Fitness Program Review: BodyBoss Method

Like a lot of people, I made a few New Year's resolutions this year. And, while it's taken me a while to succeed at a couple of them, I've been religious about sticking to my exercise goals for once in my life. It's been nearly 4 whole months, and I haven't missed a single workout! 

In the past, I've halfheartedly tried a few programs. But life seems to always get in the way, I get down on myself, and I quit. So I started this year with a new attitude and by some small miracle, it has worked, whatever "it" may be. I think I was just sick and tired of being so fatigued all the time. I figured the best way to remedy that would be to not only get back into a regular exercise routine, but to go above and beyond anything I've done in the past. And that included a set schedule. My life pretty much revolves around a set schedule, but of the having-four-kids kind. Which pretty much means anything I do for myself is put on the back burner until the kids are squared away. And many nights that's not until they're fast asleep. So it's always been difficult to stick to an effective exercise routine. But something about this one worked.

One of my friends had mentioned her success with something she called BodyBoss. I saw her before and after pictures and my mind was blown. She directed me to a series of YouTube videos that cover the entire program. So I'm not even going to lie: I didn't pay for the program, because I'm a tightwad like that. But I did check out several reviews and informative articles and videos to get a general idea of meal plan suggestions and the sort. But, being honest again, I knew I'd fail miserably at any set meal plan at the time because of my hectic life. But I did attempt to eat better in general, and was successful for the most part. I even eventually started making "clean" meals for my entire family in the evenings. So, just to make it clear, this review is based solely on the exercise portion of the program. 

Per their website, "The BodyBoss Method is formulated with 4 cycles of 3 weeks. Each cycle is designed to lift the performance of the muscles and gradually increase in difficulty and intensity as the body adapts to the training."

Now, the only problem I had with the claims is that they say each HIIT workout (every Monday and Wednesday) is only 24 minutes. Well, that doesn't include the warm up, cool down, or total of 6 minutes of rest between circuits. The 24 minutes only includes active workout time... if you're able to go at that pace. I've been exercising several years, and I had to rest now and then. Most of my workouts were around 40 minutes, not including warm up and cool down. There was one that took me nearly an hour. But remember, that's just my experience, and someone else may be able to finish each workout in 24 minutes flat. I do have asthma, and had stopped taking my maintenance medication after the first 4 weeks (Under physician recommendation and supervision, of course, but totally unrelated to the exercise program. It just happened to be at that time that I had my annual checkup.) So that very well may have been a factor in my endurance, or lack thereof. But even so, I'm positive that, personally, I still couldn't have completed many of those routines in less than 30 minutes. But it's all good, because it's only 2 days a week.

On Fridays, you have a "Power-Up Workout" that only takes 6 minutes. That eventually increases to 12 minutes. It's pretty intense, but, as with all of them, you can go at your own pace.

Tuesdays are active recovery days, and Thursdays are dedicated to cardio. I usually ran on the treadmill for cardio.

To start, there are 4 weeks of pre-training workouts. These aren't mandatory, but I'd highly suggest that, if you're new to exercising, or haven't been in a regular routine for a while, you should do them. I did the first week and thought I was ready to move on. But after a few weeks of the actual program... well, you know what they say about hindsight. I should've prepared a little better. 

Okay, I said that the only problem I had was the 24 minute claim. However, I also didn't enjoy the long warm up and cool down. They add several minutes to the routine, and it seemed a little excessive to me. I admittedly shortened them by doing my own thing. But it most certainly is very important to both warm up before and cool down after every exercise, not just with this program.

What I did like was that you only need a set of hand weights (I used 2 or 5 pound weights, depending on how rambunctious I felt), a jump rope (or just pretend), and a sturdy elevated surface like a step that won't slip when you jump onto it. You also might want to make sure it's not very high, because you'll be jumping up onto it multiple times in a row, and that tends to get very difficult. You may also choose to modify these particular box-jumping exercises, as I sometimes did.

My favorite part was that it's not the same boring routine over and over. A lot of the exercises are repeated on different days, but it's changed up enough that it kept my interest. I get bored way too easily by even slightly repetitive exercises, so that's saying something. 

Minus the 4 weeks of pre-training, the program is 12 weeks long. The last 4 weeks were definitely more difficult than the prior weeks. But that's a good thing, in my opinion, because I wanted to really push myself the last part of the program to get the most out of it. And I did! I was so happy with my results. As I've mentioned in a previous post, I don't necessarily exercise to lose weight. Sure, I have that 5 pounds that I'd love to get rid of. But I know that how I feel is more important. I went into this program with two simple goals: To feel better/not feel so darned fatigued all the time. And to fit into my skinny jeans again. And by fitting into them again, I mean that I literally couldn't wear them because I felt like I was suffocating when they were buttoned. True story. 

To be more specific about my accomplishments, I only lost 1.2 pounds. But I somehow still fit into those stupid skinny jeans when all was said and done. How? Because, even though I had very little weight loss, my body composition changed big time. I lost 5.75 inches. Again, that doesn't sound like much, but I'm fairly small framed, and that little bit made a difference on me. 

It's very common, especially when you first start working out, to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. Muscle is more dense than fat. If you put a pound of fat and a pound of muscle next to each other, the muscle is a lot smaller than the fat. So while the number on the scale may not really change much, know that you body actually is changing. I think it's a good idea to take before and after photos, and maybe even take photos half way through a program, so that you can see the difference and not get discouraged if you don't have a drastic weight change. I did take before and after photos, and I'm pleased with the physical changes, but I'm too chicken to show them to the world. Maybe next time.

Author's note: I have not been solicited nor paid by BodyBoss Method for my opinions or review. Please note that I did not purchase the program and did not complete it using their guides. I'm simply sharing my personal experience from following online videos posted by acutal BodyBoss Method customers. 

Fitness Program Review: Betty Rocker 30 Day #makefatcry Challenge

I kept seeing this Betty Rocker exercise program advertised on my Facebook feed. I scrolled past it many times, because I figured it was another overly-priced program that I wouldn't be able to spare the money for. Plus, only 15 minutes a day? Yeah, okay. That'll be real effective, right?

But then I realized that it was free. So, out of curiosity, I clicked on it, expecting to have to provide my credit card information to try it out, and I'd have to remember to cancel after so many days or be charged a monthly fee. But, to my surprise, that wasn't how it worked at all.

The 30 day program is legit free with no strings attached. I will say that there is some heavy advertising for the 90 day challenge within the 30 day program, but not to the point of annoyance. I did check it out, and would love to buy it if I didn't have two vacations that I'm still trying to save for, because I absolutely loved the 30 day program.

When it says the workouts are only 15 minutes a day, it's true. But even so, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to fit in 15 minutes every single day to exercise for a month, even though I was already working out 4 to 5 days per week. But then I thought, "You know, I spend way more than 15 minutes a day looking at nonsense on my phone. I just need to prioritize." So that's what I did.

Once you sign up, you'll get an email asking you to fill out a commitment statement about what your goals are and how you're taking control of your health, in a nutshell. Then, the creator and face of Betty Rocker, Bree Argetsinger (A.K.A. Betty Rocker) wants you to post it to her Facebook page, or whatever social media platform you wish to share it. I thought it was a little over the top, because I'm by no means a super positive or confident person (which are the major reasons why I've gotten into fitness), but I did it. I also tweeted that I was excited to start the program, to which Bree replied with encouragement. 

You'll get each day's workout video via email by about 5:30 a.m. Side note: I admire the heck out of you go-getters who get up early to work out. The link to the video expires 24 hours after you open it, so don't click on the link until you're ready to exercise. You may have limited access to the videos, but there is a printable PDF of the exercises and explanations with each video if you want to save those.

So, this is my take on the actual exercises. There were only a few workouts where I felt pushed to the max, usually the cardio days. Yet, even the easiest days left me feeling satisfied that I had a good workout. I think it would be a great program for beginners. But it's also challenging enough for more advanced people looking for something new or different from their usual routine.

I love that each day is a different routine and focuses on a different area, because I get bored very easily. Most are strengthening (using your own body weight) and cardio workouts, but they rotate with active recovery days, incorporating yoga and stretching exercises.

You don't have to have fancy gym equipment or even weights for this program. And you're shown modifications for a lot of moves in case you need them. So it's really simplified as much as possible.

Another thing I liked was how Bree pushes the importance of healthy eating. If you're exercising but still putting all the same junk into your body, what's the point? I'm by no means the healthiest eater in the world. If I really want some ice cream, by gosh, I'm going to eat it. But I try my best while still making foods that my kids will eat. But it's tough, you know? I found myself being even more conscious of what I ate, and really cut down on sweets and processed foods. I also cut out soda. Well, except for those 2 times I was forced to eat out because of a busy schedule, but at least I had the calorie free kind.

Because of this program and the bonus videos about smoothies and meal plans, my interest was peaked. She mentioned that her plans included a grocery list, and I was sold. That's what I hate worst about cooking: making sure I have everything I need before I get started. It never fails, no matter how careful I am about making a list, I'll start pulling out ingredients for dinner, only to discover I'm missing something important. So for $9.99 for a 7 day plan, I thought it was worth the splurge to try out. That's not the only available plan, but it's the cheapest. I'll be trying it out next week, and I'll let you know how that goes.

You may be curious as to my results with the program. And I'm happy to share them with you. But keep in mind that I don't exercise in order to lose weight. I'm of a healthy BMI, but I still like to keep track of measurements and such, because I feel that I still have lots of room for improvement as far as building endurance, building more lean muscle, and developing healthier eating habits. I lost 1 whole pound. But I also lost 3.5 inches, which tells me that I lost fat AND gained muscle. That may not sound like much of a difference, but my body composition changed enough for me to fit into my skinny jeans without struggling again! 

It's so hard for even me - someone who isn't necessarily trying to lose weight - to not see much of a difference on the scales. But what you must remind yourself is that while the numbers may not change much, your body is definitely changing. Bree shares a really good video titled The Truth About Your Weight.

So, what are you waiting for? Sign up for the 30 Day Challenge here.

Author's note: I have not been solicited nor paid by Betty Rocker for my opinions or review. 

Realistic Fitness And Diet Advice For Real People

"Like you need to exercise."

This statement has been said to me numerous times when someone finds out that I exercise regularly. And it's almost always followed by an eye roll. My response is always the same: "Well, if I didn't exercise, I wouldn't look like this." Duh. Do you think Jillian Michaels doesn't need to exercise? Because a body doesn't get much better than that. Maybe she should just stop right now. I'm sure she'd look exactly the same in a few months. 

Another favorite: "You're so skinny. You can eat whatever you want." 

First of all, no, I'm not skinny. I may be smaller than today's average person. But I'm well within a normal BMI, and trust me, I have plenty of fat. I think a lot of people don't realize that being called "skinny" can be offensive. It doesn't necessarily offend me, but I don't want to be described as skinny. I'd rather be "in shape" or "fit" or "healthy." Just because I'm not overweight, it doesn't mean that I'm skinny. Okay? Okay. And just because you saw me eat a piece of pie at lunch today, that doesn't mean I can eat whatever I want. I mean, yes, I can, but I don't. If I did, I'd double my weight, no lie. I love food, y'all. Food is life.

But seriously, it doesn't matter what you look like, we all should do some form of physical activity as often as possible. I totally get that a lot of people have zero interest in exercise, and that's fine. To each his own. But for those who have any interest at all, I'm going to share my experience with you, and give you some realistic advice for real people. But first, I want to discredit some myths.

Spot Reducing Fat

I often see people sharing posts on Facebook saying something along the lines of "Get a flat belly with these simple exercises." A huge misconception is that you can spot reduce fat by exercising a certain group of muscles. It's not possible. While you can obviously increase muscle mass by concentrating on a desired muscle(s), fat burns evenly over the entire body. Now, if you're dieting properly, you may see fat disappear from your problem areas before the rest of your body. But that's not because you're only losing it in that area. It's because you have more fat there, so that's where it's going to be noticeable first. So don't waste your time doing 200 sit ups a day, because it's not going to flatten your belly if you need to lose weight all over. 

Exercising Alone Is Enough To Lose Weight

You can exercise all you want, but unless you improve your eating habits, you're probably only going to lose a few pounds quickly and then plateau. You have to consistently burn more calories than you consume in order to lose weight. So if you're eating exactly the same as you ever have, and you add routine exercise to the mix, yes, you'll probably lose a little weight. Maybe you'll even lose a lot. But then it becomes so easy to throw in that extra snack or second/third helping and think, "It's okay, I'll exercise later." And then there will be some excuse to not exercise that day. And having that "I'll exercise later to make up for it" kind of attitude is basically viewing exercise as punishment. So you're going to need to make some changes to your diet.

That being said, a drastic diet isn't necessary to lose weight. Near the end of this post, I'll list some simple ways to reduce your caloric intake, without making huge changes to your diet. It's just as important, if not more important, as exercising. And my best advice about exercising is to start slow. Try exercising 2 or 3 days a week. Even if it's walking 30 minutes above what you normally do, that's a start. And walking is something your whole family can enjoy together. And only aim to lose 0.5 to 1 pound a week. If you find that amount to be easy, then go for more. But 2 pounds should be the max.

I Have To Do Cardio

If I had to do cardio with every workout for exercise to be effective, I'd have given up a long time ago. If running or other aerobic exercises aren't your thing, that's perfectly okay. As long as you're moving and burning calories, that's all that matters. I've realized that even strengthening and flexibility exercises rev up my heart rate. I may or may not reach that target heart rate that's recommended by professionals to get in a true cardio workout. But I don't really care, because it still works for me. My point is just make sure you do something, anything, to get your body moving outside of your normal routine and increase your activity as tolerated. 

Find the type of exercise that you enjoy. You're more likely to stick with it if you enjoy it. And don't choose something that's too challenging. Work your way up. I've tried everything from Zumba to using a Bowflex to HIIT circuit training exercises. Personally, I enjoy just about anything as long as it's not too repetitive. And it's important to switch it up. If you're always doing the same exercises, your body is going to get used to it and you'll stop benefiting from it. 

If I Use Weights My Muscles Will Get Too Big

Don't even worry about this one, because it's not true. Unless you're doing some heavy duty weight lifting, you're not going to bulk up. I only use 2 and 5 pound hand weights during some of my workouts. And yes, I noticed some tiny growth in my biceps and forearms in the beginning, but barely enough to give me a little definition. The same happened with my legs just by using my own body weight. But that's a good thing! You're not going to look like a bodybuilder unless that's your goal and you workout accordingly. 

Weight Is An Indicator Of Progress

Stay off of the scales. Seriously. Especially if your goal is to lose weight, stay off of the scales for a while. I do think it's important to weigh yourself when you begin your journey, if you're trying to lose weight, because obviously you need to know your starting weight. But it's even more important to take measurements. A simple internet search will give you all kinds of suggestions on the best ways to do measurements. Write them down, along with your weight, or log them into a fitness app, whatever. Then forget about it for a while. 

Unless you're only doing cardio, such as running, what's likely going to happen when you first start exercising is this: You're going to lose fat, but you're also going to gain muscle. So in the beginning, you're not going to see the pounds drop, and that can be super discouraging. Much better indicators of progress are measurements or noticing how your clothes fit. For example, when I completed the most recent program that I participated in, I only lost 1.6 pounds. My goal wasn't to lose weight, but that was still such a disappointment. All that work those 12 weeks was for 1.6 pounds?! That was my first thought. But then I reminded myself that I no longer had to struggle so much to fit into my skinny jeans. And then I took measurements and compared them to when I first started the program. I'd lost 5.75 inches! That may not sound like a lot, but on my frame, it made a difference. And best of all, I felt better. I had more stamina than I'd ever had, plus I slept better and didn't feel so tired all day. Not to mention, it was a confidence booster. I'll share a review of the program I did in another post soon, complete with before and after photos.

Tips, Tidbits, And Tricks To Improve Your Diet

So this is the part where I'll share some advice that works for me. 

First of all, don't expect overnight results. In this world today, it's all about instant gratification. But it's unrealistic to see a difference after a week or two, plain and simple. Besides, it's healthier to lose weight slowly anyway. Plus, you're more likely to keep the pounds off if you lose it gradually. Even if you're not trying to lose weight, but want to tone up, or whatever your goal is. It takes time. I'm talking two or three months, not weeks.

Crash diets are no good. One of the worst things you can do is drastically reduce your caloric intake. Your body will go into starvation mode and cling onto every bit of fat that it can. I highly recommend using a fitness app to keep track of your calories if your intention is to lose weight. I know there are tons out there, but I've always used My Fitness Pal. Even if you're not trying to lose weight, but want to get fit, I still think it's a good idea to keep track of what you're eating. It'll help you see where you may need to improve your eating habits.

Pay attention to portion and serving sizes. Measure your food if you need to. What you think is a cup may really be almost 2 cups. And you'd probably be surprised to see what 1 serving of some foods actually is. Pop Tarts probably aren't the healthiest example to give here, but I remember the first time I looked at the nutritional value on the package, and realized that 1 serving is actually 1 pastry, not 2, which comes in 1 package! So that 200 calories is actually for only half of the package. That's crazy! 

I don't believe it's necessary to become obsessed with the nutritional content of everything you eat. For beginners, I think it's far more important to concentrate on portion sizes and maybe making a few substitutions to the diet you're used to eating. I mean, if you want to go cold turkey from an eat-what-you-want diet to 100% clean meals, then more power to you. That's awesome, and realistic, actually. But it takes a lot of willpower to do something like that. When I first got serious about making changes to my diet, I pretty much ate the same foods I always did, but with changes. What worked for me were these things:

-Don't eat second helpings.
-Eat slowly and stop when you start feeling full.
-Have a treat now and then, just don't over-do it. If you deprive yourself, you're more likely to cave and overeat. I treat myself to something sweet not every single day, but most days. I just make sure that I only have a little of it. If it's cookies I'm craving, I'll have 1 or 2 instead of 3, or whatever the full serving is. If I want ice cream, I'll have a Yasso frozen yogurt bar. They're only 100 calories.
-There are a lot of snacks that may not necessarily be "healthy," but they can be "healthier" substitutions. Chips are a good example. I recently discovered Terra chips, which are real vegetable chips, and they taste every bit as good as Doritos and such, but they're not as bad for you.
-Skip the bread. I often have a hamburger with all the toppings, but without the bun, and eat it with a fork. Want a turkey sandwich? Forego the bread and roll up all the toppings inside the turkey. 
-Use salsa instead of ketchup. 
-Switch to unsweetened almond milk. I only recently did this, and I love it! Unless I'm drinking it straight up, I can't even tell the difference.
-Cut down on carbonated beverages. This was the hardest thing ever for me. But what worked was first switching to a diet soda once a day, then weaning myself down to one every other day, and so on. I'll still drink diet soda sometimes if I'm eating out. But the best way to avoid it is to not buy soda in the first place.
-And that brings me to this: If you know you shouldn't be eating something, don't buy it! 
-Instead of sweet drinks or fruity drinks, have water with a low/no calorie flavor packet added.

I promise if you take control of what you eat, after a while you won't miss what you're not having. 

The most important thing you can do is educate yourself. There are endless articles on healthy eating and making lifestyle changes out there. 

As for exercising, you can always find time to fit in 15 or 20 minutes most days. How much time per day do you spend looking at your phone for no particular reason at all? Most of us do that for several minutes, if not hours, every day. Put down the phone and throw in an exercise DVD. Or don't put down the phone, but pull up a workout on YouTube that looks interesting. You don't even have to do the whole 30 minute workout or however long it may be. Just do as much as you have time for. 

This is all my own personal advice. I'm not a doctor or fitness expert by any means. I'm just sharing what has worked for me. I'm a very busy single mom of 4 kids and I have very little free time to workout or even cook healthy meals every day. I know if I can do it, so can you. Just do the best you can. What works for me may not work for someone else. We're all different. And we all have different goals. It's very important to find what works for you personally, taking baby steps if you need to. There may be some trial and error involved. I know there was lot of that for me. 

If you have something you'd like to share, I'd love to hear all about it. And I'd also like to share a couple programs that I've completed that have made a huge difference for me, both mentally and physically. Stay tuned for that future post.