Weight loss can be a complicated journey. Between understanding calories and macros and diet advice from advertising, social, and friends, it can be difficult to determine the most effective method for losing weight.
Fortunately, evidence-based weight loss practices such as fitness, nutrient-dense diets, calorie deficits and are becoming more recognized, leading to healthy and sustainable weight loss.
In this article, we discuss the best fitness weight loss plan for women. We explore why fitness is essential for weight loss, common mistakes, tips, and a four-week fitness plan to help you lose weight.
Why Fitness Is Essential for Women’s Weight Loss
Fitness is essential for women’s weight loss because it burns energy and increases metabolism, contributing to a calorie deficit. Evidence shows that the most effective method for weight loss is a calorie deficit, which is consuming fewer calories than our daily energy expenditure.
Fitness such as resistance training, and aerobic training can be used to increase energy expenditure and improve weight management. Research shows that aerobic training is optimal for decreasing fat mass and body mass.
Meanwhile, additional sources show that resistance training can not only burn energy during sessions but also increase resting energy expenditure for 24 hours or more post-workout.
Combining these forms of exercise can help increase energy expenditure during training and even as we rest, promoting weight loss.
Weekly Fitness Plan for Women’s Weight Loss
The weekly fitness plan for women is made up of several components including strength training, cardio, and flexibility training. Below, we explain how each component contributes to weight loss.
Strength Training: Build Muscle & Burn Fat
Strength training is an integral part of weight loss. While many identify it as a means of increasing muscle mass, many overlook the impact it can have on increased energy expenditure.
Studies show that strength training can be performed using compound and isolation exercises. Compound exercise engages multiple joints and muscle groups, resulting in greater energy expenditure and greater loads to be lifted.
Isolation exercises focus on a single muscle and joint. These allow us to increase the training volume of specific muscle fibers, promoting growth. Both are recommended for optimal growth and energy expenditure.
We list the best compound and isolation strength training exercises and how to increase resistance to enhance your fat-burning potential.
Best Strength Exercises for Women
Here is a list of the best compound and isolation strength training exercises for women. Each exercise will be shown with a list of variations.
Compound Exercises
- Squat
- Bodyweight squat
- Goblet squat
- Front squat
- Barbell back squat
- Deadlift
- Dumbbell deadlift
- Barbell deadlift
- Trap bar deadlift
- Chest Press
- Machine Chest Press
- Dumbbell Chest Press
- Dumbbell Incline Chest Press
- Barbell Bench Press
- Cable Chest Press
- Lunge
- Static Lunge
- Alternating Lunges
- Alternating Reverse Lunge
- Walking Lunges
- Lat Pulldown
- Machine Lat Pulldown
- Cable Lat Pulldown
- Resistance Band Lat Pulldown
- Row
- Machine Supported Row
- Seated Cable Row
- Wide Grip Cable Row
- Resistance Band Row
- Barbell Row
- Dumbbell Row
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
- Shoulder Press
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press
- Barbell Shoulder Press
- Cable Shoulder Press
- Machine Shoulder Press
Isolation Exercises
- Bicep Curls
- Dumbbell Bicep Curls
- Dumbbell Hammer Curls
- Dumbbell Reverse Grip Curls
- Cable Bicep Curls
- Triceps Pushdowns
- Cable Triceps Pushdown
- Cable Rope Triceps Pushdown
- Machine Triceps Pushdown
- Dumbbell Triceps Kickback
- Cable Triceps Kickback
- Hamstring Curls
- Lying Leg Curl
- Seated Hamstring Curl
- Leg Extensions
- Seated Leg Extensions
- Calf Raises
- Bodyweight Standing Calf Raises
- Dumbbell Standing Calf Raises
- Smith Machine Standing Calf Raises
- Machine Standing Calf Raises
- Seated Calf Raises
How to Progressively Increase Weight & Reps
Sources show that progressively overloading muscle tissue through increasing sets, repetitions, resistance, and intensity is required for growth. Below, we have displayed the evidence-based ideal repetition ranges, followed by instructions for increasing weight and reps to ensure you are challenged each session.
Load Recommendations
- Strength — Low repetitions with heavy loads, 1–5 at 80–100% of 1RM
- Hypertrophy — Moderate repetition with a moderate load, 8–12 at 60–80% of 1RM
- Endurance — High repetitions with a light load, 15+ repetitions at 60% or less of 1RM
Select a weight that is difficult to perform in the final repetitions of your last set. Once you feel the final repetition is no longer challenging increase the resistance.
Cardio Workouts: Maximize Calorie Burn
Cardio is a highly effect method of exercise for maintaining a calorie deficit, resulting in the burning of body fat. Cardio comes in two common forms, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and steady-state cardio. Below we highlight the benefits of each and which is the most effective for weight loss.
HIIT vs. Steady-State Cardio: What’s Best?
HIIT and steady-state cardio are powerful forms of cardio that can help maximize calorie burns, however, they have very different approaches.
High-Intensity Interval Training
High-intensity interval training or HIIT is characterized by performing exercise at high intensity for short bursts for repetitive intervals. Research shows that this form of training is effective for improving exercise capacity, metabolic health, and burning calories. Due to the elevated intensity, it can achieve these results in a shorter amount of time.
However, it should be noted that the high-intensity nature can make the session challenging, which may decrease enjoyment and adherence over weeks and months.
Steady-State Cardio
Steady-state cardio refers to cardio performed at low to moderate intensity for a moderate or long duration. This offers an accessible, gentle, and effective means of burning calories without applying pressure to joints and muscles.
Steady-state is the equivalent of HIIT, however, its duration is longer. To perform this form of cardio you can walk (treadmill/outdoors), cycle, row, or elliptical at a brisk pace.
Verdict
HIIT and steady-state cardio are both excellent for burning calories. For those with joint issues and injuries, steady-state cardio will be more effective. For those looking for a quick and effective means of burning calories, then HIIT is more suitable.
If you are healthy and want to maximize your energy expenditure, we recommend adding both to your routine on separate training days.
How Often to Do Cardio for Weight Loss
The frequency of cardio you should perform for weight loss depends on your schedule. While in a perfect world performing HIIT or steady-state cardio every day can burn calories, it's just not sustainable from a time, physical, and mental standpoint.
For the healthy individual wanting to engage in both forms of cardio, we recommend performing HIIT once per week, and steady-state cardio one to two times per week. HIIT while shorter in duration can be tiring and lead to muscle soreness, which will require recovery. Meanwhile steady-state cardio can easily perform after strength training sessions, or on days away from the gym.
For those wanting a more gentle approach, we suggest adding one to three steady-steady state cardio sessions to your weekly schedule. As mentioned, it can be added to the end of your gym workouts, or performed on days away from the gym.
Realistically, you want to make your cardio schedule achievable. This will make it achievable, leading to greater adherence and better results.
Flexibility & Mobility: Prevent Injuries
Flexibility and mobility training are essential parts of function and preservation of movement.
A 2015 study was conducted to determine the association between functional movement screening and injury development of 160 college athletes. The functional movement screen is made up of seven movements, each used to determine the function of the shoulders, trunk, hips, knees, and ankles, scoring 0-3 points, for a total score between 0–21 points.
The study found that athletes who scored 14 or below with a self-reported past injury were at 15 times greater risk of sustaining an injury. This may be the effects of injury can have on flexibility and mobility.
Studies show that flexibility training such as static stretching produces a greater range of motion. While research surrounds the effects of stretching on injury prevention, its ability to increase the range of motion improves function.
For example, the research examined the effects of Pilate on the health and well-being of women, highlighting potential benefits including increased strength, flexibility, mobility, and balance. Given the flexibility and mobility focus of Pilates, this indicates that this style of training may be able to contribute to a reduction in injury.
Below we discuss how yoga, Pilates, stretches and mobility training can improve recovery.
Best Stretching & Mobility Exercises
Below is a list of the best stretching and mobility exercises based on body parts.
Upper Body
- Chest Door Stretch Elbow Bent 90 Degrees
- Chest Door Stretch Elbow Bent 135 Degrees
- Hand Behind Back
- Wall Upper Back Mobilization
- Cat-Cow
- Cross Body Shoulder Stretch
- Triceps Overhead Stretch
- Wrist Extension
- Wrist Flexion
- Overhead Lat Stretch
Lower Body
- Quadricep Stretch
- Seated Hamstring Stretch
- Groin Stretch
- Groin Stretch Pulsing (Mobility)
- Hip Flexor Stretch
- Hip Flexor Pulsing (Mobility
- Glute Stretch
- Standing Calf Stretch
Yoga & Pilates for Recovery & Fat Loss
Pilates and yoga are gentle, flowing forms of exercise that can help improve recovery and contribute to fat loss.
Studies show that can reduce body weight in overweight or obesity. Meanwhile, additional sources show that its gentle approach had positive outcomes for individuals with low back pain, with modified Pilates helping to decrease pain and improve health, and flexibility. This highlights how it may be effective for encouraging movement for recovery after more intense training sessions.
Yoga on the other hand was found to be less impactful for weight loss while being effective for reducing waist/hip ratio. However, sources showed that yoga was effective for physical and psychological change that supported weight loss including reduced stress eating, reduced appetite, and cravings with a shift toward mindful eating.
4-Week Fitness Plan for Women
To get you started we have created a four-week fitness plan for building muscle and burning fat. Each week will consist of a brief description and a workout complete exercises, sets, repetitions, and rest times for maximum results.
Week 1: Building Strength and Endurance
Week one of your four-week fitness plan is designed to introduce resistance training exercises and cardio to your weekly routine.
Strength training will be a three-day per week full-body program with a focus on targeting as many muscles as possible for maximum energy expenditure. Alongside this will be a two-day per week steady-state cardio routine to increase energy expenditure for great fat burn. This program can be completed in the gym using cardio equipment, or outdoors.
Weekly Schedule
Full-Body Workout (Mon, Wed, Fri)
Steady-State Cardio Workout
Week 2: Increasing Intensity & Fat Burning
Week two builds on week one by increasing the total number of sets and by swapping one steady-state cardio session for a beginner HIIT session.
Week 2 Contains
- 3 x Full-body strength training workouts
- 1 x Steady-state cardio
- 1 x HIIT session
Like week one, this program will contain three strength training sessions and two cardio sessions. This allows for two rest days to recover.
Weekly Schedule
Full-Body Workout (Mon, Wed, Fri)
Steady-State Cardio Workout (Tues)
HIIT Workout (Sat)
The HIIT workout is a cardio, resistance training hybrid circuit, which is to be performed for two rounds. Each exercise is to be performed for 20 seconds with a short 10-second rest. Perform each exercise one after another until you complete the list, then take a 60-second break.
Week 3: Challenging Workouts for Faster Results
Week three is where we begin to increase intensity for greater results. Strength training sessions will contain similar movements, however, sessions will be split into upper and lower-body workouts. This will allow you to perform more exercises per muscle group, and spend more time with each body part.
Week 3 Contains
- Four-day upper/lower body split routine + cardio
- 1 x HIIT session
For cardio, we will have programmed cardio at the end of each resistance training session, with a designated HIIT session on the weekend. The HIIT session will follow the same format with three to four rounds.
Weekly Schedule
Upper Body Workout + Cardio (Mon, Thurs)
Lower Body Workout + Cardio (Tues, Fri)
HIIT Workout (Sat) (Three to Four Rounds)
Week 4: Optimizing Workouts for Long-Term Success
After four weeks you will have established a solid foundation of technique and built up considerable fitness. During this week we move into a sustainable weight loss which will help you improve adherence, which will lead to greater results.
Week-4 contains:
- Three-day push, pull, and legs split routine
- 2 x steady-state cardio sessions (45–60 mins)
- 1 x HIIT session
The program is a three-day push, pull, and leg split routine that utilizes movements to build muscle mass and strength. Two steady-state cardio session will be performed on Wednesday and a HIIT session on the weekend.
Weekly Schedule
Monday: Push Workout
Tuesday: Pull Workout
Thursday: Legs Workout
Wednesday/Friday: Steady-State Cardio Workout
HIIT Workout (Sat) (Three to Four Rounds)
Common Mistakes Women Make When Exercising for Weight Loss
There are many variables with weight loss which means that progress is rarely straight-forward. Between flavor-of-the-month fad diets, old nutrition beliefs, and buzzword-laden wellness industry marketing, many things can distract us from our weight loss goals.
Below, we highlight the common mistakes for women when exercising for weight loss, and how to avoid them.
Avoiding Strength Training Due to Fear of Bulkiness
Before the fitness boom of the 2000s and social blowing up with the benefits of strength training, many women were afraid of becoming too bulky through resistance training.
Sadly, this misconception scared many women away from the incredible health benefits that are vital for women during the aging process including increased bone density, muscle mass, strength, function, mental clarity, and mood along with the reduction of chronic illness.
The truth is that women have a fraction of the growth hormone testosterone as men, which sources reveal is vital for skeletal muscle growth. Research shows that men have between four to five times more testosterone than women.
Additional sources highlight that there overall strength between men and women is not substantially different, rather that it is muscle mass, with women reporting strength levels of 40–75% of that of men.
Low testosterone levels make it increase muscle mass. However, what women achieve through weight training is lean and toned muscles that complement their feminine figure.
We recommend performing three resistance training sessions weekly to increase metabolism and take advantage of incredible health benefits.
Overdoing Cardio Without Strength Workouts
A common misconception that many fell for in decades past was that cardio was the only way to lose weight. Going hand-in-hand with weight making women too bulky, this duo scared many away from unlocking their full weight loss and health potential.
Cardio is excellent for increasing energy expenditure, however, as we know, combined with resistance training can metabolism and energy expenditure, leading to greater fat loss.
As mentioned, we recommend the basis of your weight loss program should come from resistance training. Here cardio as steady-state and HIIT can be added to help burn those extra calories for greater weight loss.
Not Eating Enough to Support Muscle Recovery
Correct nutrition is essential for weight loss, however, in the heat of reducing calorie intake to form a calorie deficit, many can get caught up in reducing food intake, which can lead to an insufficient amount of fuel for recovery.
Sure, weight loss can be achieved by dramatically reducing calorie intake, however, with adequate fuel, there will be little left in the tank for training, recovery, and daily function.
During weight loss, a balanced diet containing complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats is invaluable during the calorie deficit. Complex carbohydrates can help restore muscle stored energy (glycogen), protein aids in muscle growth, and repair, while healthy fats help absorb vital nutrients.
To ensure your body has enough fuel, we recommend determining your daily calorie and macronutrient intake. This will show you the exact amount of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats you should consume for recovery, optimum function, and weight loss.
Tips to Stay Consistent and See Results
Weight loss is most effective when we can continue healthy nutrition habits over a prolonged period. Below are our tips for remaining consistent for incredible results.
Setting Realistic Goals & Tracking Progress
Goal setting and tracking progress are essential for weight loss. While it can be tempting to wing it and hope for the best, it can make it difficult to determine a path to success and track your progress.
Before you begin, we strongly recommend setting realistic goals and scheduling regular check-ins.
Setting goals and weight loss milestones provides you with a road map to success, while tracking your progress can highlight how far you have come on your weight loss and health journey. This can be an invaluable motivation tool during those low moments when you want to give up.
Finding Workouts You Enjoy for Long-Term Adherence
A great way to ensure long-term adherence is to select a form of exercise you enjoy. While it can be tempting to choose high-intensity sessions that yield the best weight loss results, if you don’t enjoy them, it can make it difficult to sustain, impairing weight loss.
We recommend choosing the form of exercise you enjoy. If that is resistance training and cardio, perfect. If that is dance classes or swimming, we recommend supplementing it with resistance training.
Creating a Sustainable Fitness Routine
Alongside enjoyable workouts, we recommend creating a sustainable routine. Planning and goal-setting stages can be exciting. This can lead people to commit to unstainable routines.
When planning your routine we recommend considering your current schedule only if there is sufficient time between events. Additionally, do not fill up all your free time with exercise. While this can feel great in the beginning, it can become overwhelming, leading to burnout.
We suggest creating a balance of exercise, life commitments, and recreation. This will help you enjoy your exercise sessions, leading to greater adherence.
Recap of the Fitness Weight Loss Plan for Women
Fitness is a vital part of the weight loss process. While correct nutrition and a calorie deficit too much of the heavy lifting, resistance training, and cardio can increase energy expenditure for greater fat loss while enhancing overall health.
If you are considering a weight loss program, we recommend performing three resistance training sessions per week combined with cardio. This will help improve strength, and function while providing you a boost in resting energy expenditure leading to greater weight loss.
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FAQs
I'm a complete beginner. Is this weight loss plan right for me?
Absolutely! This plan is designed to be accessible for all fitness levels. We start with foundational movements and provide clear instructions. For every exercise, we offer modifications to make it easier if you're just starting out or more challenging as you get stronger.
How many days a week should I work out, and for how long?
We recommend aiming for 3 to 5 workout sessions per week to see consistent results. Each workout is designed to be effective in just 30-45 minutes, making it easy to fit into a busy schedule. The plan details how to structure your week for optimal progress and recovery.
Do I need a gym membership or a lot of special equipment?
No gym is required! Our plan focuses heavily on effective bodyweight exercises and workouts that can be done at home with minimal equipment, like a set of dumbbells and a resistance band. We provide options for both home and gym environments so you can succeed anywhere.
Is this plan just about workouts, or does it include nutrition tips?
This is a holistic plan that recognizes nutrition is key to weight loss. While the focus is on the fitness component, we provide essential nutrition tips that complement your workouts. You'll learn how to fuel your body, make smart food choices, and build sustainable eating habits without following a restrictive diet.
How is this plan designed for lasting results, not just a quick fix?
Unlike "quick fix" programs, this plan is built on the principle of sustainability. We teach you how to build lasting habits, progress your workouts safely over time (a concept called progressive overload), and understand the "why" behind your training and nutrition. Our goal is to empower you with the knowledge to maintain your results for life.
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