Simple diet and exercise plan

So you want to get in shape, but you have no gym membership.

That’s fine, screw gyms!

They’re loaded with chumps, meatheads, pushy salesmen, and people who suck at working out. (If you DO go to a gym, here’s how to make sure you DON’T suck at working out). Luckily, you can burn fat, build muscle, and get a great workout using just your body weight. Learn why cardio is one of the least efficient methods of burning calories, and how you can get a lot done in a little bit of time. By doing body weight circuits, where you complete one exercise right after the other without stopping, you’re both building muscle and getting a cardiovascular workout.

Why Body Weight Circuits Kick Ass

What makes body weight circuits work so well? Every exercise involved utilizes multiple muscle groups, gets your heart rate pumping, and burns tons of calories. from Jason Ferruggia and Alwyn Cosgrove, two fitness gurus whose opinions and research I highly respect. Essentially, circuit weight training burns more calories than interval training, which burns WAY more calories than steady cardio. Essentially, if you’re trying to lose weight, spending hours doing cardio on a treadmill is a really crappy use of your time.

I’m going to take you through a basic workout today that can be completed in your house, apartment, out at a park, in your parents’ basement, wherever. As always, make sure you are cleared by your personal physician for physical activity before attempting these exercises. Proceed at your own risk!

Beginner Body Weight Workout

This is a basic body weight circuit. In a circuit routine, you’ll do each exercise in succession without a break in between (if you’re able). Once you’ve finished all exercises in the circuit, you do it again. If you’re still able after the 2nd run through, go for a third. Because all of these exercises come one after another, you’re bound to get tired. It’s better to stop and take a break than to do an exercise incorrectly. If you can’t do all three circuits without stopping, that gives you something to build towards.