In the ever-evolving landscape of weight loss and fitness, new methods and trends emerge constantly, each promising rapid and sustainable results. Among these, the 40-30-20 method and the 4-30-10 method have gained traction as potentially effective approaches to weight loss and overall well-being. This article delves into the details of these methods, exploring their principles, benefits, and how they compare to other popular weight loss strategies.
The 40-30-20 Method: A Protein-Focused Approach
Fitness and weight loss coach Keith Ozment introduced the 40-30-20 method, emphasizing its simplicity and effectiveness for individuals over 40. This method revolves around three key components:
40 Grams of Protein at Breakfast
The cornerstone of this method is consuming 40 grams of protein at the start of the day. Ozment suggests incorporating protein powder into breakfast smoothies with berries and almond milk or preparing overnight oats with Greek yogurt and protein powder. A high-protein breakfast can keep you fuller longer than one composed mostly of carbohydrates, which may help reduce cravings for a mid-morning snack.
30 Minutes of Daily Walking
The next component involves engaging in 30 minutes of walking daily, which can be split into two 15-minute sessions if needed. Walking boosts metabolism, reduces stress, and aids fat loss. A 2018 study published in the journal Obesity found a link between walking 10,000 steps a day and weight loss and weight management.
20 Minutes of Weightlifting
The final element of the 40-30-20 method is dedicating 20 minutes to weightlifting three to four days a week. Strength and weight training help reduce body fat, preserve and increase lean muscle mass, and burn calories more efficiently.
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The 4-30-10 Method: A Balanced and Approachable Fitness Plan
The 4-30-10 method is a fitness trend that combines four strength workouts, 30 grams of protein per meal, and 10,000 steps per day. It’s a simple yet effective formula to improve your overall health, lose weight, build muscle and boost energy.
Four Strength Training Workouts Weekly
The 4-30-10 method incorporates four strength training workouts each week. Strength training is an important part of weight loss because like all forms of exercise, resistance training burns energy, however, it is the post-training effects that are remarkable. Resistance training can increase lean muscle mass leading to increased resting energy expenditure, which is the energy we burn through bodily function. Additionally, resistance training sessions temporarily increase metabolism for up to 72 hours post-workout. Performing four resistance training sessions per week is chosen as it allows you to continuously increase energy expenditure, which results in a major boost to your fat-burning potential. Most of the daily strength workouts require a set of dumbbells. Each weight training workout will have a recommended dumbbell weight, usually between 8-20 pounds. You want a weight heavy enough that your last few reps are a struggle, but you are still able to complete the workout with good form.
30 Grams of Protein at Each Meal
Adequate protein intake is vital during the weight loss process. Protein is one of our key macronutrients and has many roles in the body including cell structure, hormone regulation, and immune function. On top of this, it has the incredible ability to improve satiety, increase metabolism, and preserve and build lean muscle mass. As mentioned, lean muscle has a greater resting energy expenditure. Preserving or increasing muscle mass can maintain an elevated rate of energy consumption. Furthermore, protein has a greater thermogenic effect, where the body burns energy to create heat. Combine this with its capacity to improve fullness, reduce hunger, and snacking between meals, helping you to stay within your calorie limit. This creates a powerful swing, improving satiety, while increasing energy expenditure, resulting in greater fat-burning potential. The recommended daily intake of protein is approximately 1.2-1.6g per kilogram of body weight, consumed as 30 grams each meal. This helps you hit your protein goals while maintaining fullness and increasing energy expenditure. The best way to increase your protein intake is to be cognizant of high-protein food sources. For example, Greek yogurt has more protein than regular yogurt. Incorporating protein into your meals doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. By keeping high-protein snacks on hand and starting your day with a high-protein breakfast, you can easily stabilize your energy levels for the day.
10,000 Steps Daily
Walking is one of the most effective forms of exercise. It is a low-impact form of aerobic exercise that can preserve muscle mass, bone mass, and joint health while burning additional calories. Most importantly, it is incredible for burning fat, with long duration at a lower speed being shown to promote greater fat loss. This provides an easy and effective way of maintaining a healthy weight, reducing the risk of chronic illnesses including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Hitting 10,000 steps per day helps to incidentally burn calories, subsequently reducing the risk of chronic illness and preserving bone and muscle mass. This leads to greater fat loss and better health outcomes.
Benefits of the 4-30-10 Method
What makes the 4-30-10 method so effective is how balanced and approachable it is. You’re not overtraining or under-eating. You’re building habits that actually support your goals, whether that’s losing fat, gaining muscle, or simply moving better and feeling stronger. The 4 30 10 method is based on traditional fat loss principles that come with amazing benefits, including increased bone density, muscle mass, and fat-burning potential. All this while being suitable for all fitness levels.
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Adaptable for All Fitness Levels
The 4 30 10 method is not a training style or fad method, but a range of effective, simple principles for weight loss. Principles such as weekly resistance training, eating 30 grams of protein each meal, and 10,000 steps per day apply to all fitness levels. That is why fitness professionals have been using them for decades to get their clients, from beginners to advanced gym goers incredible results.
Increase Muscle Mass
The 4 30 10 method is amazing for increasing muscle mass. Building and developing muscle mass is achieved by progressive overloading muscle mass. This is done by increasing resistance, sets, repetitions, volume, and intensity. The four days of resistance training increase training volume, preserving and promoting muscle growth. Performing four sessions each week increases the total number of sets and repetitions for each muscle group, which increases muscle mass. During a calorie deficit, individuals can experience a loss of muscle mass, impairing strength, function, and metabolism. Performing resistance training sessions alongside consuming 30 grams of protein each meal will help preserve muscle mass and metabolism, leading to greater weight loss.
Maintain Bone Health
Performing the 4 30 10 method can help maintain bone health. The bone formation and regeneration process is determined by mechanical strain from muscle contractions, gravity, and impact loading. Poor bone health can increase the risk of osteoporosis, negatively impacting quality of life. People with decreased bone mineral density can suffer from weakness, loss of function, frailty, and increased risk of falls. The resistance training and walking components of the 4 30 10 method can apply mechanical strain through gravity and muscular contraction. Each time walking and lifting weights promotes bone growth. This helps to strengthen and preserve bone mineral density, improving function and quality of life.
Effective for Fat Burning
The 4 30 10 method is excellent for burning fat. Fat burning requires a calorie deficit, which is consuming fewer calories than we burn daily. As mentioned, resistance training and walking are incredible for burning calories. Resistance training boosts energy expenditure for up to 72 hours, and when it is done four days per week, we can enter into a prolonged state of increased metabolism. Combining these factors with a high protein, nutrient-dense diet, and calorie deficit can dramatically increase fat-burning potential.
Combines Simplicity with Efficiency
What makes the 4 30 10 method is its simplicity and efficiency. A major determining factor of successful exercise and weight loss programs is adherence. Resistance training and weight loss can have rapid results, however, the best results come from prolonged training periods and correct nutrition. The longer programs are performed the greater the chance of achieving our goals. The 4 30 10 method provides loose nutrition and resistance training guidelines that remove barriers and distractions to weight loss, allowing for greater freedom and training. It provides a structure that helps people form healthy habits without strict routines, complicated exercise, and restrictive diets. This simplicity of exercise and nutrition is helpful during weight loss plateaus or times of low motivation. It highlights simple and effective actionable tasks that keep you pushing in the right direction.
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Getting Started with the 4-30-10 Method
Before you begin the 4 30 10 method certain steps can be taken to ensure long-term success, including designing your workout routine and goal setting.
Goal Setting
Before you begin training, scheduling, and programming your weight loss workout you must set goals. To do this, we recommend using the SMART method, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. For example, say you want to lose 8 kilograms before your brother's wedding. It is 12 weeks away.
- Specific - Lose 8 kilograms for your brother's wedding.
- Measurable - Scales weight, measurements, dress sizes.
- Achievable - Healthy weight loss of 0.5-1 kg per week over 12 weeks.
- Relevant - Weight loss for an upcoming event.
- Time-Bound - 12 weeks until the wedding.
This outline provides a clear goal to aim for during the 4 30 10 method. Weight loss takes time and it can be easy to get discouraged and sidetracked during the process. Having clear goals can help you focus on your goals and stick to your plan, helping you achieve great results.
Track Your Progress
Tracking progress is an essential part of the weight loss journey. While it can be tempting to wing it and guess how much weight you have lost, it won't paint an accurate picture of your weight loss journey, making it difficult to recall your progress. Tracking progress by recording scale weight, measurements, clothing sizes, and energy levels provides reliable data for future reference. It can keep you aligned with your goals and help you look back at your achievements, spurring you on to your next major milestone. Before you begin training, we recommend recording baselines for the following measurements:
- Scale weight
- Measurements (shoulders, chest, arms, navel, hips, thighs, calves)
- Pictures (front and side in the same light)
- Pants, shirt, or dress size
- Fitness level (cardio or weight lifting milestone)
- Energy levels
After these baselines, measure as needed. We recommend recording progress every two weeks for shorter goals. However, if it is a longer-term goal, this can be stretched to monthly.
Designing Your Weekly Routine
Designing your weekly routine can make or break your weight loss progress. That is why you need to design your weekly routine to match your goals and schedule.
Choosing Workouts to Match Your Goals
Selecting your workout to match your goals can increase your chances of reaching your goal. However, before we begin, we preface that nutrition is the most important component for achieving your goals. For weight loss, you will need to have a calorie deficit. To maintain weight a balanced calorie intake is required and to gain muscle a calorie surplus is required.
- Weight Loss - Beyond nutrition, performing additional walking sessions alongside your designated 10,000 steps can help increase energy expenditure. These are moderate intensity, which makes them easy to perform. However, if you want to up the ante consider performing high-intensity interval training (HIIT) sessions. These are great for increasing exercise capacity, aerobic endurance, and burning fat.
- Muscle Growth - Performing four resistance training sessions per week will build muscle mass. During these sessions, perform each exercise for 3-4 sets for 8-12 repetitions of 60-80% of your one repetition maximum (1RM), this is the maximum amount of weight you can lift for repetition with the correct technique.
- Increase Strength - Perform a combination of heavy resistance exercises for 4-6 sets for 1-5 repetitions at 80-100% of your 1RM. These can be large compound lifts such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses.
Fits Your Schedule
Four resistance training sessions a week may not sound like much, but trying to fit them within your current schedule can be challenging as work, social, and family commitments can interfere. Designing a realistic schedule improves your chances of getting to the gym and training adherence. If time is limited, we recommend trying 30-minute resistance training workouts with shorter rest periods. This will increase training intensity while allowing you to fit in a great workout.
Setting Realistic Fitness Targets
Setting realistic and achievable targets is essential. As mentioned, planning multiple exercise sessions each week can be exciting, however, when you fail to make a session, it can be discouraging which can derail your training programs. Setting realistic targets such as shorter training sessions, achievable goals, and schedules to fit around external commitments will help you adhere to your program. This helps you establish a healthy training routine, resulting in fewer disruptions and better results.
Adjusting for Beginner or Advanced Levels
One of the best things about the 4 30 10 method is accessibility and adaptability. While the pillars of resistance training, protein intake, and walking form the foundation of the method, all other elements can be modified to meet our preferences and experience levels. There are several ways to adjust the method to suit experience levels. For example, the four resistance training sessions per week can be challenging for beginners, however, this does not mean we have to perform at a high intensity each session. Sessions can alternate between heavy high-intensity sessions to low-intensity sessions that focus on improving technique and getting moving. Additionally, sessions can be shorter in duration and have fewer total sets. This will reduce demand on the body. Meanwhile, advanced-level participants can increase the number of working sets, perform at a high intensity each session, and split routine workouts that target different body parts.
Beginner Adjustments
- Alternate heavy, high-intensity sessions with low-intensity resistance training sessions.
- Reduce the number of exercises
- Reduce the total number of working sets (perform 2-3 sets instead of 3-4 sets)
- Keep workout time below 30 minutes
Advanced Adjustments
- Perform resistance training sessions at a high-intensity
- Perform eight to ten exercises for 3-4 sets.
- Apply 30 second rest time between sets
- Perform split routines to allow for more time for each muscle group.
- Add HIIT or cardio after each session.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
The 4 30 10 method certainly is effective, providing general guidelines to lose weight and improve health. However, this doesn’t mean it won’t come without its pitfalls.
Overexertion and Lack of Rest
One of the biggest traps many fall into is over-exercising and lack of rest. The four days per week resistance training schedule can feel great, leading to positive physical changes and elevated energy levels. However, frequent resistance training sessions without adequate rest can result in over-exertion. To remedy this, we recommend replacing a resistance training session with a recovery session every three to four weeks. Additionally, deload weeks can be performed every four to six weeks. This is when you perform the same workout at the same intensity with 50% less weight. This helps to allow the body to recover from fatigue while still maintaining fitness.
Inadequate Calorie Intake
Combining resistance training with a diet that lacks sufficient calories can lead to a loss of muscle mass. Consuming too few calories can impair recovery, reduce energy levels, and increase the risk of injury. This can be avoided by ensuring a calorie deficit is matched with adequate protein intake to preserve muscle mass.
Inconsistency
Inconsistent adherence to the 4 30 10 method is a common pitfall that can hinder progress. Failing to consistently perform resistance training sessions, skipping meals, and neglecting to hit your daily step count can slow down results. To avoid this, integrate the 4 30 10 method into your daily routine. Plan your meals, schedule your workouts, and set reminders to ensure you stay on track.
Comparing the 4-30-10 Method to Other Weight Loss Approaches
To provide a comprehensive understanding, let's compare the 4-30-10 method to other popular weight loss strategies:
4-30-10 vs. 4-1-1 Method
The 4-1-1 method is a way of structuring your weekly workout split. This plan includes 4 strength training sessions, 1 pilates workout and 1 LISS (low impact or low intensity steady state) cardio workout. This is different from the 4-30-10 method, which places a focus on protein intake and 10,000 steps per day in addition to 4 strength workouts per week.
4-30-10 vs. 12-3-30 Method
The 12-3-30 method refers to walking on a treadmill at 12% incline at 3 mph for 30 minutes. This method is great for beginners or those who want to improve their cardiovascular health. However, it lacks the strength and nutritional components that make 4-30-10 more effective for long-term body composition changes. If your goal is to build strength, boost metabolism and lose body fat sustainably, 4-30-10 offers a more complete solution.
30-30-30 Diet Method
The 30-30-30 method refers to consuming 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking, followed by 30 minutes of low-intensity exercise. For someone who typically grabs coffee (with or without the donut) and then goes and sits at their desk for the next 10 hours, this method would likely result in weight loss. But remember, too, that more than 30 minutes of low-intensity activity is recommended, whether weight loss is the goal or not. For general health, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and at least two days of muscle strengthening activity each week. For those trying to lose weight, physical activity greater than 225 to 420 minutes per week is recommended, or 200 to 300 minutes for those who have already lost weight and want to maintain.
Additional Exercises to Aid Weight Loss
Losing weight happens by not only changing your eating habits, but also stepping up your exercise routine. Regular exercise will go a long way in achieving your goals. To lose weight, you should aim to get at least 300 minutes of moderately intense activity each week. Here are some exercises that can help you on that journey. Just remember to first talk with your doctor about which ones might be best for you.
- Walking: If you were to add half an hour of brisk walking to your daily routine, you could burn about 150 more calories than you usually do each day. The faster and longer you walk, the more calories you burn. Walking is a great option if you’re new to regular exercise. Start with shorter journeys and build up to longer, more intense ones.
- Jumping Rope: Jumping rope is a fantastic way to burn calories fast. In fact, you’ll burn more of them by jumping rope than walking on a treadmill for the same amount of time. You'll also work multiple muscle groups, from your core to your upper and lower body. Jumping rope can also improve your coordination.
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): High-intensity interval training (also called HIIT) is a type of workout that switches back and forth from intense physical activity to less-intense exercise. You shouldn't do it every day, but it's very effective for weight loss. You’ll burn more calories with HIIT than with steady cardio. The intense exercise keeps your body working and in fat-burning mode for up to 24 hours after your workout ends.
- Cycling: Cycling is another great way to lose weight, and it’s a low-impact, adaptable exercise. You can burn about 400-750 calories an hour riding a bike, depending on your weight, how fast you’re going, and what type of cycling you’re doing.
- Swimming: If you're in that boat, swimming is an ideal exercise. It's easy on your joints, you’ll use both your upper and lower body, and you'll get a good cardio workout. You’ll reap the benefits from the resistance of the water, too. If you swim for a half-hour a few times a week, you’ll lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. It'll also bring down your bad cholesterol and blood pressure.
- Strength Training: This type of exercise uses resistance to build strength and muscle. It not only helps you lose weight, but also helps you keep the weight off by building muscle. That'll help your body burn more fat. Try to do some strength training 3-5 times a week, for about an hour each time. Don’t forget to rest a day between every 2 days that you do it.
- Pilates: Research says that Pilates -- exercises usually done on a mat or with various tools that emphasize core strength -- can make you stronger and help you keep a healthy weight. The intensity of a Pilates class depends on your needs. You can find some classes or demonstrations online or at your local gym.
- Jogging: Jogging is an aerobic exercise -- it uses oxygen. This can help you lose weight. A good jog can also raise something called your metabolic rate for up to 24 hours. So, you’ll be in fat-burning mode even after you’ve crossed your daily finish line. Done regularly, jogging can help boost your metabolism for a long period of time.
- Yoga: This is a practice that combines physical activity and meditation. Research suggests that over time, people who are overweight and do yoga at least once a week for 30 minutes lose weight and have lower BMIs. Folks who do yoga are also more mindful eaters, meaning they’re more likely to know when they're truly hungry and when they’re full.
- Stair Climbing: Another low-cost, versatile exercise for weight loss is stair climbing. Climbing just two flights of stairs every day can lead to 6 pounds of weight loss in a year. It can also add to the amount of good cholesterol in your blood and help keep your joints, muscles, and bones healthy.
- Hiking: If you’re looking for a more adventurous way of losing weight, hiking might be the move for you. It usually involves walking in nature and avoiding the obstacles around you, like tree roots and rocks.