All of Your BBG Questions Answered!

*At times I’ll refer to “we” in the answers below, that’s because I am in a BBG accountability group with a few of my best girlfriends – more on that below!

Q: What Does “BBG” stand for?

BBG stands for Bikini Body Guide, which is a workout program created by Australian fitness trainer Kayla Itsines. She created an app called Sweat which takes you through a 12 week fitness program made up of 28 minute workouts done a few days out of the week.

Q: How long is the program?

The program can be as long as you want it to be. There are endless workouts to be done, I’ve heard of people doing it for years! I started with the BBG 12 Week Challenge which consisted of a 4 week pre-training period before the 12 week challenge. I finished my first 16 weeks in November and have never been more proud, ha! I re-did weeks 8-12 in December and started BBG 2.0 the first of January. 

Q: Is the program complicated to figure out?

Not at all! You can use the app or download the PDFs. For the 12 week challenge I used the downloads. Now I am using the app. It’s so incredibly easy to use. The app definitely has a lot of bells and whistles, but for the most part I just ignore them!

Q: Did you take before & after photos?

It’s funny, I didn’t take before and after photos, although I now kind of wish I did. I will tell you that I can personally tell a difference. I was working out regularly before I started this program, so I didn’t go from 0-60, but BBG makes me wonder how effective my old workouts ever were! By the way my clothes fit, and overall strength and tone, it would have been fun to capture a before and after. So if you start, make sure you do that!

Q: Did you loose weight?

*gasp* I actually don’t know! I haven’t been on a scale since I started. We don’t even own a scale, so I have no clue. But I will tell you that EVERYTHING fits better.  Clothes that were too tight are now a little big. I’ve pulled out gems from my closet that I hadn’t worn in ages. 

Q. Did you change the way you were eating?

On the one hand, yes, I actually eat more now! Oh my gosh, we joke in our group that on leg day we can’t get full. But in all reality I didn’t change the way I ate. For the most part I eat, and have eaten, extremely clean for years. I’m very allergic to dairy, and gluten breaks out my skin so I choose my bagels wisely… but truly, that cuts out most everything fun! I’ve pretty much been paleo for years. Although, if you take away my vegan dark chocolate and wine I will cry. 

Q: What is the cost?

The app is $19.99 a month or $119.94 a year. So worth it! 

Q: Does BBG include cardio?

The workouts are 3xs a week with high intensity training, meaning your heart rate is up the entire time. Each workout is a circuit of 8 exercises that you complete twice in 28 minutes – so you aren’t stopping! I relate it to doing sprints, it’s so intense! But yes, on the off days you are supposed to do 30-40 min cardio sessions of running, spinning, etc. I normally just take Dolly on a long walk and call it a day! ha! 

Q: How do you keep yourself accountable?

To be honest, I’m not sure I would have made it without my accountability group of girls. There are now just three of us, and it’s amazing! Me, Meghan, and Carly. I’m pretty sure we are all type-A personalities and refuse to let one another down. We text every-time we finish a work out or complain to each-other on how we can barely even walk. 

I can’t recommend it enough. Get a small group of your closes girlfriends together and make a pact! You won’t regret it!

Q: How did you prepare for BBG? Everyone says it’s so hard!

I’ve decided there is no way to prepare for it, but do not, whatever you do, skip the pre-training. It really is the hardest work out of my life, but I can’t tell you HOW accomplished I feel when I finish a work out. It’s the best feeling in the world. 

Q: Does it get mundane or boring?!

For me it doesn’t. I LOOOOVE routine and structure, so I like it. Also the work outs are new and challenging each time, so it never really gets old. I listen to audio books while I work out as well, which keeps me going! 

Q: Do you ever modify the exercises? I can’t get through more than 10 minutes.

Oh my gosh, absolutely! For the first 6 weeks I could barely do 2 burpees, now I can finish 30 and not worry about it! I modified until I was strong enough. I tried to do just one more each time, and my body finally caught up. 

Q: I just started BBG, how do you deal with the soreness?

FOAM ROLLER. I cannot survive without the foam roller. We were joking in our text group last week that we’ve all at one point in time laid  in bed and cried because we were too sore to get up. It’s a thing that happens, so make sure you are stretching and foam rolling. 

Q: Do you need a gym?

No! I actually haven’t been to the gym once! I’ve done every single one of the workouts either in my living room or back porch. You can do it too!

The Sweat App has a version for gym workouts, but I stick to the traditional BBG.

Q: Should I do it?

Yes!! Go! Now!! ; )