The easiest and fastest way to improve your appearance is to burn fat. If you want to look slimmer, spend calories by actively exercising. Weight loss workouts for men and women are radically different. A competent comprehensive approach should include a balanced diet, exercise programs from a professional trainer and rest.
Today, weight loss workouts for men and women are becoming increasingly popular, but with the same goal, these are completely different programs. The features of programs for boys and girls are dictated by the physiological differences in their bodies.
Also, in addition to the training itself for weight loss for men and women, it is important to know the basics of proper nutrition before and after training.
Strength training for weight loss for men
It should be remembered that all weight loss programs for men and women are significantly different. This occurs due to the physiological characteristics of organisms of both sexes. Differences between programs are caused by the following factors:
- The male body stores fat more slowly than the female body and in smaller quantities; it burns it much faster. This happens because a man is by nature a breadwinner, his life is connected with hard physical labor, so fat should be easily converted into energy. However, this does not mean that the stronger sex can safely ignore the need to exercise to lose weight.
- In the body of a man and a woman, on average, the number of fat cells is the same, however, they differ in size and the functioning of enzymes. In men, fat cells are smaller and contain significantly more fat-digesting enzymes.
- A man with large muscle mass per day has a higher energy expenditure for basal metabolism (at rest) than a man with a weak body, and several orders of magnitude higher than a woman, which is also reflected in the men’s training program for weight loss.
- Men constantly have a certain level of anabolic hormones in their blood, which is why their fat cells, when losing weight, respond better to energy activity, which means that a man loses weight to a greater extent due to the consumption of fat rather than muscle tissue.
If you're a man looking to lose weight, try this 3-day weight loss workout.
Do you need strength training to lose weight?
Aerobic exercise is most effective for losing weight, but it is not the best way to burn fat and increase muscle mass. When you lose weight strictly through cardio, you lose muscle and fat at the same time. And if strength training isn't part of your training plan, you could be slowing down your metabolism by losing muscle mass rather than gaining it (which can lead to a weight loss plateau effect). And the saddest thing is that with this approach you can lose weight, but you will look even worse than before exercising.
Strength training is better at building muscle than cardio. When you lift any weight, you overload the muscle, and it begins to work to adapt and be able to lift more weight in the future. The way muscles adapt is to increase the so-called myofibrillar size (contractile units of the muscle). Strength training stimulates this growth, resulting in increased muscle mass over time. And although aerobic exercise can also [stimulate this process], the increase is not as great as with strength training.
Strength training for weight loss for women
It is somewhat more difficult for women to lose weight, this is explained by a number of characteristics of their bodies:
- A woman's body is naturally programmed to store energy in the form of fat, since after puberty the female body prepares for childbearing.
- In women, fat cells are larger and contain more enzymes responsible for the accumulation of fat.
- In the female body, the amount of muscle tissue is approximately 20-40% lower than in men, this significantly lengthens and complicates the process of losing weight. This happens because muscles expend much more energy than other body tissues.
- There are no male steroid hormones in the female body, therefore, during weight loss through intense training, women's muscles are not protected from destruction.
Taking into account all the features of the female body and, in particular, the nature of enzymes, the fair sex should engage exclusively in female training for weight loss. This will allow you to get exactly the results you want without burning any hard-earned muscle.
All exercises in this workout are done in one superset (in a circuit format). Perform one set of each exercise without resting between sets. Then break for 1-2 minutes, and repeat the circle of exercises. You'll end up doing 3 sets of 20 reps.
During training, the heart rate must be increased (see Karvonen's formula) to trigger fat burning processes, but the weights used are insignificant to ensure comfortable repetition of movements.
Strength training at home: recommendations
To ensure excellent training results, follow these recommendations:
- The optimal frequency of classes is 4-5 times a week. Keep in mind that muscles need about 72 hours to recover, so there is no point in training the same group more than 1-2 times a week.
- Alternate exercises for different muscle groups. Each day of the week can be dedicated to a different group.
- The loads increase gradually. To begin with, it is enough to perform the exercises in 2-3 sets of 10-15 times. Over time, you can increase the amount.
- The same goes for scales. They need to be increased gradually. Taking heavy weights at once is ineffective and unsafe.
- Before training, be sure to warm up and cool down after.
Adding cardio to strength training to burn fat
Some people go to the gym to tone up a specific part of their body, such as their abs. Such visitors come to the gym and perform several sets of crunches every day, but do not see any progress. Why?
It is important to know that there is no such thing as localized fat burning. If a person wants to reduce their waist size, several sets of crunches will not help.
For such a result, the fat content in the body must be quite low (for women 14-20%, for men 8-13%), and this can only be done by including cardio exercises in the program on the days between strength training. Aerobic training with elements of interval training is best.
Strength training for women
Women often consider strength training an exclusively male activity and abandon it, hoping to achieve the figure of their dreams in other ways. In fact, without strength exercises, you are unlikely to be able to get closer to the ideal: cardio training helps you lose weight, and to achieve the desired muscle definition, you need to include strength training. Try combining cardio and strength training, and you will be happy to watch how your figure gradually changes.
Why is strength training scary for women?
The main misconception because of which many women refuse strength training is the fear of making their figure masculine. Do you think that barbells and exercise machines will make your shoulders wide, your biceps huge, and as a result your figure will lose its attractiveness? In fact, the female body is reliably protected from excessive muscle growth, and the reason for this feature is the hormone testosterone, which is ten times less in women. It is he who allows men to turn their body into a “mountain of muscles,” but for a woman it is almost impossible to become too pumped up. As you train, the percentage of muscle tissue will increase, but this will not make you look like a bodybuilder.
Many are also stopped by the fact that during strength training the weight will increase, and the gaining kilograms are not at all the effect that women expect from fitness. In fact, strength training for women is a great way to lose weight. At first, with muscle growth, the weight will actually increase a little; this effect occurs in the first months of training. It is known that muscles are heavier than fat, and in addition, bones also add a little weight, which, as a result of physical exercise, accumulate calcium better, become stronger - and heavier. That is why at first the weight will become a little more, and the volume will increase by a couple of centimeters due to the increase in large muscles. But as you continue training, you should not be afraid of further weight gain - on the contrary, you will begin to lose extra (really extra!) kilograms. Muscle tissue will gradually grow, replacing fat, your metabolism will speed up, and your weight will decrease even on days when you don't exercise. The reason for this is simple: muscles are responsible for burning fat, and the more muscle tissue you have, the faster calories are burned.
Basic principles of strength training:
- Muscles need tension. It is created by working with loads (barbells, exercise machines, dumbbells, your own body weight)
- The load needs to be gradually increased. Muscles should not be allowed to get used to constant weight, so the load should gradually increase.
- You should pay attention to all major muscle groups. Those muscles that you do not train will remain undeveloped.
- Training should be regular. A long break will weaken the muscles and results will be lost.
Where to begin?
Before starting strength training, you should consult an endocrinologist and check the condition of your spine. If you have health problems, this does not mean that you have to forget about training; you may need to limit the load. You should not perform strength exercises during menstruation and pregnancy, with asthma, hypertension, arrhythmia, or after a heart attack.
Be sure to check your diet. Nutrition during strength training for weight loss is very important, it must be balanced to provide enough energy, but not overload the body with excess calories - this is harmful to the stomach and heart and negatively affects the quality of exercise.
Only a combination of cardio and strength training, as well as adherence to the principles of rational nutrition, will allow you to effectively fight excess weight and make your body sculpted, toned and flexible - the kind that every woman dreams of.
Published: September 22, 2021
Cardio training - maintenance
Interval training
Treadmill training
- 45 seconds of fast walking, then 2 minutes of walking at an average speed. Do 5 sets, but gradually try to increase them to 7.
- Body part: Quadriceps Equipment: Exercise
Treadmill workout
- 4-5 minutes of slow walking.
- Body part: Quadriceps Equipment: Exercise
Treadmill workout
- 25 minutes of walking at an average speed. Gradually increase the time to 30 minutes.
- Body part: Quadriceps Equipment: Exercise
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Workout for weight loss
The training program for girls for weight loss mostly consists of cardio (aerobic) exercises. They are performed at a high heart rate of about 120-130 beats per minute, accelerate metabolism and switch the body to “burning” fat reserves.
In addition to classic cardio equipment, CrossFit circuit training has a powerful fat-burning effect. This sports direction combines intense aerobic exercise and exercises to strengthen muscle strength of the whole body: 4-6 elements in 5 sets with an average of 10 repetitions are performed sequentially at a fast pace without rest. After each such “circle” there is a break of 30 seconds to 1 minute.
There is an interval type of circuit training, when work and rest are limited to 30 seconds. At the beginning and at the end of the session, cardio on a treadmill, elliptical or exercise bike is recommended.
To lose weight and gain a beautiful figure without building muscle mass, girls only need this workout 3 times a week.
The main principle of nutrition in weight loss mode is reducing calories. Eat little and in small portions, on average 5 times a day. The ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates (BJU) in your daily diet should be on average 45/35/10%.
Diet for weight loss
You can’t buy an ideal body without excess fat and with beautiful muscles in a store or through an online catalogue. You really have to work hard to create it. This work is akin to a mosaic; each of its elements is important. Only together they will give an amazing result - a toned body.
Losing extra calories is just math. The number of calories consumed daily should be less than those expended. Professional bodybuilders and fitness models carefully calculate this ratio and therefore can burn as much as they need.
7000 kcal equals one kilogram. This means that if a person spends 1000 kcal more daily than he consumes, then the weight loss per week will be one kilogram.
Proper nutrition for quick weight loss, reasonable rest and recovery, sports supplements, strong motivation and focus on results, quality sleep - there are no trifles in achieving your goal. We study specifically what proper nutrition should be for weight loss.
Eat more vegetables; in the first half of the day you can treat yourself to fruits. Eat often, but in small portions.
How to create a nutrition menu and diet for weight loss will help:
- The best diets for weight loss, the best diet
- Protein diet for weight loss, menu for a week, 7, 10 and 14 days with menu
- A healthy and nutritious diet for weight loss
- How to learn to correctly count calories in food and products
Sports supplements
On training days, your muscles need nutrient support, so drink a protein shake 30 minutes before training, or after working out in the gym. A general set of additives may look like this:
| Protein isolate | It features a deep degree of purification from impurities. Contains less lactose and fat, but more pure protein. Taking isolate is recommended for those who want to lose weight. |
| Pre-workout complex | Increases productivity during sports, strength, endurance, recovery speed between approaches. |
| Vitamin-mineral complex | During intense physical activity, vitamins and minerals are consumed by the body faster. They are also responsible for protein synthesis and are the engine of metabolic processes. |
| BCAAs | Allows muscle fibers to recover faster and provides building material for the growth of lean muscle mass. |
| Fat burner | Created to reduce excess fat deposits. Accelerates the breakdown of fat molecules and converts fat into free energy, increasing its consumption. |
