Losing weight isn’t easy, but it can be achievable if you follow the right process. It requires a good diet program, consistent physical training, quality sleep, and a little knowledge of how the body and metabolism work.
In this article, I’ll show you how to train 3x weekly to increase fat loss and improve body composition.
This 3 day weight loss workout routine involves performing strength and cardio workouts on the same day.
Cardio exercises burn calories at a quick pace and help support fat loss, while resistance training builds strength and lean mass.1 Effects of aerobic and resistance training on body mass and fat mass in overweight or obese adults – Journal of Applied Physiology
Pairing this workout program with a weight loss meal plan will help you achieve the best shape over time.
But remember that no plan is perfect, so it can work or cannot. The best thing you can do is to try this program for 8 to 12 weeks and see if it works for you. And if it doesn’t, make the necessary adjustments or consult a professional.
Weight Loss Program Summary
| Goal | Fat Loss & Muscle Gain |
| Duration | 12-16 weeks |
| Sessions/Week | 3 Days a week |
| Duration/Session | 75-90 minutes |
| Exercise Type | Strength & Cardio |
| Calories Burned/Session | 750-1000 |
| Target Gender | Male & Females |
| Experienced Required | Intermediate |
This program includes a variety of exercises, from the dumbbell and barbell to machine and body weight.
The primary focus will be on compound movements, followed by isolation exercises.
The compound exercises train multiple body parts simultaneously and isolation exercises are good for addressing and bolstering the little muscle groups.
You’ll also do low to moderate-intensity cardio at the end to burn a higher number of calories. This cardio will also keep your body temperature high even after hours of training and force your body to torch calories faster.
The Full Body 3 Day Workout Routine for Weight Loss
This program involves training on alternate days. On the first day, you’ll do strength training and low-impact cardio, on the second day, you’ll do weight training followed by medium-intensity cardio, and on the third day, you’ll do resistance training and abdominal workout.
- Day 1: Weight Training + Low Impact Cardio
- Day 2: Strength Training + Moderate Intensity Cardio
- Day 3: Resistance Training + Core Workout
- Rest on alternate days.
Week 1
Day 1: Weight Training + Low-Intensity Cardio
| Workout | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incline Bench Press | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 2-3 min |
| Pec Deck Fly | 3 | 12, 10, 10 | 1-2 min |
| Bent-over Row | 3 | 12, 10, 10 | 2-3 min |
| Seated Cable Row | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 2-3 min |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 10, 8, 6 | 2-3 min |
| Treadmill Jog | 1 | 15-20 mins | – |
Day 2: Weight Training + Moderate Intensity Cardio
| Workout | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lat Pulldown | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 2-3 min |
| Military Press | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 2-3 min |
| 1-arm Lateral Raises | 3 | 15/side | 1-minute |
| Walking Lunges | 3 | 10/leg | 1-minute |
| 10-minute Treadmill | – | – | – |
| 5-minute Battle Rope | – | – | – |
| 5-minute Jumping Rope | – | – | – |
Cardio Exercise Instructions:
- Treadmill: Run at 65-75% of your maximum heart rate.
- Battle Rope: Perform 5 sets of 20 seconds with 1 minute of rest in between.
- Jumping Rope: Aim for 5 sets of 50 reps with 1 minute of rest in between.
Day 3: Resistance Training + Core Workout
| Workout | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith Machine Squat | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 2-3 min |
| Leg Extensions | 3 | 20, 15, 15 | 1-2 min |
| 1-arm DB Rowing | 3 | 10/side | 1-2 min |
| Upright Row | 3 | 12, 10, 10 | 2-3 min |
| Cable Crossover | 3 | 12, 10, 10 | 1-2 min |
| 15 HIIT Core Workout | – | – |
Week 2
Day 1: Weight Training + Low-Intensity Cardio
| Workout | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incline Hammer Press | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 2-3 min |
| Seated Cable Rowing | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 2-3 min |
| Kettlebell Clean & Press | 3 | 8, 8, 6 | 2-3 min |
| Barbell Hip Thrust | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
| Treadmill | 1 | 10-minute | – |
| Bicycling | 1 | 10-minute | – |
Day 2: Strength Training + Medium Intensity Cardio
| Workout | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close Grip Lat Pulldown | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 2-3 min |
| Machine Leg Press | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 2-3 min |
| DB Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Lateral Raises | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 1-2 min |
| Barbell Curls | 3 | 12, 10, 10 | 1-2 min |
| Burpees (Cardio) | 8 | 5-6 | 30-sec |
Day 3: Resistance Training + Core Workout
| Workout | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| SM Machine Lunges | 3 | 10/leg | 2-3 min |
| Seated Cable Row | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 2-3 min |
| Cable Crossover | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 2-3 min |
| Triceps Extension | 3 | 15-20 | 2-3 min |
| Face Pull | 3 | 15-20 | 2-3 min |
| HIIT Core Workout | 1 | 15-minute | – |
Week 3
Day 1: Weight Training + Low-Intensity Cardio
| Workout | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seated Cable Row | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 2-3 min |
| Incline Hammer Chest Press | 3 | 12, 10, 10 | 1-2 min |
| Push Press | 3 | 8-10 | 1-2 min |
| Weighted Farmer’s Walk | 5 | 20mtr/30-sec hold | 1-2 min |
| Bench Dips | 3 | 15-20 | 1-2 min |
| Treadmill Jog | 1 | 15-min | – |
| Bicycling | 1 | 5-min | – |
Day 2: Strength Training + Medium Intensity Cardio
| Workout | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front Lat Pulldown | 3 | 10 x 2 | 2-3 min |
| Incline Bench Press | 3 | 10 x 2 | 2-3 min |
| Lateral Delt Raises | 3 | 10 x 2 | 2-3 min |
| Dumbbell Biceps Curl | 3 | 10 x 2 | 2-3 min |
| 10-minute Treadmill | – | – | – |
| 5-minute Battle Rope | – | – | – |
| 5-minute Jumping Rope | – | – | – |
Instructions for Cardio:
- Treadmill: Run at 65-75% of your maximum heart rate.
- Battle Rope: Perform 5 sets of 20 seconds with 1 minute of rest in between.
- Jumping Rope: Aim for 5 sets of 50 reps with 1 minute of rest in between.
Day 3: Resistance Training + Core Workout
| Workout | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith Machine Squat | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 2-3 mins |
| Arnold Press/Thruster | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 2-3 mins |
| Chest Supported DB Row | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 2-3 mins |
| Reverse Pec Fly | 3 | 12-15 | 1-2 mins |
| Barbell Hip Thrust | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 2-3 mins |
| 15-Min Triset Ab Workout | – | – | – |
Week 4
Day 1: Weight Training + Low-Intensity Cardio
| Workout | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettlebell Swings | 3 | 15/arm | 1-minute |
| Seated Cable Row | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 2-3 mins |
| Cable Crossover | 3 | 15, 12, 10 | 1-2 mins |
| Upright Row | 3 | 10-12 | 1-2 mins |
| Leg Curls | 3 | 15-20 | 1-2 mins |
| Treadmill | 1 | 15-min | – |
| Bicycling | 1 | 5-min | – |
Day 2: Strength Training + Medium Intensity Cardio
| Workout | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machine Leg Press | 3 | 15-20 | 2-3 mins |
| Front Lat Pulldown | 3 | 10-15 | 2-3 mins |
| Incline Bench Press | 3 | 10-15 | 2-3 mins |
| Lateral Delt Raises | 3 | 10-15 | 2-3 mins |
| Rope Pushdown | 3 | 15-20 | 1-2 mins |
| Burpees | 8 | 5-6 | 30-sec |
Day 3: Resistance Training + Core Workout
| Workout | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weighted Lunges | 3 | 10/leg | 2-3 mins |
| T-Bar Row | 3 | 10-12 | 2-3 mins |
| Thruster | 3 | 10-12 | 2-3 mins |
| Cable Pull Through | 3 | 10-12 | 2-3 mins |
| Farmer’s Walk | 3 | 20 meters | 1-2 mins |
| Triset Abs Workout | – | 20-minute | – |
Download The Program PDF
Is Working Out Three Days a Week Enough for Weight Loss?
Working out three times a week isn’t enough, but better than doing no exercise.
A study published on the National Institute of Health website suggests exercising 225-420 minutes a week to helps promotes weight loss.2 Swift DL, Johannsen NM, Lavie CJ, Earnest CP, Church TS. The role of exercise and physical activity in weight loss and maintenance. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2014;56(4):441-447. doi:10.1016/j.pcad.2013.09.012
So, you’ll have to perform cardio and strength training at least 90-120 minutes per session and 270-360 minutes per week to achieve good results.
It is also important to make necessary changes in your training program to work on specific goals. For example, if you’re losing weight but aren’t feeling strong, you can start progressive overload strength training or perform cardio and weight lifting in separate sessions.
But, remember if you eat more calories than your body burns throughout the day, you’ll never lose weight doesn’t matter how much you train. Though, exercising will help you get stronger, promote cardiovascular health, and help you reach a higher fitness level.3 Bellicha A, van Baak MA, Battista F, et al. Effect of exercise training on weight loss, body composition changes, and weight maintenance in adults with overweight or obesity: An overview of 12 systematic reviews and 149 studies. Obes Rev. 2021;22 Suppl 4(Suppl 4):e13256. doi:10.1111/obr.13256, 4 Pojednic R, D’Arpino E, Halliday I, Bantham A. The Benefits of Physical Activity for People with Obesity, Independent of Weight Loss: A Systematic Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(9):4981. Published 2022 Apr 20. doi:10.3390/ijerph19094981
Once you decide to increase the frequency, the following routines are worth trying:
Explore more resources that can help you speed up your fat loss:
- List of 53 Low-Calorie Foods That Can Fill You Up for Longer
- Top 10 Free Books on Intermittent Fasting
- 12-Week Weight Loss Meal Plan
References
- 1Effects of aerobic and resistance training on body mass and fat mass in overweight or obese adults – Journal of Applied Physiology
- 2Swift DL, Johannsen NM, Lavie CJ, Earnest CP, Church TS. The role of exercise and physical activity in weight loss and maintenance. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2014;56(4):441-447. doi:10.1016/j.pcad.2013.09.012
- 3Bellicha A, van Baak MA, Battista F, et al. Effect of exercise training on weight loss, body composition changes, and weight maintenance in adults with overweight or obesity: An overview of 12 systematic reviews and 149 studies. Obes Rev. 2021;22 Suppl 4(Suppl 4):e13256. doi:10.1111/obr.13256
- 4Pojednic R, D’Arpino E, Halliday I, Bantham A. The Benefits of Physical Activity for People with Obesity, Independent of Weight Loss: A Systematic Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(9):4981. Published 2022 Apr 20. doi:10.3390/ijerph19094981
