Fat Loss Training Plan

If you’re fed up with taking endless “before” pictures and never getting to the lean “after” ones, then you want to read this article. 

We’ve outlined a proven and tested workout plan that helps melt away unwanted body fat, so you can sculpt that lean figure you’ve been dreaming of.

This program works no matter whether you have lots of fat to lose or simply want to drop the last few kilos of stubborn fat. So, let’s dive in.

How It Works

We’ve set up the training plain in such a way that you maintain – or even gain – muscle while dropping fat. This is one of the keys to an effective body transformation.

Why? Because aside from making you feel strong and confident, the amount of muscle you have is one of the main determinants of your metabolic rate [1]. 

The more muscle mass you carry, the higher your metabolism and the more calories you burn every day. So, it will be easier to drop fat and keep it off.

Unfortunately, this is where most programs go wrong. While they have you losing weight, a fair share of it comes from muscle mass.  

That’s one reason why many people rebound to their previous weight (and often add to it) after slimming down.

The Set-Up

You’ll be doing three strength-training workouts and one HIIT session per week. If you’re used to hitting the gym five, six, or even seven days a week, then this might not seem enough. Abandon that belief!

The key to working out is stimulating your muscles with the right volume and intensity. If you do more, you’ll risk over-training, which hampers progression and can lead to injuries.

And here’s the thing: when you’re in a calorie deficit – which is a must for dropping fat – your body has access to fewer building blocks. As a result, the training volume you can recover from is diminished. 

That’s why three intensive strength-training workouts combined with one HIIT session is all you need. It prevents muscle loss and maximises fat burning without the risk of overdoing it.

Here’s what the set-up of your workout week looks like:

· Workout 1: Squat

· Workout 2: Bench press

· Workout 3: Deadlift

· Workout 4: HIIT

As you can see, each strength-training session is built around one primary movement. Improving on this exercise is the main focus of your workout.

After you’ve done this one, you follow up with assistance exercises. As the name suggests, those function to help you strengthen your primary movement. 

Besides, they are set up in such a way that you stimulate all muscle groups with the right volume, meaning you’ll develop your body in a balanced manner.

Scheduling your sessions

When planning your workouts, try to spread them out as evenly as possible. It is of particular importance to have a rest day between your HIIT session and the squat workout of the following week.

The reason is that they’re both tough on your leg muscles. By taking a day of rest in between, you ensure that your HIIT session doesn’t negatively affect your squat workout performance.

Here’s what your set-up could look like:

· Monday: Squat workout

· Tuesday: Bench press training

· Wednesday: –

· Thursday: Deadlift session

· Friday: –

· Saturday: HIIT

· Sunday: –

Now that we’ve covered the set-up, let’s go over the exercises you’ll be doing. 

Day 1 – Bench Press

# Exercise Sets/Reps Rest (sec.)

1. Bench press 4 x 5-7 180 

2. Incline dumbbell press 3 x 8-10 120

3. Dumbbell row 3 x 8-10 120

4. Dumbbell seated overhead press 3 x 10-12 90

5. Lat pulldown 3 x 10-12 90

6. Dumbbell triceps overhead extensions 3 x 12-15 90

Day 2 – Squat

# Exercise Sets/Reps Rest (sec.)

1. Squat 4 x 5-7 180

2. Dumbbell lunges 3 x 8-10 120

3. Straight leg deadlift 3 x 10-12 90

4. Barbell hip thrust 3 x 10-12 90

5. Lying leg curl 3 x 10-12 90

6. Seated calf raises 3 x 10-12 90

Day 3 – Deadlift

# Exercise Sets/Reps Rest (sec.)

1. Deadlift 4 x 4-6 180

2. (Weighted) Chin-ups* 3 x 8-10 120

3. Barbell overhead press 3 x 6-8 150

4. Seated cable row 3 x 10-12 90

5. Push-ups 2 x max reps 90

6. Farmers walk 3 x 40 meter 60

* In case you can’t do chin-ups for three sets of 8-10 reps, do band-assisted chin-ups instead, or replace them with lat pulldowns (palms facing yourself).

Day 4 – HIIT

Do 15 to 20 minutes of HIIT on an exercise bike. Every round is one minute long, so your session consists of 15 to 20 bouts split between work and rest intervals. Here’s how:

· Beginners: Sprint for 20 seconds (at 80% to 90% of your maximum speed) and rest for 40 seconds between intervals.

· Intermediates: Sprint for 25 seconds (at 85% to 90% of your maximum speed) and rest for 35 seconds between intervals.

· Advanced: Sprint for 30 seconds (at 90%+ of your maximum speed) and rest for 30 seconds between intervals.

During your resting phase, you keep cycling at a very slow pace (around 10% of your maximum sprinting speed). 

This helps your muscles get rid of lactic acid (the stuff that gives them that burning feeling) and other byproducts that are build up as a result of your strenuous efforts.

Progression

The key to any strength training plan is gradually increasing the stress you place upon your body [2]. We call this “progressive overload”. 

Unfortunately, this is where many trainees go wrong. They use the same weight for the same number of reps and sets, session after session. As a result, their body has no reason to improve and their progress stalls.

Instead, you should expose your muscles to a stimulus they’re not accustomed to. On this program, you’ll be doing so by increasing the weight you use.

Here’s how:

When you look at the rep range described, you see two digits (e.g. 6-8). What you do is select a weight you can handle for at least 6 reps but no more than 8.

Once you hit the top of the range, which in this case is 8 reps, you slightly increase the weight for the next set. Then, once you’re able to do eight reps with the new weight, you slightly increase it again.

Warm-Up

If you immediately jump into your workouts without warming up, you’re flirting with the danger of getting hurt. That’s why it is crucial to take the time and do a proper warm-up.

Besides, warming up improves your performance by enhancing blood flow, increasing oxygen availability, improving flexibility, and boosting the speed and efficiency of your central nervous system [3].

There are three phases your routine should consist of to ensure a proper warm-up. 

Phase 1: General warm-up 

Your goal here is increasing your core temperature. Choose a cardio device such as an exercise bike, treadmill, or elliptical, and go through the motions for 5 minutes. Use an intensity that enables you to get a sweat going without building up fatigue.

Phase 2: Mobility 

Once you break into a sweat, it’s time to prepare your joints for the range of motions they will have to go through in your workout. You do so by performing dynamic stretches related to your upcoming exercises.

For example, if you’re going to do a squat workout, appropriate dynamic stretches would be leg swings, fire hydrant circles, leg crossovers, and mountain climbers. 

Phase 3: Specific warm-up

The last step is preparing yourself for your working sets of the first movement in your training.

If you’ll be doing a strength-training session, this means you build up to your working weight of either the squat, bench press, or deadlift. Do so by performing three warm-up sets as outlined below:

· Warm-up set 1: 50% working weight x 5 reps 

· Warm-up set 2: 70% working weight x 3 reps

· Warm-up set 3: 90% working weight x 2 reps

After you go through them, load the bar with your working weight and perform the movement for the prescribed number of reps and sets.

If you plan on doing a HIIT workout, go with a similar structure. You perform one set of sprints at 50% of your working speed for 10 seconds, one set at 70% for 7 seconds, and one set at 90% for 5 seconds.

Once you have those done, you rest for 30 seconds and you get started with your HIIT session.

The Key to Making This Program Work

You might have heard that you can’t out-exercise a bad diet. Well, that’s absolutely true. No matter how hard you work out, you will never get rid of unwanted kilos of fat if you don’t get your energy intake in check. 

Why? Because to lose weight, you must be in a calorie deficit [4-6]. This means you burn more calories than you consume. That’s why it’s crucial to track calories when following this training plan. 

We’ve created an in-depth, step-by-step guide on how to set up your diet for optimal fat loss results based on your goals, needs, and personal situation.

It covers all the fundamentals, such as how many calories, protein, carbs, and fat to consume, the “best” eating frequency, and loads of other important information. 

So, if you want to end the guesswork and follow a proven plan to get lean, check our nutrition set-up guide for free by clicking here [link].

Are You Ready?

Ready to attain your fitness goals and whip your body into shape? If so, then there’s only one thing left to do: take action. You now have a powerful plan designed to help you shed unwanted body fat. 

Combine this with a proper nutrition plan and you can slap a big “S” on your chest because you’ll be unstoppable! May this year be your leanest and fittest year!

Reference

1. Zurlo, F., Larson, K., Bogardus, C., & Ravussin, E. (1990). Skeletal muscle metabolism is a major determinant of resting energy expenditure. The Journal of Clinical Investigation, 86(5), 1423-7.

2. American College of Sports Medicine. (2009). American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 41(3), 687-708.

3. Shellock, F. G., & Prentice, W. E. (1985). Warming-up and stretching for improved physical performance and prevention of sports-related injuries. Sports Medicine, 2(4), 267-78.

4. Golay, A., Allaz, A. F., Morel, Y., De Tonnac, N., Tankova, S., & Reaven, G. (1996). Similar weight loss with low- or high-carbohydrate diets. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 63(2), 174-8.

5. Leibel, R. L., Hirsch, J., Appel, B. E., & Checani, G. C. (1992). Energy intake required to maintain body weight is not affected by wide variation in diet composition. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 55(2), 350-5.

6. Strasser, B., Spreitzer, A., & Haber, P. (2007). Fat loss depends on energy deficit only, independently of the method for weight loss. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 51(5), 428-32.