Transform Your Health in Just 2 Months with These Proven Strategies

Kelly Sherman, MS, NC, CPT
3 days ago
6 min read

A woman holds onto a bar overhead preparing to do a pull-up

When you decide to change your body composition or enhance your health, you're eager to see results quickly. To strengthen your arms, legs, and core, it's essential to adhere to a consistent training routine and commit to a healthy, well-balanced diet. Patience is crucial, and a focused exercise plan will guide you in pacing yourself effectively.

Discover the most effective exercises and a two-month plan below to enhance your main muscle groups. These exercises will kickstart your journey to gaining muscle and boosting your overall fitness.

Can I Spot Reduce?

Spot reduction, the idea of losing fat in specific body areas, isn't entirely realistic. Areas like your arms, legs, and stomach cannot be individually targeted for fat removal. Instead, you'll likely lose fat evenly and gradually across your body with a healthy diet and exercise program.

However, you can perform specific workouts targeting key muscle groups in your arms, legs, and core to build muscle and strength.

Muscle tissue burns about 6 calories per pound per day at rest, making muscle gain crucial for a healthy metabolism. In contrast, the National Council on Strength and Fitness notes that fat burns two to three calories per pound per day. Thus, the more muscle you have, the more energy your body expends (or the more calories you burn).

Strengthening Your Core

Exercise 101: Core explains the core muscles of the body

The abdomen contains both soft and hard fat. Typically found beneath your skin is soft fat, known as subcutaneous fat. According to Harvard Health, hard fat, or visceral fat, is located deep within your abdominal cavity, surrounding your internal organs.

Research shows that excessive visceral fat may increase the risk of certain illnesses, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, although some fat is necessary to protect your internal organs and tissue. While crunches and other abdominal exercises will strengthen those muscles, they won't burn the fat covering them.

Creating a calorie deficit—burning more calories than you consume—and achieving an effective mix of aerobic and total-body strength exercise are the best ways to reduce fat in your midsection. By sticking to this regimen for over two months, you can achieve muscle strengthening and fat loss, enhancing your overall health—a win!

5 Core Exercises: No Sit-ups Required!

Try these exercises to strengthen your core muscles.

Planks: Improve core strength and stability while strengthening the abdominals, back, and shoulders. Begin with a 20-second plank, and as you gain comfort, hold it longer without compromising form or breath.
Leg Raises: Target your lower abs and hip flexors. Perform 3 sets of 15, or as many as possible without compromising form.
Russian Twists: Tone your core, shoulders, and hips. Do 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 reps.
Deadbugs: This bodyweight exercise is ideal for building strength and control. It's equipment-free, making it a perfect addition to any strength routine.
Bird Dog: This kneeling pose targets spinal stabilizing muscles and glutes. It's more challenging than it seems. If it feels simple, try it from a plank position.

Strengthening Your Arms and Legs

A woman performs a squat exercise with a band around her upper legs

Subcutaneous fat constitutes most excess fat on your arms and legs, and it often responds to the same fat-loss strategy used for reducing abdominal fat. Be aware that losing subcutaneous fat might take longer, so following a diet and exercise regimen for over two months could be beneficial.

Remember, while exercises like lunges and bicep curls can be performed regularly, no exercise directly burns fat in these areas. However, building muscle can boost your metabolism and burn calories, aiding in fat loss.

The more muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn during workouts, as you'll be able to lift heavier weights and exert more effort.

Exercises to Strengthen Your Arms and Legs

Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions for each exercise.

For your arms:

Chest Press: This compound exercise targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps. It can be done with a machine or dumbbells.
Shoulder Press: An essential upper-body movement for sculpted shoulders, also engaging the triceps.
Bicep Curl: Targets the elbow flexors, including the biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis.
Triceps Kickback: The triceps muscle, with three heads, works to extend your elbow and aid shoulder extension.
Dumbbell Row: Engages the latissimus dorsi, entire back, shoulders, and arms.

For your legs:

Dumbbell Squat: A compound movement strengthening quadriceps, gluteus maximus, hamstrings, and calf muscles, building functional fitness.
Romanian Deadlift: Works the posterior chain, including lower back, glutes, and hamstrings, with core engagement for strength and stability.
Hip Thrust: Targets gluteus medius, maximus, minimus, hamstrings, quads, and adductors.
Lunges: Both forward and reverse lunges engage quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings, while core and back stabilize.

Begin With a Sample Week

Use this weekly schedule for your two-month plan.

Monday: Legs (quads, glutes, and hamstrings)

Tuesday: Chest, shoulders, and core exercises

Wednesday: Back and biceps

Thursday: HIIT cardio and core exercises

Friday: Legs (quads, hamstrings, calves, hip abductors, and adductors)

Saturday: Chest, shoulders, and triceps

Sunday: Rest day or light cardio like a walk. If you're up to it, consider a HIIT workout or jog, but listen to your body.

Repeat this sample week or adjust it to suit your preferences and schedule. Aim for an hour workout, including warm-up and cool down. Consider simplifying the workout with superset exercises, performing exercises back-to-back without breaks.

To grow your muscles, progressively overload them. You must continually challenge your muscles. Sticking to the same weight won't transform your body. For instance, if you can lift 10 pounds for 10 to 12 reps with ease, increase to 12 or 15 pounds. Once that becomes easy, increase again.

To summarize, if your goal is fat loss or muscle gain, follow a weekly schedule, gradually increase workout intensity, and maintain a nutritious diet.

Nourishment Matters, No Matter the Goal!

A spread of colorful fruits and vegetables

For losing fat while building muscle, nutrition is crucial. While many can create a moderate caloric deficit to lose weight, the type of weight matters. Everyone’s dietary needs differ. For specific calorie intake and deficit goals, consult a licensed nutritionist. "Eat less, move more" is outdated advice.

It's vital not to restrict too much, especially while working out over this two-month routine. Whether aiming for fat loss or not, ensure your body receives all necessary macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

To set your daily goals, use an online calculator or consult a licensed nutritionist. Consider factors like age, height, and physical activity level. For precise data, schedule a BodPod session for personalized numbers and optimal goal setting.

Your daily caloric intake should come from a variety of foods, not just one macronutrient. Incorporate a range of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins into your meals.

Reducing trans fats, added sugars, and refined carbohydrates is beneficial for fat loss and health improvement. However, occasional treats are acceptable and encouraged, as overly restrictive diets are neither practical nor sustainable long-term.

Strong muscles and overall health are closely linked to a balanced diet and regular exercise, even if weight loss isn't your goal.

Concluding Thoughts

By incorporating a variety of cardiovascular and strength training routines targeting your entire body, you can build muscle and lose fat in two months. Though fat loss varies individually, consistency and gradually increasing workout intensity will help you achieve your goals.

Feel free to contact me for guidance on reaching your goals or for nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle recommendations.

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All content of this blog is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this blog.

Kelly Sherman, MS, NC, CPT, owner, Provision Nutrition

Kelly Sherman, MS, NC, CGP, CPT, is a licensed nutritionist specializing in empowering women to reclaim their health by cutting through misinformation and ditching the diet culture. She has a master’s degree in nutrition and is degreed in exercise science as well as a certified personal trainer. With over 20 years of experience in the field, she combines the best of both nutrition and exercise sciences to best help her clients reach their potential. To nourish is to flourish!