How to lose body fat?

So I’ve been hitting the pavement every single night—four days in now—and absolutely nothing is happening! I already cut out the white bread, soda, and chocolate, plus I went for a checkup the other day and they mentioned some heart arrhythmia thing... honestly, no clue what that even means. How long am I gonna have to run before this fat actually starts melting off?

🤣🤣🤣 has been running for four days straight🤣🤣🤣
Look, son, you might find more success by doing about 100 sit-ups a day; if you stick at that for maybe three months or so, you might actually see some results. And I suppose you shouldn't forget that since you're currently in puberty and dealing with all those hormonal shifts, things might be a little more difficult for you...
Then there is the matter of your arrhythmia... you really ought to be a bit more specific about that, because I guess not all arrhythmias are created equal when it comes to how dangerous they actually are...

Jacob Baker23 said:So I’ve been hitting the pavement every single night—four days in now—and absolutely nothing is happening! I already cut out the white bread, soda, and chocolate, plus I went for a checkup the other day and they mentioned some heart arrhythmia thing... honestly, no clue what that even means. How long am I gonna have to run before this fat actually starts melting off?

Chill out, man. It's only been four days—why the rush? You've already made huge moves with your diet—especially cutting out the soda. Honestly, any processed crap is bad for you and causes weight gain, but sodas are hands down the worst.

An arrhythmia just means your heart rhythm is irregular—probably just something temporary, but you really need to listen to your doctors. If they tell you to get more tests done, just go do them.
It’s likely nothing serious, though—you're a teenager, your body is still changing, and little irregularities happen at that age.

If you're running every day, you should see some progress in two weeks max. But look, you don't need to run daily—every other day is plenty. On the off days, just throw in some sit-ups, push-ups, squats, and stuff like that—nothing crazy. Just do maybe 25 or 50 reps of sit-ups or squats every other day after a 10-15 minute warm-up, and that counts as a workout.

so what am I actually supposed to be doing for a warm-up before I hit the pavement??

Jacob Baker23 said:so what am I actually supposed to be doing for a warm-up before I hit the pavement??

Look, I’ve done Tae Kwon Do, basketball, handball—basically grabbed bits and pieces from every sport I touched. If you've ever trained seriously, you already know the basic stretches. And honestly? Stretching isn't just for runners or specific athletes—it's for you, every single day. Having a flexible body is a massive advantage, especially as you get older. If you don't know the moves, your best bet is to join a local club or a gym where they'll teach you properly, but I can try to break it down for you here:

Start from the top—

Head-neck: 1. circular motions, left then right, 10 times
2. head turns, left then right
3. front and back
4. tilts to the left and right

Shoulders: do some butterfly strokes—swing your arms forward and back 10-15 times

Hips: 1. circular motions, left then right, 10-15 reps
2. torso twists, left then right

Back: 1. legs straight, bend down as far as you can and touch your toes with your fingers
2. wide stance, bend down to the left and then the right

Legs: stretch those knees, throw in some squats, or just jog in place

I don't know how much sense this makes reading it on a screen—it's hard to explain perfectly—but seriously, just sign up for a sport. If you aren't into team stuff, go for martial arts or an individual sport. You're 13—if you actually get serious about training now, you could really make something of yourself in that sport.

That's the basics for any sport. Do it every day. You won't have back issues later on, and you'll be way less likely to snap something if you get injured.

Laura Mendoza said:Look, I wasn't attacking you just because of the questions you asked him; my issue is that your approach is being far too systematic. We aren't talking about him suddenly deciding to become a professional athlete training intensely seven days a week. For just playing soccer with his friends, these kinds of measures are way too extreme. You’re going to end up scaring him off.

I never even suggested a full physical, though honestly, it's probably better to have one than not... but look, nobody is actually listening to what the kid is saying. He knows he needs to fix his diet and get some cardio in to drop the extra weight, yet everyone keeps pushing this idea of playing soccer with a group... maybe he just isn't a team sports guy. Maybe track and field would solve his "issue" without all the pressure...
And who's to say he shouldn't start a sport right now? It's actually the perfect time if he wants to see results in a couple of years. Is he going to wait until he's 20?
The worst part is when people who played a little ball in high school suddenly think they're experts in kinesiology and start handing out medical advice... that's how you end up with kids dealing with permanent physical issues... telling a kid to just crank out 100 crunches every night is terrible advice for someone who doesn't understand muscle antagonists... if he misses the opposing muscle groups, he's looking at postural deformities... etc, etc...

First off, just to be clear—any of my other posts where I’m calling out some idiot have zero to do with this thread or anyone here. I've been on other forums where people have some seriously twisted views on fitness and life, so I'm sure nobody here feels targeted or insulted by my venting.

If we're following your logic, maybe he just doesn't want to talk because he's got beef with his PE teacher. You guys basically just gave him the runaround through bureaucracy, whereas me—and honestly, whoever else here agrees—gave actual, solid advice regarding the belly fat issue (which isn't even a real problem for a 13-year-old; he's growing, it's totally normal—that's why the advice was to pick up a sport that develops his whole body properly instead of just obsessing over one thing).

Regarding my take on sit-ups: when I was 9—not 13, mind you—I was training three times a week doing over 100 sit-ups, 200 squats, knuckle push-ups, lunges, circuit training—like 4 or 5 moves in a row, squat-pushup-jump-kick combos, stuff like that. And that was for an hour and a half. Your opinion that 50 or 100 sit-ups is "too much" for a 13-year-old just shows you've probably never even done 50 in your life. For a healthy 13-year-old, 50 or 100 sit-ups is just enough to break a sweat.

Should he get a check-up? YES. But not as some strict requirement, just as common sense—which I'm sure someone actually looking for advice would have. A doctor can only help; people die every single day from heart issues they didn't even know they had, and those things can be managed if you catch them early. Just not in the way some people suggested here. If we teach kids like that, they'll end up just like those Americans who won't even know how to walk or breathe without a consultant and a support group holding their hand.

Jacob Baker23, just take what works from everything we've said here and you'll see results.

And how on earth is anyone supposed to spot issues like heart problems if they don't check 😕
Nick didn't say don't do 100 sit-ups. If you actually paid attention to what was being said, you'd see I'm not talking about the sheer number of reps... look, you have to train the antagonists too—doesn't matter if it's today or tomorrow, but there needs to be some balance—otherwise, you end up with postural deformities. You guys were doing plenty of other exercises that involve the back muscles, not just hitting 100 sit-ups every single night like he’s being advised... and the kid doesn't realize it's common sense to include those too.... "Coincidentally," I know a thing or two about kinesiology from both a professional standpoint and life experience... and wouldn't you know it, I actually work with kids aged 6 to 14, including a group with special needs 🙄

I'll leave it at that. Go ahead, kid, keep doing those 100 sit-ups without any back work, and in a year you'll be walking around with cramped abs and an overextended back well there's your deformity... (which advice 😵)

Have a nice day, and goodbye 👍 no offense intended

Harold Stewart3 said:And how on earth is anyone supposed to spot issues like heart problems if they don't check 😕
Nick didn't say don't do 100 sit-ups. If you actually paid attention to what was being said, you'd see I'm not talking about the sheer number of reps... look, you have to train the antagonists too—doesn't matter if it's today or tomorrow, but there needs to be some balance—otherwise, you end up with postural deformities. You guys were doing plenty of other exercises that involve the back muscles, not just hitting 100 sit-ups every single night like he’s being advised... and the kid doesn't realize it's common sense to include those too.... "Coincidentally," I know a thing or two about kinesiology from both a professional standpoint and life experience... and wouldn't you know it, I actually work with kids aged 6 to 14, including a group with special needs 🙄

I'll leave it at that. Go ahead, kid, keep doing those 100 sit-ups without any back work, and in a year you'll be walking around with cramped abs and an overextended back well there's your deformity... (which advice 😵)

Have a nice day, and goodbye 👍 no offense intended

Well, if you're such an expert, why aren't you giving the kid any actual advice? 😕
Why just sit there acting all superior like something terrible is about to happen 🤔

jadesailor14 said:Well, if you're such an expert, why aren't you giving the kid any actual advice? 😕
Why just sit there acting all superior like something terrible is about to happen 🤔

God forbid I'm being dramatic... I wouldn't have mentioned that he shouldn't be doing 100 sit-ups every single night without protecting his lower back, like everyone else is telling him to do... I was just offering what I honestly think is the best advice for a kid his age. And who knows his psychomotor skills and personality better than his PE teacher? Someone who could actually point him toward a sport that fits him—or one he actually wants to play—by talking to him directly, maybe even keeping an eye on his interests during class...

So, roughly how long into a run does the fat actually start melting?

jadesailor14 said:placidfox55,
come on, stay focused!
The kid is 5'5", weighs about 123 pounds, and is 13 years old

So?

What does his pediatrician say about where he sits on the growth chart? 🙂 😎

It’s a shame we're seeing this at thirteen nowadays... it all starts out looking innocent, just a little extra weight around the waist. Type 2 diabetes used to be called "adult-onset," but now we're seeing it in kids constantly... 😢

Cardio exercises.
Vegetables with every meal.
Lean proteins (chicken, fish, dairy products).
Whole grains.

Jacob Baker23 said:So, roughly how long into a run does the fat actually start melting?

You need to reorganize your lifestyle first—get some walking or running into your daily routine if that works for you. You definitely have to overhaul your diet too. Stick to three main meals a day with two snacks in between.

Don't obsess over exactly when the fat starts melting or get caught up in the math of calories in versus calories out. It’s more about learning how to live a balanced life; once you nail that, everything else just falls into place naturally. 😎

Since you're thirteen, it would be a good idea to talk this through with your mom, or even your family doctor.

Good luck! 🙂 😎

Roger Garcia9 said:🤣🤣🤣 has been running for four days straight🤣🤣🤣
Look, son, you might find more success by doing about 100 sit-ups a day; if you stick at that for maybe three months or so, you might actually see some results. And I suppose you shouldn't forget that since you're currently in puberty and dealing with all those hormonal shifts, things might be a little more difficult for you...
Then there is the matter of your arrhythmia... you really ought to be a bit more specific about that, because I guess not all arrhythmias are created equal when it comes to how dangerous they actually are...

Crunches are great for building muscle and strengthening your core, but they aren't going to burn off belly fat. If you want to lose the gut, stick to cardio.

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdo.../food/866.html

If you scroll down, there's a link to a PDF document right there.
http://familydoctor.org/online/etc/m...Aim_Family.pdf

placidfox55 said:So?

What does his pediatrician say about where he sits on the growth chart? 🙂 😎

It’s a shame we're seeing this at thirteen nowadays... it all starts out looking innocent, just a little extra weight around the waist. Type 2 diabetes used to be called "adult-onset," but now we're seeing it in kids constantly... 😢

Cardio exercises.
Vegetables with every meal.
Lean proteins (chicken, fish, dairy products).
Whole grains.

At 5'5" and 123 lbs, that puts my BMI right at 20.6! I just can't get over how much I love this! It’s such a great vibe.
They're only 13! Someone here said it perfectly earlier—it’s just a phase of puberty that they'll grow right out of as they mature.

You’ve been on this forum forever! Based on your writing style, I’d bet you’re actually a few years older than me, and honestly, your advice is the gold standard for this whole thread. 🙄
Does a guy really need to drop 10 pounds overnight? Honestly, if it means he’s going to wreck his health and end up seriously ill, I don't think it's worth it. I'd much rather see him have a little extra cushion around the waist—it's totally normal for someone his age!
Holy cow! 🙄🙄🙄

Harold Stewart3 said:God forbid I'm being dramatic... I wouldn't have mentioned that he shouldn't be doing 100 sit-ups every single night without protecting his lower back, like everyone else is telling him to do... I was just offering what I honestly think is the best advice for a kid his age. And who knows his psychomotor skills and personality better than his PE teacher? Someone who could actually point him toward a sport that fits him—or one he actually wants to play—by talking to him directly, maybe even keeping an eye on his interests during class...

That would be the logical way to handle it, but unfortunately, a lot of people just don't seem to care

jadesailor14 said:At 5'5" and 123 lbs, that puts my BMI right at 20.6! I just can't get over how much I love this! It’s such a great vibe.
They're only 13! Someone here said it perfectly earlier—it’s just a phase of puberty that they'll grow right out of as they mature.

You’ve been on this forum forever! Based on your writing style, I’d bet you’re actually a few years older than me, and honestly, your advice is the gold standard for this whole thread. 🙄
Does a guy really need to drop 10 pounds overnight? Honestly, if it means he’s going to wreck his health and end up seriously ill, I don't think it's worth it. I'd much rather see him have a little extra cushion around the waist—it's totally normal for someone his age!
Holy cow! 🙄🙄🙄

Honestly, BMI is pretty much a useless metric unless you're talking about someone who doesn't move from their couch all day.

But honestly, I think this is such a great sign that he shouldn't be losing weight like they're telling him to 😉

I honestly don't even know who to listen to anymore—or who to ignore!