By Marnie Kunz, NASM-certified personal trainer

Strength training for weight loss can help you lose fat and improve your body composition. As a trainer, clients most often come to me wanting to lose weight, and many have misconceptions about how to do it. There’s a long-standing belief that more cardio - even as much as marathon training - can help lose weight. While cardio helps with calorie burning, strength training is the most effective at changing your body composition and appearance, making it an excellent tool for weight loss. Resistance training boosts your metabolism, creates more lean muscle tissue, and helps with fat loss. This guide will offer an overview of how to use strength training for weight loss and includes a sample weight loss workout program.

Strength Training 101

Strength training is also called resistance training and can be broken down into different forms of strengthening workouts - weight training, bodyweight exercises, and resistance band workouts. Compound exercises and circuit training are some of the most effective ways of strength training for weight loss. Read on for some sample exercises that can help you lose weight and build strength.

Resistance training should be part of any fitness program and can help you enjoy many health benefits. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults do at least two days of strength training per week for good health.

Benefits of Strength Training for Weight Loss

Strength training offers many health benefits, including weight loss. Here are some of the benefits of resistance training to lose weight:

Reduces Body Fat

Strength training helps alter your body composition by increasing your lean muscle mass and reducing your body fat. Strength training is the best way to tone and sculpt your body and lose fat. According to a recent study, strength training can help people lose around 1.4 percent of their total body fat.

Related Post: 10 Ways to Calculate Body Fat

Boosts Metabolism

Resistance training builds lean muscle mass, which burns more calories than fat tissue. So, strength training will help your body burn more calories even when you’re not exercising, speeding up your metabolism.

Also, there is an effect called post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), which causes your body to use more oxygen while recovering from workouts. This elevates your metabolism, helping to boost your calorie burning when you’re recovering from a workout.

Preserves Lean Muscle Mass

Losing weight often causes people to lose more than just fat, as they lose lean muscles as well. This can slow down their metabolism and also cause problems from deteriorated muscles. Strength training for weight loss is the best way to protect your muscles, ensuring you don’t lose muscle mass from your weight loss program. Building muscle will give you functional benefits like reducing your risk of injuries while also offering aesthetic benefits like a more toned, defined look.

Beginners Home Workout Sample Program - No Equipment

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Sustainable Weight Loss

There are many ways to lose weight, but a lot of methods are not healthy or sustainable. Unlike fad diets or extreme workouts, strength training can give you long-term weight loss results that you can maintain for life.

Getting Started with Strength Training to Lose Weight

When you start strength training for weight loss, ease into a program gradually. This will allow your body to adjust to your workouts and give you time to master your form so you don’t get injured.

When you’re a beginner, start with bodyweight exercises and make sure you can maintain good form. I recommend following my Beginners Home Workout Program before adding weights to your strength workouts. Once you can follow the beginner program with good form, it’s time to add weights.

As you get stronger, add some dumbbells or kettlebells to your strength program and build your weight amount gradually. Make sure you can maintain good form for all of your reps before progressing to heavier weights.

Sample Weight Loss Workout Program

This circuit training program includes compound exercises to give you an efficient workout that targets your major muscle groups. The circuits add intensity to your workout and give you an element of cardio training, burning more calories.

For the workouts, I suggest doing them on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The suggested training schedule can be adapted to your lifestyle, but make sure you don’t do these full-body workouts two days in a row. Give yourself at least one day of rest from strength training between workouts.

Full-Body Strength Workouts for Weight Loss

Day 1:

Warm-Up: Walk or jog in place for 5 minutes.

Circuit 1:

Jumping Jacks: 30 seconds
Squats: 12 reps with dumbbells or a kettlebell
Push-ups: 10 reps (modified if needed)
Mountain Climbers: 30 seconds
Dumbbell Rows: 10 reps per side
Lunges: 10 reps per side (holding a dumbbell in each hand)

Do the entire circuit and then rest for 1 minute. Repeat the circuit to do a total of 2 to 3 sets of the whole circuit.

Day 2:

Warm-Up: Walk or jog in place for 5 minutes.

Circuit 2:

Jumping Jacks: 30 seconds
Bench press: 10 reps (with dumbbells)
Burpees: 10 reps
Lunges: 10 reps per side (holding a dumbbell in each hand)
Dumbbell Rows: 10 reps per arm
Squats: 10 reps (with dumbbells or a kettlebell)
Planks: 30 seconds

Do the full circuit and then rest for 1 minute. Repeat the circuit to do a total of 2 to 3 sets of the whole circuit.

Day 3:

Warm-Up: Walk or jog in place for 5 minutes.

Circuit 3:

Jumping Jacks: 30 seconds
Deadlifts: 10 reps (with dumbbells)
Mountain Climbers: 30 seconds
Overhead Press: 10 reps (with dumbbells)
Burpees: 10 reps
Squats: 10 reps
Side Planks: 20 seconds per side

Do the full circuit and then rest for 1 minute. Repeat the circuit to do a total of 2 to 3 sets of the whole circuit.

Strength Exercises for Weight Loss

Here are detailed instructions for how to do each exercise in the program:

Squats

Begin with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a pair of dumbbells in each hand or a kettlebell in front of you.
From a standing position, tighten your core muscles and slowly lower your body, bending at the knees and pushing your weight into your heels while keeping your chest up. Lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Return to the starting position.

Push-Ups

Begin in a plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart, directly under your shoulders. Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels, engaging your core and glutes.
Look down slightly in front of your hands to maintain a neutral spine.
Lower your chest towards the ground by bending your elbows.
Lower yourself until your chest nearly touches the floor or your elbows reach a 90-degree angle.
Push back up to the starting position by extending your elbows, maintaining a straight line with your body.

Mountain Climbers

Begin in a high plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart, directly under your shoulders.
Keep your core and glutes tight to form a straight line from your head to your heels.
Maintain a neutral spine by looking slightly down in front of your hands.
Quickly bring one knee towards your chest, keeping your foot close to the ground. As you bring one knee in, simultaneously extend the other leg back, maintaining a straight line with your body.
Alternate leg movements rapidly, mimicking a running motion with your legs. Focus on driving your knees towards your chest, not kicking your feet out.

Dumbbell Rows

You’ll need a bench or other sturdy, elevated surface for these dumbbell rows.

Begin with one arm and a bent leg on the bench, the dumbbell in your outside hand, and your outside leg planted on the ground.
Row the dumbbell up towards your side, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement. Focus on using your back muscles, not your arms, to lift the weights.
Lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position in a controlled manner.
Repeat to do both sides.

Lunges

See our post on How to Do Lunges for Beginners for tips on how to do lunges.

Bench Press with Dumbbells

Lie flat on your back on a bench with your feet firmly planted on the floor, shoulder-width apart. (You can also do these on the floor if you do not have a bench).
Hold the dumbbells at shoulder level with your palms facing forward. Your elbows should be bent, and the dumbbells should be directly above your shoulders.
Press the dumbbells straight up towards the ceiling, straightening your arms. Avoid locking your elbows at the top.
Slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position. Keep your elbows close to your body throughout the movement. Breathe out as you press the dumbbells up and inhale as you lower them down.

Burpees

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides.
Lower your body into a squat position as if you’re going to sit in a chair. Keep your back straight, chest up, and your core engaged.
Quickly push your hips back and jump your legs back into a push-up position. Your body should form a straight line from head to heels.
Lower your chest down to the ground, performing a full push-up (modify on your knees if needed).
Jump your legs back to the starting squat position.
Explosively jump up in the air, reaching your arms overhead.

Planks

Lie face down on the floor with your forearms flat on the ground and elbows directly under your shoulders.
Extend your legs back, keeping your feet hip-width apart and your toes pointed.
Engage your core by pulling your belly button towards your spine and squeezing your glutes, creating a straight line from your head to your heels. Keep your head looking forward and neck in a neutral position.
Hold the plank for the recommended amount of time. Focus on keeping your core engaged and your body in a straight line. Avoid sagging your hips or arching your back.

Deadlifts with Dumbbells

Stand with your feet hip-width apart or slightly wider than shoulder-width, depending on your comfort level.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip (palms facing towards you).
Engage your core and keep your back straight with a neutral spine. Look slightly forward with a long neck.
Push your hips back as if you’re going to sit down, keeping your knees slightly bent. Lower the dumbbells down towards the ground, keeping them close to your body and following the line of your shins. Avoid rounding your back or arching your lower back throughout the movement.
Lower the dumbbells until you feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings, typically with your upper thighs parallel to the ground.
Engage your glutes and hamstrings to drive your heels through the floor and return to the starting position.

Overhead Press

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and core engaged. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip (palms facing forward).
Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height with your elbows bent at 90 degrees and your upper arms parallel to the ground.
Push the dumbbells straight up towards the ceiling, straightening your arms. Avoid locking your elbows at the top.
Slowly lower the dumbbells back down to shoulder height in a controlled manner. Keep your elbows close to your body throughout the movement.
Exhale as you press the dumbbells up, and inhale as you lower the dumbbells. Focus on controlling the weight throughout the entire range of motion.

Side Planks

Lie on your side with your legs stacked on top of each other or with your bottom foot slightly behind the top foot for added stability.
Prop yourself up on your forearm, with your elbow directly under your shoulder. Engage your core by pulling your belly button towards your spine and squeezing your glutes. Form a straight line from your head to your heels, ensuring your neck stays neutral and your gaze is slightly forward or looking down at the floor.
Hold the side plank position. Breathe normally throughout the exercise, avoiding holding your breath. Focus on keeping your core engaged and your body in a straight line. Avoid sagging your hips or arching your back.

FAQs

Can you lose weight with just strength training?
Yes, you can lose weight with just strength training. You’ll get the best results if you also follow a healthy eating program.

What type of strength training is best for fat loss?
Compound exercises - included in the sample workout above - such as squats, bench presses, and planks are especially effective for weight loss because they target large muscle groups with just one exercise. Circuit training, also included in the workouts above, is highly effective for fat loss since the cardio element adds more intensity and calorie burning.

How many times a week should you strength train to lose weight?
Strength training at least twice per week and up to three or four times per week for optimal weight loss.

Do you need a training plan to help you crush your weight loss goals? Head to the Runstreet Training Center to get started today. Follow @Runstreet on Instagram for more fitness tips and inspiration.

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, NY. Marnie likes helping people get and stay active to enjoy a better quality of life. When she’s not doing fitness things, Marnie enjoys exploring with her dog, a mischievous rescue Akita.

Strength Training for Weight Loss: Complete Guide