Week 1-4: Foundation Phase

Goals:

• Build endurance
• Kickstart fat loss
• Establish workout consistency

Training:

• Strength Training (4 days per week)

  • Focus on full-body workouts with compound movements like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, rows, and lunges.
  • Reps: 8-12
  • Sets: 3-4
  • Rest: 60-90 seconds between sets

  Example Split:

  • Day 1: Upper Body Push (chest, shoulders, triceps)
  • Day 2: Lower Body (quads, hamstrings, glutes)
  • Day 3: Upper Body Pull (back, biceps)
  • Day 4: Full Body Circuit

• Cardio (3-4 days per week)

  • Start with moderate-intensity cardio like jogging, cycling, or swimming.
  • Duration: 20-30 minutes per session.

Nutrition:

• Focus on eating clean, whole foods.
• Prioritize lean protein (chicken, fish, tofu), complex carbs (quinoa, oats), and healthy fats (avocado, nuts).
• Calorie deficit if your goal is fat loss (500-700 fewer calories than maintenance).

Week 5-8: Build & Strengthen

Goals:

• Increase strength and muscle definition
• Accelerate fat loss

Training:

• Strength Training (5 days per week)

  • Split into muscle groups (push/pull/legs) or upper/lower body.
  • Add more volume by increasing sets to 4-5 and slightly lower reps (6-10).
  • Incorporate progressive overload (increase weight or reps each week).

  Example Split:

  • Day 1: Upper Body (push focus)
  • Day 2: Lower Body (quad dominant)
  • Day 3: Rest
  • Day 4: Upper Body (pull focus)
  • Day 5: Lower Body (glute and hamstring focus)

• Cardio (3 days per week)

  • Add High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) 2-3 times a week to burn fat faster.
  • Example: 30 seconds sprint + 60 seconds walk, repeat for 20 minutes.

Nutrition:

• Adjust calories if fat loss is stalling or muscle gain needs a boost.
• Maintain a high protein intake (1g per lb of body weight) for muscle preservation.
• Start incorporating nutrient timing (protein and carbs post-workout).

Week 9-12: Peak Phase

Goals:

• Maximize muscle definition and fat loss
• Fine-tune conditioning and endurance

Training:

• Strength Training (5-6 days per week)

  • Push yourself to lift heavier with fewer reps (5-8) and increase intensity with drop sets, supersets, or circuits.
  • Add variety with explosive movements (e.g., kettlebell swings, jump squats).

  Example Split:

  • Day 1: Push (chest, shoulders, triceps)
  • Day 2: Legs (quads, glutes)
  • Day 3: Pull (back, biceps)
  • Day 4: Full Body/Conditioning Circuit
  • Day 5: Lower Body (hamstrings, glutes)
  • Day 6: Upper Body (emphasis on lagging muscle groups)

• Cardio (4-5 days per week)

  • Increase HIIT intensity and duration (20-30 minutes).
  • Add fasted morning cardio for enhanced fat burning (optional).
  • One day of steady-state cardio for active recovery.

Nutrition:

• Refine your diet: cut out any processed foods, alcohol, and excessive sugar.
• Consider carb cycling to maximize fat loss while maintaining energy for workouts.
• Stay hydrated and monitor your sodium intake to reduce water retention.