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30 Day Shred is the first training of Jillian Michaels and it still does not lose its relevance. Millions of women managed to transform their body with this program successfully. 30 Day Shred is even more difficult than Beginner Shred, but for most people the program seems to be accessible. It is also divided into 3 levels of difficulty for 25 minutes.
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Fact Checked|Overview|Schedule|Instructions|Cost|30 Day Shred vs Insanity|Bottom Line|30 Day Shred Alternatives|Q&A
30 Day Shred is a workout program designed by Julian Michaels. She claims that in just 30 days, you can lose up to 20 pounds. While this may be possible for some people, most experts state a healthy weight loss is around 1-2 pounds per week.
It seems unlikely that just 20 minutes a day can help someone lose 20 pounds. Our research team looked further into this and researched to see if this program is likely to help lose weight. We also pulled research relevant to the claims.
30 Day Shred Readers:Click here to find out why we're giving away samples of our product, Burn TS.
What is 30 Day Shred?
30 Day Shred is a workout program from celebrity fitness trainer Jillian Michaels. There is no “diet” that goes along with the program. It’s just a series of workouts you can do to help you tighten, tone, and burn more calories.
You are free to choose a healthy eating plan that you will stick to for the duration of the program to enhance your overall results.
The idea is you follow one of the workouts every day for a month, and you’ll see a change in your body by the end of the month.
30 Day Shred Competitors
Product | Rating |
---|---|
Insanity | read |
Focus T25 | read |
21 Day Fix | read |
Burn TS (Sample offer) | read |
![Jillian Jillian](/uploads/1/2/4/7/124744007/919392176.jpg)
This is how much it costs to start on the respective program. We always recommend trying a product before making a large investment.
- = Initial product cost is less than $5
- = Initial product cost is between $6 and $50
- = Initial product cost is between $51 and $150
- = Initial product cost is $151 or more
Who is Jillian Michaels?
Hailing from Los Angeles, Jillian Michaels is an American personal trainer who is arguably best known for her appearance on NBC’s reality TV show, The Biggest Loser. She’s also appeared on The Doctors, Sweat, INC., and her reality TV show Just Jillian.
As a child, Michaels was overweight, weighing 175 pounds at just 5 foot, 2 inches tall in the eighth grade. As a result, she suffered bullying from her classmates in school, which was so bad, she had to switch schools. This experience is part of what led her to find a life in the fitness industry.
Professionally, she uses a mixture of yoga, kickboxing, weight training, plyometrics, and Pilates to train her clients. Plus, she has a series of exercise DVDs which include her 30 Day Shred. Her books, Master Your Metabolism and Unlimited, both appeared on the New York Times Bestseller list. Ultimately, she’s created her amazing fitness franchise and helps people around the world reach their fitness and health goals through her DVDs, books, podcasts, and fitness classes.
A mother of two, a boy and a girl, Michaels has been engaged to fiancée Heidi Rhoades since 2009.
Scroll below for one of the best products we’ve seen over the last year.
30 Day Shred Schedule
All you have to do is one 20-minute workout a day, every day for 30 days. The workouts progress by level of intensity.
30 Day Shred level 1 is the least intense workout and is recommended for beginners or those who are unsure of their fitness level. 30-day shred level 2 is the intermediate level workout.
It’s a bit more intense than the level one program but isn’t as extreme as the level three program. 30-day shred level 3 is the most intense program. The goal is to work your way up to it.
30 Day Shred Workout
Each 30 Day Shred workout will get your heart rate up quickly. Each workout features short bursts of strength exercises, cardio exercises, abs, and cool down.
These come in rapid succession, with no stopping or resting between transitioning from one activity to the next.
These transitions only last a couple of seconds, so there’s no time to rest even if you wanted to.
That’s how you’re able to get the results without spending a great deal of time on the exercise. It’s high-intensity interval training, and it has been shown effective.
30 Day Shred Food Plan
There is no dedicated food plan associated with this program. It’s up to you to find a diet you can stick with for the duration.
You do not have to follow a diet, of course, but you will get better results with the program if you’re also eating mindfully.
What matters is the nutritional balance and the overall caloric intake vs. daily caloric burn, and the quality of your diet.
Fill your diet with healthy fats, healthy carbs, fruits, vegetables, and plenty of water.
Instructions
30 Day Shred Instructions
It’s easy. Start the workout video in a space where you have plenty of room to follow along.
Make sure you have the dumbbells, a bottle of water, and a sweat towel, so you don’t have to pause the workout. Stopping defeats the purpose.
Start with level one and work your way up to level three over 30 days. This has a total body emphasis and a higher aerobics impact.
To see what kind of progress you make over the 30 days, it’s a good idea to have someone measure key areas of your body and take photos before you begin.
Measure your waist, hips, bust, arms, and thighs. Write the measurements down.
Then, when you’re finished with the program, measure again and compare the results.
Is 30 Day Shred for Beginners?
No, it’s better suited to those who have an advanced fitness level.
You should be active in sports or work out at least four times a week, consistently.
Is 30 Day Shred on YouTube?
Yes, it is available on YouTube. You can catch a preview of it on the website, but you will be asked to purchase the full version for $9.99.
This is a good option for people who don’t want to be tied to one particular location for their workouts but may forget to bring the DVD with them.
You could watch it with the YouTube app on your phone or tablet.
30 Day Shred Alternatives
There are plenty of alternatives to this workout program, including ones also available from Jillian Michaels.
If you want something along these lines, look for any high-intensity interval training program.
A study published in the Journal of Inflammation Research revealed, “The inflammatory response to an acute bout of HIIT exercise appears to be substantially lower than that of prolonged, continuous aerobic exercise. We believe these novel findings provide valuable insight into the inflammatory response to HIIT exercise and extend the previous literature suggesting that HIIT exercise may be safe and effective for at-risk populations.”
How Much Does 30 Day Shred Cost?
30 Day Shred may vary slightly in cost from vendor to vendor. However, you can find it on Amazon brand new for $7.89 in DVD format.
If you want the Blu-ray version, you’ll spend a bit more at $14.97. Both products are Prime eligible. Prices are subject to change at any time.
30 Day Shred for Weight Loss
Your total amount of weight-loss will depend on your current weight, your dietary intake, and how well you stick to the program.
Those with more weight to lose in the first place will typically lose more in the beginning stages. Jillian Michaels says you can lose up to 20 pounds in 30 days.
According to the CDC, you’ll need to cut 500 to 1,000 calories a day to lose one to two pounds per week.
30-day shred calories burned are based on your age, gender, and activity level. Calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR) with this formula:
- Women: BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) – (4.7 x age in years)
- Men: BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) – (6.8 x age in years)
Next, calculate the active metabolic rate (AMR) – or the number of calories you burn every day without exercise.
- If you’re mostly sedentary: you are a 1.1
- If you’re on your feet most of the day, but not exerting yourself: you are a 1.2
- If you’re active and on your feet, moving at a fast pace: you are a 1.3
- If you’re extremely physically active, you are a 1.4
Multiply that number by your BMR to get the total amount of calories you should eat on non-workout days.
If you are training effectively then you should add calorie burn of 10 calories a minute as a medium-sized female and 15 calories a minute as a medium-sized male.
So a 20-minute workout with Jillian could burn 300-450 calories.
On workout days, you can eat those calories.
30-day shred average weight loss will vary depending on how well you stick to the program, and how you adjust your diet while following it.
30 Day Shred vs Insanity
30 Day Shred vs. Insanity
Insanity is a program offered by Beachbody, featuring professional trainer Shaun T. Instead of 30 days; it’s a DVD workout system you follow for 60 days that’s supposed to give you a year’s worth of results.
You do not need any equipment or need to go to the gym to participate in the Insanity program, but you will need 45 minutes six days a week.
The regimen is intense and claims to help you lose anywhere from 30-90 pounds in the two months so that you may get better results with this compared to 30 Day Shred.
Insanity also uses High-Intensity Interval Training HIIT. The program also includes plyometrics for legs and glutes, upper body resistance, cardio to burn fat, cardio abs, and recovery.
With Jillian’s program, you’re not working out for 45 minutes at a time, so it may be better for those who are pressed for time.
30 Day Shred vs. T25
Focus T25 is another program from Beachbody, also featuring professional trainer Shaun T. Where Jillian’s program is 30 days, this program is 70 days.
The first five weeks use the Alpha Workout cycle. The second five weeks use the Beta workout cycle. Workouts are 25 minutes long.
The Get It Done Nutrition plan is included as a bonus and adds five-minute recipes to help you get started.
There is no nutrition program with 30 Day Shred.
30 Day Shred vs. Ripped in 30
Ripped in 30 is another one of Jillian Michaels’ workout programs. It is a similar workout, except it’s ideal for those with an intermediate or advanced fitness level.
It too has an emphasis on toning the entire body and a higher aerobic impact.
The difference with this one is that it has a longer run-time, with four progressively more demanding programs. However, don’t let that fool you into thinking any of the workouts are easy.
There is one of the exercisers who shows easier variations of the moves. This program requires two sets of dumbbells, such as a three-pound set and a 10-pound set.
This program includes a 30-day diet plan online. Customer reviews indicate the programs are similar in that they feature many of the same exercises.
Some reviews also say they find Ripped in 30 to be more difficult than 30 Day Shred.
30 Day Shred vs. BBG
BBG stands for Bikini Body Guide. It’s a program from Australian fitness star Kayla Itsines, and everything is available as a digital download.
BBG is a 12-week program, so you can expect to spend three months on it.
The difference comes down to price and convenience. The complete bundle that includes all the workouts for the 12 weeks, plus the entire nutrition guide is $91.90.
Comparatively speaking, you’ll not get a diet plan with 30 Day Shred, but you also only have to spend about $10 to get it.
Alternatively, you can pay $53.60 for just the nutrition guide for BBG, and another $53.60 for the 12-week workout plan.
When you choose the eating plan, you can choose from a regular or a vegetarian plan.
The dietary plans both focus on cleaning eating, which means no processed foods.
The 90-page clean eating plan gives you a 14-day eating plan and helps you learn what to eat. You’ll also learn about fat burning foods and how to speed up your metabolism, and easy ways to keep your meals tasty, even though they are healthy.
The 12-week workout plan shows you effective cardio methods and gives you what you need to target problem areas.
Every workout is under 30 minutes, so you can do them when you’re in a hurry. The program claims you’ll be able to see results in just one week. For best results, you should strictly adhere to the dietary guidelines and exercise program.
For those who are interested, there is also a Bikini Body Guide 2.0, designed for people who have completed the 12-week program and want to keep going for weeks 13 to 24.
If you sign up for her mailing list, you can get seven free days of the BBG to see if you like it before committing to purchasing the program, which may consider a distinct advantage over 30 Day Shred.
There’s also an app where you can get the free trial experience, though continued use of the app requires a membership fee.
There’s also a separate Bikini Body Recipe Guide that features more than 35 recipes to help you get the results you’re looking for.
It will give you 14 days of healthy meals.
Students, military, first responders, teachers, and government employees can get a 20% discount by signing in with ID.me to verify their status.
30 Day Shred vs. HIIT
30 Day Shred is a form of HIIT. By working out as hard as you possibly can, in short bursts, without taking a break, you’re allowing your body to do more than it would throughout a longer workout where there are breaks.
According to a study by the American College of Sports Medicine, “High-intensity interval training is a proven method of boosting aerobic fitness, metabolic health, and cardiovascular function, but more research is needed to confirm preliminary results suggesting that it may be more desirable psychologically than vigorous, continuous exercise.”
Possible Problems Following Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred
Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred DVD is a high energy, cardio based workout that is effective for getting into shape. However, there are some possible problems users may experience when following the program.
1) Failing to fit it into the daily routine. While this workout is reasonably short, it can still be tough to find time to fit it in. Failing to take the time actually to push play regularly can lead to poor results.
2) Injury. Because of the high intensity of this program, some users may experience injuries if they aren’t used to workouts like this. Be sure to use correct form and slow down if the workout becomes too intense.
3) Boredom. While this is a highly effective program, it can get boring after several times through.
What Users Are Saying
“I don’t think this video is for people that aren’t very fit. I’ve tried it off and on for a few years (in my mid 20s) and twice I’ve damaged my lower back so bad that I could barely move. Level 1 also makes my shins sore. I’ve never experienced this with any other workouts.”
Rating: 3.9/5. From 12 votes.
30 Day Shred or Burn TS?The 30 Day Shred is a workout program designed by celebrity personal trainer Jillian Michaels.
It consists of daily, 20-minute, high-intensity workouts done 30 days in a row and is claimed to help you lose up to 20 pounds (9 kg) in a month.
This article reviews the benefits and downsides of the 30 Day Shred, investigating whether it can help you lose weight.
The 30 Day Shred workout videos are available for purchase at various e-commerce sites.
The program also requires you to have two 3- or 5-pound (1.5- or 2.5-kg) dumbbells.
There are three 20-minute, total-body workouts designed to progress through three levels.
Each level is done for 10 days, and you should ideally reach Level 3 by the end of the program (1):
- Level 1 (Beginner). This level is designed for people who are just starting out, very overweight, or haven't exercised in over six months.
- Level 2 (Intermediate). These workouts are for people who are active in sports, dance, or any regular exercise two to three times per week.
- Level 3 (Advanced). This level is intended for those who are very active in sports or consistently work out four or more times per week.
The exercises are based on Jillian Michaels’ 3-2-1 interval system, consisting of three minutes of strength exercises, two minutes of cardio, and one minute of ab exercises.
Each workout starts with a two-minute warmup, followed by three interval circuits and a two-minute cooldown.
Some specific exercises include:
- Strength: pushups, double-arm row, chest flyes, military press
- Cardio: high knees, jumping jacks, squat thrusts, skate jumps
- Abs: crunches, leg lifts, double crunches, plank twists
Summary The 30 Day Shred consists of three 20-minute workouts of varying intensity. Each workout contains three interval circuits of 3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio, and 1 minute of abs.
The 30 Day Shred program is claimed to help you lose up to 20 pounds (9 kg) in a month.
The two main factors responsible for weight loss are calorie intake and physical activity (2 ).
People starting out with more body fat will likely see more weight loss over the course of the program (3 ).
The initial weight loss may be related to reduced carb stores and mild fluid loss (4 ).
Though the program may provide enough physical activity to promote mild weight loss, 20 pounds (9 kg) is an unrealistic expectation for most people. Plus, nutrition guidance is lacking.
For more substantial weight loss, it’s important to stay active throughout the day rather than solely during your 20-minute workout (5 ).
How many calories does it burn?
A major influencer of weight loss is the number of overall calories burned (2 ).
In general, a person weighing around 150 pounds (68 kg), who is of average fitness, can expect to burn 200–300 calories per workout on the 30 Day Shred. This equals about 2.5 pounds (1.1 kg) lost per month from exercise alone (6 ).
How much weight you lose also depends on your calorie intake and overall physical activity aside from the 30 Day Shred workouts.
Summary The 30 Day Shred program claims that participants can lose up to 20 pounds (9 kg) in 1 month. This may be unrealistic for most people.
While weight loss is the main focus of the 30 Day Shred, daily exercise may offer additional benefits.
Can support muscle gain and healthy aging
Resistance training, such as the strength portion of the 30 Day Shred, can help increase muscle mass.
Gaining muscle is associated with a boost in metabolism, decrease in injury risk, and prevention of muscle loss that commonly occurs with aging (7 ).
Additionally, resistance training is linked to other benefits, including improved bone density, blood sugar control, and resting blood pressure (8 ).
Therefore, following a program like the 30 Day Shred can support healthy aging.
Improved heart health
Cardio and aerobic exercises that are part of the 30 Day Shred may benefit heart health.
Aerobic exercise has been shown to offer many health benefits, including reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as promoting a healthy body weight (9 ).
In line with recommendations of the American Heart Association, you should do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity weekly. This equates to 30 minutes, 5 days per week (10 ).
The 30 Day Shred can help you meet these recommendations to promote overall health.
Summary While weight loss is the major focus of the 30 Day Shred, it may offer other benefits, such as improved blood sugar control, LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, and blood pressure.
Though the 30 Day Shred may provide several benefits, it has potential downsides as well.
Lack of nutrition guidance
One of the main downsides of the 30 Day Shred is the program’s lack of specific nutrition guidance, which plays a major role in overall weight loss (2 , 11 ).
While you can create various custom meal plans in the My Fitness by Jillian Michaels app, they require a monthly fee for full access.
Taking your current body weight and goals into consideration, the app generates a calorie range for you. Specific meal ideas with nutrition facts are provided as well.
Focus on short-term weight loss
Considering the 30 Day Shred only lasts for a month, its primary goal appears to be short-term weight loss.
While some people may see significant weight reductions during the program, the likelihood of regaining this weight is high once the program is over (12 ).
To maintain weight loss for the long term, it’s important to make small, consistent changes over time rather than attempting to lose weight quickly.
Exercises may be too intense for some
The 30 Day Shred incorporates some movements, such as pushups and jump squats, that may be too intense for some people.
Additionally, certain individuals may experience joint pain due to jump exercises.
Still, each workout provides alternate versions of the exercises that are designed to be a bit easier. This may benefit people who feel the workouts are too intense.
Does not address overall physical activity
While the 30 Day Shred provides 20 minutes of daily physical activity, it doesn’t focus on being active throughout the rest of your day.
If you only complete the 20-minute workouts and remain inactive otherwise, your results will be much slower.
Aside from exercise, it’s important to stay active throughout the day by moving more and sitting less. This supports a healthy metabolism and optimizes health benefits (13 ).
Summary Despite offering health benefits, the 30 Day Shred lacks specific nutrition guidance and focuses on short-term weight loss.
The 30 Day Shred may be a good option if you‘re just getting into regular exercise or are an active person who wants to try something new.
The program provides a solid exercise regimen with built-in progressions.
The workouts appear to burn sufficient calories to promote weight loss — whether you have a significant amount to shed or are simply trying to become fitter.
Keep in mind that the program should be paired with a nutritious, portion-controlled diet designed to meet your specific calorie needs and goals.
Summary The 30 Day Shred may be a good choice for those looking to learn basic exercises or wanting to try something new. The program likely offers better results when combined with proper nutrition guidance.
The 30 Day Shred program promises weight loss of up to 20 pounds (9 kg) in a month. This may be unrealistic for most people.
Though the daily 20-minute workouts may aid weight loss and heart health, the program lacks nutrition guidance, may be too intense for some, and focuses on short-term results.
While the 30 Day Shred can promote short-term weight loss, long-term results can be achieved by following a whole-food diet, being conscious of portion sizes, and gradually increasing physical activity over time.