Have you heard about this new BodyBoss Method workout program, you know the one that's blowing up your Facebook and Instagram feeds? This 12-week program promises to unlock your dream body, getting you fit and in the best shape of your life. I was intrigued. I've tried these types of programs before and nothing has ever stuck. What pulled me into this fitness program was the time commitment: only 24 minutes three time a week? Could that be true?
So I bought a new pair of running shoes, pulled out the old yoga mat, and got to working out. I'm two weeks into the BodyBoss Method Program and here's what I think so far.
BodyBoss Method Pre-Training
The Fitness Guide starts with four weeks of pre-training. I wasn't sure if I needed it or not (I used to be an athlete in high school, but that was so long ago I don't even want to mention it!). I figured I would do the first week and if it felt too easy, I would bow out for the full program.
Let's just say I was so sore I could barely sit down. I can't remember ever being that sore! Luckily I was going through the program with a friend, so I wasn't alone in my misery for the first two weeks as we continued on through pre-training. Man, I guess I was really out of shape!
By the fourth week of the pre-training exercise program, though, I was feeling really good. The soreness had passed and I was definitely feeling stronger. The fitness test I did on week one (which took me 6 minutes 10 seconds) only took 4 minutes 38 seconds after the pre-training! I was ready to move onto the BodyBoss workout plan.
The BodyBoss Method Program
The BodyBoss Method step-by-step workout guide is super easy to follow. The workout routine starts with stretching, which I actually think has been just as beneficial as all the high powered cardio! By following the same, yoga-like stretching routine every day, you are preparing your muscles for growth and preventing your body from becoming hurt during your home workout.
On Monday and Wednesday, you perform a HIIT workout (high-intensity interval training) which leads you through three circuits of exercises that last seven minutes each. The exercises are bodyweight resistance exercises and plyometric (jump training) exercises, plus some cardio to get you moving. Three minutes of rest between each circuit is just enough time to catch your breath before moving on to the next circuit.
Tuesday and Thursday are recovery and cardio days intended to get your heart rate up and get your body moving for 30 minutes. Fridays are Power-Up days with a Tabata-style workout. It only lasts 6 minutes but it's just as tiring as the longer workouts! These style workouts are designed to keep your metabolism running high for the weekend, which you get to take off.
The best thing about these workouts: no gym membership and no fancy, expensive equipment. Just me, my running shoes, and a mat. Some of the exercises require an incline (my kitchen table is working out just fine) and some of them require light weights (I've been using bags of pasta for the one-pound weights...it seems ironic, no?).
24 Minutes Three Times a Week?
Is the BodyBoss workout really only 24 minutes three times a week? Nope. It's 24 minutes of active workout time, which actually takes 50 minutes to complete when you add in the 20 minutes of warmup and cooldown and the 6 minutes of rest between those circuits.
The Friday workout, though, is only 26 minutes including the warmup and cooldown. I'll forgive them this minor marketing mishap only because I'm really enjoying myself, even if it is twice as long as I thought it might be.
So... What About Results?
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9SK6mUnc8C/
Two weeks into the BodyBoss Method program (which means six weeks in, if you count the pre-training) and I have to say the scale hasn't moved much. What has moved, though, is that extra flab around the back of my arms. While I haven't lost much weight my muffin-top stomach is quite a bit trimmer. I feel stronger when I'm moving equipment at work and I schooled my husband on the kayak at the lake last weekend.
While I haven't seen the scale-related results I was hoping for, I'm realizing that maybe that's not the ultimate goal. When I started, I wrote down three fitness goal statements:
1. Get Strong
2. Feel Healthy
3. Lose Weight
Maybe it was subconscious that the third item was weight loss because really that's the least important factor here. What the scale can't tell me that I've lost inches around my waistline and I'm back to my high school fitness level.
I have ten weeks left of the main program, and I'm definitely not thinking of slowing down or stopping. I'm looking forward to the continued fitness challenge and accomplishing my goals. So what do you think: would you be happy with these results?
UPDATE: I finished the BodyBoss Method, read more about my end results.
Editor's Note: The author has not been solicited or paid by BodyBoss Method for any opinions or review.
This article was originally published on October 22, 2017.
