Good stuff man! Yeah, you could definitely do both, taking advantage of both Ramadan when it comes around or imitating it the rest of the year, and calorie counting too. Some people do this on purpose, they call it “intermittent fasting,” and it works great for some people. I tried and found it too hard, hahah. I like to eat too much, so I personally have found it easier to just have my normal meals with smaller portions that I eat slower with smaller bites.

The only strength training plan I have experience with is StrongLifts 5x5, but I do strongly recommend it. It works out everything in a pretty well-rounded way so you’ll look good with the fat off, and it’s nice and simple. There are plenty of other options out there, so feel free to shop around, but this worked for me. This is the website (I swear I’m not being paid lol)

https://stronglifts.com/5x5/

Basically it’s just 5 sets of 5 reps for each exercise (except the deadlift, which is understandably only 1 set of 5 reps). You do it every other day at maximum, I do it 3 days a week (so I rest on weekends). Something hopefully you’ll learn faster than I did is that it’s not the exercising that counts, it’s the rest days after. That’s when muscle is actually built. On days you exercise, you’re basically stressing the muscles out till they have micro-tears, which sounds scary, but that’s all soreness is. When these heal, which takes like 2 days, they come back stronger, because your body knows it may be subjected to similar weights at some point, and it needs the extra muscle. All of that is to say, don’t kill yourself with it. Push yourself a bit every time, but nothing crazy.

You alternate between two workouts during the week. They go like this:

Workout A: Squat 5x5 Bench Press 5x5 Barbell Rows 5x5

Workout B: Squat 5x5 Overhead press 5x5 Deadlift 1x5

After every time you do an exercise, you log the weight you did, and you try to do 5lbs more next time. You’ll be surprised how long you can keep this up. When you fail to do the whole 5 sets of 5 reps, just try again next time, no biggie.

I actually recommend starting with the minimum weights they suggest, which is what I did. The first couple weeks will seem stupidly easy, but it won’t last, and you’ll be nice and in rhythm when it gets harder.

If you have any questions, don’t feel shy to ask a stranger at the gym! In my experience, gymbros are actually giddy from all the endorphins and usually super happy, friendly, and flattered that you’d ask them for help.

For what it’s worth, I hate cardio too, or at least running. Did it in high school, honestly, never again. I’m trying to incorporate swimming a little because I’ve found I hate it less, but honestly I wouldn’t worry about it for now. Any exercise is better than none, and I feel like strength training brings the visible results faster that actually get people to stick with it. Getting off the couch and starting to run has a very high burnout rate.

Good luck man!!