The Simple, At-Home Workout Plan for Weight Loss

If you're new to exercise but want to lose weight, going to the gym can sound like a nightmare. The good news is, you don't need much to get a great workout done at home. Using your your bodyweight, you can score the benefits of strength training and then tack on some cardio moves to reap all the amazing benefits of weight-loss exercise at home. (Read this too: How Much Weight Can You Safely Lose In a Month?)

"To really get your blood pumping and help you lose fat faster, this workout ramps up the intensity of strength training with blasts of cardio," says Zen Nguyen, corporate trainer for 24 Hour Fitness gyms, who teamed with the chain's head of fitness, Ingrid Owen, to create this speedy strength and cardio routine. (Related: You Don't Have to Do Cardio to Lose Weight—But There's a Catch)

How it works: Simply do these moves in a circuit, performing the Cross Jack (shown on the following slide) after each strength move. Repeat the circuit once or twice. Do this weight-loss exercise at home three times a week on nonconsecutive days. Mix these strength-and-sweat sessions with the 1, 2, 3 cardio workouts included to build muscle and score cardiovascular benefits, too.

Do this cardio move between between strength exercises.

A. Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms at sides. Jump feet wide as you raise arms overhead, crossing one wrist in front of the other.

B. Jump feet together, crossing one foot in front of the other as you cross arms in front of hips.

C. Repeat, switching arm and foot positions each time you jump.

Continue for 30 seconds-1 minute. 

A. Balance on right leg, left leg bent with foot slightly off floor in front of you.

B. With hands on hips or extended in front of you for balance, lower into a squat on right leg, keeping right knee aligned with toes.

C. Maintaining squat throughout, extend left leg out to left, toes facing forward and foot flexed; lower left leg.

Do 10 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

Trainer's Tip: Lift your leg as high as you can while staying balanced and without having to lean to the opposite side.

A. Get in full push-up position on floor, arms extended with wrists under shoulders, body forming a straight line from head to heels.

B. Step right foot forward to bring right knee toward right elbow as you reach forward with left hand.

C. Switch sides, bringing left knee toward left elbow as you reach forward with right hand.

D. Remaining in crouched position throughout, continue crawling forward for 30 seconds. Reverse movement to return to start. (No space? Alternate crawling two steps forward and then two steps back.)

Trainer's Tip: Don't let your hips rise too far up as you crawl.

A. Lie on left side next to a wall with back facing the wall, head resting on left hand, right hand on floor in front of body for balance. Extend legs forward so that they're slightly in front of body.

B. Press right heel back against wall behind you, foot flexed with toes pointing forward. Keeping hips and shoulders squared forward, keep pressing heel against wall as you slide foot up as far as you can.

C. Lower leg (still pressing heel) to start position.

Do 10 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

Trainer's Tip: If your hips shift forward during the leg lift, you've gone too high.

A. Stand with feet hip-width apart, hands on hips. Step forward with right leg and lower into a lunge, both knees bent 90 degrees.

B. Lean forward over right thigh and place hands on floor on either side of right foot. Step right foot back so that you?re in full push-up position and then bend elbows, lowering chest toward floor. (To make it easier: Simply hold push-up position for 1 count without lowering.)

C. Press up, bring right foot forward again, rise up into a lunge and step back to return to start.

Switch legs and repeat. Do 10 reps, alternating sides.

A. Balance on right leg, left leg bent and raised behind you slightly. With right hand on hip, lower into a squat on right leg and reach left hand toward right toes.

B. Rise up, keeping left foot off floor, and reach left arm forward.

Do 10 reps. Switch sides; repeat.

A. Sit on floor with hands behind hips and knees bent, feet flat. Lift hips into tabletop position (torso is parallel to floor) so that ankles are aligned under knees and wrists are aligned under shoulders, fingers pointing forward or slightly out to sides.

B. Walk forward 4 steps, then stop and extend right leg up as you reach left hand toward right toes. Switch sides and repeat, then continue walking forward another 4 steps.

Continue for 30 seconds to a minute. Reverse the direction to return to start.

Trainer's Tip: Look slightly forward or up as you walk, whichever is most comfortable for your neck.

A. Get in an inverted-V position on floor with feet hip-width apart, hands shoulder-width apart and hips up.

B. Bend elbows out to sides and lower head and shoulders toward floor between hands.

Do 10 reps. 

A. Lie facedown with arms and legs extended off floor, palms facing down.

B. Keeping head, arms and legs lifted, roll over so you're faceup.

C. Roll again in the same direction to return to start. That's 1 rep. Repeat, going the opposite direction.

Do 10 reps.

Your aim in this weight loss exercise plan is to accumulate 100 points' worth of weekly aerobic exercise—run, walk, hike, swim, bike, whatever you like-in addition to your sculpting sessions.

Here's how it works: For every 10 minutes of cardio at a moderate intensity (that's one at which you can talk in choppy sentences), give yourself 10 points. For every 10 minutes at a vigorous level (at which you can't maintain a conversation), make it 20 points. The goal is to compile 100 points during the course of the week. Here, some examples of how to dice up that cardio.

• Three 30-minute moderate sessions + 5 minutes of vigorous exercise
• Two 30-minute moderate sessions + one 40-minute moderate workout
• One 20-minute moderate session + two 20-minute vigorous workouts
• Two 25-minute vigorous sessions (time-saver!)
• One 30-minute vigorous session + one 40-minute moderate workout