BeFit All Year! (GIVEAWAY)

Oh, fat.  Without you, the entire fitness industry would crumble - and yet, the whole point of the industry is to eliminate the very thing that gives us job security!  It's ironic, but fortunately (or unfortunately) there's plenty of counter-productivity out there working to keep us employed.  We're constantly looking for better ways to burn fat and lose weight, and now BeFit has produced a 30-day Fat Burn program that is available FREE to anyone who wants to dedicate themselves to a better fitness regiment.

The BeFit 30-Day Fat Burn program has three major components: the 30-day workout calendar, a YouTube playlist full of 10 minute workouts to mix and match according to the calendar, and a series of nutritional supplements to augment the exercise routines.  I had the chance to try all three components of the program, and I have to say, I have mixed feelings about the program as a whole.

Disclaimer: While the workout program itself is free to all, I did receive my set of supplements at no additional charge in exchange for my review, and I will receive additional compensation for this post.  All opinions expressed here in are, as always, my own.

BeFit's YouTube playlist starts with an introductory video that sets the stage for what's to come.  As with many fat burning programs, the video features super-thin, super-fit, tall, lean women promising that you, too, can become Super Sexy in only 30 short days if you follow this program.  Let's be honest here: not everyone can have that kind of body in their lifetime, let alone in 30 days, but the fitness industry needs stereotypically "fit" bodies to sell product.  Since I couldn't care less about a standard intro video, I skipped through to the workouts, which are meant to follow the 30-day calendar, which starts by using only one video per day, then works you up to combining multiple videos as you build endurance and strength.

The workouts themselves are where the bulk of this program's positive experience lies.  Though there are many workout videos available on YouTube, I haven't seen too many comprehensive programs (and none that come with a calendar to guide you through a pre-planned workout routine).  Each video offers approximately 10 minutes of material based around a theme: arms and abs, legs and butt, dynamic strength, HIIT, and so on.  It's a surprisingly well-rounded system, and the exercises in each video are easy to follow while also working your body thoroughly.  My personal favorite is the Dynamic Strength Training workout - as a group exercise instructor, I love working dynamic training into my workouts because dynamic motion increases functional fitness rather than just pure strength.  Many of the workouts, though, include dynamic elements, which is probably why I liked so many of the workouts!

Every program has downsides, though.  For me, the biggest drawback to the 30-Day Fat Burn from BeFit is that none of the videos address proper form for most of the exercises.  I work with a lot of beginners in fitness, who are just starting to incorporate exercise into their lives to help them get healthier, and I know from experience that almost no one knows how to do a good, safe squat when they start!  Lunges and squats, if done incorrectly, can put serious strain on the knees, and exercises like planks or burpees can damage the back if not performed properly.  It's hard to work form correction into a series of workout videos like this, but a day-one intro video that explains form and alignment might be better served than a program overview intro, especially for programs that are marketed towards fitness newbies.

Finally, the BeFit program recommends using a series of nutritional supplements to maximize your workouts, aid in recovery, and enhance your fat-burning metabolism.  I've been posting individual reviews of the products I received as part of the BeFit trial program, so you can find my full review of BeFit's pre-workout supplement here, and my review of the BeFit whey protein powder here.  The final supplement I received is BeFit BURN, which is supposedly a fat-burning capsule that will help me lose weight.  I'll be writing a full review next Sunday on BURN, but I can tell you right now - it didn't do anything for my weight.  For the most part, I'm pretty fit and reasonably thin, but I still have some extra stomach pounds I could do without.  Neither the workout program nor the supplement actually helped me lose any weight - but again, I'm so used to a consistent workout program that I probably need to increase my weights during most of the exercises or do multiple videos every day.

In summary: the biggest pros of the BeFit 30-Day Burn program are easily the videos, and I also would recommend the BeFit whey protein powder.  I would not, however, recommend the other supplements offered by BeFit, and I would recommend that if you are new to fitness programs that you spend a little time familiarizing yourself with the basic concepts of body movement.  Learning how to perform exercise motions properly is key to preventing injury and maximizing your strength and cardio results, far more so than popping a few "fat burning" pills.  Follow the workouts, challenge yourself with heavier weights or stacking more videos as your body strengthens and adapts to the program, and use good sense when choosing nutritional supplements.  Anyone can benefit from this program so long as they approach it with knowledge and enthusiasm!

Want to try some of these supplements for yourself as you work through the calendar and videos at home?  BeFit has generously offered to give away a set of Whey, Burn, and Pre supplements to one of my readers!  Use the Rafflecopter below to enter before the contest ends on Sunday, March 13, at midnight!  US winners only; if you have already won a BeFit prize pack from another blogger, I am sorry to say you are ineligible.

a Rafflecopter giveaway