Showing posts with label Before and After. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Before and After. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Brazil Butt Lift & Rockin' Body Reviews

Originally, I was going to complete my Brazil Butt Lift / Rockin' Body hybrid program for 6 weeks. After 4 weeks I started to get bored with the schedule, and I was itching to start my Hip Hop Abs routine. Here's what I thought of the programs individually:

Brazil Butt Lift
Although the name suggests this program is solely for the tush, Brazil Butt Lift is definitely a full-body workout program. After completing all of the exercises in the series, I could definitely tell a difference in my waist, bum bum (butt), tummy, and thighs.

My favorite workout from the BBL series is Cardio Axe (pronounced ah-shay). It's an upbeat, Brazilian dance workout that will have you sweating and rocking your hips like a tornado. My least favorite workout was the High and Tight. Although I didn't enjoy this workout at all, I'm sure this is the workout that lifted my bum bum and thinned my thighs. It's important to note that this workout requires ankle weights (that weren't included in my purchase) and a strength band (that was included in my purchase).

Trainer Leandro Carvalho is great at giving direction and explaining what part of your body you're working out, but his smile irritated the heck outta me. How could someone smile so hard while torturing me with crunches, planks, and strength exercises that make my inner thighs scream?

Despite the cons I mentioned above, I would definitely recommend this program to anyone. Leandro will get your booty into shape and you will look great in your skinny jeans! Also, Brazil Butt Lift has different schedules you can follow depending on the problems you have with your booty (i.e. too big, too flat, etc).

Rockin' Body
I absolutely loved Rockin' Body!!! Shaun T is my new bff in my head. He is fun, energetic, hilarious, and so down-to-earth. I honestly felt like he was more of a friend instead of a trainer during the program. Even my daughter enjoyed these dance workouts and she tells me every day, "Mommy, I want to rockin' body!!"

The only cons I noticed in Rockin' Body were the music, the cheesy raps, and the lack of intensity. I expected some cool pop tunes when I ordered Rockin' Body, but instead I got made-up raps by Mr. Shaun T. Before completing Rockin' Body, I did Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred, which is super intense. I won't say Rockin' Body is easy because cardio isn't easy for everybody, but it's not as intense as a high intensity interval training workout. Although Rockin' Body never left me sore like BBL or 30 Day Shred, I still burned a lot of calories.

I would definitely recommend Rockin' Body to anybody looking for a fun cardio workout.

Results
I only completed 4 weeks (about 24 days) of the BBL/Rockin' Body hybrid but I still saw some results in that very short amount of time.
  • I lost 3.4 lbs (initially I gained 2 lbs when I started then I lost those 2 lbs and an additional 1.4 lbs).
  • I lost 1" off my waist. 
  • I lost 0.5" from my hips. 
  • I lost 0.5" from each thigh.
  • I can now pass the "pencil test." (Before you start Brazil Butt Lift program, you're suppose to complete a pencil test to see if your booty needs to be lifted. You place a pencil in the crease where your butt meets the top of your thigh. If the pencil stays put, your booty is hanging too low and you need to work that on out. When I first took the test I failed, but after completing my hybrid program I passed.)
 Here are my before and after photos:


If you can't tell from my cell phone photos, my tummy is a little more flat and my abs near the top of my tummy are a little more defined. Hopefully Hip Hop Abs and cleaning up my diet a little more will help me rid myself of my c-section pooch. Stay tuned for that review in the future.

Both Brazil Butt Lift and Rockin' Body are Team Beachbody products. If you are interested in trying out any Team Beachbody products and don't know a coach, please visit  Coach Alfreda McMillan's website. She's my personal Beachbody Coach and she will get you squared away.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

30 Day Shred Review

I started the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred on January 10th, and as of February 17th, I'm officially done with her!

This has been one of the most challenging, yet rewarding experiences of my life. I'm glad I stuck with it and I'm happy to actually report some results.

But before I post my results and before and after photos I wanted to review the exercise program.

The 30 Day Shred is divided into 3 levels. Each level has 3 circuits. Each circuit has strength, cardio, and abdominal exercises. Each level should be completed for 10 days at a time, and each level is harder than the previous one.

Pros:
  • Short workout - less than 30 minutes
  • You can feel the results in the first couple days of each level
  • Intense interval training for better results
  • Modifications for beginners for each exercise
  • Your heart rate will elevate
  • You will break a sweat
  • Warm up and cool down included
  • All 3 levels are available on YouTube or you can purchase the dvd in Walmart or on Amazon
 Cons: 
  • It's monotonous after you've done the first few days of a given level
  • I'm not sure if this is true for everyone, but I burned less calories each time I completed the assigned exercises for a given level
  • The monotony and the decrease in caloric burn, made it hard for me to want to complete all 30 days and I've had other people tell me they gave up because of boredom 
I guess the most important question is would I recommend this exercise routine to other people, and I definitely would. If you really want to change your body, dedication is required. If you can dedicate 30 days to this workout, you will see results. I think it'll give you the motivation you need to continue on your fitness journey. Furthermore, I think an exerciser at the beginner or intermediate level could benefit from this routine.

Below are my before and after photos and results from completing the 30 Day Shred. It's important to note that I didn't follow Jillian's suggested eating plan, which may have improved my results.





Weight Bust Waist Tummy Hips Thighs
First Day  148.6 lbs 35" 31" 35" 38.5" 24"
Last Day  143.2 lbs 34" 29" 34" 38" 23"