Mesomorphs! Here is your how to get a flat stomach nutrition and workout guideline. The details I will discuss are similar to
Mesomorph body type is somewhat between the ectomorph and endomorph so your workouts and nutrition will be quite balanced.
Your guidelines will focus on reducing your overall body fat and building lean muscle to get a flat and toned stomach.
If you’re still a bit unsure of your body type, you can take my free Body Type Quiz that will help you learn your body type in just 2 minutes. And if
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NUTRITION GUIDE
Diet is the most important factor when it comes to getting a flat stomach, as I have discussed in my previous article on how to get rid of belly fat.
Diet should be your main focus when it comes to both fat loss and getting a flat stomach. With the high level of exercise you will be doing, it is important to fuel your body and eat regularly as you will be hungry.
The most important thing is not to eat too many or too little calories. You need to get that balance right!
You should be in a slight calorie deficit, but not too much otherwise you will be too hungry and this can lead to overeating or binge eating. This will prevent overeating and also help control your insulin levels.
MACRONUTRIENTS
Your body type does best on a balanced diet meaning you should not restrict any certain food types and should have a diet consisting of balanced carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
A good macronutrient breakdown is:
- 35-40% carbohydrates
- 30-35% protein
- 30% fat
Your food intake should be consistent so eat the same on workout days as you do on your rest days.
SHOULD I COUNT CALORIES AND MACRONUTRIENTS
I don’t think you have to always count your calories and macros religiously (I don’t). But when you’re starting a new diet, it’s good to know your daily macros and calorie intake.
Eating too little can actually backfire in terms of weight loss. By eating too little you can damage your metabolism which will then cause your body to store fat.
And knowing your macros is also very important. At one point I was consuming enough calories for my body type and activity level but I was still hungry all the time. I then realised it was because my fibre intake was too low.
Once I increased my fibre intake, I actually noticed a significant difference in hunger, which made me feel great. :)
So I would suggest that you calculate your daily calorie and macros intake for a week or two so you can get a good idea of how much you should be eating.
If you don’t know how to calculate your daily calorie intake, read this blog post. And if you don’t know how to calculate your macronutrients, read this blog post.
CARBOHYDRATE INTAKE
The majority of your carbs should be consumed around breakfast and post-workout when your body needs it most. Post workout, your body is in an anabolic state and needs the carbs to replenish your body, NOT store fat.
This is the absolute best time to consume carbs, whether it be morning or night. Make sure your carbs are coming from low GI carb sources such as sweet potato and oats, rather than high GI (sugary/processed carbs).
It would also be very beneficial for you to invest in a whey protein powder. To find out more about why protein is important, especially when it comes to weight loss, read this blog post.
DAILY DIET EXAMPLE
Here is an example of a daily diet for your body type. I have based the calorie and macronutrient intakes on a female aged between 18-30 years, who weighs 62kgs and exercises at a high intensity.
If you weigh more than this or exercise vigorously, you may need to eat more than this. If you weigh less than this or exercise less, you may need to eat less than this.
- BREAKFAST: post workout protein smoothie made with 1 scoop of protein, 1 cup of light milk, 1 banana, 1/2 cup blueberries and 1/2 cup oats
- SNACK: 200g fat-free yoghurt with 1 serve of fruit
- LUNCH: toasted sandwich with 100g shaved chicken breast, 2/5 avocado and salads
- SNACK: 2 boiled eggs
- DINNER: chicken stir fry with 1 cup of chicken, 1 cup of steamed green vegetables and 1 cup brown rice
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WORKOUT GUIDELINE
If you have extra body fat, regular cardio will be the key factor in losing overall body fat and in keeping your body from gaining fat.
Resistance training and ab exercises will help you achieve ab definition and build lean muscle.
Here are some key guidelines:
- MODERATE CARDIO 3 times per week
- RESISTANCE TRAINING 3 times per week (it can include some HIIT SESSIONS)
- HIIT 1-2 times per week
- AB EXERCISES 3 times per week
- ONE REST DAY per week
RELATED POST: HOW TO LIFT WEIGHTS WITHOUT GETTING BULKY
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CARDIO
As I always like to remind you guys, you cannot really spot reduce so if you need to lose some belly fat, you need to reduce your overall body fat. And when it comes to fat loss, cardio works great.
You should aim to have 3 cardio only days. Moderate intensity cardio works best for fat loss (find out more here) so power walking and jogging are great.
You can also do some power walking after your resistance training and regular HIIT sessions.
It is beneficial to do cardio after a resistance training session because this type of training uses up your glycogen stores.
This means your body will use more fat during your cardio workout (for more information on this, check out my previous blog post on cardio).
RESISTANCE TRAINING
Resistance training is an extremely important part of any fitness routine.
It will help you get lean and toned. If you want to get toned, you need to build muscle and you can’t build muscle if you avoid resistance training.
If you prefer to look leaner, I highly recommend bodyweight training or doing lighter weights with a high number of reps.
I wrote a detailed blog post on why I prefer bodyweight training over weightlifting. You can read it here.
Bodyweight training should help you achieve that lean and toned look without making you bulky.
You may not build strength as someone who lifts heavy weights but it can still be challenging. It will also help you improve balance, coordination and core strength.
If you want to make it more challenging, I recommend using light weights and resistance bands and keeping your repetitions high.
With this type of training, you should focus more on endurance rather than strength. This will help you prevent bulking.
Here are some of my full body resistance workouts that I do regularly:
HIIT SESSIONS
HIIT workouts (high-intensity interval training) are also great for your body type so some of your resistance training sessions can be HIIT.
HIIT will help you burn lots of calories in a very short period for time and it will boost your metabolism.
This metabolism boost will last even hours after you’re done working out which means you’ll continue to burn calories.
If you want to keep your legs lean without building too much muscle, avoid weighted HIIT workouts and doing lots of leg focused exercises.
If your HIIT sessions have lots of squats, lunges and burpees, your legs may bulk up.
Here are some of my favourite HIIT workouts that will help you burn lots of calories without adding bulkiness to your lower body:
- HIIT for a slim and toned body
- Full body HIIT workout that won’t add bulk
- HIIT ab workout
- 15 minute HIIT ab workout
FAT BURNING HIIT
To challenge yourself and to achieve results quicker you can do fat burning HIIT.
HIIT and resistance training are anaerobic activities which means your body uses glycogen (carbs) as the main fuel source, not fat.
Cardio is an aerobic activity, which means your body uses glycogen (carbs) and fat as the main fuel source.
Note that HIIT and resistance training typically do not burn fat. But you can make HIIT a fat burning activity.
My favourite type of fat burning HIIT is interval running. To learn what interval running is and how to do it, read this blog post.
Interval running is an amazing workout that can help your body burn more fat and increase your fitness levels.
For some mesomorphs, it works great but for others, it may cause unwanted bulkiness.
If you tend to bulk up easily in your lower body and you prefer that your legs stay lean, while you’re working on your abs, I would advise you to skip it.
AB EXERCISES
Once you have started to reduce your overall body fat, ab exercises will help you see ab definition.
Your abs are made up of four main muscles and in order to get great abs, you will need to work all of these muscles.
Remember that you won’t be able to see your ab definition until you have reached a certain body fat percentage. So your key goal should be fat loss!
And here are some of my favourite ab workouts that will engage all your abdominal muscles:
- My ab workout
- Favourite ab workout
- Lower ab workout – Gym based
- Lower ab workout – No gym required
- Oblique ab workout for women
- Oblique ab workout – Home based
REST
You MUST have at least one rest day. Everyone needs to have at least one rest day to allow your body to recover. It will help prevent overtraining and injury.
Keep in mind that you don’t get fitter and stronger during your workout, this happens afterwards during recovery.
You may notice muscle definition and strength before you notice significant fat loss. This is OK, however, make sure you’re keeping up with the cardio to reduce your body fat.
Remember that these are a guide only, and everyone’s bodies will be different and respond differently to exercise.
If I have suggested something that doesn’t seem to be working for you, then change it! If you’re gaining more muscle than you would like, then reduce your resistance training and increase your cardio.
It’s your body, so do what makes you look and feel your best! Overall though, I hope that I have been able to provide some information to help.
Ectomorphs, your how to get a flat stomach nutrition and workout guideline is ready! Go and give it a read to find out how to get those abs :)
MY PROGRAM
I should also mention my 3 Steps To Lean Legs Program. I designed it for women who want to get lean and toned body but without getting bulky legs in the process.
My program will help you lose overall body fat and build lean muscles without making you bulky.
And as you guys know, if you want to get a flat stomach doing just tons of abs workout won’t help you. You need to do cardio, resistance training and you need to eat right!
My program contains an 8-week workout that combines cardio, resistance training and HIIT specifically for your body type.
It also has a complete nutrition plan for each of the three body types. This way, you can be sure you’re eating a healthy diet that will help you achieve your fitness goals easier and faster.
Also, the resistance training part of my program now has FULL-LENGTH videos that you can follow from warm up to cool down.
To find out more about my 3 Steps to Lean Legs Program click the link below:
https://www.rachaelattard.com/skinny-legs-ebook/
To find out more about my FULL-LENGTH VIDEOS, follow this link:
https://www.rachaelattard.com/lean-legs-video-course/
Love Rachael xx
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It’s FREE
what workout/ diet plan would you recommend for an ECTO-MESO?
Hi lovely,
Thanks for reaching out :)
If you are leaning more towards an ectomorph then I suggest you follow the plans for ectomorphs, but if mesomorph traits are more prominent with you, you should follow the plan for mesomorphs.
If you are not sure about your body type, the workouts, as well as the nutrition you should follow, feel free to send your pics while wearing some sports clothes to info@rachaelattard.com and I will gladly help you with that and give you some tips :)
Love,
Sandra
Hi rachael! i’ve been trying to get abs for a while but nothings seems to be happening. I’ve lost some weight and i’m not sure if i’ve slowed my metabolism, ive been doing hiit too and eating healthy so i do not know why i can’t lose the belly fat. i’ve also been doing lots of walking for lean legs but i’m not seeing any progress.
Hi lovely,
Thanks for reaching out! <3
Getting rid of belly fat is almost 100% related to your diet. The only way to get rid of this fat is to lose overall body fat which is done through consuming less calories than your body uses (eating at a calorie deficit).
As for the workouts, any type of resistance training helps, but generally HIIT gets the quickest results. High intensity cardio such as running also helps a lot.
For more helpful tips please have a read of these blog posts:
The truth about how to lose belly fat
How to lose lower belly fat
Favourite ab workout
Best of luck! xx
Love,
Sanja
I’m sorry, you mean 3-5 days a week? Thank you :)
Hi lovely <3,
Yes, 3-5 days a week, sorry for that! :)
Please let me know if there's anything else I can help you with!
Love,
Sara
Hey Rachael, so do we do resistance training every day? I’m a mesomorph also. Thank you so much.
Hi lovely <3
Thanks for reaching out!
Aim for 3-5 weeks of resistance training as that will give you the best results! :)
And always listen to your body! :)
Please let me know if I can help with anything else!
Love,
Sara
Hi Rachel, Can I do home workouts (HIIT and resistance training) in 4-5days per week instead of doing cardio? Walking I think won’t work for me because of the work schedule and we’re still in lockdown. And as for Running, I used to do this before but I think it just made my calves and legs bulky. And when is the best time to eat after work out. Thank you.
Hey lovely,
Thanks for reaching out! :)
Since you are doing resistance training already and walking really is the key to slimming down I wouldn’t suggest that you do more resistance training and HIIT as walking substitute.
If you have a busy schedule try walking as much as you can, to the grocery store, as relaxation with your friends or family, going back from work, etc.
Even if you don’t do it all at once, it is much better than not doing it at all.
Here are some links to the at home cardio that you can practice while in lockdown, just have in mind it’s only a temporary solution and wouldn’t give great results as walking would.
At Home Cardio Workout Video
At Home Boxing Workout
Love,
Ana
Hello Rachael,
I’m confused because I thought we were able to eat at a calorie deficit… what should we aim for? Or should I ask what is more important to have, lower carbs, or lower calories? I have no problem with protein level, fat, and fiber. I want to lose weight as a mesomorph but it’s always the carbs and calories I’m confused about. Thank you!
Hey lovely,
Your macros can affect your weight loss (low carb diets tend to give results faster) BUT Rachael says that calorie deficit is way more important so I would aim to eat around 300 calories less than you eat to maintain your weight.
You can calculate your ideal calorie intake here.
Let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Love,
Marina
Hi Rachael,
The workout guidelines that you posted should we do them all at once or can do some throw out the day?
Hi lovely,
You can do what works best for you. You can combine it all at once or you can do it in parts. For example, you can do some cardio in the morning and then later on the day do some resistance training and ab exercises. :)
Let me know if you have any questions! xx
Love,
Sanja
Hi ladies, so I’m a mesomorph and my goal is to lose fat all over in general- and I saw some posts here and there where Rachael says fasted cardio helps to lean legs and lose weight.. but here, it’s recommended to do cardio after resistance training. Can you clarify which is better to lost overall fat in general please? Thank you :)
Hi lovely,
Doing cardio after resistance training and doing fasted cardio are both great ways to lose overall fat. Fasted cardio can help you lose weight a bit faster because you have not eaten anything in some time, so as result, you will end up burning more fat. Here is a blog post that will provide you with some more information on fasted cardio here
I hope this helps! xx
Love,
Sanja
Hello Rachael :)
I noticed in the “skinny fat” blog you put a workout schedule from Monday throughout Sunday. Do you have one for mesomorph too? I work best with an outline and love what you had! I’d love to give it a try with it before getting the program. Please guide, thank you’
Hi lovely,
Thank you for reaching out! :)
We have something similar in this guide for mesomorphs – but you can also register to Rachael platform for free here if you haven’t already and look under ‘Free Items’. There you will find a video course ‘Train like a model’ – it’s not body type-specific but it will give you some idea about the exercises.
I hope it helps! xx
Love,
Tina
Hello!
Does this work for beginners too? Can I do..
-MODERATE CARDIO 3 times per week
– RESISTANCE TRAINING/or AB exercise 3 times per week
-and HIIT (running) 1 time per week?
Would that be okay? I don’t know where to start… please help, thank you! <3
Hi lovely,
Thank you for reaching out! :)
If your goal is to get a flat stomach, then you should definitely follow those key guidelines suggested in the article! Also, here’s a blog post I think can also be useful – you also have links to other specific articles at the bottom of that one :)
If you have more questions, you can also write to info@rachaelattard.com xx
Love,
Tina
Hi Rachael:)
I have been going to a personal trainer but was already on the lean side when I started (I had 15% body fat). I have dropped to 14% on their regimen but my waist had expanded an inch and a half! I want to stop doing ab work but I know that’s not the best solution. I’m a mesomorph and seem to put on muscle easily. Same with the hips (I’ve been sticking to flat surface running 3-4 times a week for about 50 minutes). Any tips to shrink my waistline?
Thanks!!
Michelle
Hi lovely,
If your waist has expanded it could be due to a few reasons: muscle gain, bloating or water retention.
Reducing any muscle takes time and requires you to not use these muscles, to give them a chance to reduce in size (or “atrophy”).
If you continue with heavy lifting or whatever exercise it is that bulked you up in the first place, you will never reduce this muscle. Stopping this type of exercise is the most important thing.
I know that giving up intense exercise and heavy lifting can be difficult at first, but there are lots of other exercises you can do. Please have a read of this blog post for some great waist slimming exercises!
You can speed up the process by eating at a slight calorie deficit (and I really mean slight) and eating a low carb diet. It’s also very important that you don’t starve yourself. That will just slow down your metabolism and it may have serious consequences on your health. For more helpful info please check out this blog post:
https://www.rachaelattard.com/slim-muscular-upper-body/
Love,
Diana
Hi Rachel
What would I do if there are exercises that I cannot do? Are there substitutions or would just leave them out?
Hi lovely,
Which one of these exercises are you unable to do? Some of them can be skipped while the others can be substituted. :) xx
Love,
Diana
Hi there,
Some of your resistance training routines incorporate lots of abs. If I do those, do I still need extra abs exercises 3 times a week? If yes, should I do abs after resistance training or cardio?
Hi lovely,
You can do extra ab workouts if you wish, but you don’t have to – it’s up to you. :) I would suggest doing them on a day when you only have cardio sessions! xx
Love,
Diana
Hi Rachael!
reading the blog post I was thinking that there would be some overlap with some of the workouts ( ex: donig an ab workout after cardio, or cardio after resistance training, etc.) I was wondering if that is correct? That on some days HIIT training after a resistance workout would be recommended to use yp glycogen or fat stores.
Also, when you mention moderate cardio, would that include (for example) running at an endurance pace either outside or treadmill, on a flat surface?
Thank you!
Hi lovely,
Yes, you’re correct! We do recommend combining cardio with resistance training. Moderate cardio would be lots of fast walking and running twice a week (at a steady state, on a flat surface). :) xx
Love,
Diana
Hi Rachael!
Your blog post mentions that doing cardio after resistance training workout can help use glycogen stores. Is this the same with HIIT after resistance training?
Hi lovely,
We usually combine cardio with a HIIT session or a different resistance training session. If you were to do HIIT after resistance training, it would have the same effect in using glycogen stores for energy.
Love,
Diana
xx
Hey Rachael,
I am 5’7 and I weight around 116 pounds. I can see some ab definition and leg muscles but I am still overall kind of soft from my lower belly, hips, and thighs. Is there any way I could fix that through this regimen? If you see me, you’ll think I’m on the slimmer side, but for some reason, it’s hard to lose the fat in those specific areas and tone them up. What do you suggest?
Hi lovely,
I suggest doing more resistance training and adding some light weights or resistance bands that will help you get more toned.
We would love to help you as much as we can :) So that’s why we have created the Lean Legs Program.
The Program is an 8 week workout and nutrition plan designed to help you get lean and toned without bulking.
It will help you slim down your legs and reduce cellulite, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body).
It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe eBook and demonstration videos.
You can find out more about the Lean Legs Program here:
Lean Legs Program
For more helpful tips please have a read of this blog post.
Love,
Diana
xx
Hi lovely,
I suggest doing more resistance training and adding some light weights or resistance bands that will help you get more toned.
We would love to help you as much as we can :) So that’s why we have created the Lean Legs Program.
The Program is an 8 week workout and nutrition plan designed to help you get lean and toned without bulking.
It will help you slim down your legs and reduce cellulite, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body).
It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe eBook and demonstration videos.
You can find out more about the Lean Legs Program here:
Lean Legs Program
For more helpful info please have a read of this blog post.
Love,
Diana
xx
Hi Rachael,
I’m 144 lbs and I’m 5’4 tall with the body fat 26.5%. I used to exercise 2hr a day and 6 days a week. I was going hard on myself where I lost almost 30lbs within a month and half. back then, all I was eating was veggies and taking my protein shake which really helped me not to be out of energy. but after I lost all that weight I stopped exercising for some reason and start stress eating, you know how that is. and I end up gaining some of the weight back. I was 132 lbs after I lost my 30lbs. I hate my upper body fat but don’t know what to eat or do anymore. I’m a mesomorph and now I’m losing what I gained back but the changes are taking all my patience. I want to lose my body fat more than anything please if you’ve any advice.
Hi lovely,
If you store a lot of fat in your upper body, you could do some HIIT that will target your abs!
We would love to help you as much as we can :) So that’s why we have created the Lean Legs Program.
We have designed the program to include the perfect type of resistance training and cardio to give you a lean and toned look, without making you bulky.
It will help you slim down your legs, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body).
It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe ebook and demonstration videos.
You can find out more about the program here:
Lean Legs Program
Love
Diana
xx
Hi Rachael
i want to lose 5 kilos and finding it really hard.i used to weigh 80 kilos now I weigh 68 kilos. im 5ft 8inches tall. I tried to go Keto but i couldnt stand it for long. I also find it hard to make time for excersice due to my busy days.
Any suggestions please?
Thanks
Julie
Hi lovely,
Exercising only 30-40 minutes per day would make a big difference, even if you work out at home with little to no equipment!
We would love to help you as much as we can :) So that’s why we have created the Lean Legs Program.
The Program is an 8 week workout and nutrition plan designed to help you get lean and toned without bulking.
It will help you slim down your legs, but will also help you slim and tone your upper body and core too (the workouts are full body).
It also includes a full meal plan, a separate recipe eBook and demonstration videos.
You can find out more about the Lean Legs Program here:
Lean Legs Program
For more helpful info please have a read of this blog post.
Love,
Diana
xx
Hi Rachel I’m 26 yrs old and 161 cm my current weight is 77 kg and I want to loose body fat, I’m a Mesomorph I’m going to the gym 5 days a week but I’m not sure about what should I do to reach my goal, can you give some advise? Thank you in advance!
Hi lovely, diet is the most important thing when trying to lose weight so I would actually make that your main focus for now :) Keep up with your gym and mix it up between high intensity exercises (such as HIIT and running) and low intensity (walking and lighter circuits). Wishing you all the best! xx
Hello Rachael, I was just wondering what the best way to weight train was having a Mesomorphic body type. I would like to decrease body fat and tone my muscles rather than gain any extra. I know cardio is a staple but in terms of amount of weight I lift and reps, how should I tweak it to optimize losing inches? Thank you in advance
Hi lovely, well if your goal is not to gain too much extra muscle, I would say the lighter style of resistance workouts I post. Try some of the free ones on my blog! In terms of weight and reps, it’s hard to say because it depends on the exercise. I would try to stick to body weight mostly if you can, and anywhere from 12-20 reps. Good luck! xx
You’re the absolute best! Thank you so much for your quick response and kindness! Xx
No worries hun! :) xx
Hi Rachael :) I play sport at quite a high level and recently my coach told me that in order to stay in my position on the team i would need to get leaner and lose some body fat :( Im only 17 and this is the first time i have ever tried to lose weight or really thought about it. I am about 168cm and weigh aprox 57kg, I already train quite often, maybe 5 times or more a week. I think i need to lose around 4 kgs, Im not in a rush tho. I found your blog really helpful and would like to know if you have any advice about the sort of things and amounts I should be eating. Thanks!
Hi lovely, you are at a healthy weight and are already very active, so I think you could lose a bit of extra fat just by making some really small changes to your diet. It doesn’t need to be anything extreme. Minimize high sugar foods and white carbs, and eat more fruit, veg and healthier carb sources such as brown rice, oats, quinoa and of course veggies. Have a look at all of the diet related posts on my blog for some extra tips! xx
Hi Rachel!
Under the weight training section you mentioned something “full HITT weights training”, I’m not sure what you mean by this?
Hi Claire, I think you mean full body HIIT? By this I mean HIIT that works your whole body (i.e. your arms, core and legs), not just one body part. Have a look at some of my full body HIIT workouts here :) xx
Hi Rachael,
I’m a 23 yr old, 173cm, 70kg mesomorph who has been doing high intensity circuits with a combination of weights/body weights 3-4 times a week and a HIIT session, approx duration of 30-45min. I usually do either RPM or boxing 45min once a week too.
I walk to work 5 days a week, 20min there and back so a total of 40min. On weekends I usually go for a power walk min of 1hr then have a complete rest day.
I eat a healthy balanced diet but have the odd treat, and do have a few glasses of wine on the weekend.
Last time I checked was down to 20% body fat.
I would like to stay lean but have more defined muscle, any advice? Have done weights in the past but have looked bulky.
Thanks heaps xx
Hi lovely, wow it sounds like you’re very active so that’s great! :) To make your muscles look more defined and toned without getting bigger, I would keep doing the workouts but you could perhaps swap out a HIIT session for a cardio HIIT session. Also I would really focus on your diet to go that little bit extra and lean out even more. Good luck! xx
Hi Rachel :))
I’m 1.71 m and weigh 65 kg and have a body fat percent of 29% at the moment. I’ve been trying various kinds of exercise, and I’ve even managed to drop from weighing 69 kg, but no matter what i do, I can’t seem to get below 58 which is the ideal weight my nutrient gave me. I feel so lost, having tried so many things, and I store most of my fat in my legs, but whenever i do lose weight its lost from my upper body which is really slim, so i really have no idea what to do anymore, so i was really hoping to get some advice since i’m a combo of both mesomorph and endomorph bodytype?
Hi lovely, I’m sorry to hear of your troubles. It is normal for women to lose weight from the top down – legs are the hardest place. If you are eating well and exercising but can’t seem to lose weight, there could be another issues. Please have a read of this blog post as it explains a few reasons that could be making it difficult for you to lose weight. I hope that helps! xx
Hi Rachael :)
I’m 22 years old (174cm) and weigh 68 with 21% body fat and have a fairly athletic looking body but a lot of belly fat, which is out of proportion with my body. I am doing HIIT tabata classes and going for brisk walks for 40mins. As I’m vegan I eat a lot of carbs but I don’t exceed 1700 calories and my work is fairly active. What should I do?
Hi Kate, it sounds like you are doing everything right so I would just give it some time and keep it consistent :) Mixing up your workouts can help too and you could also try adding in a bit of high intensity cardio. Good luck! xx
Hi Rachael, love your blog and your advice! :)
I’m 165cm and 59kg, and an endomorph body type. Currently I work out 3-4 times a week, with 2x resistance training, 2x HIIT sprints. My upper body is a lot more toned (back & arms), but my tummy, hips and thighs still have quite a bit of fat, and thighs are really muscular still. I barely eat carbs (except some oatmeal in the morning), and have stopped drinking alcohol mostly. Do you have any advice on how I could lose lower body weight? Thank you!
Hi Hannah, I would swap out your HIIT sprints for steady state running, and try to add in some more power walking into your days because it’s really good for slimming down your legs. Good luck! xx
hey, im looking to loose 5-7kg and 5-8 percent of body fat. my meal plan is the following:
meal 1: oatmeal with banana and bluberries
meal 2: 1/2 greek yogurt no fat
meal 3: chicken breast with veggies
meal 4: canned tuna
i workout full body 3 times a week ad do cardio 3 times a week and rest, will ill be able to do this within a month and is it a good plan?
Hi there! The first 3 meals are good, but the last one needs a bit of work. I would try to have a whole piece of fish with vegetables. The amount of food you need depends on your size so hard to tell if this is the right amount for you. But I’m sure it can’t hurt to have a bit of extra protein and an extra snack – eggs, protein shake, nuts, etc :) xx
Hi Rachael, I’m 17 years old, 60kg and 157cm. I have a mesomorph body and i really want to have better shape of body. But i have no time to do cardio regularly since im busy with my study. I usually do some push ups and walk a lot. i also have gastrics. Can you suggest some quick and easy yet healthy foods? Tq
Hi Lisa, any exercise is great so just try to fit it in when you can :) Circuits with exercises such as push ups are great! If I’m pressed for time, I usually find it helpful to pre-make some meals or snacks on the weekend. I usually make up some roast vegetables (my favourites are sweet potato and carrot) and some sautéed greens (broccoli, asparagus, kale, etc). And then have these as sides or throw them all into a salad. Other super easy snacks are protein balls, boiled eggs, nuts, crackers or carrot sticks and dip. I hope that helps! Good luck with your studies xx
Hi Rachel,
I’m 62kg and 158cm tall. I have been doing strength training times a week. I’m not losing much weight. What training should I do to get my thighs toned and flat tummy?
Hi Mollyn, if you’re exercising regularly but not seeing results it is most likely related to your diet. So I would make sure you’re eating the right amount and right type of food for your body type. I would also incorporate more HIIT and running to help you lean out :) xx
Hi Rachael, I wanted to know if I workout in the morning before breakfast then would breakfast be only time that I would eat carbs?
Hi Meron, yes that would be the preferred time for you to eat carbs, and also morning tea. After that, you can still eat carbs but just try to keep it minimal for best results x
Hey, I am a fifteen year old girl, weight 54 kg, height 159cm. I am a mesomorph body type and i really need and want to lose weight and tone my body. My ideal weight stated that i should be 49 to 50. I have a lot of belly fat. It would be great if you could tell me how many times a week i should lift weights or do cardio. Thanks
Hi hun, I would avoid lifting any heavy weights at your age. I would focus on doing power walking, jogging and body weight circuits. I would perhaps do the circuits twice per week and cardio 3 times per week xx
Hi Rachael! I have been exercising 5-6times per week with 3 days being resistance training with weights and also walking 40mins to 1h 6times per week but I am not losing much fats especially in my legs. My legs gained muscles and I am afraid they are becoming too big so I decided to switch to pilates and cardio workout youtube videos and do resistance training on my upper body only but not sure whether it will work. Would like to get some advice from you as I am 54kg at 166cm and I eat healthy too.
Hi Ale,
I would try to increase the intensity of your cardio. Power walking is good but try to add in some jogging and sprinting. Check out my blog post on HIIT sprinting. If you feel like your legs are becoming too muscular, try carrying a lighter weight and doing a high amount of reps (for example 15-17) and not resting for very long (i.e. 30 to 45 seconds) between exercises to keep the intensity up. I would still recommend doing weights for your legs but maybe reduce to 1-2 times per week xx
Thank you for the advice Rachael, appreciate it!!:) you look great btw!:) have a nice day!:)
You’re welcome Ale and thanks! :)