Gym Equipment Regimens for Losing Weight

If you find yourself overwhelmed in a gym and don't know how to lose weight using the equipment that's there, take heart. Combining a calorie-restricted diet with proper stretching, a cardio warm-up, weight lifting and ab work will have the pounds dropping off in no time at all. The key is to get your whole body in shape with a variety of exercises so that you don't get bored. Some of the exercises in this regimen are advanced, so talk to your doctor first if you have a previous injury or medical condition. Schedule a few sessions with a personal trainer and nutritionist if you're really struggling to achieve weight loss goals.

  1. Warm-Up & Stretches

    • A solid warm-up gets your calorie burn off to a good start.

      Each of the following daily workouts begins with a 10-minute warm-up, but don't forget to end each gym session with stretching. Perform hamstring, quad and calf stretches every day. For the hamstring stretch, stand with your legs shoulder-width apart. Bend over, keep your legs straight and try to touch the ground. Rotate to the right and try to touch your right knee with your nose. Do the same on the left. Hold the stretch on each side for 15 to 30 seconds. Stand up slowly. To stretch your quads, lean on a wall or stationary object. Lift your right foot, grabbing your ankle with your right hand. Pull up on your ankle so that you feel the stretch on the front of your thigh. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat on the left side. Stretch your calves by placing your hands on the wall and extending your right leg back while lunging your left knee forward. Drop your right knee and feel the stretch your calf muscle.

    Day One

    • Working arms and legs increases calories burned.

      Start by walking or jogging on a treadmill at an easy pace for 10 minutes. Then, find a medicine ball. Begin with light weight if you are new to this exercise. Stand about three feet away from a wall. With your feet planted shoulder-width apart and the ball held on your chest, squat down so your hips drop to knee level or below. Thrust upward out of the squat position extending your arms and legs all in one motion. Launch the ball at a spot on the wall about 10 feet above the floor. As you catch the medicine ball, squat and repeat 10 times. Perform three sets with a 2-minute recovery. For the final exercise, go to the lateral pulldown machine and do three sets of 10 pulldowns at a comfortable but challenging weight.

    Day Two

    • Step-ups increase your metabolism and tone your legs and core.

      Ride a stationary bike at an easy pace for 10 minutes. Choose a box or aerobic step, at a safe but challenging height. Step up and down, right foot up first and down first, alternating with left foot up first and down first. Do three sets of 20 step-ups with a minute recovery between each set. If it's too easy, hold dumbbells. Next, to work your arms, move to the overhead press, bench press, and triceps extension machines. Work up to a weight you are comfortable with; it should be challenging by the time you do the last repetitions. Perform three sets of 10 repetitions with a minute recovery in between lifts on all three machines.

    Day Three

    • Bands stretch and strengthen your muscles, tendons and ligaments.

      Warm up at an easy pace on a rowing machine for 10 minutes. Afterwards, you'll use the squat, leg extension, hamstring curl, hip abductor and hip adductor machines. On all of these, start with a light weight and work up to a moderate weight until it requires effort on the last lifts of the set. Perform eight reps, three times, with a minute recovery between each set on each machine. Then, find an exercise band that's moderate or difficult to stretch. Hold the band out in front of you at chest level. Extend your arms straight out to the sides, stretching the band and adjusting your hands together or apart to vary the difficulty. Perform three sets of 10 with a minute recovery.

    Day Four

    • Eliptical trainers provide an awesome total-body workout without pounding your joints.

      Warm up on an elliptical trainer for 10 minutes. Then, do 1 full minute as fast as you can, giving it your best effort. Recover at an easy pace for a minute. Repeat these hard and easy minutes 10 times. After the 10th set, cool down at an easy pace for 5 minutes. Move to the assisted pullup machine and decide what weight you can do, starting with a lot of assistance. Then remove as much as you can while still retaining your ability to do 10 pullups successfully. Perform three sets of 10 with a minute recovery between each set.

    Day Five

    • Your body recruits more muscle fibers when you're balancing on an exercise ball.

      Warm up on a stationary bike for 10 minutes. After the warm-up, set the tension as high as you can while maintaining a pace of 110 RPMs for 45 seconds. Remove most of your tension and pedal on light resistance at 90 RPMs for 45 seconds. Repeat 10 times and cool down for 5 minutes. Next, move to the triceps extension and biceps curl machines. Find a weight you're comfortable with; it should be moderately challenging on the last repetition. Do three sets of eight repetitions with a minute recovery between each set. Finally, find a large, inflated exercise ball. Sit on it, leaning back with your hands behind your head. Do three sets of 20 crunches while lifting one leg at a time. Recover for a minute between each set.