Shapin Up | BBG Halfway Point: Sharing my BBG Progress, My Experience & Tips for Success

Wow, Week 6! I’ve just arrived at the half way point of the Kayla BBG Program (which stands for Bikini Body Guide, a name I sort of hate). I’m half surprised I’ve made it this far, and also not surprised at all. Let me tell you why.

I mentioned in this post (Finding My New Fitness Routine) that I’ve started and quit BBG more times than I can remember. It’s not because the program is too hard or complicated, it’s been because I don’t love it. When I was in the US I had so many fitness options that it was silly and unnecessary to do something I didn’t love. Now that I’ve basically forced myself to stick with the program due to limited options (and limited money to spend on fitness) in Barcelona, I can share an updated opinion on the program, plus tips if you’re interested in trying it out.

Let’s start with the pros and cons of BBG (IMHO):

Kayla BBG Pros

It’s easy to follow. The timing and set up is the same for every workout (2 different sets of 4 exercises, 2 rounds of each, each round is 7 minutes).
The moves are simple and the worksheets clearly display how they are done.
It’s challenging & a great workout. While I said the moves are simple, that isn’t the same thing as easy. A burpee is simple, but it’s not easy. It’s easy to follow along, but if you push yourself, you’re going to feel it and see results.
Minimal equipment is required. All you need is a set of dumbbells, 2 benches, a bosu and a jump rope.

Kayla BBG Cons

It’s very repetitive. You do each workout two times throughout the 12 weeks and most workouts contain moves you’ve seen in previous weeks.
There’s a lot of jumping. If you have bad knees, you might find yourself skipping or modifying a lot of the moves.

My BBG Progress and Additional Thoughts

I don’t have photos to share at the moment (not sure I’ll ever share them, tbh) and I don’t weigh myself regularly so I can’t compare numbers, but I can tell you all about how I feel.

For me, eating is the #1 thing that will change the way my body looks. I always workout a lot, whether it’s the BBG program, my own circuits, running, or group fitness classes. Simply changing my workouts from what I was previously doing to BBG won’t change my body. I know my body and I know this to be true. If I simultaneously changed the way I eat, I’d expect to see big changes. I’ve drastically changed my eating habits in the past (like Whole30), and I like experimenting with what I’m eating, but since I’m only living in Barcelona for 8 months, you better believe I’m not restricting myself too much.

It’s called the Bikini Body Guide program, but I’m not doing it for a bikini body (we all already have bikini bodies, don’t forget that!). I started the program because I wanted an easy to follow routine that would keep me on a schedule. I’m happy to report that BBG is doing just that. Every week I make sure to fit in my 3 circuit workouts, even if I’m traveling. In terms of sticking to a schedule, it’s a success.

On the downside though, I still don’t like the workouts. It’s a good workout, but I find them boring. If you’re new-ish to working out, I think they are great. The moves are simple to follow and build week-by-week. I’ve been working out for years and am a personal trainer, so I’d like to try more complex moves. I’m kind of over all the burpees and push ups. But that’s just me.

Also, not that I was a big weight lifter previously, but I really miss lifting weights! Only a few moves in BBG use weights, and it makes me miss them. There are other Kayla programs that are focused on weights (like Stronger). If you haven’t purchased a program yet, trial them both before making a decision.

Even though I’m not in love with the program, I will keep going. I’ll let you know if I make it all the way to week 12. For now, it’s a good way to hold me accountable to 3 challenging workouts a week (in addition to running and other workouts I do). Even if it’s not my favorite workout, it’s good enough at the moment. If something more fitting comes along, there’s a chance I’ll stop before hitting week 12.

Tips for a Successful BBG Experience

If you’re just starting the program, here’s some advice to help you succeed.

Just start. If you’re not in the mood to do a workout or are feeling low energy, just start it. The first set might suck and feel terrible, but when I feel this way, somehow by the second set I feel way better. After the second set, I’m not going to quit because it means I’d have to start the whole workout again another day, so might as well finish! I promise if you start, there’s a great chance you’ll finish all four sets.
Move at your own pace. Some days you’ll feel super strong and get through 3 rounds of each exercise. Other days you can barely get through 1. That’s the beauty of the 7-minute timed sets. It doesn’t matter how many rounds you get through, just go until the clock stops, no matter how slow you might be moving.
Focus on Form. Along with the note above, it doesn’t matter how many reps you complete in those 7 minutes, so you might as well make them good. Do a really good burpee or a really good push up instead of rushing through it with poor form. Your workout will be the same amont of time, make the time count.
Time your breaks. The workouts have a 1 minute break between sets. Time this! One minute goes by very quickly and without a timer, you may take way more time and not even realize it. One minute is enough time to take a sip of water, fix your pony tail, and get set for the next round. By sticking to that minute, the workout goes by faster and you’ll stay in the rhythm. Don’t look at your texts or instagram between sets, you’ll waste time and lose your focus (I’m very guilty of this!).
Treat it like a group fitness class. When working out alone, it’s easy to skimp on things or not push yourself. Treat these workouts like there’s an instructor and a room full of people. This will help you push harder.
Modify as needed. A common complaint of BBG is that there is too much jumping. If jumping (or another type of move) hurts or doesn’t work for you, modify it. To modify a jumping move, simply remove the jump and do it as steps. If that feels to easy, add a weight (for example, instead of a jump squat, do an air squat while holding a dumbbell at chest level).
Do What You Hate. Above I said modify, but I only recommend that when it’s moves that physically hurt you, not moves that you just don’t like. Hate burpees? Too bad. Do them anyways. The more you do them, hopefully the less they will suck as you get better at them. It’s important to do the moves that you find challenging or scare you a little bit. It’s what’s going to make you stronger.
Remember why you started. Always focus on the WHY of what you’re doing (for BBG and all other workout programs you try). If you feel your motivation waning or simply want to quit, go back to the reason you started in the first place (this will be different for everyone)