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MyFitnessPal App Review: The Best Fitness & Nutrition App? – SI Showcase

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Sometimes, trying to maintain a diet or exercise routine on your own isn’t enough to keep you motivated and on track. That’s where calorie counters like MyFitnessPal are helpful, which this reviewer has personally used for several years to meal prep and lose weight. This fitness and nutrition app, which is free but comes with an optional premium subscription, has millions of users worldwide and is touted as one of the best fitness and nutrition apps out there. MyFitnessPal can help you set calorie deficit goals based on your current weight, log your food intake, plan meal prep and track your workouts. It can also help you maintain or increase your activity level or water intake.

Yet as calorie trackers grow in popularity, there are dozens of similar apps to choose from. So, what makes MyFitnessPal supreme, and is it really the best fitness and nutrition app on the market? Our MyFitnessPal app review will go over exactly how the app works, its features, its pros and cons and how it stacks up against the competition. Keep reading for our in-depth MyFitnessPal review and for our bottom line about whether or not this app is truly worth it.

This content is meant to be informative, but should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention or treatment of health problems. Always speak with your doctor before starting any new supplement or exercise regimen.

What Is MyFitnessPal?

MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal is a fitness and nutrition app available for both iOS and Android. It was released by popular fitness brand Under Armour in 2005 and now has millions of users worldwide. This app serves as a diet and exercise tracker that helps you set weight gain or weight loss goals, count calories, keep a food diary and see the nutritional information behind what you eat. It also tracks your macronutrients (carbs, proteins and fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).

You can set custom macro goals to maintain specific diets, like keto or vegan. Personally, I tend to follow a 40/30/30 diet approach, which is eating 40 percent protein, 30 percent fat and 30 percent carbs, so MyFitnessPal has helped me make sure I’m getting the right amounts of macronutrients to stick to my goals. I also used MyFitnessPal to track my sugar and cholesterol intake, since high cholesterol tends to run in my family. Oftentimes, I was surprised to see how fast I reached my “sugar budget,” which taught me a lot about which foods are surprisingly high in sugar.

In addition to tracking food, you can log your exercises on MyFitnessPal, which can help you maintain fitness goals (like working out more or doing more strength training) and your daily water intake to help you stay more hydrated. I particularly enjoyed MyFitnessPal’s exercise logging feature because it went beyond including only traditional exercises, and gave options for everything from Zumba to kickboxing and even cleaning and gardening (if you’re very serious about tracking all calories burned from physical activity). Plus, you can also log your steps.

MyFitnessPal boasts a large, health-minded community, as well, that includes user forums, success stories, recipe sharing and educational articles. While I don’t personally spend much time in the MyFitnessPal community, it’s a great resource to find tips and tricks to maintaining specific diets and developing healthy eating habits. There’s also an “Introduce Yourself” forum specifically designed for those new to MyFitnessPal who are looking for advice on how to start.

Overall, MyFitnessPal serves as a mini personal trainer in your pocket that helps you set and maintain health goals. It offers both a free version and a paid version, known as MyFitnessPal Premium, that has additional bonus features. While many users access MyFitnessPal from their iPhone or other smartphone, you can also log in from your desktop on myfitnesspal.com to track your stats. This can be a great tool if you want to seriously dig in and analyze your data.

Key Features

MyFitnessPal’s key features include an extensive food item database, barcode scanner to scan food items for their nutritional value, food diary for food logging and meal planning, custom goal setting, macronutrient and micronutrient targeting, exercise logging, daily water intake tracking and a large MyFitnessPal community with forums, success stories and healthy recipes.

Pros

  • Tracks food, exercise and water intake
  • Can be used for multiple diet or fitness goals
  • User-friendly with a clean interface
  • Free version has enough features for most people
  • Intuitive food logging remembers your favorite items
  • Offers different measurement options, like cups and fluid ounces
  • Provides healthy meal planning ideas
  • Ability to create and log your own recipes
  • Database of foods includes millions of popular and smaller-brand items

Cons

  • App use can be time-consuming
  • Premium version can get expensive
  • Free app version includes occasional ads
  • Weight loss or gain predictions may be inaccurate
  • Users’ calorie requirements may be underestimated
  • Some food items are user-generated and not accurate
  • Some users report glitchy barcode scanner

Who MyFitnessPal Is Best For…

MyFitnessPal is best for anyone with health or fitness goals that require tracking. This can include, but isn’t limited to: weight loss or weight gain, increasing water intake, exercising more, calorie counting, achieving certain macros, following a specific diet, lowering sugar or cholesterol intake, meal planning and even identifying and changing certain eating habits.

While MyFitnessPal and other calorie trackers may seem like apps for serious dieters and fitness gurus, this app in particular is extremely user-friendly and great for beginners or those loosely tracking calories. At the end of the day, MyFitnessPal can help you learn more about your food intake and workout routines, which can be useful for changing habits or lifestyle.

How Does MyFitnessPal Work?

MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal operates on a fairly straightforward process. When you open the MyFitnessPal app, you can access your dashboard where you can:

  • Search for a food and its food analysis (including foods from meal delivery services)
  • Log your food, exercise and water intake in your “diary”
  • Scroll a newsfeed with health articles and recipes
  • Plan meals, workouts, etc. from the plans section

Additional sections include goal-setting, progress reports, reminders, and, as of recently, a platform for intermittent fasting. (Intermittent fasting, however, is only available with a premium account.) MyFitnessPal allows users to plug in their current weight, target weight and other body measurements to set goals and create weight loss or gain timelines.

Arguably the most used feature of MyFitnessPal is its diary section, where you can add foods that you eat throughout the day. There are sections for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, which can be helpful to see where most of your calories and nutrients come from. Personally, I spent many years not knowing that MyFitnessPal offers the ability to change your meal names and add up to two additional meals. As someone who eats four to five smaller meals throughout the day instead of the traditional three, I found this frustrating until I learned that MyFitnessPal does actually offer the ability to customize your meal schedule.

Thanks to intuitive learning, the app has a quick add feature where it learns foods you regularly eat and suggests logging them in your meals. Logging your own foods is easy—you can search through millions of food items and log your serving size as needed. This feature is also useful to help you learn about how portion sizes affect calories or macros. One of our favorite features in MyFitnessPal’s diary section is that it adjusts your calorie budget when you log exercises, so you can see when you may need more protein or carbs after a workout.

MyFitnessPal Cost: Free vs Premium

MyFitnessPal comes with two options for your account: free or premium. The free version of the app will net you all of the basic features you’ll need for meal planning, keeping a food diary and calorie tracking, while MyFitnessPal Premium gives additional bonus features well-suited for those seriously tracking their diets and workouts. MyFitnessPal Premium costs $19.99 per month or $79.99 per year, which can be a hefty price tag to pay if you don’t need the elevated features.

With a MyFitnessPal Premium subscription, you’ll get a handful of high-end tools like barcode scanning—which lets you scan food items for easy food logging and analysis—and a meal scanner that actually lets you scan your meal to estimate macros, nutrition and calories. There is some debate, however, over whether the meal scanner is accurate, and some users complain that the barcode scanner is buggy and glitchy.

Other features a premium account will net you are the ability to:

  • Set macronutrient goals by gram or percentage
  • Set different goals each day
  • Set macros and calorie goals by meal (rather than by day)
  • Record food timestamps that show how the timing of your meals affect your energy and workouts
  • Access priority customer support
  • Export your data

Going premium will also mean your app experience will be ad-free, but this writer has a free account and sees upwards of just one or two ads a day, so the ads don’t distract or take away from using MyFitnessPal. Still, if a premium plan does interest you, keep an eye out for deals because MyFitnessPal occasionally offers discounted plans.

Keep in mind that neither the free nor premium version will lend itself heavily to fitness. While exercise tracking is a major part of the MyFitnessPal program, this isn’t a fitness app with live or on-demand guided workouts like the Peloton app, although the MyFitnessPal blog does include several articles on various cardio and strength exercises.

MyFitnessPal vs Noom

Comparing Noom and MyFitnessPal is like comparing apples and oranges. While both lean heavily into calorie counting and food tracking, their approaches are vastly different. Noom is designed around the psychology behind dieting and learning about eating behaviors, like emotional eating or stress triggers, while MyFitnessPal is more data-driven. With Noom, you can expect to take a rather extensive quiz that gauges your eating patterns, lifestyle and what you want to achieve by using the app. Not only does Noom help you stay within a calorie budget, but it also teaches you which foods have a low-calorie, medium-calorie and high-calorie density. It gives you a budget within each density food group, and your goal is to stick within that budget.

Still, Noom’s calorie density approach isn’t always accurate. For example, almond butter falls into Noom’s high-calorie density food group, which only accounts for a small portion of your daily recommended food intake. However, almond butter has a variety of health benefits that the app’s program overlooks. Noom also requires a much more serious time commitment than MyFitnessPal, since learning and food behavior education is such an integral part of the app. You can easily expect to spend up to a half hour in the app each day if you use Noom correctly.

Then, there’s the price comparison. Most people can find all of the features they need for successful diet and fitness tracking in MyFitnessPal’s free version, while Noom only allows new users a free 14-day trial before requiring a purchase for a paid plan. Plus, Noom doesn’t run cheap. A Noom subscription costs $59 per month or $129 for a three-month subscription. That’s nearly $30 more per month than MyFitnessPal Premium, which costs $19.99 per month. At the end of the day, you may find Noom worth it if you really want to dig into the behavioral science of your eating habits; otherwise, MyFitnessPal is the stronger calorie counter and food diary.

Related: Noom Diet Review: Is Noom The Right Weight Loss App for You?

MyFitnessPal vs WeightWatchers

WeightWatchers (WW) has been around for decades, and this popular weight loss program operates on a much different system than MyFitnessPal. Rather than simply tracking your food intake and calories, WeightWatchers uses a points system that assigns each type of food points. Users receive a daily points budget that they can divide amongst food as they see fit, meaning no foods are off limits. (If you want to eat junk food all day, you technically can if you don’t go over your points). WeightWatchers has a number of zero point foods, like chicken breast and eggs. You can eat zero point foods as much as you want without them counting against your budget.

While MyFitnessPal has a strong community with success stories and forums, WeightWatchers takes the support level much higher. The program offers 24/7 support that includes both expert coaches and other community members. It also has an exclusive social network available in the app and coach-led workshops that are online and in-person. Unlike MyFitnessPal, the WW program requires regular weigh-ins, which some users may not like.

WeightWatchers costs $43 per month or $23 per month for a six-month plan, although it has many promotions. Overall, if you’re looking for a health-conscious community focused on supporting one another, then WeightWatchers may be right for you. If you’re self-motivated or like to work solo, then MyFitnessPal is probably best.

Related: WeightWatchers (WW) Review 2022: Does It Work?

MyFitnessPal vs Fitbit

Out of all its competitors, Fitbit is probably the most similar to MyFitnessPal. Luckily, you don’t need a Fitbit smartwatch to use the Fitbit app, and like MyFitnessPal, it’s free with an optional premium version that costs $9.99 per month. Fitbit serves as a calorie counter, food tracker and exercise diary that lets you monitor what you eat and set weight loss goals. Like MyFitnessPal, you can also log your daily water intake, and it has a similar barcode scanner for easy food tracking. The premium version of Fitbit will lend you additional health insights and features, like wellness reports, advanced sleep tracking and meditation, making this app better-suited for overall health at nearly half the cost of MyFitnessPal Premium, which doesn’t track sleep.

Still, if you don’t need all of the fancy features that a Fitbit Premium account will get you and you want to focus solely on calorie counting, meal prepping and logging food, MyFitnessPal has better functionality and a stronger food database. Similarly, users of both apps complain that the barcode scanner is glitchy, so this may be a problem that these apps will eventually solve in the near future as smartphone technology continues to advance.

Getting Started with MyFitnessPal: Tips for Success

Being successful with MyFitnessPal requires time, commitment and focus. Here’s how to achieve your goals and develop healthy diet, fitness and hydration habits for life.

  • Commit to using the app to log food, exercise and water every day.
  • Set daily reminders to encourage yourself to track your habits.
  • Be honest, and log your food intake accurately, including all oils and sugars.
  • Select foods in the database verified by MyFitnessPal for higher accuracy.
  • Don’t underestimate your calorie needs and restrict yourself too much.
  • Spend time in the forum to learn more about healthy lifestyles.
  • Don’t skimp on trying MyFitnessPal recipes or meal planning.
  • Use and integrate wearable technology if you have it.
  • Set realistic goals for yourself that are possible to achieve.
  • Don’t expect results instantly, as results take time.
  • Keep an eye on your progress and what’s working/not working.
  • Boost accountability by using MyFitnessPal with a friend or family member.

MyFitnessPal FAQs

Which apps can MyFitnessPal connect to?

MyFitnessPal can be connected to numerous apps found in app stores, including MapMyRide and MapMyRun, Wahoo Balance Scale, Qardio Scale, FitStar, Google Fit and Polar, among others. MyFitnessPal can also be synced to fitness trackers like Apple Watch and Fitbit. Keep in mind, however, that MyFitnessPal can’t connect to other calorie trackers like Noom or MyPlate, since these companies are competitors.

What is the best way to use MyFitnessPal?

The best way to use MyFitnessPal is to seriously commit and use the app on a daily basis. Some ways to track more effectively are to track ahead of time, then adjust your food intake as needed; set reminders to log your food, exercise and water intake; and keep an eye on your nutrition or weight loss/weight gain progress. Most importantly, be honest in your food and exercise logging so that your caloric intake and macros remain accurate.

Should you input all the calories you eat on MyFitnessPal?

You should input all the calories you eat on MyFitnessPal if you’re using the app for counting calories or tracking food intake. This will help make sure you stay within your daily calorie goal and that your macros, nutrients and diet plans are accurate.

How long does it take to lose weight with MyFitnessPal?

How long it takes to lose weight with MyFitnessPal (or any diet or weight loss program) depends on several factors, including your metabolism, your activity levels, your caloric intake and any pre-existing conditions. As a very general guideline, an average woman should eat less than 1,500 calories per day to lose one pound per week, while an average man should eat less than 2,000 calories per day. Always talk with your doctor to gauge the safest way to reach a healthy weight.

How accurate is MyFitnessPal?

Studies show that MyFitnessPal is highly accurate for tracking total energy intake (or calories), macronutrients, sugar and fiber, but may not be so accurate for tracking cholesterol and sodium. Keep in mind that some database food items are user-generated, so be sure to read the nutrition labels for your foods before logging your meals; that way, you can make sure your inputted nutrition data is accurate.

How do you reset MyFitnessPal?

You can reset the MyFitnessPal app by going to the settings, then updating your diet/fitness profile. From there, you can set a new starting weight and goal by clicking the green update profile button. In case this option doesn’t work, you can always create a new account.

How do you log exercise on MyFitnessPal?

To log exercise on MyFitnessPal, head to your diary and select “Exercise.” From there, you can choose either cardiovascular or strength training and search for your exercise. You can also modify each exercise by adding how many minutes you worked out and the amount of calories you burned. (Don’t worry if you don’t know your calories burned because MyFitnessPal creates an estimate.)

Final Thoughts: Is MyFitnessPal Worth It?

At the end of the day, MyFitnessPal is one of the best fitness and nutrition apps out there. Yet whether or not it’s the best will depend on your personal experience, including your commitment level and results. Our bottom line is that MyFitnessPal is definitely worth it, but that the free version should work well for most people. We love this app for its easy-to-use interface, intuitive food logging, extensive food database and larger MyFitnessPal community. Whether your goal is to gain weight, reduce your calorie intake or simply develop new eating habits, MyFitnessPal is a great tool to have on hand, and can help you keep up with your progress.

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Best Workout Apps for Beginners to Try in 2023 – SI Showcase

Workout beginner_hero

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Starting your fitness journey can be daunting. Whether you want to lose weight, get stronger or simply improve your overall health, having guidance and finding something you enjoy doing are key to reaching your goals. You can hire a personal trainer or join a boutique fitness studio, but those options are expensive. That’s why we’ve rounded up our picks for the best workout apps for beginners to jumpstart your wellness journey at a fraction of the cost of gyms or trainers.

There are tons of fitness apps to choose from. Working out at the gym? Weightlifting apps can give you guidance on form and technique. Is the great outdoors calling your name? Why not download an app to improve your running? The vast library of workout apps is ever expanding, with options for all fitness levels, goals, workout types, necessary equipment, instructional styles and budgets. Therefore, choosing the best workout app for your needs can be overwhelming. We have reviewed all of the top-rated fitness apps and chosen our picks for the best workout apps for beginners to help you reach your fitness goals.

Our Picks for the Best X:

future

Key Features:

  • Specialty: Individualized virtual personal training with a designated coach
  • Price: $149/month, or prepaid membership plans, including three months for $405, six months for $760 and 12 months for $1,425
  • Free Trial: No, but the first month is just $19
  • Live Workout Classes: No
  • Compatible Devices: Apple iOS, requires Apple Watch

Future is designed to be a virtual personal training app. Unlike many fitness apps, Future pairs each member to your own personal coach who helps manage not only your workouts themselves, but your day-to-day health. The coaches do all of the planning for you, helping subscribers set and achieve appropriate fitness and health goals, build momentum and find the motivation to make an exercise routine a consistent habit.

The customized training plan can be geared towards home workouts, gym workouts or even group exercise classes, depending on your personal preferences. One of the unique features of the Future workout app is its reliance and integration with cutting-edge fitness technology to better tailor your workouts and track your progress.

Future uses biometrics captured by the Apple Watch and iPhone to provide information to your coach, and users have access to a direct line to chat with your personal coach should questions arise. You can also listen to your own playlists or podcasts during your workouts.

When you sign up for Future, you’ll answer a questionnaire to get matched with the expert coach that best meets your personality needs and preferred instructional style. After you are matched with your coach, you do a “Strategy Call” via FaceTime to discuss your goals and preferences. Your coach makes a personalized training plan, which is adjusted in real time each week depending on how your workouts go, just as it would be should you be working with a personal trainer in person. You will get video messages from your coach and have the option to FaceTime periodically.

Although Future is quite expensive and only available for Apple iOs at this time, it’s as close as you can get to a personal trainer and is a great way to have a customized training plan and guided support by expert coaches.

Pros:

  • Tons of coaches to choose from
  • Truly individualized training

Cons:

  • Expensive
  • No Android app
  • Requires Apple Watch for full functionality
Nike Training Club

Key Features:

  • Specialty: Strength training workouts, but there are a variety of workouts to choose from
  • Price: Free
  • Live Workout Classes: No
  • Compatible Devices: Apple iOS, Apple Watch and Android

The gym can be intimidating for beginners, particularly if you do not have a background in strength training and cannot afford the services of a private personal trainer. One of the best gym workout apps is Nike Training Club. It is not only instructional and well designed, but completely free with no hidden membership or subscription fees. Additionally, according to a study in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, Nike Training Club was the second-best fitness app in terms of helping users meet the physical activity guidelines set forth by the American College of Sports Medicine.

When you download the Nike Training Club, you answer a couple of basic questions about how often you work out and your current fitness level. Then the app tailors your first recommended workouts based on your answers. There are nearly 400 different workouts in the app, ranging from 15 to 45 minutes, and new content added daily. Each workout is marked as Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced, so you can choose one based on the amount of time that you have and your current fitness level if you do not want to take on the suggested workout.

There is a wide variety of workouts, such as yoga, barre and stretching for those looking for low-intensity exercise, all the way up to HIIT, circuit training and strength training using dumbbells, kettlebells and other exercise equipment at the gym.

You definitely do not need to have a gym membership to use the Nike Training Club app because there are plenty of bodyweight and home workouts, but the guidance for weightlifting workouts at the gym is particularly well developed. The app definitely places a strong emphasis on building strength and muscle, which is ultimately why it’s one of the best gym workout apps. Buying a pair of adjustable dumbbells or kettlebells can enable you to do more of the workouts at home.

Although many of the strength training workouts are geared towards intermediate and advanced athletes, there are plenty of workouts for beginners and the app will grow with you in that as you become stronger and more experienced, the options to progress to more challenging workouts is right there at your fingertips.

All of the Nike Training Club workouts are designed by experienced personal trainers, and some are led by professional athletes and coaches. The workouts feature voice instructions that explain how to do every movement and provide specific form cues that will help you increase the effectiveness of the exercise. The fitness app is very easy to navigate with a simple interface.

One of the best features of the Nike Training Club App is the ability to create a custom training plan. The app prompts you to rate each workout once you’ve completed it, so that the next recommended workout meets your goals and preferences. You are also allowed to deviate from your customized training plan and target specific muscle groups or take on a particular type of workout on any given day. Overall, Nike Training Club is one of the best free strength training workout apps.

Pros:

  • Free
  • Great for building strength
  • Easy to navigate
  • New content added every week
  • Customizable training plans and workout recommendations

Cons:

  • No low-impact modifications for beginners for the more advanced workouts
  • Many of the workouts require dumbbells or weights
  • No diet support
  • No live workouts
J and J

Key Features:

  • Specialty: Short, intense workouts
  • Price: Free
  • Live Workout Classes: No
  • Compatible Devices: Apple iOS, Apple Watch and Android

The Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout® App is one of the most popular free workout apps. In fact, according to a study in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, the Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout App is the best workout app for helping users meet the physical activity guidelines set forth by the American College of Sports Medicine.

Created by Chris Jordan, Director of Exercise Physiology at the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute, the science-based workout app is designed to provide efficient workouts that require little to no equipment, making exercise more approachable for beginners or those with limited time and financial resources for a gym membership or expensive fitness equipment. In fact, all you need to do the workouts is a wall and a chair.

The app is designed to provide a free alternative to exercising with a personal trainer, providing both form guidance as well as motivation. Although there isn’t a huge library of workout videos and no live classes, it’s one of the best free workout apps for beginners because it has 72 high-definition video tutorials of exercises and 22 preset workouts that can be customized and modified. Each workout is easy to follow, safe and specifically chosen to be time efficient. Users can also create custom workouts targeting specific muscle groups, fitness goals or intensities. Most of the workouts feature HIIT style training, but there are low-intensity, low-impact options and modifications for beginners.

Instructor Chris Jordan leads each workout video and demonstrates each movement to ensure beginners fully understand the correct way to do each exercise. The workout variations can be tailored to all fitness levels, with the potential for over 1,000 different modifications.

There is also music in the app, a workout timer and a training log so you can keep track of your progress or even share your results and compete with friends via social media. Building social support around creating and maintaining a workout routine is one of the goals of the app. The fitness app will also send you workout and inactivity reminders to help you stick with your routine.

The Johnson & Johnson 7 Minute Workout App features the original seven minute workout, which, as the name describes, only takes seven minutes to complete. Additionally, there is a cool feature called Smart Workout. Smart Workout assesses your current fitness and motivation level and recommends different workout programs and the proper intensity. You can follow the Smart Workout recommendation, swap it out for another workout (ranging from seven to 32 minutes) or do the original seven-minute workout.

The Johnson & Johnson 7 Minute Workout App is available on Android and iOS devices including the Apple Watch. Your workouts can be tracked and uploaded to your iPhone Health App.

Pros:

  • Free
  • Workouts include warm up and cool down integrated into the video
  • Helpful audio instructional exercise form tips
  • Requires as little as seven minutes but there are a variety of workouts that range up to 32 minutes
  • Excellent instructional workout videos
  • Customizable workouts with Smart Workout recommendations

Cons:

  • No diet support
  • Fast transitions between exercises can be tricky for beginners
  • Limited options for seven-minute workouts
  • No live workouts
Sworkit

Key Features:

  • Specialty: Customized workouts like having a virtual personal trainer
  • Price: $59.99/year or $9.99/month
  • Free Trial: Seven-day free trial
  • Live Workout Classes: No
  • Compatible Devices: Apple iOS, Android and website access

Sworkit is one of the top fitness apps due to the breadth of training programs and features it provides. The creators behind the app believe that the body is designed to move, and that making exercise simple and enjoyable is the best way to help beginners and experienced athletes alike stick with a training plan to meet their fitness goals. The intention is to help you create a sustainable fitness routine that represents more of a lifestyle change than a temporary intensive workout program.

Sworkit features over 500 different workouts and more than 900 exercises. The approach is designed to be personalized, so you can choose how long you have to work out, your current fitness level and your primary training goal (weight loss, building muscle, increasing endurance etc.). Then, the app will recommend specific workouts based on your goals and needs, which you can further customize as you see fit. You can also create and save your own custom workouts.

Sworkit also offers fitness and nutrition support with certified personal trainers available to answer your diet and exercise questions. “Ask a Trainer” gives subscribers one-on-one guidance from certified personal trainers, which is a unique feature even for most premium fitness apps. It’s also a great resource for beginners who don’t necessarily have the financial means for their own personal trainer. There are also monthly challenges, recommended fitness plans and daily workouts.

You can tailor your Sworkit workout plan towards various goals, including weight loss, building muscle, increasing endurance, improving flexibility, toning muscles or reducing pain. Sworkit training plans are easy to follow, and the website contains hundreds of positive customer testimonials and before-and-after pictures of weight loss and muscle growth after using the app.

One of the benefits of Sworkit is that there are tons of workouts that don’t require any equipment, so even if you don’t have a gym membership, you can do plenty of bodyweight home workouts without restrictions. The app also features super short and longer endurance options, allowing users to select a workout length ranging anywhere from one to 90 minutes. This is much more variability than is found in most fitness apps, and makes this app great for users of all fitness levels. If you’re a beginner who is just getting started on your fitness journey you can take quick workouts lasting just a couple of minutes. As your endurance improves, you can eventually work out for an hour and a half.

There is a lot of variety of workouts, from strength training, cardio, yoga, kettlebells, dumbbell workouts, circuit training, cycling, exercise for seniors, workouts for runners, gym workouts, stretching and calisthenics like push-ups, jumping jacks, squats and burpees.

In addition to being able to customize your workout time, you can also choose the length of time that each exercise will be performed, the length of the rest breaks in between movements, the specific exercises included in your routine (if you want to, although there are plenty of preset workouts), the intensity level and the type of instructional cues as well as the actual voice of the trainer who will coach you through the workout. In this way, Sworkit is probably the best workout app for customized and personalized training.

Another nice feature is that if you are going to be exercising in an area where you will not have Wi-Fi or availability to connect online, there are off-line workout videos you can access at any time. There is also a robust online community for social support, a help center if you have any questions and community perks for subscribers such as live video sessions with the personal trainers and fitness tips to help you stay on track towards your goals. New workouts are added routinely to keep your training from feeling stale, and you can adjust your training plan at any time if you decide that you have a new fitness goal that is more important to you or if you sustain an injury.

Although Sworkit is not free, the subscription fees are reasonable given all of the functions of the app, making it a good value overall. You can purchase an annual subscription for $59.99 or a monthly subscription for $9.99. Sworkit also offers a risk-free seven-day trial. Sworkit workouts can be accessed on the mobile app for iPhone or Android, and there is a web-based option as well.

Pros:

  • Can target your workout program to different fitness goals
  • New workouts added weekly to keep your routine fresh
  • Free seven-day trial
  • One-on-one support to ask diet and fitness questions to expert trainers
  • Offline workouts as well
  • Wide range of workout lengths and types of exercise

Cons:

  • No live classes in the app
  • Membership fees are somewhat high
alomoves

Key Features:

  • Specialty: Yoga classes
  • Other Features: Some fitness classes, guided meditations and yoga skills
  • Price: Alo Moves offers two types of subscriptions: Monthly subscription is $20/month. Annual subscription is $199/year (on sale now for $99.50/year).
  • Free Trial: 14-day free trial
  • Live Workout Classes: Yes, but only when accessing the Alo Moves website using a computer, the Apple iOs iPhone/iPad mobile app has on-demand workout videos only
  • Compatible Devices: Alo Moves website, Apple iOS, no Android app, can watch on-demand content on Apple TV

Alo Moves specializes in yoga classes, but there are also general fitness classes, guided meditations, skills and a “set your intention” section. For fitness classes, Alo Moves subscribers can choose from sculpt, barre, core, HIIT, pilates, stretching, strength and walking workouts. The mindfulness section of the app includes guided meditation, breathwork exercises, personal growth video lessons, sound bath healing, yoga Nidra and reiki. The “skills” section of the app focuses on instructional lessons and video demonstrations of essential yoga poses for beginners. Finally, the “set your intention” section of Alo Moves has guided meditations for goals like getting more sleep, improving self-care, calming your mind and boosting your mood.

At its core, Alo Moves is a yoga app, so the selection of yoga classes is the most robust part of the app. Subscribers can take a variety of different types of yoga classes, including Hatha, Ashtanga, Kundalini, Vinyasa, Restorative, Prenatal yoga and Kids Yoga.

Whether you’re taking a yoga class, general fitness class or interested in being led through a guided meditation, you can sort the library of on-demand workouts by workout type, duration, difficulty (beginner, moderate, intermediate or advanced) and intensity level (from one to four). Intensity differs from difficulty in that it is less about the necessary skills and expertise and refers more to the necessary exertion level. A level one intensity workout will be gentle, such as a restorative yoga class or flexibility routine, whereas a level four intensity workout will be along the lines of a vigorous HIIT class.

There are several ways to access the Alo Moves content. The Alo Moves website on a desktop or laptop is where you’ll have the best access because it’s the only format where you can steam live yoga classes. There is also an iOS app for iPhones, iPads and Apple TV, but you can only watch on-demand workout classes on mobile devices. There are also ways to cast on-demand workout videos to other smart TVs. Unfortunately, there is no Android app at this time.

One of the newer features of the app is that when you’re using the online site, you can create and follow yours and your friend’s personalized playlists to listen to while you work out.

A nice feature of Alo Moves is that in addition to having over 60 world-class instructors and more than 2,500 different workouts to choose from, the app provides personalized recommendations that help you meet your wellness goals. Plus, new classes are added each week to help keep your workout routine feeling fresh.

Overall, if the main type of fitness you are interested in is yoga, Alo Moves is definitely one of the best workout apps for beginners.

Pros:

  • Over 60 world-class yoga instructors
  • More than 2,500 yoga classes to choose from as well as a variety of workouts of other types
  • Can stream on Apple TV
  • Video library of yoga skills for beginners
  • Live workouts for members if you stream on a desktop or laptop

Cons:

  • Expensive
  • No Android app
  • No live classes in the app
  • Not great for general fitness other than yoga, though there are some other fitness classes
strava

Key Features:

  • Specialty: GPS running, walking and cycling tracking
  • Price: Free version and Premium version ($6.67/month)
  • Free Trial: 30-day free trial of Premium version
  • Live Workout Classes: No
  • Compatible Devices: Apple iOS, Apple Watch and Android

Strava is one of the best running apps, and it also offers tracking for other outdoor exercises. Although Strava is best known for its GPS tracking for outdoor running and cycling, there are actually over 30 different types of exercise you can track with Strava, such as rowing, hiking, canoeing, E-Bike riding, yoga, alpine skiing, swimming, stand-up paddleboarding, CrossFit, elliptical and weight lifting.

Strava offers a free version and a paid subscription, Strava Premium, that has additional features such as a Route tool, which provides suggestions of where to run based on where other runners in your area have tracked their runs. Strava Premium also offers segments (where you can see your time for specific portions of routes and compete with others to get the best time), advanced performance metrics like cadence as well as detailed training plans for runners, walkers and cyclists. There are also safety features like Strava Beacon, which can provide your live location to family or friends in the case of an emergency.

One of the benefits of Strava is that it supports a variety of running trackers, such as the Apple Watch, Garmin GPS watches, Wear OS devices and even certain fitness equipment for indoor workouts, making it super easy to track and upload your workout data.

In-depth reviews that have compared the Strava GPS support versus other outdoor running apps have found that Strava provides a consistent, reliable GPS signal. There is also a large social community where you can find your Facebook friends or other contacts and create a feed to see all of your friends’ activities. You can send “kudos“ to one another and comment on your friends’ workouts. Ultimately, if you are going to be doing a lot of outdoor running or cycling, Strava is one of the best workout apps to consider. Start with the free version and if you find that we want the additional functions and features offered by the premium plan, you can upgrade your prescription at any time.

Pros:

  • Lots of social support features and online community engagement
  • Strong GPS signal and accurate outdoor workout tracking
  • Free and paid version
  • Training plans in the Premium version

Cons:

  • No live classes, instructions or workouts to follow
  • Advanced features only available in the premium version
  • Uses a lot of battery life while in use

How to Choose the Best Workout App for You as a Beginner

Workout apps can be a fantastic resource for beginners as you start your fitness journey. Using a workout app can make your workouts more engaging, and will take the guesswork out of what exercises to do and how long to perform each movement or how many reps you should complete for an effective workout that is targeted towards your specific fitness goals. The best beginner-friendly workout apps will not only provide this type of structure and guidance, but also have informative, engaging and motivating trainers or instructors leading the workouts, helping you learn how to master the proper form and technique for each movement. Many beginners do not have the financial means or comfort level necessary to work with a personal trainer, and they feel too self-conscious to take a group exercise class. Using a beginner home workout app, or even a gym workout app, where the instructor demonstrates how to perform each exercise and gives technique cues as you go, can be a budget-friendly, comfortable way to familiarize yourself with working out.

Choosing the best workout app for beginners involves considering several factors, as each fitness app will provide a somewhat different balance of each of these:

Type of workouts offered

The most basic, yet the most important, consideration when choosing the best workout app for beginners is the types of exercise and the style of workouts that the app offers. You need to consider what type of exercise you enjoy and whether or not this is offered in the fitness app.

For example, are you mostly interested in yoga? If so, it typically makes sense to hone in on yoga-focused workout apps. Do you need guidance with strength training? Indoor cycling? Running outdoors?

There are workout apps geared specifically towards each type of exercise, but there are also plenty of workout apps, such as Sworkit that feature all nearly types of exercise. If you plan on doing a variety of workouts, these “jack-of-all-trades” apps can be a better value. However, if you’re mostly keen on doing a particular type of exercise, you can often find better instruction and app features in workout apps geared specifically towards that type of exercise.

Training style

Along the same lines as the type of exercise the app provides is the style of training offered.

For example, some workout apps have a specific niche, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or super short workouts for busy people, such as the 7 Minute Workout App.

Other fitness apps focus on low-intensity exercise or accumulating physical activity over the course of your day, such as trying to get in more steps with daily walking.

Choosing a fitness app based on the amount of time you intend to exercise or the style of training that best matches your interests and needs will help ensure that the workouts offered will fit well into your lifestyle.

Necessary equipment

It’s also important to consider whether you will primarily be doing home workouts or gym workouts, as this will probably impact the space and exercise equipment you have available unless you have a robust home or garage gym.

Some workout apps are designed for at-home workouts, so they feature workouts that require little to no exercise equipment. You might do bodyweight-only workouts, or the workout might require only basic fitness gear essentials, like an exercise mat, resistance bands or a set of adjustable dumbbells. Although bodyweight workouts are often a great starting place for beginners, if you plan to do at-home workouts regularly, it’s often a good idea to invest in a few pieces of exercise equipment like a set of resistance bands or adjustable dumbbells. Depending on your primary fitness goals, space and budget, having a cardio exercise machine can also be extremely beneficial—as it will permit at-home cardio workouts—but it’s certainly not required.

Most workout apps have plenty of workouts that require no equipment, focusing instead on heart-pumping cardio exercises such as jumping jacks and burpees.

If you plan to exercise at the gym, choosing a gym workout app will allow you to make better use of all the available exercise equipment, such as weight machines, full sets of dumbbells, suspension trainers, medicine balls, cable machines, barbells, squat racks and kettlebells. Beginner gym workout apps help familiarize yourself with the exercise equipment and will help you safely progress your strength training workouts as you build fitness.

One of the benefits of using a gym workout app for beginners is that the app can help get you started with a sustainable workout routine at the gym that you can continue on even if you choose to stop subscribing to the app. Essentially, you can use the fitness app as a virtual personal trainer to teach you an exercise routine you can readily replicate on your own once you feel confident with the equipment and how to structure effective workouts.

Instruction provided

The best workout apps for beginners provide plenty of instruction so that you know how to properly perform each movement.

The quality of the trainers or coaches matters. The instructors should have certifications and qualifications, and should take the time to explain or demonstrate movements during the workout class and provide form cues while you are supposed to be following along doing the exercise at home as you use the app.

It’s also important to consider what type of coaching style suits you best. Do you like a motivating trainer who provides positive words of encouragement? Do you like a no nonsense coach who has high expectations and keeps you on task? Do you like a social fitness instructor who tells stories and anecdotes during the work out to help distract you from the challenging exercise you are doing?

Some apps use one personal trainer exclusively, other apps allow you to pick workouts with trainers you like.

You can usually get a sense of the instructional and coaching style of the trainers in a workout app by reading reviews or testing the app if a free trial is offered. Finding a good match between the coaching style and your personality type can make you more motivated to work out and may improve your exercise adherence, enjoyment and how much you learn about not only exercise, but yourself as a person in your fitness journey.

App features and functions

As with any type of app, the features and functions of a workout app determine its value, use ability and appropriateness for your fitness goals and needs.

Some basic workout apps are not much more than a digital fitness log that will automatically track your workouts if you are using a compatible fitness tracker, such as an Apple Watch or Fitbit, or holding your smartphone with the GPS engaged while you run outdoors.

More comprehensive fitness or weight loss apps provide on-demand or even live workout classes that you can stream from your own home or at the gym. You can typically sort the library of on-demand exercises classes based on the length of the workout, your fitness level, the type of exercise (for example treadmill running, indoor cycling, bootcamp, HIIT, yoga, barre, boxing, Pilates or strength training), required equipment to perform the exercises in the workout and sometimes even the type of music or the instructor who will lead the workout class.

Being able to sort and choose exercise classes from a large catalog of options will not only help you find classes that interest you and are suitable for your experience level, but will also help prevent needing to repeat the same classes over and over simply due to a lack of options. The more variety you can add into your fitness routine, in terms of the types of exercise you perform and the intensity level in which you move your body, the more well-rounded your fitness level will be.

Finally, some workout apps have additional features such as guided meditations, meal planning sections, a workout planner to schedule classes to increase accountability, workout plans targeted to specific goals (weight loss, building muscle, reducing stress etc.), push notifications to remind you about your upcoming workouts or to move your body after a period of extended inactivity and educational sections. Some fitness apps also have social support with active online communities where you can connect with other app users to share tips, ask questions, build a support system and share achievements. There are also fitness apps that allow you to use your own playlists.

Depending on your experience level and the amount of guidance you are seeking in your fitness and health journey, these types of specialized features may be more or less important to you.

Cost

The cost for workout apps runs the gamut from completely free workout apps to premium workout apps with high monthly membership fees.

As with most things, you typically get what you pay for when it comes to fitness apps. Although there are plenty of good free workout apps, most are fairly simple, and may only record workout metrics or will be ad-sponsored, so you will constantly be having to close out pop-ups during your workout. Free workout apps typically do not have much in the way of an extensive library of on demand workout classes that you can stream, workout builder tools that help you design a fitness plan or instructional guidance to help beginners learn how to properly perform exercises.

Premium workout apps can be costly, but are still typically a good value, especially when you consider the cost savings for using an at-home workout app instead of buying a gym membership or using a gym workout app instead of paying for a personal trainer.

Some premium workout apps offer both on demand and live workout classes. If you like the extra motivation and accountability of being in a live setting, it’s often worth it to pay more for the fitness apps that offer this feature. Some also provide nutritional guidance and/or meal tracking. These can be a good option if you’re trying to lose weight.

Most premium fitness apps offer a free trial, which may be anywhere from seven to 30 days so that you can test out the workout classes and familiarize yourself with the features and interface of the app to make sure it is a good fit for you. Take advantage of free trials. Like trying on new clothes, a workout app free trial will help you get a sense of whether the style of the workout classes is what you’re looking for and if you like how the app works in general.

Some of the best workout apps may cost upwards of $15-$30 per month, depending on the functions and features offered by the app. You can often save some money by buying an annual fitness app subscription rather than paying on a month to month basis. However, beginners are encouraged to test out the app, at least through a free trial if not a whole month, before paying for an annual subscription to help ensure that it is the best workout app for your needs.

How We Chose the Best Workout Apps for Beginners

In our own process of choosing the best workout apps for beginners, we considered all of the above mentioned important factors that impact the effectiveness and value of any fitness app. One of the primary characteristics we focused on was the quality of the workout classes offered and the instructional and motivational support provided for beginners. We considered the intended audience for the app—beginners, advanced athletes, people looking for a holistic approach to health, yoga classes etc.— to ensure that it was one of the best workout apps for beginners. Within that, we considered the range of workouts provided, the quality of the instructors, the other features of the app such as weight loss support or fitness tips and user reviews. Our goal was to find workout apps for beginners that fit different common niches, such as the need for a good free workout app, workouts for busy folks and workouts for beginners who prefer to exercise outdoors.

Finally, we considered the cost of the app and weighed the price and subscription fees relative to the functions provided by the app to assess whether the workout app was a good value.

FAQs

How long should I work out as a beginner?

There is no “right” or “wrong” amount of time to work out as a beginner. The intensity of your workout will significantly affect how long you should (and can!) work out. For example, if you are doing low-intensity exercise like walking or yoga, your workouts can be much longer than if you’re doing vigorous exercise like running, high-intensity interval training or strength training with heavy weights.

In general, it’s best to start with shorter, more gentle workouts and then you can gradually increase the duration and intensity as your fitness and strength improve. Even just 10 minutes per day can be a great start for beginners. As your endurance improves, you can extend your workouts to 20-30 minutes or more, depending on the type of exercise you are doing and how many times per week you are working out.

What happens if you work out at home every day for 30 minutes?

A workout routine that involves working out at home every day for 30 minutes can be a fantastic way to improve your health and reduce your risk of lifestyle diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. To reduce your risk of such diseases, the American College of Sports Medicine and the British Heart Foundation recommend getting 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week. If your home workout routine involves working out for 30 minutes a day five days per week, you can meet these physical activity guidelines.

There are other physical and mental health benefits you may also enjoy from daily 30 minute home workouts, such as weight management, improved cardiovascular fitness, greater muscular strength, decreased stress and better sleep.

Can beginners exercise every day?

According to the National Center for Health Research if you’re new to working out or haven’t been very active, it’s a good idea to start exercising at a low intensity, then slowly increase the amount and intensity of exercise each week. Starting your exercise routine off slowly, but consistently can help reduce the risk of injury or burnout. It’s recommended that adults get 150 minutes of physical activity each week, which can be split up into 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week or even smaller chunks of time.

Final Thoughts

Overall, there are tons of fitness apps to choose from, some of which are geared towards specific types of exercise like yoga or running while others take a more comprehensive approach and offer all different types of exercise and styles of workouts. Choosing the best workout apps involves considering your fitness level, the type of exercise support you are looking for (live or on-demand workout classes, workout tracking, motivation, social support etc.), your available time to work out, where you plan to work out and your budget. Test driving workout apps by signing up for free trials can help you get a sense of whether the app is a good fit for you.

Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.

645 Beachbody Review – SI Showcase

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The products featured in this article have been independently reviewed. When you buy something through the retail links on this page, we may earn commission at no cost to you, the reader. The Sports Illustrated editorial team is not involved in the creation of this content. Learn more here.

Beachbody On Demand is a fitness and nutrition powerhouse brand that offers custom workout programs, supplements, shakes and more as part of its robust subscription platform. 645 is one of the newest and increasingly popular Beachbody programs, including 13 weeks of 45-minute workouts six days per week that customers can do in the comfort of their own homes. While this full-body exercise program may prove challenging and requires a serious time commitment, it promises strengthening of both body and mind while helping users achieve their fitness goals. Still, is this Beachbody super trainer-led program all it’s cut out to be, and does it really work?

Our comprehensive review will dive into how 645 Beachbody works, its features, the pros and cons of this program and who it’s best for. We’ll also share how this Beachbody workout stacks up against the competition, which equipment it requires, what customers have to honestly say and whether or not it’s ultimately worth it.

This content is meant to be informative, but should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention or treatment of health problems. Always speak with your doctor before starting any new supplement or exercise regimen.

What is 645 BeachBody?

645 Beachbody is a 13-week workout program created by Beachbody On Demand super trainer Amolia Cesar. The program consists of 13 consecutive weeks of functional training six days a week for 45 minutes each; the seventh day is for rest. It’s available as part of a Beachbody subscription and can be accessed online through the Beachbody website or on the app, which is available for both iOS and Android.

Each week, the exercises get progressively harder, eventually maxing out in week 13. Every week will follow a schedule that includes classes for lower body strength, total body power, mobility and stability, upper body strength, total body tempo and cardio 45 (or a cardio blast). In 645, the 13 weeks are divided into four phases, and each phase ends with a deload week, in which exercise intensity progressively decreases to avoid overtraining. As the exercises get harder, they’ll increase the number of reps and/or weight being used.

While 645 is a home-based workout, it requires a few pieces of fitness equipment to complete the workouts, some of which you may already have in your home gym. The 645 program also comes with a printable calendar, schedule, dumbbell tracker worksheets and more that help you stay on top of your workouts. Like many newer Beachbody programs, you’ll receive a nutrition guide with tips for healthy eating and recipes. While the nutrition guide isn’t totally necessary to follow, maintaining a healthy diet while exercising can help you better meet your fitness goals. 

What Equipment Do You Need for 645?

Some Beachbody programs, like 9 Week Control Week, require a large array of equipment, but luckily 645 can be done with much less. In fact, if you’re an avid home exerciser and have an established home gym or workout area, you may already have most of the required items.

First and foremost, you’ll need a set of power loops, or fabric resistance bands. Many people actually prefer working out with fabric-based bands, which are made out of cloth as opposed to rubber like the bands used in 80 Day Obsession, another Beachbody strength training fitness program. Power loops made out of fabric tend to be more comfortable and create less friction on the skin, which is crucial when you’re breaking a sweat and you don’t want sticky bands sticking to you (cotton helps absorb sweat and it can also be washed, which is another added bonus). While you can still use rubber resistance loops or bands if you want, we recommend investing in fabric power loops to help make your 645 workouts more comfortable.

Next, you’ll need a range of dumbbells and/or lighter weights, depending on your fitness level and how much weight you prefer to lift. You may want a combination of the two to give you more variety for strength training portions of the 645 program, plus you’ll start lifting more weight as you get closer to week 13 and increase your body strength. Adjustable dumbbells are another option, since 645 moves at a lower pace (therefore, giving you time to adjust weight as needed). Although we still recommend individual dumbbells or lighter weights for most people, especially when it comes to exercises that incorporate swinging motions.

While a quality foam mat isn’t 100 percent necessary for 645 workouts, we recommend having one on hand. When exercising, this will protect your floor from things like weights and prevent you from slipping or sliding, which will prevent injury. Even though a traditional yoga mat might do, a foam mat will provide you with more cushioning. There are also some bonus workouts that may require a mat, as well as a pull-up bar, foam roller or Beachbody Control Track, which is a resistance kit that can be attached to your door or wall. The key word here is bonus, however, so if you don’t want to invest in these extra items, you can still complete the full 645 workout regimen without skimping on required workouts.

Be sure to give yourself enough space to exercise, too, so you can better maintain proper form and have enough room to fully do various workouts. Ideally, you’ll want five feet on either side of you for both cardio workouts and strength training exercises. You’ll also want enough space to set up a device to stream your 645 workout on, whether that’s through a smartphone, tablet or computer. Since Beachbody On Demand is an online workout program, it offers its own fitness app for subscribers that you can access anytime, anywhere, as long as you have data or WiFI.

Lastly, be sure to wear quality gym or training shoes while exercising to protect your feet, as well as comfortable workout clothes that you can do both cardio and strength training exercises in. If you don’t have the necessary equipment at home, you can buy equipment and accessories on the Beachbody website, but you’ll most likely find better deals and variety if you buy on Amazon.

The Pros of 645 BeachBody

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The biggest pro of 645 Beachbody is its intense focus on functional fitness. Functional fitness is a type of strength training that essentially makes it easier for your body to do everyday activities, from basic to complex. The program prepares you for simple movements you might not think about often, such as bending to pick up your groceries or loading your car for a weekend hike, which can cause a lot of pain if not done correctly. For 645 participants, boosting functional strength can be a benefit that reaches far beyond the program.

645 also steadily builds its intensity, so you’re not thrown for a curveball during your first performance week. Instead, each episode–and subsequent week–gets harder and harder, upping the number of reps and weight as you advance to more challenging exercises. By the time week 13 rolls around, you’re ready to go all out during your final performance week.

Then there’s the total-body focus. Not only does 645 help you strengthen your lower body, upper body and core, it aims to build muscle and improve mobility throughout your entire bod as one big unit, preparing you for those daily life tasks that rely so heavily on functionality. You can expect to work out your glutes, arms, legs and abs, but at a slower cadence that devotes time to each individual muscle group. 645 is never rushed, but rather keeps a focus on your form.

We also enjoy 645 Beachbody for its extended warmup period, which really does help loosen your body up before jumping into cardio, resistance or strength training exercises. Studies prove that warming up before exercising can significantly decrease your risk of injury, and 645 makes it a point to not only alleviate this risk, but teach participants how to warm up and cool down.

Lastly, there’s the 645 cast itself. You can truly expect to have a good time following the 645 program, and the hilarious cast members will probably get several laughs out of you by the time you reach your final workouts in week 13. Viewers also get a chance to listen to the dialogue between Cesar and other cast members, who ask questions about things like form. These conversations can be extremely helpful in learning form and how to properly do each exercise.

The Cons of 645 BeachBody

There aren’t many cons to 645 Beachbody, and most of them are simply a matter of personal preference. The biggest con of the 645 program is that it moves at a slower pace, so if you like fast-paced workouts that keep you on edge from start to finish, you may not enjoy 645. There’s also a lot of conversation amongst the cast members, so again, if that’s something that might bother you, then 645 might not be as enjoyable as other comparable programs.

Lastly, price might be a con for some, since access to 645 hangs on getting a Beachbody subscription. For a basic membership, you’ll spend almost $120 a year, and the price goes up if you add extra features, such as BoDi live classes. Still, Beachbody offers a 14-day trial period so you can always test the waters before committing.

Who 645 BeachBody Is Best For

645 Beachbody is equally good for most men and women, and while Beachbody claims that its program is suitable for home exercisers from intermediate to advanced levels, we think that even beginners will be able to participate without falling behind; you can also follow 645 modifications as needed if something is too challenging. Don’t forget that 645 Beachbody slowly builds in intensity, meaning you can ramp up with the program without feeling lost on week one.

645 Beachbody is best for folks who have enough time (and physical space) to complete the program. This exercise regimen does require a serious time commitment, so you want to be sure that there’s room in your schedule to exercise for 45 minutes six times per week, over the course of 13 consecutive weeks. It’s also important to enjoy both cardio and strength training exercises, since 645 Beachbody combines the two (some people, for example, only like cardio).

Who 645 BeachBody Is Not Best For

If you’re not able to commit to exercising six days a week for 45 minutes at a time throughout a 13 week program, you may want to steer clear of 645 Beachbody. This program does require a major time commitment and results hang on completing the program as suggested. Still, don’t worry. There are plenty of other personal training apps you can try if 645 isn’t right for you.

645 also might not be a good fit if you prefer going to a traditional gym, or if you enjoy more of a community feel. While your 645 workouts will be trainer-led with a full cast, you’ll be working out on your own at home (unless you team up with a friend or family member). If you have trouble lifting weights due to an injury or other concern, you might want to consider a program that’s all or mostly cardio, since 645 does combine a mix of cardio workouts and strength training.

What Signing Up for 645 Is Like

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Signing up for 645 is relatively straightforward. First, you’ll want to purchase a Beachbody On Demand subscription. You can do so through one of three standard pricing tiers, or by buying one of Beachbody’s larger 645 value bundles that include an annual Beachbody subscription (which nets you access to 645, among other programs), accessories, Shakeology superfood shakes, nutrition plans and/or other bonus goodies. Depending on your interests, there are also various challenge packs and performance packs that include different assortments of items. Once you have an active subscription, you can simply log on to Beachbody and head to 645.

The 645 Team

Leading the 645 Beachbody program is Beachbody On Demand super trainer Amolia Cesar. He’s a fan-favorite trainer amongst the Beachbody community who also trains VIP stars and celebrities. Beachbody customers enjoy his energetic, motivating personality, which includes a dash of humor to add some lightness to some otherwise serious workouts. In addition to 645, Cesar is also the creator behind 6 Weeks of The Work, an intense functional training program.

Joining Cesar are a number of additional cast members who help elevate the program. These cast members rotate out between episodes, so you can expect to see different faces throughout the 645 Beachbody experience. There’s Manny, who customers love for his endless jokes; Cassandra, who is highly motivational; Jordan, who teaches how to build muscle and more. There’s also a modifier in every workout that you can follow for beginner-friendly exercises.

What Customers Say About 645

Customers praise 645 Beachbody as being a “complete solution” that has mobility, stretching, cardio and functional exercises. It’s designed to help your body move in the way it’s supposed to, which customers point out as a major benefit of the workout program. Users also enjoy the diversity of the workouts, which despite taking place six days a week for the same amount of time are fairly different from one another (for example, a sample workout schedule may contain one day of cardio 45, while another day will focus on upper body strength). 645 comes with a nutrition guide as well to help maximize weight loss, and while these nutrition programs from Beachbody aren’t totally necessary to follow, customers like them for the extra motivation.

Then, there are the drawbacks to 645. Some workout reviews complain that there is too much talking amongst the 645 Beachbody coaches, which takes away from the workout experience. Other customers complain that despite speeding up after the initial warmup (which alone can take anywhere from eight to 15 minutes), 645 exercises are simply much too slow. If you’re looking for something fast-paced, 645 probably isn’t for you, because this workout program homes in on practicing and using total body form and functionality, as opposed to simply breaking a sweat.

Is 645 BeachBody Worth It?

Yes, our bottom line is that 645 Beachbody—and ultimately, a Beachbody On Demand subscription—is worth it. While this workout program moves at a slower pace, it focuses on developing the whole body and practicing form and functionality, which is not something we see very often in other online fitness programs. We enjoy 645 for its diverse cast and exercises that include a healthy mix of cardio, strength and resistance training, and we especially appreciate the weekly rest day to relax our muscles. Still, even with its slower pace, 645 is rigid enough to keep you moving, and we appreciate the challenge of pushing ourselves for 13 straight weeks.

FAQs

Here’s everything else there is to know about 645 Beachbody.

645 vs Insanity Max:30?

Insanity Max:30 is a Beachbody program led by super trainer Shaun T that pushes people to work out as hard as they can for 30 minutes each day for 60 consecutive days straight. Unlike 645, Insanity Max:30 requires no equipment, but rather a steadfast commitment to exercising daily; you can expect to use your own body as resistance. While this program is on the more intensive side, it does encourage breaks as long as the 30 minutes of daily exercise are met.

Although Insanity Max:30 is equipment-free, exercising every day doesn’t give you time to rest, which is important for both relaxing and strengthening your muscles. It also moves at a much faster pace than 645, which may be a pro or con depending on how you prefer to workout. Plus, hitting 60 consecutive days of exercise is a lofty goal, especially if you have other commitments like work, family or school that might not give you enough time to squeeze in daily exercise.

All in all, we find 645 to be the stronger program (no pun intended) thanks to its more relaxed pace, rest days and gradual buildup of intensity. Insanity Max:30 goes hard from the get-go, while 645 steadily gets more difficult week after week. 645 is also good for beginners or first time exercisers, while Insanity Max:30 is a more advanced workout that those just entering their fitness journey may find too difficult. Still, that doesn’t mean 645 is easy—even pros can get a challenge from it, since you can modify your workout as needed to make it more difficult.

How much is the 645 program?

In order to access the 645 program, you’ll need to sign up for a Beachbody On Demand subscription. These subscriptions vary in price depending on how many months you sign up for. Currently, Beachbody is offering a one-year plan for $9.99 per month, a six-month plan for $14.99 per month and a three-month plan for $24.99 per month. The longer the plan you choose, the more you’ll save on the monthly price, and you can often take advantage of additional promotions that knock down Beachbody subscription costs even further.

After you purchase a subscription, you won’t have to pay extra to use 645 since it’ll be included in your package. However, Beachbody offers an optional 645 accessories bundle for $59.95 that includes a Get Started guide, calendar, dumbbell tracker, power loops and free access to a personal coach. Buying this bundle isn’t necessary, however, especially if you have power loops at home and won’t benefit from the other items included. At this time, Beachbody On Demand doesn’t sell its workout programs outside of its subscription, so you can’t purchase 645 alone.

Will you get in shape in 21 days with 645?

If you follow the 645 Beachbody program as planned, and you fully commit to your workouts, you may see some results after 21 days of using 645, such as weight loss or increased body power. However, studies conclude that most results from continuous exercise occur between eight to 16 weeks of regular training, so you can expect to see peak results at the end of the program.

Still, it’s important to keep in mind that everybody is different. Depending on your fitness level, overall health, metabolism, diet and other personal traits, your results and how much you get in shape may vary. Therefore, try not to compare your results to others (even though it can be tempting) and focus more on whether or not you achieve your own personal fitness goals.

How long is the 645 program?

The 645 program is 13 weeks long, or just under three months. Each week includes six days of exercises that run 45 minutes each. The seventh day of each week is used as a rest day.

Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.

The 10 Best Supplement Stacks of 2022 – SI Showcase

Hero Best Supplement Stacks_Source iStock

The products featured in this article have been independently reviewed. When you buy something through the retail links on this page, we may earn commission at no cost to you, the reader. The Sports Illustrated editorial team is not involved in the creation of this content. Learn more here.

Whether you’re a regular at the gym or just diving headfirst into the world of fitness, trying to get a supplement stack right—much less understand what it is—can be intimidating. A supplement stack is simply a combination of two or more products taken together strategically to provide synergistic results. Some common fitness goals that stacks are used for include muscle growth, fat loss, increased cardiovascular endurance and improved sports performance. Using a supplement stack can be a way to reach your goals faster.

In this review, we’re going to breakdown our picks for the best supplement stacks from the brands we trust. We’ll talk about the individual supplements included in each stack, explain what goals the stack will help you achieve and cover important factors like dosages, price and any safety concerns you might have.

Safety Note: Before considering the use of supplements or a supplement stack you should be at least 18 years of age, consult a physician prior to use, consider any pre-existing conditions and always follow the recommended dosages on the supplement labels.

This content is meant to be informative, but should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention or treatment of health problems. Always speak with your doctor before starting any new supplement or exercise regimen.

Our Picks for the Best Supplement Stack:

XWerks Supplement Stack_Source XWerks

Key Supplements and Dosages:

Xwerks is a nutrition company that specializes in scientifically formulated supplements crafted for elite athletes. The combination of supplements in this stack creates a classic anabolic muscle building stack for men that has all the ingredients needed (plus some) to have success in the weight room.

The protein supplement Grow, the creatine supplement Lift and the stress management supplement Ashwa can be taken on a daily basis. The other products, Ignite and Motion, should be taken only on training days. Be sure to follow the recommended serving sizes on the back of the supplement labels to prevent any unwanted side effects.

Safety Notes:

This supplement stack is designed specifically for men. If you are a woman, you are completely fine taking Xwerks Grow, Ignite, Motion and Lift, but I would consult with your doctor before adding Ashwa into your supplement regimen.

Pros:

  • Designed to boost athletic performance
  • High-quality whey protein isolate from grass-fed cows
  • Motion supplement helps optimize muscle glycogen levels and electrolyte balance

Cons:

  • There are other pre-workout supplements available at comparable price points with higher dosages of the active ingredients
  • Slightly more expensive than comparable products (especially for creatine)
KOS PlantPower Bundle_Source KOS

Key Supplements and Dosages:

KOS produces plant-based nutrition supplements for people with vegan and vegetarian dietary preferences. The PowerPlant Bundle is geared toward overall health and wellness. While this supplement stack might not have you hitting your new rep max in the gym, these products will provide a number of nutritional and digestive benefits. One major benefit from these plant forward supplements is the dietary fiber from the protein and greens powder which helps promote a healthy gut microbiome, keeps you regular and reduces cravings.

Safety Notes:

These products are generally safe to use on a regular basis, though we recommend talking with your healthcare provider before adding any new supplements into your diet.

Pros:

  • Responsibly sourced, non-GMO and free of artificial ingredients
  • Good for vegan and vegetarian diets
  • Green and Red blends supply micronutrients
  • Subscribers save 15 percent

Cons:

  • Not meant to boost athletic performance in the gym
Transparent Labs Muscle Building Essentials Stack_Source Transparent Labs

Key Supplements and Dosages:

  • Transparent Labs 100{bf0515afdcaddba073662ceb89fbb62b6b1bf123143c0e06b788e1946e8c353f} Grass Fed Whey Protein Isolate (Protein Powder): 28 grams of grass-fed whey protein isolate per serving; supports muscle growth and recovery
  • Transparent Labs Bulk Pre-Workout (Pre-Workout): Six grams of citrulline malate, four grams of beta alanine, four grams of BCAAs, 2.5 grams of betaine, 1.3 grams of taurine, one gram of L-tyrosine, 300 milligrams of alpha-GPC, 180 milligrams of caffeine, 50 milligrams of theobromine, 25 milligrams of Astragin; formulated to boost energy and reduce muscle fatigue
  • Transparent Labs Creatine HMB (Creatine): Five grams of creatine monohydrate, 1.5 grams of beta-hydroxy methylbutyrate, five milligrams of BioPerine; supports lean muscle growth and improves muscle size and strength
  • Transparent Labs Growth (Muscle Building Metabolite): 750 milligrams of phosphatidic acid; increases strength and lean body mass

Transparent Labs is a supplement company that aims to be as forthright as possible with their products, ingredients and testing. All of their products contain no artificial colors, sweeteners or preservatives, and they always avoid proprietary blends. Transparent Labs also has a wide array of delicious flavors for all of their products.

This four-supplement stack is ideal for beginners who have been consistently going to the gym and want to begin maximizing their gains and performance. It includes a pre-workout, protein powder and creatine, which are the three core supplements I believe are best for building muscle.

Safety Notes:

All the products on this list can be taken daily with the exception of the BULK pre-workout, which should only be used on training days.

Pros:

  • Basic stack that’s easy for beginners to implement
  • High-quality, grass-fed whey protein isolate
  • Pre-workout formula contains quality ingredients at optimal dosages
  • Creatine supplement also contains beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB), which has been shown to preserve lean muscle mass during intense exercise

Cons:

  • One of the more expensive stacks on our list
  • Only 10 percent off for buying the complete stack, which is a relatively small discount
Gainful Supplement Stack_Source Gainful

Key Supplements and Dosages:

  • Personalized Protein Powder (Protein Powder): 19-27 grams of protein per serving, depending on your formula; supports muscle growth and recovery
  • Personalized Hydration (Intra-Workout Hydration): Personalized hydration ingredients include stevia leaf extract, cane sugar, calcium citrate, magnesium glycinate, sodium citrate, potassium citrate, L-theanine and natural caffeine; caffeine boosts energy and electrolytes improve hydration
  • Personalized Pre-Workout (Pre-Workout): Personalized pre-workout formula may contain stevia leaf extract, BCAA blend, L-theanine, natural caffeine, L-citrulline, beta-alanine and creatine; caffeine boosts energy, other ingredients reduce muscle fatigue and improve muscle recovery
  • Personalized Performance Boosts (Wellness and Recovery): Fiber, collagen and creatine can be added to your other products; fiber improves digestive health, collagen improves skin and nail health, creatine increases muscle size and strength

Gainful is a subscription-based service with on-staff registered dieticians who formulate supplements to fit your dietary needs and wellness goals. A major benefit of the subscription service is free access to a registered dietician. Although the subscription is pricey, this service alone is likely worth the extra cost of the supplements. The high-quality ingredients, personalized supplement formulations and access to a dietician are all key components to help build lean muscle mass.

Gainful protein powders contain all nine essential amino acids and anywhere from 19-27 grams of protein per serving, depending on your formula. The protein powders available include whey or plant-based protein formulations (based on your dietary preferences) and never contain gluten, soy, fillers or artificial colors, dyes or sweeteners.

Safety Notes:

Check to make sure your products don’t contain duplicate ingredients. For example, if the pre-workout and hydration supplements both contain caffeine, then you want to be careful how much caffeine you’re consuming per day. Also, the pre-workout supplement should only be taken on training days.

Pros:

  • Personalized range of products for your personal health and fitness goals
  • Subscription includes free access to a registered dietician
  • High quality ingredients with no artificial sweeteners, colors or flavors

Cons:

  • Products can contain duplicate ingredients (ex: creatine or caffeine)
  • Fairly expensive subscription based service
Transparent Labs Fat Burning Essentials Stack_Source Transparent Labs

Key Supplements and Dosages:

  • Transparent Labs 100{bf0515afdcaddba073662ceb89fbb62b6b1bf123143c0e06b788e1946e8c353f} Grass Fed Whey Protein Isolate (Protein Powder): 28 grams of grass-fed whey protein isolate per serving; supports muscle growth and recovery
  • Transparent Labs Lean Pre-Workout (Pre-Workout): Six grams of citrulline malate, two grams of beta alanine, 2.5 grams of BCAAs, 1.5 grams of betaine, 180 milligrams of caffeine, 50 milligrams of theobromine, 630 milligrams of acetyl L-carnitine, 500 milligrams of choline bitartrate, 360 milligrams of L-theanine; caffeine boosts energy, other ingredients reduce muscle fatigue and support fat loss
  • Transparent Labs Creatine HMB (Creatine): Five grams of creatine monohydrate, 1.5 grams of beta-hydroxy methylbutyrate, five milligrams of BioPerine; increases muscle strength and supports growth of lean muscle mass
  • Transparent Labs Fat Burner (Fat-Burner): 500 milligrams Forslean, 400 milligrams of green tea extract, 300 milligrams of 5-HTP, 300 milligrams of L-tyrosine, 240 milligrams of L-theanine, 240 milligrams of caffeine anhydrous, 100 milligrams of cayenne pepper extract, 50 milligrams of Synephrine HCl; suppresses appetite and metabolizes fatty acids for energy

This is the second Transparent Labs stack on our list, and it targets fat burning instead of muscle gain. The difference between the muscle building and fat burning stacks is swapping out the pre-workout Bulk for the pre-workout Lean and the Growth supplement for a Thermogenic Fat Burner. This stack was created with specific ingredients included to maintain as much muscle mass as possible while in a caloric deficit to lose body fat.

Safety Notes:

In this stack, both the Fat Burner and pre-workout Lean contain a significant amount of caffeine. If you’re using both supplements in one day, then I would avoid caffeine in other beverages such as coffee, tea or soda. It’s important to always follow the dose advised by the supplement label, but this is especially true in the case of fat burners. Lastly, Transparent Labs Lean pre-workout should only be consumed on training days.

Pros:

  • Ideal stack to maintain muscle mass while burning fat
  • High-quality, grass-fed whey protein isolate
  • Top tier pre-workout formula with ingredients that should aid in fat loss (ex: carnitine)
  • Great flavor options available

Cons:

  • One of the more expensive stacks on our list
  • Only 10 percent off for buying the complete stack
Kaged The Go-To Stack_Source Kaged Muscle

Key Supplements and Dosages:

  • Kaged Whey Protein Isolate (Protein Powder): 25 grams of whey protein isolate per serving; supports muscle growth and recovery
  • Kaged Pre-Kaged (Pre-Workout): 6.5 grams of L-citrulline, 6.5 grams of BCAAs, 2.5 grams of betaine, 1.6 grams of beta-alanine, 1.5 grams of creatine HCl, two grams of taurine, 1.85 grams of L-tyrosine, 274 milligrams of caffeine, hydration blend of coconut water powder, micronutrient-rich fruit and vegetable blend; caffeine boosts energy, other ingredients provide nutrients and reduce muscle fatigue
  • Kaged Creatine HCl (Creatine): 750 milligrams of Creatine Hydrochloride; increases muscle strength and supports growth of lean muscle mass
  • Kaged Hydra-Charge (Intra-Workout Hydration): Electrolyte blend of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and potassium; one gram of taurine; hydration blend of coconut water powder; micronutrient rich fruit and vegetable blend; provides nutrients and hydrates with electrolytes

Kaged Muscle is a sports nutrition supplement company for both health and fitness enthusiasts. Their Go-To-Stack is recommended for anyone ready to improve their fitness routine, build muscle and enhance athletic performance. The stack contains the three supplements that will cover all your bases, and that I always like to see in any muscle building stack: a pre-workout, protein and creatine. The fourth supplement is an intra-workout hydration powder that should be helpful for anyone who sweats a lot during their workout sessions.

Safety Notes:

All the products on this list can be taken daily with the exception of the Pre-Kaged pre-workout, which should be used only on training days.

Pros:

  • Budget-friendly muscle building stack
  • High quality whey protein isolate
  • Includes a top tier pre-workout formula with scientifically dosed ingredients

Cons:

  • Creatine is underdosed, so you would need to take multiple scoops (though the pre-workout also contains creatine)
  • Hydra-Charge would be better if it had a slightly higher concentration of the mineral electrolytes
Jacked Factory Build 24_7 Stack_Source Jacked Factory

Key Supplements and Dosages:

  • Build XT (Energy and Endurance Complex): One gram of Peak O2 Mushroom Complex, 150 milligrams of ElevATP, 25 milligrams of AstraGin; formulated to boost energy and enhance endurance
  • Build PM (Recovery and Sleep Aid): 500 milligrams of tart cherry, 250 milligrams of ashwagandha root extract, 200 milligrams of L-theanine, 100 milligrams of rutaecarpine, five milligrams of melatonin, five milligrams of BioPerine; reduces muscle soreness and may enhance sleep and alleviate stress
  • Growth Surge (Post-Workout): Three grams of creatine monohydrate, 2.5 grams of betaine, 100 milligrams of L-carnitine, five milligrams of BioPerine; supports fat loss and growth of lean muscle mass
  • Authentic Whey (Protein Powder): 24 grams of whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate per serving; supports muscle growth and recovery
  • Creatine Monohydrate (Creatine): Five grams of creatine monohydrate; increases muscle strength and supports growth of lean muscle mass

Jacked Factory is a well known supplement company with a reputation for developing high quality, scientifically dosed dietary supplements. Their products are manufactured in the U.S., and they have fully transparent labels, research backed ingredients and no fillers or dyes. Their Build 24/7 stack contains the products Build-XT, Build-PM and Growth Surge, but we also included their Authentic Whey and Creatine Monohydrate products.

These supplements are formulated to help you build lean muscle naturally and quickly increase blood flow, strength and stamina in the gym. They’re also designed to maximize post-workout recovery and enhance sleep (where a lot of physical recovery happens). It’s a great group of products to use in a cutting phase because it focuses on maintaining lean muscle while reducing body fat.

Safety Notes:

Always follow the recommended dosages on the supplement labels, and talk with your healthcare provider before adding any new supplements into your diet.

Pros:

Cons:

  • A pre-workout is likely superior in performance compared to Build XT
  • The protein and creatine need to be added to this stack
  • Carnitine for fat burning in Growth Surge is underdosed
Cira Nutrition Stack_Source Amazon

Key Supplements and Dosages:

  • Cira Bright Whey Protein (Protein Powder): 25 grams of whey protein isolate and whey protein concentrate; supports muscle growth and recovery
  • Cira Flare Shape Support (Fat Burner): 500 milligrams of L-carnitine, 300 milligrams of ashwagandha, 150 milligrams of EGCG from green tea extract, 150 milligrams of caffeine, 75 milligrams of L-theanine, 25 milligrams of cayenne pepper extract, five milligrams of BioPerine; caffeine boosts energy, other ingredients support fat loss
  • Cira Creatine Monohydrate (Creatine): Five grams of creatine monohydrate; increases muscle strength and supports growth of lean muscle mass

Cira Nutrition is a relatively new supplement company that’s marketed to women (they have very bright pastel packaging). The Cira stack is a combination of protein powder, creatine and a fat burner. This is a great stack for women who have weight loss goals and want to preserve as much lean muscle mass as possible. The combination of the protein and creatine should help retain lean muscle mass, while the Flare Shape Support and Symmetry Hormone Balance should help with fat loss and weight management.

Safety Notes:

All of these products can be taken on a daily basis. Always follow the recommended dosages on the supplement labels, especially with fat burners. Avoid taking the Flare Shape Support before bed because of the added caffeine.

Pros:

  • Ideal for women with weight loss goals
  • Flare Shape Support can double as a pre-workout because of caffeine
  • Protein and creatine should help build and retain lean muscle mass

Cons:

  • Whey protein powder only comes in three flavors
  • Creatine supplement is unflavored, which may be a turn-off for some
BioSteel Stack_Source BioSteel

Key Supplements and Dosages:

  • BioSteel 100{bf0515afdcaddba073662ceb89fbb62b6b1bf123143c0e06b788e1946e8c353f} Whey Protein (Protein Powder): 24 grams of a blend of whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate and whey protein hydrolysate; supports muscle growth and recovery
  • BioSteel Sports Greens (Greens Powder): 2.76 grams of Land and Sea Greens, one gram of Antioxidant Blend, 1.8 grams of High Performance Recovery Complex, 55 milligrams of Digestive and Absorption Blend; provides vitamin and mineral micronutrients, digestive gut support, antioxidants and muscle recovery
  • BioSteel Plant Amino Power BCAA+ (Intra-Workout BCAAs): Three grams of BCAAs, 1.5 grams of L-glutamine; improves muscle recovery and repair
  • BioSteel Sport Beets Pre-Workout (Pre-Workout): Two grams of L-carnitine, 400 milligrams of L-arginine, 2.5 grams of L-citrulline, 1.5 grams of beet root powder; formulated to boost energy and reduce muscle fatigue

BioSteel is a sports nutrition supplement company that initially achieved a strong reputation for their zero sugar hydration supplements. They have since expanded into other supplements, including protein, greens powders, BCAAs and pre-workout powders. All of BioSteel’s products are NSF certified safe for sport which makes this brand a great choice for athletes.

This stack is a great option for athletes who are training and competing multiple times per week. The protein and BCAAs will help with muscle repair and recovery, the Sports Greens are a great way to ensure you’re getting your recommended daily micronutrients and the caffeine-free pre-workout provides a pre-workout energy boost without the jitters.

Safety Notes:

All of these products can be taken on a daily basis. Always follow the recommended dosages on the supplement labels, and talk with your healthcare provider before adding any new supplements into your diet.

Pros:

  • All BioSteel products are NSF Certified Safe for Sport
  • Stimulant-free pre-workout powder (no caffeine)
  • Protein powder is a combination of whey protein concentrate, isolate and hydrolysate for superior bioavailability

Cons:

  • BioSteel uses proprietary blends for some of their products, meaning you don’t know the exact dosage of certain ingredients
  • This stack does not contain any creatine, which is a key supplement for building muscle
Naked Nutrition Stack_Source Naked Nutrition

Key Supplements and Dosages:

  • Naked Mass Weight Gainer (Protein Powder Mass Gainer): 50 grams of protein and 252 grams of carbohydrates per serving; may increase body weight, supports muscle growth and recovery
  • Naked Energy (Pre-Workout): Two grams of beta-alanine, one gram of creatine monohydrate, one gram of L-arginine, 200 milligrams of natural caffeine; boosts energy and reduces muscle fatigue
  • Naked Creatine (Creatine): Five grams of creatine monohydrate; increases muscle strength and supports growth of lean muscle mass
  • Naked BCAAs (Intra-Workout BCAAs): Five grams of BCAAs; supports muscle recovery and repair

Naked Nutrition is a health and wellness supplement company established in 2014. As the word naked implies, this company prides themselves on their two- or three-ingredient formulas that contain no additives or artificial sweeteners, colors or flavors.

Naked Nutrition has a number of different supplement stacks available that they call supplement bundles. The bundles all contain a number of different supplements, and come with a discounted price. You can opt for one of the bundles or separately purchase the products in this list for a bulking stack that I think is unmatched in quality. All of the products are great for people looking to bulk up and put on some size in the gym.

Safety Notes:

All of these products can be taken on a daily basis except for the Naked Energy, which should only be used on training days. Always follow the recommended dosages on the supplement labels, and talk with your healthcare provider before adding any new supplements into your diet.

Pros:

  • Naked Nutrition products are always free from artificial sweeteners, colors and flavors
  • All products are tested for heavy metals, and the batch results are available on the website
  • Naked Mass contains 50 grams of protein and 252 grams of carbohydrates per serving to help those trying to gain weight
  • The protein in Naked Mass is a combination of whey protein concentrate (rapid digesting) and casein (slow digesting)

Cons:

  • Naked Energy has a significant amount of caffeine, but overall is an underdosed pre-workout powder
  • This stack is not meant for consumers looking to lose weight

What Is a Supplement Stack?

Before we define what a supplement stack is, let’s talk about the purpose of using supplements in the first place. Supplements were originally designed to fill in any of the nutritional gaps found in your daily diet. However, as the supplement industry evolved, companies began creating products designed to achieve specific fitness related goals, including increased muscle mass, weight loss and improved athletic performance. The next logical step was packaging a bunch of supplements together to be used in combination with one another, and thus the supplement stack was born.

Supplement stacks take advantage of the synergistic effects of various products when used in conjunction with one another. An example of a generic supplement stack would likely focus on four unique components: overall health, pre-workout, intra-workout and post-workout. The initial supplements would be beneficial for overall health, and would include the usual suspects like vitamins, minerals and possibly fish oil. The second component would be a pre-workout supplement that would likely contain a stimulant such as caffeine and a nitric oxide booster like L-citrulline. The next part of the stack would be centered on intra-workout fuel and recovery, and would likely include electrolytes for hydration or some branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) and essential amino acids (EAAs). Finally, there’s usually a heavy emphasis on post-workout recovery. This portion of the stack usually includes a protein powder and creatine to rebuild and recover the muscles.

Hopefully, this example shows you how these products can be used together effectively to help streamline your fitness journey. The products used in isolation would provide some benefits, but when used collectively, a well thought out supplement stack can optimize your results.

Benefits of Using a Supplement Stack

There are definitely a significant amount of benefits that come along with the use of a well-designed supplement stack. The primary ones are time and energy. Using our example supplement stack consisting of pre-workout, intra-workout and post-workout products, consider what would happen if you used the individual products by themselves. If you only used the pre-workout supplement to push yourself harder in the gym, but failed to recover effectively with the protein and creatine, then you likely wouldn’t be able to bring the same intensity the following day. The same could be said for using the post-workout supplements without the pre-workout and intra-workout products. Without those, you might not be able to push yourself hard enough in the gym to even warrant the use of protein powder for recovery. This is why, when used correctly, the combination of certain supplements can help you achieve your goals much faster. The supplement stack can produce an almost magical effect, allowing you to train harder, recover faster and perform better.

Other benefits of stacking supplements come down to overall convenience and value. Using supplement stacks, especially ones created by the same company, usually ensures that the supplements you’re taking don’t contain overlapping ingredients. This can actually be quite common, and a great example of this is the ingredient creatine. Because creatine doesn’t have any immediate effects, it can be taken any time throughout the day. This is why supplements such as pre-workout or protein powders will often contain creatine for convenience. So, if you randomly selected some products off the shelf at a local supplement store and didn’t take the time to read the supplement labels, you could end up in a situation where your pre-workout contains creatine, your protein powder has creatine and you’re taking a standalone creatine supplement because you heard you needed it. This would obviously be a waste of money, but could also be dangerous if you are unknowingly ingesting more than the recommended daily dosages.

How to Choose the Best Supplement Stack For You

Health & Fitness Goals

The supplement stack you choose needs to be aligned with your personal goals, and your goals need to be realistic. A common pitfall when curating your own supplement stack is trying to accomplish too many things at one time and therefore combining supplements that have antagonistic effects. A classic example is trying to simultaneously build muscle and lose fat by combining a detox pill with products designed to help you build muscle. The detox pills cause the excretion of water, nutrients and amino acids, which are all things your body needs to build muscle. In an attempt to expedite your progress, you are unknowingly inhibiting it. This is another reason why using a supplement stack created by a single company may be superior to creating your own stack from scratch.

Ingredients

There are so many different ingredients in stacks because individual supplements often contain multiple ingredients. The most common ingredients found in supplement stacks are: protein powder, creatine, glutamine, BCAAs, fat burners, vitamins and minerals, electrolytes, probiotics, fiber, greens powders and pre-workouts (which often contain caffeine, L-citrulline, citrulline malate and beta-alanine). When choosing your supplement stack, consider which ingredients will be the most effective at helping you achieve your goals. Also, think about which ingredients you want to avoid due to dietary restrictions, medications or health conditions.

Reviews

Whenever you purchase a product, it’s important to check out the reviews and see what others think of the product. When looking to purchase a supplement stack, see what people think of the stack as a whole, and then search the individual products as well. The reviews can provide some great insight regarding the effectiveness of the products, the best flavor to choose, how well a product mixes in water and if the company has good customer service.

Cost

Supplement stacks come in a wide range of price points, primarily due to the number of supplements in the stack. In many cases, supplement stacks are discounted slightly since you’re buying a bundle of different products. However, before spending hundreds of dollars to purchase these products, remember that optimizing your lifestyle and diet will have a much greater long term impact than supplements alone.

How We Chose the Best Supplement Stacks

Our search for the best supplement stacks began by looking for the best supplement companies—those that prioritize quality, transparency and the customer experience. Then, we chose stacks that incorporated the best products, had great reviews and would help achieve a diversity of health and fitness goals.

Supplement Stacks FAQs

Does supplement stacking work?

Yes, supplement stacks work as long as they are taken routinely and as advised by the supplement label. However, if you have trouble nailing down a routine for using these products on a consistent basis, then sporadic use won’t produce the results you’re likely looking for.

When should you take a supplement stack?

You really only want to use a supplement stack when you have the time to commit to both your goal and the use of the products on a regular basis. They really do need to be used consistently in order for you to see results. As with all supplements, you should always follow the directions for the product to understand how and when to use them effectively.

Is it better to take supplements all at once or spread out?

Supplements should be taken at the appropriate time. For example, a caffeinated pre-workout is ideal before a morning training session, but would be a poor supplement choice in the evening before bed. Other supplements, when taken together, may have inhibitory effects, meaning that they interfere with one another if taken together. For the best results, always read the supplement facts label to learn the optimal way to take each supplement.

Final Thoughts

Always remember that supplements are never meant to be a replacement for healthy habits. If you have your nutrition, exercise and sleep hygiene dialed in, then these supplement stacks can help push you to the next level to achieve your health and fitness goals.

Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.

Centr Review: Chris Hemsworth’s Workout App – SI Showcase

Centr Hero Image

The products featured in this article have been independently reviewed. When you buy something through the retail links on this page, we may earn commission at no cost to you, the reader. The Sports Illustrated editorial team is not involved in the creation of this content. Learn more here.

Choosing a fitness app can be difficult because many of the top fitness apps mainly focus on exercise. Therefore, if you are looking to address your health from a more well-rounded approach, making changes to your physical activity, diet and stress management, you often end up needing to download and subscribe to numerous health apps to get a more complete fitness, health and wellness support system.

The Centr app is the brainchild of Australian actor Chris Hemsworth, and is designed to give everyday users access to the knowledge, guidance and motivation from the team of hand-picked, world-class experts chosen by Hemsworth that help him get into peak physical and mental shape. Subscribers get full access to personalized workouts, recipes and training programs, all designed by top-tier professionals to get the body and mind in the best shape.

In this article, we provide a complete review of the Centr app, including what the workouts and training programs are like, what to expect with the meal plans, the meditations offered, who the app is good for, membership fees and how to use Centr.

Centr Key Features

  • Cost: 12 months on sale for $89.99 ($7.50/month), normally $119 ($9.90/month); three months $59.99 ($20/month) or one month $29.99
  • Customizable programs
  • Necessary tech: Compatible with Apple Watch; you can watch Coached Workouts by connecting your app to your smart TV using AirPlay or GoogleCast. If you’re using a web browser on desktop or mobile, you can also cast workouts to your TV using Google Chromecast
  • Compatibility: iOS, Android
  • Nutrition/diet guidance provided: Yes

Pros

  • Free seven day trial for new subscribers.
  • Subscribers get a complete, well-designed health program that combines exercise, diet, mindset and wellness initiatives to help you reach your goals
  • App is easy to navigate
  • Personalized workouts as well as targeted training programs to choose from
  • Ability to swap workouts and recipes provides flexibility
  • Many workouts require minimal equipment, allowing you to work out at home or at the gym

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Can be overwhelming or time-consuming for some people if you take on the entire program (workouts, nutrition and wellness habits)
  • Some recipes take a long time to prepare

What is Centr?

Centr is a personalized digital health and fitness app and program curated by Australian actor Chris Hemsworth. The program, which is available as an iOS or Android app, as well as a web-based platform (via Centr.com), consists of Hemsworth’s hand-picked team of world-class experts in the field of fitness, nutrition, wellness and mindfulness.

Centr membership includes unlimited access to personalized daily workouts, meal plans, meditations, wellness tips and articles and social support through a 24/7 online community of fellow members. Hemsworth has created Centr to be a comprehensive approach to physical and mental health, including the three ingredients he believes are necessary to live a healthy, well balanced and happy life: structured fitness training, eating right and living well by taking care of your mind.

Related: The Best Online Workout Programs

Centr App Interface

During the signup process, the app has intake questions about what your primary fitness goal is (for example, weight loss or building muscle), your dietary preferences (omnivore, pescatarian and vegetarian among others) and how many times you would like to workout each week. You also enter personal details such as your name, gender, height and weight.

Once you input your intake information, the Centr app generates your personalized Planner. Your Planner is where you’ll find your workout for the day and meal plans for the day based on the goals you indicated.

For example, if you indicate that your primary goal is weight loss and you have no dietary restrictions, your meal plan will include breakfast, lunch, dinner and an optional healthy snack that meet the calorie needs based on your body size and activity level.

The Planner also has a “Calm” section with mindset challenges like meditations or sleep visualizations and “Tools and Advice,” which are tips or blog articles relevant to your goals written by the expert trainers, wellness coaches and nutritionists on staff.

You can also see an upcoming calendar for the coming weeks and months to view your exercise plan and meals laid out.

One nice feature is that you can swap out workouts and/or meals in advance. This can be beneficial if you know you’re going to be traveling or have an injury or illness or can’t make it to the grocery store to get all the ingredients on the shopping list. In the section with the suggested workout per day based on your fitness goal, you can also choose between a Coached or Self-Guided workout. The Coached workouts are led by the Centr trainers and the Self-Guided workouts allow you to go entirely at your own pace.

One of the previous downsides of the Centr app was that you were unable to use your own playlists during workouts and connect your Spotify or Apple Music account. However, Centr now allows you to control the audio. You can tap the musical note icon once the workout begins to select your preferred combination of music, trainer and notification beeps.

You can choose to listen to your own music from Spotify or Apple Music, or you can select an Apple Music playlist curated from HemsworthChris and the Centr Team. If you choose trainer, music and beeps, you can still hear beep cues and encouragement from your trainer while jamming to your tunes.

Related: The Best Personal Training Apps

There is a Centr Apple Watch app that allows you to monitor your workout metrics, including your heart rate, during your workout. To do so, you need to pair your iPhone and watch, then open the Centr app on your Apple Watch. Once the app is open on your watch, select the workout you are going to do from your iPhone app. A timer will automatically begin on the Apple Watch and end as soon as it is over without you having to remember to hit “start” or “stop.”

The Centr app integration with the Apple Watch is still pretty minimal. Basically, the Apple Watch app only tracks the workout but you can’t see the specific exercises you are doing.

Overall, the Centr app for Android and iOS is user-friendly and easy to navigate because the interface is simple and clear with no distracting sidebar elements.

Centr Cost and Subscription

All new members can try a seven 7-day free trial of the app, with full access to assess all of the features and try the workouts, meal plans and mindfulness content.

After the seven day free trial ends, Centr subscription fees are based on the length of the subscription you purchase. The 12-month subscription is the best deal. It is normally $119 per year ($9.90/month) billed all at once, but is on sale for $89.99 ($7.50/month). You can also buy a 3-month subscription for $59.99 ($20/month) or subscribe one month at a time for $29.99/month.

Although the price point of the Centr subscription is more expensive than many popular fitness apps, remember that the app fee includes full access to a personalized fitness, nutrition, mindset and wellness plans. If you are interested in guided workouts and a personalized meal plan with recipes, the Centr app subscription can be well worth the money for the content you get.

Working Out With Centr

Hemsworth_Centr

Arguably, the best feature of the Centr app is the robust, varied and effective workouts and training plans. Hemsworth has assembled a team of world-class trainers who develop and lead the workouts and design the training plans based on your goals and fitness level. There are also short-term targeted training programs.

Your workout for the day appears in the Planner, and you can choose a Self-Guided or Coached workout. Depending on your fitness level, primary training goal and number of days you indicated you wanted to train, you may or may not have a workout scheduled for a given day. For example, if you are “advanced” and looking to lose weight, you will have six workouts per week. Centr does encourage listening to your body and taking rest days whenever you need them, even if you are following a specific short-term training program that has you working out most days per week.

One nice feature is that there are usually multiple trainers leading a workout so that you can follow modifications for exercises based on your fitness level. Before the workout begins, you are usually told which instructor will be demonstrating modifications for beginners. These variations on the exercises typically reduce the intensity or impact level for those with injuries or who are just getting started working out. You are also reminded to go at your own pace or rest if the workout gets too difficult.

You also have an option to add extra workouts to your Planner or enroll in any number of the specific Centr training programs like Centr 6, Centr Ignite or Centr Align. These training programs can be found in the Programs section of the app. They are short-term workout programs targeted to specific goals. Most of the Centr fitness programs are also available for each fitness level—beginner, intermediate and advanced—so you can choose the intensity that matches your ability level.

Centr membership gives users access to all the training programs and workouts. There are no premium programs that cost more money, which is great. Furthermore, if you start a training program and decide it’s no for you, you can switch programs or just go back to doing your daily workout in the planner without following a specific training plan.

The top Centr training programs include the following:

Centr Power

Centr Power is primarily targeted at building muscle (hypertrophy training), and is a gym workout program designed by Chris Hemworth and his personal trainer, Luke Zocchi.

  • Program Length: 10 weeks per level
  • Training Style: Hypertrophy (building muscle)
  • Required Equipment: You will need access to a full gym
  • Fitness Level: Three progressive levels: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced options
  • Primary Trainer: Bobby Holland Hanton (Chris Helmsworth’s stuntman)

Centr Fusion

Centr Fusion is a hybrid workout program that progresses in difficulty, with varied workouts and trainers. It also features weekly mindfulness themes.

  • Program Length: Six weeks
  • Training Style: Hybrid training (BoxHIIT, Strength, MMA and PowerFlow)
  • Required Equipment: A workout mat and dumbbells
  • Fitness Level: Beginner to Intermediate, with modifications for both fitness levels are demonstrated during the workout on the screen at the same time
  • Primary Trainers: Ashley Joi for strength training workouts, Michael Olajide Jr. for BoxHIIT workouts (boxing-infused HIIT) and Tahl Rinsky for PowerFlow workouts (described as “yoga-meets-functional-strength-meets-cardio”)

Centr Unleashed

Centr Unleashed is a bodyweight strength training and cardio workout program that has different workouts that evolve as your fitness improves. There are HILIT modifications for every ability level to make the program suitable for everyone.

  • Program Length: Six weeks
  • Training Style: HIIT/HILIT bodyweight training (high-intensity interval training and high-intensity low-impact training)
  • Required Equipment: No equipment required
  • Fitness Level: Beginner to advanced; you choose your level before you begin the training program
  • Primary Trainers: Luke Zocchi and Ashley Joi with bonus challenges from Dan Churchill and a weekly stretching session to aid recovery

Centr 6

Centr 6 is Chris Hemsworth’s favorite way to train with minimal equipment when he’s on the road, performing both cardio and strength training exercises. It’s a great program for at-home workouts and is designed to kickstart your fitness goals or get you back in shape after time off.

  • Program Length: Six exercises, six rounds performed six days a week for six weeks
  • Training Style: Cardio and strength training
  • Required Equipment: Bodyweight and a set of dumbbells or adjustable dumbbells
  • Fitness Level: Beginner to advanced, with modifications for all fitness levels are demonstrated during the workout on the screen at the same time.
  • Primary Trainers: Luke Zocchi, Ashley Joi and Da Rulk

Centr 6: Phase II

The follow-up program to Centr 6 that builds on the intensity and difficulty as your fitness improves. You don’t have to complete the Centr 6 training program first.

  • Program Length: Six exercises, six rounds performed six days a week for six weeks
  • Training Style: Cardio and strength training
  • Required Equipment: Set of dumbbells or adjustable dumbbells
  • Fitness Level: Beginner to advanced; you choose your level before you begin the training program.
  • Primary Trainers: Luke Zocchi, Ashley Joi and Da Rulk

Centr Align

Centr Align is a body and mind program that infuses Pilates and yoga along with mindfulness-based exercises and breathwork to tone and align your body and build confidence.

  • Program Length: Four weeks
  • Training Style: Yoga and Pilates
  • Required Equipment: No equipment required
  • Fitness Level: Beginner to intermediate, or anyone needing a body/mind restore
  • Primary Trainers: Tahl Rinsky for yoga and Sylvia Roberts for Pilates, with guest appearances from Luke Zocchi and Bobby Holland Hanton.

Centr Masterclass: Da Rulk

The Masterclass Da Rulk training program focuses on functional training to help you improve how your body moves during everyday activities of daily life.

  • Program Length: 13 sessions
  • Training Style: Functional training
  • Required Equipment: Bodyweight only
  • Fitness Level: Beginner to advanced; everyone progresses through the program the same way: Beginner (five sessions), Intermediate (four sessions) and Advanced (four sessions).
  • Primary Trainers: Joseph “Da Rulk” Sakoda

In each training program, all of the workouts provide clear guidelines regarding the necessary equipment, the duration of the workout, the fitness level and the trainer who will be leading the class before the workout begins so that you can make sure you are ready and that it will be a good fit.

You can even watch the coaches demonstrate the moves one by one before the workout begins so that you’ll know how to do them when they come up in the workout. This is a major benefit of Centr for beginners. Using proper form and technique during training is important to not only reduce the risk of injuries, but also to increase the effectiveness of an exercise. However, if you’re trying to keep up with the pace of the trainer and you’re unfamiliar with the exercises, it can be overwhelming and difficult to feel confident that you’re doing things correctly and getting the most out of the workout. You can also return to these instructions later on to master the technique if you feel unsure.

Nearly all of the training programs include a warm-up, or the trainer ensures you are warmed up before you get moving with high-intensity exercises. The trainers also perform the moves and point out modifications for different fitness levels during the workout, and provide lots of motivation and uplifting words of encouragement.

Another benefit of Centr workouts is that very few require equipment, and those that do tend to need little more than dumbbells, a jump rope or one or two kettlebells. Again, you can see the required equipment before the workout begins to make sure you have the necessary fitness gear if you’re doing at-home workouts. If you see that a workout requires equipment that you don’t have in your home gym, you can swap out the workout for another one that works with your setup.

There are also specific Centr training programs that require no equipment at all, such as Centr Unleashed, which is solely bodyweight workouts. The minimal equipment or bodyweight workout plans are great for those doing at-home workouts, but if you are working out at the gym, there are programs that recommend using additional weights, such as medicine balls and barbells.

Centr encourages community and social support, particularly when you are taking on one of the programs. Subscribers have access to the free Facebook community, where you can meet others doing the program and find support, ask questions and build motivation to tackle your workouts and diet goals.

Centr Nutrition and Recipes

One of the central tenants and major features of the Centr app is the nutrition and recipes arm of the wellness program. Chris Hemsworth doesn’t get his sculpted body just by exercising.

Your personalized meal plan appears in the daily Planner. The recipes that are created for your meals are based on your dietary preferences, weight loss or muscle-building goals, activity level and body size.

The nutrition section of the app is surprisingly robust. You will see the daily menu for your meals (and snacks if included), as well as detailed recipes that provide clear information about the prep time, cooking time, necessary ingredients, number of servings, serving size, cooking method and nutrition facts for each serving.

One of the best features of the Centr diet section is that you can choose to increase the number of servings for a recipe and then the app automatically adjusts the amount of each ingredient that you will need. You can have the option to add all of the ingredients to a shopping list that you can use by pulling up the app at the grocery store. You can also bookmark your favorite recipes so that you can come back to them or swap your top picks in when you see a meal come up in your Planner that doesn’t look appealing to you.

User reviews typically note that the recipes are fairly easy to follow, and even though they are inherently designed to be quite healthy, most of the recipes seem to gain crowd approval and are said to be flavorful and satisfying. Some of the most popular Centr recipes include the burger salad bowl with honey mustard dressing, chicken pan roast with carrots, lentil lasagne with cauliflower cashew cheese and chocolate drizzle protein bars.

Related: The Best Weight Loss Programs for Women

Meditation

There are over 150 Centr meditations and mindfulness exercises. Depending on the goals that you establish when you sign up, and any specific training programs you enroll in, you might have anywhere from one to multiple recommended meditations or mindfulness activities per week.

Membership also includes free enrollment into specific meditation programs and series. For example, one of the most popular Centr meditation programs is the seven 7-day Learn to Meditate series narrated by Hemsworth himself. The goal of this series is to establish a routine for daily mindfulness meditation. Each daily meditation “workout“ takes less than 10 minutes, and covers one of a variety of themes including stress release, sleep visualization, breathing, focus, body scanning and peak performance. After you finish this series, you will gain access to the hundreds of meditations and sleep fed visualizations in the app.

This beginner series is a great way to introduce beginners to meditation in a non-intimidating, gentle way. When the Learn to Meditate series is complete, you’ll have access to the hundreds of meditations and sleep visualizations already on Centr to keep you moving forward.

These standalone meditations and sleep visualizations cover all sorts of topics and themes, such as “how to heal in a relationship” or “judge less, live lighter,” as well as meditations specifically for kids that you can play for your little ones. Most of the meditations are very short, lasting 10 minutes or less.

Equipment Needed to Use Centr

One of the benefits of the Centr workouts is that many require minimal equipment, or can be performed with bodyweight alone. This is ideal for anyone who wants to exercise at home or does not have access to a gym. With that said, some of the targeted training programs do require dumbbells, an exercise mat and a jump rope. Additionally, the muscle-building program, Centr Power, requires access to a full gym. Before you begin any workout, you can see what type of fitness equipment you will need to complete the exercises.

If you do not have something on the list, you can simply swap out the workout for another option that doesn’t require exercise equipment that you do not have. If you do want to do most of the training programs at home, investing in a set of adjustable dumbbells is ideal, and will allow you to perform nearly all of the workouts (except for Centr Power and a few other individual workouts).

Is the Centr App Right for You?

Music_Centr

One of the primary benefits of Centr, is that compared to many of the other top fitness apps, Centr doesn’t just focus on exercise, or just diet or just mindset. Rather, Centr can be viewed as a comprehensive wellness app that helps you focus on your body and mind, targeting your health with a holistic approach.

Therefore, Centr is ideal for anyone looking for a comprehensive, structured approach to improving their physical and mental health. If you have been underwhelmed with the effectiveness of just following workouts, or just following a meal plan, and want one wellness app that unifies all of the “ingredients” needed for a healthy lifestyle into one clearly laid out plan tailored to your personal goals and needs, Centr can be a great option.

Centr is also great for people who like variety in their workouts. You can swap out different workouts and choose different training programs based on your goals and available equipment. There are new workouts, recipes and meditations added weekly, keeping even long-time members engaged with fresh content.

With that said, because Centr is designed to take a holistic, multi-pronged approach to your wellness, it can be a bit overwhelming for those who lead busy lives and don’t feel that they have the time or energy to devote to training, cooking and meal preparation as well as mindfulness and meditation all in one day every single day.

However, it’s your wellness journey and Centr makes it clear that you should listen to your body, take rest days when necessary, go at your own pace and take whatever strides you can towards improving your health. You don’t have to be perfect, and you don’t have to choose an intensive routine that has you training every day of the week. If you are interested in the Centr App but have a hectic schedule, limited time to train or are a complete beginner, just start small. Try a couple of workouts per week, choose one or two recipes to follow per day and test out a stress reduction technique once or twice a week. Start establishing healthy habits that you enjoy and build from there. The app will grow with you on your fitness, health and wellness journey.

Related: The Best Weight Loss Apps

Centr FAQs

Is Centr good for building muscle?

Your personalized Centr workouts and meal plan can help you build muscle if you indicate muscle building as your primary goal when signing up for the app. You can also take on Centr Power, which is a gym workout program specifically targeted towards building muscle.

Does Chris Hemsworth use Centr?

Yes. Centr reflects the knowledge and routines that Chis Hemsworth has learned about achieving and maintaining a healthier body and mind over his life. He has assembled a group of elite trainers, chefs, nutritionists and wellness professionals to support his own health and wellness journey and the Centr is his way of bringing access to these experts and routines to everyday users.

Does Centr have a diet plan?

Yes. Centr includes a diet plan with a meal plan for breakfast, lunch and dinner for each day with healthy recipes to follow. You can swap out recipes if they don’t meet your diet plan needs or food preferences. There are pescatarian recipes, vegetarian meals and meal plans for other dietary restrictions. You can also curate a shopping list with the ingredients you’ll need for the diet plan for the week based on the number of servings of each recipe you are making.

Can you cancel Centr before the free trial ends?

Yes. You can cancel your Centr subscription anytime on the platform where you created your user account. You must cancel before the end of the seven day free trial or you will be charged for the Centr subscription after the seven day free trial ends.

Is the Centr app good for beginners?

Absolutely. Centr workouts can be tailored to any fitness level. Almost all of the Centr programs and workouts have modifications for beginners and you can always take extra rest days, go at your own pace or skip movements that are too difficult. There is usually one trainer you can follow in the workout that demonstrates low-impact beginner modifications in case you aren’t sure how to decrease the intensity of an exercise.

Does the Centr app work with Apple Watch?

Yes. The Centr app works with the Apple Watch as long as your iPhone is paired with the Apple Watch first. By connecting your workouts to your Apple Watch, you can get a deeper analysis of your workout stats, including your heart rate, through Health Kit.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Centr app is very well received by users and most people find it to be particularly helpful in terms of planning your exercise and diet for both the short term (day- to- day) and long term. The comprehensive nature of the fitness app takes a well-rounded approach to health, addressing not only the body through both exercise and nutrition, but also the mind through mindfulness, wellness rituals, stress reduction and yoga. Although the membership is pricey, Centr is a great value given all that it offers.

Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.

Best Weight Loss Programs for Men in 2022 – SI Showcase

Weight loss men_lead

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Beyond aesthetic reasons, losing excess body fat and reaching an optimal body composition can be one of the best things for your health and wellness. For example, losing body fat can reduce systemic inflammation in the body, improve recovery, cognitive function and reduce the risk of things like cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disease and cancer.

The good news is that these benefits are available regardless of how old you are and when you choose to begin. While the principles of weight loss are the same for both men and women, certain approaches may be more beneficial than others.

One of the best things you can do to start your journey is to use a systematic, science-based approach toward your weight loss. It’s why a growing number of men have chosen to enlist the help of a weight loss plan.

Since we recently looked at the best weight loss programs for women, it’s only fitting that we do the same for men. In this article, we’re going to go over some of the best weight loss programs for men currently available. We’ll cover their method, the benefits of their approach, how to use them and what is important to consider. The goal is to equip you with all the information you need to choose the best weight loss program for your particular situation.

This content is meant to be informative, but should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention or treatment of health problems. Always speak with your doctor before starting any new supplement or exercise regimen.

Our Picks for the Best Weight Loss Program For Men:

  • Best Overall Weight Loss Program for Men: Noom
  • Best Weight Loss Program for Men with Community Support: WW
  • Best Weight Loss Program for Men with Personal Training: Future
  • Best Multipurpose Weight Loss Program for Men: DoFasting
  • Best Weight Loss Meal Delivery Program for Men: Trifecta
  • Best Vegetarian Weight Loss Program for Men: Purple Carrot
  • Best Weight Loss Program for Men for Healthy Living: Mediterranean Diet
  • Best Weight Loss Program for Men for Plant-Based Eaters: Flexitarian Diet
noom-_1

Key features:

  • Centered around psychology and mindful weight loss
  • Prioritizes mindset and habit changes over-restrictive eating
  • In-depth on-boarding process
  • Tailors its program based on your health history, goals and personality
  • Used via web or mobile app

Noom is a weight loss transformation program built around the concept of psychological leverage- using psychology to unlock sustainable weight loss with better habits. Built on AI, Noom uses millions of data points from thousands of users to refine and tailor an approach that is ideal for you.

Noom’s Approach to Weight Loss

The program’s approach creates long-term results through habit and behavior change as opposed to restrictive eating. Noom prioritizes psychology, behavior and mindfulness through education and accountability.

While it’s guided by a core set of weight loss principles, the framework is adaptive. This makes it a great weight loss program for men who need flexibility. Rather than forcing you to adhere to a rigid methodology, Noom factors your personal lifestyle, responsibilities and environment into crafting a plan that sets you up for long-term success.

There’s an extensive initial survey you take after signup that covers things like demographic, habits, behaviors and mindsets. Every answer helps inform Noom how to tailor their approach by comparing you to the lifestyles and results of other users.

Noom uses positive reinforcement and gamification to make the weight loss journey engaging. The app is full of sound effects and animations and badges that leverage the same dopamine pathways that are triggered while playing video games. However, it’s used to fortify healthy weight loss habits instead of building a gaming addiction. It may seem like a minor feature but based on real-world users, it was a major factor in keeping them coming back repeatedly.

The major portion of Noom’s approach is rooted in nutrition, mindset, fitness and mindfulness education. Rather than hitting you with massive amounts of information at once, they introduce small portions each day and give tips on implementing what you’ve learned. There’s a learning library with courses you can take at your own pace. Many men report learning more with this approach as opposed to other programs requiring you to read through massive amounts of information before getting started.

Having a strong community is essential when it comes to the best weight loss programs for men. In fact, some studies show a strong correlation between community-based accountability and long-term weight loss success. Noom expands your weight loss support network to include thousands of users that are on the same journey.

The Noom weight loss program is based on sound scientific principles and practices. We like that it avoids extreme restrictive eating while helping users eat fewer calories for weight loss.

App User design, features and layout

If you are constantly on the move, having one of the best weight loss apps on your smartphone will be important. One of the first things you will notice about the Noom mobile app is how well-designed it is. Compared to other weight loss program apps, the minimal, warm design is a more enjoyable user experience. Rather than loading it down with a host of features, you will barely use, Noom is intentional about including only the essentials.

Every part of the Noom ecosystem is accessible from the menu. Since a sizable portion of the program deals with education, we liked that the app puts your course library and progress information just a few taps away.

Cost of a Noom Membership

Noom offers different pricing plans that can change in cost based on how long you want to sign up for and how many months you wish to pay upfront. The cost goes down significantly if you purchase a yearly auto-renewing plan. They also run various new-member packages that may discount the first few months of the program.

Noom Onboarding Setup Process

Getting set up with Noom is straightforward. The first time you open the Noom app or get started on their website, you will sign up with your name and email address and get started with your intake survey. It will take up to 20 minutes to complete, and there isn’t a way to save it and come back to it. Since this portion is a major part of the Noom user experience, let’s look at what information you should have on hand to get the most out of it.

The demographic profile portion will ask you a series of questions, including:

  • How much weight you want to lose
  • Lifestyle (student, self-employed, full-time, retired)
  • Important upcoming events and when they happen (vacation, wedding, summer)
  • Current diet quality
  • The type of environment you live in (the country, a major city, suburbs)
  • Athletic history
  • Health challenges or risks (testosterone deficiency, diabetes, depression)
  • Current relationship with food

Your answers will be analyzed, and Noom will bring you to a report that tells you their realistic timeline of when you could hit your weight loss goal based on the experience of similar Noom users. They lay it out on a graph which makes it look very intriguing. This graph will pop up a couple of more times. You’ll notice that the timeline end date will change based on your answers.

Next is their “Behavioral Profile Quiz.” Questions in this section determine how importantly you weigh different goals. The quiz will ask you how much you prefer one health goal over another.

Since Noom uses psychology as a core part of their program, many of the remaining questions will ask about your relationship to food, behaviors and weight loss goals. After you answer the questions, Noom will give you what is best described as a weight loss personality type – a title that defines your present weight loss philosophy. The last section is about activity and nutrition.

Once you’ve finished all three sections of the survey, Noom will get to work building a detailed report and presenting you with the next steps.

Noom is the best overall weight loss plan for men currently on the market. While it may not be ideal for some men in unique situations, it has an impressive track record of results among men of different ages and demographics. Its balanced, habit-focused approach provides a high chance of long-term weight management.

Pros:

  • Strong community and accountability component
  • Less expensive than personal, 1:1 weight loss coaching
  • Tailors your plan based on lifestyle
  • Robust mobile app
  • Beautiful, informative charts and visuals to track progress

Cons:

  • Accuracy of the estimated weight loss timeline was hit or miss for many users
  • Guidance is ideal for people new to weight loss. Lacks more robust education for more experienced users.
WW

Key features:

  • Offers community support both online and in-person
  • Does not restrict any food choices
  • New mobile app for easier food and activity tracking.

Weight Watchers (WW) is a well-established name in the weight loss space. When it comes to community support, few programs do a better job immersing users with like-minded people on the same weight loss journey. At more than 3,000 locations and 14,000 workshops per week, WW is by far the best weight loss program for men with community support.

WW’s Approach to Weight Loss

Although it functions on the same weight loss tenets, the program has grown over the years to reflect the latest nutrition and weight loss research. WW’s approach to weight loss is to help users become more mindful and intentional about what they consume, how much activity they incorporate into their daily lives and building a healthy support system.

While the principles are similar to other weight loss programs, the way WW layers and incorporates them is interesting.

The Food Point System

Each food is assigned a point system in the WW ecosystem. Points are determined by factors including caloric density, grams of fats, carbohydrates or proteins and how processed they are. There are also “zero point” foods that WW does not require you to track or limit. These include eggs, non-starchy vegetables, tofu and fat-free yogurts. Their reasoning is that they offer a high amount of essential nutrients and can enhance your feeling of fullness. Your foods and their points are easily tracked in the WW mobile app.

WW’s food point system gets dragged online by people as too restrictive or “nit-picky.” The truth is that effective weight loss will require a solid plan you can easily follow through with. The food point system is a convenient way to plan your eating in a framework that allows you to eat what you enjoy.

Food and Activity Tracking

WW has recently redeveloped its mobile app, making it the central hub of the WW weight loss program. A major reason for the rebuild was to help users better track their food and activity. Research shows that tracking is a major indicator of successful weight loss. It gives you a clear picture of how well you’re building new habits, and it is a great way for the WW team to provide expert guidance in case you hit a roadblock.

The WW app made it simple to log food with its robust database. The barcode scanner is a great feature while walking the aisles of the grocery store.

WW Community Support

WW is the best weight loss program for men with community support because it helps men receive the help and guidance they need in many ways. It’s also one of the most adaptive to different lifestyles. WW Connect is an online social community built into its mobile app that connects you with thousands of fellow members. Several users refer to it as their own personal cheering section.

WW workshops are another avenue to connect. With over 14,000 happening each week, members can find a coach-led workshop at a time that can work with their schedule. You can attend these workshops in person or virtually.

Within the app, you can ask weight loss-related questions or seek guidance from a team of WW coaches. It’s a great resource that lets you get answers to questions like the best protein powder for weight loss or ideal post-workout nutrition without waiting for the next workshop.

Cost of Membership

WW currently offers two plans. The Core provides all the essential features, such as a nutrition plan, access to the online community, virtual education and tracking tools. Premium provides everything that Core does with the addition of in-person or virtual workshops, individualized nutrition plan and WW chat support. WW is one of the most affordable workout programs for men on the market. The Premium plan is still only half the price of other programs on this list.

As a science-backed approach to weight loss with strong community support, WW is a great option that leverages mobile technology to make the entire experience effective and immersive.

Pros:

  • Very strong community support
  • Social network built into the WW app
  • Premium plan offers chat support
  • Flexible workshops that can be done in person or virtually
  • Revamped food points system is easier to use and track
  • Easy-to-use mobile app

Cons:

  • Core plan is extremely limited
Future

Key features:

  • Pairs members with a coach for personalized training
  • Leverages technology to give virtual coaches better insight into your progress
  • Provides regular communication between users and their coach
  • Workout plans are developed weekly to fit around your schedule

When it comes to losing weight, sometimes a diet plan alone isn’t enough to get the results you want. Future is a personalized, digital approach to coaching. For some men, finding a personal trainer that is the right fit can be challenging. Future’s goal is to open the borders of personal training using technology to connect you with the ideal coach. They can craft personalized plans that travel with you using mobile technology and fitness wearables.

Future’s Approach to Weight Loss for Men

Keep in mind that Future is primarily a personal training platform. While there is guidance on nutrition and lifestyle changes, Future focuses the majority of weight loss on creating a consistent caloric deficit by getting your body to move and lift more. It’s a great fit for men that want physical activity to be a core component of their weight loss journey.

This weight loss program lives on Apple iOS devices, specifically the iPhone. You’ll need to get on a waiting list if you are an Android user and there is no way to use the program from a web browser.

Personal Coaching and Support

The core of Future’s approach centers on connecting you with an ideal coach. They are certified, vetted and have a proven track record with other members. This isn’t just for marketing, either. Evidence shows a strong correlation between expert coaching and regular communication on weight loss success over a six-month period.

The moment you click to get started, the Future app will lead you through an initial survey to get a sense of your goals and where you’re currently at. You’ll answer questions like your age, current and goal weight, workout experience and goals beyond the weight scale.

An important part of the survey comes when it’s time to select a coach. You’ll be able to state your preferences along the criteria of preferred gender, personality, coaching intensity and other factors. Based on your answers, Future will provide a few coach suggestions to select from. Don’t stress about making the perfect decision. Coach advisors are on hand after you get set up to help change coaches if needed.

Once you’ve selected a coach, your weight loss journey will start with a virtual video call between the two of you. Users mention that this consultation is very in-depth and that most were satisfied that the coaches asked solid questions to better understand how best to help.

The personal coaching approach will be a good fit for people with underlying conditions or injuries. While you should be cleared by a doctor before you begin any weight loss journey, a coach can tailor your weight loss program to accommodate your specific needs.

All communication happens within the app, allowing you to refer back to any conversation without needing to sift through your text messages or email. Coaches plan your weight loss plan each week based on your results and additional data they receive. Most members receive regular interaction with their coach and timely responses to their questions.

Future also eliminates the need for the awkwardness that often comes when breaking up with a coach, which we appreciate. Coach advisors are on hand to help handle the process of selecting a new coach and can bring them up to speed on your situation so there is minimal downtime to your progress.

Mobile and Wearable Technology

Another strength is that Future lives on your iOS device, like an iPhone or iPad. Traditional personal coaching relies heavily on subjective feedback. Incorporating an Apple Watch that connects to Future’s app automatically feeds your fitness-related information to your coach. This results in more informed tweaks to your programming.

Future for Travelers and Busy People

The Future weight loss program is ideal for busy people and travelers. Besides being a mobile app, coaches can customize your workout schedule to accommodate whatever is taking place during the week. If you’re traveling, your coach can build workouts that work with whatever equipment or time you have on hand. This eliminates the need to find a gym with adequate equipment to stay on plan.

The Cost of Future

Future is one of the more expensive options on this list. At the time of this writing, it is over four times more expensive than the WW premium plan. With that said, it is significantly cheaper than one-to-one in-person coaching. Based on national averages, a full month of Future will cost roughly the same as two to three hours of in-person coaching. We feel it is a solid value in terms of flexibility and access.

The process to join is very straightforward. You can do this part on a web browser or through the app. We found it was easier on the app because it avoided having to log in later on. There is no way to explore the app or its tools until you complete the signup process and choose a plan you would like to pay for. Even though the normal pricing is quite high compared to others, Future normally offers an extremely inexpensive first-month membership to get you started. Overall, it’s one of the best weight loss programs for men with a personal training component.

Pros:

  • Coach advisors are available to help match you with the right coach
  • Intuitive mobile app houses all training and coach interaction
  • Switch coaches as needed

Cons:

  • Only available for Apple iOS devices at the time of this writing
  • One of the more expensive options on this list.
DoFasting

Key features:

  • Built around the practice of intermittent fasting
  • Includes nutrition and exercise guidance while on and off a fast
  • Integrates with a wide range of health apps, wearables and scales
  • Provides a flexible approach to weight loss to fit different goals

DoFasting is a great option for men looking for a multipurpose weight loss program that accommodates intermittent fasting. Many studies show intermittent fasting as a promising tool for weight loss. Intermittent fasting (IF) is an approach to intake fewer calories by eating during a set window of time. Outside of that window, you simply refrain from any foods aside from water and a small selection of other liquids like black coffee or tea.

Different approaches to IF use smaller or larger eating windows depending on your preference and goals. IF achieves weight loss by creating a caloric deficit. Done consistently over a period of time, many find it effective at losing weight. Many men prefer this eating style, and may be more sustainable for long-term weight management. Let’s look into some aspects of the DoFasting app and how it may serve various weight loss goals.

DoFasting’s Approach to Weight Loss

The DoFasting program revolves around a mobile app with a robust set of features. While other intermittent fasting apps are designed to track fasting, DoFasting has tools to help manage the times you aren’t fasting.

It has a well-rounded set of features that can help guide you through nutrition, exercise, meal planning and honing in on your ideal fasting schedule based on your lifestyle. Their total lifestyle approach makes this weight loss program a great option for men.

Meal Building & Recipes

DoFasting gathers and tracks all the main components of weight loss in a single application. Once it’s set up, you won’t need to switch back and forth between fitness and nutrition apps. A major challenge to the IF approach to weight loss is having a plan once you come off of a fast. This app comes with an intuitive meal-planning feature and recipes that simplify proper nutrient balance.

Workout Programming

DoFasting comes loaded with a large library of workout programs that are bodyweight only. It’s great for men that travel often or don’t have regular access to fitness equipment. Workouts ranging from six to 45 minutes are designed to accommodate whatever weight loss approach you take. Users report that the app does a good job of having workouts for every fitness level. Including this library reduces the need for another virtual fitness subscription for added savings.

Motivation and Education

Because of its emphasis on education, DoFasting is a solid option for men new to weight loss or intermittent fasting. It does a fantastic job easing you into the deeper, more nuanced tools for weight loss over time. We’ve found that this gradual approach can increase motivation and provide better long-term results.

The Cost of DoFasting

Compared to other multipurpose weight loss options for men on the market, the cost of a DoFasting membership is very competitive. The most expensive price is the month-to-month option. The best value comes when you purchase six months up front which provides a 70 percent discount.

When it comes to a weight loss program that fits multiple purposes, DoFasting distinguishes itself with its fitness and nutrition tools, intermittent fasting features an all-in-one approach.

Pros:

  • One of the most well-rounded weight loss apps that incorporates intermittent fasting
  • Large library of bodyweight exercise programs
  • Strong meal plan and food tracking abilities
  • Connects with several apps, smart devices and wearables

Cons:

  • Some tools may get in the way if you are not practicing intermittent fasting.
Trifecta

Key features:

  • Accommodates six kinds of meal plans including Keto, Vegan and Whole30
  • All ingredients are clean and feature organic protein
  • Selection of gluten-free, soy-free and dairy-free
  • Normally arrives on a Friday or Saturday prior to the start of the week

As we mentioned earlier, proper planning is a powerful indicator of weight loss success. Healthy eating is a major factor that can help lead to fat loss. One of the most important yet difficult parts of the weight loss journey to manage is food. Figuring out a healthy diet, managing your portion sizes to meet nutritional requirements while also being mindful of your calorie intake can get overwhelming.

For this reason, a growing number of men are looking for the best weight-loss meal delivery programs to help simplify things. Of the many meal delivery programs for men, Trifecta set itself apart.

Trifecta believes that a properly nourished, clean body will make weight loss easier. The service is rooted in a commitment to clean, macro-based eating. Macronutrients include carbohydrates, protein, and fat, which are the main types of nutrients consumed by humans.

Trifecta says most meals are low calorie ranging from 350 to 500 per entree. The service offers six dietary eating plans. Trifecta’s “Classic Meal Plan” promises to provide dishes that are low fat, moderate carb and high protein. They also offer meals to suit low-carb diets such as Whole30 and Paleo approved plans, as well as meals plans approved for a ketogenic, vegetarian or vegan diet.

Pre-portioned with clearly marked nutritional information, Trifecta meals are easily reheated and can fit a wide range of weight loss programs.

Meal Selection and Delivery

Besides being able to choose your diet plan, Trifecta allows you to choose different packages to make things even easier. A Trifecta chef curates these, but you will still have the ability to make minor adjustments.

Each week, there is a range of meal options that include breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. We’ve found that your food will likely be delivered on a Friday or Saturday, and the experience of other customers has been favorable. There are a good amount of meals to choose from so you won’t have to double up on a selection unless you want to. One thing to keep in mind is that several users mention that there isn’t a large variety in flavor profiles.

Macro-Balanced

Most of the best weight loss programs for men will factor in macro-nutrient (fats, protein, carbohydrates) balance. Trifecta meals are a great option for people that want to take the guesswork out of figuring out what the macros are of their food. Each meal is clearly labeled. This makes choosing an ideal combination and meal planning in general much easier.

Trifecta Cost of Meals

The price of Trifecta meals will vary based on the type of meal plan and quantity you select. The cost per entree ranges from $11.00 to $16.95.

Trifecta is our choice for the best weight loss meal delivery service for men because it provides its customers with the insight and tools they need to fit it into their personal weight loss plan. Food quality is important and their choice to use clean ingredients and organic proteins is a huge benefit.

Pros:

  • Simple app for easy tracking
  • Support available if needed
  • Macro-balanced meals that are geared toward athletes and weight loss
  • Eliminates the need for meal prep and excessive cooking

Cons:

  • Hard to customize meal choices when on specific plans
Purple Carrot

Key features:

  • Plant-based meal delivery service
  • Chef-inspired recipes
  • Provide a meal kit and pre-made meal option

Vegetarian approaches to weight loss are becoming an increasingly popular method for men and women. Without adequate time, it can be hard for many people to learn and execute a successful vegetarian meal prep. The good news is that vegetarian meal delivery services make it much easier to accomplish a vegetarian-centric weight loss program.

A consistent complaint we encountered was about bland meal delivery options for vegetarians. It’s why we’ve included Purple Carrot on this list. They are a food delivery service committed to delivering chef-inspired, plant-based meals at a competitive price.

Purple Carrot’s Meal Selection

Other meal services tend to have only a few plant-based options if any. Since Purple Carrot is exclusively plant-based, they have the biggest selection to choose from. You can choose either a meal kit or a single-serving, pre-made meal option. During signup, you can choose how many meals you would like per day and then choose them. This is a simple and intuitive process that is easy to modify later on.

Flavor

Purple Carrot has some of the most flavorful vegan and vegetarian options of any food delivery service, according to online reviews. They incorporate various styles and cultures of food to keep things interesting. However, it may not be ideal for men who prefer to stay away from international flavor profiles.

Ease of Incorporating Into a Vegetarian Weight Loss Plan

Purple Carrot is a good option for men that want a vegetarian option to incorporate into their weight loss plan. Low protein can be a challenge with this form of eating, and we feel this company does a good job putting high amounts of protein into their meals. Each meal comes with a calorie count. One thing we wish it included was the macronutrient information which would make tracking meals during weight loss easier.

Purple Carrot takes an elevated approach to plant-based foods. Their calorie-conscious recipes make it a great option if you’re taking the vegetarian route.

Pros:

  • Robust flavors and variety
  • Consistent shipping and competitive pricing
  • Everything is plant-based making it suitable for both vegans and vegetarians

Cons:

  • Does not include macronutrient information for pre-made meals
Med diet

Key features:

  • A form of eating with a range of health benefits
  • Consists largely of fruits, vegetables and whole grains
  • Can be integrated into many weight loss programs

When it comes to eating habits, there are many fad diets out there. But the Mediterranean Diet is historically one of the best diets to improve your health. The goal of weight loss can include reasons far greater than fitting better in clothes. Research shows that just a five percent drop in excess body fat can profoundly affect overall health, including blood pressure, a common issue with men as they age.

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

It’s important to note that this is a form of eating as opposed to a set regimen of formulas and calculations. The Mediterranean Diet is a way of eating that emphasizes plant-based foods and healthy fats.

A normal Mediterranean diet will consist of things such as:

  • Vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils, nuts and legumes
  • Whole grains like brown rice and whole-wheat
  • Healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil
  • Fish with high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Small amounts of dairy
  • Lean protein
  • Little or no sweets, sodas or butter

Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet

The advantage of this weight-loss diet for health is that it incorporates a balanced selection of clean foods. Since it isn’t a rigid system, a medical or health professional can help to modify it to fit your specific health and weight loss goals.

The Mediterranean Diet has many benefits, including:

While there are many dietary approaches to weight loss, the Mediterranean Diet is our choice because of its combination of weight loss-promoting foods and long-term health benefits. While the Mediterranean Diet is a great way to lead a healthy lifestyle, it’s important to keep in mind your portions and calorie intake. That’s why we suggest pairing this diet with Noom to reach your weight loss goals.

Pros:

  • Promotes improved overall health
  • Can reduce the risk of high blood pressure, certain forms of cancer and slow signs of aging
  • Some reports show a possible correlation between increased longevity and this form of eating.

Cons:

  • Can be cost-heavy depending on where you live
Flex diet

Key features:

  • Largely vegetarian with the flexibility to eat meat on occasion
  • Provides solutions to meet protein needs without meat
  • Designed to weight loss, longevity and performance

Starting a weight loss program is often associated with wanting to make healthier lifestyle changes overall. For some men, it might be an ideal time to try a new form of eating that could better suit them. Plant-based diets are growing in popularity as more people are experiencing a wide range of benefits.

We’ve found the Flexitarian diet to be the best weight loss program for men looking to become plant-based eaters. It’s a great way to overcome many of the traditional barriers associated with this approach to eating.

What is the Flexitarian Diet?

Also referred to as a semi-vegetarian diet–a Flexitarian Diet comprises mostly fruits, veggies, whole grains and plant-based proteins. The beauty of this approach is that you don’t have to eliminate meat completely to receive the benefits associated with a largely plant-based diet. While you will eat mostly vegetarian, the occasional burger or steak is allowed. The claim is that this eating style will improve overall health, lower the risk of heart disease and help bring about healthy weight loss.

Benefits of a Flexitarian Diet

Scientifically validated benefits of this form of eating are still emerging. However, those interested can look into the research-backed benefits of a vegetarian diet for more clarity. As it pertains to weight loss, vegetables tend to be less calorie dense and less processed. These reduced calories paired with healthy activity may provide the needed calorie deficit to see consistent weight loss. We suggest pairing a Flexitarian Diet with Noom so you can be mindful of your food intake and reach your weight loss goals.

Pros:

  • Allows you to reap some of the benefits of more vegetables, fruits and whole grains
  • A great option for people transitioning into a vegetarian diet
  • Flexibility helps to eliminate feelings of guilt when starting out

Cons:

  • Is not a strict vegetarian approach

How to choose the best weight loss program for you

As you can see from this list, there are incredible weight loss programs for men regardless of their goals, lifestyle or specific needs. The options can seem overwhelming. To help with this, we recommend keeping some of the following considerations in mind to help make your choice easier.

Take Inventory of Your Lifestyle

The best weight loss program for you will be a system that works with your lifestyle and time constraints. Not every man has 20 hours a week to prepare meals or dedicate to communicating to a fully equipped gym. It’s a good idea to take stock of your lifestyle and be objective about how much time and effort you can dedicate to your weight loss. This will help eliminate a lot of frustration later on.

This process will also show you what aspects or features of a weight loss program are important. For example, if your schedule includes a lot of travel, choosing a program that lets you be anywhere and work out with little equipment may be best.

Choose the Program That Makes it Easier to Achieve a Consistent Caloric Deficit

Regardless of what program you choose, achieving a caloric deficit is essential for weight loss. Each program will have a different approach to achieving this goal. It’s best to consider a program with aspects you enjoy and can sustain over a long period of time.

Determine the “Why” Behind Your Weight Loss Goals

As you can see, there are many paths toward weight loss. However, which method you choose may reap a host of different benefits in addition to the change on the weight scale. Take stock of why you are starting this journey in the first place and choose a weight loss program that reflects the greater reason for your journey.

How we chose the best weight loss programs for men

We selected the best weight loss for men based on several important criteria, which included:

  • Science-Based Approach: In an industry prone to wild, exaggerated claims, we only selected programs based on sound research-backed scientific and nutritional principles.
  • Value: The process of weight loss can be expensive. We selected options that provided tremendous value in relation to their cost.
  • Brand Reputation: Longevity and track record are important in the weight loss space. We chose brands that either have a long track record or adhere to the highest scientific and professional standards.
  • User Results: We looked through thousands of user reviews and surveys to verify that a substantial number of people have had success with these programs.

FAQs

What is the fastest way for a man to lose weight?

How quickly a man can lose weight will determine a range of factors, including age, health history and chosen weight loss method. According to multiple studies, the fastest safe amount of weight loss should be between one and two pounds per week.

Which weight loss program has the best results for men?

There are different weight loss programs that produce great results for men. The best weight loss program will depend on your individual goals, diet and exercise needs and how that program is suited to help you achieve them.

Where do men lose weight first?

Where men lose weight first largely depends on genetics and the type of fat they have.

How many pounds can men safely lose each week?

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, men can safely lose between one and two pounds weekly.

Final Thoughts

Given the number of options available, finding the best weight loss program for men can be challenging. We hope this list has helped you discover a weight loss program that works best for your needs and goals. If you are looking for a well-balanced program that helps develop long-term habits, Noom, our best overall pick, may be worth considering.

If you’ve struggled with meal prep and figuring out the nutrition aspect of your weight loss plan, Purple Carrot and Trifecta meals may be a great starting point and give you more time to get acclimated. Sometimes choosing the right program doesn’t happen right away. Don’t be afraid to try a few out to see what fits. Many have free trials or introductory pricing that can help keep costs low while testing.

Regardless of which program you choose, be sure to consult a medical professional if you encounter any issues or have any questions.

Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.