As obesity and sedentary living becomes the rule rather than the exception in America, I realize that there should be a more progressive way of thinking about fitness. Keeping in mind that diet is more important than exercise and similarly more neglected than exercise, I have devised the final solution to a person looking to make the transition from fat to fit.

First, we must assess the reason why you are unhappy with your weight or the amount of body fat you carry. If you are not planning your meals and do not constantly keep track of your nutrition, your diet is probably to blame. Even if you do cardio to exercise, you will still gain weight if you are eating above your caloric maintenance. You can assess your diet more properly by creating a log of the food you eat in conjunction with a website such as www.fitday.com. Should you for any reason be unable to eat underneath your caloric maintenance, then you might consider my final solution to you.

My final solution to those who want to go from fat to fit will work under the following conditions: 1) Your diet is no more than 5,000 calories. 2) You are willing to lift weights at least three times a week. 3) You are willing to lift weights properly.

Should you meet the requirements, then my final solution is for you to become a power lifter and begin lifting weights using compound barbell lifts. Why do a power lifting routine? You are currently eating at a caloric surplus, which is unhealthy. So, if you are going to gain mass, why not gain muscle while you eat yourself to a bigger weight?

While you will not look like a bodybuilder (i.e. Arnold Schwarzenegger in the ’70s), you will certainly look better than if you did nothing at all.

But what if you are a woman? Well, consider this: You naturally have a higher body fat and smaller muscles than that of a man. You will not become buff and manly unless you take steroids. As a woman, weightlifting will leave you with the same visual results you’d expect from cardio, pilates, and various other exercises.

You will go the gym three times a week and do alternating full-body routines in the weight room using a 7-foot-45- pound olympic barbell. Your first workout will consist of three sets of five squats, three sets of five bench presses, and one set of five dead lifts.

Your second workout will consist of three sets of five squats, three sets of five standing overhead presses (also known as presses), and three sets of 15 pull-ups (if you can’t do a pull-up, then do at least five negative pull-ups).

During every workout, you will add five pounds more to each lift than what you did during the previous workout with that specific lift (except pull-ups) beginning with the starting weight of the bar by itself. You will keep track of your weights and write down everything you do in the gym.

When you become comfortable lifting weights, perhaps you could begin to add cardio on the days you’re not lifting. Lifting weights in a planned and controlled manner could even perhaps give you the discipline you need to begin a healthy diet.

John Valdespino is a music industry senior. He can be reached at [email protected]