I want to get in really good shape, I am 21 and I can barely make it up a flight of stairs, any tips on how to reduce body fat and get in really great shape(like a fitness model or athlete)? My bidyfat percentage is about 32% I am about 5'9-5'10 and currently 155lbs, I am female.

Check out http://www.leangains.com - Some great advice for combining intermittent fasting (no that doesn't mean starving yourself) with weight lifting to drop body fat.

Change your lifestyle for life and you'll never have to diet (which tends to fail and in some cases end up making you worse off) again. What sort of changes? Gradual, try eating better in some way or other each week/month/whatever, make changes you can handle for life. One example would be reducing your intake of refined carbs a bit or unhealthy fats, once you're used to it do a little more, etc. Likewise adding a bit more exercise each day for a period, then increase it, etc.

If you try to change too much too fast you're just going to set yourself up for extinction bursts and other failure modes, likely resulting in simply being increasingly frustrated. Patience and persistence is key, remember that your body has had 21 years to get to the state it's in so don't expect miracles in 2 weeks - the aim is to get yourself into a lifestyle in which you'll be naturally fit and healthy and not yo-yo ing up and down with the season or moods.

Thanks for the help!

lifting weights - don't be afraid to go heavy, women lack the testosterone to wind up "bulky", cut your simple carbs, particularly grains ( get your carbs from fruits and veggies, you want to aim for .75 grams of protein for each 1 lb of your body weight in your daily intake) odds are you will need to eat more rather than less. I train 4 days a week and usually take in about 2500 calories a day, and aim for a minimum of 100 grams of protein.

If you are strength training, you really don't need much "cardio" as people tend to think of it. bust out a 5x5 of barbell squats and tell me your heart aint pumping!!

My coaches recommended a book called "Why we get fat" by Gary Taubes for more in depth nutrition info.

Lift weights. That'll help reduce body fat, but it won't help your stamina much. For that you'll need to do some cardio. I'm 5'10" and weigh about 130 to 140. Right now I'm training for an upcoming backpacking trip to Canyonlands National Park, so I'm hitting the cardio (to deal with distance and elevation changes) and the weights (to deal with the extra 40 to 50 lbs I'll have strapped on my back) so I'm pushing 140 right now. We're still deciding whether or not to try the 100-mile bike trip on White Rim Road, so I'm preparing for it just in case we do it.

Cycling will give you both great cardio and a serious leg muscle workout. I like to mountain bike because it's more challenging than road biking (at least to me). I find it more fun than being indoor at the gym too.

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Swimming's a great choice for an overall body workout. I've only been going maybe every 5 days over the past 5 weeks and I can already feel a boost to my endurance. Last time I went I managed 1150 yards in 30 minutes and today I easily did 1250.

Good for you. Changing your body composition takes time and perseverance but it is amazing what the body is capable of.

You will have to change your eating and start exercising. I would caution you to start with small steps,turn them permanent habits and then add another aspect to your plan.

There is a wealth of great info available, but please be realistic..some rough guidelines...losing more than 2lbs a week is water (2lbs per week is on the high side if you are talking true body fat). Building muscle...for a woman you are looking at about 1 lb/month, a little more in the beginning but that is a realistic number.

Getting to a "fitness model" level is around 18% bodyfat. That is not easy to do and unlikely to maintain. At 18% and below say good bye to your breasts, hello to weird prominent glands that poke through your skin...ones you never knew you had, the ones they airbrush out of the ads, the ones you wish you have never seen! Not to mention the eating regime is extremely strict.

I am 5'9", 21% body fat right now. I look lean even now. I mention this as a positive, unless you are interesting in competing, you may not need to reach such a low BF% to achieve your desired look/fitness.

Be good to your body and make healthy changes...don't buy into anything that sounds quick and easy....and if it comes in a capsule, save your money!

Take care, Mythos

I love the articles on bodybuilding.com, tons of great tips. I suggest lifting 3 times per week and then interval cardio training. The key is that the more muscle you build, the more calories you burn. I've been busy at work lately and havent been able to keep up my usual cardio sessions, but can just maintain by keeping up on lifting.

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My non-scientific, non-statistically significant, and often biased research has shown that joyous occasions often start with no children and end with empty bottles of alcoholic beverages

I started thinking about competing in bikini competitions after picking up a Muscle and Fitness Her magazine a month ago. I just don't know where to start. I really think I need a trainer.