Weight Loss Workout

There is no magic to a weight loss workout.  In fact, this is just another way of saying exercise to lose weight. 

One of the best benefits to exercise is losing weight.

Studies have shown that those people who add exercise to their weight loss program tend to lose more weight.

Weight loss is really all about the foods you eat and the activity you do.

It’s a matter of knowing your daily calorie intake and calories burned during exercise to ensure you have a calorie deficit in order to lose weight.

So add some activity to your day and lose weight even faster.

You can use the example workouts to help you reach your goals.

There is a beginner, intermediate and advanced level weight loss workout examples on this page.

Just use the appropriate link to go to that section of this page.

List of Weight Loss Routines

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Beginner Workout Example

The weight loss workout example for beginners includes 4 days of varying exercises.

You will do both cardio and strength training during these four days.

Weight Loss Workout Routine Day 1 – Aerobic Exercise

Walk briskly for 20 minutes.  You can use your treadmill if you have one.

If not, walk around your block or in a park.  Make sure it’s a brisk walk so that you are getting your heart racing. 

Make sure to check that you are exercising within your target heart rate zone. 

Try using a pedometer to track how far you walk. 

In weeks 2 or 3, as you get used to your walking for exercise, try increasing your speed and your duration.  Go for 30 minutes after a couple of weeks of walking.


Weight Loss Workout Routine Day 2 – Strength Training

Now it’s time for some strength training.  Before you start your strength training, be sure to warm up for about 5 to 10 minutes and then do some stretching exercises to stretch those muscles.

For your strength training, you can do resistance band exercises or dumbbell exercises.  Both will give you the resistance you need for a good strength training workout.

You can also start out with weight lifting if you have the proper equipment or belong to a gym.

Upper Body

As a beginner to strength training, select 2 to 3 muscles in the upper body to start with. 

Do 1 to 2 sets of 8 to 16 repetitions. 

The upper body muscles include the biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest and upper back.


If you want to see how some of these exercises are done using a resistance band, check out these upper body resistance exercise videos.

Lower Body

For the lower body, choose at least 2 - 3 of the following; Squats, lunges, inner thigh, outer thigh, butt blaster, or calf lifts.  Do 1 – 2 sets of 8 – 16 reps each for the lower body exercises.

Core muscles

Do 10 minutes of core muscle exercises.  The core includes the abdominals, lower back and hip flexors.

You want to make sure that you focus on all of these muscles and not just the abdominals.  The core muscles help support and stabalize the spine and pelvis.

Strengthing your core muscles can help prevent lower back injury as well. You can use thee abdominal exercises and back strengthening exercises on this site.

Just visit the free fitness videos page for a full list of all illustrated exercises.


Day 3 - Take the Day Off! Yes!

If you are feeling up to it, then by all means go ahead and do some kind of exercise.  I would suggest a light aerobic workout of 15 minutes and then do some full body stretching exercises.


Weight Loss Workout Routine Day 4 - Back to Aerobics

Do a 20 minute aerobic workout.  You can do walking for exercise again for 20 minutes, but if you want a slight change of pace, try adding something different at the end of the walk. 

Perhaps you do a brisk walk for 15 minutes, and then when you get back, climb up and down your stairs for 5 minutes. 

You will be amazed at how you feel this in your rear-end.  I call stair climbing my butt blaster. 

As always after a good aerobic exercise, don’t forget to cool down and then stretch those muscles.

Use this interactive exercise calorie calculator to find out the calories burned during exercise.




Weight Loss Workout Routine Day 5 - Strength Training Again

Follow the same guidelines as on day 2 but try picking different muscles in order to work all the muscles for the week.


Day 6 and 7 - Take a Breather

Okay, you're done with your first week. Time to start all over again.  Do this same weight loss workout for two or three weeks and then start to add more time to your aerobic workout and more sets or repetitions to your strength training.

Also, try adding another day of aerobic exercises. So instead of only 2 days, do aerobics for 3 days.

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Intermediate Workout Example

For the intermediate weight loss workout example, you will be doing six days of exercising. As with the beginner's level, there are both strength training and aerobic exercises.

If you are between a beginner and intermediate level, just do five days of the below example instead of the full six days.

Weight Loss Workout Plan Day 1 – Aerobic Exercise

Start with a moderate intense aerobic workout.  If you have a treadmill, warm up at a lower intensity for approximately 5 minutes. Then set it for 4 miles per hour minimum.

I have very short legs, so this is a jog for me.  If your legs are longer and you can walk at this pace, increase the speed just a bit until you are jogging. 

Try keeping it at a jog for as long as you can – shoot for at least 5 minutes.  Then bring it back down to a brisk walk, but keep it brisk. 

Alternate your aerobic exercise with brisk walking and jogging.  Do a full 30 to 45 minute aerobic exercise.


Weight Loss Workout Plan Day 2 – Strength Training

Now it’s time for some strength training.  Before you start your strength training, be sure to warm up and stretch those muscles. 

Lightly march in place for at least 5 minutes.  Then do some stretching to loosen up and protect your muscles.

 If you’ve been doing your strength training with a resistance band, then it’s time to move up to a higher resistance. 

You can also try using dumbbell weights and use the heavier weights to start with.  Switch to the lower weights if you need to.

You may even want to try some weightlifting.

Upper Body

At the intermediate level, you want to do 1 - 2 sets of 16 repeptions for the upper body.  Include all the upper body muscles - biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest and upper back.

Lower Body

For the lower body, do 1 - 2 sets of 16 reps.  Try to work as many different muscles in the lower body.  Do all of the following types of exercises; Squats, lunges, inner thigh, outer thigh, butt blaster, or calf lifts.

Core muscles

Do 10 to 15 minutes of core muscle exercises.  The core includes the abdominals, lower back and hip flexors.  You want to make sure that you focus on all of these muscles and not just the abdominals.

The core muscles help support and stabalize the spine and pelvis.  Strengthing your core muscles can help prevent lower back injury as well.


Weight Loss Workout Plan Day 3 - Aerobics Again

Today do a full 45 minute aerobic workout.  Do a low to moderate level if you have to but just make it last for the full 45 minutes.  Pick your favorite aerobic exercise for this day.  This way it’s something you enjoy more so you can last the full 45 minutes.



Day 4 - Time to Rest

Take this day off to let the body recoup and rest.




Weight Loss Workout Plan Day 5 - Aerobic & Strength Training

On this day, do just a 30 minute aerobic workout.  Make it at a low to moderate level if you need to because you want to make sure you have enough energy left for the strength training segment. 


For this day, now would be the time to find a great workout DVD that combines both cardio and strength training.  I have a couple of Denise Austin workout DVDs that are great for this.

If you don’t have a good workout DVD for this, just do your strength training using either the resistance bands, dumbbell weights or weight lifting.  Do 1 – 2 sets of 8 – 16 reps for the upper and lower body and then do 5 minutes of abs.


Weight Loss Workout Plan Day 6 - Aerobics

Do at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercises.  You can do a brisk walk, then jog, walk, jog routine.  If you have exercise equipment such as a treadmill or elliptical machine, then use these when you want for your aerobic workout.


Weight Loss Workout Plan Day 7 - Strength Training

Repeat your day 2 strength training routine.

Whew!  That’s 6 days of exercising and 1 day off.  Great job!  It’s time to start again for the next week.

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Advanced Workout Example

Similar to the intermediate example, for the advanced level weight loss workout example, you will be doing six days of exercising including both strength training and aerobics.

If you want to take this example for a full 7 days, just pick one of the days to repeat on that 7th day.

Weight Loss Workout Plan Day 1 – Interval Training

After warming up for about 5 minutes, do a 45 to 60 minute session of interval training. Interval training (or HIIT) is a combination of lower intensity aerobics to high intensity exercises like running.

You can do this on a treadmill, elliptical machine or outside on a track or running path.

Here is an example advanced interval routine you can use for your weight loss workout. Of course you can always just create your own routine.

Weight Loss Workout Plan Day 2 – Strength Training

Now it’s time for some strength training.  Before you start your strength training, be sure to warm up and stretch those muscles. 

If you are at this level, then you are familiar with the different types of strengthening exercises. For this day, work the upper and lower body using a circuit training workout.

You can use resistance bands, dumbbell weights or weight lifting equipment for this session.

Pick 10 - 12 different strengthening moves and do each one for 1 - 2 minutes. Rest inbetween each move for about 30 seconds (or longer if needed).

Do all 10 - 12 exercises to complete this circuit.


Weight Loss Workout Plan Day 3 - Abs and Aerobics

For this day, pick your favorite form of aerobics. It can be a workout DVD, jogging at the park, using an elliptical or your treadmill. Do a full 30 minutes of this activity. Workout at a medium to medium/high intensity for at least 75% of this time.

Then do an abdominal workout for about 10 - 15 minutes. Be sure to work all the abdominal muscles including the obliques and transverse abdominals. You can add some core muscles as well and work the lower back.


Day 4 - Time to Rest

Take this day off to let the body recoup and rest. If you want to workout all seven days, then try doing an endurance circuit workout where you combine both strength training as well as high impact aerobics.


Weight Loss Workout Plan Day 5 - Aerobic & Strength Training

On this day, do a 40 - 50 minute aerobic workout. Again, you pick what works best for you on your schedule and available equipment.
Once you have completed the aerobics, do a quick 15 minute strength training workout focusing on the upper and lower body.

If you feel up to it, add some abdominal exercises as well.



Weight Loss Workout Plan Day 6 - Aerobics

Do a full 60 minutes of aerobics. Alternate between medium to high levels of instensity for the bulk of this time.

Use the low intensity level when you need to slow it down and catch your breath, but don't stop completely. Make sure you keep moving.

Many treadmills and elliptical machines have the ability to program the duration and the intensity. They even have pre-programmed workouts that you could use. These programs will automatically alternate the instensity by changing the speed and/or the incline/resistance.


Weight Loss Workout Plan Day 7 - Strength Training

For this day, do a full body strengthening working all areas of the body (lower, upper and core). If your muscles are a bit sore from the previous days, use less resistance and less repetitions.

You should shoot for about a 30 minute workout on this last day.