The best workout for weight loss Beachbody

If you’re looking to get rid of those extra pounds, it’s time to start hitting the gym. But what kind of workout should you do? There are so many options out there, how do you know which one is going to be best for your body and your goals?

Luckily, we’ve done all the research for you. The best workout for weight loss is Beachbody’s P90X2. With its combination of cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises, this program will help you build muscle while burning fat at the same time. It also comes with a nutrition plan that makes it easy to eat healthy without being restrictive—and it doesn’t require any special equipment or supplements!

Right here on Buy and Slay, you are privy to a litany of relevant information on best beachbody program for weight loss 2022, best beachbody workouts for beginners, best beachbody workout for toning, and so much more. Take out time to visit our catalog for more information on similar topics.

Best Workout For Weight Loss Beachbody

While diet has been the most oft-cited tool for losing weight as of late, it’s important not to neglect other lifestyle changes. Chief among them: increasing physical activity. Research shows that combining diet and exercise leads to greater weight loss than either alone. What’s more, studies demonstrate that the weight can stay off in the long run when we commit to a regular exercise program.

Cutting 600 calories from your daily intake may feel like a lot, as might burning 600 calories through exercise. But, what if you cut 300 calories and burned 300 calories? That offers a more approachable solution.

Whether you’re walking, following 21 Day Fix, or lifting weights, these all contribute to stronger muscles and bones. Exercise is championed for its mood-boosting effects; it enhances self-esteem, and helps us sleep better at night. All of these can help with weight loss.

Impact Weight Loss

The health-boosting power of exercise is no secret. It can help reduce symptoms associated with depression, help you manage stress, and help you maintain overall good health. Aerobic training can even prompt neurogenesis in the brain, and the latest research suggests that 150 minutes or more of moderate physical activity a week can add 3.4 to 4.5 years to your life.

With all that said, there’s been buzz lately regarding how weight loss is achieved more efficiently through diet, and that exercise alone won’t help you shed pounds. Surely the millions of people who credit working out with helping them lose weight didn’t imagine those decreasing numbers on the scale. A primer on how the body burns energy (calories) can help clear up any confusion.

The Best Weight Loss Workouts

While a huge variety of workouts have been shown to contribute to good health, when it comes to weight loss, strength training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) come out on top. Not only do these workouts burn calories, but they also usually require a greater degree of metabolic and muscular recovery, which contributes to the after-burn effect.

Boosting your BMR becomes especially important as you age because it naturally declines over the years. A study published in Current Sports Medicine Reports showed that inactive adults lose between three to eight percent of muscle mass per decade accompanied by a slowing metabolism and fat accumulation. Research has demonstrated that resistance training can raise your basal metabolic rate, which as was mentioned earlier, means you’ll burn more calories recovering from that workout even while sitting at your desk.

Just 10 weeks of resistance training has been shown to increase resting metabolic rate by seven percent and reduce body fat.

Research has also shown that a few months of resistance training twice a week has the potential to increase overall strength and decrease body fat even without dietary restrictions.

The other exercise that deserves major kudos for igniting weight loss is HIIT. This can include a wide variety of workout types — from sprint intervals to circuit training — all which involve short bursts of high-intensity effort followed by short periods of recovery. If you’ve ever done a bootcamp-style class, CrossFit, or many of the programs available on Beachbody on Demand, you’re likely already familiar with it.

One of the big reasons you’ll love HIIT workouts is that it will help you lose fat. Indeed, a study published in Metabolism demonstrated that shorter, high-intensity sessions lead to more fat loss than lower-intensity work. What’s more, research suggests that harder workouts prompt an enhanced post-workout calorie burn when compared to more moderate-intensity workouts. That said, if you’re just beginning your fitness journey, you should start with lower to moderate intensity workouts, and work your way up to HIIT to avoid overtraining.

How Many Calories You Need to Burn to Lose Weight

The human body burns calories in three main ways. First, there is your basal metabolic rate, which is the energy required to keep your body functioning (i.e., heart beating, blood pumping, lungs breathing, kidneys filtering, etc.) at rest. Next, there is dietary thermogenesis, which is the energy expended to metabolize what you eat. Finally, there are the calories you burn through exercise and activity.

At the end of the day, the sum of these three will equal your total calorie burn or total daily energy expenditure (TDEE).

Interestingly, while we obviously burn calories during workouts, it is the basal metabolic rate (BMR) that gets the most attention when it comes to burning calories. Genetics, age, gender, and body composition are among the factors that determine your BMR, which makes up a whopping 70 percent of your TDEE.

Research shows that certain types of exercise have a more pronounced and long-lasting impact on BMR (the study referenced here shows the impact that strength training has on older adults with naturally slowing metabolisms), thereby allowing you to burn more calories when you’re at rest. The reason that strength training has such a significant effect on basal metabolic rate — especially when compared to steady state cardio — is that it triggers a recovery process that can last up to 72 hours. Recovery requires energy, and when you’re not exercising (i.e., when you don’t need to produce as much energy as possible as quickly as possible) your body prefers to tap your fat stores to meet those increased energy needs. Talk about more bang for your buck.

So how many calories do you need to burn to lose weight? Put simply, it depends. A number of factors influence your caloric needs, but if you’re looking for a general answer, consider this: You need to create a calorie deficit. In other words, you simply need to burn more calories than you take in each day.

How Much Exercise Is Enough for Weight Loss?

So now that you know which weight loss workouts are most effective, you might be wondering how often you need to partake in these activities. While the answer will be somewhat different for everyone, it’s important to keep in mind that moderation is key, especially at the beginning of your weight-loss journey.

Both strength sessions and HIIT cause micro-trauma (damage on the cellular level) to your muscles, so it’s important to take recovery days. That’s why low-intensity cardio is still a good thing to intersperse into your weekly routine; it serves as activity recovery, boosting blood flow and thereby helping to speed muscle repair and metabolic waste removal. Plus, you’ll burn a few more calories while your at it, making it a twofer.

How often does one need to strength train different parts of the body in order to increase lean mass and strength? The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that beginners get in two or three days per week of strength training with a day of rest between sessions, and there’s research to back that up.

One study that compared one, two, and three sessions per week where participants trained the major muscle groups with eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise. Over the course of 10 weeks, all participants benefited, but those who did two or three sessions per week added more than three times the amount of lean muscle mass than the one-day-per-week group.

Some of the same principles apply to HIIT, namely, more is not necessarily better. If you try to take on too much of this type of high-intensity (and sometimes high impact) work, you could end up hitting a wall of injury and fatigue if you’re not accustomed to the physical demands of these types of workouts.

For most people, at least three HIIT sessions per week will help boost fitness and fat loss. If you’re new to this kind of workout, it’s a good idea to start with fewer days and work your way up as you get into shape.

If designing your own workout schedule seems daunting, Beachbody on Demand offers several programs that combine HIIT, strength training, and active recovery.

Fuel Your Workouts Without Overeating

While optimal performance during your workouts necessitates adequate calorie intake, some people over-do their eating when they start a new exercise regimen—especially if they begin with lower-intensity workouts. research points to the “hunger hormone” ghrelin as a possible culprit.

One study found that cycling at various intensities and durations led to an increase in ghrelin. Researchers concluded that low rather than high-intensity exercise stimulates ghrelin levels, no matter how long the workout lasts.

With that said, you’ll need to be selective about what you eat in order to support the increased physical activity and lose weight.

To be sure, starving yourself is not the answer.

For instance, one study discovered that strength training athletes who reduced calorie intake by 30 percent didn’t experience a change in muscle mass, while those who cut it by 19 percent increased their muscle mass and got leaner.

While you’ll need to reduce your total daily calorie intake to lose body fat, you’ll want to focus on getting nutrient-dense, high-quality calories to change your body composition. The Beachbody Portion Fix Eating Plan can help simplify the often complicated process of figuring out what and how much to eat.

So how do you know how many calories you should take in? If you find yourself getting truly hungry frequently, it might be time to look at your intake, and add in some protein and fiber. Using a nutrition app or writing down your food intake can help you get a bigger picture of your dietary landscape.

Remember: All calories are not created equal. Four hundred calories of a grilled chicken salad is a much healthier option than a 400-calorie bowl of ice cream. The healthier option will not only help you avoid packing on fat, but it’ll also better fuel your workouts.

Follow these quick tips to help control your appetite as you start a new workout plan.

3 Ways to Manage Appetite

  1. Eat mindfully. It’s hard to trust your gut unless you are aware of what your body is telling you. Pay attention to physical cues to help you determine when you’re eating out of hunger and when you’re heading to the fridge out of boredom. Even the experts at Harvard Medical School are prescribing this approach to help people lose weight.
  2. Increase protein. Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that combining high-intensity interval training and strength training six days a week with high-protein intake can help boost muscle gain and fat loss. Study participants who consumed 2.4 grams of protein per kilogram (or about 1.1 grams of protein per pound ) of bodyweight per day improved their body composition (lost fat and increased muscle) most effectively.
  3. Time your meals right. The American Council on Exercise recommends taking in a higher carbohydrate meal with a bit of protein a few hours before you do a high intensity interval workout. Try oatmeal with peanut butter and a banana. After your workout, a shake that contains protein and a small amount of carbs, such as Beachbody Performance Recover, is your best bet for optimizing recovery and muscle growth.

Start Your Weight Loss Workouts

If you’re just jumping into a new routine, finding time in your busy schedule can be one of your biggest hurdles. That’s why at-home workouts are a great place to start. No need to drive to the gym and navigate a sweaty locker room — just throw on your workout clothes and burn some calories in your living room. Check out Beachbody on Demand to find the best workout for you.

Best Beachbody Program For Weight Loss 2022

So you’re wondering, “Which Beachbody program should I do?” Well, you’ve come to the right place. 

While we’ve tried them all, we always return to the best Beachbody workouts because they’re the most effective.

In this article, we share the 8 best Beachbody workouts and why we have repeated them all multiple times. 

Best Beachbody Workouts Ryan and Alex Duo Life

The best beachbody workouts

We have been working out consistently with Beachbody since 2008. We started way before things were streaming online, back in the days we had to patiently wait for our DVDs to arrive in the mail!

Now, all of Beachbody’s workouts can be accessed on one digital library, Beachbody On Demand. But how do you pick the best ones out of the hundred available – and with new programs coming out quarterly?

As a side note, we are both Beachbody coaches (since 2014), and we do our best to complete every program that Beachbody has ever offered.

All Beachbody customers are assigned a coach, whether you want one or not. A good coach is quite helpful. So, if you’re not already working with a coach, go ahead and request us as your coaches.

Selecting The Best Beachbody Workouts?

We have personally completed each of these best Beachbody workouts multiple times.

They made the cut because, based on our experience and our customers, they produce the best results for both weight loss and muscle gain (they go hand in hand).

In this article, we share our list of the top 8 Beachbody programs. But why only eight?

Between the two of us and our team, we’ve done ALL of the Beachbody programs (as of July 2022). We have opinions and comments for all of them, but if they’re not on this list, we don’t frequently recommend them for one reason or another.

It doesn’t mean those programs are bad, but they’re not the ones that really stand out for us. 

If you have questions about a program we don’t mention here or if you completely disagree with us, please leave a comment and we’ll have a discussion.

There are tons of comments already so please skim them to make sure your question hasn’t already been answered. 

Are Beachbody Workouts Right For Me?

On the brink of whether or not to start home workouts with Beachbody On Demand?

Here’s what we’ve found so helpful all of these years:

Cost-effective

They’re incredibly affordable, at $9.99-$24.99 a month depending on the subscription you choose.

The BOD pricing changed in June 2022, so check updated prices here.

Structured programs

Each program comes with a calendar, tracking sheet, nutrition guide, and free support through coaches like us.

For us, this is the biggest difference between trying to follow a DIY schedule with YouTube workouts and a well-planned Beachbody program.

Trust us, it’s better to spend $10 a month and get the real deal. Don’t mess around with your health and fitness!

Fitness freedom

The workouts can be streamed anywhere in the world, which has helped us and our nomadic lifestyle immensely.

Additionally, there are tons of short, no-equipment options if you only have time for a quick sweat in your hotel room.

Variety

There is a huge variety of workouts on Beachbody On Demand, including bodybuilding, yoga, dance, running, martial arts, and HIIT cardio. No matter what you’re looking for, there’s a workout for you.

We dive more into why we recommend Beachbody On Demand to all of our family and friends in our BOD review.

How do I Choose a Beachbody Workout?

First off, the best thing is that Beachbody offers a 2-week free trial, so it’s easy to get started risk-free.

Also, the full Beachbody On Demand library is available to you, so if you don’t love the program you’re doing, just stop and move on to the next.

When choosing a workout program, ask yourself (or us, you can leave a comment below or email us):

  • What are my goals?
  • Which programs have I seen the most success with in the past?
  • What, if any, home gym equipment do I have access to?
  • How often can I really work out in a week?

As coaches, the biggest red flag we see when people choose their own workout program is that people will go with what’s most comfortable or fun.

Honestly, your body won’t be challenged if you don’t try new workouts and simply stick with the ones you like. That’s why we do yoga because we’re horrible at it and therefore know that it’s what our bodies need.

Generally, our other piece of advice is to build muscle to lose weight. Go lighter on the cardio (unless it incorporates strength training) and prioritize resistance training, either with dumbbells, resistance bands, or bodyweight.

Use our fitness tracking body measurement chart, before and after photos, and give it at least 3 weeks with a program before expecting to see results. If you don’t track, you won’t know how well it’s working.

THE 8 BEST BEACHBODY WORKOUTS

Now, let’s get to the list of our top Beachbody workouts in 2022. This list is compiled through personal experience and by polling our Beachbody clients and team members.

1. P90X3 By Tony Horton

Best for: Functional fitness including power, agility, balance, and range of motion
Level: Advanced
Commitment: 90 days for 30 minutes a day
Equipment: Dumbbells or resistance bands and a pull-up bar

Best Beachbody Workouts P90X3

Best Overall Fitness Program For Athletic Performance

As classic as they come, P90X3 is the shorter version of P90X, the 2005 program that launched Tony Horton’s celebrity trainer status.

The P90X3 program literally does it all: yoga, pilates, HIIT, strength training, MMA, balance, and muscle building. The huge variety of exercises within each workout prevents boredom and plateau.

We love it because it’s the most skillfully, well-balanced fitness program we’ve ever come across. By the end of the 90 days, you feel like an Olympic athlete. 

Tony Horton does a great job talking you through the workouts, and it will keep you injury-free. After doing this program, we’re noticeably more muscular, balanced, fast, and flexible.

Tony Horton is the best of the best. When we are training for ski season, an obstacle race, or a backpacking trip, P90X3 is clutch. It’s one of the hardest Beachbody workouts. If you’re looking for the hardest and most advanced, that’s P90X2.

2. LIIFT4 By Joel Freeman

Best for: Strength training and getting trim on a tight schedule
Level: Intermediate
Commitment: 4 days a week for 8 weeks. Around 30 minutes a workout
Equipment: Dumbbells or resistance bands

Best Beachbody Workouts LIIFT4

Best Time-Saving Workout To Get Swim Suit Ready

The newest program on our list is LIIFT4, a mix of weight lifting and HIIT (hence the name).

This is our single-most recommended program for newcomers to home workouts. It’s accessible and easy on your schedule at just 4-days a week, not to mention it’s one of the best Beachbody workouts for weight loss. 

Plus, with just a few sets of dumbbells or two or three resistance bands, you can complete the whole program. If you plan to use resistance bands for strength training, LIIFT4 is by far the best program. 

Additionally, we like the inclusion of a core workout every time, and the systemic coverage of upper body and lower body days. For six-pack abs and total body strength, this program delivers. 

LIIFT4 is a big favorite and one that should be in everyone’s repertoire for busy times of the year. The LIIFT4 program is our recommendation for the best Beachbody workout for abs. 

3. Focus T25 by Shaun T

Best for: Minimal equipment bodyweight workouts with a focus on intense cardio
Level: Intermediate
Commitment: 6 days a week for 10 weeks. 25 minutes a workout
Equipment: Dumbbells or resistance bands

Best Beachbody Workouts Focus T25

Best Cardio for Weight Loss and Getting Ripped

Shaun T is a master trainer, and we always enjoy his workouts. They’re crafted expertly and always push us to the limits.

With some trainers, it’s easy to back off and give the most effort. However, with Shaun T, he makes doing your best non-negotiable. These are the best Beachbody cardio workouts, so be prepared for exhaustion and fast results.

In addition to being an expert motivator, he explains proper form better than any other trainer. If you’re new to HIIT or exercising in general, your form will be perfect by the end of this program.

This is Ryan’s all-time favorite workout program. We use Focus T25 workouts to train for skiing, hiking, trail races, and obstacle course races. 

For cardio, it can’t be beat. Once, Ryan trained for a 5K mud run in his high-rise apartment in Shanghai. Due to the pollution, he didn’t run outside once and did 2 rounds of T25.

He flew to the US and completed the mud run the following day, placing 2nd overall. For that reason, Focus T25 earns our vote for the best Beachbody workouts for runners. 

Focus T25 is always the first program on our minds when people ask us, “Which Beachbody workout burns the most fat?” In our opinion, Shaun T’s creates the most effective Beachbody workouts. 

4. 3 Week Yoga Retreat

Best for: Restorative yoga
Level: Beginner
Commitment: 3 weeks with 10-30 minute workouts
Equipment: Yoga mat

Best Yoga Program for Complete Newbies or Avid Yogis

No matter if you’re a beginner or advanced yogi, take some time to set the foundation and review the fundamentals.

While there are many individual yoga workouts in the Beachbody Yoga Studio, the 3 Week Yoga Retreat is the only structured program.

We always recommend following a specific workout calendar rather than designing your own plan consisting of the workouts you want to do (instead of the ones experts know you need).

Therefore, the 3 Week Yoga Retreat consists of the best Beachbody yoga workouts. 

3 Week Yoga Retreat is for everyone — and yes, it’s even good for the bodybuilders out there! For balance, flexibility, and controlled strength, don’t skip this one.

The 3 Week Yoga Retreat covers three phases: foundation, expansion, and progression. The four yoga instructors who take turns teaching this course each add their own flair and unique touches.

Our favorite instructors that we always go back to are Vytas and Elise.

If you think you’ll skip this one because you hate yoga… this is WHY you need to do it!

Alex is with you. Yoga really isn’t her thing, but after thoughtfully practicing it for years now, she appreciates the strength and balance it imparts.

If you’re new to exercising or returning to your workouts from an injury, these are perfect Beachbody workouts for beginners to ease your body back into more intense forms of exercise. 

5. Body Beast by Sagi Kalev

Best for: Weight lifting at its finest for both men and women
Level: Intermediate
Commitment: 90 days with 6 workouts a week. 10-55 minutes per workout
Equipment: Wide selection of free weights, a workout bench or stability ball, and pull-up bar or bands with door attachment

Best Beachbody Workouts Body Beast

Best Weight Lifting Workout for Muscle

For those of you with a full home gym and ready to get ripped, this is the program for you.

No, it’s not reserved for bodybuilders and physique competitors. This is Alex’s favorite program and (for her) the best Beachbody workouts to lose weight without getting bulky.

Body Beast is the classic weight lifting program to get you a lean, chiseled physique. Hands-down, the 3-month program includes the best Beachbody workouts to build muscle. 

It is accompanied by a meal plan and nutrition guide to make sure your eating matches up with your goals.

Body Beast is a bigger time commitment than the other programs we’ve mentioned so far, but none come close to the focus on muscle building. There are two calendars you can follow for either a “lean beast” or “huge beast.”

While weight lifting, we highly recommend following an instructor. Even when you know the moves and know the approximate timing, it’s never as effective as when you do it with a trainer, whether online or in person.

Too often people break too long between sets when they don’t follow a structured program. There go the cardio benefits. 

6. 21 Day Fix by Autumn Calabrese

Best for: Getting back into the swing of things and seeing/feeling quick results
Level: Beginners
Commitment: 21 days, 30 minutes a day
Equipment: A small selection of dumbbells is helpful,

Best Beachbody Workouts 21 Day Fix

Best Beachbody Workouts for Beginners and Weight Loss

21 Day Fix is one of the more well-known Beachbody programs, and for good reason.

Not only did the trainer, Autumn Calabrese, introduce the portion-fix containers (which are game-changing for nutrition-based weight loss!), she covers a wide range of workouts including cardio, lifting, pilates, and yoga.

Plus, her 10-minute abs workout is epic and one Alex does weekly!

We recommend 21 Day Fix often as the best Beachbody workouts for beginners and people just starting to work out again after a break. Her workouts are tough for any level and are dynamic and fresh.

This workout program is a solid choice when first starting out with Beachbody. 21 Day Fix doesn’t require much equipment and the wide variety of workout types make it the perfect introduction.

7. The Master’s Hammer and Chisel by Autumn Calabrese and Sagi Kalev

Best for: Weight lifting lite
Level: Intermediate
Commitment: 60 days at 6 days a week. Workouts are 25-45 minutes
Equipment: Wide selection of free weights, a workout bench or stability ball, and pull-up bar or bands with door attachment

Best Beachbody Workouts The Masters Hammer and Chisel

Best Balance of Cardio and Weight Lifting

While The Master’s Hammer and Chisel is ranked officially at “intermediate,” I’d say it’s one of the tougher programs on this list.

Hammer and Chisel is taught by two super trainers with entirely different dynamics: Autumn Calabrese and Sagi Kalev. We love the mix. Autumn gets you on the cardio and Sagi with the weight lifting!

In our experience, this is one of the best Beachbody workouts to lose weight because Autumn gets your heart pounding and Sagi gets your muscles pumping. 

We did this program before progressing to Body Beast, which is why I call it “weight lifting lite.” It’s a bit more introductory with Autumn explaining many of the moves and mixes in more cardio than Body Beast.

One of our favorites, this one will get you results.

8. Insanity Max:30 by Shaun T

Best for: No equipment cardio junkies
Level: Advanced
Commitment: 8 weeks, 6 days a week. 30 minutes per workout
Equipment: None

Best Beachbody Workouts Insanity Max30

Best No-Equipment Total Body Strength and Cardio Workout

You will look and feel amazing with Insanity Max:30. This full bodyweight workout program is tough, but we can’t describe how good it feels to finish each 30-minute workout.

A really fun aspect of Insanity Max:30 is recording your Max-out time. During each workout, you push as hard and long as you can. Once your form fails or you need to take a breather, you record the time on the clock. 

Next week, when you repeat the same workout, now you have a goal to surpass your previous Max-out time and something to measure your progress. 

More so than any other on the list, this is the program that will burn the most calories and get you lean. If you ask Ryan, this is easily the most effective Beachbody workout. 

In a recent experiment, we tested an Insanity Max:30 workout against five other workouts, including the treadmill, exercise bike, and some popular YouTube workout videos. Insanity Max:30 CRUSHED them.

For Ryan, Insanity Max:30 was 91% more effective than the worst workout we tested (a freebie on YouTube with nearly 10 million views to date).

The difference equates to 23 lbs. of weight loss! This is why we always recommend going with a full program designed by a professional trainer and team, not just YouTube freebies!

You can read the full cardio experiment below, or you can take our word that it’s the most effective exercise program in the world.

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