Originally Posted by socaldreamer

I was in the same boat as you. I wasn't fat but I had a huge belly. I joined a gym last year, and I work out about 3 times a week. I'm starting to see some results and hope that I'll get ripped by the summer. Lol.

As far as your diet goes, the best way to control what you eat is to split up your meals 5-6 times during the day; it's better for your metabolism that way. You also end up staying full/satisfied throughout the day, rather than stuffed at 3 points.

As far as cutting out carbs, that is not a good idea as you need it for energy. The better way to do it is to choose the right carbs to eat. Get some whole wheat tortilla or bread, as they give you more energy without the starch. Also, if you plan on running, you need simple carbs (like a fruit juice) post-workout.

Get in the habit of looking at the nutritional facts of the food you eat. Try to cut out foods that are high in fat like junk food. Also, eat good fat like the ones in peanut butter, avocados, fish and nuts. They help regulate the bad fat in your system.

As far as your workout, running is great if all you want is to lose weight. If you want some definition in your muscles, you need to incorporate weight training. If you can spare some cash, join a gym. Otherwise, you can probably get some dumbells for cheap if you look around.

Let me know if you have any other questions. I've done a lot of research about working out and nutrition over the past year and would be willing to help.