Weight Loss Exercise Plan: Intermediate

The intermediate exercise program for weight loss is the second in the series of weight loss exercise programs that we offer at this site for free. This programs follows a similar format as the beginner exercise program, but iwe up the intensity and add cardio exercises to the routine.

Since this is an intermediate program, if you haven't done the beginner exercise program, then I would suggest that you start this program only if you have been working out for a minimum of six months. You must have basic understanding of weight lifting and have established a decent level of conditioning to complete this program.

About the exercise plan

Again, weightlifting plays an important role in our program. We will increase the intensity of the exercises by increasing the number of sets. Many exercises will be paired into supersets...As you'll see, you will be doing as many as three exercises back to back with no rest.

The metabolic effect of working out in this matter will help you burn more calories throughout the day. The hard work that you put in when you're in the gym will carry over for the next 12-24 hours...After intense workouts like this, you'll be burning calories even if you're at your desk typing.

This metabolic shift will make a big difference in creating a sustainable calorie deficit.

To accelerate the fat burning process, we will also introduce cardio exercise into our weekly routine. The cardio will consist of two days of running, biking, swimming, or any other type of aerobic work you can think of. It doesn't matter if you use a treadmill, eliptical, or even jump rope. Any of them will work for our purposes. The important thing is just to do it.

Cardio Exercise For Weight Loss

The program has a couple of cardio days, which will be done at low intensity. Although I've mentioned that exercise intensity is important, if you want to burn the maximum amount of calories, there is an important reason for doing low intensity cardio in this program.

The low intensity cardio will help your recovery. That's because this type of workout will help flush some of the lactic out of your system. This will help your muscles recover faster and decrease sorness.

Also, at this point, I don't want you to do two intense days back to back. That's for a more advanced program, and only once your threshold for exercise has increased.

For the cardio days, you should pick the cardio exercise at of your choice, and do 30-40 minutes of the exercise at a slow pace. It's best to use a heart rate monitor so that you can keep your heart rate at about 65-70% of your max. This should feel quite easy, almost like you could go on forever at that pace.

Now, just because we've been talking about low intensity exercise, I don't want you to think this program is easy breazie.  You're going to get plenty of higher intensity work on the days that you lift. But, we don't want to burn you out by doing two back to back days of high intensity work. Most intermediate people can't take a schedule where they do a hard lifting one day and follow it with a hard run the next...At least not for long.

By doing an intense lifting day followed by a low intensity cardio day, you will have the ability to come back to the gym and do an intense lifting routine the following day. This maximizes your time in the gym and insures that you're burning calories even when you are "recovering".

The intermediate weight loss exercise program

There are two weight lifting days, which are labeled Workout A and Workout B. Alternate each routine so that you do a total of 3 weight lifting workout per week. Just don't do them on back to back days, because as you will see, you will follow each weight lifting day with a cardio day.

Workout A

A1: Squat

A2: Dumbell Overhead Press

Rest 60 seconds

B1: Step up

B2:Bent over row

B3: Dumbbell curl and press overhead

Rest 60 seconds

C1: Push up

C2: Forward lunge

D1: Bridge on swiss ball (hold for 20 seconds)

D2: Swiss ball crunch

Workout B

A1: Romanian deadlift

A2: Lat pull down

Rest 60 seconds

B1: Incline Bench Press

B2: Backward Lunge

B3: Back extension Rest 60 seconds

C1: Side bridge - hold for 20 seconds

C2: Swiss ball reverse crunch

Rest 60 seconds

D1: Supine bridge - hold for 20 seconds

For each exercise in a superset, do 8 repetions. Use a weight that allows you to be challenged, but not so much that you cannot finish your set.

During the first few weeks on the program, do each superset 3 times. After the fourth week, up that to 4 times for each superset, with the exception of the superset where you do two exercises.

To increase the challenge you can decrease your rest time between supersets. Try resting for 45 seconds.

Note that where I have indicated a hold for time. such as with the side bridge, simply hold the position for the perscribed time. These are isometric exercises which will help you build stability and strength through your core.

Putting the exercise plan together

Let's take a look at what the complete plan looks like for the week.

Monday: Workout A

Tuesday: Low intensity cardio

Wednesday: Workout B

Thursday: Low intensity cardio

Friday: Workout A

Saturday and Sunday: Rest

The following Monday, start your week with Workout B. When you feel you have become accustomed to the intensity and want to continue to challenge yourself, try the weight loss exercise program for advanced people.