Main | Weeks 1-2 | Weeks 3-4

Overview

• Increase the amount of weight for both your upper- and lower-body circuits, and go heavier and use lower reps with each circuit.
• After your body has acclimatized to faster-paced workouts, you'll start plyometrics—exercises that are quick, powerful movements that help the muscles store energy for more explosive training.
• Plyos give you a total cardio workout, so you won't have to hit the treadmill afterward unless you feel you need to.
• To keep your heart rate up and calories burning during the workout, you'll perform five minutes of cardio between each circuit on the treadmill, StepMill, or elliptical at 70-75% of your MHR.
• Make sure to warm up for a minimum of five minutes on the treadmill, StepMill, or elliptical before beginning your first circuit.
• Perform 45-60 minutes of cardio on a treadmill, StepMill, or elliptical on your cardio days at 75% of your MHR.

Note: For Upper- and Lower-Body Circuit programs refer back to Weeks 1-2.

The Workout Split

• Day 1: Upper-body Circuit, Abs
• Day 2: Lower-body Plyometrics
• Day 3: Cardio, Abs
• Day 4: Upper-body Plyometrics, Abs
• Day 5: Lower-body Circuit
• Day 6: Cardio, Abs
• Day 7: Rest

Exercise Ball Push-Up

• Lying face down on a Swiss ball, place your hands on the floor in front of you.
• Walk your hands forward, rolling the ball underneath you until you're balanced with the ball under your shins and ankles.
• Keep your legs together, arms extended with fingertips facing forward and your hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
• Contract your abs, drawing your tailbone down so your body forms a straight line from head to heels in plank position.
• Maintain plank and bend your elbows, lowering your chest toward the floor until elbows are in line with shoulders; keep your wrists aligned under your elbows with forearms parallel to each other.
• Press back up to starting position and repeat.

Machine-Assisted Pull-Up

• Take an overhand grip on a pull-up machine.
• Fully extend your arms and relax your shoulders to stretch your lats.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together, arch your back, focus on your lats, and pull your body up, aiming your chest toward the bar.
• Pull yourself up until your chin is level with or slightly above the bar.
• Hold the top position momentarily, then lower your body under control back to the starting position.
• Repeat for reps.

Overhead Medicine Ball Throw

• Stand 8-10 feet in front of a concrete wall with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and grasp a medicine ball.
• Hold the ball with your palms facing each other and lift it above your head with arms extended.
• Bend your knees slightly as you lean back until you feel a slight stretch in your abs.
• Flex forward and throw the ball as hard as possible against the wall.
• Catch the ball on the return and repeat for reps.

Squat Cable Row

• Hold a rope attached to a low-pulley cable.
• Squat until your hips and knees form 90-degree angles.
• Shift your body weight back over your heels and push to stand back up.
• Pause, then pull the cable toward your ribs, keeping elbows tight to your sides.
• Squat back down and let your arms go straight as you drop down.

Shoulder YTWL Circuit

• Lie facedown on a flat bench, arms extended forward in a Y position, palms facing the floor.
• Lower arms into a T position, then bend at the elbows and draw upper arms down 45 degrees to the torso forming a W.
• Keeping upper arms at sides and palms facing the floor, lower forearms to form an L (not shown), then push arms back to start position and repeat.

Box Jump

• Stand in front of a bench (or box).
• Sit back into squat position, arms at your sides.
• Straighten your legs and jump up onto the top of the bench, landing softly and evenly on both feet.
• Jump back down and repeat.

Bench Step-Up

• Grasp a dumbbell in each hand and stand behind the center of a weight bench.
• Hold your arms straight down at your sides with your palms facing inward; keep your shoulders relaxed, back, and down.
• Place your right foot firmly on top of the bench so that your right knee is bent and aligned directly over your ankle.
• Slightly bend your left knee and push off the floor to lift yourself upward.
• Pause briefly at the top and then step your left leg back down to the start.
• Complete reps with the right leg and then switch legs and repeat.

One-Leg Bench Squat

• Stand erect two to three feet in front of a bench with the bar resting across your upper back and feet shoulder width apart, toes pointed forward.
• Extend your left leg back, placing the top of your foot on the bench while keeping your right foot firmly planted on the floor.
• With your back flat, squat down until your right thigh is parallel to the floor.
• Press up through your heel, shifting your hips forward and squeezing your glutes to return to standing.
• Switch legs and repeat.

Exercise Ball Hip Lift

• Lie faceup on the floor, arms out at your sides, knees bent 90 degrees with an exercise ball under your feet.
• Dig into the ball with your heels to lift your hips as high as possible.
• Pause for a moment, then lower to just before your glutes touch the floor and repeat.

Calf Jump

• Extend your hands in front of your body, thumbs on top pointing straight ahead.
• Push through your calves and jump straight up, keeping your upper arms close to your sides.
• Continue making small jumps repeatedly (about three inches high).

Four Weeks To Fit: The Diet

Like Weeks 1-2, Weeks 3-4 are structured to help you lose weight while curtailing losses in lean muscle.

Phase Two: Weeks 3-4

• In this phase, again, you'll eat between 1,400-1,500 calories per day. However, your macronutrient intake will change.
• Because high-intensity training tears down muscle fibers at a rapid rate, you'll consume a combination of higher protein and healthy fats.
• Carb intake is low to help keep your metabolism humming along. Carbs are still consumed early in the day, but they taper off as insulin sensitivity increases.

Monday

Total Calories: 1,490   |  Fat: 47g  |  Carbs: 90g  |  Protein: 180g

Tuesday

Total Calories: 1,439   |  Fat: 50g  |  Carbs: 94g  |  Protein: 179g

Wednesday

Total Calories: 1,413   |  Fat: 52g  |  Carbs: 93g  |  Protein: 160g

Thursday

Total Calories: 1,448   |  Fat: 51g  |  Carbs: 82g  |  Protein: 171g

Friday

Total Calories: 1,480   |  Fat: 46g  |  Carbs: 97g  |  Protein: 178g

Saturday

Total Calories: 1,483   |  Fat: 51g  |  Carbs: 91g  |  Protein: 179g

Sunday

Total Calories: 1,410   |  Fat: 42g  |  Carbs: 88g  |  Protein: 164g

Main | Weeks 1-2 | Weeks 3-4