Fitness tips from women that let us help them get into the best shape of their lives.
Weight loss and fitness tips, straight from women that let us help them reach their fitness goals.
February is an important month when it comes to strategizing your fitness goals, because when you prioritize your weight loss goals in February, you are giving yourself just enough runway to realize some significant changes to your body composition by the end of May. Starting your fitness journey (or realigning your journey) now will allow you to enjoy the upcoming summer months from a place of confidence, mobility and strength - and yes, from a place where you look and feel radically different than you do now. We like to say that the best time to plant a tree is now - meaning that its a process that takes time, but nothing grows if nothing is planted. The same is true for your fitness, but when you start in February, you have a chance of seeing a sapling reaching up towards the sky by June, so get those goals planted.
This isn’t about achieving a temporary ‘summer body’ that you can unwrap and unleash at the beach or by the pool (although, by all means, unleash away). This is about making a lifestyle change that will allow you to enjoy this summer, and all future summers, and any other time of year for that matter, as the best version of you possible. The good news is that if you start now, you can make solid progress in time to enjoy the upcoming summer in a way that you may have never thought possible.
Don’t take our word for it. We asked 7 current ‘BodyRockers’ that are members of our fitness streaming service ‘BodyRockPlus’ (think NetFlix, but for fitness), to share some of their tips for getting your fitness journey started. These women are part of our fitfam, and each of them has worked with us to progress towards reaching their body, weight loss and fitness goals.
Alexis, 47, mother of 3.
Start at your level. I have signed up for multiple online workout programs (sorry guys lol), including one of the biggest ones - Beachbody On Demand - prior to having found BodyRockPlus. I’m not going to lie, they had a lot of program options, but nothing that I felt was basic enough for me as someone that was just starting out. What I realized is that it doesn’t matter how slick something looks if it’s just too hard. As someone that was just trying to start working out again after having my last baby, I wasn’t going to be able to do 100 burpees or advanced pushups. When I would sign up for these programs, I would discover that they were all very cookie cutter - they are trying to be everything to everyone, which means that the workouts are mostly all programmed at the same level of intensity, and this level was just way too hard for me as a beginner. So I would quit, and then beat myself up for having failed. What I didn’t understand is that it wasn’t that I was failing, it was that I was trying to do an advanced level workout as a beginner. The truth is, there isn’t a lot out there if you are just starting out. Eventually, I found myself on your site, and that’s when I found out that you guys offered a 30 day ‘Beginner Bootcamp’ series. The workouts were like a breath of fresh air, namely because they spoke my language as a total beginner. The exercises challenged me - I can’t say that they were easy - but I could actually complete the workouts, which as basic as that sounds - was a total game changer for me. It’s so important to start at your level - it saves time, money and a lot of frustration that often turns into self-doubt.
Shannon, 42, mother of 2.
Give weights a chance. Until I discovered BodyRock, I was pretty much a cardio queen. My exercise routine consisted of running, cycling, spinning and the treadmill. I moved a lot, but my body didn’t change. I had been doing the same things for so long that I didn’t notice that I wasn’t improving. I was drifting, moving without any real purpose other than being active. I started feeling like I was slipping backwards, I was ready for something - I just wasn’t sure what. I had always dismissed strength training as something that just wasn’t for me, or if I’m honest, something that felt like it was just for men. When I look back on that thinking, it just strikes me as so incredibly limiting, but that’s where I was at that time in my life. When I finally took the leap and started training with you guys on BodyRockPlus (after lurking around the site and facebook group) I realized that you guys incorporate weights with HIIT a lot. I picked up a BodyRock weighted vest (wow) and a 10lbs set of dumbbells from the site. I didn’t have time to feel intimidated by the dumbbells, because I jumped right into season 1 of the Tone & Torch Challenge, and then started following all of Coach Sean’s workouts. I got over my hesitation to use weights after the first workout. I had finally found my jam. I loved it. I loved how ‘worked’ my body felt, I loved how strong and powerful I felt - there was essentially a love storm - and I got hooked. I do a BR+ workout now every day - 20 to 30 minutes depending on the class length. My body has changed - I have visible, athletic looking muscle tone on my body, I’ve leaned down and I’m stronger than I was in my 20’s. If you feel weird or uncomfortable about incorporating weights into your workout, my best advice is to get over it. I wish that I had started this journey with you guys 10 years ago.
Lizzie, 34.
Don’t beat yourself up. The vibe here is about consistency, not perfection. I like how the coaches sometimes share their own struggles, it makes the whole experience feel very authentic. It’s nice to know that even the coaches can have days where they struggle. These are real people, not ‘influencers’, and they hold you accountable without making you feel that you need to be perfect. I’m more consistent than I’ve ever been because at BodyRock, we show up for each other. There is a culture of support and encouragement, of being the best version of yourself possible. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about showing up from the heart. That's not something that you can just get anywhere.
Mackenzie, 33, mother of 2.
Don’t try and do it on your own. I resisted the whole concept of a meal plan for years, always believing that I could manage my food choices, and balking at the idea that I needed the support and structure that a decent meal plan provides. I would do my best to eat ‘healthy’, but when you are juggling a full life and things are busy, you aren’t always holding enough awareness to read the food labels, check the menus or avoid the drive through. Maybe it was just my ego, but I honestly felt like I should be able to successfully manage the food that I was literally putting into my own face. Except I wasn’t. I would look back at the week that just passed and see a whole week of food choices that I knew were not supporting my health, much less my fitness and weight loss goals. Sometimes these weeks would stretch out to a month, and I would feel hopelessly overwhelmed. That got exhausting, but still I resisted. For some reason, the idea of following a meal plan felt like I was slipping myself into a pair of concrete shoes - I didn’t want to feel caged by a lot of rules. Eventually, the whiplash of feeling constantly defeated by my diet (and a creeping weight gain), pushed me into taking the leap. I was already a member of BodyRockPlus, and knew that Coach Sean followed an intermittent fasting plan. When I became aware that you guys had a version of the plan that was specifically designed for women, I decided to give fasting a try. Best. Decision. Ever. When you fast, the main focus is on when you eat, not so much about what you are eating (although that is part of it). Fasting just clicked for me. I love that it gives me structure, but that it also lets me continue to eat some of my favorite foods.
The bottom line that I tell my friends and family is that you need a meal plan the same way that you need a dentist to fix your teeth, or the way that you need a mechanic to tune up your car. You can’t do this stuff on your own. I didn’t have the time, knowledge or expertise to optimize my diet to provide my body with what it needs to function and be healthy, support my busy life and exercise, and lose excess body fat. I stopped pretending that I was going to ever be in a position to figure all of this out in a balanced way, and invested in a solution instead and that’s made all the difference.
Stephanie, 35.
Build your confidence one step at a time. My first workout with you guys was the Beginner Bootcamp. I actually did Season 2 before Season 1, because I didn’t realize that there was more than one season. I did one workout a day, with an aim just to stay consistent and finish each session. Every time I completed my workout, my confidence grew. I imagined it must have been like watching the grass grow on my front lawn. But day by day, my confidence kept increasing, I could feel it. When I discovered you guys, it had been just over 10 years since I’d purposefully exercised, and there I was, smashing my daily workouts (ok, maybe ‘smashing’ is a bit of an overstatement, but I was completing them) and that felt incredible. I can’t tell you how great it felt to accomplish that each day, and what that meant to my overall confidence. In my entire life, even as a younger woman, I had never - not even once - felt that sense of accomplishment over something that I did physically, and you guys gave me that. I never thought that I would ever feel anything close to being an athlete, but you guys have helped me discover that I’m capable of so much more than I thought.
Jessica, 38, mother of 2.
Nothing has to be complicated. I love that you guys have made this whole process so accessible and easy to follow. I show up for the workouts on a daily basis, on a schedule that works for me. I can wear whatever I want, and I have my own music playlists (you guys should start a Spotify playlist). The workouts are always fresh, and the moves are creative and dynamic. I like learning new things, and I’m never bored. The meal plans are fantastic. Simple, and easy to follow. I love that you guys created recipes for real life. I don't have an hour to cook dinner most nights, and the recipes you guys put together are simple and easy to prep, and my kids like them. One of the highlights for me is to cover half my plate with greens / veggies, add my lean protein and slide in some healthy carbs. Done. The desserts and snack options are great too. The whole system just works.
Wendy, 54, mother of 3.
Start small. I’ve been ‘BodyRocking’ with you guys now for 4 years. When I found you guys, I was 66 pounds heavier than I am now (whoot, whoot). When I first signed up for the workouts, I struggled to walk in place for longer than 2 minutes. That's how bad things had gotten for me. I started on the Beginner Bootcamp, and huffed and puffed my way through it. The very first day, I simply walked in place when I could, and made myself stand there, up off of the couch until the workout ended. The next day, I moved maybe 30 seconds longer. But I never sat back down once the video started. My biggest challenge at first was keeping myself from sitting back down on that couch while the workout played. By the end of the first 30 days, I was marching in place the whole time. By the end of the second month, I was moving along with each exercise, and if I couldn’t manage it yet, I just walked in place. By the end of the third month, I was doing the exercises - and by then I wasn’t looking back. I watched all of Coach Jessie’s workouts, and I got hooked on Coach Sean’s videos. I started progressing a tiny step at a time. It blows my mind to think about how far I’ve come, how my body has responded after decades of neglect. It’s never too late to get in the best shape of your life - even if you just stand there, refusing to surrender to the couch. You guys have changed so many lives, mine most of all.
Hey guys.
I just wanted to thank the members of our fitfam that took the time out to share their personal stories. It takes courage to share, and you never know how your words will find people, just when they are suppose to, and spark something that changes things. If you were moved by any of these women’s experiences and would like to join us, you can get a full year of BodyRockPlus.com - including unlimited access to the Beginner Bootcamp and all of our other programs, for just $69 for the year with code: NY22.
I’m very proud to announce that on February 7th, 2022, we are starting to release 2 new full length workouts per day on BodyRockPlus.com - a BodyRock Beginner workout which will be perfect for anyone just starting to workout again, and the ‘BodyRock’ workout which will be for everyone at the intermediate to advanced level. We are going to show up for you guys with a workout from the heart, at a level that will meet you where ever you are in your journey. We hope that you join our fitfam, and let us help you get in the best shape of your life.
Best,
Freddy.