One-Hour Gym Workout Plan for Weight Loss

Finding time for an extensive exercise routine can be challenging. A well-planned, 1-hour gym workout can do wonders for your fitness, whether you’re a beginner or a pro. This guide will show you how to make the most of your gym sessions.

Why 60 Minutes is the Sweet Spot

Regular workouts improve your physical looks and benefit your body and mind. Here’s what you can expect:

• Stronger heart and improved cardiovascular health
• More muscle strength and muscle mass
• Better overall body strength
• Less stress and a brighter mood (thanks, endorphins!)
• Improved sleep quality
• Enhanced cognitive function

These benefits are more than short-term. Regular exercise can greatly improve your health and quality of life.

Calorie Burn: What to Expect

Curious about the number of calories you’ll burn? While it depends on factors like your age, weight, and workout intensity, here’s a rough guide:

• Weight training: 180-266 calories per hour
• High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): 300-450 calories per hour
• Steady cardio on a machine: 200-300 calories per hour
• Kettlebell workout: 300-400 calories per hour

These are just estimates, and your calorie burn may vary depending on your workout and personal traits. But you’ll be burning more than you would on the couch! Even though you burn lots of calories, it shouldn’t be your primary focus. The overall health benefits of exercise extend far beyond calorie burn.

Read also: Is 1 hour of cycling enough to lose weight?

Structuring Your Perfect 1-Hour Routine

Here’s how to structure an effective 1-hour workout:

• Warm-up (10 minutes)
  • 5 minutes of light cardio (brisk walk, jog, or jumping jacks)
  • 5 minutes of dynamic stretches for major muscle groups
• Main workout (45 minutes)

Choose either a strength workout focus or a cardio focus:

Strength Focus:

• Upper body (15 minutes): Dumbbell chest press, shoulder press, lat pulldown or pull-ups, press-ups
• Lower body (15 minutes): Squats, leg press, lunges
• Core (15 minutes): Planks, leg raises, Russian twists

Cardio Focus:

• Steady cardio sessions (20 minutes): Pick a cardio machine and maintain a moderate pace

• HIIT (25 minutes): Alternate 30 seconds of intense moves (like burpees, mountain climbers, jump squats) with 30 seconds of rest.

• Cool down (5 minutes)

  Read also: Balancing Cardio: Benefits vs. Risks

This structure gives you a balanced workout, targeting all major muscles and boosting your cardio fitness. Aim for 3-5 one-hour weekly sessions for optimal results.

Customising Your Workout Program

Everyone’s fitness goals are different. Here’s how to adjust your routine based on your fitness level:

Beginners:

• Focus on proper form
• Start with bodyweight exercises or light weights
• Take longer rest periods (60-90 seconds)
• Keep cardio intensity moderate

Intermediate:

• Increase weights and reduce rest times (45-60 seconds)
• Add more compound exercises
• Mix up your cardio sessions (try intervals)

Advanced:

• Higher intensity, shorter rests (30-45 seconds)
• Complex exercise combos
• Challenging HIIT workouts
• Use periodization in your training program

Targeting the same body part daily is not a good idea. Give muscle groups 48 hours to rest between sessions. This is vital for recovery and growth, allowing for muscle repair and helping prevent overtraining.

Goal-Specific Tweaks

• Building Muscle Mass:
  • Focus on resistance training with heavier weights
  • Hit each major muscle group twice weekly
  • Focus on compound moves (squats, deadlifts, bench press)
• Weight Loss:
  • Emphasise HIIT and cardio exercises
  • Include full-body strength training to boost metabolism
  • Create a calorie deficit
• Heart Health:
  • Focus on aerobic activities (running, cycling, swimming)
  • State cardio with intervals
  • Increase workout duration and intensity over time.

Nutrition Guide

What you eat can make or break your workout. Here’s a quick guide:

• Pre-workout (1-2 hours before):
  • Complex carbs for sustained energy (oatmeal, whole grain toast)
  • Lean protein to support muscle function (eggs, Greek yogurt)
• Post-workout (within 30 minutes):
  • Protein to aid muscle recovery (chicken, fish, tofu)
  • Simple carbs to replenish energy stores (fruit, white rice)

Don’t forget to stay hydrated before, during, and after your workout!

Read also: The 4-Hour Body Diet

Pro Tips for Gym Success

• Plan your workout to maximise gym time.
• Mix free weights and machines for variety.
• Track progress with a fitness app or journal.
• Maintain proper form to avoid injuries.
• Stay hydrated before, during, and after each training session.
• Consider working with a personal trainer for guidance.
• Switch up your fitness routine to prevent boredom.
• Include a full-body workout at least once a week.
• Aim for a straight line of progress in your strength gains.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping the warm-up: this increases your risk of injury.
• Poor form: quality over quantity always wins.
• Neglecting rest days: your muscles need time to recover.
• Inconsistent workouts: consistency is critical for progression.
• Ignoring nutrition: you cannot out-train a bad diet.

Your Roadmap to Fitness Mastery

A 1-hour workout routine can significantly improve your fitness level, but only if done correctly. If you’re short on time, you can split your hour into two 30-minute sessions, but be sure to include a proper warm-up and cool-down. As you progress, you’ll need to increase the weight you lift step by step. Start with a weight that lets you do 8-12 reps with good form. Increase it as you get stronger. This progressive overload is key to continual improvement and avoiding plateaus. Always warm up, cool down, and stretch after workouts to prevent muscle soreness. Staying hydrated and eating a protein-rich diet can also help with recovery. Your key to fitness success is finding and sticking with a workout program that works for you.

Additional Workout Plans and Exercises

Here are some additional workout plans and exercises to incorporate into your routine:

Weekly Workout Schedule for Weight Loss (Example 1)

This example weight-loss workout plan is broken up into cardio, upper-body strength training, and lower-body strength training, with time for rest and recovery.

• Monday: Cardio

  • Workout to try: 30-Minute Cardio Workout You Can Do Anywhere

• Tuesday: Strength Training (upper body)

  • Upper body workout to try: 5 Push Day Exercises for Stronger Arms and Chest

• Wednesday: Cardio

  • Cardio workout to try: Burn Calories in a Flash: HIIT Treadmill Workout

• Thursday: Strength Training (lower body)

  • Workout to try: 8 TRX Leg Exercises to Tone Your Lower Body

• Friday: Rest

  • Take a breather! Give your body time to refresh and recover. Feeling tight? Here’s How To Effectively Foam Roll Your Upper & Lower Body.

• Saturday: Cardio

  • Workout to try: 25-Minute HIIT Bike Workout

• Sunday: Active Recovery

  • Workout to try: Rest (Kinda) Easy with This Active Recovery Workout

Weekly Workout Schedule for Weight Loss (Example 2)

This example weight-loss workout plan is broken up into cardio and strength training by muscle groups, plus rest days.

• Monday: Strength Training (chest, shoulders, triceps)

  • Workouts to try:
    • Chest: The Best Lower Chest Workout for Shape and Strength
    • Shoulders: 10 Healthy Shoulder Exercises
    • Triceps: Transform Your Upper Body with Perfect Tricep Dips

• Tuesday: Cardio

  • Workout to try: A Heart-Pumping Elliptical HIIT Workout for All Levels

• Wednesday: Strength Training (back, biceps)

  • Workouts to try:
    • Back: 7 Great Lower Back Exercises You Can Do At Home
    • Biceps: 15-Minute Beginner Bicep Workout to Tone and Strengthen

• Thursday: Cardio

  • Workout to try: The Best Treadmill Workout in Just 30 Minutes

• Friday: Rest

  • Take a breather! Give your body time to refresh and recover. Feeling tight? Here’s How To Effectively Foam Roll Your Upper & Lower Body.

• Saturday: Strength Training (legs)

  • Workout to try: 25-Minute Leg Workout at Home (No Equipment)

• Sunday: Active Recovery

  • Workout to try: Rest (Kinda) Easy with This Active Recovery Workout

Realistic 4-Week Weight-Loss Workout Plan

Aim for regular, consistent exercise sessions rather than sporadic intense workouts. A combination of cardio and strength training will help you achieve your goals.

Additional Exercises

• Bulgarian split squat
• Lateral lunge twist
• Single-leg Romanian deadlift
• Leg Raises
• Russian twist
• Butterfly sit-ups
• Dead bugs
• Side bends
• Bicep curls
• Overhead tricep extensions
• Lateral raises
• Hammer curls
• Tricep dips

Consider incorporating stair-climbing machines, treadmills, or ellipticals into your routine.

4-Week Beginner Workout Plan

The Women’s Health 4-Week Beginner Workout Plan takes the guesswork out of starting your fitness journey. This comprehensive program will guide you through each exercise activity you’ll do over the next four to six weeks, with strength training and cardio workouts lasting between 20 and 43 minutes.

Over the next 4 weeks, you’ll follow a specific workout plan each day: strength training, optional cardio/steps, active recovery, or rest. Each strength workout includes a warm-up and a cooldown (which you can use on cardio days, too).

Strength Training Day

Simply follow the instructions of each full-body strength training workout in the Women's Health+ Beginner Workout Plan. You can find detailed how-to instructions for each exercise in the Exercise Guide section of the PDF, and you can also watch short follow-along videos for each move later in this article.

• Equipment Needed: Dumbbells, kettlebells, a step or box, and a slam ball.

Optional Cardio/Steps Day

Complete 20 to 30 minutes of cardio you enjoy, be it running, biking, cycling, rowing, or using the elliptical or stair climber. Start with interval training: Exert yourself for 30 seconds, then walk for 1 to 2 minutes; alternate that pattern for a total of 20 minutes.

Active Rest Day

Do some kind of low-intensity movement lasting 20 minutes. Some ideas: outdoor walk or hike, bike ride, incline treadmill walk, yoga or Pilates class.

Recovery Day

Take this day to relax so your muscles have time to repair. Still, if your body is craving some type of activity for recovery, you could stretch, go for a walk, or even try a treatment like a massage, sauna, or cold-plunge session.

4-Week Beginner Workout Plan Schedule

• Week One: Complete the five programmed workouts when it’s convenient for you. Focus on your form and take two back-to-back rest days to recover.
• Week Two: If you completed all the workouts in Week 1, repeat them during Week 2, adjusting one variable in your routine: the number of reps or sets, the weight amount, the speed of the moves (slower is harder), or the length of rest periods. If you missed a workout, don’t stress. Refocus on completing all of the Week 1 workouts before making any of the changes above.
• Week Three: Repeat the workouts from Week 2 in exactly the same way or adjusting one variable again (reps or sets, weight, range of motion, speed, rest periods). If you feel you’re crushing it and are ready to level up, try the third full-body strength workout.
• Week Four: Hit all six workouts and adjust one variable per workout for an extra challenge (reps or sets, weight, range of motion, speed, rest time). You can also ramp up your cardio time (to 30-40 minutes) or speed, shorten rest intervals (for interval training), or raise your step goal by 10 percent (e.g., if your daily step goal was 5,000 a day, make it 5,500).

Full-Body Strength I

Warm-Up

• Cardio I (2 minutes): jumping jacks, high knees, air squats, or a short treadmill jog or stationary bike session.
• Dynamic Stretching (4-6 minutes): Complete 2 or 3 rounds of the dynamic stretches below.
  • Bottoms-Up Squat (30-45 seconds)
  • TYW (30-45 seconds)
  • Inchworm (30-45 seconds)
• Cardio II (5 minutes): walking, jogging, rowing, biking, elliptical, or jumping rope. Your rate of perceived exertion (RPE) should be a 5 or 6 on a scale of 10.

Workout

• Superset 1 (2 Rounds)
  • Goblet Squat (10-12 reps)
  • Single Arm Bent-Over Row (10-12 reps per side)
• Superset 2 (2 Rounds)
  • Step-Up (6-8 reps per side)
  • Single-Arm Shoulder Press (6-8 reps per side)
• Tri-Set 1 (2-3 Rounds)
  • Incline Pushup (5-10 reps)
  • Marching Glute Bridge (8-10 reps)
  • Single-Arm Farmer's Carry (30 seconds per side)

Full-Body Strength II

Warm-Up

• Cardio I (2 minutes): Perform a quick burst of cardio to get your blood flowing
• Dynamic Stretching (4-6 minutes): Continue warming up with 2 or 3 rounds of the following dynamic stretches.
  • T Spine Rotation (30 seconds per side)
  • Downward Dog (60 seconds)
  • Dead Bug (30 seconds)
  • Good Morning (30 seconds)
• Cardio II (5 minutes): walking, jogging, rowing, biking, elliptical, or jumping rope. Your RPE should again be at a 5 or 6.

Workout

• Superset 1 (2 Rounds)
  • Deadlift (10-12 reps)
  • Floor Press (10-12 reps)
• Superset 2 (2 Rounds)
  • Bodyweight Split Squat (6-8 reps per side)
  • Bent-Over Reverse Fly (6-8 reps)
• Tri-Set 1 (2-3 Rounds)
  • Side Plank (20 seconds per side)

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