Trigger Warning: The following article contains mention of eating disorders.
After a long day of school, the last thing you might want to do is a workout. However, if you’re anything like me, you may force yourself to because it has many mental health benefits. A tip that I live by is following workout programs because they take away choice, and choices can be overwhelming. There’s so much workout content out there, it’s hard to ensure you are targeting each muscle while also not overworking one. It can also be difficult to find something that challenges you but isn’t so hard that you give up. If you have a set plan every day (even if one of them is stretching and going for a walk), you may be more likely to stick to it, because it’s simple. After not working out for a couple of months and an extended Christmas where I began to feel tired and sluggish, I thought I should get back to moving my body. When my friend suggested the Blogilates 21 Day Challenge, I was intrigued.
Cassie Ho, the creator of Blogilates, was quite controversial, as she was once seen as a positive body mentor who then went on a three-month journey during which she tracked all of her calories and weight loss each day. To many, this was seen as obsessive, while others labelled her an inspiration. While I wasn’t a fan of all of the number talk, I’d been a follower since her early days and decided to try her 21-Day Challenge. I also find it almost impossible to find a workout that isn’t rooted in diet culture. They are all labelled bikini body, or summer glow-up, or something that is a subtle reminder that your body is not ready as-is. So I liked that hers was phrased as a challenge to simply get you moving.
It started on January 4th, which gave me enough time to recover from New Years’ celebrations and was only 21 minutes each day. This seemed like a manageable way to move my body every day. I downloaded her calendar and began.
The Good:
The Perfect Intensity
Her workouts are a good intensity for people who are above beginner level but are not quite a gym shark yet. They involve weights and cardio, but also strength training. I want a workout that gets my heart rate elevated, makes me push myself a bit, and leaves my muscles feeling worked by the end. However, I don’t want to be discouraged. Before, I had tried the Kayla Itsines workouts, and I could barely get through one round without needing a break. I ended up sitting for a portion of the workout. If you can relate to this experience, then Blogilates may be a good match. However, if you are a beginner then this challenge may be a little difficult. While she does offer modifications, this is a video that I loved when I was at the beginning of my fitness journey.
Killer Ab and Thigh Workouts
I’ve always loved her ab workouts, but I really enjoyed the addition of weights. You can use a two-pound or a five-pound weight and work around your level, which offers a lot of flexibility. I even found that by the third week, I needed to use a higher weight level. I also find it very difficult to do leg day at home without any fancy equipment, but she manages to make them burn with her pilates-focused methods.
Perfect Length
21 minutes is so much more doable than 30. It’s probably why I kept going. It’s great for people who are getting back into working out or just caught up in that winter funk. She often has 20-minute videos and then 30-minute versions of the same moves, providing a good beginning place as well as something to work towards.
Home workout friendly
All that is required is weights, or you can modify the workouts. In a world of fancy home gyms, sometimes trainers assume you have weight machines or treadmills in your basement. To any poor student, her workouts are free and don’t require much equipment. She even has an app called Body, which has a cheap membership compared to some other trainers.
The Not So Good
Too Much Knees!
My knees killed. I am pretty sure Cassie will not be able to walk when she is 70, if she keeps up with this amount of bending. There were so many types of squats almost every day that I had to modify the moves. If you have any kind of knee injury or tendonitis, I suggest not doing this program or having some alternatives on the ready.
Awards Were Results-Based
She asked us to post a before and after picture, stating she would pick the winner who would receive some of her new products. While writing a blurb about how it changed you is fantastic, the before and after pictures are really unnecessary. There’s a lot of research indicating these pictures can create body dysmorphia or self-esteem issues. You are worth so much than an after picture, and many results aren’t physical but should be equally valued. Movement is about taking care of yourself, not looking for a result that is aesthetic based. I think fitness trainers need to be more mindful of the messages they are sending, especially to young women. She could have even suggested showing a picture of your arm or leg, and then showing how much muscle you gained, because I did feel this challenge helped me gain some muscle and that’s amazing. More amazing than weight loss in my opinion.
Lots of Diet Culture
I find when Cassie talks, she often talks about her products, what she’s eating, or how to slim down. I find when working out, it’s always better to offer encouragement and talk about fun things. I had to mute her often and then put on the Taylor Swift Workout playlist. It’s way easier to complete a workout listening to Shake It Off, than to someone talking about why we should be substituting bread for kale.
All in all, Cassie Ho’s workouts are challenging, but in a good way. They don’t make you want to give up, and she offers modifications for many of her moves. However, fitness influencers are not perfect and many of them are struggling with the conflicting messages of diet culture themselves. While I don’t love what she’s saying sometimes, I love her workouts and am at a point in my body positivity journey where I can filter out those harmful messages. If you are still beginning, I would suggest looking elsewhere for the time being.