In this 7-day workout plan for weight loss and muscle build we show you that shredding excess fat while carving out lean muscle mass is completely achievable. You just need the right program.
When it comes to developing an athletic, aesthetic physique, it all comes down to two things – diet and training.
Get these components right and you’ll completely transform the way you look… and feel.
In this 7-day workout plan we give you the tools you need to blast your belly fat and build your biceps at the same time. It’s a holy grail program used by our coaches, bodybuilders and athletes.
| Goal: | Fat loss |
| Aimed at: | Beginner to intermediate |
| Program duration: | 7-days |
| Workout duration: | 45-60 minutes |
| Equipment needed: | barbell, dumbbell, resistance machines |
Losing weight while building muscle; is it doable?
It’s completely possible to strip back body fat while developing strong, functional muscle mass.
Back in the days of old school bodybuilding, athletes would go through periods of training where the aim was to maximize muscle growth. They’d eat as much food as possible and train with weights to force the body to lay down new muscle cells.
The result was huge increases in muscle mass; but at a cost. The massive amounts of food they were eating led to increased fat mass too. These guys were muscular, but it was all hidden with fat.
They’d then have to spend weeks and weeks on a ‘weight cut’ to carve out some actual lean shape.
This ‘bulk and cut’ approach was a good system, but it lacked efficiency.
Body recomposition is the process of simultaneous muscle growth and fat loss
Modern science has shown us that it’s completely possible to drop fat mass while building muscle.
It’s not easy and it takes effort and dedication. But it’s not a myth.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Achieve a calorie deficit – dropping your calories to 20-30% below maintenance will stimulate fat oxidation for fuel.
- Lift weights – strength training triggers new muscle cell growth, even in a deficit.
- Eat plenty of protein – shooting for 1.3-1.8 g per kilogram of body weight from high-quality protein sources provides the fuel or both fat loss and muscle growth.
- Focus on compound exercises – presses, pulls, squats and deadlifts stimulate hormonal changes that trigger muscle growth.
Use this program for building muscle and weight loss
This 7-day workout plan for weight loss is a starter program.
It’s designed to get your journey underway and provide a solid foundation of fitness and fat loss to carry you onto a more challenging and longer-term program.
You’ll notice he differences in as little as one-week… but it’s only the beginning,
It suits those that’re new to strength training as body recomposition occurs better in beginners. Results are also better if you’ve got more fat to lose.
Check out our more advanced 12-week fat loss exercise program once you’ve completed this starter program to keep chipping away at stubborn fat.
Some workout are made up of supersets. This is where you complete two exercises back to back. It’s a great workout system as it keeps workouts, short, sharp and productive – but at the same time elevates your heart rate and helps to burn more fat.
Any exercise that is paired as ‘A1, A2’ for example means superset. Set up the weights you need for both exercises together to help you complete them without a break.
Day 1: Push-pull workout
A1 Overhead press
A2 Lat pulldown
B1 Dumbbell hammer curl
B2 Dumbbell squeeze press
C1 Barbell shrug
C2 Overhead dumbbell extension
Day 2: Legs and core workout
A1 Goblet squat
A2 Mountain climbers
B1 Lying leg curl
B2 Alternate lunge
C1 Leg press
C2 Squat jump
D1 Ab curl
D2 Glute bridge
Day 3: Push-Pull workout
A1 Lateral raise
A2 Dumbbell reverse fly
B1 Wide grip seated row
B2 Incline dumbbell press
C1 Dips
C2 Barbell bicep curl
Day 4: Legs
A1 Back squat
B1 Romanian deadlift
C1 Hack squat
D1 Single leg press
E1 Hanging leg raise
Day 5: Push-pull workout
A1 Overhead press
A2 Lat pulldown
B1 Dumbbell hammer curl
B2 Dumbbell squeeze press
C1 Barbell shrug
C2 Overhead dumbbell extension
Day 6: Abs
A1 Cycle crunch
B1 Reverse hyperextension
C1 Barbell roll-out
D1 Cable Pallof press
Day 7: Push-pull workout
A1 Lateral raise
A2 Dumbbell reverse fly
B1 Wide grip seated row
B2 Incline dumbbell press
C1 Dips
C2 Barbell bicep curl
5 tips for effective workouts
#1. Keep volume to a minimum
If you’re in a calorie deficit, you’ll more than likely feel fatigued faster than normal. It’s inevitable as you’re not carrying as much energy around as normal. Keeping workout volume to the lowest ‘effective dose’ helps to build muscle, shred fat but reduce fatigue.
You’ll notice that some of these workouts are shorter than you might expect. Don’t worry – it’s all part of the plan. Throwing needless extra sets into a 7-day workout plan to lose weight won’t make it any more effective… but it can grind you into the ground if you work too hard.
Find a deficit of 20-30% and the fat will fall from your frame.
#2. Train with intent and make every rep count
The key to effective strength training for body recomposition is to lift as heavy as you can without sacrificing goof form. It’s only by pushing your body out of its comfort zone that it’ll reward you with muscle mass.
Choose weights that’re challenging and push you to fatigue. If the rep range is 8-10 and you could squeeze out more than 10 reps, the weight is too light.
Always push for that extra load.
The volume in this 7-day workout plan is low… so you’ve got to make every rep count.
#3. Use your rest periods to your advantage
Recovery periods between sets either make or break a workout.
Rest too long and your workouts will be excessively long and boring. Not long enough and you’ll struggle to fully recover between sets, leading to poor quality workouts.
Back in the day, scientists thought that shorter rest periods were better for muscle growth as higher volume in a shorter space of time leads to greater growth hormone release. But as time’s passed we’ve realized that without proper rest, the actual weight you lift decreases… and that leads to less stimulus for mechanical triggering of muscle growth.
Stick to the rest times we’ve recommended for optimal results. Using a stopwatch might be useful to begin with.
#4. Track your calories
You can’t and won’t lose fat if you’re not in a calorie deficit. It’s impossible.
Tracking the food you eat helps the process by leaving nothing to guess work.
There are many tracker apps you can use for free that help you log each meal and give you a realtime analysis of where you’re at against your recommended calorie intake for the day.
The combined effect of proper diet and exercise is a powerful one.
#5. Make sure you optimize recovery
7-days of exercise without recovery will take its toll on your body. Unless you’re a pro athlete who trains hard every day, we recommend taking a few days off after you complete the 7-day workout plan for weight loss. That way you’ll provide your body with time to heal, repair and grow new muscle.
If you don’t, you’ll eventually burn out and end up overtraining. This can lead to muscle loss, illness and poor performance that can take weeks to recover from.
The bottom line
With this 7-day workout plan you’ve got everything you need to gain muscle and shred excess body fat. Combine it with a calorie controlled diet for optimal results.
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