Back by popular demand, I’m reviewing the best Beachbody workouts for fat loss in 2021 for those of you who want to lose weight, firm up and feel your absolute best, all from the comfort of your home (or gym).
The great thing about Beachbody is that they are always releasing new workouts to the platform to keep it fresh, interesting and accessible to all kinds of fitness levels. It's hands down, one of my I use to track my progress (and I use many)
A new workout is released typically once a quarter and each one is created at a different level of intensity. In this blog post, I’ll review the latest workouts released in 2020 and provide insights into which are best for weight loss as well as overall fitness and strength gains.
30 Day Breakaway
30 Day Breakaway is a running-focused program, designed to get non-runners to comfortably run a 5K, and also for seasoned runners to learn how to run better.
Half of the workouts are running sessions (obviously) where the trainer helps you with form and coaches you through different kinds of training workouts so that you’re running safe and effectively.
The other half of the workouts are strength training. This ensures that you’re cross-training properly to avoid injury, but also strengthen and tone your upper and lower body.
- Fitness Level: Designed for beginner to intermediate fitness levels
- Equipment Needed: 3 sets of hand weights (a pair of light, medium and heavy), a workout band and open space to run (indoors or outdoors).
- Best for: Weight Loss
- Try a sample workout here
Note - if you chose to run outside, you can listen to the audio only version of the coaching.
Barre Blend
Barre Blend was my favorite workout released in 2020. Barre is a great workout for developing a long, lean physique and it’s also very safe and accessible. I love how the trainer provides options to make the workout more or less challenging by using hand weights or a larger range of motion.
The best part about Barre Blend is that you’ll finish each 30 to 40 minute workout feeling absolutely amazing. Not totally exhausted, but also not feeling as though you needed more. It’s just enough.
If you’re not familiar with Barre classes, they are a fusion of ballet, yoga and pilates with cardio elements as well. You can expect full body strength workouts that will tone, sculpt muscles while burning fat. It’s also great for postural corrections and just feeling more graceful in your body.
- Fitness level: It’s accessible to beginner, intermediate or advanced
- Equipment Needed: One light pair of hand weights, no more than 5lbs (optional)
- Best for: Flexibility, strength and weight loss
- Try a sample workout here
6 Weeks of the Work
6 Weeks of the Work is designed for folks who want maximum results and are prepared to provide max effort. OMG, this workout is not for newbies! Each workout is designed to elevate heart rate (cardio) while challenging your strength and endurance.
Lots of jumping, complex movements and the training will push you hard! Each workout is around 45 mins and as the title implies, it’s 6 weeks of working out 6 days per week. There are rest and recovery workouts as well, so it’s not just push, push, push.
This workout is for people who have a good fitness base. However, Beachbody also released a 4-week prep program that’s designed to get you ready for the real thing. Both are challenging, both provide crazy good results.
- Fitness Level: Advanced. The Prep program is ideal for intermediate levels.
- Equipment Required: 3 sets of hand weights (a light, medium and heavy), workout bands and a pull up bar is optional.
- Best for: Strength gains (and weight loss)
- Try a sample workout here
Muscle Burns Fat & Muscle Burns Fat Advanced (MBF & MBFA)
MBF and MBFA (the acronyms for Muscle Burns Fat and Muscle Burns Fat Advanced) focuses on weight training with compound movements designed to build strength and burn fat at the same time (hence the name). Trainer Megan Davies is so encouraging and supportive as she walks you through two separate programs - the basic and advanced versions.
The base version - Muscle Burns Fat is designed to take you through the first 3 weeks of the overall program. The moves are less complicated, making them accessible to beginner and intermediate exercisers. By the end of the first 3 weeks, you should be feeling stronger, leaner and more confident with the moves.
Then you move into the advanced version, Muscle Burns Fat Advanced (MBFA) which is more challenging moves designed to amp up your workouts and results. If you’re not feeling ready to move to the advanced version, you don’t have to. Also, if you’re an advanced fitness enthusiast, you can skip the first 3 weeks and just go straight to the advanced version.
This workout is great if you like lifting weights, skipping rope (for cardio) and enjoy seeing lots of different people workout with you (it was recorded zoom-style, so you see other people doing the workout along with the trainer).
- Fitness Level: Beginner, intermediate and advanced
- Equipment Needed: 3 sets of hand weights (light, medium and heavy) and a jump rope (optional).
- Best for: Weight Loss (and strength gains)
- Try a sample workout here
9 Week Control Freak
9 Week Control Freak is probably the most effective option for anyone who got great results from 21 Day Fix. This is Autumn Calabrese’ 6th workout program with Beachbody and it’s designed to create epic results with Autumn’s no-nonsense training style. She will push you!
The moves are engaging and they will keep you engaged as you move through full body strength training workouts with cardio and recovery workouts weaved in as well. It’s intended to be the biggest blockbuster workout of the year, and it just launched.
You can pick up 9 Week Control Freak right here.
- Fitness level: Intermediate
- Equipment Needed: 3 sets of hand weights (light, medium and heavy), a core ball and resistance bands (<- this is a special band that comes with the workout bundle)
- Best for: Weight loss (and strength)
- Try a sample workout here.
So, what’s the BEST Beachbody workout of 2021?
I’m going to go with 30 Day Breakaway with the performance bundle as the number 1 choice if weight loss is your goal. I say this because the focus on cardio is going to help you burn fat, but there is also a weight training element to help you sculpt and tone lean muscle.
However, if you want an overall body transformation that includes sculpted muscles, then I'd also recommend 9 Week Control Freak.
What's the best Beachbody Workout for Building Muscle in 2021?
Hands down it's still 6 Weeks of the Work. This program is designed to deliver exceptional results, but again, it’s not a workout that is accessible to everyone (because it's REALLY hard).
What new Beachbody Workouts are Coming in 2021?
On May 3, 2021, ShaunT is releasing a new dance fitness program called "Let's Get Up!" and it's not only a great workout, it's also super fun. It's based on a break-through integration of dance and fitness that will be easy to follow, and accessible to all fitness levels, so if you're just getting started in fitness - this might be the program for you!
Each workout is only 30 to 35 minutes, and you'll do a mix of cardio dance choreography along with some resistance training, so a few dumbbells will be required.
If you would like to be notified when Let's Get Up! launches, drop a comment below and I'll email you a reminder on launch day.
So that's my round up of Beachbody's best workouts for 2021. Personally, I loved all of them (except maybe 6 Weeks of the Work because it was way too hard). I look forward to seeing what they come out with in 2021!
Question for you - are you planning to go back to a gym once it's safe, or have you enjoyed working out from home?
