Good health is always associated with weight loss. People who are overweight or obese are known to be at risk of developing various cardiovascular conditions. Even though this is the case, it is not healthy to aim for rapid weight loss as there are serious health risks associated with this rate of weight loss. Clickbait headlines like ‘Exercise for weight loss in 7 days’ will have you breaking your back and your bank for unachievable or unsustainable results. With that said, in this article, we will highlight 7-day workout plans that will help you lose weight in a healthy manner.
People are recommended to lose between 1 to 2 pounds in a single week. This is a healthy amount of weight to lose that is poles apart from what fad diet coupled with extreme workout sessions promise. Weight loss requires a total lifestyle change. Some people choose to start working out, others choose to go on a diet, and others choose to combine the two. Saying you will do something is the easiest part, actually doing the thing is the hard part, especially when it comes to working out, dieting or both.
Things To Figure Out Before Committing To A Workout Plan
There are a couple of things you need to look at before committing to a workout plan. You should first of all make sure that the workout plan has been tested and okayed by professionals. You don’t want to huff and puff every day and see no results. The workout plan should be recommended to you by an expert. This is actually what is mostly advised due to the fact that experts know what exercises work best for each individual. You should choose a workout plan that has been green-lit and personally designed for you.
Another thing you should look at is how balanced the workout program is. You want a workout plan that eases you into the program. This is particularly important if you are new to working out. You don’t want a workout plan that is too easy that there are no results and you also don’t want an exercise plan that is too extreme which may put you at risk of sustaining an injury. The key is to find the midpoint. When it comes to balance, you also want an exercise program that has different types of exercises. You want it to include cardio, strength training exercises, calisthenics and so on. Versatility turns working out into an enjoyable process.
Apart from weight loss, exercising comes with an array of benefits, both physical and mental (6). Working out teaches important qualities like discipline, and tolerance. More people should add exercise to their daily routines.
Read More: How Often Should I Workout Abs To Avoid Sabotaging My Six-Pack Goals?
Exercise For Weight Loss In 7 Days: How Much Should You Exercise To Lose Weight?
It is important to know how to make sure working out will lead to weight loss. You don’t want to be working out for weeks and even months without results. As mentioned earlier, the key is to find a balance between not going too easy on yourself, but also not going too hard on yourself. Before we go any further, different people require different amounts of physical activity to lose weight. It depends on things like gender, age of a person’s goals.
People need to work out for at least a certain number of minutes in a week to trigger weight loss. Before one can achieve weight loss, they need to first stop gaining weight, then they need to lose weight, then they need to maintain the weight they lost. And every stage of this journey requires a different amount of time that you need to dedicate to working out.
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How Much Workout Time Do You Need To Prevent Weight Gain?
The first step to achieving weight loss is, first of all, maintaining the weight you are at. If you are able to maintain that weight without gaining any more, it means you are on the right track. Weight gain reduces with an increase in physical activity. Different people have different stands on how much exercising one needs to do to prevent weight gain.
A study on the prevention of weight gain was done (3). The study took a year and was done in a controlled trial that targeted 300 minutes of moderately vigorous physical activity per week. There was a control group that was used to compare the results.
The results showed that with 300 minutes of moderately vigorous physical activity per week, women in the study were able to lose somewhere between 1.4 and 1.8kgs compared to the women in the control group who were able to gain between 0.7 to 0.9 kgs. When it comes to the men, the men who were working out lost between 1.8 and 1.9 kgs while the men who were not gained about 0.1kgs.
This study together with other studies not mentioned suggests that people who work out for more than 250 minutes in a week are able to prevent weight gain more compared to those who work out less than 250 minutes in a week. Greater amounts of working out are associated with greater weight loss or rather greater prevention of weight gain. This is not to say, people who work out less cannot prevent weight gain, the average recommended physical activity is between 150 minutes to 250 minutes of moderately vigorous physical activity with an energy equivalent of ~1200 to 2000 kcal per week (3). This is enough to prevent weight gain greater than 3% in most individuals.
Exercise For Weight Loss In 7 Days: How Much Workout Time Do You Need To Lose Weight?
The next step after preventing weight gain is achieving weight loss. The same rule applies, the greater the workout time, the greater the weight loss.
A randomized controlled study was done to investigate this query (3). The study took 16 months and was aimed at providing 225 minutes of moderately vigorous physical activity with an energy equivalent of ~ 400 kcal per day for 5 days in a week.
After 16 months it was noted that men experienced a reduction in weight by approximately 4.8kgs and women approximately 5.2kgs. However, these results show that gender could play a role in weight loss triggered by physical activity (3). Men who engaged in physical activity reduced weight compared to men in the control group who maintained their weight. When it comes to women, those who engaged in physical activity maintained their weight while those who did not – gained weight.
The more you increase your workout time, the more weight you are likely to lose. Physical activity of 150 minutes per week would result in approximately a weight loss of 2 to 3 kgs, while the physical activity of between 225 minutes to 420 minutes per week would result in a weight loss of between 5 to 7.5 kgs.
How Much Workout Time Do You Need To Prevent Regaining Weight?
Now you’ve lost weight, and you feel all happy with yourself. The next step, which is usually quite challenging, is to keep the weight from coming back. Most people usually remove their foot from the gas pedal once they achieve weight loss without realizing how easy it is for them to gain even more weight than they had before they embarked on the journey. Exercising helps keep one from regaining weight, but there is no certain amount of working out that has been identified to prevent weight gain.
There are studies that say at minimum 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity workouts would work (7). Others say one needs a little more than that. There is very little weight regain associated with people who perform more than 200 minutes of moderate-intensity workouts per week (3). It is safe to say any number above 200 minutes of moderate-intensity workouts is enough. The more you work out, the more weight loss you are likely to lose. But remember, it all depends on an individual
It is advisable to consult an expert for a more personalized workout program that would result in the anticipated results.
Exercise For Weight Loss In 7 Days: Aerobic Exercises Vs Resistance Training For Weight Loss
These are the two main types of exercises people do. They are both different in their own nature, but let’s dig deeper to find out which one would result in greater weight loss.
A study on the effects of aerobic and/or resistance training on body mass and fat mass in overweight or obese adults was done (5, 8). The participants of the study were 119 obese adults. The individuals were divided into 3 groups. The first group was to engage in aerobic exercises, the second group was to engage in resistance training, and the third group was to engage in a combination of the two. The aim was to measure how these exercises affected one’s body mass and fat mass and lean body mass.
The results showed that the aerobic group and the combination group experienced more reduction in body mass and fat mass compared to the resistance training group. The resistance group and the combination group experienced increased lean body mass compared to the aerobic group. Thus from the results, aerobic training is effective when it comes to weight loss while resistance training is effective when it comes to building muscles. If weight loss is what you are going for, then aerobic exercises are the way to go.
Read More: HIIT Workouts With Weights: This Hardcore Strength-Boosting Routine Is Sure To Leave You Sore
Exercise For Weight Loss In 7 Days: A 7-Day Workout Plan To Help You Lose Weight
Here is a 7-day workout that will help you in losing weight. All of the exercises in this workout plan have been selected because of how effective they are when it comes to weight loss. If you feel the workout session is too easy or too hard, you can replace some of the exercises with harder or easier variations of the same exercise.
Monday
Jogging/Running
Jogging and running are one of the most effective exercises when it comes to weight loss (1, 2, 10). They are simple yet effective. All you need for this is a pair of sneakers, and you are good to go. One is able to burn around 566-839 calories per hour at a 10-minute mile pace (9).
You should run for thirty to sixty minutes.
Jumping Rope
Jumping rope is another simple exercise that is effective when it comes to weight loss (1, 2). You are likely to lose between 667-900 calories per hour if you are skipping at 120 skips per minute (9).
You should jump rope for thirty to sixty minutes.
Tuesday
Crossbody Mountain Climbers
How they are done (4):
- Get into a plank position. Make sure your elbows are directly below your shoulders. Keep your neck, back, and hips in a straight line.
- Lift your right foot off the floor, flex your knee and bring it close to the right side of your chest.
- Place the right foot back to its original position.
- Lift your left foot off the floor, flex your knee and bring it close to the left side of your chest. Add some speed and do this as if you are running.
You should do 2 sets of 25 reps.
Scissor Kicks
How they are done (4):
- First, lie down on a mat and place your palms under your hips.
- Then lift your head, your upper back, as well as your legs off the ground.
- Lower your left leg, and just when it is about to touch the ground, lift it and lower your right leg.
You should do 3 sets of 12 reps while taking a 20-second break before moving on to the next exercise.
Wednesday
Scissor Kicks
How they are done:
- First, lie down on a mat and place your palms under your hips.
- Then lift your head, your upper back, as well as your legs off the ground.
- Lower your left leg, and just when it is about to touch the ground, lift it and lower your right leg.
You should do 3 sets of 12 reps while taking a 20-second break before moving on to the next exercise.
Goblet Squat
To perform this squat you:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a kettle in front of your chest. While you are doing this, you need to make sure your elbows are pointing towards the floor or down.
- The next step is to push your hips back and bend your knees into a squat. After that, return to your starting position and do this all over again.
You should aim for 10 to 12 reps in 3 to 5 sets.
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Thursday
Crunches
How they are done (4):
- You first lie down on a mat, flex your knees, and place your feet on the floor.
- Place your hands at the back of your head and lift your head off the floor. Initiate the movement by curling up and trying to reach your knees with your head.
- Go back to the original position. You should make sure you inhale while curling up and exhale while going down.
You should do 2 sets of 12 reps.
Leg In And Out
How to do it (4):
- The first thing you need to do is sit on a mat and put your hands behind you.
- Then lift your legs from the ground and lean back a little.
- Tuck both your legs in. Simultaneously, bring your upper body close to your knees.
- Go back to the original position.
You should do 2 sets of 20 reps.
Burpees
How to do them (4):
- Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Bend your knees and place your hands on the floor. Let’s call this the “frog” position for clarity.
- Jump and push both your legs back and get into a plank or push-up position.
- Hop and get back to the “frog” position.
- Jump vertically and extend your hands above your head.
- Land softly on the floor.
- Get into the frog position again, then go back to the plank position.
You should do 3 sets of 8 reps while taking a 10-second break between the sets.
Friday
Cycling
Cycling is a fun exercise that can help you lose weight. Moderate cycling can trigger one to burn approximately 300 calories in an hour. Since it is a Friday, take your bike out and go for a two-hour ride. To make the workout even more effective, go for uphill terrains.
Saturday
Basic Squats
- You start by putting your feet shoulder-width apart. Your toes should be slightly out, and your hands should be at your side.
- The next step is to hinge your hips and to bend your knees as you sit back as if you are going to sit down and allow your arms to raise up in front of you. While doing this, you need to make sure your knees don’t fall inward and that your back stays straight.
- When your thighs are parallel to the ground, stop and raise up by pushing through your heels to return to the starting point.
You should aim for 12-15 reps in 3 sets.
Plank
How they are done (4):
- Kneel down on a mat.
- Place your elbows on the mat.
- Extend your right leg back, then your left leg.
- Keep your neck, back, and hips in the same line. Keep your core engaged.
- Hold this pose for at least 30 seconds.
You should do 3 sets of 30-60 seconds hold.
Sit-Ups
How they are done (4):
- Lie on a mat, flex your knees, and place your heels on the mat. Engage your core and place your hands at the back of your head. Lift your head and shoulders off the ground and look at the sky.
- Use your core strength to lift your body off the ground and come to a sitting position.
- Go back down gently to the original position.
You should do 2 sets of 12 reps.
Sunday
Rest
Rest is also important when it comes to working out. It allows your muscles and tissues to recover from the workout sessions you’ve been putting them through.
Exercise For Weight Loss In 7 Days: Final Thought
Here are some exercise for weight loss in 7 days. It is important to warm up before you start your workout session as this helps prevent injury and soreness of the muscles. Workout programs promising weight loss of up to 10 pounds in a week should be avoided as that is not a healthy weight loss pace. One should lose between 1 to 2 pounds in a week. In addition to working out, what you eat is also important in your weight loss journey and hence you should go for healthy low-calorie foods.
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 to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
SOURCES:
- 10 of the Best Workouts for Weight Loss (2018, self.com)
- 11 Best Exercises for Weight Loss in 2020, According to Experts and Research (2020, prevention.com)
- Appropriate Physical Activity Intervention Strategies for Weight Loss and Prevention of Weight Regain for Adults (2009, journals.lww.com)
- Best Exercises For Reducing Belly Fat At Home And Expert Tips (2020, stylecraze.com)
- Effects of aerobic and/or resistance training on body mass and fat mass in overweight or obese adults (2012, ncbi.nlm.nih.go)
- Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity (2019, mayoclinic.org)
- Physical activity – it’s important (n.d., betterhealth.vic.gov.au)
- Role of Physical Activity for Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance (2017, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- The 10 Best Calorie-Burning Exercises—Ranked (2020, womenshealthmag.com)
- Weight Loss in 7 Days: Tips, Exercises and Side Effects (2019, healthifyme.com)
