On January 12th, 2014, I completed my 3rd Beachbody fitness program ChaLEAN Extreme. This was also my final Chalene Johnson program – for now at least. Like all other programs, I was terrified before I started, unsure of my abilities, and excited to see how I would do.
First Impressions
I have to be honest here… When I pushed play on my very first CLX workout, all I could think was “I miss TurboFire!” I mean, how could I not miss it? I spent 20 weeks of my life doing TF. 20 weeks that CHANGED EVERYTHING. TF will always be THAT workout for me. The one that changed my life. During TF, I summitted my very first 13,000 ft+ mountains. I started feeling like a “normal” person. I started to forget fibromyalgia ever existed. And so I knew it would be tough to live without it.
I also was completely unsure of what to expect from my body. I mean, yes, I had been symptom free for quite some time BUT I’d never lifted before. To think of lifting weights – HEAVY weights – was crazy. Just a few short months before I could barely hold my blow dryer because of the pain and weakness in my arms. Nonetheless, I pushed play on the first day. And I kept pushing play for the next 90 days.
I CAN Lift!
To my amazement, ChaLEAN Extreme proved what I was capable of. I can lift and I can lift WAY heavier than I could’ve imagined. The way the program works is this: you go through 3 unique circuits or rounds. Each one being 4 weeks. First is the Burn Circuit, second is the Push Circuit, and third is the Lean Circuit. Obviously Chalene Johnson knows how to put together a program, but I have to say it’s never been better than in this one. You truly build STRENGTH and get RESULTS because of the way the program is laid out.
Tracking Sheets
This is SO important – especially with this program. Beachbody provides tracking sheets, which you can download from the website. By using them for each workout, you are able to look back and see how far you’ve come during the program. I am amazed at how much heavier I could go by the end versus when I started. CLX is all about going HEAVY and going SLOW. It’s about FAILURE. And it’s about RESULTS. Tracking your progress is the only way you’ll know just how far you’ve come.
Overall
Like every other Beachbody program I’ve done, I LOVED CLX. I will do it again for sure. There’s something about lifting weights that just makes you feel like (for lack of a better term) a BADASS. It’s 90 days of getting STRONGER. Yes, there are cardio workouts. Yes they are TOUGH. There are also ab workouts that may or may not have had me yelling at the TV. But this workout is AMAZING. If you want biceps, do this workout. If you want to get LEAN, do this workout. If you want ABS, do this workout. BUT, only if you’re willing to stick to the meal plan.
Get more info on Beachbody products here:
beachbodycoach.com/WendyGordon
myshakeology.com/WendyGordon
myultimatereset.com/WendyGordon
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