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Since my original review of 21 Day Fix program exploded with over 280 comments, I thought it might be time to answer some of your most frequently asked questions all in one place.
Then as I began writing this post, I quickly realized it could end up being 10,000 plus words, and for that reason, this is going to be a two-part post.
This post will go over the 21 Day Fix most frequently asked questions related to the workouts.
While I understand this may not cover everything and will most likely be expanding at some point, I hope this post gets people immediate answers and not have to wait for a comment back.
And of course, if there’s a question you still have after looking through these 21 Day Fix FAQs, please leave a comment below.
And just as a reminder, I am neither the creator nor producer of this popular at-home workout program. These questions and answers are based upon my personal experience with the programs and from the people I have coached.
Here they are in no particular order.
Q. Do I have to do the workouts?
A. While it is said diet accounts for 60-80% of your results, exercise is also a crucial component to your overall health and well-being.
If you do your own exercise program or go to the gym everyday and just want to follow the 21 Day Fix diet with the containers, please take a look at the Portion Fix. The Portion Fix is basically the program without the workouts.
If you believe the workouts are going to be overly intense for you to begin with, but you’d like to do them in the future, I would suggest ordering the complete program with the workouts to save money in the long-run. Then, begin with a walking program and then start to slowly incorporate some of the easier workouts like Yoga. Follow the workout to the best of your ability and make use of the modifier – they are there for a reason!
So to be brief, yes you should be doing the workouts as this is how the overall program and eating plan was designed to be followed to get you the best results.
Q. Can I do the 21 Day Fix workouts and go to the gym?
A. I would advise against following the program and going to the gym, at least if you’re an exercise newbie. When you do both, you could risk overdoing it, which can actually prevent you from getting the results you want, rather than help you get the results you want quicker.
The program is designed to get you into the habit of daily exercise and is 7 days a week. Not all of the days are as intense as others as the lesser intense workout days give your body time to recover.
Remember, your body is not changing during your workouts. Change comes when you are resting and recovering. The workout is the stimulus.
Also, if you are following the diet exactly as it’s prescribed, the eating plan assumes you are only doing the 21 Day Fix workouts only. This means if you do add extra workouts, you may need to add a container or two. Remember…always listen to your body.
Q. I have “x” injury, will I be able to do this program?
A. I am not a doctor or a medical profession. If you have a concern about a medical condition, I suggest talking to your health care professional before beginning any new exercise program.
If your doctor asks what type of exercise the 21 Day Fix workouts involve, you could tell them this:
The workouts are ½ hour each. Some days are cardio-based workouts, other days a strength-based and there are also Pilates and Yoga workouts. There are modifiers who show less intense and low impact versions of each exercise, so it is not crazy like P90X or Insanity.
And above else, if you feel pain, stop the exercise immediately, and then modify or walk it out. If it is muscle burn, keep pushing!
Q. I’m “x” amount overweight will I be able to follow the workouts?
A. We all have to start somewhere. If you are injury free with no major illness or disease, you should be fine. Just take the workouts at your own pace, take it a day at a time, and you will start to see improvements in energy and endurance before you know it.
Once again, when in doubt, nothing can replace the advice of a health care professional.
Q. At what time should I do the workouts?
A. You should do the workouts at a time that is most convenient for you. That is always the best time to work out.
And scientifically speaking, there is no clear best time as studies are often contradictory. Yes, people may burn a few more calories working out in a fasted state in the morning, but that same person might burn more calories by working out later in the day when they have more energy to put into their workouts.
That being said, working out in the morning before the day gets hectic is often the most convenient time for the majority of people. So, if you struggle to get in your workouts in or if something always seem to come up, maybe get up a little earlier to get your workout taken first thing.
Make the workouts a part of your daily schedule. Put them in your planner, and that way, you won’t make excuses!
Q. What should I do when I finish 21 Day Fix program?
A. You have completed three weeks of the 21 Day Fix, congratulations! But don’t stop now! The 21 Day Fix is such a well rounded program you could literally follow it for life by just beginning over again.
Here is what I suggest: Reassess where you are at.
- Are your goals the same as when you began?
- Do you still find the workouts challenging?
- Are you getting bored with the workouts?
- Do you want to take it to a more extreme level?
Take a look at these questions and then decide if you want to do another round of the 21 Day Fix or move on. For instance, if you love Autumn, but want to update the workout intensity, you should definitely take a look at the 21 Day Fix Extreme program to take your workouts up a notch.
I have coached people who continuously cycle through the 21 Day Fix program. When their day 21 ends, they are on day 1 again. I also have another person who found 21 days on, 7 days off, and then repeat the program again works amazing for them.
What you do after is entirely up to you. Just be sure to keep with the healthy lifestyle choices that the 21 Day Fix teaches. You can always contact me if you need help deciding on what program would next be best for your goals.
Q. How heavy of weights do I need?
A. It depends upon your fitness level. For beginner’s, I would recommend a 3 lb , 5 lb , and 8 lb pound dumbbell set for women. For beginning men, 5 lb, 10 lb, and 15 lb pound dumbbells to start. Intermediates and advanced should add 5-10 ibs to those numbers.
Q. How long are the workouts?
A. Each workout is around thirty minutes in length. They are short but intense, a great workout without wasted time.
Any More Questions?
If you have any questions or additions regarding specifically the 21 Day Fix workouts, please leave a comment below.
How Long Should I Rest when i m tried ?
Depends, the longer you rest the more you will recover, but the more you rest the less of a workout you will get. Just do your best and you will improve. Bethany
hello I had 12 days, in 21 day fix extreme, I gained weight, I’m not a sedentary person, and yet I can not lose weight with this program, I’m doing the plan of 1200 calories. Any advice, please. Thanks..
Hi Maria, Is the 1200 calories level the correct one for your weight? Bethany
Thanks for this information ! I am trying to keep track on my fitness pal but I don’t know how to translate the fixes into their numbers. The site is asking for calories burned and from which exercises. I really want to keep track of my intake and I hope this website will be the way. I sincerely have a terrible time planning and making sure I eat correctly. Thanks for any insight in advance !
Hi Doris, The Fix is not supposed to be about calorie counting, using the containers as they are meant to be used will get you into the the correct calorie range for weight loss with the workout program. If you wanted to break the details down, you would need to use your container and then measure the food in ounces or cups, whatever myfitnesspal uses for calorie calculation. Don’t try to make it overly difficult, that is why the Fix works, simple nutrition people can follow with 30 minute workouts.
I am feeling discouraged because I could not keep up with the first workout. Should I keep going or find something for someone who has never worked out before ?
Hi Jocelyn, Did you follow Kat, the modifier? You could try to and pause the workout or walk it out when you need to rest and then get back in when you can. Bethany
Hey Bethany, I’ve been taking part in the 21 day fix program for 2 weeks now and already i can see the results .However i wanted to ask you if it would be commendable for me to rather focus more on the Upper Fix more as im partially getting satisfied with the rest of my body but my tummy keeps holding me back.
Hi Kwanele, You can’t spot reduce. I would stick with the program how it is designed for at least a round or two before making changes. Bethany
Hi Bethany, I was wondering if the 21 day fix would be any good for me. I am approximately 30-40 pounds overweight, but currently in college full time 4 days a week. I am 20 years old and there is not much ‘healthy’ choice wise in college. I was thinking of taking my lunch anyway to college. P.S. What weights would you recommend for an absolute starter, as I do hardly any exercise at all!
HI Zara, It is a good beginner program. I would suggest 5’s, 8’s and 12’s to start with or maybe even 3 pound dumbbells, you can also use a medium strength resistance band. Bethany
Hi Bethany thanks for your response. Just one more quick one for now. Would you recommend getting a set of three resistance bands e.g light, medium and heavy. Then change whenever I feel comfortable to change? As I might be afraid to start with medium straight away.
In addition to this, you know the workouts with the weights. How would you do it with teh resistance bands?
There is someone who demonstrates the moves with the bands in the videos to follow. Bethany
Hi Zara, You could do this, you might also find that you use heavy or lighter bands on different exercises, Usually with a medium band you can adjust the tension to fit most exercises. Bethany
I been working out for a week now and weigh in this morning and was so upset because I gained weight. Is this normal? I have not started the 21 day diet but I been doing my own diet.
Hi Valerie, It happens, I would not worry. Here is a link to a post that explains the many reasons you might have gained a little. Bethany
Hi my name is aqsa and I am doing 21 days fix program and I am on my day 2!! My question is how many calaries can we take in half cup of carbs? Can we drink tea and coffee during this program. How much hummus can we eat in one portion?
Hi Aqsa, You don’t count calories, just containers, but each yellow container is roughly 200 calories as an estimate. I’m not sure about hummus. Bethany
if I miss a workout should I move on to the next workout in the schedule, or try to make up the one I missed?
Hi DeAnna, I would not skip the missed workout, but either double up the next day or push the schedule back a day. Bethany
Hi, I was wondering if I stay in the caloric range of what I am suppose to without using the containers and do the workouts faithfully will I still lose weight and get results?
HI Hollie, In theory, yes. But, if you are putting sugar laden, no nutritional value calorie foods into your body you are probably aren’t going to be able to put the same efforts into the workouts as you otherwise could. Plus, don’t you want to be healthy on the inside as well as look healthy on the outside. Bethany
Hey,
I just started 21 Day Fix. I am having a hard time preparing the meal plan. I am from an Indian family and our meals are nothing like what’s mentioned in the book. I am a healthy eater. I usually just eat home cooked meals with less oil. But I am wondering if having a healthy food habits and doing the workouts are enough to see results.
The problem with Indian food is that there are dishes that have lentils, potatoes and seasoning all in one. It becomes really hard to follow the meal plan provided with the workout because of that. Is there a way around this?
For this very reason, counting calories is also quite difficult. We do eat whole foods though, which is a plus.
Please let me know what to do, I am beyond confused and disheartened.
Hi Sushmita, I would try to take notes as to the amount of containers in your meals. After you make them once they will be much easier to track. Also try to make sure you are eating all of your yellow containers before 7 at night, this gives your food time to digest.
Hey, yes I have been keeping track. This helped me realised I was eating way more carbs than I should be. The rest seems okay so far!
Thank you for the tip! Will keep that in mind.
what all do you need to complete the workouts? any weights or other workout materials?
HI Kelsey, You could use a set of weights – 5’s, 8’s, and 12’s are a good place to start or you could just use a resistance band.
Hi. I’ve been on the 21 day fix and just finished Round 3. I did the Shakeology for 2 months (just finished with it a couple of days ago) but am not doing it anymore due to the high cost. I lost 15 lbs. in the first 2 rounds (6 weeks), but have lost nothing the last round. I do go to the gym 3 times a week and on days I don’t go to the gym, I do the workouts (the upper body fix, the lower body fix and the cardio ones) at home with 1 rest day, usually Sunday. I do walk alot as well, and at my age (58) I need that one rest day from exercise. I still want to lose another 10 to 12 lbs to reach my healthy goal weight. My coach said to just keep up with what I’m doing and the rest of the weight will come off so I started Round 4 this week. I just don’t get why I hit a “plateau” with my weight after 6 weeks on the plan. I was off for a couple of days I went away, but got right back on after that and still no more weight loss. Any suggestions? Thank you!
Hi Karen, Those last few pounds are always the hardest. I would suggest really concentrating on your diet first. Try eating from the top one-third of the approved food list only. You may also want to consider trying the extreme workouts this might be a good change, 3 rounds is not to many that your body would plateau physically, but mentally you might could be in a rut. I know personally after a few weeks of the same workouts I start to lose focus. You could also try upping the intensity of your current workouts if you did not want to invest in the extreme series. Hope that helps.
Will I need to buy weights to use with the dvds for the 21 day fix program?
Hi Francine, You would need a set of weights like this here on Amazon or an exercise band to get the most out of the workouts.
Hi , i weigh 500 lbs and im going to try this system now that my health has gotten better. I did the calculater and it shows my number being 5150 and all i see is your program go,s to 2300 what will i need to do to adjust, im very motivated but apprehensive. I hope get what i mean
Hi, Congrats on taking the first step, it’s the hardest one. I would first start with a consult with a doctor. You are probably going to want to start by doubling the last container level. This should create about a 500 to 1,000 calorie deficit a day through diet alone. This way you can lose a steady amount of weight, which should help you be able to keep it off in the long-run. Your starting weight does not really matter, gradual weight loss principles remain the same for everyone. Instead of doing the workout DVDs you may want to start with a daily walk as your endurance builds walk faster and/or further, again consulting a medical professional about an exercise regime would be best. With that said you can look at ordering just the portion control part of the 21 day fix system here and then upgrade to the full workout when you are ready.
Hi, I’m on day 7 of the program and feeling great. Before I started the program, I was already going to the gym and doing zumba and cycle for 1 hr (I alternate the exercise). My bracket is in the 1200-1499 range. I do the 21 day workout in the morning then I hit the gym for the class late afternoon. Should I up my calorie intake, add a container or two? And which container should I up?
Hi Liz, If you are feeling lack of energy or are losing to much weight(2+ pounds a week) then you should add in containers. I would recommend starting by adding a purple container first, if you still need to add another I would then add a red or yellow.
Thank you for this response. I was wondering the same thing. I’ve regularly worked out in classes, running, or walking & was hoping I could still do that but wasn’t sure if I should add a container or which one. I find I am very hungry after workouts but didn’t have extra containers use since they were already planned for the day.
:) You’re welcome!
Thank you so much Bethany. I lost 3 lbs. last week so I guess that was a bit much. I followed the portion but did exercise twice (with zumba and cycle for 1 hr) and I walk my dogs for good 40 mins. I definitely need to increase my containers. I also feel hungry (hunger pain) after I eat. Is that an indication that I’m definitely not consuming enough calories? Again, thank you
Hi Liz, Hunger is not an indication of caloric need, but you don’t want to go around being hungry either. Maybe try adding in a snack in between meals and see if that helps.
which day of 21 day fix do we start using 8 pounds dumbbells? Thanks!
Hi Lea, You can move up in weight on any day, whenever you feel comfortable.
Are you supposed to weigh yourself daily and adjust your goals accordingly?
Hi Nancy, I would not suggest weighing yourself f more than once a week, here is a post that explains more.
i just received my 21 day fix how do I go about getting a coach
Hi Nicole, It depends on how you ordered, if you do not have an assigned coach here is a link to create a free or to get a 30 day trial of Team Beachbody Club.
Hello. I’m training for a triathlon and wondering how those additional burned calories should be handled. In other words, if one were to burn 350 calories during the FIx workouts, but I burn 1,000 calories on a 3 hour bike ride, can I make up the calories? If so, all of them?
I generally feel the need to replace lost carbs and protein after a long ride, but I am not sure if that should count against the boxes.
Only been on the program since Monday, but I like it. The shakes are awesome.
Thanks!
Hi Wilky, Probably going to take you a little bit of trial and error to figure it out. What I would do is pay close attention to the scale and how you are feeling during your workouts and throughout the day. If you find yourself tired or dropping to much weight, start adding in containers. Bethany