The ONLY Step-By-Step Program Meant to Transform The South Asian Body from Skinny and Fat to Lean and Muscular.
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Women's Program? Click Here
Go from Skinny Fat to Fit With Our 3 Step Transformation Plan
Overview: During this phase you will reverse insulin resistance so that your body stores more of the food you eat in your muscles and less in fat by reducing your body fat levels and increasing muscle mass.
Build Muscle & Lose Fat
15% Body Fat
3 Months+
Guided App Based Workouts
Easy to Follow Meal Plan
Active Community Support
Never lifted a weight before? No problem. Experienced lifter? Get ready to get better results than ever before. Our training combines the latest research and real world experience to get you the best gains possible while not having to spend your whole life in the gym.
Working out at Home? We’ll make it work*. Have a gym membership you never use? Even better. Our programs are designed to work with equipment found in all commercial gyms or even with just a few items at home while not compromising your results. *see FAQ
Love South Asian Food? So do we. Eat out a lot or can’t cook? You’re not alone. With meal plans suited to your style of eating as well as customized portions specific to your calorie and macro-nutrient goals you can transform on your terms.
OVERVIEW: Burn off that last bit of stubborn fat that your South Asian genes still hang on to around your lower abs and waist.
*This program is in beta and includes initial 1-1 support, please contact us by using the form below letting us know you signed up for Phase 2 and we will provide next steps.
Lose Stubborn Fat
10-12% Body Fat
4-8 weeks
OVERVIEW: After losing so much fat your body will now function better and is in a prime position to gain muscle. Building more muscle mass is the best way to boost your metabolism, lower insulin resistance and make sure the food you eat doesn't get as readily stored in fat. However if you do this too fast you will likely regain fat.
*This program is in beta and includes initial 1-1 support, please contact us by using the form below letting us know you signed up for Phase 3 and we will provide next steps.
Build Muscle
12-15% Body Fat
3-6 Months +
TRY OUR QUIZ TO FIND OUT & GET YOUR STARTING MACRO RECOMMENDATIONS FREE!
Designed specifically to solve the unique issues South Asians face due to their genetics and lifestyle.
Exercise plans customized to your experience level & equipment* access.
Video tutorials and swaps for each exercise.
Flexible Meal Plans with both South Asian & Western options* for vegetarians and non-vegetarians.
Workout and Nutrition updates every 4-6 weeks to keep you progressing!
*see FAQ for more information
24/7 access to the South Asian Strong App where all your workouts will be delivered and tracked.
Watch your transformation unfold by tracking your weight, body fat % and more
Adjustable workout calendar to accommodate busy lifestyles
Active transformation community where you can ask questions, see other’s progress and exchange exercise, nutrition and lifestyle tips
Month to month subscription, no contract, results guaranteed*.
*see FAQ for more information
Rakesh from Toronto's journey was... read more
Rakesh S (Phase 2)
Aman from Canada didn't realize... read more
Aman Lal (Phase 1 & 2)
A busy software engineer from Silicon Valley... read more
N. Selvanathan (Phase 2)
At South Asian Strong, we have a very strict, “Results Guarantee” or 100% of your money back.
If you follow the program* as given for 14 days and do not start to see progress just email us and we will provide a full refund.
*For more info see the “FAQS” below.
- N. Nandigam, 28
- V. Dogra, 29
- A. Gaur, 40
Yes we are! There is a vast body of research on this which you can find just by searching “South Asian Health” in Google Scholar. But you don’t even need this, just use your powers of observation and reflection.
Growing up were you always skinny fat compared to the skinny kids?
Did all your parents, uncles and aunts have health conditions like high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes?
Did you have a hard time gaining muscle compared to your friends who could just look at the weights and grow?
This is partly due to our cultural lifestyle and diet but also to genetic predisposition. Body fat distribution is well known to vary by ethnicity (and by gender and individual) and this changes our interactions with our modern environment compared to other ethnicities.
Lastly other cultures did not experience famine with as much frequency due to a lack of agriculture combined with monsoon failure in ancient times.
The fundamentals to most transformation programs will be the same in that they involve nutritional (ie. calories and macros) and exercise coaching (ie. weight training) however the way you go about these modalities can be made more specific and easier to follow with better overall results due to increased adherence from customization to our unique genetics, diets and lifestyles as South Asians.
The main differences are:
1) Macros and calorie targets are optimized based on a combination of your experience level and bodyfat, while taking into account South Asian dietary habits/preferences. As you progress and these two factors change and so will your macros/calorie targets (western meal plans are also coming soon).
2) Workouts follow training principles uniquely adjusted for South Asian genetics and lifestyles, since on average we tend to have more inflammation, smaller joints and busy, stressful lifestyles these factors can lead to poor recovery and limited training time, so you want to follow training principles that maximize muscle gain and training stimulus while avoiding overload and excess fatigue. As you progress your training will also evolve to provide the best possible results from your workouts.
3) Lastly the overall training strategy is specific to South Asians/those with skinny-fat physiques because people with this body type tend to spin their wheels and never make meaningful progress. They try to lose fat but stop too soon for fear of being too skinny or they try to build muscle but are afraid of getting too fat andso limit their gains. This results in them gaining a bit of muscle but ultimately staying skinny fat for years on end. The SAS transformation program is a complete 3 step plan designed to overcome theses challenges complete with hard body-fat/weight targets to achieve before switching your program's focus to make sure you get the results you want.
Programs typically start the first Monday after/at signup. You can also delay this to a future date after signup. Billing is adjusted for future dates accordingly.
If you are planning on working out in a gym then all the workout equipment found in your normal gym with nothing fancy.
If you are planning on working out at home all you need is($150-250 investment total, links provided after signup):
For either version of the workouts you can also substitute an exercise if needed by clicking the menu beside each exercise in the training app.
We completely understand. Every client we have tried a bunch of other programs first that didn’t give them the results they wanted because they failed to take into account that we as South Asians are different. So we need to do things differently.
That’s why this program was made. That said if you complete the workouts and follow the meal plan (by logging inside your app so we can see) and you don’t start seeing results within 2 weeks, we will personally give you some advice which you can implement or you can choose a refund.
Every 4 weeks you will receive updated calories and macros based on your new body composition and experience level(if significantly different than 4 weeks ago), as well as an adjusted meal plan with portions matched to your new calories and macros(if different).
In addition your workouts will update every 4-6 weeks depending on your experience level. (Beginners every 4 weeks, Novice and Intermediate every 6 weeks)
Yes! The SAS programs were designed especially for all the aspects of our culture in mind. You can still eat the food you love and transform!
We highly recommend it but it isn’t necessary. You will be shown how to simply achieve your goals both with and without tracking your food.
If you want us to! Your transformation program comes with a customized weekly nutrition plan with portions matching your calorie and macro goals.
However we advise that you use this as a template to learn and start creating your own meals that are in alignment with your goals so that you make this a long term adjustment.
Unless you are already very lean and just need to lose stubborn fat, 99% of the time Phase 1 will be the right choice for you.
Phase 1 will adjust automatically to your experience level and either provide a muscle building, fat loss or body recomposition plan.
Your program is personalized based on your experience level with exercise, your dietary preferences and your workout equipment. Based on this we assign you a particular workout and diet plan that will get you to your goals!
Moreover as you progress we will automatically update your workouts and diet plan to make sure you get the best results possible from your plan.
As this program is designed to be carried out independently there is no 1-on-1 coaching features.
The reason for this is so that we can offer it as economically as possible in order to reach as many South Asians who need help with their goals as possible.
In order to do that we've packed every resource you should need to transform into the program and if that isn't enough there is also an active group chat where members answer each other's questions and coaches jump in if needed.
No, and they don’t need to! This program was designed to be fully automated and provide workout and diet updates regularly just like a real fitness coach! For any other questions you may have you can ask them by posting in the monitored group chat!
1) by maintaining your muscle and losing fat (easiest by everyone)
2) by building muscle and losing fat at the same time (possible for most and our goal)
3) by building muscle while (hardest, only possible in beginners)
Depending on your starting point you will be assigned one of the above strategies initially. Beginner trainees will start with strategy 3 and then shift to 2. If you have prior training experience we will focus on 2 and if you are already lean and have significant muscle 1) is your best bet but 2 is still likely possible.
If you are planning on working out in a gym then all the workout equipment found in your normal gym with nothing fancy.
If you are planning on working out at home all you need is($150-250 investment total, links provided after signup):
For either version of the workouts you can also substitute an exercise if needed by clicking the menu beside each exercise in the training app.
Each workout is designed to take 45min - 1 hour although if you like taking long breaks like me sometimes they can take upto 1.5 hours.
Yes beside each exercise in the menu if the training app you can choose to swap exercises. A list of suggested swaps is provided in our ecourse.
Not other than walking! Excessive or intense cardio can be harmful to muscle building so we avoid this. Instead we focus on getting in a certain amount of steps on off days. This can be done indoors on a treadmill or outside.
Yes! We have vegetarian meal plans that include dairy, eggs and tofu. If you’re vegan or don’t eat eggs you can sub these for dairy such as paneer or your preferred plant based product.
Nope. Although we do recommend some, especially if you’re vegetarian/vegan as you may be deficient in some key nutrients that will help with muscle building.
Our programs regularly update every 4-6 weeks and we have coaches monitoring and participating in the group chat.
In addition to this you have access to an exclusive training app and ecourse that are regularly updated with new features and lessons. These of course require ongoing costs.
To pause/cancel your subscription you can login on this website anytime with the email you signed up with (also linked in your order confirmation).
Click on Subscriptions and then manage your subscription how you would like.
We do not offer a trial period but we do guarantee your results.
This means that if you try* the product for 14 days and aren't seeing results (ie. weight loss), then you can reach out to us and we will personally inspect your logs and see if we can help. Based on our feedback you can choose to extend your trial another two weeks for you to implement our advice, or you have the option to receive a refund right away. Personal training is an ongoing process and we are confident that with our recommendations you will finally achieve your goals.
*by completing and logging your workouts, weigh ins as well as your food log. This is mandatory.
Refunds for digital products are typically not given (since everything is downloadable) but we want you to succeed so our refund policy is as follows:
Refunds are only available if you try the product for 14 days and do not see results. This means completing your weekly weigh-ins and completing and logging the workouts as well as your tracking your food(if using My Fitness Pal it must be connected to your profile in the 'More' menu of the SAS app so that your log is visible).
If you do the above and aren't seeing results (ie. weight loss), then you can reach out to us and once we confirm you completed these steps we will personally inspect your logs and see if we can help and extend your trial another two weeks for you to implement our advice, or you have the option to receive a refund right away. Personal training is an ongoing process and we are confident that with our recommendations you will finally achieve your goals.
I joined the SAS program in December 2023, weighing 180 lbs at 6'4". For most of my life, I was what you’d call “skinny fat”—carrying extra weight around my belly but managing to hide it due to my height. I’d tried several programs over the years, but none had the depth or scientific grounding that Gurneet’s program offers. As a healthcare professional, I could see that this plan was well-founded, so I committed to it with confidence.
Transforming your body is no small feat, and my journey was no exception. At 63 years old, I’m likely older than many people pursuing similar goals, and balancing a busy career didn’t make it any easier. I knew I needed to lose weight before focusing on muscle gain, so I braced myself for the process. Along the way, I faced a lot of questions from family, friends, and even patients asking, “Doc, why are you losing weight? Are you okay?”
Fast forward 11 months, and I’m down to 154 lbs, with my belly fat nearly gone. I posted my before-and-after pictures to track my progress, and I can truly see the difference. Now, I’m excited to enter the next phase: enjoying more food while working to build muscle.
One of the best parts of this program is its flexibility. You don’t have to eliminate foods you love; it’s all about maintaining the right ratios. As a Punjabi, I didn’t give up Chole Bhature or parathas—I just kept an eye on portions and balanced my macros.
Finally, a heartfelt thanks to Gurneet for designing such a thoughtful program and to my trainer, Rakesh Reddy, who’s been an encouraging and supportive guide. This journey has been challenging, but I feel stronger, healthier, and ready for the next chapter.
I am a 41yr old South Indian male who has been skinny and non athletic my whole life and was quite insecure about it. After hitting 30, I started becoming more active and tried a few things like working out regularly, trying yoga, kickboxing, CrossFit etc. I never seen a big change in my physique. I even hired an expensive coach who came up with a fitness plan for me to put on some muscle. I felt like the bulking was causing hormonal imbalance and I was seeing a protruding belly before I could see any muscularity. I also found out I was becoming pre diabetic from the diet change. That’s when I came across south Asian strong on Instagram and wanted to give it a try as it was quite affordable and the promotional video was intriguing. Phase 1 of the program was quite simple to follow. I didn’t make much change to my food habits as I was already on a low carb diet. I cut out my carbs and decreased fat intake. I did follow the workout regimen faithfully and put in my best effort. The change in my body was truly unbelievable. I started seeing abs within a few weeks . In a couple of months, for the first time in my life, I felt like my body had the potential to look like a masculine, muscular physique that I always desired but never thought was possible.
Then I moved on to phase two , which was a little more intense with the workouts. I could feel the fat in my body melting away and within weeks I had proper 6 pack abs and was quite vascular. I wasn’t ashamed to go shirtless in the beach anymore :) I am on phase 3 now and I cannot wait to update this review with my progress. The program is quite affordable, easy to follow and is extremely adaptable for those in different stages of fitness and lifestyles . I also felt like Gurneet is up to date with the latest workout techniques and fitness theories to fine tune his program so that your fitness journey is efficient and sustainable. Lastly, the WhatsApp group is a great support system for any types of fitness queries, recipes and a motivational support system. All in all, this program has been truly life changing for me and I cannot recommend it enough to all my fellow south Asians and those suffering from the skinny fat syndrome.
Often, we come across personal training programs, whether online or offline, where the primary goal of the trainers seems to be simply extracting money from their clients, without fully revealing the path to transformation or sharing the key components necessary for success. Unfortunately, I too became a victim of such programs. However, after several months, I realized this and eventually discovered SAS through Instagram. Trusting them was the best decision I made, and over the course of 6-7 months, I successfully lost 28 pounds.
I opted for personal training, where a dedicated coach is assigned to track your progress closely. The coach regularly checks in to see how you're feeling and adjusts the workouts or meal plans accordingly. You’ll gain a completely new perspective on nutrition, food, and calories, and once you develop the habit of conscious consumption, you’ll never go back to your old eating habits.
This journey transforms not just how you view food, but how you see life. You’ll start to prioritize your health above everything else, recognizing the immense benefits it brings. The coaches are with you every step of the way, guiding and supporting you through the process. Undoubtedly, one of the best programs and mentors you will ever encounter.
I was having issues making consistent gains in the gym and had a skinny-fat physique. This program helped me slim down and now I am ready to build muscle.
It means a lot for me to solve this issue as it was bugging me for years and I felt that the usual advice I got from the internet wasn't working for my body. I was able to craft an identity for myself as someone who consistently goes to the gym and eats well. I hope to have this as the foundation for a healthy lifestyle for my entire life.
I would recommend this program to anyone dealing with a skinny-fat physique and anyone trying to make healthy lifestyle changes.
What stands out to me the most is the streamlined approach - just three main workouts a week, plus HIIT, allows for flexibility if a day is missed. This structure has kept me consistent for the past four months. The workouts are also pleasantly brief, making it easier to commit.
Tracking calories was never a priority for me until now, and it's been a revelation. Seeing the numbers on paper gives a clear picture of my intake, highlighting areas where I may have been overindulging without realizing it.
Having completed phase 1, I've already noticed positive changes in my physique. Our active lifestyle prior to the program definitely gave me a head start, but the program's structure and guidance have been instrumental in achieving tangible results.
Have also been focused on my health, but now really trying to take it to the next level this past year. The program based on what works for South Asian has been quite helpful - at almost 45 y/o, I am at the peak level in my fitness journey, matching or beating what I did in my 20s. What I like:
*The program is efficient - 3 days per week (with walking on rest days), vs 4 or 5 days of working out which can be hard
*The app is very good - because you can track your progress weekly, plus each exercise has embedded video links on form/technique
*The Coach and community are available 24x7 for support, tips, and progress checks
Being South Asian I always had skinny arms and legs but carried significant amount of fat in my abdominal area and still do, didn't know whether to bulk or cut, tried bulking, wasn't satisfied with the results, tried cutting wasn't satisfied because I did not know where I was going wrong. Then I stumbled upon South Asian Strong YouTube channel.
Everyone wants a body which they can flaunt even while shirtless so do I one month into the program I lost 3kgs, lost some fat and increased some lifts too! Coach Gurneet's guidance is really helpful, the diet plan is really easy to follow I can still eat all South Asian foods I want to eat,the workout schedule is very flexible and easy to follow. Currently in phase 1 fatloss and hoping everything goes well from here too excited for what's to come.
Would recommend this program to any South Asian who's struggling with their skinny fat physique,like me, having tried bulking cutting and so many other programs and still not getting satisfactory results nothing fancy in the program everything is really simple which any person no matter how busy schedule,can easily follow. Consistency is key!!Looking forward to the journey with Southasianstrong and Gurneet.
I’ve been exercising the workout schedule that I’ve received and it has wonderfully shown me results in about 3 months time. I feel the difference. It’s not only the exercises only but also the community that keeps you moving. I am grateful and thankful for South Asia strong. Keep going and keep growing
I’ve been exercising the workout schedule that I’ve received and it has wonderfully shown me results in about 3 months time. I feel the difference. It’s not only the exercises only but also the community that keeps you moving. I am grateful and thankful for South Asia strong. Keep going and keep growing
I stumbled upon SAS utterly hopeless with chronic injuries picked up in previous cricket seasons. Now overweight following inactivity and poor eating habits, I needed something special and I found it!
Since starting the programme I have lost a total of 15.5 kilos, gained a lot of strength (I was DB pressing 10kg when I started, now 24kg) despite being at my absolute lightest (68.5kg)…and I’m still not done!
Throughout this time period, I was still able to continue eating my favourite South Asian foods e.g. masala omelettes and chicken karahis which was amazing. The meal plans are brilliant and adaptable, everything is easy to follow and you become very cognisant of what quality nutrition / training looks like. This entire set up has been life changing for me, I especially love the simple interface, and group chat.
Thanks Gurneet for your support and I’m looking forward to completing phase 1 soon and starting a gaining phase! I still can’t believe the pic on the left was me!! If you’re serious about changing how you look and feel, honestly don’t even think twice and just join!!! I’ll update this review when I hit 12% BF, I'm currently at around 13.
I'm a shift worker that was struggling to build a solid routine and structure to my workouts. Was generally fit cardio wise but a newbie to weights and SAS helped build a solid foundation to cut pounds of fat and build a base understanding of workouts and muscle and strength gains.
Helped me lean out and get healthier while learning how to build my own routines and meal plans to fit my busy life.
I reccomend the program to anyone that is starting out their journey and wants to learn a solid foundation but also have the flexibility to grow in their journey to getting stronger!
I grew up very skinny with terrible body composition. In high school, I developed manboobs and focused entirely on my academics. My physique became awful, soft, and trim. I tried doing the 5x5 program in high school, followed by other programs on and off in college. I never saw decent progress and was quickly overshadowed by my other friends. This dropped my confidence immensely, and I accepted it as fate.
I found Gurneet through Instagram. Just a few months on Gurneet's program has completely changed my life. I'm no longer insulin resistant and have an excellent Phase 1 lean physique ready for the muscle-building phase. His methods are very beneficial. Coach Jas is also an incredible motivator.
I'd recommend his program to anyone with similar struggles...
The workouts planned are really easy to follow and don’t feel overwhelming. Really enjoyed them and I could feel and see the difference in my body and do recommend this to everyone 10/10.
The workouts planned are really easy to follow and don’t feel overwhelming. Really enjoyed them and I could feel and see the difference in my body and do recommend this to everyone 10/10.
I was mostly a runner before getting introduced to SAS workouts and while I had done keto before I had a hard time keeping the weight off . Would always gain the weight after stopping keto diet. SAS helped me actually understand the benefits of resistance and weight training and how to tune macros based on activity level and weight goals. I’ve lost about 30 lbs (168 lb to 140lbs) but have gained a ton of muscle. I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking to make a lifestyle change for improving their health and actually feeling great with more energy through the day!
My name is Gurneet Singh, and I used to be Skinny-Fat growing up.
That means I was skinny everywhere except on my abdomen. Not to mention that I had little muscle to speak of. At the age of 15, I started working out diligently and eating “properly” hoping it would get better. I listened to all the mainstream fitness advice and followed it to the letter.
I got much bigger, stronger, and even leaner, but I still did not look like how I “should” have. Here is me several years later and 40-50 pounds heavier from the ages of 18-20:
Anyone else (non-South Asian) would have had their dream physique by now, right out of a fitness magazine. However no matter what workout program, diet plan or supplements I tried, or however many bulking/cutting cycles I went through, I could not achieve that elusive six-pack, and hence the “ideal” physique I saw in popular media.
And I started to wonder why? READ MORE
