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.
Push-Ups With Feet On An Exercise Ball
Overhead Medicine Ball Throw
Pullups (machine assisted)
Squat Cable Row
Shoulder YTWL Circuit (L not shown)
* Between each circuit, complete 5 minutes on treadmill, StepMill or elliptical at 70-75% MHR.
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 (Multiple Response)
Bench Step Ups
One Leg Barbell Bench Squat
Butt Lift (Bridge) with Feet on Exercise Ball
Calf Jump (with/without rope)
* Between each circuit, complete 5 minutes on treadmill, StepMill, or elliptical at 70-75% MHR.
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.
Breakfast
-
Egg Whites, Scrambled/Boiled
3
-
Flaxseeds
1 tbsp
-
Oatmeal, Uncooked
1/3 cup
Late-morning Snack:
-
Chicken Breast, White Meat
3oz
-
Walnuts, Halves
.75oz
Lunch:
-
Cabbage, Shredded
1 cup
-
Chicken Breast, White Meat
4oz
-
Soft Corn Tortillas
2
Midday Snack:
-
Banana
1 medium
-
Flaxseeds
1 tbsp
-
Whey Protein
1 1/2 scoops
Dinner:
-
Avocado
2oz
-
Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbsp
-
Salad w/ Tomato and Onion
1 medium
-
Turkey Breast, White Meat
4oz
Nighttime Snack:
-
Flaxseeds
1 tbsp
-
Whey Protein
1 1/2 scoops
Total Calories: 1,490 | Fat: 47g | Carbs: 90g | Protein: 180g
Breakfast
-
Egg Whites, Scrambled/Boiled
3
-
Flaxseeds
1 tbsp
-
Grits, Uncooked
1/4 cup
Late-morning Snack:
-
Chicken Breast, White Meat
3oz
-
Almonds
15
Lunch:
-
Cabbage, Shredded
1 cup
-
Ground Turkey Breast, 99% Fat-Free
4oz
-
Soft Corn Tortillas
2
Midday Snack:
-
Blueberries
3oz
-
Flaxseeds
1 tbsp
-
Whey Protein
1 1/2 scoops
Dinner:
-
Walnuts, Halves
.75oz
-
Broccoli
4oz
-
Turkey Breast, White Meat
4oz
Nighttime Snack:
-
Peanut Butter, Natural
1 tbsp
-
Whey Protein
1 1/2 scoops
Total Calories: 1,439 | Fat: 50g | Carbs: 94g | Protein: 179g
Breakfast
-
Egg Whites, Scrambled/Boiled
3
-
Flaxseeds
1 tbsp
-
Hash Browns, Home-Prepared
2oz
Late-morning Snack:
-
Chicken Breast, White Meat
3oz
-
Walnuts, Halves
.75oz
Lunch:
-
Zucchini
1/2 cup
-
Turkey Breast, White Meat
4oz
-
Sweet Potato, Baked, Skinless
4oz
Midday Snack:
-
Apple
1/2 medium
-
Flaxseeds
1 tbsp
-
Whey Protein
1 1/2 scoops
Dinner:
-
Avocado
1oz
-
Broccoli
4oz
-
Egg Whites, Scrambled/Boiled
3
Nighttime Snack:
-
Almond Butter, Natural
1 tbsp
-
Whey Protein
1 1/2 scoops
Total Calories: 1,413 | Fat: 52g | Carbs: 93g | Protein: 160g
Breakfast
-
Egg Whites, Scrambled/Boiled
3
-
Flaxseeds
1 tbsp
-
Oatmeal, Uncooked
1/3 cup
Late-morning Snack:
-
Chicken Breast, White Meat
3oz
-
Avocado
2oz
Lunch:
-
Cabbage, Shredded
1 cup
-
Chicken Breast, White Meat
4oz
-
Brown Rice, Cooked
1/2 cup
Midday Snack:
-
Grapefruit
1/2 medium
-
Flaxseeds
1 tbsp
-
Whey Protein
1 1/2 scoops
Dinner:
-
Walnuts, Halves
.75oz
-
Balsamic Vinegar
2 tbsp
-
Baby Spinach
1 1/2 cups
-
Shrimp
4oz
Nighttime Snack:
-
Flaxseeds
1 tbsp
-
Whey Protein
1 1/2 scoops
Total Calories: 1,448 | Fat: 51g | Carbs: 82g | Protein: 171g
Breakfast
-
Egg Whites, Scrambled/Boiled
3
-
Flaxseeds
1 tbsp
-
Cream of Rice, Measured Uncooked
1.5oz
Late-morning Snack:
-
Turkey Breast, 99% Fat-free
4oz
-
Walnuts, Halves
.75oz
Lunch:
-
Asparagus
4oz
-
Shrimp
4oz
-
Sweet Potato, Baked, Skinless
4oz
Midday Snack:
-
Orange
1/2 large
-
Peanut Butter, Natural
1 tbsp
-
Whey Protein
1 1/2 scoops
Nighttime Snack:
-
Flaxseeds
1 tbsp
-
Whey Protein
1 1/2 scoops
Total Calories: 1,480 | Fat: 46g | Carbs: 97g | Protein: 178g
Breakfast
-
Egg Whites, Scrambled/Boiled
3
-
Flaxseeds
1 tbsp
-
Oat Bran
1/2 cup
Late-morning Snack:
-
Chicken Breast, White Meat
3oz
-
Walnuts, Halves
.75oz
Lunch:
-
Zucchini
1/2 cup
-
Chicken Breast, White Meat
4oz
-
Soft Corn Tortillas
2
Midday Snack:
-
Banana
1/2 medium
-
Flaxseeds
1 tbsp
-
Egg Whites, Scrambled/Boiled
3
Dinner:
-
Avocado
1oz
-
Baby Spinach
1 1/2 cups
-
Turkey Breast, White Meat
4oz
Nighttime Snack:
-
Almond Butter, Natural
1 tbsp
-
Whey Protein
1 1/2 scoops
Total Calories: 1,483 | Fat: 51g | Carbs: 91g | Protein: 179g
Breakfast
-
Egg Whites, Scrambled/Boiled
3
-
Flaxseeds
1 tbsp
-
Oatmeal, Uncooked
1/3 cup
Late-morning Snack:
-
Chicken Breast, White Meat
3oz
-
Walnuts, Halves
.75oz
Lunch:
-
Green Beans
4oz
-
Tilapia
4oz
-
Brown Rice, Cooked
1/2 cup
Midday Snack:
-
Apple
1/2 medium
-
Flaxseeds
1 tbsp
-
Whey Protein
1 1/2 scoops
Dinner:
-
Avocado
1oz
-
Asparagus
4oz
-
Egg Whites, Scrambled/Boiled
3
Nighttime Snack:
-
Peanut Butter, Natural
1 tbsp
-
Whey Protein
1 1/2 scoops
Total Calories: 1,410 | Fat: 42g | Carbs: 88g | Protein: 164g