I was hoping you could help provide me with some sort of exercise routine or food plan so I can avoid over-exercising and wearing myself out. I have a hard time knowing what to eat because most of the things the dietitian suggests to eat are hard to make and I simply don’t have the patience to make them. Can you help me?
In terms of the specific types of foods to include in your diet, our nutrition 101 article provides a large list of nutrient dense super foods for you to choose from. Tracking your food intake and overall calories is also very important for maintaining a successful nutritional plan. The old saying, “What gets measured, gets managed” is so true when it comes to getting the best results from a healthy diet and exercise plan. ShapeFit offers a fitness tracking app called FitTracker which allows you to easily track your workouts and weight loss progress.
If you are able to weight train 5 days per week, I recommend a 5 day split routine where you train different muscle groups on different days. Since you are 240 pounds and want to lose body fat, it’s important to also include cardio exercise into your overall routine. I recommend doing 1 hour workouts which consist of 30 minutes of weight training and 30 minutes of cardio. Always do cardio AFTER weights in order to optimally tap into your body fat stores. Below is a sample weekly workout routine for you to follow:
Monday (Chest):
- Barbell Bench Press (3 sets of 10-12 reps)
- Incline Dumbbell Press (3 sets of 10-12 reps)
- Cardio: Walking on the treadmill (30 minutes)
Tuesday (Back):
- Bent Over Barbell Rows (3 sets of 10-12 reps)
- Seated Cable Rows (3 sets of 10-12 reps)
- Cardio: Elliptical machine (30 minutes)
Wednesday (Legs):
- Barbell Squats (3 sets of 10-12 reps)
- Dumbbell Lunges (3 sets of 10-12 reps)
- Seated Hamstring Curls (3 sets of 10-12 reps)
- Seated Calf Raises (3 sets of 10-12 reps)
- Cardio: No cardio today
Thursday (Shoulders):
- Dumbbell Press (3 sets of 10-12 reps)
- Side Lateral Raises (3 sets of 10-12 reps)
- Cardio: Stationary bike (30 minutes)
Friday (Biceps and Triceps):
- Barbell Curls (2 sets of 10-12 reps)
- Preacher Curls (2 sets of 10-12 reps)
- Skull Crushers (2 sets of 10-12 reps)
- Triceps Pushdowns (2 sets of 10-12 reps)
- Cardio: Walking on the treadmill (30 minutes)
Saturday (Cardio only):
- Ride bike outside for 45-60 minutes.
Sunday (Rest day):
Relax and enjoy the day!