Beachbody Autumn Calabrese's 21 Day Fix Extreme - Essential Package

I'm currently 17 days into my 21 day Fix but I can't imagine my review being any different in a few days. Since I read all of the reviews for weeks before I bought it I will attempt to be as helpful as possible. I am 5'8 and about 30 pounds heavier than I'd like. I volley between 30 and 20 pounds over - 30 in winter maybe 20 or less in summer. I worked out daily before the purchase so I chose Extreme for a challenge. 1) My DVD's are blue-ray. If you don't have a blue-ray DVD player they may not work. If you do the quality is amazing. 2) If you can put forth the effort to prep your food either each day or once a week for your work week you're halfway through your battle. I was used to working out every morning so I simply exchanged what i was doing to Autumn. She doesn't annoy me - which is relatively easy to do. (I'm used to being fussed at by Jillian in the morning so there's that.) There is a different workout for every day. I like that. I think my body likes not really knowing what's coming up - even if I've done it before it was 6 days ago. Additionally there are 4 or 5 people besides the modifier who are working out with you and behind Autumn. That helps ME because I can focus on someone besides her if I need to. 3) Results are more than numbers on the scale. I haven't lost a lot of weight but I have lost inches in everywhere that I felt I need to. It's the inches that keep me motivated, knowing that the weight will follow if I'm stay on task. 4) There are days when I'm not eating all of my meals because I'm still full from the last. It's probably why I'm not dropping as much weight - but it's good to know I'm not starving myself. 5) Finally, the cost. It's difficult sometimes to justify spending this kind of money on a program like this. I simply made a resolution (yes I know it's way after New Years) to invest in myself. At some point you get tired of seeing all of THAT in the mirror. It's okay for you to do something for yourself and your health - something that will make you feel better the moment you see the first loss. It may be an inch or it may be a couple of pounds. Once you decide to change your approach you'll be successful. Oh btw...the containers are painfully smaller than they appear. (You'll be okay - trust me)

First of all, I LOVE 21 Day Fix, At 45 years of age, it got me in the best shape of my life. I feel so strong! I actually rotated the Fix with jogging, usually exercising about 4-5 times per week, and didn't really feel the need to change things up until about month 5. That, to me, says a lot about a fitness dvd. There was enough variety that I didn't feel bored, and there were always ways to modify in the beginning, without giving up. As I got stronger, I could make the workouts more challenging. I feel the original Fix is truly an excellent, easy to understand workout program. Last month, I took the plunge and bought the Extreme Fix. I started with the Pylo DVD, which I'll admit, was my least favorite in the original Fix and the only video I rarely did. The first noticeable change is that the warmup section time is drastically reduced. This may be fine for the younger crowd, but for anyone in their 40's and up, it is really essential to take more than 1 1/2 minutes to stretch and get your muscle's ready. The workout itself is just too extreme. Yes, I know pylo involves squats, jumping, and all that jazz, and these types of workouts are all the rage these days, but I feel they are just SO prone to injury. Young or old, if you are fatigued and twist your knee doing one of these jumping squats, you can really hurt yourself for life. Now, I am in pretty darn good shape for my age, and after 15 minutes of Pylo, I stopped the video as I found myself modifying way too much (such a defeating feeling when one has exercised consistently for 5 +months), and also attempting the moves while thinking "you've got to be kidding me."Not a quitter, I took out Pylo and put in the Dirty 30 Dvd, which was one of my favorite videos from the original Fix. SO upsetting. Many of these moves have strayed so far away from basic strength training that they borderline on disaster. The Extreme Dirty 30 has several exercises where you are balancing on one foot, squatting, and lifting weights. It's just too much for me. I am all for lifting and pushing myself to the limit, but I want to do it safely and intelligently. The bonus exercise is holding a plank position, lifting your right arm out in front of you with a weight, lifting your opposite leg out, then bringing that weighted arm and the leg in simultaneously. Planks are awesome and effective, but this exercise screams wrist injury to me. The rest of the videos are, sadly, the same. I was so bummed because I l LOVE Autumn's first workout video. Maybe the young can do this, and I say more power to you! But I am too old for these kinds of moves. Thank you for reading. If you are in my boat, I recommend Kelly Coffey-Meyer videos for a no-nonsense approach to exercise. Nothing fancy, no bells and whistles, just good old weight training and cardio. Or, just stick to the original 21 day Fix, which is absolutely fantastic. Happy exercising, all. Peace.

I started this program a week ago, and have lost 5 pounds and found my waistline. I've worked out regularly for years, but had packed on about 10 extra pounds over the past year due to poor eating habits (too many scones, not enough protein and vegetables). Right after I ordered the program, I made a workout calendar and food tally sheets, along with a copy of the suggested foods for each color-coded container (much of the information about the program is available online). I found that setting it up and becoming familiar with what I was going to be eating really helped. When the package arrived, I read the booklet and loaded the first DVD so that I'd be ready to roll the next morning. The first workout was hard (Cardio FX) and had me sweating within the first round of exercises. I've enjoyed all of the workouts except the Pilates FX. Having done Pilates at a studio in the past, I find it a bit awkward to use the resistance band while staying in good form. Maybe I need a better band. I've been fairly strict with the nutrition program (I had a cupcake on my birthday, and one glass of wine mid-week). I don't use Shakeology, but I do use a protein powder (Protein 17 Organic Whey - purchased right here on Amazon) mixed with almond milk, one of the fruit servings (pineapple or strawberries are my favorite), a tablespoon of ground flax seed, and a few ice cubes. I take a multi-vitamin and a few other supplements (collagen, hyaluronic acid, fish oil, magnesium, calcium, D3 and a B complex). I have that for breakfast or use it as a snack. I'm also drinking at least 64 ounces of water each day. This program works IF YOU DO IT! I've read a lot of cranky reviews, complaints about the containers (size, # of containers, etc.), people unhappy with the Shakeology ads, etc. You could probably figure out an eating plan and workout schedule that would mimic this program if you did a little research, but I was happy to pay $72.00 for 7 good workouts and a pre-designed nutrition plan that I was clearly too lazy to create myself! I'm not a Beachbody coach, nor do I ever want to be one, but their programs are effective. 21 Day FX is working well for me, and I'm thrilled with the results so far.

Background information: I am already in shape. I have completed P90X, P90X3, Hammer and Chisel, Insanity, and have been running for several years. I also have several videos by Cathe Freidrich and Jillian Michaels. This is not to brag, but to give you a picture of my fitness level for this review. I am not a BeachBody coach, and I am 42 years old, 5'6'', 140-145 lbs.First off, my take is that the workouts are on par with P90X3 and the faster paced Cathe Friedrich videos, but more difficult than the Jillian Michaels Body Revolution ones. This program is meant to be an upgrade to the original 21-day fix program, so if you still find the original or JMBR too challenging to complete a full 30 minute workout, you should probably stick with that until you can complete them. That is when you should move on to this or P90X3. Note also that ALL of these workouts include weight-bearing exercise, akin to the CVX workout in P90X3, the faster paced Cathe Friedrich videos, or the last round of the original Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred where she has you do the cardio exercises from the first round with weights this time.I still found the workouts extremely challenging the first week. Any time you do something different, you will be challenged even if you are already fit, just because your muscles aren't used to that particular activity. With new workouts you also have to figure out your baseline weight and which weight is right for each exercise - so if you feel like you are going to die the first time you do Plyo Fix Extreme, don't freak out. Use a lighter weight next time or even modify without weights if you cannot do it. If you are super sore the next day it's ok, don't freak out and think it is too hard and give up - see how you compare the NEXT week. For example, I could barely complete a full round of each exercise the first time I did Plyo Fix Extreme, but the second week I could, and the third week I was even ready to upgrade the weight I was using on some exercises. You can make this workout more or less challenging simply by using a different weight. That said, this does involve an investment of several different weights, so if you are not ready for that, do be aware that this program works best if you have a good range of weights available. I have dumbbells ranging from 2lbs each to 30 lbs each.The workouts:Plyo Fix: The first round is the hardest for me, even though my legs are thrashed closer to the end. I think this is because the warmups are short in this series - another reviewer stated this is very hard on the above 40 set, and that's true, but it is what it is; if you want a 30 minute workout something has to go. The first two rounds are heavy on the big muscles of the legs (butt, quads, hamstrings), and then the last three chill out a little and include more movement-based exercises that I can take a little breather on. I'd recommend a heavier weight for the first two, and then taper off. My fitbit loves this workout. As a previous reviewer said, the bonus round will make you cry bloody tears of regret like a vampire. But again, it is what it is.Upper Fix: I LOVE this workout, I think it's one of my favorites in the series. This one is more resistance-based than cardio-based, which I wasn't expecting, as most of these workouts have a cardio component. It's a lot like Incinerator from P90X3, but I found Incinerator kind of boring and this is not. Don't be afraid of a heavier weight for the back exercises; I always am and I always feel like I could have done more. My other muscles always feel pleasantly fried after this one though. Also drop sets! YAY DROP SETS I LOVE DROP SETS. My fitbit hates this workout, as it always hates workouts with no or little cardio component.Pilates Extreme: I love this workout also! Another reviewer had a really hard time with the band, but I only really struggled with it in the very last rotation. It's important when you do the "church wrap" that you make sure your handles are even length at the top. When you wrap it around your feet, make sure when you hold them in front of you one side isn't longer than the other. This may account for some of the flailing - the first time I did it, one side was really tight and I couldn't do the full range of motion and the other side was too easy. However, I found this pilates routine a lot more doable than the P90X3 one, even with the bands, and WOO do my abs feel it.Lower Fix Extreme: I don't care for this one, but it's personal preference. I prefer straight lifting for my leg days, and this one has 30 seconds of a weight bearing exercise and then 30 seconds of a plyo exercise. I find it a little too similar to Plyo Fix Extreme, although this one does have more lower impact cardio component moves than Plyo (as it should). That said, I usually hate leg day and feel like it takes forever, and this one goes fast.Cardio Fix Extreme: This one is the hardest for me. I always feel like my heart is going to explode straight out my mouth and hit my television. This right after Lower Fix and right before Dirty 30 absolutely wrecks my legs. This one usually has 2 one minute moves and then a 30 second move. Some are more standard cardio (like high knees), and some are weight bearing. It's a lot more legs, and that makes me whine like a faulty window unit after Lower Fix. Honestly my biggest complaint with this program is that Lower Fix, followed by this, followed by Dirty 30 is just too much legs in a row. This is the reason for one less star than max. The last march of the ents that is three leg days in a row.Dirty 30 Extreme: I was scared of this one because it came as a bonus with Hammer and Chisel, and I had done it once and wrecked my shop pretty handily by choosing the wrong weight. However, with lighter weights it isn't so bad. This and Cardio Fix Extreme are kind of companion workouts in that they are both total body with some cardio components, but Cardio Fix has more cardio (duh) and Dirty 30 has more active rest weight-bearing stuff. Dirty 30 is also one minute intervals WHY GOD AND AUTUMN WHY. I hate one minute intervals y'all.Yoga Fix Extreme: I really liked this the first week and for some reason thought I would never get through it the second week. I don't like it as much as the PIlates workout, and it is easier on the legs than the P90X3 yoga workout, as well it should be after Lower, Cardio, and Dirty 30 three days in a row seriously you guys my quads ow ow ow. For some reason I can do crow better in this one than the P90X3 one, maybe the order of the exercises. It's a good stretch, but if you really went hard on Dirty 30 you may fall down on half moon. I am not saying I DID fall down on half moon. I'm just saying that falling down on half moon is a possibiliOKAY NO FINE I TOTALLY FELL DOWN ON HALF MOON. Like a sack of bricks.The meal program was the most pleasant surprise to me. Part of the reason I purchased this program was that I needed a reset for my meals. I had been on a runaway empty carb train this summer, and was saving 500 calories every day so I could eat a pint of Halo Top and an entire bag of microwave popcorn every day. It happens, but I wanted a concrete and strict plan with clear guidelines to get my nutrition back on track. I thought I was going to HATE fiddling with the little containers, and I thought I was going to be starving like I usually am on a calorie cut, and I absolutely wasn't. I was never unpleasantly hungry, I was able to sleep well (not usually the case on a calorie cut), and I felt a lot better too. This was a huge surprise to me. I was on the 1200-1500 bracket, and any other time I have dipped that low into calories I have been starving at night and unable to sleep, with headaches. This time that wasn't the case. SIIIIIGH FIIIIIIINE sources kept telling and telling me that whole foods are better than processed and I don't wanna hear "a cookie is a sometimes food" ANY MORE THAN Y'ALL DO when girl scouts knock on the door, but I needed this program to remind me of that. Insert whining about how it is 2018 WHERE IS MY ROBOT BODY here. I didn't use the countdown to competition plan, just the regular plan. I will give up garbage carbs for 21 days but you will take my sweet potatoes from my COLD, DEAD HANDS.Now, I did also lose the weight they promise you will lose - I started out around the top of my range at 145, and this morning I weighed in at 138 at the beginning of week 3. HOWEVER. I understand, and I want all of y'all to understand that the vast majority of this is water weight. As I said, I have been eating a lot of empty carbs, and if you are also, then you are probably retaining a lot of water. I have gained up to ten entire pounds of water weight depending on what I'm eating and where I am in my menstrual cycle. This program will have you cutting carbs and processed foods, so you will be eating a lot less sodium and empty carbs than usual, so you are going to lose water weight. However, if after your 21 days you go BACK to eating a bag of microwave popcorn, girl (or guy) that water weight gonna come RIIIIGHT back. I am not saying you will not lose fat; you will lose fat also, just be aware that when I say "It is true, I did lose the amount of weight they claimed and so can you," that at least half of that, if not more, is going to be water. You can keep the water off better if you drink more water (I know right, counterintuitive ahoy) and don't eat a lot of sodium/nonfibrous carbs, but let's be real y'all. A cookie may be sometimes food, but like the Cookie Monster, we all want to know if sometimes is now. So be prepared to gain a little back when you are done, and sometimes is now.... is it now yet? How about now? How about.... RIGHT now?All in all this is an awesome addition to my library of 30-minute workout videos, and definitely the program I will use during calorie cuts from now on.

One of DVDs in my package looked as though it had been used, returned, and then repackaged as a new set...it was in pretty terrible shape and of course skipped and froze like crazy. I had to return the entire package and decided not to purchase another. The workouts (the ones that actually played) were definitely tough and I ended up having to follow the modifier about half the time but I enjoyed the quick pace; just when I felt like nope, can't do any more, it was time to rest. The food containers and shaker weren't really necessary; I don't need yet another bottle and there are plenty of blogs devoted to the 21 Day Fix where you can get recipes and find the container sizes (if you have measuring cups and spoons then you don't need the little containers) so it was just more clutter. And the "eating plan" is not really a plan so much as a list of foods that you can eat for each container with a few simple recipes included. What I liked least was the Shakeology commercials before each workout and the emphasis on using Shakeology, which is expensive stuff. It works out to approximately $4/serving which to me is ridiculous. It's pointed out by numerous people (mostly coaches on blogs that I looked up and possibly the Beach Body site?) that a person would spend this much at Starbucks for coffee every morning or more than that to go out for lunch every day so really, Shakeology is a deal! If a person does these things daily I can see how it would seem like a deal but I was born cheap and prefer to carry my own caffeine and lunches so I was not impressed. If the DVDs were offered separately I would likely purchase them as I enjoyed the workouts.

I have two days left to finish up the 21Day Fix Extreme program, and have been really happy with my results so far. I will update my review as soon as I take my final measurements, but, for now, I wanted to provide an overview of the workouts and what comes with this program.Since my reviews tend to be on the longer side, I've divided this up into headings/main sections so you can jump to those sections that interest you if you're not interested in reading the whole thing. :-)Also, the video review that I've shared doesn't provide my thoughts about the workouts, but rather shows how I set up the meal plan in a special notebook to help me stay on track with my eating.~~ MY BACKGROUND ~~It always helps me to know where a person is at in terms of their fitness level when I'm thinking of purchasing a new fitness program, so I wanted to say that I consider myself to be an advanced exerciser. I'm not affiliated with Beachbody in any way, but have many of their programs in my collection of 300+ workout DVDs since they tend to be well-thought-out programs.~~ DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE EXTREME SET AND THE ORIGINAL 21 DAY FIX SET ~~Autumn mentioned in a YouTube video that the Extreme set is designed to take things up about "five notches" from the original set. It's *not* a beginner program. She also said that you don't need to have done the original program at all to do the Extreme set, but you should be advanced in your workouts.From the intensity of the workouts to the meal plan, everything about this set is designed to be more intense and more "dialed in" (to use one of Autumn's phrases), than the original 21DF set.I did about a week of the original set when it first came out, but the workouts were too easy for me. These new Extreme ones have definitely challenged me! If you're just starting out, then start with the original set for sure.~~ EQUIPMENT ~~To do the workouts, you'll need:* A mat* Various pairs of dumbbells* A resistance band of about 15 pounds in strengthThey recommend one pair of heavy weights and one pair of lighter weights, but I've been using my full range of 3's, 5's, 8's, 10's, and even 12's for all of the workouts.With the original set, you could use a resistance band in all of the workouts, but with this set you really do need some dumbbells since many of the exercises would be awkward to do with a band.Also, I tried using some resistance bands I already had, but they weren't quite right for doing Pilates Fix Extreme or Lower Fix Extreme, so I ended up ordering the 21DFX Beachbody pink band (and bonus workouts to keep them company :-) ) so I could have the band on hand and use it when I repeat this program.~~THE STYLE OF THE WORKOUTS~~The workouts are formatted as circuits, where you do a series of exercises and then repeat that series before you move on to the next round. In the next section of my review, I provide an overview of each workout.The time moves quickly in each workout, and they really do seem over before you know they've started.The workouts also each have two countdown timers on the screen, which I personally love since it helps me know where I'm at in the workout and how much more is left to do. One countdown timer shows time remaining for the entire workout, and one shows time remaining for that exercise or rest period.Each of the workouts also really seems to target the legs, and I watched an interview with Autumn Calabrese online when the first set came out where she said she does that on purpose since leg-intensive workouts burn so many more calories and more fat than workouts that don't target them quite so much. As an hourglass, I appreciated this focus on the lower half.The workouts are also not "dancey," so they definitely should appeal to both men and women.Everything is also mirror-cued, which is fantastic since it makes following along so much easier.~~ THE WORKOUTS THEMSELVES~~Although the workouts are billed at coming in at 30 minutes each, they really come in at about 33 minutes each. Also, the cool-down on each one is really short, so plan on a few minutes to stretch out more each day.The Essential package comes with the following workouts:* PLYO FIX EXTREME -- Even though this is a plyo workout, it uses weights. It has 30 seconds of a move, followed by about thirty seconds of rest. Each round is done twice before you move on to the next round. Round 1: jump squats + lunge jumps (right and then left); Round 2: single-leg squat jumps + sumo squat jumps; Round 3: burpees with tuck jump + square jump; Round 4: weighted skaters + calf jumps; Round 5: 3-directional squat thrusts + sumo squat with lateral hop; Bonus: cross lunges for one minute* UPPER FIX EXTREME -- Includes 3 rounds with 4 exercises in each round; you need a mat, a pair of heavy weights, a pair of light weights and a resistance band; no rest between sets; Round 1: Push-Ups (full-range for 30 seconds and half-range for 30 seconds); Drop Set Lunge with Wide Grip Row (30 seconds with heavy weights, 30 seconds with light weights); Drop Set Chest Flyes (30 seconds with heavy weights, 30 seconds with light weights); Band Lat Pull-Down (alternate sides for 30 seconds, both sides for 30 seconds); Round 2: Drop Set Military Press (30 seconds with heavy weights, 30 seconds with light weights); Weighted Twisting Oblique Crunches (1 minute); Posterior Delt Flyes with band (30 seconds then hold for 30 seconds); Dolphins* PILATES FIX EXTREME -- This workout is comprised of pilates-inspired move. Each exercise is just done one time, and is done for one minute, and you use the resistance band for the entire workout. Speaking of which, I ended up ordering their resistance bands since none of mine quite worked for this workout. Also be sure to follow Autumn carefully when she shows you how to set up your band; I didn't quite have it right the first time I did this, and was wondering why I struggled with the moves. The exercises in order are: Rolldowns with Back Row, One Hundreds, Scissors, Circle Teaser, Frog Leg Crunch, Curve with Flat Back, Russian Curve Twist, Heel Tap Curve, Heel Press, Abductor Lift on each side, Heel Press with Bird Dog, Fire Hydrants, Hamstring Curls on each side, Supermans, Swans, Camel with Front Raise, Cooldown* LOWER FIX EXTREME -- This one is one of the hardest workouts in the set, and one of my favorites! From what a friend told me (Autumn doesn't mention that it's called this), this one uses the training modality called contrast training, where you follow a heavy-weight set with a plyo set using those same muscles; supposedly, it's great for building lean mass and gaining more power. You need a set of heavy weights and a resistance band to do this workout. You'll do four rounds with two exercises in each round. Round 1: Squat Jump with weights and without (30 seconds each), Weighted Front Lunge (30 seconds) on right side into Front Kick on right side; repeat on left side; Round 2: Single-Leg Squat with weight to Squat-Lunge Jump with no weight on right side; Repeat on left side; Side Lunge with weights and then Side Lunge to Leg lift without weights (30 seconds each) on right side, repeat on left side; Round 3: Sumo Squats with weights to Sumo Squat Jumps without weights (30 seconds each) on right; repeat on left; Back Lunge with weights then Plyo Lunges (30 seconds each) on right; repeat on left; Round 4: Kneeling Band Heel Press on right side; repeat on left; Lateral Band Walks (what Cathe Friedrich calls Firewalkers)* CARDIO FIX EXTREME -- Although the title of this suggests that it might be pure cardio, it's really a metabolic circuit workout (which are great for fat loss), where you mix in weighted exercises with cardio bursts. There are four rounds with three exercises in each round; the first two are done for one minute each, and the third exercise (which is a cardio drill) is done for 30 seconds. You repeat each round twice, before moving on to the next round. You need your heavy and light weights for this. Round 1: Low-High Squat Shuffle, High Plank with Butt Kick, Running in Place; Round 2: Jumping Jacks with Shoulder Press, Back Lunge with Kick, High Knees in Place; Round 3: Narrow Squat to Sumo Squat with Biceps Curl, Football Fast Feet with Sideways Jump Turns, Regular Jumping Jacks; Round 4: Squat with Clean, Shuffle Burpees, Twisted Skaters with Weight* DIRTY 30 EXTREME -- Each round is repeated (so you're doing each one twice), before you move on to the next round. Round 1: Half-Moon Curtsey (right then left side) + Squat Press; Round 2: Pushup Row (right then left) + Sword Pull Lunge (right then left); Round 3: Squat Row (right then left) + Lunge Row Curl (right then left); Bonus Round: Plank Crunch (right then left)* YOGA FIX EXTREME -- I didn't actually do this workout since I needed a break from the program one day each week, but I previewed it and it looked like it had a lot of sun salutations and some good general stretches.* 10 MINUTE HARDCORE -- This is one hard ab workout! You need a medium-sized weight for this. Each of these moves is done for one minute each, before moving on to the next move: Weighted Crunches, Weighted Knee Drops, Weighted C-Curve Pass, Weighted Hip Drops (one minute on each side), Leg Crosses, High Plank with One-Arm Rotation (one minute on each side; even the modifier is in full/high plank for this)* FIX CHALLENGE (bonus workout if you order through a coach) -- This one has 13 exercises, with 13 rounds, but it's set up in a unique way. You do four reps of each exercise, but then add on a move each round. You then repeat it twice. The exercises are: Surrenders, Inchworms, Up-Downs in plank, Hip Drop Hovers, Side Planks, Pushups, Knee Tucks in Plank, Leg Raises in Plank, Burpees, Plyo Lunges, Narrow-Wide Squat Jumps, Curtsey Lunges, and Skaters.The 10-Minute Hardcore workout also comes on each of the two disks, which makes it easy to play so you don't have to change disks.Since I ordered my set through the Beachbody site, I received the Challenge workout as a free bonus.Each workout starts with a warm-up that's just about 1:30 long and ends with a short cooldown. Autumn includes the exact same moves in each workout, which gets a bit repetitious after a few days. Also, the cooldown stretches were definitely not enough for me, especially on leg-intensive days like Cardio Fix and Leg Fix. Plan on adding in a few more minutes to stretch on those days.~~ THE BONUS WORKOUTS ~~You also have the option of ordering a bonus DVD that has two workouts on it: Power Strength Extreme and ABC (Abs, Butt, and Cardio) Extreme. The rotation guide includes suggestions for how to use both bonus workouts and the Challenge workout (which you can use in place of Cardio Fix Extreme). I ended up ordering this when I ordered the Beachbody pink resistance band since the resistance bands I already owned weren't giving me the range of motion I needed to do some of the workouts like Pilates Extreme and Lower Fix Extreme.* POWER STRENGTH EXTREME -- This workout has one set of exercises, which are repeated for a total of two rounds. Round 1: Quad Crawl, Frog Hops, Supine Crawl, Extended Crunch, Glute Kicks, Half-Pistol, Gorilla Walks, V-Ups, Flip Crunch. Repeat same exercises for Round 2.* ABC (ABS, BUTT, AND CARDIO) EXTREME -- This includes one minute per move, where you alternate between a leg exercise and an abs exercise; you run through the entire set of exercises, then repeat them all in the same order a second time. The exercises are: Squat Tap, Figure 4 Reach (like an oblique crunch), Sumo HIIT, Accordion (weighted crunches), Squat Hold, Squat Jump, Curve Twist, Lunge Arabesque (30 seconds each side), In and Outs (weighted crunches), Single Leg Bridge (30 seconds each side), Side Plank Drop (30 seconds each side)~~ THE ROTATION SCHEDULE ~~The included rotation has you working out seven days a week, and you do the same workout each Monday, Tuesday, etc. For instance, each Monday you do Plyo Fix Extreme, each Tuesday you do Upper Fix Extreme, etc. You can also use the included 10 Minute Hardcore routine twice a week, on the days when you do Upper Fix and Lower Fix.The original 21DF came with the option of doing double workouts (two workouts a day) during the third week, but the Extreme set specifically does not recommend it since the booklet says that these are more intense workouts than the ones in the original set.~~ THE INSTRUCTOR AND INTENSITY LEVEL ~~I did about ten days of the original 21DF, but stopped because the workouts weren't challenging enough for me. This new set is definitely harder, and I would rate it as advanced for sure. They're definitely a step up in intensity from the regular 21 Day Fix program, but not quite as hard as comparable half-hour programs like JNL Fusion, Focus T25, or Jillian Michaels' BodyShred.I did find, though, that the workouts became harder for me as the program went on; that's because as I got more familiar with them, I used heavier weights and pushed myself to go harder and faster each time.I also had non-stop delayed muscle onset soreness (DOMS) the first two weeks, which let me know that I was really working muscles that I hadn't been using for awhile. Even the Pilates one will leave you sore in your legs and tush!Autumn leads each workout, and she does some of the exercises herself and also walks around and gives form pointers and encouragement to the background exercisers. (I mention this because I know that some people don't like it when instructors like Jillian Michaels don't actually do the workout themselves, as opposed to an instructor like Cathe Freidrich, who does each and every rep, without walking around.)Autumn is really positive, and she encourages you to take breaks and/or follow the modifier as needed. In fact, in a few of the workouts, the background exercisers had to take things down a notch or take a quick break, which was encouraging to see.In the original 21DF, the background exercisers seemed to come in more shapes and sizes, but here the background exercisers are all pretty ripped, and I think all of them are sporting six-packs. It makes sense since Beachbody is targeting this towards more advanced participants. In each workout, there are three male background exercisers and three women, one of whom is the modifier.~~ THE MODIFIER ~~There is a new modifier in the Extreme workouts (it's no longer Kat), and her name is Chariesse. She does a nice job of making things easier and a little more low-impact.That being said, the modifications are not as easy as you'd expect; for instance, in the Hardcore workout, she does full planks (not on her knees) for the full two minutes of an exercise and in Upper Fix she does push-ups on her toes. Of course, you can always figure out how to do some modifications on your own, depending on your individual needs.~~ THE CONTAINERS/MEAL PLAN ~~As with the original 21 Day Fix, the idea behind the included containers is that you calculate your energy/food needs (based on your current weight), and then you're allowed to each a certain number of container portions each day based on your caloric needs. For instance, I'm in the lowest calorie bracket, so I'm allotted three green containers each day, two purple, etc.The containers represent the following types of food:* Green -- veggies -- 1 cup* Purple -- fruit -- 1 cup* Red -- protein -- 3/4 cup* Yellow -- starches and carbs -- 1/2 cup* Blue -- healthy fats and cheese -- 1/3 cup* 2 Orange -- seeds and oils -- 2 tablespoons per orange container* Teaspoon -- oils and nut butters; it doesn't come with a teaspoon since you're meant to use one you already own* Blender/shaker bottle for protein shakesFor each container color, there is a corresponding page in the Eating Plan booklet that lets you know which foods belong to that group and how much of that serving size should fit in that container.The first five days or so, I was pretty diligent about using the containers to measure everything out, but, once I got the hang of it, I didn't need to use the containers quite as much.The Eating Plan booklet also only comes with maybe 15 or so recipes, but I found a lot of recipes on blogs and on Pinterest. I also had to do some "eyeballing" when I used some of my own recipes from cookbooks, etc., but, like using the containers to measure out portions, it became fairly easy to figure things out after a few days.My first two weeks on the program, I was pretty spot-on with my eating and could tell that I was losing weight right away, but the third week I went back to my normal eating and snacking at night, so I can tell that that stalled my progress a bit. The next time I do this program, I may only do two weeks -- or just try to figure out a better reward system so I can stay more motivated for all three weeks.~~ A NOTE FOR VEGETARIANS AND VEGANS ~~I had been worried about being able to use the containers/meal plan since I'm vegan, but they are definitely vegan- and vegetarian-friendly since you basically use your own foods to create your meals.That being said, since the vegan and vegetarian protein options were pretty limited, I ended up counting beans, lentils, and quinoa as reds/proteins, which I read online was OK to do. I still got results from doing so. As a vegan, your protein options are otherwise tempeh, tofu, unsweetened soy yogurt, and protein powder. I also did not use Shakeology, but did use Vega Protein Powder a few times a week.Beachbody really needs to work on making their meal plans more vegetarian- and vegan-friendly! (Beachbody, if you're reading this, please take note! :-) )To help, I also joined a Facebook group for vegetarian and vegan 21 Day Fixers. The women there are incredibly helpful in terms of sharing meal plans, recipes, and prep ideas. If you're on Facebook, definitely look for the group to get support.~~ DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND EXTREME MEAL PLANS ~~The original set included "treats" like chocolate and wine a few days a week, but the Extreme Meal Plan does NOT include any treats at all. It's pretty much clean eating and whole foods for twenty-one days.The yellow category is also modified. For example, in the original program, you could have waffles and pancakes as your yellows (although Autumn recommended doing that only a few days a week), but here those are gone.~~ SPECIAL "COUNTDOWN TO COMPETITION" MEAL PLAN ~~In addition to the regular Extreme Meal Plan, the set also comes with a booklet that outlines a more intense "Countdown to Competition" plan, which, according to the booklet, is what Autumn uses when she's getting ready to do a competition. It's a carb-cycling program, so basically you do two days on the more intense, high-protein Competition plan, and one day on the regular Extreme Diet, and then repeat, with the last three days being all Competition diet.I didn't try this since my calorie range would mean that on Competition Plan days I would get one serving of carbs, no fruits, and only 3 teaspoons of fat - and I knew I couldn't function and be a sane person without having my husband want to kill me if I followed it. :-)From what I have read online, the results that the test group got were from most of them following this plan for all three weeks of the 21DFX program.~~ NOTEBOOK FOR ORGANIZING YOUR MEAL PLAN ~~I didn't follow the meal plan that closely when I did the original set since it was hard for me to wrap my brain around the eating plan. This time, I scoured the internet and Pinterest for recipe ideas, and, based on some ideas I found online, I ended up putting together a notebook that had my weekly meal plans, container "cheat sheets," and recipes in one place. This helped tremendously, and I've included a short video of my notebook so you can see how I organized it.Based on an idea I found online, I also put a page that had my daily totals in a plastic sheet protector and used a wet erase marker to tally up my scores as the day went on.I put my weekly and daily meal plans on facing pages so I can access them easily and view them at the same time. Since I've found that I modify my weekly plan a bit, the daily page helps me make those changes easily on a just-in-time basis.I used stick-on colored tabs on a sheet protector for each breakdown of the foods. For instance, the red tab marks a page that has a list of all red-approved foods.The back cover also has a quick reference list of all the foods, so I can flip to that easily and quickly.The rest of the tabs mark recipes by breakfast, sweet snacks, savory snacks, and entrees. At the very back, I have sample meal plans.~~THE NEGATIVES~~The warm-ups are identical in each workout, but that's a minor annoyance.The main annoyances are the usual Beachbody ads, which come at the start of each workout and the end. It's good that you can skip over these, but it's still so bothersome to have them and all the plugs for their protein shakes.The cooldowns on the workouts are also much too short, but I know that that's because they're trying to keep the workouts at just about thirty minutes each. Plan on spending a few more minutes stretching out and cooling down.~~ OVERALL THOUGHTS ~~Because I was eating a lot fewer carbs (I only got two yellow containers a day) than I usually do, I "boinked" during a few workouts my first week, which is really unlike me. Usually I do 45- to 60-minute intense workouts with no problem, but the different way of eating really made a difference in my performance during the workouts. I had originally thought that I would add a short half-hour yoga session to each workout (I did this with Jillian Michaels' BodyShred and it worked well), but I was spent after doing each 21DFX workout, and didn't have the energy to add anything else on. One of my friends who was also doing 21DFX suggested I bump into the next higher calorie bracket, so I did that a few days so I could have more energy, and it seemed to help.I really liked these workouts much more than the workouts from the original set. The time flies by in most of them, and I gave myself the challenge of sticking with the workouts and meal plan for just three weeks, knowing I would soon be back to my more-loved workouts soon enough.I'll update this tomorrow, once I do my final measurements and weigh-in.~~FINAL RESULTS/TAKEAWAYS -- UPDATE ON 2/28/15~~I just took my final measurements, and lost two pounds and 3 1/4" overall. That may not seem like a lot since I know that some folks have gotten pretty dramatic results with the original 21DF set, but I'm already on the smaller size and the Extreme program helped me tighten up. I lost two inches (!!) on my waist, 1/2" off my hips, and about 1/4" off each thigh. (Pants that were tight on me around Christmas are now much looser in the waist.)I'm still really happy with those results since I'm an hourglass and can bulk up easily. Right before doing 21DFX, I did three weeks of Jillian Michaels' new BodyShred program, and, while I LOVED the BodyShred workouts, I put on a half-inch on each thigh in just three weeks, and I've had a hard time taking those inches off.After three weeks of 21DFX, I also have more muscle definition (for instance, I can see the muscle lines in my forearms and in my abs much more), and I feel more toned overall.Also, I was really good with measuring out my portions and sticking to my containers the first two weeks of 21DFX, but was really indulgent with my eating the third week, and so my results weren't as great as I had hoped they'd be -- but that's completely my fault. What I did learn from the program is that I was definitely eating more carbs and fruits before starting 21DFX than I should be eating if I want fat loss. I also saw that as soon as I started re-introducing my snacking at night in Week 3 (things like Kettle Korn and some pieces of chocolate), the weight loss stalled.For me personally, I love working out (it's one of my main hobbies), but have struggled with my weight (especially since turning 40 a few years ago), and so this program really helped me see what I needed to do with my diet to get results. When I was in my 20's and 30's, I could eat whatever I wanted to as long as I did tough workouts, but, as I've gotten older, I've come to see more and more that I really need to focus on my eating in order to see results. Using the container system really helped me see that -- that "abs really are made in the kitchen." :-)When I do this program again, I may just use it for two weeks at a time since I seem to have a hard time sticking to carb-restricted eating plans for much longer than that, and will probably use it before going on vacation and when coming back from vacation.~~ FINAL REMARKS ~~If you have any questions about the set, please leave them in the comments section below, and I'll try my best to answer them. Sorry for the length of this review, but I hope it was helpful in providing an overview of what 21DFX is like! :-)~~ UPDATE ON 7-16-15 ~~Beachbody just released a new cookbook that Autumn Calabrese wrote called _Fixate_, where every recipe is coded to let you know how many containers it uses per serving. It's supposed to be available here on Amazon on August 8. I've ordered a copy, and will be sure to provide a review once I've received mine. I'm hoping that it makes the meal planning easier!~~ UPDATE ON 8-4-15 ~~My husband and I are just starting our third week of the program. It's mu second time doing it, but his first. We've been pretty spot-on with our eating plans -- with just a few treats here and there -- and he's already lost eight pounds in two weeks, which he is really happy about.I haven't weighed myself, but I know I've lost weight since my clothes are looser. My husband hasn't worked out in about a year, so the workouts have been extra tough for him, but they are definitely do-able. I may not actually finish the third week since I've been so miserable on the diet, but doing the program a second time has been really effective, and I think I'll stick to the idea of doing this for two weeks instead of three in the future.It's a solid program, and it's nice to see that it really is effective the second time around.

Honestly, you would be better off buying these "dollar store" plastic containers yourself the cost of this is not worth it.The idea is simple, portion control and go to the gym. I could not follow this plan it was unrealistic and I was not about to carry all these containers with me everywhere. Just did not like it.

Okay I do not want to jump on any bandwagon or pump up a product I believe is a bit overpriced (somebody's gotta pay for those infomericals that keep this stuff going and hopefully motivate us at our worst) but this system is pretty darn genius. I have been stuck at about ten pounds over my goal for about five or six months I just kept working out and trying to eat "betterish". Well after some prompting from my infomercial loving, bandwagon jumping wife I decided to give it a try with her. I am eating better and smarter than ever and was even able to do the program without buying any new food other than what I had in the fridge for the first couple days. We ended up get similar size containers and portioning out at least a couple days in advance using the originals as a measuring device. Exercise is very important for the weight loss and my wife seems to like the included videos saying they give her a good workout after about a year of regular various hour long classes. If you are just starting I would recommend the regular 21 day fit this might be better suited to getting started.if you are considering this it is a serious commitment but good health is important and it should be a great start to counting calories and finding your body types " perfect daily intake"

Program works better than expected. Work outs were tough to begin with as we accidentally bought this extreme version instead of the regular, but we made it through and felt really good after the program. Wife and I both lost around 12-16 pounds in the 3 weeks (I was 212 to begin and her 145) We allowed for flexibility in our food program. Requires some meal planning to help make the portioning and variety of food easier, but after a week an half it was pretty easy to portion by sight if out at a restaurant. The 30 min work outs go pretty quick and fit in well with a busy schedule. We are taking a couple days off to relax and enjoy some indulgence, but will be doing it again right away.

I am 52 and weight loss is definitely harder than it used to be. A few friends of mine had recently lost weight on the 21 day fix. They weren't overweight to begin with but they lost about 4 pounds each time they did it (2x). I'm 5'6" and have been around 140lbs most of my adult life. In the last year I've gained 13 lbs thanks to menopause. I've done the program once and lost 3.5 pounds (I'm not expecting any miracles at my age). I plan on giving it a few more tries since I want to get back to 140lbs. I have exercised regularly for years and have a better than average knowledge about nutrition. I'm not used to this type of exercise. I'm used to straight weight lifting or cardio. I did the modified version of the exercises and still found it to be an excellent workout but there is a lot of jumping (in the non modified version). I think once you start to get older that too much jumping isn't a good thing. I had to give my knees a rest for a few days. As far as the food goes, I find the amount allowed is adequate. I like to cook and have quite a few very good recipes in my collection and I found the few recipes in the book provided to be excellent!!! I tried the steak salad and the beef and squash stew.

I don't usually write reviews, but this system is different. I am on Day 17 of my first 21 Day Fix Extreme. I am following the workouts and nutrition. I am thrilled with my progress so far, and even started seeing my body changing during the first week! If you are dedicated to Autumn's program you will see results. Autumn is a fantastic trainer who is motivating and supportive. I started because my sister is having great success with this program, and I am recommending it to everyone who notices my progress! This will change your body and your life if you commit to it. You can do it with this program! Thank you Autumn!

The containers are small, and you only get one of each. It's a little frustrating when you have a 200+ lb man who is suppose to each 6 proteins in a day, and you get one container. They are a good indicator of the portion size, but rather useless once you get rolling with things, because there's never enough containers, even to pack a simple lunch. As for the dvd's, you do need hand weights and bands to use them. As someone who uses work out dvd's frequently I've found some of these ones to be confusing. And since she changes moves sometimes 30 seconds after starting, I find that sometimes I haven't even figured out how to replicate what she's doing, and she's moved onto something new. I have enjoyed some of them a lot, some not at all. The recipes in the start up guide are hilarious. There wasn't one (and I'm serious!) that we would make as a family. one recipe is a fried egg topped with a few pieces of asparagus. Really? that needs a page in a book? We have been using this system for about 3 weeks now, and my husband and I have seen improvements and weight lose. That said, the containers sometimes get swapped out for snack size baggies because they are easier to clean :)

In 10 days I have lost 6 lbs and 5 inches. The workouts are challenging but fun and the food plan works! Autumn is motivating and inspiring, I would recommend this program to people who want results fast and who want to work out at home. Overall, a great and easy to follow plan with no complex equipment, gyms or exercises. Go for it!