5 Ultimate Workout Routines for Fat Loss

It is hard trying to find the right workout routine that is effective, straightforward and actually doable.

Many fitness plans out there overcomplicate easy exercises or only relate to those who have years of gym experience.

This deters people away from the gym as many want an easy-to-follow regime.

Whilst there are many exercises, workout splits, sets and reps you can attempt, it’s always good to follow a small plan first.

This is why DESIblitz has come up with five sweat-inducing workout plans to get you started.

It’s important to note that these apply to both men and women. We also don’t note any specific weight to use as everyone’s strength varies, so go with what feels best.

The most important tip before we dive in is to keep on top of your nutrition as well.

No matter if you work out 24/7, bad eating habits will be the downfall of any progress made in the gym.

*Please warm up properly when attempting any form of physical exercise. 

The Circuit

Circuit training is one of the most popular routines one can do for fat loss. It gets that heart rate pacing and builds up your tolerance against tiredness.

Ever gone up a flight of stairs and felt a little short of breath? This could indicate poor cardio and fatigue levels.

The whole point of a circuit is to do multiple exercises straight after one another.

You can test yourself by doing continuous rounds or try and get the exercises completed in a total number of minutes.

For example, 10 exercises back to back and 20 reps for each. Or, 5 exercises in one go for a total of 5 rounds.

The great thing about circuits is that they are so versatile. You can do them at home, at the gym, and change the exercises and reps to suit you.

The Workout

1. Push-ups or Knee-assisted Push-ups – 10 reps
2. Medicine Ball Squat – 10 reps
3. Shoulder Press (Dumbbell or Barbell) – 10 reps
4. Standing Lunges – 10 reps each leg
5. Mountain Climbers – 10 reps
6. Kettlebeg Swings – 10 reps
7. Dumbbell Bicep Curl – 10 reps
8. Tricep Dips (Free Weight or Machine-Assisted) – 10 reps
9. Barbell Back Row – 10 reps
10. Plank – 1 minute OR Sit-ups – 10 reps

Complete each exercise before moving on to the next. Take a rest if you need to. Over time, slowly challenge yourself by shortening the recovery time.

Otherwise, pick five exercises to do simultaneously for one round and do a total of five rounds with a two minute rest in between.

Push, Pull & Legs

This is one of the most popular workout routines for gym-goers.

It splits up their plan into three days, each consisting of a group of exercises that use pushing, pulling and leg movements.

Most opt to then take a day rest and go again or six days in a row and then a day off to reset. If you have a busy work schedule, split the three days across the week.

It allows you to train each muscle effectively but condition yourself for a post-workout calorie burn as well.

Again, you can swap different exercises with ones you have a better mind-muscle connection with or suit your fitness goal.

But, make sure it is a similar movement that fits in with that day.

The Workout

Day One – Pull

1. Lat Pulldowns – 3 x 8-12 reps
2. Single-Arm Dumbbell Row – 3 x 8-12 reps
3. Face Pulls – 3 x 8-12 reps
4. Underhand Cable Row – 3 x 8-12 reps
5. Barbell Curl – 3 x 8-12 reps
6. Hammer Curl – 3 x 8-12 reps

Day Two – Push

1. Bench Press – 3 x 8-12 reps
2. Side Lateral Raises – 3 x 8-12 reps
3. Incline Dumbbell Press – 3 x 8-12 reps
4. Machine Shoulder Press – 3 x 8-12 reps
5. Tricep Pressdown – 3 x 8-12 reps
6. Single Arm Tricep Kickback (Dumbbell or Machine) – 3 x 8-12 reps

Day Three – Legs/Abs

1. Barbell Squats – 3 x 8-12 reps
2. Machine Hamstring Curl – 3 x 8-12 reps
3. Leg Press – 3 x 8-12 reps
4. Romanian Deadlifts – 3 x 8-12 reps
5. Calf Raises –  5 x 15 reps
6. Hanging Leg Raises – 3 x 8-12 reps

*Each workout should end with 10 minutes of the cardio machine of your choice – treadmill, stepper, bike etc.

Cardio High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

One of the most rewarding yet challenging workout routines is HIIT.

With any fitness regime, it needs to tax certain energy systems in order to effectively burn calories and lose weight.  HIIT is a great way to achieve this.

Another benefit to this type of plan is that you can limit the sessions to three times per week. This is because of how much stress your body is under with HIIT – especially as a beginner.

Whilst this is a form of circuit training, the focus here is cardio. The key term phrase here is “high-intensity interval”.

Whether it’s 20 seconds or one minute, you have to give it your all for that time.

But likewise, you have to rest for the allotted time as well.

Push yourself and reap the mental and physical benefits.

The Workout

1. Treadmill – 30 seconds run – 30 seconds rest – a total of five minutes
2. Jumping Jacks – 30 seconds jump – 30 seconds rest – a total of four minutes
3. Row Machine – 30 seconds row – 30 seconds rest – a total of three minutes
4. Stair Climber – 30 seconds step – 30 seconds rest – a total of four minutes
5. Battle Rope – 20 seconds – 30 seconds rest – a total of five minutes.

See if you can push the body to its limits with this workout.

Full Body

One of the most exciting, diverse, and effective workout routines is full-body training.

This requires every muscle or body part to be hit but it isn’t as daunting as it sounds.

Full-body workouts are so popular because of how flexible they are towards the individual’s needs.

Also, they can easily fit around any schedule and you can stick to 2-3 sessions per week (or more if needed).

The great thing is that if one goes in for multiple sessions, they can try out new or different exercises from the last workout – keeping things fresh.

However, depending on your fitness goals, you may want to focus on other body parts more than others.

But, make sure to hit everything once in a while to keep your strength and body composition balanced.

The Workout

1. Arnold Press – 3 x 8-12 reps
2. Bulgarian Split Squat – 3 x 8-12 reps
3. Machine Chest Fly – 3 x 8-12 reps
4. Bent-Over Row – 3 x 8-12 reps
5. Rope Tricep Push Down – 3 x 8-12 reps
6. Bicep Hammer Curls – 3 x 8-12 reps

*Optional – you can throw in three sets of burpees at the end to increase the cardio intensity.

Hiking

Whilst these workout routines are challenging yet efficient, what about those who dislike the gym overall?

Some people are certain that they want to lose weight but prefer other means of doing so. This could be walking, playing sport or something more enjoyable for them.

This is where hiking comes in, which saw a surge once the Covid-19 pandemic started. More individuals started to appreciate the great outdoors.

More importantly, it benefits both mind and body. Health information company, Healthline, revealed:

“Hiking may aid weight loss by increasing the number of calories you burn.

“Compared with indoor exercise, it’s associated with greater improvements in mental health.”

Hiking is so effective because the terrain challenges your cardiovascular system. It’s a bit more challenging than walking around the block.

The Workout

This form of movement does not have a particular workout to follow, the way to challenge yourself is the duration of the hike, as well as the land itself.

Usually, there are hike trails in most cities that are easily accessible. Trying nature parks, forests and even along a countryside road is beneficial. Here are some tips to try out:

1. Try to hike once a week, increasing the duration by half an hour each week.
2. Walk quicker to increase the intensity but be careful of the ground.
3. If a hike has a longer route, stop every half an hour for five minutes and then go again (interval training).
4. If you find the trail too easy, try lunging for a few minutes every so often.
5. You can use the natural elements to make things fun – climb trees, do outdoor yoga, forage etc.

These terrific workout routines will surely help guide or aid you in making exercise less stressful.

Try out the different plans and see what works for you and your body. It’s important to note that any physical activity is always trial and error.

What works for someone may not work for someone else. Likewise, it’s always best to enjoy the workouts you do so cater to your own needs and preferences.

As mentioned before, nutrition also plays a vital factor in fat loss so it’s good to research the best diet for your body goals.

But the ultimate achievement is to make both exercise and ‘diet’ a lifestyle where it becomes so ingrained in your daily routine.

So, work up a sweat and try these ultimate plans out.