The 4-Week Fitness Plan That Helped Me Lose 10 Pounds

Many people struggle with losing weight and keeping it off. They’re unsure how to eat healthy, what exercises to perform, and how to make “weight loss” a true lifestyle change. Some resort to current trends, like juice cleanses and 30-day metabolic resets. The issue lies in sustainability; you can gain the weight back if you don’t have the right plan in place. Fear not, because I’m here to share my four-week fitness plan that helped me lose 10 pounds and keep them off.

During the holidays and winter season, I gained unwanted weight. With the warm weather right around the corner, I was determined to lean out for a fun summer and began a weight-loss journey. Unwanted pounds can creep up quickly. In fact, according to data, approximately one out of three adults in the U.S. is overweight, and more than two out of five adults suffer from obesity.

Although a four-week weight-loss plan like this may not work for everyone, it worked for me. It included making drastic changes to my diet and following a challenging training program. As a certified strength and conditioning specialist, I have a keen understanding of proper nutrition planning, strength training, and weight loss.

Below is my four-week, all-out fitness sprint. I’ll guide you through the outline of the fitness plan I followed, the diet changes I made week in and week out, what challenges I faced, and the results I achieved.

Week 1

• Goal: Establish a sustainable calorie deficit without binging and losing lean muscle or performance
• Key Activities: Basic strength training, hitting at least 7k steps per day, plan out diet and food choices

Days 1-2

Complete upper- and lower-body strength training sessions and 15 minutes of cardio to finish at the end of the session (incline treadmill walk at 15 incline at 3.0mph).

Upper-body Workout

1. Incline DB Bench Press—3×8-10
2. Incline BB Bench Press—3×6-8
3. Cable Rows—3×10
4. Lat Pulldowns—3×10-12
5. Incline DB Curls—3×10
6. Triceps Extensions—3×12-15

Lower-body Workout

1. Seated Leg Curls—3×12
2. Machine Squat—3×10
3. Bulgarian Split Squat—3×10
4. DB RDL—3×10
5. Hanging Leg Raise—3xFailure

Days 3-4

Complete upper- and lower-body strength training sessions and 15 minutes of cardio to finish (incline treadmill walk at 15 incline at 3.2 mph).

Upper Session

1. Machine Chest Press—3×8-10
2. Flat DB Bench Press—3×0
3. Chin-ups—3×10-15
4. Cable Rows—3×8-10
5. Lateral Raises—3×15
6. Hammer Curls—3×10-12

Lower Session

1. Machine Leg Curls—3×10-12 reps
2. Leg Press—3×10
3. DB Walking Lunges—3×10
4. Leg Extensions—3×12
5. Calf Raises—3×15

Days 5-6

Complete cardio and a hot yoga session to increase my calorie burn and improve flexibility and recovery.

Day 7

Take Sunday off to enjoy time with friends and loved ones and take a mental break before week 2.

Dietary Changes

Focus: Hit protein goal within a calorie deficit and increase water and veggie intake

• Breakfast: 2 eggs + 2 whites, 1 sourdough toast, 1 chicken sausage, 2 cups coffee
• Lunch: 6oz chicken breast, 2 cups green beans, 4 mini potatoes
• Snack: 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt + 1 scoop protein powder + 1 cup blueberries
• Dinner: 6oz chicken breast, 3 cups green beans, 2 mini potatoes

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Week 2

• Goal: Build on the foundation by improving last week’s workout and increasing activity
• Key Activities: Lift heavier, do more reps, or both, and up steps to 8k per day

Days 8-10

Complete the same upper- and lower-body strength training sessions as the previous week and 15 minutes of cardio to finish at the end of the session (incline treadmill walk at 15 incline @ 3.2mph).6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Day 11-12

Complete the same upper- and lower-body strength training sessions as the previous week and 15 minutes of cardio to finish at the end of the session (incline treadmill walk at 15 incline @ 3.5mph).

Day 13-14

• Short HIIT session on off day, followed by hot yoga for recovery
• HIIT session on Echo Bike
• 10 rounds of 10 calories + 10 chin-ups
• 100 kettlebell swings with 48kg kettlebell

Dietary Adjustments

Focus: Slash calories by 100 to 150 by decreasing fat intake and only eating carbs around workout time

• Breakfast: 2 eggs + 2 whites + 2oz turkey deli meat with 1 slice sourdough + 2 cups coffee
• Lunch: 7oz pork tenderloin + 2 cups broccoli + 4 mini potatoes
• Snack: 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt + 1 scoop protein powder + ½ cup berries
• Dinner: 7oz shrimp + 3 cups broccoli + ½ cup hearts of palm pasta

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Week 3

• Goal: Incorporate high-intensity techniques into training sessions and increase steps to 9k and above each day
• Key Activities: Ramp up intensity in workouts while maximizing sleep for recovery

Days 15-17

Perform an upper- and lower-body session, the Stairclimber for 20 minutes to finish, and cardio on day 17 as active recovery.

Upper-body Session

1. Machine Chest Press—3×10, triple drop set on final set
2. Incline Dumbbell Bench Press—3×10 reps
3. Dips—3xAMRAP (as many reps as possible with good form)
4. Machine Shoulder Press—3×10, triple drop set on final set
5. Reverse Pec Deck—3×15
6. Cable Triceps Extensions—3×15

Lower-body Session

1. Machine Leg Curls—3×10, triple drop set on final set
2. Barbell Back Squat—3×8
3. Bulgarian Split Squat—3×10, triple drop set on final set
4. Leg Press—2×50
5. Calf Raise—3×15
6. Machine Crunch—3×15

Days 18-19

Perform an upper- and lower-body session and the Stairclimber for 20 minutes to finish.

Upper-body Session

1. Dumbbell Row—3×10, triple drop set on final set
2. Lat Pulldowns—3×10
3. Cable Row—3×12
4. DB Pullovers—3×10
5. Cable Curls—3×12

Lower-body Session

1. Seated Leg Curls—3×10, triple drop set on final set
2. Barbell Hip Thrust—3×10
3. DB Reverse Lunges—3×10
4. DB RDL—3×10
5. Leg Raises—3×15

Days 20-21

Complete a hot yoga session, an hour-long walk, and a hike for active recovery.

Dietary Adjustments

Focus: Cut calories by another 100 through fat and carbs while keeping protein high

• Breakfast: 2 eggs + 2 whites, 3oz smoked salmon + 1 English muffin + 2 cups coffee
• Lunch: 1 low carb wrap + mixed greens + 6oz chicken breast
• Snack: Veggie sticks + 1 cup cottage cheese
• Dinner: 7oz grilled chicken breast + 2 cups Brussels sprouts + ½ cup rice

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Week 4: Final Push and Reflection

• Goal: Maximize results by increasing workout intensity and activity
• Key Activities: Peak workout intensity, recovery, and reflection

Days 22-24

Complete the same upper- and lower-body workouts as last week with a new high-intensity technique, followed by cardio. Aim to get 10k steps/day.

Upper-body Session

1. Machine Chest Press—3×10 +6 second mid-rep hold on last rep on final set
2. Incline Dumbbell Bench Press—3×10 reps
3. Dips—3xAMRAP (as many reps as possible with good form)
4. Machine Shoulder Press—3×10, 6-second mid-rep hold on last rep on final set
5. Reverse Pec Deck—3×15
6. Cable Triceps Extensions—3×15

Lower-body Session

1. Machine Leg Curls—3×10, 6-second mid-rep hold on last rep on final set
2. Barbell Back Squat—3×8
3. Bulgarian Split Squat—3×10, 6-second mid-rep hold on last rep on final set
4. Leg Press—2×50
5. Calf Raise—3×15
6. Machine Crunch—3×15

Days 25-26

Complete the upper- and lower-body sessions as last week with a high-intensity technique.

Upper-body Session

1. Dumbbell Row—3×10 +6 second mid-rep hold on last rep on final set
2. Lat Pulldowns—3×10
3. Cable Row—3×12
4. DB Pullovers—3×10
5. Cable Curls—3×12

Lower-body Session

1. Seated Leg Curls—3×10+6 second mid-rep hold on last rep on final set
2. Barbell Hip Thrust—3×10
3. DB Reverse Lunges—3×10
4. DB RDL—3×10
5. Leg Raises—3×15

Days 27-28

Complete a HIIT session, then take the following day to rest.

HIIT Session, 10 rounds of:

• 10 bike sprints
• 10 chin-ups
• 10 pushups
• 10 KB swings

Dietary Adjustments

Focus: Stay consistent with the diet, even with lowered carbs and fat. Prepare to refeed (consume more calories) and return to maintenance afterward!

• Breakfast: 2 eggs + 2 whites, 2 slices sourdough + 3oz turkey deli meat + 2 cups coffee
• Lunch: 6oz chicken breast + 4 mini potatoes + 2 cups kimchi
• Snack: 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt + 1 scoop protein powder + 2 cups strawberries
• Dinner: 7oz salmon + 1 cup white rice + 2 cups green beans

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Results and Reflections

My four weeks of following this fat-loss blast were a success. I dropped 10 pounds, increased my gym performance, and built mental toughness in the process.

Here are my takeaways:

• Sticking to the diet was arguably the biggest challenge of my four-week plan.
• The workouts were daunting, but they were fine once I showed up and powered through.
• Staying within my calorie limit was tough, especially as my activity increased along with my hunger levels.
• I had to get used to being a little hungry.
• Making good food choices and sticking to the plan while being social was key.
• Allowing for treats here and there while sticking to my calorie budget helped me stick with my diet.

If you’re looking to start your own weight-loss journey, there’s no time like the present. You can start with baby steps and tweak my plan; it does not have to be my level of intensity. You can achieve great results by performing a simple strength training program with which you can be consistent over time.

Whether you can only train two to three times a week or five times a week, any place is a great place to start.