternative to eggs in the morning, I don’t eat eggs plus I usually take my breakfast in the office, and where does fat free fruit yogurt fit in the day? can it be in the morning with an apple, banana, multi-grain bar? I am trying to avoid carbs during the rest of the day now that’s why I am asking if I could have the fitness bar in the morning (a study showed that rye in the morning helps you not have afternoon cravings)
3- could a 180cal protein chocolate bar substitute regular chocolate snack at 1pm (double duty)?
4- I am marinating the chicken breast in low fat yogurt + tomato paste before cooking, can’t stand dry meat, is that OK? of course with tons of lettuce
5-I got roasted almonds /no salt to substitute for an afternoon snack so I don’t mess up my day’s work, how many should I have?
6-I retain water and my salt intake is low, I drink alot of water (after you advised me to, I never drank this much in my life).
A tip for people who feel bloated after drinking milk etc.. take probiotics daily,it works like magic no more feelings of heaviness or gas.
B-Concerning the training:
The equipment I have access to are the following:
Treadmill, bike, crazy fitness (shakes you all up), and a big machine that has leg press, and other stuff for the arms (yes I am that illiterate when it comes to fitness equipment), and another one for the abs.
When I work out in the morning I have maximum 30 min, when at night I have up to an hour, how should I divide my time? what speeds do I use? What makes a more intense treadmill workout, more inclination, higher speed, jogging, etc..?
I don’t want to have muscly- looking legs etc.. will the leg press do that?
I hope after this post you will not decide to quit 🙂 Sorry it’s so long 😀 Thank you for all your help!
Fahad,
Another great post from The Expert. Just one question out of curiosity, why such a big NO for chapatis?
Hey Fahad.. no man no excuses at all, i started already and am hungry and full of water, but am detirmined to see it through !!! and i’ll update you in the near future.
Regarding my wife, she usually wakes up with me at 7, drinks a lot of water daily, eats one small bowl of fitness cereal with no-fat milk. she is a full time mom of 2 so gets a good workout running around the house, she only eats with me ( in previous lifestyle) at 6 pm and eats a small portion. and nothing else other than the occaisional sweet craving and green peppers through the day. tea-green tea-coffe without sugar. and she will be taking the daily walk with me. IMPORTANT NOTE: she has Iron defficency and recently took iron injections and now is takin iron pills and omega-3 fishoil daily.
Your suggestions my friend?
Um Abdulrahman,
Your current routine is completely fine, and your weight isn’t really that much of a problem since masha’Allah you’re very tall for a female.
I can help you get back to the low 70’s by trimming a few things from your current diet plan:
Upon Waking: 250-500ml of Water
Breakfast (8:00am): 30-60min After Waking Up
Nescafe w/ Low (half) fat milk and a small croissant
12:30pm – Lunch
The exact same lunch you’re currently consuming.
2:30pm – Green Tea
4:00pm – Snack
Activia Laban OR 1-Cup of Nescafe with Milk
8:00pm – Dinner:
Protein & Veggie Dinner:
2 scrambled eggs w/ tomatoes, olives, cucumber, and low-fat cheese (no bread)
OR
4 slices of Turkey OR 2 Chicken Breast/Thigh OR medium portion of meat w/ veggies
– Walk first then eat breakfast in the morning. Try to walk at a fast pace.
– You either cheat on Fridays at your family gatherings OR with your kids (pizza).
– You’re drinking too much dairy products close to each other. Combining dairy with coffee/tea is terrible for digestion. I took out the servings of coffee and milk that you don’t need.
– Try your best to sip on 500ml of water in between meals & snacks, for a minimum of 2 liters per day.
Update me if you have any questions.
Good Luck 🙂
______________
Anonymous,
Anytime 🙂 No bother whatsoever.
Stick to your current plan. Dieting makes people think of extrordinary options, so be on the look out for foods you prefer to eat and get back to me for confirmation.
Chicken gravy is very heavy. Limit your dressing and sauce intake to only 2 tablespoons. Try as hard as you can to eat foods made at home.
You may cheat after 14 days of strict dieting, just don’t go overboard.
The omega-3 is perfectly fine. I’d also suggest you start supplementing with Chromium Picolinate, 200mcg with breakfast, lunch and dinner for a total of 800mcg daily.
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sous,
Thank you sous for your uplifting words 🙂
I’m more than happy that people are starting to jump into a healthier lifestyle and I’m even happier I get the chance to contribute in such a good deed.
The Diet:
1- Yup. Nutrient timing is very important. It won’t change drastically though.
2- There’s absolutely no alternative to eggs. You may eat them scrambled to minimize its taste. I need you to rewrite the diet I gave you since I don’t remember what it looks like.
3- Absolutely!
4- Yeah sure, no harm in that. Just don’t use too much marination.
5- 15 pieces
6- Water retention can be a result of numerous things, including excessive carbs. DO NOT lower salt intake. Keep it at 2g per day. I go up to 4g and I’m still too dry.
The tip you provided is true, but I choose to avoid it completely :P.
The Training:
1) Do cardio for the 30 minutes you have in the morning. Use the treadmill, HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training): Walk for a minute then jog for another minute and repeat until you reach 30. No incline necessary.
You need to be a lot more specific with the equipment in order for me to compose something worthwile. Pics maybe?
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Husain,
Thanks brother!
Chapati is OK depending on how you prepare it. Normally, people use a large amount of oil and sugar which makes it a calorie dense carbohydrate source, enough to send your triglyceride/cholesterol/blood-sugar levels skyrocketing.
MO,
To you and everyone else: HUNGER IS GOOD! It means that your metabolism is WORKING!
Mo, if you’re full of water then kindly visit the restroom :P. Keeping the toxins in won’t do your body any good.
The Wife:
7:00 – Upon Waking
250ml – 500ml of Water (I’ll be annoying everyone in regards to the importance of this specific strategy).
Breakfast: 7:30am
1-2 Handfuls of Fitness + Skimmed Milk + 1 Boiled Egg
11:00am: Snack
1 Red Apple OR her choice of a moderate portion of sweets (if sugar cravings are bad, keep this at 300 calories) + Green Tea
3:00pm: Lunch
Half a chicken (skinless) OR 4 slices of turkey OR Red Meat OR Fish (these can be taken from whatever is provided, i.e. chicken or meat from the machboos is completely fine).
Salad w/ lemon, Apple Cider & a tsp of Olive Oil
6:30pm:
10 almonds + Green Tea (she’ll be joining you)
9:00pm: CARDIO (Also joining you)
10:00pm: Dinner
Repeat Lunch (similar to your dinner)
I replied to a post above in regards to iron deficiency. It has a whole list of iron-rich foods that your wife can eat depending on her food preference.
Thanx again!
So no alternative to eggs ha?? hmmmm
What are the ” minor” diet changes when working out at night?
This is the diet you gave me:
7:30 – 500ml of Water + Green Tea or Black Tea
0-30 Min Later:
WORKOUT + 500ml of Water
10:00- Breakfast
1 Apple (preferably Red) + 1-2 boiled or scrambled Eggs (w/ salt)
(225 calories)
12:00 – Sip on 500ml of Water
1:30 – Snack
1 Chocolate Bar (I’m serious. ENJOY LIFE!) + Green Tea
(Keep this at 200 calories)
3:00 – Sip on 500ml of Water
5:00 – Lunch
You haven’t specified what you eat, but I’d recommend a protein salad (chicken, fish or beef) w/ lemon, 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar and 1 tbsp olive oil.
(300 calories)
7:00 – Sip on 500ml of Water & Green Tea if you’re not sensitive to caffeine at night.
8 – 9: Dinner
Ditch the Wasa (rye crisps) and replace it with lettuce (as much as you want). 4 slices of turkey, 2 tbsp of fat-free philadelphia cheese and 7abat el baraka (feel free to add olives, zaatar, any herbs or spices). Wrap the turkey in lettuce and use the philadelphia cheese as a dressing. You may also add other veggies including tomatoes, cucumber, etc. Add salt to taste.(300 calories)
As for the equipment, will probably have to take photos:) are vibration massage plates any help?
Thank you for quick response.
My only problem would be with the breakfast.
I wake up 6.45 and have to take kids to school. Then I go to work and I have to go early because of traffic. I get to kuwait city 8.30, then i have a 15 min walk and stair clim to 7th floor. I have my breakfast at 9.00, so it is 2.15 hod after i get up.
I will restrict myself to only 1 cheating a week.
Can I keep my cup of milk before slep?
What about my Calcium intake? The reason i drink so much milk is that i want to maintain my intake about 1000mg per day ( osteoporosis fear )
hey fahad its me h again;p
my lifestyle is bad, thats because i go to university and my classes r till somtimes 5-6pm;/ then id go to the gym tired. barely making it through the 60min. so my gym days one day then id rest 4 a day then go the other..
breakfast- kellogs protein plus cornflakes
dinner-(university) subway 12 inch,( home) salmon,shrimps,chicken breast,fish anything with proteins;p
lunch- either subway again or kabab or healthstop
as you can c i just have 3 meals;/ i do take a muscle juice gainer(optimum nutrition) and amino 10,000 (optimuim nutrition) post workout.
height 182..
weight is 85…was 80 however, i gained 5kg after using muscle juice.. and most of it is around the waist;/
i hope that’s helpful
thank u in advance
sous,
Workout at 7:00pm. Pictures would be good
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Um Abdulrahman,
That’s way too late for breakfast. Here’s a suggestion:
Eat a red/yellow/green apple with water at 7 am. Consume your breakfast 3 hours later at work.
In regards to the milk, you don’t need that much. Try to include green veggies as much as possible, such as parsley (baqdoonis) since they have a high calcium content. You may keep the skimmed milk at night, but drink it 3 hours after dinner and don’t add the Nesquik.
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h,
Kudos to you my friend! On & off workout days are optimal for sufficient recovery, since muscle growth is promoted through rest. However, you’re not consuming enough muscle-growth promoting calories!
Here is what I suggest:
Upon Waking: 500ml of Water ofcourse
0-30 min Later: Breakfast
2 Handfuls of Kellogs Protein Plus Cornflakes
250ml of Skimmed Milk
2 scrambled Eggs
3 Hours Later (At Uni maybe):
15 salted almonds or cashews
3 Hours Later: Lunch
Subway, 6’Inch Wheat, 3 slices of turkey breasts, 3 slices of Roast Beef, White Cheese, Veggies, 2 lines of any dressing/sauce
OR
Home: 1 cup of white rice, or 1 baked potato or 1 Irani Bread, 10oz of grilled protein source (chicken, red meat, fish, etc), salad (mandatory!)
OR
Health Stop: Large Steak Tip Platter, Roasted Potatoes & Plain Broccoli for sides
NO KABAB
3 Hours Later: (Pre-Workout)
1 scoop of Whey Protein mixed in water + 1 Banana
60 Minutes Later (Post-Workout)
2 Scoops of Whey Protein w/ Water
Dinner: (60 minutes after PWO Shake)
Repeat Lunch
*Look for the closest trash can and throw your Amino Acid tablets/capsules/liquad away. You’re getting enough protein from your food sources & 2 shakes.
*Add in low intensity cardio (speed 6.0) for 20 minutes. Keep your heart rate in between 120-130 beats per minutes.
Please, oh pretty please tell me you’re drinking enough water?
thanks fahad..ur the best man
ahahahha ya water became my bestfriend;p never used the restroom this much ehehehe
ever heard of the bodybuilding seasons? “tansheef” in summer “tathkeeem” in the winter? should i follow these ??
Hey Fahad,
i have been reading about ur gym for a while, but its a shame you dont have one for ladies coz i know me and alot of girls will love a gym like that.. plz consider this..and if it is possible to open it before summer,so we can lose few pounds and have a firm body..and go swimming..
Thank you
best of luck:)
Hi Fahad howzz ultimate nutrition
wheyprotien?
h,
Anytime bro 🙂
You’re releasing poisonous toxins when you go to the restroom, so be happy about it :p.
The bodybuilding seasons you are referring to apply. “Tahkheem” is a mass-gaining phase, mostly associated with eating everything you see infront of you every 2-3 hours, while “Tansheef” is the cutting/fat-burning phase, also associated with strict dieting and excessive cardiovascular activity.
Personally, I have different interpretations to the above:
My diets in both phases are the exact same.
When dieting, I only lower the fat by half, keep the carbs & protein high and add in 30-45 minutes of low intensity cardio. I try to focus on maintaining as much lean muscle as possible, as opposed to losing as much fat as possible.
My mass-gaining phase has double the fats and absolutely no cardio. I increase carbs accordingly.
The advice I’m giving out to you and others involves “recompositioning”, which focuses on increasing lean muscle mass while shedding bodyfat. I truly believe this is possible, since I have achieved this with myself and others. All you need is a lot more patience and mental drive.
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BA,
We are in the process of starting up a female branch, which I hope will be finished within summertime. We’re trying our best to speed up the process while maintaining strict regulations in order to keep things as flawless as possible.
Thank you for your uplifting words:)
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mansoon,
Hey!
There are two types of whey protein in Kuwait that are worth considering:
1) Optimum Nutrition’s Whey Protein
2) Isopure
UN’s Whey Protein is good, but not great.
Looking forward to the ladies branch.
Thank you for all advices. I m trying my best:-)
The worst part/test of week for my diet will be tomorrow.
Let Allah grant u succes.
I just sent u message on facebook.
The diet is working just fine!And in the same time i feel energetic and well. Big time thanks.
Would you think about creating your fitness facebook page for fans? (due to privacy issues in FB ). This blog is difficult to orient in.
https://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=109079029112916
Hi Fahad, Just to update, my bp came down to 132/83/83 and I’m happy. The diet is going on fine, completed 4 successful days. Had to go off course 2 dinners due to friends get together but tried to control.
Walking is also going on fine. I prefer not to take the chromium supplement for sometime. I feel hungry too often so i’m drinking lots of water to pass it.
Alhamdulillah and thanks to you for the advices and time and thanks to Mark for being the medium.
Um Abdulrahman,
I’m glad to hear that! You’re welcome 🙂
I currently don’t have the time to follow-up on multiple sources of communication due to my busy schedule.
Once I pursue my business full-time, I’ll consider your suggestions :).
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Anonymous,
Great news! Try to stay on course as much as you can. If you can’t seem to hold things together, then space your slip-ups 3-4 days apart.
Hunger is GOOD! Keep up the good work 🙂 and Alhamdulilah!
OK. Will be waiting + 4 another ladies from my husband family. All of them like your advices and that you are flexible regarding the food intake. (hint: I am never ever willing giving up my morning coffee ).
My daily routine is so much better than before.
6.40 wake up
7.15 green apple juice (fresh)
9.00 coffee with croisant
10.30 cup of milk
12.30 lunch
14.00 green tea
15.00 aktivia or coffee
18.00 dinner
21.00 small cup of plain skimmed milk (150ml)
I try to lessen my milk intake ( i still have some type of fixed believe that the milk is best source of calcium, but working on it :-))
Last week i had only one cheating meal, fri evening on family gathering.
I drink everyday up to 2 liters of water.
I keep the morning walks and climbing the stairs and weekend cardio and fitness.
I feel i have more energy and have better mood Alhamdullilah.
Hi Fahad, Thanks for your reply. Can i add pineapple to my diet< i heard many benefits of it, if i can eat it then which time can i add it to my diet.I will not eat canned ones. Thanks.
hello fahad. do you have any tips for vegetarians? i’m slightly overweight but my waist and butt areas are a total mess.
thanks for being so helpful
Anonymous,
6 slices instead of the red apple, the meal 3 hours after breakfast.
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queue,
Hello!
For starters, I think you should ditch the whole vegan lifestyle completely. I’m assuming your taking in a lot of carbohydrates, including some pasta, potato, maybe a few sweets here and there.
Any chance of that happening?
not vegan, just vegetarian. i don’t consume meat/chicken/fish, and i don’t think that’s going to change. i usually have milk and fruit for breakfast, some kind of rice dish for lunch and beans or eggs for dinner, if i have dinner at all. i don’t eat a lot of sweets or pasta.
hi fahad, my weight is now 115 but is that possible? 3 kgs less in 5 days? Also bp came down to 124/82 and pulse 71 and moreover sugar is now 5.6 ( i never saw this figure before for myself).
Walking makes my leg pain, any remedy on that or because I started walking after a long time and also I’m also trying some 8-minute ab exercises.
Fahad,
I have been trying to reach you by email with no luck. Can you please respond to my earlier emails as I need to schedule an appointment with you.
Thanks.
Hi Fahad,
Remember me, I’m anonymous. Just to update, i lost around 5 kgs in 11 days but now the weight loss has slowed down. Alhamdulillah sugar & bp have become normal. sugar was 5.3 (unbelievable) and bp was 113/78 pulse 69 (unbelievable), i’m trying to controll it.
do I need to continue my current diet or can I add some milk or yoghurt to diet to get more fiber, calcium and esential vitamins.
I’m using a pedometer to measure my walking and i’m doing average 6000+ steps daily.