What do you do when you live in an apartment, don’t belong to a gym and have a hectic schedule? How do you find time to workout? As a working mom with two young boys, it’s often a struggle to find the time to fit fitness into my day between work, school drop-off and pick-up, client meetings and other responsibilities.
Over the summer, I was introduced to the JCORE Accelerated Body Transformation System – a 40-day program that claims to work around these constraints and transform your body. It was created by Jay Cardiello, a celebrity fitness trainer and wellness expert. I mean, he trains 50 Cent so his plan must work, right?
I will admit that I was highly skeptical before starting this program. Generally I try to workout for an hour, 4-5 days a week, mixing cardio with strength training. For JCORE, all you need is a 4×4 space, no weights, and 20 minutes a day/4 days a week. Was 20 minutes going to be enough?
I opened the calendar and found 40 days of workouts, rest days, and fit tests. Literally, I did not have to think about a thing. There are five different workouts, each fast-paced and comprised of 20 minutes of 30-second intervals of body-weight exercises. While 30 seconds might not seem like a long time, believe me, it can be intense. I was breathing hard and a sweaty mess by the end of the workouts. The exercises largely focus on your core, which helps build overall strength and stability. Think lunges, squats, planks, and fire hydrants. I modified many of these moves to make it easier on my knee. JCORE also starts with a Fit Test that allows you to gauge your progress week-to-week.
After finishing JCORE, I’m a convert to HIIT-like workouts. I love that I can get a kick-butt workout in 20 minutes. I’ve even done them in the time that it takes my husband to bathe the kids. And, I can do the exercises anywhere. I’ve taken them on vacation and plan on bringing them with me on a business trip.
The one thing that I did have trouble with was the meal plan, which tells you how many servings you should eat from each food group. In general, I have a hard time following diets and making sure I piece together the right combination of protein, fat, carbs, and veggies in my meals. However, JCORE did make me much more aware of my eating habits and help me to increase my intake of protein and vegetables.
Overall, I saw an increase in my fitness levels as gauged by JCORE Fit Test. While my goal wasn’t weight loss, I did lose two pounds and a couple of inches around my waist and thighs. My abs also emerged from hibernation. But most importantly, I felt toned and strong. I felt good about my body and was confident wearing my bikini at the beach.
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Christine Yu is the author of the blog Love, Life, Surf, where she shares her love of fitness and stories about her experiences as a mom of two young boys trying to balance, work, family, fitness and healthy living. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.
As a Fitfluential Ambassador, I received a copy of the JCORE program for review. No monetary compensation was given. All thoughts and opinions are 100% honest and my own.
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