Workout Description
It’s said that how you start something is the key to how successful you’ll be. This statement rings true, especially when applied to fitness and weight loss. Many people who want to lose weight and get in shape start working out and become so confused about what to do versus what not to do, that they eventually get frustrated and give up.

At M&S, we’ve found that if you can get started and move in the right direction, you’ll be more likely to remain committed, which then helps them achieve the success they are looking for.

That’s why we created this eight-week program. Beginners can get started, commit to a simple routine, and eliminate all the noise around them.

Recommended: Need help losing fat? Take our free fat loss course!

This routine involves four weight training sessions and scheduled cardio sessions that will help you develop positive habits, move forward, and start seeing the progress that will motivate you to take this to the next level and make fitness a part of your lifestyle.

Additionally, we will cover a couple of other components like nutrition and recovery so you will be prepared to make this time “the time” you begin the process of changing your body and life positively.

Fit man doing barbell curls in the gym.

8 Week Fat Loss Workout for Beginners Overview
For the next eight weeks, you will be weight training and performing cardio sessions every other day. That means you will train one day, then take the next day off. The cycle repeats until you have completed eight weeks.

This plan is meant to be simple, yet effective.

Below we have included a couple of training and cardio schedule examples for you, but certainly modify it based on what works best for you.

Nutrition
You will find out that your nutrition will be even more important than the workouts. That is why we are covering this first. In the spirit of simplicity, the first lesson for weight loss is that the calories you take in must be less than the calories you burn every day.

You can figure out how many calories you need per day by using our Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) calculator. You simply follow the directions for the calculator to get the total calories you need every day to maintain your body now.

Once you get that number, subtract 500, which gives you the number of calories to eat per day. Eating 500 less is important because one pound of fat is equal to 3,500 calories. If you eat 500 calories below your BMR per day, then you should expect to lose one pound a week.

Once you know that number, you can begin setting up your nutrition plan. Our Fat Loss Guide can help you do that quickly. Once you have your nutrition plan in place, we can get to the training.

Water is going to be crucial as well. Make sure you drink at least half of your body weight in ounces. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, then drink 100 ounces of water per day.

The best approach to do this is drinking most of the water in the morning. That way, you are drinking less throughout the day, and you will be less likely to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.

Related: How To Build A Fat Loss Meal Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide

Cardio
Cardio is going to be essential for this. Aside from the workouts, you should plan on doing 20–30-minute cardio sessions. Ideally, this could be done separately from the weight training workouts. You can either do it first thing in the morning, or later in the day.

If time is not on your side, then go ahead and do the cardio after the weight training. Weights followed by cardio is the best strategy for fat loss if you must do them together.

Beginners should focus more on simply doing the work and being consistent, which is why doing steady-state cardio such as walking to increase your daily step count or Zone 2 cardio on a machine is recommended.

High-intensity interval training may be too challenging if you are new to training, but you can build up to that once you complete this program or are comfortable with a regular fitness routine.

Lean man on the stairmaster in the gym.

The Workouts
Free weights are very beneficial for fitness newcomers, and we are aware that many people reading and following our programs train from home. That is why most of the exercises shown here will be with dumbbells or body weight.

There are some machines included as well, but we have our Exercise Database that has many substitutions you can consider if you need them. Don’t be afraid to ask in the comments section, either. We can share suggestions for substitutions if you tell us what you are working with.

Related: Upper Body Alternatives to Your Favorite Gym Machines (Plus Free Workout!)

These workouts are split between the upper and lower body. You will target each major muscle group once per session. One abs exercise is included with each workout so you can target the core.

The “A” workouts will have you use heavier weights for lower reps to help with building muscle. The “B” sessions have different movements for higher reps to focus on endurance and burning calories.

The workouts are designed to be short but sweet. Since these are made for beginners, there is not as much volume as intermediate or advanced trainees may prefer. If that applies to you, fear not, because we have many other workouts to consider here on M&S.

Related: Lower Body Alternatives to Your Favorite Gym Machines (Plus Free Workout!)

Example Program Schedules:
Training + Cardio Schedule Option 1 (Same Day, Separate Times)

Monday: Cardio (AM), Workout 1 (PM)
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Cardio (AM), Workout 2 (PM)
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Cardio (AM), Workout 3 (PM)
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Cardio (AM), Workout 4 (PM)
Training + Cardio Schedule Option 2 (Post-Weight Training)

Monday: Workout 1 + Cardio
Tuesday: Workout 2 + Cardio
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Workout 3 + Cardio
Friday: Workout 4 + Cardio
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Rest
Recommended: Need a warm-up routine? Check out this 15-minute plan!

Fit man wearing a black tank top doing shoulder presses in the gym.

8 Week Beginner Fat Loss Workout
Workout #1 – Upper Body Workout A
Exercise Sets Reps Rest
Dumbbell Pullover 2 10 45 sec
Dumbbell Bench Press 2 10 45 sec
Arnold Press 2 10 45 sec
Dumbbell Curl 2 10 30 sec
Overhead Tricep Extension 2 10 30 sec
Lying Leg Raise 2 10 30 sec
Workout #2 – Lower Body Workout A
Exercise Sets Reps Rest
Goblet Squat 2 10 45 sec
Hip Thrust 2 10 45 sec
Walking Lunge 2 10, each leg 45 sec
Stiff Leg Deadlift 2 10 30 sec
Standing Calf Raise 2 10 30 sec
Oblique Crunch 2 10, each side 30 sec
Workout #3 – Upper Body Workout B
Exercise Sets Reps Rest
Bent Over Dumbbell Row 2 20 45 sec
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 2 20 45 sec
Dumbbell Reverse Fly 2 20 30 sec
Cable Curl 2 20 30 sec
Straight Bar Tricep Extension 2 20 30 sec
Plank 2 30 sec 30 sec
Workout #4 – Lower Body Workout B
Exercise Sets Reps Rest
Squat Jumps 2 20 45 sec
Standing Glute Kickback 2 20, each leg 45 sec
Leg Curl 2 20 30 sec
Leg Extension 2 20 30 sec
Seated Calf Raise 2 20 30 sec
Sit-Up 2 20 30 sec
Fit man sitting on the floor and doing stretches in the gym.
Recovery
Working out is important, but it will only be as effective as your recovery from those workouts. Fortunately, that doesn’t have to be complicated, either. These simple tips can help you properly recover from the workouts and prepare for the next one.

Eight hours of sleep every night
Stretching and mobility work post-workout
Meditation
Proper Supplementation
We have a complete guide on recovery that can help you create the plan that will be the easiest for you to follow.

Conclusion
This program is meant to serve two purposes – kick start your weight loss journey and make it simple to follow so you are more likely to stay consistent and see success. Eventually, you will need to challenge yourself in the gym and make personal diet changes, but that can wait until you find it easier to make this lifestyle a habit. If you are ready to take this on and change your physique for the better, then let us know how you progress on this routine so your success can inspire others to achieve their own.