[IsaacS.]

I'm a male college student who has admittedly been gaining weight over the summer. But I just want to know how bad the damage is. So... your thoughts?

Pics: http://tinyurl.com/37hqcjm

[Eileen G]

You've got work to do. I find it hard to believe all that happened over the summer.

That particular shape, with so much fat around the waist, is considered a health risk. The good news is that it generally responds pretty quickly to a low carb diet. Cut out all the white carbs, including sugar in any form, bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, cereals, sodas. Eat quality protein, healthy fats and lots of green vegetables. No sugar, processed food or ready meals.

Get as active as possible. It's not just about the exercise you do in the gym, it's also about being on your feet as much as possible, climbing stairs, riding your bike, walking to the shops, all that stuff.

You also need to hit the gym and do some strength training (concentrate on squats, bench press and deadlifts) and do some cardio as well. Forget anything you think you know about the fat burning zone, you'll get the best results if you work hard enough to pant and sweat.