Body FX Fitness: Program Review

There are some silver linings coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic for some fortunate people. One is that those used to ordering in food or going out to restaurants daily have had to learn to cook for themselves (I know not everyone is happy about this...but think of all the money saved!). Also, with gyms and recreation centers closed, people have had to find ways to be active at home. Again, a lot of people are not necessarily seeing this as a good thing, but I do.

I am always encourage my friends and clients to find ways to exercise at home since it is so much more convenient but many people resist, believing that they will get distracted or don't have enough space. Now that everyone has had to do it for several months, a lot of people I know have started to see the benefits of home workouts and have decided they will not return to their gyms.

Nothing has changed for me as we have a lovely home gym and I have been exclusively working out at home for years now. So I was more than happy to try out an online fitness platform called Body FX.

What is Body FX?

Founded in 2017 by James & Janna Kunitz, Body FX is a dynamic fitness experience, offering online workouts through a digital platform and mobile app. In addition to over 100+ hours of energizing fitness videos, Body FX’s users also gain access to daily email coaching, nutritional support, and an active Facebook support group—over 85k strong. From electrifying dance cardio with Figure8 to speedy, hyperfocused exercises with 6-Minute Body, Body FX makes exercise accessible and fun for everyone. Consumers can access Body FX through Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, download the Body FX app, or stream from a desktop at home, all for just $11.99 a month. To learn more about the various Body FX programs please visit www.bodyfx.com.

The program includes several distinct types of workouts:

1. Figure 8 Dance workouts taught by Janna - a former professional dancer
2. JNL Fusion Fitness workouts taught by fitness celebrity, Jennifer Nicole Smith
3. 6 Minute Body workouts taught by fitness coach, John Abdo

The first 30 days of the program is free and after that it costs just $11.99/month, which is pretty phenomenal.

Members get daily emails with workout suggestions, motivational stuff, a meal plan and recipes. The focus is heavily on losing weight. If you want to lose weight and are looking for a program that provides a meal plan, workouts and everything else all in one, I suspect it is effective. The meal plans don't provide calorie break downs but it looks like no more than 1,500 cals which is likely to make most people lose weight. Just remember that it is pretty useless to employ any lifestyle changes to lose weight that you cannot sustain your whole life. Diets don't work because few people can stick to them long-term. Furthermore, exercising primarily to lose weight is the least effective way to promote adherence to an exercise program. Instead, focus on the other billion good reasons to exercise daily.

I started by trying a variety of the dance workouts (Samba, merengue, hip hop, etc.). Dance is definitely outside of my comfort zone. I tried Zumba while we were at Club Med in Florida and thought it was kinda fun...but not something I would normally do. Nevertheless, I like trying new things and I especially like trying new things in the comfort of my own home where no one can see how silly I look. I have to say, I did enjoy the dance workouts! My children were not impressed...I was able to follow the steps but I definitely not a gifted dancer, they were both amused and horrified watching me. They are good workouts that will get you sweaty, yet mostly low impact and easy enough for even a dufus like myself to follow. Anyone who hates 'fitness' activities will really enjoy these workouts. You can pretend you are dancing at a club or taking a dance class instead.

The JNL Fusion workouts are fitness workouts will the usual suspects (burpees, lunges, squats, plyo, etc.). The are good HIIT workouts but JNL's schtick makes me cringy. Lots of talk about 'ugly fat' and use of the 'kiss my abs' and 'strong is the new skinny' BS. Not the type of language I think fitness instructors should use. Still too much focus on physique despite people thinking 'strong is the new skinny' is better. Studies show that this type of 'fitspo' language is just as harmful to body image as 'thinso' statements.

Abdo's 6 minute exercise segments are straightforward and perfect for people who dread long exercise sessions. They are also ideal for fitness 'snacks' which most people can really use right now. A great way to combat the tightness and fatigue we get from sitting for hours every day and rarely leaving our homes is to take small little breaks to do some activity.

Altogether, Body FX provides a diverse variety of fitness options that can accommodate a household of people with different preferences. Personally, though the JNL Fusion workouts are most like what I typically do for workouts, I most enjoyed the Figure 8 Dance workouts. It was fun to challenge my body and brain in new ways. Nevertheless, I will be sticking with my usual workouts, though it has expanded my mind to considering dance as an activity I could add to my repertoire.

I am not a big fan of diet/weight-loss plans since few people stick to them long-term, but there are some people who like being told what to do when they want to make a lifestyle change. This program does offer coaching, exercise programming, motivation, meal plans, and recipes. I always tell clients to figure out what healthy changes they can make that they will be able to maintain forever. It has to be customized to you individually, but anyone can certainly draw inspiration and ideas from the meal plan and recipes.

Rather than focusing on your weight, the best thing you can do for your health is to just start moving your body as much as possible, and if these workout options seem appealing to you, than this platform is a great choice.

Disclosure: I was asked to review this product but all opinions on this blog are my own.