Losing weight and toning your body does not mean you have to spend two hours a day, six days a week in the gym. It does mean you must plan your daily meals, consuming fewer calories per day to lose weight quickly. Reducing the percentage of your calories from carbohydrates will enhance your weight loss as well. Circuit-training programs that incorporate aerobic and resistance training exercises keeps your heart rate up, burns plenty of calories and tones your muscles at the same time.
Diet
Step 1
Write down the foods and the number of calories you eat in a regular day. Subtract 500 calories from your estimate to lose 1 lb.
Step 2
Create two daily meal plans with six meals per plan. Divide your new daily caloric intake between your six meals. Include the number of calories and grams of carbs, protein and fat per meal.
Step 3
Adjust the components of your meals in one meal plan so your total caloric intake from carbohydrates is no less than 45 percent, according to a 2006 article by Dixie Thompson, Ph.D., published in "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal." Adjust the components of your meals in the second meal plan so your total caloric intake from carbohydrates is closer to 55 percent. Changing the carbohydrate content of your meals maximizes your body's utilization of stored fat to fuel your workouts, augmenting your weight loss.
Circuit Training
Step 1
Perform an upper body circuit training routine one day per week for 45 minutes. Alternate upper body resistance exercises with a cardio exercise, such as treadmill walking or running, jumping jacks, jumping rope, step-aerobics and high front kicks. Include pushups, lateral pull-downs, incline dumbbell presses, one-arm dumbbell rows, dumbbell triceps extensions, dumbbell curls and bicycle crunches. Do each exercise for 45 seconds, using moderately heavy weights.
Step 2
Complete a lower body circuit training routine one day per week for 45 minutes. Alternate exercises for your legs, shoulders and abdominals with aerobic exercise intervals. Incorporate squats, dumbbell shoulder presses, walking lunges, lateral raises, leg curls, double crunches and dumbbell side bends. Do each exercise for 45 seconds, using moderately heavy weights.
Step 3
Do a sprint interval workout on the treadmill or across a flat, grassy field. Pick a starting point and then sprint for about 30 seconds. Walk back to the starting line and repeat for a total of 20 to 25 minutes of this workout. Sprinting more strongly activates your chest, back, abs, shoulders and legs, when compared to a long, steady jog, burning plenty of calories and toning your body quickly, according to a 2009 article by Brad Schoenfeld and Jay Dawes, published in the "Strength and Conditioning Journal."
Tips and Warnings
- Change the interval of your circuit every fourth week, varying between 30, 45 and 60 seconds. Replace some exercises with new exercises, enhancing the toning and weight loss effect of your routine.
- Begin with light weights and 20-minutes sessions, building up to moderate weights and a full workout. This reduces your risk of extreme muscle soreness and injury.
Things You'll Need
- Paper
- Pencil
- Exercise equipment
References
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Your Clients Are What They Eat: Balancing Weight with Diet, Part 1; Gary Miller, Ph.D.; January/February 2005
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Carbohydrates; Dixie L. Thompson, Ph.D.; November/December 2006
- "Strength and Conditioning Journal"; High-Intensity Interval Training: Applications for General Fitness Training; Brad Schoenfeld and Jay Dawes; December 2009
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