Your Workout Plan

Your body hates boredom. Give it the same workout every week, and it will stop delivering results. These workouts pack in the variety you need. Plus, they combine upper- and lower-body moves to get you out of the gym fast (check it out — you only need to do 5 resistance moves per gym session!).

The rules:

Cardio must be done after weights. And you must take at least one full day off every week, since your body builds strength while you're resting, not while you're working out.

WEEK 1

Weights: 3 sets of 15 reps, moderate weight per exercise

Monday

Resistance training moves 2, 3, 5, 7, 8 + treadmill walk for 30 minutes at incline 3, speed 3.0

Tuesday

Resistance training moves 1, 4, 6, 9, 10 + treadmill walk for 30 minutes at incline 1, speed 3.5

Wednesday

rest

Thursday

Resistance training moves 2, 3, 5, 7, 8 + elliptical trainer for 40 minutes at incline 10, resistance 5

Friday

Resistance training moves 1, 4, 6, 9, 10 + elliptical trainer for 40 minutes at incline 10, resistance 5

Saturday

rest or repeat Monday's cardio

Sunday

rest or repeat Thursday's cardio

Go to page 2 for your WEEK 2 workout plan

WEEK 2

Weights: 5 sets of 8 reps, heavy weight per exercise

Monday

Resistance training moves 2, 3, 5, 7, 8 + treadmill walk for 40 minutes (20 minutes at incline 3, speed 3.5; 20 minutes at incline 5, speed 3.0)

Tuesday

Resistance training moves 1, 4, 6, 9, 10 + elliptical trainer for 45 minutes (15 minutes at incline 10, resistance 5; 15 minutes at incline 5, resistance 5, pedaling backward; 15 minutes at incline 15, resistance 7, pedaling forward)

Wednesday

rest

Thursday

Resistance training moves 2, 3, 5, 7, 8 + treadmill walk for 40 minutes (10 minutes at incline 3, speed 3.5; 30 minutes at incline 7, speed 3.0)

Friday

Resistance training moves 1, 4, 6, 9, 10 + repeat Tuesday's cardio

Saturday

rest or repeat Monday's cardio

Sunday

rest or repeat Thursday's cardio

Go to page 3 for your WEEK 3 workout plan

WEEK 3

Weights: 1 set of 100 reps with light weight (25% of your regular weight) per exercise

Monday

Resistance training moves 2, 3, 5, 7, 8 + 20 minutes stationary bike for 20 minutes at resistance 5, speed 12 MPH; 20-minute treadmill walk at incline 10, speed 3.2

Tuesday

Resistance training moves 1, 4, 6, 9, 10 + elliptical trainer for 45 minutes (15 minutes at incline 10, resistance 5; 20 minutes: incline 3, resistance 3, pedaling backward and keeping RPMs over 100, 10 minutes at incline 15, resistance 10, pedaling forward)

Wednesday

rest

Thursday

Resistance training moves 2, 3, 5, 7, 8 + interval jogging for 40 minutes (5-minute jog at incline 2, speed 5.0; 5 minutes at incline 10, speed 3.2. Repeat four times)

Friday

Resistance training moves 1, 4, 6, 9, 10 + repeat Tuesday's cardio

Saturday

rest or repeat Monday's cardio

Sunday

rest or repeat Thursday's cardio

Go to page 4 for your WEEK 4 workout plan

WEEK 4

Weights: 3 sets of 15 reps with heavy weight, followed by 1 minute of jumping rope fast

Monday

Resistance training moves 2, 3, 5, 7, 8 + 10 minutes treadmill jogging at incline 2 speed 5.5 MPH; 10 minutes: Stairclimber or treadmill, speed 4 (no holding on!); 10 minutes elliptical trainer, incline 15, resistance 7

Tuesday

Resistance training moves 1, 4, 6, 9, 10 + treadmill (42 minutes): 2 minutes jog on incline 2, speed 6 MPH; 5 minutes walk, incline 5, speed 3.5. Repeat 6 times.

Wednesday

rest

Thursday

Resistance training moves 2, 3, 5, 7, 8 + 30 minutes stationary bike, resistance 5, speed 15 MPH; 10 minutes stair climber or step mill, speed 4 (no hands!).

Friday

Resistance training moves 1, 4, 6, 9, 10 + + run/walk 3 miles. Run a mile on incline 2, speed 5.0; walk a mile, incline 10, speed 2.5; run last mile on incline 2, speed 5.5

Saturday

rest or repeat Monday's cardio

Sunday

rest or repeat Thursday's cardio