Disclaimer: this review of Beachbody does not include a measurement of my body weight or a before and after photo. I am way too vain for that.
As all basic women do, I decided to start a glow at the beginning of the year. After months of looking pale and doughy, I built up the courage to take the plunge by purchasing a year-long subscription to Beachbody on Demand. $99 later, I sealed my fate.
Now, I’d also like to state that I have not worked out for six consecutive days, nonetheless seven, since 2010. Seriously. So the fact that my weak self even thought I could do this is insane. But, if I could make it 21 days, just enough time to form a habit, then I could make it an entire year.
And so, my wellness journey began….
The first Beachbody workout I decided to tackle was the 21 Day Fix with Autumn Calabrese. Seven different workouts ranging from yoga, leg day, arm day, Plyometrics, Pilates, etc. for 30 minutes a day. I wouldn’t have to stress about looking cute at the gym or dry heaving in the middle of a group of regulars. This, I could do. Maybe.
Week one wasn’t so bad, and I actually really liked Autumn and her posse of gym rats. Not once throughout the 30-minute sessions did I look at the clock or check my texts. I was engaged. Time flies when you’re getting your ass kicked. I remember being very sore on day two or three, but I soldiered on. By week two, I was in the zone, and aside from still feeling sore after leg day, I was okay. The biggest achievement was that I wasn’t bored with the workouts, which is huge.
With week three coming to an end, I had to decide on my next move. 21 Day Fix Extreme seemed the most logical, but I was terrified. I felt like I was subscribing to P90X or something and that I would be dead on the floor or personally humiliated because I couldn’t make it through the first workout. It was during this time that I also started feeling toned, and my clothes were feeling less tight. Changes were being made here.
21 days later, I completed “the fix” and was ready to challenge myself with Extreme. Week one wasn’t terrible, although plyo day killed my knees but that’s also because I’m getting old. Truth hurts. Honestly, the only thing I remember about week two is that I was over it. The burnout was real, but I pushed through because I’m not a quitter. Week three rolled around, and I can say with pride that I found the workouts to be effortless. I was banging them out because the previous two weeks had been preparation for the final countdown. Well done, Autumn, well done.
Then, the final day came round—cardio day. I died. Legitimately, my daughter’s tutor asked if I was okay. I don’t know if it was complete and utter burnout or if all that work really amounted to nothing. But I digress, I finished the dang thing, and while I was mildly embarrassed about my slow death, I felt really good for completing 42 days of rigorous physical activity.
In conclusion, I’m a super fan of Beachbody. I can get 30 minutes of intense exercise in the comfort of my own home and without having to pay for a sitter. Aside from the $99 to stream, all you need to invest in are some free weights, bands, and a pair of loops. I also suggest you find a good coach. My coach is amazing and I love her. She’s so freakin upbeat, I swear she sweats glitter, and she conned me into the next phase of my glow up by doing, Ballet Barre. Wish me luck.
