Here’s The Weekly Workout Plan You Need If You Want To Lose Weight

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If you’re trying to lose weight, exercise can help you meet your goals in a healthy, sustainable way—but sometimes, just knowing where to start can be a high hurdle to cross. From how often you sweat to the types of workouts you do, there are endless possibilities when you’re getting into a fitness routine, and it can be a lot to think about.

Well, we’re here to take the thinking out of the equation. Trainer Adam Rosante, C9 Champion brand ambassador and author of The 30-Second Body, developed a routine just for SELF readers to get you going. It incorporates the strength training, cardio, and rest days you’ll need to meet your weight-loss goals. 

It’s not enough to get out there and get sweaty: Weight loss requires strategy.

We can’t talk about working out for weight loss without mentioning one other crucial element of meeting your goals: It’s important to keep your diet clean so you’re eating fewer calories than you’re burning, says Rosante.

“Nutrition is primary uno—you can’t out-train a bad diet,” he adds. “Eighty percent nutrition plus 20 percent training equals 100 percent beast!” But there’s no need to completely overhaul your life at once if it feels too overwhelming at first, he says. “If you’re in the habit of working out, that may naturally lead you to start exploring healthier eating options. If you’re not there yet, that’s cool—just start working out and make some tweaks. Start small.”

And when it comes to working out, Rosante says, “Variety is the spice of life.” But that doesn’t mean changing it up willy-nilly. “I am not a fan of randomly programmed workouts where you’re just doing different things every day,” he says. “You want a program that you can progress with, and you have key indicators that you’re making progress.”

That’s exactly what the plan below does. You can use it as a starting point, and tailor it to your needs once you’re comfortable. And if you miss a workout once in a while? No big deal—get back on board with your next one and keep going. It’s a marathon, not a sprint (unless it’s HIIT day—but we’ll get to that).

Here’s the basic breakdown of what you’ll be doing:

• Strength training three days a week, one hour per session
• High-intensity interval training one day a week, 20 minutes per session
• Steady-state cardio one day a week, 35 to 45 minutes per session
• Two days of active recovery

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Every workout should begin with at least five to 10 minutes of warming up. Rosante likes to start with foam rolling, which helps with mobility. Then move into a dynamic warm-up to get the blood flow going. Here’s a five-minute warm-up to try.

After your workout, make sure you take time to cool down to relax your nervous system, says Rosante. “My favorite thing to do with a client is to lay them down, put their feet up a wall so that their legs are elevated, and just have them breathe into the belly, five seconds to inhale and five seconds to exhale, just to mellow everything out.” After a couple minutes, stretch out your major muscle groups (flexibility is increased when muscles are warm), and hold each stretch for at least three breaths. Here are four cool-down stretches to try. 

Now, get ready to lift heavier, move faster, and lose more.

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