If you are looking for more personalized, studio-oriented instruction through a circa 30 minute workout, this is your neighborhood. I will help you navigate two popular fitness apps that I use almost every day – Tone it up and Jillian Michaels.
As always I will be honest and look at both the pros and cons of each, and then make a recommendation based on what you may be looking for.
What’s the skinny?
- This post compares two similar style of popular fitness apps, Tone it up and Jillian Michaels.
- Both apps have guided instructions, instead of the video loops of SWAEAT and Fit Body, which I have reviewed here.
- Both apps are appealing if you need some extra motivation and encouragement. It depends on how difficult you want your workout to be and what kind of workout personality you are.
The Jillianâ âMichaelsâ âappâ
Backgroundâ âonâ âtrainerâ âandâ âappâ â
Jillianâ âMichaelsâ,â âbestâ âknownâ âforâ âbeingâ âtheâ âhard-coreâ âBiggestâ âLoserâ âtrainer,â âisâ âoneâ âofâ âtheâ pioneersâ âofâ âtheâ âat-homeâ âworkoutâ âexperienceâ âforâ âwomen.â âAsâ âearlyâ âasâ â2004,â âsheâ âgainedâ internationalâ âfameâ âforâ âherâ âmilitantâ âapproachâ âtoâ âkick-buttâ âworkoutsâ âdesignedâ âtoâ âshredâ âandâ achieveâ âresultsâ âinâ âaâ âminimalâ âperiodâ âofâ âtime.â Quite possibly, she is the only trainer who could get away with naming an app after herself! â
Afterâ âaâ âsuccessfulâ âseriesâ âof books andâ âDVDsâ âpre-appâ âera,â âJillianâ joined the mainstream app market. Off the bat, I would her personality and the app appealing to the more mature audience. Although she could easily pass for early to mid-thirties, she isâ â46,â âwhich makes her brand even more appealing,â ââsinceâ âsheâ âlooksâ âabsolutelyâ âamazingâ.â âIâ âcanâ vouchâ âforâ âthis,â âhavingâ ârecentlyâ âseenâ âherâ âupâ âclose.â ââ
Theâ âfirstâ âthingâ âIâ ânoticedâ âaboutâ âtheâ âappâ âwasâ âhowâ âmuchâ âAIâ âsophisticationâ âitâ âhad.â âTheâ âappâ usesâ âartificialâ âintelligenceâ âtoâ ââdesignââ âaâ âprogramâ âforâ âyou,â âbasedâ âonâ âyourâ âavailableâ equipment,â âgoalsâ âandâ âyourâ âcurrentâ âfitnessâ âlevel.â The setup of all of the programs is essentially having Jillian as your Biggest Loser personal trainer. She guides you through the workouts, pushing you, motivating you. â
Also,â âtheâ âappâ âhasâ âaâ âuniqueâ âfeatureâ âforâ âdisplayingâ âtheâ âmoves.â âItâsâ âaâ âhybridâ âbetweenâ traditionalâ ââworkoutâ âvideosââ âandâ âtheâ âvideoâ âloopsâ âthatâ âSWEATâ âandâ âFit bodyâ âuse.â âYouâ âseeâ theâ âworkoutâ âinâ âitsâ âentirety,â âframeâ âbyâ âframe,â âinâ âadvance. â âJillianâ doesâ âtheâ âworkout alone on a bare hardwood studio floorâ âasâ âsheâ âcoachesâ âyouâ âthroughâ âit. You can choose the transition period towardâ âtheâ ânextâ âmove,â âwhichâ âthenâ movesâ âtoâ âtheâ ânextâ âframe. You can also skip frames ahead, if you are short on time.
â
Programsâ â
Jillianâsâ âappâ âprobablyâ âhasâ âtheâ âmostâ âspecializedâ âprogramsâ âofâ âallâ âtheâ ââfitnessâ âfemaleâ celebrityââ âapps.â You are presented with about 25 different options for programs, including:
- Programs for purposes, like Weight loss and getting a âbikiniâ âbody;
- Programsâ âforâ âspecificâ âevents,â âlikeâ âaâ â6-weekâ âBridalâ âbootcamp.â
- Programsâ organizedâ âbyâ âspecificâ âequipmentâ âtype,â âlikeâ âkettlebell,â âbootyâ âband,â âsliderâ âtraining,â âandâ gymâ âequipmentâ âresistanceâ âtraining.â â
- Programsâ âtargetingâ âspecificâ âbodyâ âparts,â âlikeâ abs,â âandâ âforâ âback,â âchestâ âandâ âarmsâ â(thisâ âparticularâ âoneâ âisâ âalsoâ âgoodâ âforâ âbridesâ âwearingâ backlessâ âandâ âstraplessâ âdresses).â â
- Cardio-focusedâ âprograms,â likeâ âHIITâ â(includingâ âbeginnerâ âHIIT)â âandâ âguidedâ âtreadmillâ âandâ âstairmasterâ âworkoutsâ âthatâ youâ âcanâ âpairâ âwithâ âyourâ âownâ âmusic.â âSheâ âalsoâ âhasâ âtrainingâ âprogramsâ âforâ â5ksâ âandâ â10ks.â
- Wellness programs, like âyogaâ âandâ âguidedâ âmeditationâ â(byâ âJillian) . Her yoga is definitely just as challenging as many of her other workouts!
- For pre/post-natal, there are workoutsâ âforâ âeachâ âtrimesterâ âANDâ post-pregnancy,
The app also has varieties of 7-minute workouts, if you are in a hurry.
Forâ eachâ âprogram,â âyouâ âcanâ âchooseâ âaâ âbeginner,â âintermediateâ âorâ âadvancedâ âlevelâ âofâ difficulty.â âHavingâ âchosenâ âtheâ âadvancedâ âlevelâ â(asâ âIâ âalwaysâ âdo),â âIâ âcanâ âreportâ âthatâ someâ âofâ âtheâ âmovesâ âareâ âborderlineâ âacrobatic.â
â ââEachâ âworkoutâ âassociatedâ âwithâ âaâ âparticularâ âprogramâ âisâ âaboutâ â25-35â âminutesâ âincludingâ âtheâ warmâ âupâ âandâ âtheâ âcoolâ âdown.â The moves generally last no more than 20-25 seconds, and are mostly bodyweight training and plyo-style. âHer entire DVD library collection is available if you are in the mood for a throwback.
Positivesâ â â
- Need I say more, brides to be – a separate 6-week bridal bootcamp!! Moms to be – this is the only app I have seen that is separated by the trimester (check with your doc before starting, obvi.)
- The app is really smooth. You don’t have to count out reps. Her guidance is so good, you don’t even have to really have your phone in front of your face.
- Jillian has signature moves, like “plank moguls,” crab kicks (HARD), superman-to-pike, extended plank, and sumo touchdowns. It’s not the mainstream burpee-mountainclimber-high knees type of plyo, and it keeps the workout interesting and also mentally challenging.
- Theâ âappâ âalsoâ âhasâ âaâ âuniqueâ âfeatureâ âIâ âhaveâ ânotâ âseenâ âanywhereâ âelse:â âaâ âGENERATORâ featureâ âwhereâ âyouâ âcanâ âcustomizeâ âyourâ âworkoutâ âbyâ âchoosingâ âtheâ âtimeâ â(10-45â minutes)â âandâ âtheâ âtypeâ âofâ âworkoutâ â-â âabs,â âarms/chest/back,â âbunsâ âandâ âthighs,â âtotalâ body,â âHIIT,â âstretchingâ âandâ âfoamâ ârolling.â âThisâ âisâ âaâ âgreatâ âfeatureâ âifâ âyouâ âareâ âshortâ âonâ timeâ âorâ âifâ âyouâ ârushedâ âthroughâ âanâ âearlierâ âworkoutâ âandâ âdidnâtâ âmakeâ âitâ âtoâ âstretchingâ (comeâ âon,â âweâ âhaveâ âallâ âdoneâ âit).â âTheâ âtechnologyâ âisâ âsoâ âgoodâ âitâ âevenâ âadaptsâ âtoâ âtheâ timeâ âyouâ âpick,â âforâ âexample,â âifâ âyouâ âpickâ âaâ â10â âminuteâ âworkout,â âsheâ âsays,â ââOKâ âIâ âknowâ youâ âareâ âreallyâ âbusy,â âsoâ âletâsâ âgo.ââ âSheâ âunderstandsâ âusâ â#fitprofessionals!â
- The appâ âautomaticallyâ âmovesâ âtoâ âtheâ ânextâ âcircuit,â âwhereasâ âwithâ âappsâ âlikeâ âSWEATâ âand Fit body,â âyouâ âhaveâ âtoâ âkeepâ âstoppingâ âandâ âtapping.â
- Theâ âJillianâ âappâ âisâ âalsoâ âgreatâ âforâ âpeopleâ âlikeâ âusâ âwhoâ âareâ âalwaysâ âinâ âaâ âhurry.â âLikeâ âifâ youâ âhadâ âplannedâ âtoâ âdoâ âarmsâ âthatâ âday,â âbutâ âthenâ âyourâ âdayâ âisâ âcrazy,â âyouâ âcanâ âpickâ âoneâ ofâ âherâ â7â âminuteâ âworkouts,â âlikeâ âHIIT,â âabs,â âupperâ âbody,â âlowerâ âbody,â âetc.â â This feature essentially bakes in one of the available 7-minute workout apps into her app, but with more specialization.
- Theâ abilityâ âtoâ âpreviewâ âaâ âworkoutâ âfromâ âstartâ âtoâ âfinish is very helpful; not only does the app have that, but you can also scroll through andâ âsubstituteâ âoutâ âmovements.â So,â âforâ âexample,â âifâ âyouâ âdonâtâ âwantâ âtoâ âdoâ âaâ âburpee,â âyouâ âcanâ âpicâ âfromâ â10â alternatives,â âlikeâ âskaters.â âYouâ âcanâ âalsoâ âcustomizeâ âtheâ âtransitionâ âtimeâ âbetweenâ movementsâ â(betweenâ â1-3â âseconds).â â â
Drawbacksâ â
- Theâ âmainâ âcritiqueâ âIâ âwouldâ âhaveâ âofâ âtheâ âappâ âisâ âthatâ âthereâ âisâ âaâ âlotâ âofâ âoverlapâ âofâ âmovesâ betweenâ âtheâ âdifferentâ âprograms,â âsoâ âitâ âisâ âhardâ âtoâ âsayâ âhowâ ââspeciallyâ âdesignedââ âeachâ oneâ âreallyâ âis.â âIâ âswitchedâ âbackâ âandâ âforthâ âbetweenâ âdifferentâ âprograms,â âandâ âaâ âlotâ haveâ âtheâ âsameâ âbasicâ âstapleâ âmoves,â âlikeâ âburpees,â âjumpingâ âjacks,â âplankâ âjumps,â suicides,â âuppercuts,â âandâ âstandingâ âobliqueâ âcrunches.â
- Thereâ âisnâtâ âmuchâ âofâ âaâ ârobustâ âappâ âorâ âInstaâ âcommunityâ âsupport,â âifâ âthatâsâ âimportantâ toâ âyou.â â
- Theâ âmeditationâ âandâ âyogaâ âareâ âaâ âlittleâ âtooâ âinfusedâ âwithâ âherâ âpersonality,â âsoâ âitâ âisâ âhardâ toâ âzoneâ âout.â â
- Thereâ âarenâtâ âasâ âmanyâ âgym-equipmentâ âbasedâ âprogramsâ âasâ âyouâ âwouldâ âfindâ âwithâ SWEATâ âorâ âotherâ âapps.â â
- Youâ âcanâ âscheduleâ âyourâ âworkoutsâ âonâ âtheâ âapp,â âbutâ âitâ âdoesnâtâ âprovideâ âaâ âcustomizedâ scheduleâ âforâ âyouâ âthatâ âyouâ âcanâ âseeâ âinâ âaâ âweekâ âatâ âaâ âglance.â
- Thereâ âisâ ânoâ ârealâ âvarietyâ âofâ âtrainersâ â-â âitâsâ âtheâ âJillianâ âshow,â âwithâ âtheâ âexceptionâ âofâ âherâ DVDâ âcollection,â âwhichâ âfeaturesâ âotherâ âtrainersâ âinâ âaâ âclass-styleâ âsetting,â âincludingâ theâ âToneâ âitâ âupâ âgirls,â âwhoâ âweâ âwillâ âgetâ âtoâ ânext.â â
âToneâ âitâ âupâ appâ
Karenaâ âDawnâ âandâ âKatrinaâ âScottâ âareâ âtwoâ âgymâ âacquaintancesâ âfromâ âManhattanâ âbeachâ turnedâ âintoâ âfitnessâ âmoguls.â âBeforeâ â2018â âwhenâ âtheyâ âlaunchedâ âtheirâ âapp,â âtheâ âpairâ âhadâ reachedâ âfitnessâ âsocialiteâ âstatusâ âthroughâ âtheirâ âbreifââ âBravoâ ârealityâ âshowâ âstint,ââ âtheirâ âDVDsâ andâ âtheirâ âInstagramâ âpopularity.â âTheirâ âstoryâ âisâ âprettyâ âamazingâ â-â âasâ âtheyâ âtellâ âit,â âtheyâ âmetâ eachâ âotherâ âatâ âaâ âCaliforniaâ âgymâ âoneâ âlateâ âFridayâ ânightâ âasâ âbothâ âofâ âthemâ âwereâ âtheâ âloneâ peopleâ âworkingâ âoutâ âthere.â âOutâ âofâ âthat,â âandâ âaâ â3Kâ âinvestment,â ââaâ âfitnessâ âempireâ âwasâ âbornâ.â â âOutâ âofâ âallâ âtheâ âonlineâ âfitnessâ âsensations,â âTIUâ âprobablyâ âwinsâ âforâ âproductâ âsocialâ âmediaâ domination.â ââItâ âhasâ âaâ âmassiveâ âinstagramâ âcommunityâ ââ,â âbutâ âthatâ âhasâ âevenâ âresultedâ âinâ âaâ spin-offâ âofâ âsubâ ââTIUââ âcommunitiesâ â(forâ âexample,â âIâ âfoundâ âoneâ âforâ âtheâ âDCâ âareaâ â-â âTIUâ DMV).â âLikeâ âwithâ âtheâ âFitâ âBodyâ âcommunity,â âmanyâ âusersâ âhaveâ âseparateâ ââTIUââ âhandles.â Someâ âhaveâ âleveragedâ âthatâ âtoâ âbecomeâ ââfitfluencersâ âinâ âtheirâ âownâ ârightâ.â âTheâ âTIUâ âtrainersâ âdo liveâ âat-homeâ âworkoutsâ âonâ âInstaâ â(withâ âAâ âLOTâ âofâ âtalking),â âwhichâ âtheyâ âthenâ âpostâ âtoâ âtheirâ app.â âTheyâ âalsoâ âhaveâ âaâ âlargeâ âsuitâ âofâ âproducts,â âlikeâ ââproteinâ âpowdersâ,â âbars,â âequipment,â âandâ evenâ âclothingâ âonâ âtheirâ âownâ âsiteâ âorâ âatâ ââTargetâ.â â â
âKatrinaâ âScottâ âHodgsonâ âhasâ âbeenâ âaâ âsourceâ âofâ âinspirationâ âforâ âmoms-to-beâ andâ ânewâ âmoms,â âupgradingâ âtheâ âappâ âwithâ ârelatedâ âprogramsâ âsheâ âteachesâ and being really âtransparentâ âaboutâ âtheâ âchangesâ âinâ herâ âbodyâ âpostâ âpregnancyââ. Meanwhile,â âKarenaâ âDawnâ âisâ âaâ âvocalâ âadvocateâ âforâ âtheâ âmentalâ âhealthâ âcommunity,ââ âsharingâ herâ âhistoryâ âofâ âstruggleââ âwithâ âmentalâ âhealthâ âandâ âtheâ âtoolsâ âsheâ âusesâ âforâ âself-care,â âincludingâ meditation.â âHerâ âmeditationâ âprogramsâ âareâ âfeaturedâ âonâ âtheâ âapp.â
The app featuresâ âtwoâ main âtypesâ âofâ âworkoutâ âoptionsâ â-â âprogramsâ âandâ a library âon-demandâ âworkouts. The instruction is more old-school workout video or DVD style – you are greeted, warmed up, the workout starts a few minutes in, and then there is some stretching at the end.
Theâ âappâ âalsoâ âfeaturesâ âaâ ânumberâ âofâ âotherâ âTIUâ âtrainersâ â-â âChyna,â âChevy,â âTori,â âSteph,â âandâ someâ âothers.â âTheyâ âoftenâ âteachâ âvideosâ âwithâ âKatrinaâ âorâ âKarena,â âorâ âappearâ âinâ âvideosâ âwithâ them.â âStill,â âitâsâ âmostlyâ âtheâ âKatrinaâ âandâ âKarenaâ âshow.
âProgramsâ â â
Likeâ âSWEAT,â âJillian,â âandâ âfitâ âbody,â âtheâ âToneitupâ âappâ âalsoâ âhasâ âprograms,â âbutâ âtheyâ âareâ vaguelyâ âcategorizedâ âlikeâ ââ14â âdayâ âslayââ âandâ ââLoveâ âyourâ âBodyââ â(veryâ â#girlpower).â You are given a fixed set of workouts for each week, but can complete them on your own time, or even do two in a day (they are relatively short, usually no more than 20-25 minutes each). There are also frequent “challenges” you can enter and post your participation in on Instagram. â
If you don’t want to do one of the regimented programs, you can browse the extensive on-demand workout, which includes some of the older videos from their bikini body DVDs. Theâ on-demandâ âworkoutsâ âareâ âsystematicallyâ âcategorizedâ âbyâ âarms,â âlegs,â âglutes,â âHIIT,â âtotalâ body,â âyoga,â âstretchingâ, foam rolling, âandâ gym-based âstrengthâ âtraining.â â â â
âTheâ âworkouts are almost all conducive to âworkingâ âoutâ âatâ âhome with little equipment and space.â Post-pandemic,â âtheâ âdevelopersâ âhaveâ âexpandedâ âtheâ âworkoutsâ âtoâ âguidedâ âspin,â âgymâ strengthâ âtraining,â âandâ âoutdoorâ ârunningâ âclasses.â Any equipment that is needed for the workouts, like booty bands, weights, resistance bands is available inâ ââtheirâ âonlineâ âstoreââ â(thoughâ âyouâ âcouldâ âjustâ âasâ âeasilyâ âfindâ âthemâ âonâ âAmazon or at Walmart, etc.â
Probably my favorite feature of theâ âappâ âalsoâ âis a daily feature of one of the first trademarks of â ââTIUââ –which isâ âtheirâ ââ5â âdailyâ âmovesââ âorâ âDMsââ . Every day, there are new DMs, âbasedâ âcircuit style (you are supposed to do three rounds of each. Generally, there is a focus on body area or type of workout for each day of DMs (upperâ âbody,â âyoga,â âlegs,â âHIIT,â âetc.)â âThe âmoves âareâ demonstratedâ âviaâ âvideoâ âloopsâ âofâ âoneâ âofâ âtheâ âTIUâ âtrainers, which is a nice alternative to doing workout videos. Generally, they also take less time – I can knock them out in about 10 minutes. â âIâ haveâ âcreatedâ âaâ âseparateâ âvideoâ âlibraryâ âofâ âtheâ âDMâ âscreenshotsâ âonâ âmyâ âphoneâ âandâ âconsultâ âitâ whenâ âIâ âwantâ âtoâ âworkâ âoutâ âatâ âtheâ âgymâ âandâ âneedâ âaâ âparticularâ âroutineâ âonâ âtheâ âfly.ââ
â
Positives:â â
- Aesthetically,â âthisâ âappâ âwinsâ âforâ âbestâ âviews. Most of the workouts are taught againstâ âtheâ âbackgroundâ âofâ âbeautifulâ âManhattanâ beach.
- âTheâ âworkoutsâ âareâ âeasyâ âtoâ âfollow,â âwellâ âstructured,â âandâ âgenerallyâ âhaveâ âaâ goodâ âtimeâ âspanâ âforâ âbusyâ âpeople,â âaveragingâ âbetweenâ â15-25â âminutes..â âTheâ instructionâ âpausesâ âforâ âwaterâ âbreaks,â âandâ âthereâ âisâ âampleâ âtransitionâ âtimeâ âbetweenâ movements.â â
- Manyâ âofâ âtheâ âworkoutsâ âcanâ âbeâ âdoneâ âwithâ âonlyâ âbodyweight.â This is a good app if you are short on space and time, and just want to play a video without having to put forth too much of your own effort to learn and memorize movements.
- Likeâ âJillianâsâ âapp,â âtheâ âTIUâ âteamâ âhasâ â10â âminuteâ âorâ âlessâ âworkouts,â âwhichâ âisâ âhelpfullyâ placedâ âunderâ âtheâ ââexpressââ âcategoryâ âofâ âon-demandâ âworkouts.â âIâ âfindâ âthemâ âreallyâ easyâ âtoâ âdoâ âandâ âeffective,â âespeciallyâ âtheâ âabâ âones.â âSomeâ âofâ âthemâ âareâ âasâ âshortâ âasâ â6â minutes.â
- Theâ âworkoutsâ âareâ âfunâ âandâ âlighthearted,â âhelpingâ âTypeâ âAâ âpeopleâ âlikeâ âusâ âtake ourselvesâ âlessâ âseriously.â âThereâ âareâ âaâ âlotâ âofâ âjokes,â âlaughing,â âself-deprecation,â âandâ wordsâ âofâ âencouragementâ â(like,â ââcomeâ âon,â âbeautifulâ âbabesâ).â âTowardsâ âtheâ âendâ âofâ eachâ âvideo,â âandâ âsometimesâ âinâ âtheâ âmiddle,â âthereâ âisâ âalwaysâ âencouragementâ âtoâ âcheckâ âinââ âwithâ âyourâ ââsweatyâ âselfies,ââ âwhichâ âhelpsâ âprovideâ âaccountabilityâ âandâ motivation.â â
- The yogaâ âprograms are one of the best I have seen. Theyâ haveâ âaâ âniceâ âblendâ âofâ âshorterâ âmorningâ âandâ âeveningâ âyogaâ âworkouts,â âasâ âwellâ âasâ âmoreâ challengingâ âonesâ âincorporatingâ âweightsâ âandâ âHIIT.â
- If you are into social media communities, this app and being a #TIUbabe is probably right up your alley.ââ
Drawbacksâ â
- Iâ âwouldâ âsayâ âtheâ âmainâ âdrawbacksâ âareâ âtheâ âlackâ âofâ âspecificâ âcustomizationâ âforâ âeachâ âofâ theâ âvideosâ â-â âyouâ âhaveâ âtoâ âplayâ âthemâ âfromâ âtheâ âbeginningâ âtoâ âtheâ âendâ âtoâ âknowâ âwhatâ âtoâ expect.â â Unlikeâ âJillianâ âMichales,â âSWEATâ âandâ âfitâ âbody,â âyouâ âcannotâ âseeâ âanyâ âofâ âtheâ âmovesâ âinâ advance.â
- Atâ âoneâ âpoint,â âToneâ âitâ âupâ âhadâ âaâ ââstudioââ âwithâ âliveâ âclasses.â âIâ âlikedâ âthisâ âveryâ âmuch,â becauseâ âyouâ âwouldâ âhaveâ âtheâ âfeelingâ âthatâ âyouâ âscheduledâ âaâ âclassâ âwhereâ âyouâ âhadâ âtoâ showâ âup,â âandâ âyouâ âcouldâ âchatâ âwithâ âotherâ âgirlsâ ârightâ âbeforeâ âtheâ âclass,â âjustâ âlikeâ âifâ âyouâ wereâ âatâ âtheâ âgymâ âmakingâ âsmallâ âtalkâ âinâ âaâ ârealâ âclass.â
- Someâ âofâ âtheâ âvideo banter and giggling can get a little over the top, even seeming immature. Thereâ âcan be excess âcooingâ âofâ âbabeââ âandâ ââyouâ âgoâ âgirl.ââ â
- Manyâ âofâ âtheâ âvideosâ âcontainâ âunnecessaryâ ââtrailersââ âtheâ âgirlsâ âandâ âtheirâ âcroniesâ ridingâ âaroundâ âManhattanâ âBeachâ âandâ âlayingâ âaroundâ âinâ âtheirâ âbikinis to vexing music.â âAnâ âunnecessaryâ âdelayâ âforâ âaâ âworkoutâ âpeopleâ âbarelyâ âhaveâ âtimeâ toâ âsqueezeâ âin.â â
- There is definitely a lot of product promotion going on. Atâ âtheâ âendâ âofâ âalmostâ âeveryâ âworkout,â âtheâ âToneitupâ âgirlsâ âgoâ âoutâ âofâ âtheirâ âwayâ âtoâ remindâ âyouâ âtoâ go to their Instagram page and âdrinkâ âoneâ âofâ âtheirâ âamazingâ âsmoothieâ ârecipes. Ifâ âyouâ âlookâ âatâ âsomeâ âofâ theirâ âexamples, they are works of art â.â âThisâ âillustratesâ âtheâ âbasicâ âproblemâ âthatâ âIâ âhaveâ withâ âappâ ânutritionâ âplans.â âTheyâ âalwaysâ âgoâ âoverboardâ âinâ âdetailâ âwithâ âelaborate ingredientsâ âandâ âcomplicatedâ ârecipes.â âYo,â âifâ âIâ âwantâ âaâ âsmoothie,â âImmaâ âjustâ âgonnaâ blendâ âaâ âbanana,â âPBâ âandâ âalmondâ âmilk,â âandâ âcallâ âitâ âaâ âday,â âK?â âWhy?â âBecauseâ âIâ âamâ #busyAFâ âandâ âneedâ âtoâ âgetâ âtoâ âmyâ âcallâ âthatâsâ â5â âminutesâ âafterâ âmyâ âworkoutâ âends!â â â
Recommendations on choice of program
Choosing between TIU and Jillian Michaels is like picking between joining a sorority and being hazed by a frat. If you need more “cuddly” motivation and are really into online communities, taking post-workout selfies, and smoothies, TIU is probably a better choice. If you are more focused on the workout itself, and want a high level of difficulty and like a lot of cardio and plyo, Jillian is probably a better app for you.
And you don’t necessarily have to choose. It’s also pretty compatible and economical to have both, and vacillate in between depending on what your mood is that particular day. For example, I prefer TIU for yoga. I also like to supplement either my Jillian or TIU workout with the 5 DMs.
If you only want one app, here are my recommendations.
You should choose Tone it up if:
- You really want to make a lot of âinstaâ friends and potentially be a fitfluencer.
- You like a âsororityâ type of sisterhood vibe while you are working out
- You like constant encouragement and affirmation in your workouts
You should choose Jillian Michaels if:
- You donât care as much about social media interaction;
- You want more control over the structure of your workout
- You like to be pushed in 1-on-1 workouts
Moreâ
My honest review of the Jillian Michaels app (Positive Fit)â
10â âthingsâ âyouâ âdidn’tâ âknowâ âaboutâ âtheâ âToneâ âitâ âUpâ âgirls (the Richest)
