Weight Loss Book
Workouts for Beginners:
Lose 25 Pounds in 3
Weeks
Why buy this book?
F
rom Hollywood actors, to the most humble people, everybody
wants to keep in shape. This was brought about by the latest
surge of health trends throughout the current decade. Being in
shape was a status of wealth, class, and sometimes even power.
That is why according to data by Marketdata Enterprises, a market
research firm that specializes in tracking niche industries,
Americans spend north of $60 billion annually to try to lose
pounds, on everything from paying for gym memberships and joining
weight-loss programs to drinking diet soda. A lot of folks have the
will to lose some inches, but turn tail the moment they realize how
much time and money it requires. Lucky for you this book is going to
show you a way to lose weight without having to go to a gym or
spending your wallet dry ever again!
With the increasing popularity of self-help weight loss guides, tons
of self-acclaimed health coaches have jumped into the bandwagon
of creating their own miracle guide to weight loss. A lot of this
self-help guides are often without basis and are just based on
either hearsay (coach to coach wisdom transfer), or completely
random. This often poses a risk on the user’s health and general
well-being. That is why this book is going to show you tips and guides
on how to lose weight the quickest way possible from well
researched and fact checked data. “Workouts for beginners:
Fastest and healthiest way to lose 25 pounds in 3 weeks” showcases
simple and money saving ways to look and feel your best. From the
first step to the last, everything you read here have been proven
effective by different health authorities such as Fitness Magazine,
MensFitness.Com, and BodyBuilding.Com. The only thing you need for
this is yourself, sheer will and determination. So get up that couch!
Stretch your legs! And star losing weight now!
The 3 Week Weight
Loss
Program
Preparing before work out
I
N doing this work out, one must prepare themselves mentally, and
physically. Preparation is just as important as doing the work out
itself. Without doing so you put yourself in the fact of a lot of
danger such as quitting or worse injuries.
First of all you should condition your mind that you want to do this,
and that you are willing to sacrifice a lot of things to achieve this.
Without this mindset, you are bound to give up and quit in the first
few days. Do this by thinking of the benefits that you would sow as
an outcome of finishing this weight loss program. Visualize how good
you’ll look at the end of three weeks, how your friends would envy
you, and how others would look up to you. Other than these imagine
how beneficial it would be for your health.
Secondly, preparing yourself physically is one of the most
important aspects of any person working out. You should have a
consistent and reliable diet to bring with you as you go through
this. To achieve your desired weight follow the diet included in this
book. That diet is a sure way to lose weight without losing important
nutrients in your body. Another thing that you must do to prepare
yourself physically is to always, I mean always stretch before doing
any of those that you would read here. Stretching prepares your
body for stress before you work out, it also warms the muscles so
to “wake” them up before doing any movements. In stretching post
workout, you are also helping your body to recover faster thus
preventing any injuries from occurring in the future. Best of all,
while doing this, you are already losing some fats in your body.
Follow the following guide in stretching before and after your work
out.
Stretching: Whys and Hows
A
ccording to Lee Boyce, a certified
physical trainer and contributor in
mens fitness magazine, it doesn’t
matter how safe we are when we’re
performing
our
exercises,
injury
potential is still there if our muscle’s
aren’t in the best condition. Tissue
quality is important, and stretching,
when applied correctly, can improve
that quality. In general, there are two
major types of stretching – dynamic and
static stretching. If we add these to the
right places in our workout, we can
really get the most out of our sets and
reps, and stay injury free.
Dynamic Stretching - Pre Workout
Dynamic stretching involves putting muscles through their full
range of motion by way of mobilizing the joints to which the muscles
attach. The benefits of doing dynamic stretching are many. Our goal
is to make our nervous system get to a point that it’s fired up, and
ready to move some heavy weights. We don’t want to take it the other
way and subdue it when there’s work to be done. Dynamic stretching
will elevate the muscles’ temperature, and ramp the nervous system
up so the body’s right where it needs to be when your first set
begins.
Static Stretching - Mid and Post Workout
The typical “stretch – and – hold” method is simply known as static
stretching. Since static stretching can act to dull the nervous
system, we can use that to our advantage during our workouts. If
we’re noticing a muscle getting too involved in an exercise when it’s
not welcome (a good example would be the quads dominating a squat
and not leaving room for the glutes and hamstrings), we can
strategically static stretch our quads between sets to lower their
nervous involvement and give more of the work to the wanted
muscles. Of course, when the nervous system’s stimulation is no
longer a factor, a good static stretch to all major muscle groups
at the end of a workout is in perfect order.
Pre Workout Stretching
T
he following routine would ensure that you prepare your joints,
nerves and muscles before you work out. Remember to religiously
follow them to avoid injuries and reap the benefits from them.
Perform each step for about 16 counts each.
A. Dynamic Stretch Step 1 – Push Up Position
The first part of the
exercise starts off in the
push up position. Your
shoulders
should
be
positioned away from your
ears, back and hips flat,
core and abs engaged. Your
hands
should
be
underneath
your
shoulders, slightly wider
than shoulder width apart.
B. Dynamic Stretch Step 2 – Step Your Foot Up To Your
Hand
The next step is bringing
your left foot up to your
left hand without raising
your hips. If you have tight
hips, it may be difficult to
bring your left foot all the
way up to your left hand,
you may only get half way.
That’s ok! Be sure to sink
into the stretch, meaning
your left elbow should sink
down toward your left heel
so you feel an intense hip and groin stretch.
C. Dynamic Stretch Step 3 – Point Your Arm To The Sky
Next, you take your left
arm and open up while
keeping it straight and
point your hand toward the
sky. This creates a great
rotational movement that
helps
open
up
your
shoulders. As This stretch
also engages and loosen up
the upper back and core.
You can also try twisting
the opposite way for a more
intense and advanced stretch.
D. Dynamic Stretch Step 1 – Push Up Position
Return
back
to
the
starting push up position.
E. Dynamic Stretch Step 5 – Downward Dog
The last step is to push
your hips backward and up
toward the sky like in a
downward dog yoga pose.
You will feel a great
stretch in your
hamstrings, calves, and
it’s also engaging your
shoulders as well. Your
shoulders have the
largest range of motion
of any joint in your body,
so it’s really important to warm them up. After this step, you go
back to the push up position and repeat.
Post Workout Stretching
W
e all know the importance of warming up before a workout, but
we often overlook the post-workout cooldown. Don't be that
person. Overlooking a cooldown could mean missing the benefits
that come with a good post-sweat stretch session. Perform each
step for 8-12 seconds each
A. Static Exercise Step1 – Hamstring Stretch
There are two primary ways
to do the seated hamstring
stretch (1) split your legs
apart like I do in the photo
above, or (2) or you can
bend one leg and keep the
other extended straight in
front of you. It looks a
little like the butterfly
stretch shown, but one leg
is extended forward and the
bent leg is against the
ground. To make the stretch more intense, pull you toe towards
your body, flex your quads, and reach as far as you can.
B. Static Exercise Step 2 – Butterfly Groin Stretch
I am pressing my elbows
down in an effort to
increase the stretch. The
closer you put your feet to
your body, the more intense
the stretch will be.
C. Static Exercise Step 3 – Lying Hip Stretch
My hands are supposed to be
around my right knee to pull
the left leg towards my
body. This is a great hip
stretch that I think you
should
incorporate
into
your routine. Most guys
have very tight hips, so this
is particularly important
for guys.
D. Static Exercise Step 4 – Lying Quad Stretch
Of all the stretches listed,
this one you may consider
doing while standing while
holding on to your foot with
both hands. I included the
lying quad stretch because
the theme is doing all the
stretching exercises on the
ground, but try it out and
see what you think. The
further you bring your knee
backwards, the more intense
the stretch. The quadriceps are muscles on the front of your leg.
E. Static Exercise Step 5 – Calf Stretch
The standing version is
pushing against a wall, but
you can also
do
this
exercise simply by pushing
against the ground. Many
runners in particular can
have very tight calves, so
this stretch is particularly
important if you do a lot of
high volume cardio. Feel
free to play around with the
angle that your foot is
pressing against the ground. The further greater the angle of your
foot, the more it works your upper vs. your lower calves.
F. Static Exercise Step 6 – Shoulder Stretch
This
stretch
engages
primarily your medial and
posterior deltoid (shoulder)
and is easy to execute. This
is a stretch you should
definitely perform as you
work out as well. Simply
press while pulling your
opposite
elbow
towards
your opposite shoulder.
G. Static Exercise Step 7– Triceps Stretch
This movement stretches all
three heads of the triceps
muscle. To make the stretch
more intense, pull your
elbow behind your head as
far as possible while keeping
the hand of the arm that is
being stretched close to
the shoulder.
Dos and Don’ts of Stretching
S
tretching is just as tricky and dangerous as working out. That is
why there are a lot of things you need to know about what to do
and not what to do when stretching. Some of these are:
THE DO'S
DO use static stretching to maintain
flexibility, but do it after your
workout, not before. Even doing a few
static stretches at the end of a single
workout will help with next-day muscle
soreness so you won't be moving like a
corpse.
DO use traction when stretching to
increase range of motion and reduce
compression or impingement of a joint.
This can be done at home by pulling on
an immovable object like door frame.
DO control which area of the muscle
is being stretched. To stretch the
hamstrings, for example, you target
the muscle belly when bending the
knee, rounding the back, or plantarflexing the ankle (i.e., pointing the foot
away). If you lock your knee, keep your
back straight, or dorsi-flex the ankle
(i.e., flex the foot toward the shin), the
target instead is the fascia, the sheath
that covers the muscle.
DO stretch if you have poor posture. Muscles shorten over time and
can contribute to poor posture, which can also be caused by
consistently training over a limited range of motion (not doing fullrange reps). For example:
Wearing
high
heels
causes shortening of
the calves because the
calves are constantly
in a state of nearly full
contraction.
Look at your fingers:
They're
always
in
flexion
from
typing,
writing, eating, driving,
training, etc., and tend
to curl.
Your hip flexors are considered the tightest muscle in the
human body. Let's face it: The average person spends up to 40
percent of his or her life in a seated position!
DO scan your body for tight muscles, then attack the target area
by stretching. Always stretch tight muscles first as they can inhibit
your ability to do full-range exercises. (Note: This is a case when
dynamic stretching is done before your actual training.) During your
warm-up, use general movement of all body parts to scan for
tightness.
DO use gentle motion for rehabilitation, but don't push the end
range. For instance, the popular "mad cat" and "camel" stretches that
you see people do on their hands and knees are useful for neural
flossing of the spine (by getting nerves to move, they can create
their own space). If you experience back pain, 5-6 cycles of these
stretches prior to work out may help.
DO stretch surrounding muscles to liberate greater range of
motion (ROM). For instance, the iliotibial (IT) band is a dense, fibrous
band of connective tissue that runs along the outside of your
thighs and is very resistant to stretch. To really get at this tissue,
you need to address the muscles on either side of the IT band, such
as the quadriceps and hamstrings.
THE DON'TS
DON'T hold an intense stretch for longer than 15 seconds because
of muscle hypoxia. Lack of oxygen to the muscles develops under a
high degree of force/tension and can increase the development of
connective tissue, which decreases strength and may actually
promote inflexibility. It's better to use multiple angles for a short
duration with static stretching rather than holding one angle for
a long period of time. The rule is that the more intensive the
stretching, the shorter its application.
DON'T stretch first thing in
the morning, especially if you
have a low back injury. Wait at
least
one
hour
after
awakening. While you sleep,
your spine swells with fluid,
and the risk of injury is
heightened if you stretch
right after you wake up.
DON'T negate a stretch by
contracting
that
muscle
immediately afterward.
DON'T use static stretching on the muscles you're about to train.
This practice tends to sedate the muscles, and research shows it
will decrease strength and power. Also, static stretching prior to
activity may actually cause injuries, not prevent them. Although
some exceptions apply for very tight muscles, for the most part you
should perform static stretching after activity or exercise.
DON'T hold your breath during a stretch, as this will tense your
muscles. Instead, you need to relax by exhaling longer than
inhaling.
The Three
Week
Exercise
Program
A
fter everything has been prepared, it is now time for you to burns
some fats and calories! This guide consists of a 6 day work out
week plan. You should allocate one day of the week for rest to
help your body recover from the strain. Each exercise below has
been recognized by a lot of fitness authorities as some of the best
fat burning exercises. Follow each guide exactly as they are and
watch those inches burn faster than you could say “Burpees”!
A. 180 degree squat jumps
Adding a half turn to the jump squat is
not only fun, but also it requires extra
coordination and provides more core work.
A. Muscle targets:
Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Calves, Glutes
B. Routine:
Start in a deep squat with your legs a
bit wider than your hips and your toes
pointed outward. Twist your torso to
the right, reaching your right hand to
the ceiling and your left hand toward
the floor.
Jump up, spinning to the left 180 degrees (halfway around),
bringing both hands overhead. Land softly in a deep squat,
twisting your torso to the left, with the left hand reaching
toward the ceiling and the right hand toward the floor.
Repeat, but reverse directions so you jump spinning to the
right and go back the way you came. This completes one rep.
Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
B. Burpees
This exercise effectively targets your
core, chest, and legs simultaneously. Feel
the burn and know you're building lots of
lean muscle.
A. Muscle targets: Triceps, Pectoralis
Major, Quadriceps
B. Routine:
From
standing,
lower
into
a
crouching squat with your hands on
the floor.
Do a squat thrust by jumping your feet back, simultaneously
bending the elbows behind you, touching your chest to the
floor.
As you jump the feet forward to the hands, straighten the
arms and come back to into a squat.
Do an explosive jump straight up, getting as much height as
you can.
Do 120 intense reps in 6 sets of 20 with 1 minute break in
between each
C. Lunges
Lunges target the quadriceps, but
involve additional muscles, including the
glutes, hamstrings, calves and core
muscles,
making
them
an
important
exercise for toning the lower body. They
are also back-friendly, because of the
need to keep your back straight and your
chest lifted, so you have little risk of
back strain.
A. Muscle targets: Quadriceps, Glutes
B. Routine:
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart. Place hands on your
hips or hold weights, and take a controlled step forward
with your right leg.
Keeping your spine tall, lower your body until your front
leg and back leg form a 90-degree angle.
Pause, then bring your right leg home to start.
Now do the other side by stepping forward with your left
leg.
Repeat 10 times on each side. Do a total of 3 sets.
D. Explosive Lunges
Explosive Lunges are a variation of
the normal lunges. The differences lies
in the intensity of the exercise. It is best
to perform lunges first then to perform
explosive lunges to take advantage of
the activated muscled in the major leg
muscles. High-intensity workouts like
this explosive lunge will get you
sweating and torch major calories.
A. Muscle targets: Quadriceps, Glutes
B. Routine:
Start with your feet together,
hands on your hips. Step forward with your right leg.
Bend until your right leg is at a 90-degree angle. Jump up,
switch your legs in midair, and end with the left leg lunged
forward.
Repeat the lunges, switching sides for 1 minute. Complete 3
sets.
E. Squats
Squats are one of the best
exercises for weight loss. When you do
them correctly, you engage your core and
entire lower body.
A. Muscle
targets:
Hamstring, Glutes
B. Routine:
Quadriceps,
Start with feet hip-width apart,
arms either at your sides or
holding weights. Keeping your
weight
in
your
heels,
begin
lowering your legs and raising your arms in front of you.
Keeping your back straight, lower until your thighs are
parallel to the floor. Remember to keep your knees in line
with your toes the entire time.
Maintain an even pace and rise back to a standing position.
Repeat 3 sets of 15 reps.
F. Crunches
Crunch
activates
the
rectus
abdominis and external oblique better
than any other common core exercise. But
that's granted you know how to do
crunches the right way.
A. Muscle targets: Obliques
B. Routine:
Lie on the ground in a traditional
crunch position, your feet flat on
the floor and hands underneath
your head.
Press your lower back into the floor and pull in your belly
button to lift your feet off of the floor. Keep your knees
together, bent at 90-degree angles.
Using your core, pull your knees into your chest so that your
tailbone raises off of the ground, and simultaneously perform
a traditional crunch, lifting your shoulder blades off of the
floor. Use your abs, not your hands, to lift your head and
shoulders. Your hands are just there to protect your neck.
Slowly lower your shoulders, hips, and legs to return to the
starting position. Stop when your feet are just above the
floor.
Three sets of 10 to 12 reps is generally sufficient
G. Jackknife
Trade your crunches for this
super-effective, calorie-burning move
that'll have all your muscles working
overtime.
Jackknives
are
intense
abdomen fat burning miracles.
A. Muscle targets: Rectus Abdominis
B. Routine:
Lie with feet shoulder-width apart,
arms extended overhead; lift your
stretched arms, legs and your
upper body as high as possible
Hinge forward from hips and reach hands to toes.
avoid curling your back, otherwise your lumbar spine can be
strained too much
let your limbs and upper body sink down again slowly
Switch sides and repeat. Do 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps,
alternating sides.
H. Jumping Jacks
From boot camp classes to circuit
training, jumping jacks are showing up in
many hardcore workouts. The trend of
doing back-to-basics calisthenics reflects
the philosophy of multitasking. Many
vigorous calisthenics, including jumping
jacks, do more than burn calories. They
function
as
cardiovascular,
strengthening
and
stress-relieving
exercises.
A. Muscle Targets: Quadriceps,
Hamstrings, Adductors, Abductors,
Calves
B. Routine:
Stand upright and look ahead, feet together, arms hanging
down at the sides of the body and palms pointing to the
thighs
Slightly bend the knees
Jump off the ground and spread the legs a bit wider than
shoulder width
Meanwhile, bring the arms up in a bow above your head (palms
point to each other)
The hands can touch above the head
Land on the balls shoulder width
Jump and swing back to the starting position
Do alternating 20 seconds of work (the hardest you can go)
with 10 seconds of rest, for 9 sets
I. Russian Twists
For strong abs no matter the
season, turn to the seated Russian
twist. While this ab exercise mainly
targets your obliques, your back
muscles will be engaged to strengthen
and support your spine.
A. Muscle Targets: Rectus
Abdominis, Obliques
B. Routine:
Sit on the ground with your
knees bent and your heels
about a foot from your butt.
Lean slightly back without rounding your spine at all. It is
really important, and difficult, to keep your back straight,
but don't let it curve.
Place your arms straight out in front of you with your
hands one on top of the other. Your hands should be level
with the bottom of your ribcage.
Pull your navel to your spine and twist slowly to the left.
The movement is not large and comes from the ribs rotating,
not from your arms swinging. Inhale through center and
rotate to the right. This completes one rep.
Do 3 sets of 16 full rotations.
J. Triceps Extension , Single-Arm, Side Lying
Triceps extensions are one of the
easiest and best ways to build muscles
and at the same time burn fats in the
arm are.
A. Muscle Targets: Triceps
B. Routine:
lay on the ground sideways,
do not rest the head on the
ground
angle the legs a bit and
slightly stagger the feet for more stability
place the upper hand in front of the chest on the ground
the elbow is bent to about 90 degrees then
wrap the other arm around your upper body and bring the
lower hand on the hip
stretch out the arm according to your fitness level
your obliques can support the exercise, this takes weight
from the triceps
the upper body is raising then do not stretch the arm fully
to keep strain from the elbow joint
invert the motion and come back to the starting position
without taking all the tension from the triceps
do 3 sets of 12 repetitions
afterwards, switch sides and do the same number of reps
K. Biceps-Curl With Towel, Seated
No matter your goal -- to build big
guns or to simply tone and shape your
biceps -- there’s no need to spend hours
at
the
gym
working
on
expensive
machines. This may seem like an unusual
training aid, but a towel can provide
enough resistance to help you achieve
your goal.
A. Muscle Target: Biceps
B. Routine:
grasp the ends of a towel with
one hand
sit down on the chair
put one foot into the sling of the towel
keep the back straight
bend the arm and pull the hand up against the
resistance, guide it to the shoulder
the upper arm remains inactive and close to the torso
make sure that you do not arch the back and that your
sight goes straight ahead
take the tension off the arm and come back to the
starting position
Do 3 sets of 12 reps
switch the sides and do with the same number of
repetitions
Recommended Routine
The routine would be made of two sets consisting of a mix of
various exercises designed to complement each other. Each set
would be done thrice a week, alternately. The seventh day would
then be spent for an active rest. Active rest doesn’t mean you lying
in the couch, chilling all day. It means engaging in activities that
are not strenuous but requires you to move such as walking to work
or school. This is to help the body recover from the stress that it
received during the work out phase. It also helps in building the
muscles by stimulating the circulatory system of the body.
A. SET 1
Exercise
Sets and Reps
Muscle Group
Lunges
Squats
3sets x 20 reps
3 sets x 15 reps
Burpees
6 sets x 20 reps
Russian twists
3 sets x 16 reps
Triceps Extension
3 sets x 12 reps
Quadriceps, Glutes
Quadriceps, Hamstring,
Glutes
Triceps, Pectoralis
Major, Quadriceps
Rectus Abdominis,
Obliques
triceps
B. SET 2
Exercise
Explosive Lunges
Jumping Jacks
180 degree
jumps
Crunches
Jackknife
Biceps curl
Sets and Reps Muscle Group
3 sets x 1min. Quadriceps, Glutes
each side
9 sets x 20 secs Quadriceps, Hamstrings,
Adductors, Abductors,
Calves
squat 3 sets x 10 reps Quadriceps, Hamstrings,
Calves, Glutes
3 sets x 12 reps obliques
3 sets x 12 reps Rectus Abdominis
3 sets x 12 reps biceps
PRINTABLE WEEKLY ROUTINE PLAN CHECKLIST
Day 1
Exercise
Lunges
Squats
Burpees (check after 2 sets
Russian twists
Triceps Extension
Set 1
Set 2
Set 3
Set 2
Set 3
Set 2
Set 3
Set 2
Set 3
Set 2
Set 3
Set 2
Set 3
Day 2
Exercise
Explosive Lunges
Jumping Jacks (check every 3
sets)
180 degree squat jumps
Crunches
Jackknife
Biceps curl
Set 1
Day 3
Exercise
Lunges
Squats
Burpees (check after 2 sets
Russian twists
Triceps Extension
Set 1
Day 4
Exercise
Explosive Lunges
Jumping Jacks (check every 3
sets)
180 degree squat jumps
Crunches
Jackknife
Biceps curl
Set 1
Day 5
Exercise
Lunges
Squats
Burpees (check after 2 sets
Russian twists
Triceps Extension
Set 1
Day 6
Exercise
Explosive Lunges
Jumping Jacks (check every 3
sets)
180 degree squat jumps
Crunches
Jackknife
Biceps curl
Set 1