I get asked quite often what the difference is between my app (the Simply Strong App) and Beachbody or BODi. The funny thing is that I used to do Beachbody workouts from home for years, so I have a unique perspective, and my experience with doing Beachbody on Demand workouts from home actually played a big role in the way I program and do workouts today.

Choosing a fitness program to follow is a very personal choice and not one to be taken lightly. As a personal trainer and fitness coach, I am an advocate that any type of movement is better than no movement. But I am also an advocate for being educated and knowing what your options are, so you can best align your efforts with your goals. 

In this article, I’m going to share with you my experience and review of BODi, formerly Beachbody on Demand, to hopefully help you decide if joining BODi is a good fit for you. 

My Experience With BODi

Let me preface this post by saying that it has been years since I followed a Beachbody program, and a lot has happened in that time. Namely, they changed their name, completely restructured their company (i.e, no more Beachbody “coaches”), and have added a few more programs and trainers to the mix. That being said, there is so much that is still fundamentally the same, so I feel perfectly well-equipped to share my review with you, especially since I can still log into my account and access a ton of workouts somehow.

BODi, or Beach Body On Demand Interactive, is a very popular and very successful fitness platform that has helped thousands of people reach their fitness and health goals. This has been, hands-down, one of the most successful and longest-lasting fitness programs on the market, and there are many reasons why. Beachbody first surfaced back in 1998 when the VHS/DVD home workout market was at its prime. These workouts made it easy and accessible for people to get fit right from the comfort of their living room. 

Beacbody workouts have always been, and continue to be, pre-recorded workout programs that you can follow along with from home. There was a brief period of time, a few years back, when BODi added live workouts to their library, where users could join; however, they have discontinued that service and are sticking with their classic pre-recorded workouts. For some time, BODi was trying to compete with the likes of Peloton, which was the untenable reigning king of at-home fitness for a few years. Beachbody even got its own spin bike and did spin classes for a while (yes, I had one!). 

Over the last year or so, it seems that BODi has simplified and gone back to its roots, now offering only on-demand fitness programs. In fact, there are 140+ programs to choose from as part of their membership, and it includes all kinds of fitness programs from cardio and weightlifting to yoga and pilates. The crazy thing is, to this day, some of Beachbody’s most popular and loved programs are some of the oldest. For example, 21 Day Fix launched in 2014 and continues to be one of BODi’s most popular programs. I myself have done 21 Day Fix multiple times. 

In addition to the 140+ workout program options to choose from, BODi has nutrition programs and guidance. Their cornerstone nutrition programs are Portion Fix and 2B Mindset. Both of these programs teach people how to eat more mindfully and in proper proportions; however, they can be a bit restrictive and don’t really teach you how to eat sustainably, in my opinion. 

BODi offers two different payment options. You can join for the year at $99 for your first year, but be aware that it will renew at $179/per month after that. Or, you can opt for the monthly plan, which is $19/month after a free 7-day trial. Honestly, Beachbody offers great pricing for its app and service. As a paid member, you get access to all of their content on one easy-to-use app. But let’s talk about what it’s like working out with BODi. 

The BODi Workout Experience

For the purpose of this review, I logged back into my BODi account and took it for a spin. I was surprised to discover that many of the programs that I knew and loved back in the day are still some of the most popular. Programs like 21-Day Fix were some of my first introductions to weight training. 

Working out with BODi is really simple and approachable for people of all ages and fitness levels. All you need to do is show up and press play to follow along. These workouts are what we would refer to as group fitness, which means you are working out with a group of people, following along with what your instructor is coaching. This style of training is most similar to group fitness classes at your local YMCA, F45, or Orange Theory. You are doing what the instructor is asking you to do and following along step by step. 

This style of fitness is great because one of the biggest struggles people have with working out consistently is motivation, and this type of workout feels very motivating for people (even when doing it from home!). You literally feel like you’re part of a group, not just at home on your own. The instructors feel motivated and, for the most part, are good at what they do. 

During the workouts, your trainer will talk you through every exercise and every rep, giving you form cues, weight recommendations, and motivation to get through it. Honestly, it’s great, and as I was doing research for this review, I pulled up an old 21 Day Fix video, and it made me miss it. But, ultimately, I didn’t stick with BODi. The truth was, the initial results I saw from doing the programs began to wane, and I began to feel stuck. I had also started researching more and continuing my fitness education, and learned that, in order to reach the body composition goals that I was seeking, I probably needed to switch up my training a bit.

Here’s the thing: BODi workouts are wonderful for getting you moving, but they aren’t the best from a muscle-building perspective. I wanted to be “lean” and “toned,” which means I needed to build some muscle mass and drop body fat. In order to build muscle, you need to be training in a progressive way, meaning you need to be constantly trying to add more weight/reps to your exercises to continue to challenge the muscles and encourage them to grow. This is called progressive overload, and it’s not something that happens when you’re doing different workouts and exercises every week. It’s also very hard to accomplish when you’re not being really intentional about your weight choices (going heavy!) and not resting enough between sets. 

When you are following an instructor-led workout, there’s very little time for rest, as they tend to keep the video/workout moving along, which means you’re far less likely to pick up and use your heaviest weights, because if you did, you would need rest between your sets. Instead, in order to keep up with the instructor, you need to choose lighter weights that will allow you to catch your breath and move on, along with him/her. Additionally, there’s no progression built in or method for tracking your weights/progress, so even if you repeated a workout program with the intention of progressive overload, unless you take the time to track your reps and weights at home, you won’t have the data you need to make improvements. 

I don’t want this to come off as me bashing BODi or its methods, because it’s great for getting people up and moving, and for those who crave variety. But at some point, your progress may stall, and you may need to switch up your training style to continue to see results. But if you’re looking for variety and quick workouts that you can pull up on demand, BODi is definitely one of the best choices out there. 

Who Would I Recommend BODi to?

I would recommend BODi to those who love a group fitness workout environment but can’t make it to the gym, so they would like to replicate it at home. For those who simply want to move their bodies and keep their general fitness up, there are BODi programs that will absolutely do that for you. I also recommend it for those who like HIIT-style workouts because the majority of BODI’s workouts are high-intensity in nature - they will get your heart rate up and leave you sweating! BODi is great for beginners and those who need a simple introduction to workouts. 

That being said, I don’t recommend BODi for those who have muscle-building or body recomposition goals, as I don’t believe any of their programs are the most effective for that. For those who seek low-impact workouts that include basic strength training exercises, structured for progression, you probably won’t find what you’re looking for with BODi. 

Wrapping Up

BODi is a great platform. They’ve been around for a long time and have stood the test of time. Although Beachbody has undergone a lot of changes and they are up against a lot more competition these days (i.e., FASTER Way to Fat Loss), they still have a massive following of loyal users who love the programming and use it to stay consistent. There’s a great community aspect to BODi that really helps to keep people motivated and showing up, too, which can be super beneficial. 

While I no longer do workouts like BODi, I do have an appreciation for the role it played in my journey and know that there are thousands of people out there (maybe even millions) who have also been positively impacted by BODi. 

Helpful links and a BODi coupon code:

Do you do BODi workouts? Considering it? Did you use to do Beachbody workouts back in the day? What are your main concerns about joining or re-joining the BODi platform? Let’s talk about it!