Body Gospel Exercise Program Review
9.31/10
Quick Overview
- Difficulty
Intermediate
- Cost
Moderate
- Trial Period
30 Days
Body Gospel is an inspirational weight loss program created by noted fitness trainer Donna Richardson Joyner and Beachbody. Beachbody is responsible for several other acclaimed fitness programs including Turbo Jam, P90X and Hip Hop Abs.
Joyner has received many critical accolades of her own, winning awards for her previous programs Sweating in the Spirit and Buns of Steel and receiving a spot in Oprah Winfrey's "Top 5 Fitness Video Instructors." Joyner's latest program, Body Gospel, is receiving plenty of attention of its own.
Body Gospel offers a combination of high-intensity, easily understandable workouts, sound nutritional advice and healthy recipes, motivational messages based on the power of faith, clear and articulate instruction and upbeat, inspirational gospel music.
All of the routines are led by Donna and
her enthusiastic team and are intended for the beginner and the advanced individual. More specifically, the workout routines are
designed with pacing that can accommodate
the advanced and beginner exerciser alike.
Body Gospel facilitates the weight loss process by including several extra materials, such as training cards and strength building resistance bands. You can track your progress and read the stories of other users online, and access is free for those who purchase the program.
Body Gospel is affordable relative to comparable weight loss programs and comes with a 30 day cash-back guarantee. You should see results with the program well before the expiration of this refund period.
The intent of the Body Gospel fitness program is to provide you with an inspirational, total body weight loss solution combining nutrition, fitness and faith. Body Gospel comprises a wide variety of exercise styles, including cardio, core workouts, stretching, aerobics, dance, interval training, strength building and walking to form a well-rounded program that's simple to implement into your existing schedule, thanks to the included workout calendars and online software. You'll accomplish your goals by following along with the included workouts, all of which are set to upbeat, motivational gospel music:
- Body Revival - 34 minutes - A cardio program designed to help you burn calories, slim down your entire body and increase your energy levels for the rest of the day.
- Stretch in the Spirit - 12 minutes - A stretching routine allowing you to reduce stress, improve your flexibility and prepare for the more strenuous workouts.
- Core Revelation - 21 minutes - A strength building and toning routine aimed at your core, including your abs, backside and thighs.
- Power and Praise - 37 minutes - Intense interval training that makes use of the included resistance bands in order to burn fat and add density, mass and definition to your muscles.
- Strength and Spirit - 54 minutes - A combination of cardio and strength building exercises that allows you to burn fat and calories while toning and sculpting your upper and lower body.
- Gospel Glory - 45 minutes - A fast-paced cardio workout targeting your abs, hips and thighs with energized dance.
- Stepping in the Spirit - 20 minutes - A walking workout featuring motivation from Donna and powerful gospel music hits.
- Body Gospel LIVE - 31 minutes - An intense dance workout featuring a live gospel choir.
- Sweat and Sculpt - 20 minutes - This bonus DVD offers additional cardio and muscle sculpting workouts.
The Body Gospel weight loss program includes the following materials:
- 9 workouts spread over 4 DVDs
- Total Transformation Guide (a 30 day workout calendar plus a goal-tracking journal to help you plot your journey and track your progress. Also includes daily scripture for motivation and inspiration)
- Nutrition Guide (high-energy, fat burning recipes for snacks and meals provided by Donna Richardson Joyner)
- Body Gospel Training Cards (which describe the moves in brief and allow you to complete the workouts without a TV and DVD player)
- Body Gospel Bands (high quality resistance bands that improve the efficiency of the workouts and allow you to build muscle mass and density during the strength training routines)
- 3-Day Jump-Start Plan (a brief workout plan designed to help you lose 3 inches and 3 pounds in 3 days, safely and effectively)
- Online Access (allowing you to connect with Donna and your fellow Body Gospel users for training tips, nutrition tracking tools and personalized coaching)
Since the release of the original Body Gospel, Beachbody has released a Body Gospel Deluxe Upgrade kit designed to supplement the basic program. The Deluxe Upgrade includes the following workouts:
- Easy Steppin' Line Dance - 10 minutes - This express workout is based on line dancing and country music.
- Lower Body Transformation - 13 minutes - A targeted lower body workout designed to work your buttocks, core and thighs.
- Express Abs - 11 minutes - A brief, effective workout designed to target your core and flatten your tummy.
- Testify! - A documentary that includes stories of spiritual inspiration, weight loss and improved health from successful Body Gospel users.
Body Gospel is an all-inclusive, total body fitness program designed to get your entire body into shape by burning fat and calories while improving muscle tone, mass and density. This is accomplished through both cardio routines and strength training, including high intensity interval training. Depending on the workouts you choose to perform on a given day, you'll find Body Gospel targeting your:
- Cardiovascular health
- Overall flexibility
- Hips
- Waist
- Thighs
- Buttocks
- Abs
- Legs
- Arms
- Chest
- Shoulders
Body Gospel is intended to exercise your mind and spirit, not just your body. The scripture messages and instruction from Donna provide motivation while the gospel music and energetic dancing relieve stress and boost your mental health.
The exact length of the Body Gospel weight loss program will depend on your goals and how you choose to customize the program based on the included workout calendars. Most individuals opt for a 90 day program, through programs ranging from 60 days to 120 days are possible as well. The workout calendar lasts for 30 days, and it's possible to extend the program further by using different combinations of the included workouts based on advice provided by Donna and the Total Transformation Guide.
If you're looking to test the program before deciding whether you'd like to keep it, it's advisable to try the included 3-Day Jump-Start Plan. This is a rigorous, brief workout plan designed to help you drop 3 pounds in only 3 days. If you're interested in Body Gospel as a way of "tuning up" your body and maintaining your current fitness, using nothing more than this plan may give you the results you're seeking.
As with the program's length, the frequency with which you'll perform the Body Gospel workouts is based on your goals and current fitness levels. You can expect to work out nearly every day of the week for no more than one hour at a time.
By dedicating yourself to Body Gospel, you should notice significant results after one to two weeks. Additional results should come steadily over the following weeks as you complete the program. In order to maximize the effectiveness of Body Gospel, it's recommended that you utilize all of the included materials, particularly the Total Transformation Guide, Nutrition Guide and online access. As you become more comfortable with the program, you can start incorporating the Body Gospel Bands which add resistance and efficiency to the strength building exercises. Modern jogos friv games are awesome in their qualities, in terms of sound and graphics as well. In fact you will see that these jogos friv games are not less in quality than most of non-free computer games, meaning those that requires money.
The weight loss stories offered on the Beachbody site by Body Gospel users indicate that you can lose 30 to 50 or more pounds by completing the program, though results obviously vary depending on how much weight you intend to lose and your ability to stick to the program. Unedited user reviews of Body Gospel indicate that the program is indeed effective, and showcase some important points of interest:
- The program is doable even for those who are drastically out of shape.
- The dance and aerobic routines in particular make for an ideal, high-energy start to the morning.
- The exercises are synchronized with the gospel music, making them easier to follow.
- Donna's instruction is clear, concise and serves its purpose without getting in the way of the routines themselves.
- The training cards are comprehensive enough to allow you to work out without a TV.
- The meal plan is easy to follow but lacks variety.
Body Gospel includes resistance bands that you can use to increase the intensity of the strength training exercises. However, in order to make the most out of the program, you'll need to supply some gear of your own. Many of the aerobic exercises are depicted using light free weights, which are not included as part of the Body Gospel package. Some of the routines also require you to get on the floor, and for this you should have access to a quality gym mat or yoga mat.
Aside from these considerations, you should be prepared with the same materials you'd use with any video weight loss program. These include lightweight clothing, comfortable cross-training shoes, water bottles, a towel, a TV and a DVD player. Since much of Body Gospel focuses on cardiovascular workouts, you might also consider investing in a heart rate monitor.
Although Body Gospel is a relatively intense program designed for those who are serious about weight loss, the physical requirements are lenient and forgiving overall. If you're physically capable of engaging in at least some aerobic activity, you should have little problem following along with the workouts and eventually mastering them.
Since Body Gospel is a total body fitness program that includes both cardio and strength training, it can accomodate a wide variety of fitness goals and current fitness levels. The moves themselves are clearly articulated, making it ideal even for those who may not have much experience with video fitness programs.
As with all Beachbody products, one of Body Gospel's biggest strengths is its excellent customer support. You can seek the advice and help of fitness experts and other Body Gospel users through Beachbody's message boards, or contact Beacybody directly via one of the following 24/7 customer service avenues:
- Toll-free phone
- Email
- FAQ
- Live chat
Body Gospel can be purchased for two monthly payments of $39.95 each, plus $14.95 for shipping and handling. If you'd prefer, you can opt to pay for the entire program at once for a price of $79.90. Beachbody estimates that the entire package is worth a total of $400, and while that may be a slight exaggeration, it's obvious that Body Gospel is a good value given the included materials.
The Body Gospel Deluxe Upgrade includes a new set of materials designed to complement the workouts and materials included in the original Body Gospel program. It contains three additional workouts and an inspirational documentary entitled "Testify," along with intermediate sculpting bands with more resistance than the bands included with the original Body Gospel package. The Body Gospel Deluxe Upgrade can be purchased for a single payment of $59.90.
Body Gospel Deluxe comprises all of the materials included in the original Body Gospel package along with the Body Gospel Deluxe Upgrade. For individuals who are new to the program, Body Gospel Deluxe is the best way to experience everything Body Gospel has to offer in a single package. Body Gospel Deluxe is available for one payment of $139.80.
The Body Gospel LIVE DVD, which is included with the original Body Gospel package, can be purchased separately for one payment of $19.95.
The Body Gospel Sweat and Sculpt DVD, which is also included with the original Body Gospel program, can be purchased separately for a single payment of $19.95. Note that the Sweat and Sculpt DVD requires the use of resistance bands, which are included with the original Body Gospel package but can also be purchased separately from Beachbody for a retail price of $29.95.
As with many Beachbody products, Body Gospel comes with a 30-day money back guarantee. If you're not happy with your purchase, you can return it for a full refund minus the cost of shipping.
Summary
Body Gospel is an ideal total body weight loss and strength building program for those looking to combine exercise with their faith in God. Instead of focusing on a single area of the body (such as the abs or buttocks), Body Gospel takes a more well-rounded approach to fitness and incorporates a wide variety of target areas. Instead of focusing on a single type of exercise, Body Gospel draws on a range of techniques including interval training, strength building, dance, aerobics and stretching, truly making it an all-encompassing program.
Another major advantage of Body Gospel is its convenience. You can complete the workouts at home in front of your TV. Alternatively, you can take the included training cards with you in order to fit a brief session into a busy schedule. Although you'll need to purchase some extra equipment to get the most out of the program, all of the moves are possible with what's included in the box.
Perhaps the biggest selling point of Body Gospel is its uniqueness. If you're looking specifically for a weight loss and strength building program combining exercise and faith, you probably won't find a better one until Donna Richardson Joyner and Beachbody decide to release a new version of Body Gospel.
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