I Traded CrossFit For 80 Day Obsession For 1 Week, and This Is What Happened

Designed by superstar Beachbody coach Autumn Calabrese, the 80 Day Obsession involves 80 days of unique daily video workouts and take 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 averageing 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!

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 over two 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 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 workouts in 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 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 encourageing 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 fave for ab exercises!), which I rarely use in my CrossFit workouts, and made me realise that they're both great pieces of equipment to keep in my home gym.

The cost is also insanely cheaper than CrossFit. For a six-month unlimited membership at my gym, it costs $895 ($149.20/month), and I have access to all equipment. For a six-month Beachbody On Demand membership, it costs $59 ($9.84/month). Of course you need to buy dumbbells ($5 to $30 per pair, and you'll probably need three pairs of light, medium, and heavy). You also need the Resistance Loops ($15), Strength Slides ($30), and a foam roller ($30), so that adds on an extra $100 at least. But 80 Day Obsession is still so much less expensive.

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. I also wasn't a fan of the six days straight of workouts, even though they focussed 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 — 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 I 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 that the 80 Day Obsession is a kick-ass 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 feel stronger and happier by the end.

With that said, my obsession still lies with CrossFit. I did enjoy the 80 Day Obsession workouts and learning new exercises, 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'm addicted to 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, on losing weight, or on 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 can you lift? Not how fast can you lose weight, but how fast can you 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 fulfiled, and happier having found CrossFit, and for that, I'll forever be obsessed.