How do I lose weight in a 30-day challenge?
The 30 Day Shred is a workout program designed by celebrity personal trainer Jillian Michaels
It consists of daily, 20-minute, high-intensity workouts done 30 days in a row and is claimed to help you lose up to 20 pounds (9 kg) in a month
This article reviews the benefits and downsides of the 30 Day Shred, investigating whether it can help you lose weight
How it works
The 30 Day Shred workout videos are available for purchase at various e-commerce sites.
The program also requires you to have two 3- or 5-pound (1.5- or 2.5-kg) dumbbells.
There are three 20-minute, total-body workouts designed to progress through three levels.
Each level is done for 10 days, and you should ideally reach Level 3 by the end of the program.
Level 1 (Beginner). This level is designed for people who are just starting out, very overweight, or haven’t exercised in over six months.
Level 2 (Intermediate). These workouts are for people who are active in sports, dance, or any regular exercise two to three times per week.
Level 3 (Advanced). This level is intended for those who are very active in sports or consistently work out four or more times per week.
The exercises are based on Jillian Michaels’ 3-2-1 interval system, consisting of three minutes of strength exercises, two minutes of cardio, and one minute of ab exercises.
Each workout starts with a two-minute warmup, followed by three interval circuits and a two-minute cooldown.
Some specific exercises include:
Strength: pushups, double-arm row, chest flyes, military press
Cardio: high knees, jumping jacks, squat thrusts, skate jumps
Abs: crunches, leg lifts, double crunches, plank twists
How many calories does it burn?
A major influencer of weight loss is the number of overall calories burned.
In general, a person weighing around 150 pounds (68 kg), who is of average fitness, can expect to burn 200–300 calories per workout on the 30 Day Shred. This equals about 2.5 pounds (1.1 kg) lost per month from exercise alone.
How much weight you lose also depends on your calorie intake and overall physical activity aside from the 30 Day Shred workouts.
Other potential benefits
While weight loss is the main focus of the 30 Day Shred, daily exercise may offer additional benefits.
Exercises may be too intense for some
The 30 Day Shred incorporates some movements, such as push ups and jump squats, that may be too intense for some people.
Additionally, certain individuals may experience joint pain due to jump exercises.
Still, each workout provides alternate versions of the exercises that are designed to be a bit easier. This may benefit people who feel the workouts are too intense.
Does not address overall physical activity
While the 30 Day Shred provides 20 minutes of daily physical activity, it doesn’t focus on being active throughout the rest of your day.
If you only complete the 20-minute workouts and remain inactive otherwise, your results will be much slower.
Aside from exercise, it’s important to stay active throughout the day by moving more and sitting less. This supports a healthy metabolism and optimizes health benefits