Weight Loss 4 Exercise Plan

Exercise Plan
Your first concern may be losing weight, but the ultimate goal is to lose fat! So while the scale is a good gauge of
progress, you should also measure body parts (waist, thigh, upper arm) as you start your weight loss program, and
measure regularly to ascertain changes in your body. The combination of cardio and weight training is critical to your
weight loss success.
Cardio - If you've never exercised or haven't followed a regular program, doing cardio three times a week is a good
start. As you improve your conditioning, you should increase intensity. This will also speed up the weight loss process.
• There are a few versions of cardio training:
o "Fat Burning Zone" Theory - extended duration workouts at moderately high intensity. This means
exercising at a "steady state" intensity where you're within 60-70% of your heart rate maximum range.
For heart rate calculations, subtract your age from 220 to arrive at your ballpark maximum level. Then
figure the necessary training heart rate percentages based on this number.
o "Higher Intensity Interval Training" (HIIT) Philosophy - burn as many calories as possible in a shorter
amount of time. The method to accomplish this is to alternate between walking and running for short
time periods. It helps to speed up calorie burn, but without overly taxing your body.
Resistance Training - Muscles are more metabolically active than any other tissue, which means you burn more calories
at rest just supporting the muscle tissue. The more calories burned promotes a more effective long-term weight loss.
• Increasing Workout Calorie Burn Options:
o Utilize some form of high intensity weight training, such as supersets (two sets) and tri-sets (three sets)
of exercise in immediate succession without resting between them. This can be done in an antagonist
(opposing muscle groups, such as biceps and triceps) or agonist (same muscle group) method. By
moving quickly from one exercise to the next, you expend a much greater amount of energy and
complete more work in a shorter time period.
o Choose free weights compared to machine exercises. Because machines support your body and balance
the resistance, they reduce the need for supporting musculature to be used. This burns more calories
per workout. Some examples: Use free weight squats instead of leg press and perform deadlifts rather
than hyperextensions. However, when using free weights, it's important to make sure you always use
proper form and have a spotter.
Workout Plan - For best results from a time-savings perspective, perform both weight training and cardio on each of the
three days you're exercising. If you have more time and want added benefit, alternate between strength and cardio
training on opposing days, and exercise six days weekly.
• The order of exercises will depend on your fitness goals. If you are more interested in trimming body fat fast, do
your cardio first. But if you want to both burn calories and reshape your body, do weight training first and finish
your session with cardio.