What Is The Best Workout Plan For Weight Loss?

Your workout plan for weight loss should be tailored to your needs and requirements. While you could have the same goals as someone else, the workout plan for weight loss that you use may not be what the other individual needs.

It’s important to be extremely careful when picking a tailored workout plan for weight loss, especially if it’s your first time.

Example of a workout plan for weight loss

Workout plans (Photo via Unsplash/Anastase Maragos)

Assuming that you’re following a calorie deficit diet and have already added some form of physical activity to your routine, here's an example of what a workout routine to lose weight usually looks like:

Warm-up

Use light cardio for 5-10 minutes such as jogging, walking, or jumping jacks to increase your heart rate.

Strength training

You should try to do strength training 2-3 times a week depending on your goals. If you’re doing lesser days, it’s best to focus on compound exercises that target more than one muscle group.

Cardio

Cardiovascular exercises are used to improve endurance. Therefore, a cardio routine such as HIIT or rowing can help improve your athletic performance along the way.

Stretching

Post-workout stretching helps improve mobility and flexibility. Additionally, it reduces risk of injury.

Of course, it doesn’t have to be the same flow for everyone. Some may stick to only cardiovascular exercise, while others could skip the post-workout stretch. Eventually, it’s a personal choice, but the above is what an usual flow looks like.

Whether you’re searching for a weight loss workout plan for men or a weight loss workout plan for women, you must keep your personal goals in mind. Anyone with a low body fat percentage will need to focus more on strength training to build their muscles. Meanwhile, someone with a higher body fat percentage will need to focus on a mix of strength training and cardio to tone their muscles as they cut body fat.

Types of workout plans

To properly understand the workout plan for weight loss, you should understand the types of workout plans that exist. Here are the following:

Strength training

Strength training, also known as resistance training, uses resistance such as free-weight or your bodyweight to build muscle and increase strength. Additionally, the extra effort helps with burning the stored calories.

Cardiovascular exercise

Cardiovascular exercises are movements used to improve endurance and athletic performance. More often than not, these are aerobic exercises that are powered by activities such as cycling, swimming, running, etc.

HIIT

High interval intensity training is an exercise type that alternates between intense exercise periods and periods of rest. The idea behind this workout type is to boost weight loss, metabolism, endurance, and improve strength.

Yoga

This is a low-impact exercise that reiterates the importance of stretching, balancing, and flexibility. Additionally, yoga is great for mental fitness and spirituality.

Pilates

Pilates are used to improve core strength and flexibility. It's usually done on the mat and use controlled movements to target specific muscle groups.

Bodybuilding

Bodybuilding is one of the most common types of workout plans. It focuses on lifting immense weights to push the muscles into becoming bigger and stronger. However, you must follow a strict diet when you’re following a bodybuilding routine.

CrossFit

CrossFit incorporates various types of movements, like strength training, gymnastics, and cardio, to create a full body high intensity training circuit.

It’s imperative to understand that you should choose a workout plan for weight loss that fits your personal goals. If you don’t know which one to pick for your desired physique, it’s best to consult a trainer or a professional to understand which one would work best for you.

Types of workout splits

Types of workout split (Photo via Unsplash/Total Shape)

Apart from knowing about the workout types, you should also be aware of workout splits.

A workout split is one wherein a person divides their days with exercises that target specific muscle groups. Here are some of the common workout splits:

Full body
Upper body/lower body
Push/pull/legs
Body part split
Targeted muscle group split

Like a workout plan for weight loss, you must remember that workout types also differ from person-to-person. Ideally, you should choose one that works with your goals instead of choosing one that the masses opt for.