What makes a good weight loss workout plan for men?

This article was reviewed by Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, FOMA.

You’ve got a lot of choices when it comes to weight loss workouts for men. Running, burpees, jump rope, the elliptical — it can get overwhelming just thinking about what to do.

To help you achieve a healthy weight with movement, we’ve created a weight loss workout plan for men. It combines aerobic activity with strength training exercises that slowly increase over six weeks.

Instead of spinning your wheels at the gym, this plan helps you build consistency and confidence with a mix of cardio and strength training designed for weight loss.

Let’s dive in.

What Makes a Good Weight Loss Workout Plan for Men?

When it comes to workouts, there’s no single best male weight loss routine. The most important thing is that you’re incorporating more movement into your week — whatever that looks like for you. 

Ideally, you’d get a mix of aerobic exercise and strength training. 

Here are the guidelines: 

• Aim for at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity a week. 

• Aim for at least two strength training sessions a week that target all major muscle groups. 

And don’t worry, this doesn’t need to happen all at once (phew!).

You can divide up your exercise across the week. For example, you could do an hour of aerobic activity three days a week or 30 minutes a day across five days.

And you don’t need to hit those numbers straight away. If you’re just starting out, ease yourself in and gradually increase how much movement you do each week with those recommended amounts in mind. 

Doing a mix of aerobic exercise and strength training is great for your overall health, but also for weight loss. 

Here’s how different types of exercise can help you lose weight: 

• Aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is your classic cardio — think activities like running, swimming, or cycling, or anything that gets your heart rate up. These can be low-impact if needed. Research shows that aerobic exercise can help you lose weight, lose fat, and reduce your body mass index (BMI). 

• High-intensity interval training (HIIT). HIIT workouts are made up of bursts of high-intensity movement — hence the name — followed by recovery periods. These could be activities like sprints on the treadmill or a CrossFit class. HIIT is effective at reducing body weight, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio, and it can improve your body composition, too. Along with steady aerobic exercise, a full-body workout like HIIT can promote visceral fat loss — this is the fat that sits deep within the abdomen.

• Strength training. Strength training — aka resistance training or weight training — can include training with dumbbells or kettlebells, machines in the gym, or your body weight as part of a home workout. It can help you maintain and gain muscle mass. When you carry more muscle, your basal metabolic rate — the amount of calories your body burns at rest — is higher, so you naturally burn more calories day to day. Research suggests that combining aerobic exercise with strength training may be more effective for weight loss and body fat loss than aerobic exercise or strength training alone. So, the best male fat loss workout plan will include both.

• Rest days. That’s right, rest days are an integral part of any workout program. They give your body the chance to recover from all your hard work. Aim for one to three rest days a week, depending on how you structure the rest of your workouts. 

Beginner to strength training? Start with a low weight and work your way up. Add intensity every few weeks, and remember that progress is about consistency.

Note: If you’re brand-new to strength training, bodyweight exercises that include both upper-body and lower-body focus, like push-ups, squats, or planks are a great place to start before moving to weights.

“When strength training, people should generally shoot for three to six sets of six to 12 reps,” says Dr. Mike Bohl, Medical Advisor at Hims & Hers, licensed physician and certified personal trainer.

“The ideal number of reps and sets depends on your goals, though. Lower reps and sets — at a heavier weight — is better for building muscle strength. While higher reps and sets — at a lower weight — is better for building muscle endurance.” 

For example, if you’re looking to build strength, you would do six repetitions of an exercise before taking a short break and repeating that three times. 

Now you know what goes into the ideal workout plan, it’s time to get started. Read on for what six weeks of a workout routine for men could look like, incorporating both cardio and weight training for weight loss.

Monday

“Push” day. This will target your chest, triceps, and shoulders. 

Do some dynamic stretching to warm up. This includes stretches with movement to warm up your muscles, like arm circles, leg swings, and walking lunges. 

Strength exercises include: 

• Chest press

• Incline press

• Pec fly 

• Deadlifts

• Overheard press

• Delt fly 

• Triceps extension 

• Triceps dips 

Aim for three to six sets of six to 12 reps for each exercise. 

Add in 30 minutes of your favorite aerobic exercise, such as: 

• Running 

• Cycling 

• Swimming

• Brisk walking

• Sports like tennis, basketball or volleyball 

Do some static stretches to cool down. This is when you hold a stretch for about 15 to 30 seconds. 

Tuesday

“Pull” day. This will target your upper back, biceps and lats. 

Do some dynamic stretching to warm up.

Strength exercises include: 

• Pull-ups 

• Chin-ups 

• Rear delt fly 

• Lat pull-down

• Seated row 

• Hammer curls 

• Bicep curls

Aim for three to six sets of six to 12 reps for each exercise. 

Add in 30 minutes of your favorite aerobic exercise.

Do some static stretches to cool down.

Wednesday 

Lower body day. This will target your lower back, legs and abs. 

Do some dynamic stretching to warm up.

Strength exercises include: 

• Leg extension 

• Leg flexion 

• Leg press

• Calf raises 

• Squats 

• Lower back extension 

• Sit-ups 

• Crunches

Aim for three to six sets of six to 12 reps for each exercise. 

Add in 30 minutes of your favorite aerobic exercise.

Do some static stretches to cool down.

Thursday 

Rest day. 

Consider doing some active recovery like walking or gentle stretching. 

Going Forward 

Repeat this four-day routine for six weeks. 

Every two to four rotations, increase the weight you’re using in your strength training exercises. Don’t force this, though. 

“When you feel like your workout is getting too easy, it’s time to increase the weight,” says Dr. Bohl. “A general rule of thumb is not to increase weight by more than 10 percent at a time. If you’re increasing it more frequently, though — such as every week — you might want to go by smaller increments, like 2.5 percent at a time.” 

Don’t be afraid to mix up the types of aerobic activity you do, too. Need inspiration? Check out our guide to the best sport to lose weight. 

You can also slowly increase how much aerobic exercise you do until you reach — or exceed — the recommended 150 to 300 minutes a week.

To maintain weight loss, aim for 200 to 300 minutes of physical activity a week. 

With all that in mind, here’s what a six-week male workout plan for weight loss and muscle gain could look like. 

Daily Movement Beyond Exercise

Incorporating more movement into your day is an important part of weight loss, but that movement doesn’t have to be all gym sessions and cardio workouts. 

You can do more movement through everyday activities like:

• Taking the stairs over the elevator 

• Parking your car further away from the office and walking for a little longer 

• Playing catch with your kids or fetch with your pet 

• Doing physical chores like gardening 

• Standing during phone calls 

• Going for a walk on your lunch break or after dinner 

It all adds up to help you reach your weekly movement goals. 

Supporting Weight Loss with Food, Hydration and Sleep 

If you’re looking to lose weight, following a workout routine is a great place to start. 

Here’s what else to keep in mind to promote weight loss: 

• Eat nutritious foods. Opt for fruits, vegetables, whole grains like brown rice and oatmeal and lean protein like chicken, fish, and tofu. Healthy whole foods will keep you fueled and feeling your best during your workouts and boost weight loss. 

• Drink more water. Water can keep you hydrated, but it’s also linked to weight loss. It can suppress your appetite and promote lipolysis, the breakdown of fat for energy. 

• Get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation can mess with your hunger hormones, increasing your appetite and caloric intake. Getting enough shut-eye also helps you recover from your workouts.

Weight loss medication can also play a role in your weight loss journey. Medications like Ozempic and metformin can lead to weight loss as they can suppress your appetite, helping you eat fewer calories. 

Curious how they stack up? We’ve compared Ozempic vs. metformin. 

Weight Loss Workout Plan FAQs

Here are some answers to a few commonly asked questions when guys are considering building a workout plan for weight loss.

How Many Days a Week Should Men Work Out for Weight Loss?

Most experts recommend aiming for at least three to five workout days per week, combining both strength and cardio. You don’t have to work out every day. What matters is building consistency and gradually increasing the amount of movement you get each week.

Is Cardio or Strength Training Better for Fat Loss?

Both are important. Cardio helps burn calories and improve heart health, while strength training preserves and builds muscle, which boosts your metabolism over time. The best exercises for a fat-loss workout plan for men usually includes a mix of the two.

Can I Lose Weight with Just Strength Training?

Yes, but results are often better when strength training is paired with cardio and healthy nutrition. Lifting weights helps support fat burning by building lean muscle, which raises your resting metabolic rate. For faster progress, combine weight training with regular cardio and a nutrient-dense diet.

Wrapping It Up 

A weekly workout plan for men to lose weight takes the guesswork out of exercise and helps you hit the recommended physical activity guidelines. Plus, who doesn’t love the feeling of ticking off workout after workout? 

Here are the key things to keep in mind when starting a workout plan: 

• Aim for both aerobic exercise and strength training. Both types of exercise are useful for weight loss. You can follow a structured plan, like the one above, or simply try to incorporate a mixture of both into your week. Don’t forget to ease yourself in slowly if you’re new to working out and increase the weight when your strength training sessions start feeling too easy. 

• Consider daily movement beyond your workout plan. Taking the stairs, walking the dog, doing yard work. It all counts. Look for opportunities to get a little more movement into each day. 

• Don’t forget nutrition, hydration, and sleep. Stock up on nutritious foods, plan for a healthy calorie deficit, drink plenty of water, and aim for at least seven hours of shut-eye a night. These key steps will help you lose weight and feel your best while doing it.

The best workout plan is the one you’ll stick with. Use this guide to build momentum, challenge yourself, and remember that fitness goals are about progress, not perfection.

Weight loss medication can also be a useful tool to complement workouts and help with weight loss goals. 

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This article originally appeared on Hims.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.