Should you try a weight loss workout plan for women... or should you try a weight gain plan?

We all want to look our best. But does a more toned body necessarily coincide with weight loss? Or is it weight gain in the form of muscle building that actually allows for a more appealing frame? Or is it a little bit of both?

As you’ll learn, the situations vary.

There are many exercise myths. For starters: spot reduction. Many gym-goers and frequent exercisers believe that to work a specific area of the body will ultimately result in the loss of fat from only that designated area. While we would all like to believe that this is a reality, it is nothing more than a far-away dream for those with specific workout goals.

So don’t waste your time on hundreds of sit-ups if you’re looking to drop some pounds off that gut of yours.

In actuality, you must first engage the body in overall cardio for any chance at weight loss: But that doesn't necessarily mean hours on the treadmill.

“In order to effectively tone the body and produce weight loss, one must first realize that there is no such thing as losing fat from just one area. You must work the entire body in order to put the body in a fat burning state. Once your body is in a fat burning state, your body then chooses where to take the fat from. Often times, the fat that you might typically put on first (stomach and thighs) will be lost last,” says Marc Ronches, certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Personal Trainer, and co-owner of the New Jersey Fitness Factory gym in Montclair, New Jersey.

But perhaps the biggest myth of all is that any exercise will provide the same end result. In reality, there are specific workouts designed for overall body toning, while others are actually geared towards putting weight on!

With a degree in Exercise Science, Marc is well-versed on which workouts provide not just the best results, but the best results for varying audiences.

So if you’re looking to shed some pounds while toning up your body, follow the first workout below. If you’re looking to put on muscle mass, follow the second list.

Best of luck!

Losing weight and toning up

“There are three different workouts that can be done in order to tone the body and lose fat. Typically, some of the best exercises are compound movements. Interval training is a great way to burn body fat and tone. This involves getting the heart rate extremely elevated for a short amount of time, then having a short rest. The following exercises are great for toning and fat burning because they keep your heart rate elevated, and really jack up your metabolism.” – Marc Ronches

Workout #1:

1. Dumbbell Squat and Press (pick an appropriate weight that allows you to do 10-15 reps with good form).
2. 30-second Jumping Jacks
3. Side Planks (hold for 20 seconds to start and build up each week by adding 5 or 10 additional seconds).
4. Push-ups (start with kneeling pushups if you can’t do regular ones. Stop when you feel like you can only do 2 or 3 more).

Perform these exercises consecutively. Take a 90-second rest. Repeat twice more, amounting to one full workout.

Workout #2:

1. Reverse lunges (15 on each leg).
2. 10 Burpees
3. Pull-ups (Either regular pull-ups or on an assisted pull-up machine).
4. Regular Planks (30-60 second hold).

Perform these exercises consecutively. Take a 90-second rest. Repeat twice more, amounting to one full workout.

Workout #3:

1. Step-up onto a Bench (15 reps per leg).
2. Planks on Stability Ball (30 sec hold).
3. Mountain Climbers (20 seconds).
4. Kettlebell Swings (15 reps).

Perform these exercises consecutively. Take a 90-second rest. Repeat twice more, amounting to one full workout.

Check out a plan for gaining strength and muscle mass >>

Gaining strength and muscle mass

Remember, ladies, gaining strength and muscle mass doesn't necessarily mean you'll get "big like a guy." Very few women are actually genetically predisposed to bulk up, and doing so also requires a well-planned diet. Putting on weight in the form of muscle mass generally serves to make women look lean and strong, not big and bulky.

“In order to effectively put on muscle mass you must lift heavy. Plan and simple. Keep the rep range between 8-12. In order to produce a change in the muscle (ie, put on mass) you must give it enough resistance (weight) to want to change,” -  Marc Ronches.

Workout #1:

1. Dumbbell Chest Press
2. Barbell Bicep Curl

Perform these exercises with a weight that you can only do 10/12 reps with. Do 3 sets.

1. Cable Chest Fly
2. Cable Bicep Curl

Perform these exercises with a weight that you can only do 10/12 reps with. Do 3 sets.

This amounts to one workout for Chest and Biceps.

Workout #2:

1. Pull-ups (stop when you think you can only do 1 more rep).
2. Bench Dips (triceps).

Perform these exercises with a weight that you can only do 10/12 reps with. Do 3 sets.

1. Dumbbell Row
2. Close-grip Push-up (stop when you think you can only do 1 more rep).

Perform these exercises with a weight that you can only do 10/12 reps with. Do 3 sets.

This amounts to one workout for Back and Triceps.

Workout #3:

1. Barbell Back Squat
2. Stability Ball Hamstring Curl
3. Walking Lunges

Go heavy with good form on leg workouts. 

This amounts to one workout for legs.

Reminder about diet

Even the best-planned exercise routine needs to be matched with proper nutrition in order to achieve the results you desire. Women looking to lose weight must achieve a state of negative calorie balance, so that they are consuming fewer calories than they burn each day. Women looking to gain weight in the form of muscle mass must be extremely conscious of their pre- and post-exercise eating habits, focusing on high-quality protein sources like milk, eggs and chicken. Generally speaking, you must also consume more calories than you're burning each day in order to add weight to your frame. If you have specific exercise or sport-related goals, be sure to talk to a certified trainer and nutritionist to find a program specifically designed for you.

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