Tone It Up Recap
I just finished the Tone It Up 8 Week Bikini Series challenge, so I wanted to write a little recap in case anyone was interested in trying out the program. (I’m not affiliated with Tone It Up in any way and I don’t receive any sort of commission or compensation, but I wanted to provide an honest recap of the program!) This was my 4th time doing one of their 8 week challenges and I truly enjoyed it. I knew a few other Tone It Up girls doing the program as well, including my sister in law! It was nice knowing I wasn’t the only one following the program and the accountability made it easier to stay on track.
What I liked about the Tone It Up Bikini Series Challenge:
The meal plan provides a helpful framework for eating. Even though I didn’t follow the exact meals, I followed the overall guidelines for the various 5 small meals a day. I also used a lot of the recipes for inspiration.
- Â Â The workouts keep your muscles guessing and they switch up the muscle groups often. I really need structure when I workout so I liked that every day provided a different workout. I wasn’t seeing results from doing my own thing in the gym, so having a specific plan helped a lot.
- Â Â Every day contained 5 “daily moves” which lasted 10 minutes total, and then there would be a video or two that was sometimes combined with cardio. That might sound like a lot, but I liked how varied it was. No two days were the same!
-   It motivated me to do my workouts in the morning if I knew the day was going to be busy. Normally I’m not a  workout-first-thing-in-the-morning person but it turned out to be a little easier than I thought. I didn’t get up early every morning but I managed to fit in my workouts, even on busy days.
My Results from the Tone It up Bikini Series Challenge:
I know this is the place where you expect me to tell you how many inches I lost or how much the scale moved. I’m supposed to show you a sad, pale before shot and a smiling, tan, beautiful after photo. But the truth is, that would short change the real results of this challenge.
The first thing I noticed is that I’m stronger than I was before. I might not be ready for a power lifting competition, but I can hold a plank a little longer. I can run a little faster. I can throw back tucks in gymnastics with more confidence because I know I can do it. Truthfully, a good portion of this might be in my head. I might have been able to hold that plank or run those miles all along. But sometimes it’s the confidence we’re missing, and that’s the hardest thing to master.
Near the end of the challenge, I ran a 5K with Alex, my brother Mark, and my sister in law Aricka. The Tone It Up plan has you running every once in awhile but it’s certainly not a running program, yet I managed to hit my goal of running the 5K in under 30 minutes! That’s faster than I’ve been able to do it for quite awhile so I was really proud of that. Even more so, I was literally crying through the first mile because I was just so happy. I was so happy to see Mark and Aricka running. I was happy that we were doing the race as a family. I was happy that my husband has been absolutely nothing but supportive of my workouts and quinoa dinners. I was happy Aricka started doing Tone It Up earlier this year and she’s done an amazing job. Seeing her hard work was one of the most motivating parts of this challenge.
I did lose a few pounds, I did lose a few inches, I was able to run a little faster, and I am able to hold a plank a little longer. But if that’s all we measure, I think we lose sight of the true joy that comes with a healthy life!
For more details of the challenge, check out what I ate on the Tone It Up Nutrition Plan:
Sounds great–ive heard really good things about this program. Love your attitude with the results!
I am not familiar with the program but I do love your attitude to this! You have found healthy habits that you will stick with and that work for you. That’s what’s important
It does sound like it did go well for you which is awesome. Congrats on finishing and be successful.
I love your outlook on the program! I’ve been thinking about doing the nutrition part as I already have an OrangeTheoryFitness membership. Have you tried their protein powder? I just ordered the coconut flavor and I cannot wait to try it!
I love your mindset! I totally agree that inches lost, while great to see, should not always be the main takeaway of a healthy food/exercise plan. I threw out my scale a year ago and never looked back!
I enjoyed your recap and the way you presented your results. I’m at a point in life where looking good in a bikini is not one of my goals. I’d rather be stronger, maybe lose a few pounds, and feel good. Thanks for the recap.
Great to know that the Tone It Up program is a success, it really sounds great! I love variety in my workouts so I could see myself really enjoying this. And that’s awesome that you and your family were able to run a 5K together. Congrats on all your progress!
That is so incredible! I loved doing my first ever 8 week challenge, granted weeks 6-8 were rough because vacation put me WAY off course and I don’t think i made it back quick enough… but I am ready for round two, and while I saw the beginnings of some great results, I am just so thankful for the community that they created, helping women support one another and celebrate every bit of confidence!
Thanks for getting me hooked! 😉
This is a great recap! I am currently doing some of the Nike Plus app 15 minute exercises. They are challenging enough but also not too extreme to hurt my running. I’m not sure if I have a goal, only to stick with doing them 😉
Love love love that your focus is on more than just pounds or inches lost. And it sounds like this program was super successful for you! Even better than you got your sister in law interested too. My goal with my fitness and nutrition is always to inspire someone else to want to get healthier as well!