If you follow along in instagram, and watch my stories, you know that I use Tone It Up almost daily…. and some of the most frequently asked questions I receive are about Tone It Up in general. In that light, I’ve decided to dedicate today’s post to answering those questions, and sharing my personal experience (because everyone’s will be different) with the program. A few thoughts before I get into the questions….

Tone It Up doesn’t offer one type of workout, they offer so many different forms… kickboxing, HIIT, cardio, yoga, resistance training…. and you have to use trial and error to discover the videos/workouts that you like the most. I did, and I enjoyed the process of doing so…..

People ask me if I think the app is worth it…. this is likely the most asked question. Yes. I wouldn’t share something, or buy something for that matter, that I don’t feel is worth it for me! What I share here and on instagram are products that I personally love and use frequently….

I have no ties to TIU in anyway… I’m just a gal who discovered them and saw results….

1. What is the cost + what does it include? 

When I first started Tone It Up, last April, there wasn’t an app. Everything was on their website…. there were free workouts, and then there were their “premium” workouts that you needed to purchase. By purchasing those videos, you’d receive approximately 5-8 workout classes, to watch at your convenience, for about $30 (I still love and use those too). Since then, they’ve created the app. I choose to pay monthly to access all the components (studio, on demand, and the daily moves….), yet they have different options. I recommend reading more about it here. They also offer a 7 day free trial, which is always a great idea to figure out if you like it or not, and feel that spending the money would be worth it for you. The biggest change with the app is that they now have several different trainers offering classes. At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about this shift, since I liked Karena + Katrina’s style… but I’ve since warmed up to the idea and have enjoyed different fitness perspectives. I do the monthly $12.99 plan, which grants me access to all components. If you don’t want to use the app, they also offer a lot of free workouts on their website. In the beginning, this is what I used to figure out if I wanted to purchase any of their premium videos.

2. Do they have videos you can follow along with? And do the workouts include weights like at the gym?

Yes, everything is in a video format (one of the number one reasons I use TIU)… and the basis behind TIU is that you can do these workouts at home. So larger gym equipment is not part of the workout programs. Yet, they have workouts with dumbbells, resistance bands, booty bands, workout discs, stability balls, and kettlebells.

3. What equipment do you have at home and which brands do you recommend? 

I have a yoga mat, 20lbs kettlebell (I use this for the booty workouts), two sets of dumbbells (5lbs + 8lbs, but going to buy 10lbs soon…), stability ball, workout disc gliders,  booty bands, and ankle weights (in case I want just a little more resistance). I don’t have a specific brand that I recommend, as most of my equipment is from Target and Amazon.

4. How does it compare to BBG? I just started BBG to lose baby weight and thinking maybe I need to do TIU instead….??

I wrote a comparison blog post here about a year ago, but have a few additional thoughts since. After I had Harper, I was looking for a workout program that I could do at home and would get me amazing results. I saw all the before + after images for BBG and was sold. Yet that was not my experience. I felt like there was so much missing from the program…. like weight training… that after the first round I decided not to do it again…. and then six months later I thought I’d give it a try, one more time, and didn’t even complete the program. Why? I was so bored and didn’t get any results that I could have gotten by going to the gym with TJ. I discovered Tone It Up shortly after and was hooked.

For starters, BBG had me looking at a screen with just a print out of the workout. TIU has engaging videos… so it makes you feel like someone is right along side you… completing the workout with you. I also felt as if BBG cycled through 10 moves for each body part. With TIU they use different moves and incorporate resistance training.

Something else I really like about TIU is that it’s pretty holistic. They encourage physical and emotional wellness… being confident in your own skin, mindful meditation + yoga classes (something I really appreciate and value), as well as the value of relationships.

5. How long did it take you to notice results? 

I think results will vary from person to person, and are also very dependent on the diet that you eat + consistency with working out. Since I maintain a clean diet, I felt that I began to see results within 3-4 weeks. I began to gain definition in my abs that I had pre-pregnancy, and my arms + legs started to really tone up, like they were pre-pregnancy. My goal in starting TIU was to gain back the muscle definition I had pre-pregnancy and I feel as if I’ve achieved that….

6. Do you follow any of their meal plans? If so, which one? 

I’ve never purchased any of their meal plans, but I’ve made some of the free meals on their website and they’re delicious. I did do the free 7-day detox after the holidays, and you can read about that experience here (very positive). What I do like about TIU Is that their meals also include nutritious treats…. donuts, cookies… they don’t believe in deprivation… which is a very healthy perspective to have. Oh, they also enjoy wine. Just saying….

7. How many days do you use TIU? Do you follow a set schedule or do you just do whatever you want?

I incorporate TIU as much as possible, since resistance training helps me feel stronger (I also really enjoy it…). Before TIU moved to an app format, they used to include cardio into the daily schedule (which you can still access on desktop or app), which I really liked (one of the components I wish they’d add back….). So, a sample day would look something like this: 20 minutes cardio (walk, run, etc) and then they would recommend a video. Now, they just give you the video recommendation, which is why I also do my own cardio. For me, personally, I have noticed the best results by using a combination of cardio + resistance training.

I typically run two days a week (longer cardio workouts) and on those days I typically do a quick ab routine, or maybe one of their shorter booty toning routines. On the other days, I vary my cardio (stairs, treadmill incline, spin) and incorporate a video as I see fit. I am a huge fan of their booty workouts, so I do those 2-3xs a week… and they work!

8. Are the workouts you share on your stories part of the free portion of the app? 

They have two components. On Demand + Studio. Studio workouts are live workouts that you sign up for (sometimes they’re never before seen and other times they are a combination of two workouts from the On Demand section). The On Demand section is available to you at all times, and is what I use 95% of the time. I don’t know if anything on the app is considered “free” as I pay for it. I try to share workouts that can also be found on their website, but some of the workouts in the On Demand section are from their “premium” videos, which can’t be viewed for free on their site.

Here are my favorite videos (these are in the on demand section and some are available for free on their site…):

HIIT Me Up
Sandy Sweat HIIT
K&K HIIT
Sunset HIIT15
HIIT The Beach
Total Body Cardio Sculpt
Beach Booty Camp
Booty Burn
Bootylicious
Kettlebell Booty
Booty For Days
12-Minute Booty Burn With Karena
Absolutely Bootyful
Hula Booty
Get Low Booty + Abs
Katrina’s Yoga Booty
Cardio Core
Bikini Series Cardio Abs
Gorgeous Core
Toned Abs With Kat
7 Minute Lower Ab Workout
Tight + Toned Core
Slay With K&K
30 Rep Challenge
Cardio Kettle Sculpt
Sculpt In 7
Bobby Call HIIT
Sunset Sweat
Flex Friday
Toned Arms + Abs
Sun + Sculpt Upper Body
Cardio Arms With Karena
Get Your Flex On
Sleek Arms Workout

9. I tend to bulk up quickly when I do HIIT. Is this a workout that tones more than builds? 

I believe that their main goal is to tone… I can’t say that with 100% certainty, but I have toned out over the last year. They do recommend following their meal plans to ensure you get the maximum results. I know that doesn’t answer your question fully, but I think a lot of that depends on our own personal body’s response to a workout. That being said, they offer so much more than just HIIT, so if that’s not for you, I imagine there would be a video that works?

I hope that helps to answer any questions you all might have! Annnd, sharing a few favorite workout pieces I have my eye on… always a little extra motivation to get my bootay out of bed in the morning….

I love this muscle tank hoodie for a hike, walk, or post workout…. tan mesh running shorts for warmer weather days…. pink-ish hued high waisted leggings…. and this slashed cropped tank for runs, hikes, and cross training (featured below… camo leggings). The capris + distressed hoodie featured above have been on constant repeat lately. The capris are one of my all times favs (also own in white) and the hoodie is so comfy!