The Master's Hammer and Chisel Review

I did it! That’s right, I completed my first 60 day Beachbody program like a boss! I've tried other programs in the past like Insanity and PiYO but gave up before the 60 day mark because I wanted to switch things up with my workouts. Luckily, Hammer and Chisel was a completely different story and is now being added to my list of favorites, check out why and my results below!

The Master’s Hammer and Chisel is the first home fitness program Beachbody has ever released featuring two trainers, Autumn Calabrese and Sagi Kalev. Personally, I think this was the key to me not needing to switch things up because I was getting a different trainer every day. Autumn who is the creator of 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix Extreme is my all time favorite because of her simple yet highly effective workouts and always motivating demeanor. Sagi also known as, “The Beast” from Body Beast was a new trainer for me but I quickly fell in love with him too, especially all his “jokes.” I don’t know if my abs hurt more from working hard or giggling at him but either way he’s awesome! So where did the nicknames Hammer and Chisel come from? Well, Sagi {The Hammer} helps you focus on lifting heavy and Autumn, {The Chisel} gets you shredded by incorporating cardio with strength training. This is the perfect combination no matter if your goal is to lose weight, gain muscle or simple just tone up!

As I mentioned above the workouts are a combo of heavy lifting, cardio and strength training. My favorite part though? They are only 30-40 minutes each which includes the warm up and cool down which means you work hard and are DONE for the day! There are 15 workouts total but the way the schedule is set up I didn’t feel like I was doing the same workouts all the time. In fact a lot of the time my husband and I would look at each and say, “have we even done this one before?” Most of the workouts are circuit style which in my opinion makes them go by quickly because you’re doing a new move every minute or after just 8 reps. The workouts do require a little more equipment compared to other home fitness programs but to me it’s simply an investment in my health. Not to mention fitness equipment can last a lifetime if you take care of it. A variety of weights, resistance bands, a chin up bar or over the door resistance band and a bench or stability ball are what’s recommended. Personally, I used my free weights ranging from 8-20 pounds, resistance bands with the door attachment {click here to see the ones I use} and a stability ball. I do think you could get by without the stability ball but you may need to get creative for some of the moves and use your couch or a chair to get the full effect!

In addition to the workouts, Hammer and Chisel also focuses on nutrition using the portion control and containers from the Fix system. The containers are color coded for each food group for example red is protein, green is veggies, yellow is carbs, etc. You calculate how many containers are needed on a daily basis using your current weight, gender and health goals. Your nutrition is based on whether your goal is to lose weight, maintain weight or gain muscle. My goal was to continue losing the baby weight while maintaining breastmilk supply as my son is only 4 months old. If this is a concern for you as well no fear because the plan even accounts for breastfeeding too! Now I’ll be honest I didn’t follow the meal plan perfectly, not because I can’t or it’s too hard but because I simply didn’t want to. I strictly followed the Fix meal plan in the past {which you can read all about here} and it taught me A LOT about proper nutritional balance and portion control. In fact it completely changed my lifestyle to what is commonly referred to as the 80/20 rule, meaning I eat 80% clean and 20% treats! I love this lifestyle because it’s realistic for a girl like me who still wants to enjoy a cheeseburger or cupcake every once in a while without feeling like she wrecked her “diet”. I live life having a diet, not being on one! One other thing that helps keep me on track with my nutrition is Shakeology. The blend of over 70 superfoods packs health benefits like increased energy and improved digestion, protein, vitamins and minerals which makes it my healthiest and easiest meal of the day. Plus, it’s a sweet treat that’s actually good for me with recipes like salted caramel or birthday cake!

Now before we get to my results I have to share one last favorite thing about the program and that’s the fact it’s suitable for everyone! For example my goal was to lose weight, while my husband's was to maintain weight and build strength. We were both able to achieve those goals with Hammer and Chisel and it was actually quite fun working out together everyday, not to mention we kept each other motivated too! Okay onto the moment you’ve been waiting for…

My results! In 60 days I lost 11 inches and majorly toned my stomach back up after baby, just look at those abs popping through! We don’t own a scale so I’m not sure if I actually lost weight or not but who cares? Being able to fit into another pair of pre-pregnancy jeans, losing 11 inches, lifting heavier weights than ever before and seeing these pictures is proof enough that I’m making progress! The Master’s Hammer and Chisel definitely works if you do! 

So what’s next? I’m taking a little break from the program to complete a round of 21 Day Fix Extreme before our Caribbean cruise that I earned from Beachbody. But once we get back I’ll definitely be adding Hammer and Chisel into my regular routine and may even consider another full 60 days! If you want to join me during my next challenge group or learn more about any of the Beachbody home fitness programs and Shakeology please {click here} and fill out the form because I’d love to help you start reaching your health and fitness goals TODAY!

**Beachbody does not claim any level of success with either their fitness programs or the coaching opportunity. Results and success is achieved through effort, hard work and consistency by the individual.**