4-Week Weight Loss Workout Plan & Diet Program

Got goals to lose your gut, get shredded, or just drop that extra weight? Good news bro, you’re in the right place. This 4-week weight loss workout plan and diet program will outline everything you need – without asking you to become a pro athlete.

What we have here is simple, yet effective advice built on the back of proven weight loss methods for men. Let’s do it, bro!

Article Brodown:

• The weight loss workout plan
• Weight loss workout routines – Weeks 1-4
• The lifestyle you need to adhere to
• Diet- What to eat for weight loss
• Final lift – Weight loss for alpha-males

The weight loss workout plan

Bro, we bet you already know that working out plays a huge role in weight loss. Not only does it blast through calories, but it’ll help you maintain masculine muscle too.

Rather than focus entirely on eating less – you can move your body to induce the shredz. After all, you’re not here to transform into a weedy beta, are you?

Because let’s face it bro, nobody wants to be known as the skinny guy. By working out as part of your weight loss plan, you can peel back layers of body fat and unleash your powerful muscle.

For this plan your workouts on three principles:

• Intense resistance training (IRT) – lifting weights with attitude to optimize calorie burning
• High-intensity interval training (HIIT) – moving your body at almost maximum intensity over shorter periods of time
• Low-intensity steady state cardio (LISS) – longer cardio sessions carried out at a moderate pace

Fat loss focus

Your main focus will be on IRT, followed by HIIT, and finally LISS. These are three formulas all proven to be effective for fat loss and speeding up weight loss gains.

Intense training takes priority because it makes the body work harder than low-intensity approaches. Therefore, activities like IRT and HIIT requires more energy, eventually targeting stubborn fat stores you want to empty. [1]

Burning fat for fuel

Imagine your body like a blazing jet engine and fat being the fuel reserves. Once the pilot pushes the plane to go faster, that fuel tank starts to empty rapidly, right?

Eventually, energy will have to come from the reserve tank, which in your case will be fat. So, if you want to see optimum results from the following IRT and HIIT sessions, don’t hold back.

Each IRT and HIIT workout has also been designed to incorporate multi-joint movements too. These moves recruit more muscle fibers than single joint exercises, making them superior for scorching calories. [2]

The workout week

Every week will consist of three IRT workouts, two HIIT sessions, and one optional LISS session.

Ideally, you’d perform the IRT workouts a day apart from each other. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide though.

The HIIT blasts can also be tagged onto the end of each IRT workout or performed as a standalone session. Again, it’s all down to you, bro – fit them in where you can.

Finally, the eagle-eyed brothers amongst us will have noticed the LISS session is optional. This is because LISS is a non-essential component to the program, yet we encourage it. Any type of moderately intense cardio training will do, bro.

Weight Loss Workout Routines – Weeks 1-4

Week 1

IRT Workout 1 – 3x per week

Rest: 45-60 seconds

1. Deadlift – 4 sets x 6 reps
2. Dumbbell clean – 4 sets x 8 reps
3. Bench press – 4 sets x 10 reps
4. Bent over kettlebell row – 4 sets x 8/8 reps
5. Superset: Triceps dips + Lat pull down – 4 sets x 10 reps
6. Plank – 3 sets x 60 seconds

HIIT Blast 1 – 2x per week

3 rounds with 1-minute rest in between

Hit each exercise hard for 20 seconds before taking 10 to recover. One round is equal to two complete cycles of exercises 1-4.

1. Jump rope
2. Mountain climbers
3. Pushups
4. Bicycle crunches

(Rest for 60 seconds)

LISS Session 1 – Optional

Any type of moderate cardio exercise

1. Cardio – 1 x 15-25 mins

Week 2

IRT Workout 2 – 3x per week

Rest: 45-60 seconds

1. Back squat – 4 sets x 6 reps
2. Russian kettlebell swing – 4 sets x 8 reps
3. Dumbbell lunges – 4 sets x 10 reps
4. Alternating dumbbell bench press – 4 sets x 8/8 reps
5. Superset: Pullups + box jumps – 4 sets x 10 reps
6. Dead bugs – 3 sets x 60 seconds

HIIT Blast 2 – 2x per week

3 rounds with 1-minute rest in between

Hit each exercise hard for 20 seconds before taking 10 to recover. One round is equal to two complete cycles of exercises 1-4.

1. Jump squats
2. Kettlebell swings
3. Battle rope waves
4. Crossbody toe-touch crunches

(Complete a full round and then for 60 seconds)

LISS Session 2 – Optional

Any type of moderate cardio exercise

1. Cardio – 1 x 20-30 mins

Week 3

IRT Workout 3 – 3x per week

Rest: 45-60 seconds

1. Romanian deadlift – 4 sets x 5 reps
2. Dumbbell snatch – 4 sets x 6/6 reps
3. Racked Kettlebell lunges – 4 sets x 6/6 reps
4. Incline bench press – 4 sets x 10 reps
5. Superset: Triceps cable pushdown + dumbbell push press – 4 sets x 10 reps
6. Medicine ball plank (arms extended w/ hands on ball) – 3 sets x 60 seconds

HIIT Blast 3 – 2x per week

3 rounds with 1-minute rest in between

Hit each exercise hard for 20 seconds before taking 10 to recover. One round is equal to two complete cycles of exercises 1-4.

1. Jump split squats
2. Pushups
3. Turkish get-ups
4. Knees to chest crunches

(Rest for 60 seconds)

LISS Session 3 – Optional

Any type of moderate cardio exercise

1. Cardio – 1 x 25-35 mins

Week 4

IRT Workout 4 – 3x per week

Rest: 45-60 seconds

1. Box squats – 4 sets x 5 reps
2. Trap bar deadlift – 6 reps
3. Military press – 4 sets x 8 reps
4. Pullups – 4 sets x 10 reps
5. Superset: Goblet squat + medicine ball slams – 4 sets x 12 reps
6. Hanging knee raise – 3 sets x 12 reps

HIIT Blast 4 – 2x per week

3 rounds with 1-minute rest in between

Hit each exercise hard for 20 seconds before taking 10 to recover. One round is equal to two complete cycles of exercises 1-4.

1. Battle rope slams
2. American kettlebell swings
3. Row machine or assault bike
4. Box jumps

(Complete a full round and then rest for 60 seconds)

LISS Session 4 – Optional

Any type of moderate cardio exercise

1. Cardio – 1 x 30-45 mins

The lifestyle you need to adhere to – including diet

Looking good and feeling even better isn’t a once a week hobby, bro. It’s an entire lifestyle built around hard work, dedication, and self-respect.

It’s a day after day decision to live clean, play dirty, and accept there ain’t gonna be no shortcuts. Fortunately for you, SpotMeBro represents the iron life in every waking second – and we’re here to guide you.

The 10 Bro-ly Commandments

Here are our 10 bro-ly weight loss lifestyle commandments. Write them down, save to your phone, or damn get each one tattooed on your chest! Just stick to ’em bro:

1. Crush sugar – sugar is full of empty calories that’ll sabotage your shredz
2. Stay hydrated – thirst is often misinterpreted as hunger (3-4 L water per day)
3. Kick the alcohol – alcohol impacts hormones and will also lower your inhibitions
4. Get enough sleep (7-8 hours) – poor sleep is directly related to certain cravings [3]
5. Train! – maintain muscle mass and simultaneously burn fat by lifting weights
6. Set realistic goals – striving for a target can provide motivation and achieving it is an awesome feeling (1 lb per week weight loss = realistic)
7. Be accountable – nobody forces you to eat cookies, bro
8. Find a role model – aspire to act and perform like someone inspires you e.g. an athlete
9. Stick to the 80/20 rule – eat clean 80% of the time but save the 20% for a hormone-resetting cheat meal
10. Weigh yourself twice a week – standing on the scales every day can induce obsession. Try twice a week instead

Diet – What to eat for weight loss

Losing weight is simple, bro – you’ve just gotta enter a calorie deficit. And while that might sound complex, it just means you need to burn more calories than you consume.

Once this process begins to happen your body then turns to its own energy reserves for fuel. As a human this energy is strapped to your body as fat, via a process perfected through evolution.

There’s no two ways about it, bro – calories are the king of weight loss.

Get them right and you’re only a matter of time away from rippling abs, d*ckskin shredz, and single digit body fat. Eat ‘em up wrong though? It’s man-tiddies, bingo wings, and an un-flattering physique for you.

How many calories do you need?

To work out how many calories to eat in a day, you must first find your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). This is how many calories your *ss burns a day just to keep you alive. We’re not talking about walking or hip-thrusting – more like barely breathing in a coma, bro.

Follow this formula to find your BMR:

66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) – ( 6.8 x age in years )

Next, multiply your BMR by your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). Be brutally honest with yourself here because if you lie you’ll f*ck up the entire equation. We don’t give a sh*t how lazy you are – so stick to the truth…

• Sedentary (little or no exercise): BMR x 1.2
• Lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week): BMR x 1.375
• Moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week): BMR x 1.55
• Very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week): BMR x 1.725
• Extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training): BMR x 1.9

Got it, bro? Sweet. Now deduct a safe 15-20% to enter a calorie deficit and we’re good to go.

Bro tip: It is possible to go savage with your cut – but this aggressive approach can be brutal. If you’ve never gone on a harsh cut before, stick to the tried and tested 20% rule.

Making calories count

When losing weight, it’s important to make every calorie count. Therefore, you must consider the purpose of each one you eat before you chow it down.

Don’t just count calories – make the calories count.

Protein

Your number one priority as a bro who wants to lose weight? Protein. Not only is a high-protein diet proven to promote optimized fat loss – it’ll help you maintain lean muscle mass too [4] [5].

Because you’ll be keeping kcals under control you should always look for a lean source. These include the likes of:

• Chicken breast
• Turkey mince
• Lean beef
• Buffalo
• Tuna and swordfish
• Salmon
• Soy

Check out our complete protein guide to set you on the right track, bro. But if you’re after a quick tip, the ISSN recommend 1.4 – 2.0 g per 1 kg of body weight every day [6].

Spread your daily protein amount out over six small meals and you’ll sail into the single digits.

Carbohydrates

Secondly, ensure you’re eating the right kinds of carbs too.

Complex carbohydrates provide a slower release of energy and are less likely to be turned into body fat. So, stick to these guys where possible and cycle them around times of high-activity (morning and training).

Examples of complex carbohydrates include:

• Brown rice
• Oatmeal
• Quinoa
• Sweet potato
• Whole-wheat pasta
• Whole-wheat bread

If in doubt, give our Guide to Carbs and Weight Loss for Bodybuilders a read. Everything you need to know can be found in greater detail there.

Fats

Lastly, don’t ditch healthy fats. It’s a misconception that they’ll make you, well… fat. Wiping out an essential food group will f*ck you up, bro.

Fats are super important for everything from optimizing your testosterone to allowing your body to use vitamins – so eat ‘em every single day. Just remember that 1 g of fat is equal to 9 kcal, which means you’ll have to exercise a bit of moderation, bro.

Here’s a handy article we recently wrote all about healthy fats for muscle building. Take the key points from there and implement them into your new weight loss diet plan.

Cheat meals

We had you there, bro! You thought that it was brown rice, chicken, and broccoli for life, didn’t you?

No way, amigo. Remember the 80/20 rule we talked about? Yeah? Well, this is the good part.

Once a week, allow yourself a reward for your hard work with a cheat meal. Yup, anything you like – even if it’s ice cream on top of a pizza. Don’t feel guilty either bro because if you’ve followed the plan you deserve it.

Allowing yourself a planned break from dieting has shown to help reset hormones and stamp out cravings. Plus, a planned session of serious mouth pleasure can help reignite your hunger to smash your goals [7].

Final lift – Weighing up weight loss for alpha-males

As an alpha-male in his prime you, haven’t got time to read a diet book a day on top of balancing everything the bro life throws at you. Therefore, don’t make losing weight into a confusing science.

There ain’t any corners to cut with this bad boy – we’ve gone straight for functional simplicity. Stick with us with the entire four weeks and let the plan do the work.

Remember – the key point is you should lose weight via excess body fat and not muscle. It’s your duty as a manimal to maintain a strong and powerful physique, so embrace the grind in the iron house.

Lifting weights will help you scorch away those fat stores without sacrificing your swoleness. Drastically cutting calories and forgetting food groups will only work if you’re going for the marooned on an island skinny boy look.

F*ck that, bro! Stay stacked and get shredded.

More muscle obsessed reading reps you might like:

• Muscle vs. Fat Weight: Can You Turn Fat Into Muscle?
• Best Low Carb Snacks for Bodybuilders
• 5 Best Breakfasts for Weight Loss

References

1. Falcone P, et al. Caloric Expenditure of Aerobic, Resistance, or Combined High-Intensity Interval Training Using a Hydraulic Resistance System in Healthy Men.J Strength Cond Res. 2015
2. Reis VM,et al. Energy cost of isolated resistance exercises across low- to high-intensities.PLoS One. 2017
3. Greer S, et al. The impact of sleep deprivation on food desire in the human brain.Nat Commun. 2013
4. Campos-Nonato I, et al. Effect of a High-Protein Diet versus Standard-Protein Diet on Weight Loss and Biomarkers of Metabolic Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Obes facts. 2017
5. Helms E, et al. A Systematic Review of Dietary Protein during Caloric Restriction in Resistance Trained Lean Athletes: A Case for Higher Intakes. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2014
6. Campbell B, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2007
7. Coelho do Vale, R., Pieters, R. and Zeelenberg, M. (2016). The benefits of behaving badly on occasion: Successful regulation by planned hedonic deviations. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 26(1), pp.17-28.