Four weeks ago, I committed myself to a new workout challenge in the form of the 10lb. Slimdown Xtreme workout system. Although I covered most of the reasons as to why I decided to start it in my first post, I’ll briefly outline them a bit again here.
My Main Goals for Starting the Program
- To switch up a routine that had gotten somewhat stale
- To gain extra muscle definition
- *Note: I did not begin the program in an attempt to lose 10 pounds. If a few happened to drop during the process, that was okay. But 10 pounds was never my goal.
When I committed to the challenge, I intended on following the workout plan exactly, with the exception of starting on Day 3, rather than Day 1. Other than that, the only adjustment I made to the challenge was on Day 23 and over this weekend, where I ended up just totally skipping days 27 and 28. Woops.
First, a quick breakdown of each week…
Week 1
The first week focused on total body.
I enjoyed all of the workouts in week 1, and I thought that the variety was laid out really nicely. It incorporated a good mix of all of the workouts and was helpful for transitioning into what was to come next.
Week 2
The second week focused on the upper body.
Week two was probably my favorite of all four weeks of the challenge. I enjoyed all of the upper body workouts paired with the cardio kickboxing. The workouts in week two were slightly more intense than week one, but none left me feeling like it was something I couldn’t handle.
Week 3
This week focused on abs.
Week three started off strong, but started to get a little repetitive for me. With three days of the cardio kickboxing routine back to back (days 18-20), I was beginning to get a little bored. Honestly, I felt like this week was more of a cardio burn for me, rather than a focus on abs. While my abs were worked, they never felt overly fatigued or sore like my arms did occasionally from the workouts in week two.
Week 4
This week focused on the lower body.
Week four was, by far, the toughest week of all. Taking a rest day on Day 23 was super important for me; not only was I extremely sore from the workout from the day before, but I didn’t understand why the lower body would need to be worked so intensely two days back to back. That didn’t make much sense to me? Even though I skimped on the workouts on days 27 and 28, I didn’t miss them.
My Thoughts on the Program
Pros:
- The challenge did a really nice job of increasing the intensity of the workouts as the four weeks progressed. Week 4 was definitely more intense than week 1.
- Chris Freytag was an amazing motivator and I loved working out with her for these past 4 weeks. She has a cheery, upbeat attitude, but she definitely means business.
- These workouts challenged me more than any other workout I’ve done in a long time. There was no lollygagging around with these videos!
- I really enjoyed the amount of strength training with weights that was incorporated. While I’ve never done another workout program such as P90X or Insanity, I’m pretty sure that those focus more on strength training using your own body weight (maybe?).
- The program even challenged me to buy heavier weights.
- My favorite videos out of the series were the Cardio Kickboxing + Total Body.
Cons:
- I did not like how weeks 3 & 4 did not include rest days. I talked on a few occasions about the importance of rest days, and you guys definitely seemed to be right on board with me. They are absolutely necessary.
- By week 3, some of the videos began to get a little repetitive and boredom struck. Even though upper body was the focus of week 2, it would have been nice to still have it slightly incorporated into weeks 3 and 4 (besides in the Total Body video).
- Some of the planned workout days were long (80 minutes) and were hard to find the time to squeeze in for them.
My Results
At the end of the four weeks, I have noticed the following results:
- I did not lose any weight. Not a single pound (see below).
- I have some slight soreness in my right knee, which I attribute to not getting myself out and getting the correct pair of shoes to wear for the program.
- I notice some slight definition in my arms, but I don’t think it’s enough where anyone else would notice.
- I feel stronger. Before this, I was happy with just lifting my little 5 pounders at home, but now the 10 pounders are my go-to weight. I still use the lighter weights when working smaller muscles, such as the front shoulders, but the heavy ones get more of a workout now.
- My leg muscles are tight. Real tight. I need more yoga in my life, asap.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the four weeks, I was rather surprised by the fact that I did not lose any weight. As I mentioned before, these videos kicked my butt harder than any other workouts I’ve done in a long time. There’s no doubt about it. So with a program that claims to help you lose 10 pounds, I found that a little interesting.
HOWEVER…with the 10lb. Slimdown Xtreme program, there is also an eating plan which I did not follow. As I mentioned at the beginning of the challenge, I had no intentions of following an eating plan or doing much to change my eating habits. I’m not sure how restrictive the eating plan is, but I’m assuming that had I followed it, a couple pounds would probably have been dropped.
I also thought I might see a little more in the way of muscle definition, but there really isn’t much. Apparently I was enjoying a few too many pumpkin beers during these last four weeks?
I do think I’ll still incorporate some of the videos into my regular workout routine, without following the challenge itself.
- Kickboxing – great cardio routine
- Total Body – exactly that; a great total body workout
- 10 min Abs + Buns – both great fill-in videos. The buns video is especially killer!
Overall, I thought the challenge was a great way to switch up a routine that had gotten stale, but I was a bit disappointed with the results. Even though I was ready for another change by the end of the four weeks, I still liked having the workouts ready for me, and there was no second guessing what was going to be done each day.
I know that there are quite a few of you out there who have mentioned either starting the challenge or just incorporating some of the various workouts, so I’m also curious to see what you think! If you haven’t tried any of these workouts, do any of them sound like something you’d want to try?
Feel free to share away in the comment section of this post.
*And if I forgot to address anything, please let me know. By the end of this post, my mind was beginning to turn to mush.
Andy says
Since results are 80-90% diet that’s probably why you didn’t lose any weight (not that you were trying).
Whitney says
I would just like to point out that losing weight is 80% diet and 20% exercise. If you change your diet and eat healthy, you can walk and lose weight. I know this was not your intention but I thought I would just mention it.
Great job completing the program! Besides running outside, I do not have the motivation to work out at my home. I need a gym to get motivated from others! :)
Courtney says
Thanks Whitney, that’s definitely a very good point that I forgot to address!
Khushboo says
Thanks for your review! The workout sounds intense and I’m glad it helped you shake things up! I’m on a 6 week training plan as I wanted to increase my running mileage. This week I scheduled 4 workouts back-to-back as I’m on holiday Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Although I’m now thinking of nixing Wednesdays workout- like you said, rest days are so important and I can feel my body (and mind) slowly burning out.
JN says
Did you happen to take measurements? Since muscle weighs more than fat, maybe you lost inches, as opposed to pounds.
Courtney says
I did take measurements – forgot to write that!
Didn’t see much of a change in those either though.
Caitlin C. says
Nice review! I agree with commenter JN above, even though you lost no weight on the scale, I bet you met your goal of gaining definition aka you probably gained muscle and lost fat, resulting in a “number” on the scale that didn’t “move”. Just goes to show you the scale is often a silly indicator of fitness!
Ruthie Hart says
Hey lady! So I have kept up with your 10lb slimdown workouts on your blog but I have been wondering if this is a DVD set?? I clicked on the link and it took me to Exercise TV and I know you’ve mentioned you have that. We just switched cable providers (for the sake of having the NFL Network) and our new one doesnt have any exercise channels…boo! So my question is, if it IS a dvd set that you have to go purchase…is it worth the money? Thanks!!
Courtney says
Ooooof, that’s a tough one. (Side note – we almost switched providers for the NFL package too, but I told Jay I couldn’t give up my Exercise on Demand channel, haha!)
Honestly, the DVD set is a little pricy – I think it’s 55.99 – so I don’t know if I would pay the money for it since I have access to it AND I’m already paying a gym membership. Granted, the DVD set does have other things with it (meal plan, etc) but to me, they’re not worth the money. On the other hand, I can definitely foresee myself using these videos in the future, so I guess I’m sort of on the fence. If I *had* to chose, I probably wouldn’t buy it, but that’s solely because I’m cheap :)
Ruthie Hart says
You are lucky you won the cable provider debate because I have lost my hubby to football for the fall!! haha! Thanks for the info on the DVDs…I am a member of 24 hour fitness and really do need to start hitting up more of the classes, I only attend cardio dance party and occasionally zumba. I have loved your other DVD recs though! Thanks lady!
Amanda @ Semi-Health Nut says
The 24 hour I go to has Body Pump and I LOVE IT! You should try it out! My muscles were sore for five days after my first class…and I only used the 2.5 and 5 lb weights on the bar! :-)
Lindsay @ In Sweetness and In Health says
Nice review! Some of those workouts might be fun to try, but I generally think I’m able to get a better workout at the gym or in a group fitness class than I am at home. I would have been frustrated with not getting more definition too! Especially after focusing on the muscles so much over those 4 weeks. However, I have noticed that over the past couple of years my arms and back didn’t really start getting more defined until I started lifting heavier weights.
Krissie J @ A Philly Nerd Girl says
I have a hard time using plans for the same reasons. I tend to get sick of the workout after a while, and I never have all the resources/patience/time/money to follow their meal plans exactly. You don’t eat unhealthily, so I don’t think your diet is completely the issue. You’re likely at a weight your body is totally happy with so burning off any extra pounds will take way more work than if you needed to lose say 30+lbs. Thanks for the great recap! :)
Sylvia @ Frolic Through Life says
I think I’m going to bite the bullet and try to do the challenge, but will probably end up tweaking it a bit just like you did. I don’t think I will follow the diet plan either, I find them to usually be super restrictive and if you just followed the plan without the workout, you’d still see results. I want to invest in heavier weights also. My five pounders aren’t cutting it anymore.
Shari @ The Daily Dish says
As I mentioned to you before, I am planning on starting the challenge (actually started the “real” plan today, which I did a quick post on). I did do a few of the workouts over the last few weeks (before getting the videos, by using exercise tv on demand) and I have to say they really do kick your butt literally…I haven’t noticed a huge weight loss, but my stomach is feeling/looking flatter so I am happy with that. I am curious to see how following the plan exactly goes, but I will say that I am excited to have these DVDs for once the challenge is over too. Some of these workouts are great for those days when you just can’t get your butt out to the actual gym, and I also think they’d be awesome for traveling. :)
Courtney says
Good luck on the plan, Shari!
Shari @ The Daily Dish says
P.S. I did not/am not following the diet plan either. I eat pretty healthy as is and don’t see a need.
Amanda says
loved your review! i think i want to take the challenege for this! i think rest days are super important as well, either way you did great! i could really use this kind of dvd to try and get back into a routine! thanks girlie! xoxo :)
Ashley @ My Food 'N' Fitness Diaries says
Great review – it was interesting to get a taste of your thoughts on it considering I’ve never done a DVD workout series (such as Insanity or P90X). Did you happen to take body fat measurements? I prefer measuring my body fat versus my weight because you could’ve possibly put on some muscle and lost fat without the scale budging. Again, not that you were trying to lose weight, nor do you need to by any means, but I think this is a great example of how much a person’s diet affects weight loss. Any workout gimmick or DVD can advertise that it will help a person lose said amount of pounds, but they’re not going to lose anything if they don’t change their food intake. Congrats on finishing the challenge!
Courtney says
Unfortunately, I didn’t have access to taking body fat measurements, otherwise I totally would have. I’d be very interested to see if there was much change in that! Honestly, I’ve never been much of a “numbers” person anyways…I just go by how I feel and how my clothes fit :)
Erica @ For the Sake of Cake says
Sounds like it was worth it just to try something new. I’ve never tried any of the “10lb. Slimdown” videos, but I might give them a try one night when I don’t feel like hauling it to the gym!
Kristen @ notsodomesticated says
I agree with others who said that losing weight is largely about diet, but as you already said, you weren’t looking to lose weight … so mission accomplished! ;)
And I agree with you … I’m all about rest days! :)
Hope says
Thanks for the review! Congrats to you for completing the program! :)
Allison says
I can’t believe you can’t see a difference! Thanks for letting us know! I agree it does get repetitive. I am starting to do the kickboxing before Chris even tells us what to do. Also, I don’t understand why the workout is laid out the way it is. I have had better results mixing up the days based on what is least sore.
Shayla @ The Good Life says
Great review and great job completing the challenge! I’ve noticed as I get older, ahem almost 30!, that it gets harder and harder to lose any amount of pounds. I used to be able to take spin class to work off an indulgent night of wine and food, but not anymore. It’s now all about diet and no matter how much I ever workout, I will not lose a single ounce! So now I just accept the weight I’m at now and where my body wants to be naturally b/c deprivation sucks! That tells me then that that diet plan is probably quite restrictive in order to lose 10 lbs. Also, you may have not lost any pounds but you noticed you got arm muscle definition and muscular arms are sexy any day ;)
Courtney says
Deprivation definitely DOES suck! Thanks for your insight, Shayla.Those are some great points!
Kim @thefamilypractice says
Courtney, I appreciate your honesty in the review – I think sometimes its good to have something like this because it takes the thinking out of the workout and because it pushes you to try new things and break out of your rut. I would bet that you found things you’ll incorporate into your new routine(s) and other things you won’t want to do again. I saw this set at the library and I think I’ll rent it and try some of it out for myself (although I doubt I’ll do the “challenge”)
Thanks again!
Carly says
I would definitely like to try the 10 min ab and butt workouts – they sound like great additions to any workout , to switch up a routine, etc.
I also think it’s possible you may not have lost weight because you gained muscle. I’m sure if it’s that intense of a workout, it’s a contributor!
Shana says
When they were available On Demand, I tried the total body workout, cardio kickboxing, and xtreme yoga. I really liked all three but was seriously disappointed when the total body wasn’t available anymore. I missed it so much this past week that I went ahead and ordered the whole set! Even though I only did the videos 4-5 times, I think they really improved my overall strength and my run time. I don’t plan on doing the 28 day challenge but can’t wait to incorporate some of the videos into my weekly routine. I’m very picky about workout videos and I absolutely love Chris Freytag!
Julie says
This is my first time commenting on any of your posts. I love your blog and your recipes!! Congratulations on completing the challenge. I just started week 3 of the challenge last night. Tonights the big core and total body workouts, 2 40 min. workouts back to back (hopefully I survive). So far, I haven’t had the results I was hoping for, meaning weight loss, but I do feel that I am stronger and my stomach is flatter, which is always a good thing only after 2 weeks. The one thing that I don’t like and confuses me about the program, is that it really doesn’t have an eating plan. It tells you what to buy, which is obvious if you’re a healthy eater, but it only provides 2 days of what to eat and 3-4 recipes, which I can’t really make a popeye smoothie at work. So besides the workout plan, there’s really nothing else to follow, I feel. It’s really just making sure you eat healthy on your own. Besides that, I am loving the videos. They are a great motivation for me to get back into shape, and honestly I can’t wait to get home everyday and do my videos! I hope this review helps!
Courtney says
That’s really interesting, Julie! I assumed that the plan would have a whole eating plan. I saw the other recipes before, but I’m surprised that’s it. Either way, I’m glad that you’re enjoying the plan…and thanks so much for reading AND for giving your review, too! :)
Christy says
Have you ever tried Bodyrock.tv? The routines are killer and 100% HIIT calisthenics.
Courtney says
I actually haven’t…I see people talk about it all the time, but I’ve never tried any. Probably because I’m too lazy to bring my computer into the living room ;)
Brianne says
The workouts are just posted on bodyrock.tv so you don’t actually need to be in front of the computer to do them. :)
Courtney says
Wait, so they’re on your tv? I can’t find them on mine?!?
Brianne says
its a website: http://www.bodyrock.tv/
Courtney says
Yes, I knew it was a website – I’ve checked it out before – but I guess I’m confused on how I could use the workouts without being in front of my computer then?
Haha, sorry, I am probably making this a lot more difficult than it needs to be…
Amanda @ Semi-Health Nut says
She might mean there is a “workout breakdown” that you could write down?
P.S. Those people on that site all look RIPPED!
Amanda @ Semi-Health Nut says
I think it’s just great that you got through 4 weeks of workouts…and were able to find time to do almost all of them! (I know you had to MAKE time..not saying you aren’t busy!) That would give me a sense of accomplishment right there. And it’s tough for women to get defined arms too so I’d say it was a successful month. :-)
Kudos for the commitment and thanks for posting the review!
Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers says
I just bought this workout Friday from QVC. I did some of the workout on Demand, but since that is gone I bought the workout. I really liked the kickboxing and total body. I’ll try her plan out and see how it goes. Thanks for the great review.
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