Losing Weight and 6-Pack Abs FAQ

First of all, what is fat?

Fat is the most efficient energy reserve your body can produce, with minimal water retention. Fat is necessary for protection of vital organs such as the kidneys and serves as energy reserve in times of need. Excessive bodily fat (obesity) has been linked to cardiac disease, diabetes and many other illnesses.

How can I lose fat?

You need to burn more energy than you put into your body. Around 3500 kcal makes a pound of bodyfat, so if per day you stay 500 kcal below what is needed to maintain your bodyweight, then 1lb of bodyfat will be lost per week.

So how do I determine that I'm 500 kcal below?

You need to calculate your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) and stay 500 calories below that number. This video and this video explain the principle.

Is there a minimum I need to eat to stay healthy while losing weight?

Yes, this minimum is called BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). If you go below it your body most likely won't get sufficient amounts of the nutrients it needs to lose weight healthily. As above, this video and this video explain it.

What do I need to eat when I want to lose weight?

What you need to do is evaluate your recommended daily calorie intake, for example here. Remember that this is just an estimate.
And then give this page a quick read, to ensure that you can read nutritional labels to find out how much calories are in consumed foods: total these up and see if you have too few or too many calories for the day.
You may want to cut back on fats as much as you feel comfortable, as this will lower your total calories significantly. It is also a good idea to include more fruits and vegetables into your diet.

What exercises do I need to do to lose fat?

First of all you can exercise as much as you want if you do not control your energy intake, as you can always eat more than run. Cardio simply lets you lose weight faster or lets you be able to not cut back on calories as severely and still lose fat.
Next make sure that you are fit enough to start a cardio activity. It's a good idea to check with your doctor first.
A decent cardio activity gets your heart rate up to 50-75% of the 'maximum heartrate' in beats per minute, which can be calculated as 220 minus your age. E.g. for a 20 year old this would be about 100-150 beats per minute.
A few typical cardio exercises are running / jogging, swimming, cycling, jump rope, dancing, football, basketball, volleyball etc. Basically anything that gets your heart rate up and keeps it at the above rate.
To get a decent amount of calories burned it is a good idea to perform 30-60 minutes of light cardio a day, or around 60 minutes 2-4 times a week.
Last but not least cardio is not only good for losing fat, but for your health in general.

I heard that specific exercises let you target where you lose fat ("spot reduction"). Is that true?

No, unfortunately not. The body decides from where it will use fat as fuel for your activities. To find out why please see this video.

What is this "starvation mode" thing I keep hearing about? Do I need to eat more to lose weight again when the loss stops?

There is something called "starvation response", which occurs when you go below your essential body fat. The "starvation mode" as you often about hear about is a myth explained in this video.

What about the fat burning zone? Do I need to keep my pulse in a certain range to lose fat?

Is it true that green tea (cold water, hot peppers, various herbs and spices etc.) can make you lose weight?

If these have any effect it is most likely so small you won't even notice. This video has the details.

Do I burn more fat when I run on an empty stomach?

Yes, but you will most likely burn less calories in total. Have a look at this video for the explanation.

Can I build muscle and burn fat off at the same time?

This is entirely possible with a controlled diet, sufficient protein and working out. Also see this thread and watch this and this video about the optimal diet for fat loss while gaining muscle.

How can I find out my body fat percentage?

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