I Tried 80 Day Obsession, and Let Me Explain Just How Intense the Workouts Are

Designed by superstar Beachbody coach Autumn Calabrese, 80 Day Obsession involves 80 days of unique daily video workouts and takes 13 weeks to complete. Each workout builds on the day before to help you get stronger every day. There's also a meal plan included, but I didn't follow that for this weeklong experiment.

The video workouts are streamed, so you can watch them anywhere you have internet. They're 30 to 60 minutes long with most averaging 45 to 60 minutes, so you'll get in a good workout without having to devote a ton of time. You'll work out six days a week (Monday through Saturday), followed by a rest day (Sunday). 80 Day Obsession focuses on helping you get leaner, more defined abs and a sculpted booty, but really, you will absolutely work (and transform) your entire body. Sweet, let's do this!

The cost is much cheaper than CrossFit. For a six-month unlimited membership at my gym, I pay $895 ($149.20 per month), and have access to all equipment. For a six-month Beachbody On Demand membership, it costs $78 ($13 per month). Of course, you need to buy dumbbells (those can be pricey and you'll probably need three pairs of light, medium, and heavy). You also need the Resistance Loops ($15), Strength Slides ($30), and Foam Roller ($30), so that adds on an extra $100 at least. But 80 Day Obsession is still so much less expensive.

You can choose between two different meal plans to go along with the 80 Day Obsession workouts: Ultimate Portion Fix and 2B Mindset — just choose the program that best suits you and your needs.

This is the program with the little color-coded containers that teaches portion control for all your meals. Each color stand for a different type of food: green is for veggies, purple is for fruit, red is for proteins, yellow is for carbs, blue is for healthy fats, orange is for seeds and healthy dressings, and teaspoons are used for oil and nut butter. There's some flexibility with this diet if you need, such as a vegan option.

Designed by registered dietitian Ilana Muhlstein, MS, RDN, 2B Mindset is a flexible weight-loss meal plan that allows you eat larger volumes of food to feel satisfied. The program is actually based on what Muhlstein did to lose 100 pounds. You'll learn her proven eating strategies to overcome emotional and mindless eating so you can lose weight. There's no measuring or counting in this program.

With my experience doing CrossFit three to four times a week for over four years, I wanted to see how 80 Day Obsession workouts compared. Would they be as intense and effective at building strength? Would they leave me as sore and as inspired? Would I trade my CrossFit obsession for the 80 Day Obsession? I followed along to the first week of video workouts:

Monday: 60-minute Total Body Core
Tuesday: 60-minute Booty
Wednesday: 40-minute Cardio Core
Thursday: 49-minute AAA (Arms, Abs, and Ass)
Friday: 46-minute Legs
Saturday: 31-minute Cardio Flow
Sunday: 19-minute Roll and Release

Equipment needed: three sets of dumbbells (light, medium, and heavy), a set of three Resistance Loops ($15), Strength Slides ($30), and a Foam Roller ($30)

After doing CrossFit regularly for nearly four years, being used to lifting heavy weights, and doing very intense workouts, I was pleasantly shocked at how hard these 80 Day Obsession workouts are. I got to try some new exercises, use equipment I don't usually use, focus on more reps with lower weights, and do more plyo exercises and cardio. It was a fun change of pace and scenery since I did all these workouts at home alone.

I really couldn't beat the convenience of being able to do the workouts at home at any time of the day. I was able to fit in workouts before the kids woke up or after they went to bed. Since they were only 60 minutes tops, it saved a ton of time compared to the half hour it takes me to drive to my CrossFit box, do the hour-long workout, and the half-hour drive home.

Autumn Calabrese's energetic, positive, and encouraging coaching style was extra motivating. She's fun but also a hard-ass, and it inspired me to push myself, even though I was working out alone. I also loved that we used resistance bands and sliders (these were my favorite for ab exercises!), which I rarely use in my CrossFit workouts, and made me realize that they're both great pieces of equipment to keep in my home gym.

I missed my gym! Although Autumn is upbeat and I felt like I had my own personal trainer working out in the basement with me, it in no way compared to the energy and inner drive I have when working out with my fellow CrossFit peeps. I definitely didn't push myself nearly as hard as I do at my gym.

Although the workouts were challenging, and I was left huffing and puffing and sore the following day, they weren't nearly as intense as CrossFit workouts, and I didn't like that. Even though the 80 Day Obsession workouts do get progressively harder, nothing compares to holding a barbell, climbing a rope, or using a rower.

I also wasn't a fan of the six days straight of workouts, even though they focused on different body parts, with the one day of rest. I prefer my CrossFit schedule of Sunday, Monday, Thursday active rest and Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday work out.

I know I said a benefit of the 80 Day Obsession is that you can do the workouts any time. Although the idea of having that flexibility is awesome, in reality, it made it so much harder for me to stick to it — I'd never be able to do it long-term. Having to be at my gym at a certain time for class forces me to make it a priority. Knowing my CrossFit community and coaches are expecting me to show up keeps me accountable. I just don't have the discipline to make myself work out at the same time every day by myself. It's so much less inspiring.

There's no denying the 80 Day Obsession is a kickass program. It's amazing that the 13 weeks of workouts are all planned out and easy to follow. It's affordable, convenient, inspiring, and effective. Anyone who follows this program will most likely feel stronger by the end. It's also popular on social media, so following along with other people who are doing 80 Day Obsession may be motivating and help you stick with the program for the full 80 days.

With that said, my obsession still lies with CrossFit. I did enjoy the 80 Day Obsession workouts and learning new exercises, and I loved Autumn and the cost and convenience. But after each day's workout, I never felt the inner strength, confidence, energy, and power I feel from picking up a barbell, doing box jumps, climbing a rope, and doing countless burpees.

What can I say? I love the pain of intense workouts that leave me so breathless and sore that it makes me feel more alive, more energized, and more myself. But more importantly, I'm grateful for the community of CrossFitters and my coaches who inspire me to push myself hard every single day. And that's well worth the extra cost and the extra time.

The biggest reason I love CrossFit is that the focus isn't on transforming your body, losing weight, sculpting a booty, or getting ripped abs (you get the picture). The focus isn't on what you look like at all, but what you can do. Not how much you weigh, but how much you can lift. Not how fast can you lose weight, but how fast you can do 100 wall balls.

For someone who has struggled with the BS of body image, diets, and weight loss, CrossFit has been like therapy for me. It's improved my mental health and made me fall in love with my body for its abilities, not its appearance. I feel more inspired, more fulfilled, and happier having found CrossFit, and for that, I'll forever be obsessed.