Lifting Schedule for Weight Loss Female The 3, 4, & 5-Day Plans

The Best Lifting Schedule for Weight Loss

When it comes to weight loss for women, the conversation often revolves around cardio and diet. While both are crucial, resistance training is the secret weapon for transforming your body composition, boosting your metabolism, and achieving sustainable fat loss. The most effective lifting schedule is one that you can stick to consistently, fits your experience level, and provides the right stimulus for muscle preservation and growth.

This guide will break down the three most effective lifting schedules for female weight loss: the 3-day full-body plan, the 4-day upper/lower split, and the 5-day body-part split. We'll explain the science behind why they work and provide you with actionable templates to start today.

Why Total Volume Matters More Than "Lifting Heavy"

Weight loss happens in a calorie deficit. The main job of lifting during this period is to signal your body to keep muscle, forcing it to burn fat for energy instead. Without this signal, your body will burn both fat and precious, metabolically active muscle tissue, which can lead to a "skinny fat" look and a slower metabolism.

Many people get stuck on the wrong details. They debate whether to lift heavy weight for low reps or light weight for high reps. The debate over heavy vs. light weight is a distraction. The key metric for progress is total volume, which is calculated as sets x reps x weight. Increasing your total volume over time is what drives progress, preserves muscle, and burns energy.

For example, lifting 50kg for 3 sets of 10 reps (3x10) equals 1,500kg of total volume. But lifting a lighter 40kg for 4 sets of 12 reps (4x12) equals 1,920kg of total volume. The workout with the lighter weight actually created a stronger signal for adaptation. Focusing on this number is the key to breaking through plateaus.

Tired of guessing? Track it.

Mofilo tracks food, workouts, and your purpose. Download today.

The 3-Day Full-Body Schedule: Best for Beginners

The most effective lifting schedule for a woman new to lifting or returning after a break is a 3-day full-body routine. This plan focuses on compound movements for 3-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions, performed on non-consecutive days (e.g., Monday, Wednesday, Friday).

This approach maximizes calorie burn per session while providing 48 hours of recovery time for muscles to repair and grow stronger. It's highly efficient and ensures all major muscle groups are stimulated frequently throughout the week.

How to Build Your 3-Day Schedule

1. Structure Your Week: Pick three non-consecutive days. This recovery window is critical for muscle repair and preventing overtraining.
2. Select Compound Exercises: Your workouts should be built around movements that work multiple muscle groups at once. Create two different full-body workouts (Workout A and Workout B) and alternate them. For example, Week 1 would be A, B, A. Week 2 would be B, A, B.
3. Track Your Total Volume: Aim for 3-4 sets in the 8-12 rep range. Choose a weight that feels challenging for the last two reps but allows good form. Record your sets, reps, and weight for every session. Your goal is to slightly increase the total volume each week.

Workout A Example:

• Goblet Squats: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
• Dumbbell Rows: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
• Push-ups (or Knee Push-ups): 3 sets to failure
• Plank: 3 sets, hold for 45-60 seconds

Workout B Example:

• Romanian Deadlifts: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Lat Pulldowns: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
• Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
• Overhead Press: 3 sets of 10-15 reps

The 4-Day Upper/Lower Split: For Faster Progress

For women with 6+ months of consistent lifting experience, a 4-day upper/lower split can accelerate progress. This schedule allows you to increase the total volume for each muscle group by training them twice per week, which can enhance muscle growth and fat loss.

How to Build Your 4-Day Schedule

1. Structure Your Week: The typical structure is two upper body days and two lower body days, with a rest day in between. A common schedule is Monday (Upper), Tuesday (Lower), Wednesday (Rest), Thursday (Upper), Friday (Lower).
2. Create Two Upper and Two Lower Workouts: Having an 'A' and 'B' workout for both upper and lower body provides variety and allows you to use different exercises and rep ranges to stimulate the muscles.

Upper Body A (Strength Focus):

• Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Bent-Over Barbell Rows: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Lat Pulldowns: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Face Pulls: 3 sets of 15-20 reps

Lower Body A (Strength Focus):

• Barbell Squats: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Romanian Deadlifts: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Leg Press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Calf Raises: 4 sets of 10-15 reps

Upper Body B (Hypertrophy Focus):

• Incline Dumbbell Press: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Seated Cable Rows: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Dumbbell Lateral Raises: 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• Bicep Curls: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
• Tricep Pushdowns: 3 sets of 12-15 reps

Lower Body B (Hypertrophy Focus):

• Goblet Squats: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
• Dumbbell Lunges: 3 sets of 10-12 reps per leg
• Hamstring Curls: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
• Glute Bridges: 3 sets of 15-20 reps

The 5-Day Body-Part Split: For Advanced Body Shaping

A 5-day split is best suited for experienced lifters who have excellent recovery capabilities and want to focus on developing specific body parts. This high-frequency approach allows for maximum volume per muscle group, which can be very effective for body sculpting during a fat loss phase.

How to Build Your 5-Day Schedule

1. Structure Your Week: Dedicate each workout to one or two major muscle groups. A common schedule is Monday (Chest), Tuesday (Back), Wednesday (Legs), Thursday (Shoulders), Friday (Arms/Core), with weekends for rest and recovery.
2. Prioritize Compound Lifts: Even on a body-part split, start each workout with a heavy compound movement to maximize calorie burn and hormonal response before moving to isolation exercises.

Day 1: Chest

• Barbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
• Incline Dumbbell Press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Cable Flys: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
• Push-ups: 3 sets to failure

Day 2: Back

• Pull-ups (or Assisted): 3 sets to failure
• T-Bar Rows: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
• Lat Pulldowns: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Face Pulls: 3 sets of 15-20 reps

Day 3: Legs

• Squats: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
• Leg Press: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Romanian Deadlifts: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Leg Extensions: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
• Hamstring Curls: 3 sets of 12-15 reps

Day 4: Shoulders

• Overhead Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
• Arnold Press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Lateral Raises: 4 sets of 12-15 reps
• Bent-Over Reverse Flys: 3 sets of 15-20 reps

Day 5: Arms & Core

• Barbell Bicep Curls: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Skull Crushers: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Hammer Curls: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Tricep Pushdowns: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Hanging Leg Raises: 3 sets of 15 reps
• Planks: 3 sets, hold for 60 seconds

The Secret to Long-Term Results: Progressive Overload

Simply showing up and going through the motions isn't enough. To continuously lose fat and build muscle, you must apply the principle of progressive overload. This means consistently making your workouts more challenging over time to force your body to adapt.

Here are the primary ways to apply progressive overload:

• Increase Weight: The most common method. Once you can hit the top of your target rep range for all sets, increase the weight by the smallest possible increment (e.g., 2.5-5 lbs).
• Increase Reps: If you can't increase the weight, aim to do one more rep than you did last time with the same weight.
• Increase Sets: Add an extra set to an exercise to increase its total volume.
• Improve Form/Tempo: Slow down the eccentric (lowering) phase of a lift to increase time under tension.

Manually calculating volume and tracking this progress can be tedious. The Mofilo app does this automatically. As you log your workouts, it calculates your total volume so you can see if you're progressing at a glance, making it a simple shortcut to ensure you're on the right track.

You read this far. You're serious.

Track food, workouts, and your purpose with Mofilo. Download today.

What to Expect in the First 12 Weeks

Progress is a gradual process. In the first 2-4 weeks, you'll likely feel stronger and more energetic as your nervous system adapts. Visible changes in body composition, like clothes fitting better and increased muscle definition, typically become apparent around the 8-12 week mark, assuming you are also maintaining a consistent calorie deficit.

Don't rely solely on the scale. As you build muscle while losing fat, your weight might not drop quickly. Muscle is denser than fat. Instead, track progress with photos, body measurements, and your lifting numbers. If your total volume is consistently increasing, you are succeeding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it better to do full body or split workouts for weight loss?

For beginners, full-body workouts are more efficient for weight loss. They stimulate more muscle groups per session, leading to a higher overall calorie burn. For intermediate to advanced lifters, splits can allow for more targeted volume, which also drives progress.

How much cardio should I do with this lifting schedule?

Aim for 2-3 sessions of 20-30 minutes of low-to-moderate intensity cardio (like incline walking or cycling) on your non-lifting days. This supports fat loss without interfering with your recovery.

Can I lose weight just by lifting weights?

Lifting is critical for preserving muscle mass during a diet, which keeps your metabolism elevated. However, significant weight loss ultimately requires a consistent calorie deficit, which is primarily controlled by your nutrition.

How much rest should I take between sets?

For heavy compound lifts in the 8-12 rep range, rest 90-120 seconds. For isolation exercises in the 12-15 rep range, 60-75 seconds is sufficient. You should feel recovered enough to perform the next set with good form and intensity.