One of the significant steps most people take when it comes to keeping fit is deciding to lose weight. Given the popularity of the sedentary lifestyle, most individuals are struggling to maintain an ideal weight. That said, you will find numerous weight-loss programs, some ranging from diet plans to exercise programs. If you lean more towards an exercise program, you need to know that finding the right exercise is vital for weight loss. Note that it can be strenuous and nerve-wracking, especially for beginners. We understand all this, which is why we have developed this 7-day workout plan for weight loss.
This article will be looking at an effective 7-day workout plan for weight loss without any equipment. This is a very effective regime for beginners. As always, do not attempt this exercise program without consulting both your healthcare provider and fitness coach. Without further ado, let us get straight into the workout plan.
An Effective 7-Day Workout Plan No Equipment Weight Loss
If you are thinking of starting an exercise program at home to lose belly fat or drop some pounds, then we have got you covered. A weight-loss journey can be extra challenging and demanding, especially if you lack a guide.
The possibility of incorporating the wrong exercises is pretty hard, the main reasons might be because you forget to consider your body shape, fitness level, and other dire aspects. You find that most people blindly follow a routine because it has been set by their favorite trainer or fitness expert. This is a wrong approach to weight loss or fitness, for that matter.
The first thing you ought to do is do your research about what to consider before following an exercise program. Some of the aspects you must evaluate include your health status, fitness level, and body shape. There are programs that are more practical for individuals with different physiques and in various fitness levels.
The following home workout plan is specifically designed for beginners and requires no equipment to kick start their weight loss journey. Let us take a look at what you are expected to do over this one week.
Read More: 5-Day Dumbell Workout Split For Building Lean Muscle Mass
Day 1: Monday
How better to kick off the week than with a body-weight strength training routine? The advantage of such training is that it boosts your metabolism, endurance, and fitness (3). Increased metabolism is integral for weight loss because experts have an association between weight loss and enhanced metabolism.
According to Mayo Clinic, an increased metabolism helps your body burn more calories, even when you are at rest (7). As we all know, burning more calories than you are consuming contributes to weight loss. Some of the best strength-training body-weight exercises to perform on this day include:
Pushups
Pushups are some of the best strength-building exercises. They highly engage your core and leg muscles and effectively build strength throughout your body (9). Fitness experts recommend them as an excellent substitute for the chest press machine exercise (3). In addition, it builds more muscular endurance, which requires core activation, helping target your abdominal muscles. It is, therefore, a great exercise to help trim abdominal or belly fat.
How to:
There are various pushup variations that you can perform. However, as a beginner, we advise you to concentrate on the regular pushup. So, here is how you perform it (9):
- Start on your fours and slowly extend your legs behind until you are resting on the balls of your feet. Keep your arms in line with your shoulders and directly underneath them. Remember also to keep your back straight and face down.
- Breathe in and start moving your chest towards the floor. However, do not rest it on the floor but a few inches above the ground. If this proves difficult, get on your knees and perform this step.
- Hold the movement at the bottom for a second, exhale, and then push your upper body up.
- Repeat ten times.
Body-Weight Squats
Squats are a staple in any weight loss program because they are very effective if done correctly. The correct process to perform them correctly is as follows (1):
- Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart and arms by your sides. Keep your back straight and spine in a neutral position.
- Breathe in, push your hips backwards, and start to lower yourself as if you are taking a seat. Press through your heels as it removes the pressure from your knees and quads, resulting in an increased knee injury.
- Squat to the point of comfort, and hold the squat for a couple of minutes. Breathe out and stand to return to the starting position. As you come up, remember to clench your glutes and maintain a straight back.
- Repeat at least ten times.
Planks
Planks are other exercises to perform on this day as they help strengthen your back and abdominal muscles. They are also excellent workouts to consider if you want to build core strength (8). For example, to perform one rep of a plank, all you have to do is (8):
- Start with your elbows and lower arms on the floor. Make sure that your elbows are in line with your shoulders.
- Lift your body off the floor and let it form a straight line from your head to your toes. Keep your back as straight as possible, and make sure you are facing down throughout the movement. Likewise, remember to engage your abdominal muscles to help challenge them more during this exercise.
- Keep your feet together, and toes flexed to help support your body.
- Hold this stance for 20 to 30 seconds. Focus on not arching your back because this may result in back pain and injuries.
- Slowly lower your body to the floor, rest for a minute, and repeat three to five times.
Lunges
The next body-weight strength training exercise to perform is the lunge. It works your thighs, hips, butt, and abdominal muscles if done correctly. The process of performing a lunge is as shown below (8):
- Stand upright with your hands on your waist and feet close together.
- Step one leg forward into a long stride. Bend the knee and place the foot flat on the floor. Keep your back straight and face ahead.
- Bend the knee of the supporting leg toward the floor. Hold in this position for at least two seconds.
- Use the muscles of the forward leg to push back to the initial stance.
- Repeat ten times on each leg.
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Step-Ups
You will need to perform them with an elevated surface such as a staircase or bench. All you have to do is step on the bench as you alternate between your left and right leg. You can increase the intensity of the exercise by increasing your pace. Please note, be very cautious to avoid arching your back during the process.
These are the exercises you are required to perform on this day. You are advised to perform two to three sets, but remember to rest and hydrate between the sets. Seek the help and supervision of a trainer if you cannot master the correct technique to avoid sustaining injuries.
Day 2: Tuesday
On this day, you will be required to perform a moderate aerobic activity of your choice. It could be walking, jogging, dancing, or swimming. Unfortunately, most people tend to underestimate these activities as they do not believe that they can promote weight loss.
The reality is that these exercises are very effective in calorie burning, which helps promote weight loss. Let us look at the profile of an individual weighing 160 pounds and indulging in various moderate cardio activities for one hour. According to Mayo Clinic, such an individual will most likely burn the following calories (5):
- Bicycling for leisure at a speed of less than ten mph- 292 calories
- Engaging in ballroom dancing- 219 calories
- Walking at a rate of 3.5 mph- 314 calories
- Hiking-438 calories
- Swimming (light or moderate)- 423 calories
Talk to your trainer before you start any of these moderate aerobic exercises. Like with any other activity, there are still possibilities of injuring yourself when performing them. Again, some exercises are suitable for various individuals, which is why you need help determining the program that suits you best.
Day 3: Wednesday
On this day, you will focus on a HIIT workout. It is very effective in torching calories, which may increase the speed at which you drop pounds. Below are the exercises you will perform on this day (2):
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High Knees
To perform this exercise, you will have to bring one knee up close to your chest as you press your arms up in the air. Next, lower this leg and then get the other knee towards your chest. Do this for a minute, or until you perform 30 high knees on each leg.
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Jumping Jacks
To perform this exercise, you will stand up with your legs spread and hands touching overhead (4). Then, as you jump, you will bring your legs back together and put your arms to your sides. Do this for 30 seconds.
Read More: 8-Week Workout Plan To Lose Weight: A Sample Shred Workout
- Burpees
These exercises also get your heart beating fast and your body torching more calories. You will start in a standing position and then drop to the floor to perform a pushup. You can always modify the pushup and perform it on your knees. After doing the pushup, you can jump or walk to the standing position. Repeat at least ten to fifteen times.
-
Side-To-Side Runs
Start in a standing position and then start jumping to the right, landing on your right foot. Next, use your abdominal muscles to pull your left knee up, further engaging your obliques. Now jump to the left and land on your left foot as you pull your right knee up. Perform this exercise for a minute.
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Bicycle Abs
Lie on the ground and bring your knees up to a tabletop position. Pull your belly button in towards your spine, place your hands behind your head and curl up. Extend your left elbow to your right knee as you stretch the left leg at a 45-degree angle. Switch sides and perform at least ten of these movements on each side.
Day 4: Thursday
On this day, you will be focusing on the total-body strength training program that you performed on Monday. This means, use the program provided for Monday and perform it on this day. Again, remember to maintain the correct form and technique for maximum gains.
Day 5: Friday
The program of this day entails performing a high-intensity cardiovascular activity. The increased intensity workout you will be performing incorporates the following exercises (6):
- Skipping rope for one minute. During the last 30 seconds, try to increase your pace as much as you can.
- 40 quick crunches
- 20 pushups
- 15 jump squats
- Rest lasting for 30 to 45 seconds
- Jumping rope for another minute
- 15 pushups
- 25 jumping jacks
- 25 crunches
This routine will take a toll on you both physically and mentally. However, try to hold on until the end because this workout will help you burn so many calories that make you one step closer to your dream body shape.
If you cannot meet all of these reps, talk to your trainer, and they will help you adjust these exercises’ repetitions. Again, if the activities are too easy to perform, speak to your trainer to determine safe ways of increasing their intensity. Never take matters into your hands without professional help or advice.
Day 6: Saturday
The program for this day details how you need to perform the same exercise routine you performed on Tuesday. You can choose to stick to the same moderate aerobic activity or change to another one. Your trainer will give you more insight into the benefits and drawbacks of either method.
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Day 7: Sunday
This is your day off. Congratulations for making it this far. Relax and enjoy a day off because you have earned it. Again, bear in mind that you need to give your muscles time to repair worn-out ones. Likewise, they also need time to recover and grow. So, on this day, you do not have any regime to perform. Do not mistake this free day for a cheat day.
Just because you are not exercising today does not mean that you can now indulge in unhealthy foods and snacks. On the contrary, it would help if you still ate healthy to help prompt healthy and steady weight loss. Other tips you also need to keep in mind for faster results from this 7-day workout plan for weight loss whole body combination include:
- Decreasing your stress levels as stress may result in weight gain.
- Getting enough and quality rest. Poor sleeping patterns may result in weight gain, compromising your weight loss efforts.
- Eating foods rich in fiber. Fiber helps in increasing satiety levels, which prevents overeating and over-snacking.
- Hydrating. Water is critical in weight loss because it helps prevent overeating since most people mistake dehydration for hunger.
- Eating whole fruits and vegetables. These contain low calories that can help you maintain a calorie deficit for weight loss. They are excellent options to consider if you are looking for healthy snack options.
- Getting active. Exercising does not give you room to be inactive. You still need to remain active to help torch more calories even when you are not exercising. For example, you can take the stairs instead of using the elevator. Similarly, you could do some yard work instead of hiring someone to do it for you. These activities still burn calories as you are using energy.
The Bottom Line
If you want to lose weight or shed fat around your abdominal area, this weekly workout plan is specifically designed for you. This 7-day workout plan for weight loss contains diverse workouts that lead to the fat burning process, contributing to weight loss.
Remember to talk to your doctor and fitness trainer before giving this workout plan a try. Again, even if you do get the green light to perform this program, remember to maintain good nutrition. Consume a diet rich in fiber, fruits, and vegetables, and maintain a calorie deficit for weight loss. Good luck as you try this exercise regime!
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for decision-making. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
SOURCES:
- 5 common mistakes when you squat (2018, mayoclinic.org)
- A 15-minute full body HIIT workout-no equipment required (2019, nbcnews.com)
- Body-weight training: Ditch the dumbbells (2017, mayoclinic.org)
- Exercise and Fitness: The 7-Minute Workout (2018, medicinenet.com)
- Exercise for weight loss: Calories burned in 1 hour (2019, mayoclinic.org)
- High-Intensity Workouts: Burn Calories Better, Longer (2016, webmd.com)
- Metabolism and weight loss: How you burn calories (2020, mayoclinic.org)
- What are the best exercises for overall health and fitness? (2020, medicalnewstoday.com)
- What happens if you do pushups every day? (2019, medicalnewstoday.com)
