5 best Jillian Michaels Workouts That Helped Me Lose Over 40 Pounds

So…you have been contemplating doing one of Jillian Michaels workouts, but don’t know which one of her workouts is the best?

Or you been hearing Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred is all the rage and want to be part of it? Or is it a case of you asking yourself ‘what is the best Jillian Michaels workout?’

I am here to help you make the right decision with a workout/s that will help you reach your fitness goal at the end of the day. Before I help you with that, I just to quickly tell you why you should believe what I am going to say about the Jillian Michaels workouts.

I used to be fat- not big-boned, curvy or heavy. I was simply overweight.

One day, I decided I needed to stop living in the future, of what I would be or look like if and when I lost the weight. (You may relate to that part)

I hated how I felt, but not how I looked. I was always tired and didn’t have the energy to care for my kids or look after the house.

Read:

• 5 powerful workout motivation tips (how to motivate yourself to workout)
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• 8-Week HIIT Workout Plan (PDF)

How I started with Jillian Michaels workout plan

Then one day it just clicked that I could actually change my story even though I couldn’t afford a gym membership.

I knew about Jillian Michaels from her days on The Biggest Loser but wasn’t aware that she had a massive collection of workout plans.

At the time, there were full Jillian Michaels workout videos on YouTube, including 30 Day Shred. (This is no longer the case, as there were some legal battles between the huge YouTube channel that hosted the videos and Jillian Michaels’ legal team).

Anyway, I found the first Jillian Michaels workout plan, fell in love and started consistently working out, lot massive weight and bought almost all her workouts. This was a few years back.

I have done lots of Jillian Michaels workouts since then, and even wrote a comprehensive review of all her workout plans that I have done.  You can read my unbiased and honest Jillian Michaels reviews in this article.

That said, I, therefore, know which one of Jillian Michaels workouts are the most effective or what the best Jillian Michaels workout is.

I assure you that Jillian Michael’s workouts are the best workouts you’ll ever do. Within a few weeks of consistently following any one of these workout plans, you will go from being ridiculously out of shape to being super fit.

*This post may include affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure here.

All of these Jillian Michaels workouts require the use of dumbbells. If you don’t have a set of dumbbells you can buy this set on Amazon, which consists of 2, 3 and 5lbs. The colored, girly dumbbells may look pretty but they are usually not strong and often smell awful.

I have my own home gym now and I have sexy things like a squat rack. Don’t be scared of the weights ladies. You won’t get bulky with these workouts, trust me! 

Top 5 best Jillian Michaels workouts that helped me lose weight 

5. Jillian Michaels Kickbox Fastfix

If you love fast-paced aerobic classes, for weight loss and toning, but don’t want to do it in the gym, then you need to get Kickbox Fastfix.

 There are lots of reasons why I love, and never get tired of the exercises in this video, but one that stands out is that this is my go-to workout when I am strapped for time.

Kickbox Fastfix is a set of 3 cardio kickboxing and strength training workout videos, that target abs and upper and lower body.

The breakdown of the videos is like this:

• Workout 1- cardio and upper body
• Workout 2- cardio and lower body
• Workout 3- cardio and abs

I think the name Fastfix comes from the fact that in almost under 20 minutes, you get to warm up, do a combo of cardio and strength training, and also cool down and stretch.

I was sold on not only how fast this workout is, but also the fact that I get to burn an insane amount of calories in a short amount of time! Even with push-ups, you get to go push as fast as you in 30 seconds!

Jillian’s energy and how the girls kick fast and hard will inspire you to push yourself harder.

If you are on a time crunch and need to get your workout in, this video series is a must. Better still, if time is all you have, you can do all three workouts back to back and burn close to 1000 calories! I once did this and loved it.

My favourite among the three workouts is workout 1. I love the jab/kick combos and the moves aren’t as hard to memorise as workout 2.

I should also mention that there’s also a fourth video which a 14-minute one on one tutorial where Jillian explains the moves and correct form in detail.

So, why should you buy this Jillian Michaels workout plan? Well, in a few words, I would say, if you love HIIT, real kickboxing, cardio and want something fast-paced and fun to help you get toned, this program is a must-have.

By the way, you only one pair of dumbbells for this workout.

Related Workouts:

4. Jillian Michaels killer buns and thighs

Killer buns and thighs is a workout that is made up level 1, 2 and 3. This Jillian Michaels workout promises to tone and tighten your legs and booty, and yes, it delivers on the promise.

I saw amazing results with this workout and as you can see in the photo below, my butt went from being flat and out of shape, to being perfectly lifted and toned. My legs went from fat to lean and sculpted, like a dancer’s.

The way Killer Buns and Thighs workout works is that each level is tougher than the previous one, with level 3 being the most difficult, depending on your fitness level.

Level one is my absolute favourite and consists of fairly basic but very effective workouts. I saw incredible results with just level 1 alone.

Level 2 was kind of a mission for me and didn’t entirely like it because it involves quite a lot of upper body as well, which I didn’t want to train on the days that I did the lower body. 

I found that I was doing extra upper body workouts on days when I needed to rest those muscles.

So, I skipped Killer Buns and Thighs level 2 after two tries and went straight to level 3, and nailed it.

My honest opinion on Killer buns and thighs is that, if you decide to stick to level 1 alone, your butt will be perkier and legs more sculpted in a matter of two weeks- it’s that effective!

Jillian Michaels Workouts for Beginners

Most of Jillian Michaels’ workouts are tailored for beginners, apart from BodyShred, which is very advanced from beginning to end.

Out of all her workout videos (and they are many), I believe these three that I am about to share with you are the best Jillian Michaels workouts for beginners that will help you lose weight and get toned really fast. 

3. Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30

Ripped in 30 was released after the famous 30 Day Shred, and unlike the former, which only has three levels, Ripped in 30 has 4 and promises to get you ripped in just 4 weeks!

I had started with 30 Day shred, and the thought of an extra level terrified me, but, as I progressed, I got stronger and ready for the challenge.

I loved Ripped in 30 because it has the same 3-2-1 interval system (3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of abs), that 30 Day Shred is famous for. The levels are progressive, and you advance from level 1 to the next, after a week.

Ripped in 30 is one weight loss workout by Jillian Michaels that I saw the most results with in terms of getting rid of belly fat. If you struggle with belly fat, I would suggest that you skip Jillian Michaels 6 Week Six-Pack workout, and make better use of your time and energy with Ripped in 30.

I had tried 6 Week Six-Pack, and honestly, it won’t give you a flat tummy, let alone a six-pack! In the photo below, you can see the progress I made with Ripped in 30, in just 30 days.

One thing you should bear in mind about Ripped in 30, is that it comes at a price, as Jillian herself says at the beginning of week 1.  The price is that you’ll be shedding a few tears during the workout, BUT, at the end of the 30 days, you’ll be in the ‘sickest and most incredible shape you’ve ever been in your entire life.’

2. Jillian Michaels Workout Plan – 30 Day Shred

Let me start by saying that everything that you have heard about Jillian Michaels 30 day Shred workout is absolutely true. Yes! You can lose up to 20 pounds in 30 days, with this workout!

30 Day Shred is a mix of cardio and strength training designed to help you lose weight in a month.

30 Day Shred follows the 3-2-1 interval training, which involves doing 3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio (lots of jumping jacks, shadow boxing and high knees), and 1 minute of abs.

The series has 3 videos, and you work through each video for 10 days, before proceeding to the next.

If you are an absolute beginner, you can follow Anita, the girl that does the basic moves, or if you feel you’ve got more, you can follow Natalie, who does the advanced exercises.

Throughout the workouts, Jillian leads or goes to either Natalie or Anita to show you how to properly perform an exercise. She practically your personal trainer in the comfort of your home, or wherever you are working out from.

This workout transformed my body in ways I hadn’t imagined for myself. I was unrecognizable from where I was 30 days before starting it. I lost weight, I felt amazing, and yes, I also looked stunning.

I say it from the heart that if you want to do Jillian Michaels workouts, you must start with 30 Day Shred. After that, you can move on to Ripped in 30, and eventually progress to Body Revolution, which by far, is the best Jillian Michaels workout EVER!

1. Best Jillian Michaels Workout – Body Revolution

I will say it again, in case you missed it. Body Revolution is the best out of all of the Jillian Michaels workouts. I have tried!

Body Revolution is a 12 week or 90-day, extreme weight-loss workout plan, divided into 3 phases.

Phase 1 involves low-impact basic exercises and doing them correctly before moving to the advanced version. For instance, in phase 1, you get to do knee push-ups, while in phase 2, you start pushing yourself to do military push-ups.

By the end of phase 1, your strength and conditioning will improve so much. You will be fitter, panting less during the exercises, and shedding lots of inches off your waistline.

At the end of the first 4 weeks, you move to phase 2 of the program, and this is where intensity builds up, and things start getting really serious.

I have done Body Revolution countless times but for some reason, I always dread week 7, of all the weeks. For me, week 7 is the most challenging, but so worth it when I reach the end and marvel at the results.

When I started 30 Day shred, I weighed 94kgs (about 207lbs) and by the time I was done with the final phase of Body Revolution, I was weighing 72kgs (about 158lbs).

This may not seem like much, depending on how much weight you want to lose, but what you must know is that you will be losing a lot of fat, and gaining muscle at the same time.

Related workouts:

• Fat-burning 30 Day Weight Loss Challenge (Beginner-friendly)
• Best Fat Burning Exercises at Home for Women
• 28 Day Workout Challenge to Start Exercising Again (Free PDF)

This means that you will lose more inches, all around than the weight on the scale. Your clothes will be looser before the numbers on the scale start to budge. You seriously won’t believe how toned you are going to be at the end of this 12-week plan.

I strongly encourage you to get rid of the scale for the duration of this Jillian Michaels workout and instead, use a tape measure to track your progress. 

I have written a detailed review of Body Revolution in this article, in case you want to know everything about this workout before you get started.

Jillian Michaels Body Revolution meal plan

It’s also worth mentioning that Body Revolution comes with a meal plan but honestly, I never followed it. I just used to track my daily calories without cutting out food groups or dieting.

Feel free to read this article about how I lost weight by tracking my meals and setting my weight loss goals properly.

Final thoughts on Jillian Michaels workouts

Jillian Michael’s workouts will help you reach your fitness goals, but you have to come to the party with everything you have got.

You have to be disciplined and consistent with your diet and workout.

Your diet has to be balanced. Remember, carbs are not your enemy, and neither is fat- don’t be afraid of them.

Importantly, you have to have a WHY. The ‘why’ is just as important as the effort you put into any Jillian Michaels workout. You have to have a ‘why’ because your ‘why’ will fuel your drive to consistently workout no matter how tired, or how hard it gets.