I need to lose fat & gain muscle mass.?

I've had 2 knee surgeries since June and the lack of activity is really starting to impact my figure. I need a diet/exercise routine to help lose fat & gain some of my muscle mass. I do have access to a community gym.
I wasn't sure if I should go on a high-protein diet??

*Note; I have a loosened ACL and my knee is pretty unstable right now; so I cannot participate in sports

I do a healthy; well balanced diet. But I was looking for some ideas to jump start the fat lose and muscle gain.

Despite having knee problems, you could still perform cardio workout that have less impact on the knees. For instance, swimming or using the elliptical or the stationary bicycle or even the row machines. Choose any machine that would allow you to workout comfortably without any pain.Start out slow and perform 20-30 minutes of cardio at a time 3-4 times per week.

If you're not familiar with free weights, use the weight machines at your gym. After performing cardio, stretch for 5 minutes and then hit the weights. To gain muscle mass, you would need to add resistance exercises 2-3 times per week to your routine.

Chest press - start at the lowest weight that you're comfortable and perform a set of 8-12 repititions, then rest for 2 minutes and then perform another set of 8-12 repititions. Rest for 2 minutes before moving to the next exercise.

Shoulder press-same instructions as above.

Back -same instructions as above.

Bicep curls -same instructions as above.

Triceps -Same instructions as above.

Abdominals-Add weights to your stomach. I personally use a weight machine that targets my stomach. I add enough weights heavy enough for resistance and I perform 3 sets of 15-20 repititions of (sitting on a machine) stomach crunches. I normally perform abdominal expercises 2-3 times per week. I treat it just like any other muscles and give it plenty of rest. Frankly, the only way you'll have a six pack is if you your body fat percentage is low enough for you to be able to see your the muslce definitions in your stomach, which can range from 14-20% for females.

Legs-I would not recommend any legs right now since the bending of doing squats and lunges might aggravate your condition. However, once you've healed and are stronger, I suggest adding leg exercises to your routine.



Week after week, increase the amount of weights for strength training in order to challenge your body and gain the results you want.

As for your diet, eat 5-6 small meals every 3-4 hours to keep your metabolism up. Ensure you have some sort of protein with each meal. Eat plenty of fruits (I mainly use this for snacks or as desserts), lean protein (protein is essential in your body. if you're trying to gain muscle mass, you would need 1 gram per lbs of weight. a good source of protein are baked/grilled chicken, beef, pork and whey protein as a shake is also an excellent source), complex carbohydrates (eating complex carbohydrates will fill you up much longer because it takes longer for your body to digest any complex carbohydrates such as whole grain bread, sweet potatoes, potatoes, etc.). Avoid any simple carbohydrates if possible (simple carbs are empty calories, offer low nutritional value and quickly convert to sugar for quick energy, which will cause a surge of insulin giving you a burst of energy and then cause your body to weaken afterwards. simple carbs are white bread, white pasta, white rice, any form of sugars, cakes, cookies, pies, etc.).

For supplements, I recommend taking multi-vitamins and minerals. I personally use "Varsity 2 Pack" by Lindberg, which you can purchase at www.nutritionexpress.com. I've recommended this multi-vitamins to family and friends. Also, to help you consume more protein in your diet, you would need to buy protein powder. I personally use "100% Natural Whey Protein Gold Std by Optimum Nutrition". You can use protein shakes for breakfast and for snacks. I would also recommend taking a complete Omega 3 oils (essential fatty acids). MSM (search google for further info) is also great for any achy joints, so you might want to add this to your protein shake.

Anyway, I have so much more information to share. If you have any further questions, just email me.

Good luck to you!

Take steroids, they work wonders. Hope I helped!

swimming is a great all around exercise that will both build strength and endurance. Walking, strength training, and elliptical machines should all be easy on the knee while providing exercise. Good luck!

A 'Diet' teaches you nothing. Its an unsastainable manner of eating which is the wrong thing to do! If the way you eat to lose weight is temporary, so are the results. Always eat a healthy, balanced diet, avoid fattening, sugary foods, and you won't ever need to worry about "going on a diet."

You might think about trying this book called "The Movie Star Diet" by Steve Simmons. It helped me lose thirty pounds in 2 1/2 months when I didn't think anything would work. My goal to begin with was only 20 lbs! It has a really easy plan to follow and an excellent workout as well.