21 day fix extreme results - My before and after photos

It’s no secret that 21 Day Fix Extreme is my all-time favorite home workout. It’s not easy, but it’s fast, fun and I always get great results.

Why I love it

• It’s a challenging workout, but it’s over in 30 minutes
• The choreography is simple to follow and engaging
• The trainer, Autumn Calabrese will PUSH you.
• It’s done in 3 weeks and the results are always positive
• The meal plan is very well laid out, although I have modified it to make it low carb.

What I didn’t love about it

• Plyometrics is the very first workout and it’s a lot of jumping. I feel like they could have eased folks into the program with a gentler start.
• Autumn can be hard to listen to sometimes. She can dish out the 'tough love'.
• It’s only 3 weeks. I would have preferred a longer program in this format, but I think that was the intention behind 80 Day Obsession.

Thoughts on the 21 Day Fix Meal Plan

This can be challenging for anyone who doesn’t do well with a lot of structure because the 21 Day Fix meal plan is based on a portion control container system. I’m not someone who loves to meal prep, so taking the time to measure food before I eat it was definitely out of my comfort zone. I wasn’t perfect at the meal planning, but I got it done (in my own way).

Quick tip - 21 Day Fix has a meal tracking app that’s super helpful (just search for it in the app store). It’s free, it has a list of approved foods, and will tell you exactly how many containers you should be eating for your body size.

Hungry? Eat More

One thing I don’t love about the meal plan is that the calories are slightly lower than I like. As I mentioned, I tweaked the plan to accommodate my low carb lifestyle by reducing my yellow containers (carbs) and increasing my green containers (veggies) and blue containers (fats).

In doing so, I was able to consume more food and when I wanted a glass of wine, I just counted it as a yellow container and moved on.

It’s important not to get too maniacal about the containers. Keep in mind that it’s not an exact science - it’s a guideline for understanding portion control.

BTW, if you hate the idea of this meal plan, that’s totally fine. You don’t have to do it! The workout will still deliver amazing results as long as you are eating clean, and not overeating.

If you prefer a less structured diet, but you still want to have a plan, check out 2B Mindset. For those of us who are more spontaneous and less organized, it’s a much better plan 🙂

My 21 Day Fix Extreme Results

My Before Picture

Okay y'all, the before is never pretty - but here’s my starting point. I was mostly bloated, but I definitely had some fat to lose.

My After Picture

This is my after, taken 5 weeks later (and yes - I'm sucking in my stomach, but you can't suck in those hips!). While you can see a difference in bloating and a change in definition, I want to be clear that this was not won through exercise alone.

I hate to say it, but you will not get results from working out without changing your diet, especially in a 3 week period. Also, the after shot was taken 2 weeks after I finished the program.

 

Would I do 21 Day Fix Extreme Again?

Of course! I have done about 4 rounds of the program at this point - both the original 21 Day Fix extreme, and the new “real time” version that was filmed in 2018.

What’s the Difference Between 21 Day Fix Extreme and 21 Day Fix Extreme Real Time?

When it comes to the workout, very little is different. In fact, many of the moves are exactly the same. The difference is that the original version is just 7 recorded workouts that you do over and over again for 3 weeks.

In the Real Time version, each workout is different and it gets progressively harder as you become more fit. So on week one, you might not even use weights, but by week 3, you’re not only using weights, but you’re jumping with them as well. Does that make sense?

Progressive Workouts

In the fitness industry, we call this progressive programming, where workouts become progressively harder as you become capable of doing more. This ensures that you’re always growing, getting more fit and seeing better and better results.

Most if not all of Beachbody's latest programs have used this format.  80 Day Obsession, 6 Weeks of the Work, Barre Blend, 10 Rounds and Morning Meltdown 100 are all filmed in a sequence that gets progressively more challenging as you go through it.

How much harder is 21 Day Fix Extreme Compare to the Regular Version

In case you don’t know what I'm referring too, Beachbody originally came out with 21 Day Fix for a beginner to intermediate level back in 2015. It did so well, that they launched the Extreme version for an advanced level audience 2017.

I would say the biggest difference between these two workouts is that there is little or no jumping in the regular version. They also have a modifier - a very normal, non-fitness person doing the workouts right alongside the instructor. So if you’re brand new - you will feel reassured that you can do the moves, too.

Related: What is the best Beachbody program for beginners?

Want to try 21 Day Fix Extreme?

If you are someone who is willing to work for results, I highly recommend that you give this workout a whirl. If you’re ready to push yourself to get cut, with well defined muscles, you may have to do the program more than once depending on where you’re starting from.

My best advice is to order the workout with the performance line. The pre-workout will help you get through the workouts (and I’m not joking here - it really helps) and the post-workout recovery will help with sore muscles. Shakeology is great for day-to-day nutrition, but the performance pack is designed for next-level results.

-> You can order that bundle right here. <-

21 Day Fix is Just the Beginning of a New Adventure

Once you’ve finished 21 Day Fix Extreme (the real time or original version), then you can move on to one of the 40 other programs on the platform. Personally, I've been hooked on Beachbody workouts since I tried P90x back in 2012.  

When you buy one program - you get them ALL for free (except the occasional new release) for a whole year.  So don't think about this as a one-off program.  Consider it a gateway to a new level of fitness for the rest of your life.

I’m here to help you get started, push through and pick your next workout 🙂