• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Fitness Fatale

Fitness Fatale

Conquering Fitness Goals One at a Time

  • About
    • Press
  • Blog
    • Archives
    • Workout Program Options
      • 21 Day Fix Resources
      • P90X Resources
    • PRs & Race Reports
    • Pregnancy
      • Twin Pregnancy
    • Recipes
  • Coach Business Mentorship For Runners
  • Beachbody Accountability Groups For Runners
  • Show Search
Hide Search
9 Month Postpartum Progression Using 21 Day Fix, LIIFT4 and 80 Day Obsession

How I Combined 80 Day Obsession & Running (Plus Results & Honest Review!)

how to combine 80 day obsession and running

80 Day Obsession is in the rear view mirror! Even though I modified 80 Day Obsession to fit in with my half marathon training, I’m proud to say I did complete all the workouts in my modified-for-running plan. To give you background if you’re finding my blog for the first time, I was pregnant with twins when this program first came out. Having modified many Beachbody programs to fit in with my half and full marathon training, I wrote a blog post with a recommended schedule for how to combine 80 Day Obsession with Running (which was one of my most popular blog posts last year). I had reviewed the program materials and workout calendar, but I had not yet done the program myself. I gave myself time to build back my core and recover from my pregnancy and then I started 80 Day Obsession at five months postpartum (read my Phase 1 and Phase 2 review and results). Now that I’ve done the program, I can give even better feedback when it comes to mixing 80 Day Obsession with running!

My Honest Review of 80 Day Obsession

80 Day Obsession challenged me. It’s not a beginner’s program and although I’m not a beginner, I was only 5 months postpartum when I started. I took two weeks off between finishing the fast paced and shorter LIIFT4 (which I absolutely LOVED and completed 100% while also training for my first postpartum half marathon). When I first started 80 Day Obsession, if I’m totally honest, I wasn’t so sure I liked it! The workouts seemed slower, especially during week 1, and drawn out, and as a runner, I was worried that working my legs every day would affect my running.

But, around the end of week 2, I was really hooked. I started to enjoy the longer workouts and more unique moves. Also, the way 80 Day Obsession works is that the rep scheme changes week to week, and it gets harder as you move through each phase. Then you start a whole new routine each month so you’re constantly being challenged. I really enjoyed Phase 2- the build phase – the most. I loved lifting heavier weights and seeing how much stronger I got over the month. Then we started Phase 3, which personally was the toughest for me because it fell over the holidays, but I enjoyed the faster paced, more high intensity and complex workouts too. The phase 3 80 Day Obsession workouts challenged me so much that I think there wasn’t a workout that I didn’t want to quit! But I never did, I finished them all, even if I was tempted to skip the turkish getups every single time.

How I Modified 80 Day Obsession For Running

80 day obsession and running review
I ran 3 days a week while doing 80 day obsession

As a busy mom of three AND runner, it was tough for me to do this program (even the modified version) with half marathon training, even though I was only running 3 days a week. The first week, I attempted to do 5 of the workouts along with 3 runs and it was too much for me to keep up with . Instead, I decided to do just the 4 strength workouts and not any of the cardio workouts. The goal was 4 strength workouts and 3 runs per week, ideally with a double day so that I could have a rest day. I found it tough for me to do a double day since the workouts were so long, so ultimately every time I took a rest day it pushed my schedule back. Also, I took a full week off of the program during phase 1 to rest for the Rock n’ Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon. During phase 3 I also came down with TWO colds during the month of December. In the end, I finished this 13 week program in nearly 16 weeks, but I did complete all 52 strength workouts!

Here’s an idea of how my weekly schedule of mixing 80 Day Obsession with running looked like (not every week but this was pretty typical):

Monday: AAA

Tuesday: Run 4-6 miles with intervals/speed work (in reality the speed work happened about every other week on average)

Wednesday:  Legs

Thursday: Run 3-6 miles

Friday: Total Body Core

Saturday: Long run (8-13 miles depending on where I was in my training cycle)

Sunday: Booty (or take a rest day and do Booty Monday, which pushed everything back the following week)

This is just my experience. I generally find that I love and tend to exercise more than the average person – even with 3 kids. That being said, I DO believe it is possible to stay on track and finish in 13 weeks with the modified version of this program. It will be easier and you’ll have better results if you are able to get a full 8 hours of sleep each night, you’re following the nutrition plan, drinking your Recover supplement every day, and you have the time to do double days at least once a week. If you want to run 4-6 days a week and do 80 Day Obsession, you’ll have to be prepared to spend a lot of time recovering and even then I’m not sure I’d recommend it. there are better programs for that level of running. Personally, I think LIIFT4 and 21 Day Fix are much better programs for anyone training for a half or full marathon.

How I’d Recommend Runners Use 80 Day Obsession To Prepare For Half or Full Marathons

80 day obsession and running
Half Marathon Training while doing 80 Day Obsession IS possible

That being said, 80 Day Obsessions emphasis on the glutes is GREAT for runners. Many runners have an imbalance (myself included, I saw a postpartum PT who tested this among other things) between their quads and hamstrings/glutes which can lead to not only slower running times but also more injuries. I saw a dramatic improvement in my leg and glute strength with this program and a very noticeable change in the roundness of my booty (which aesthetically I also love!). I’d recommend that serious runners do 80 Day Obsession prior to starting serious half or full marathon training to build a solid foundation and then continue with LIIFT4 until about a month before the race and then switch to 2-3 strength workouts a week and 1 yoga session per week (I like 21 Day Fix or 21 Day Fix Extreme for this, but Beachbody has several great strength workouts and even Yoga for Runners).

Will You Lose Weight Doing 80 Day Obsession?

will i lose weight on 80 day obsession
I only lost 3 pounds during 80 Day Obsession

This will depend on a few things. If you follow the nutrition plan, I believe you will definitely lose weight with 80 Day Obsession.

If you do NOT follow the nutrition plan, you could even gain weight with 80 Day Obsession, as you won’t be losing as much fat, but you’ll be gaining muscle. The scale could go up but assuming you’re not over-eating, you’ll still lose inches and get stronger and feel better.

Another factor to losing weight with 80 Day Obsession will be how close you already are to your goal weight. if you have quite a bit of weight to lose, you’re going to lose more than someone who is close to their goal weight, as I was.

80 Day Obsession Nutrition Plan

The 80 Day Obsession Nutrition plan is fairly complex and is based on “timed nutrition” using the Beachbody Portion Fix containers. For example, before you workout, you are supposed to eat 1 carb serving, 1 protein serving and 1 veggie serving. After you workout, you are supposed to eat a specific ratio of carbs to protein as well. There are 5 meals throughout the day, each portioned out based on the ideal macro ratio depending on the timing of your workout. If the timed portion is too complex, I’d recommend just following the portion fix plan that most Beachbody programs use.

I did not follow the nutrition plan for this program & I know I would have had better results had I done so. But, after 5 months of following a nutrition plan to lose 25 pounds with 21 Day Fix and LIIFT4, plus with it being the holiday season, I was ready for a break. I also felt a bit overwhelmed by the timed nutrition especially since my meals largely revolve around my husband and children’s schedule. These aren’t excuses – I could have made a sacrifice and followed the nutrition plan and I believe anyone can do it, but it does take more effort than most Beachbody nutrition plans and it does not allow for ANY cheat meals or alcohol, so it’s quite rigid.

I tried to maintain a balanced diet throughout, and admittedly there were a lot more treats and alcohol in December than I had planned, but that’s life right!? In the end, the only week of the nutrition plan I followed was the final week – I followed the Peak Week nutrition plan which includes a carb-cycling component, though I did not do the timed nutrition.

Carb cycling during Peak Week in 80 Day Obsession is following 2 days of a lower carb diet followed by a regular carb diet followed by 2 days of lower carbs (in this case, it’s just 1 serving of carbs/yellow container per day and no fruit). I was actually really surprised that this was pretty easy for me to follow. The high protein and fat helped keep me full and I actually didn’t crave much junk at all!

If I ever do this program again, it will be because I really want to go all in and I will commit to the nutrition plan to see the best results.

My 80 Day Obsession Results

9 Month Postpartum Progression Using 21 Day Fix, LIIFT4 and 80 Day Obsession
9 Month Postpartum Progression Using 21 Day Fix, LIIFT4 and 80 Day Obsession

So…after 16 weeks and 52 strength training workouts, through Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, my birthday, with an average of 3 runs per week (about 15-20 miles per week on average)…. here are the final results!

  • I am stronger.
  • My butt has never looked better!
  • I run faster (I dropped 3 min off my half marathon time)
  • I feel accomplished for pushing through this program during a tough time of year.
  • I can do more push-ups on my toes.
  • I lost 3.2 pounds.
  • I lost 3 inches, including 1 from my waist and 1 from my hips.
  • I feel more fit!

Since starting my postpartum fitness journey back at the end of May when I was cleared for exercise, I’ve lost 22 pounds and 16 inches!!! That was with 21 Day Fix, LIIFT4 and 80 Day Obsession with some breaks between.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I loved 80 Day Obsession and would recommend it to anyone looking to get serous about their fitness journey and fully commit. This isn’t a program for anyone who wants to do it halfway – it will challenge you and push you, but it will make you STRONGER! I love Autumn’s inspirational words and her style in general. I loved that I got a unique workout each time, but also got to see myself get better and stronger as each phase progressed. This is a great program if you want to PROVE to yourself that you can do something tough and reap serious rewards from it!

Are you a runner looking to add strength or cross training to your training plan? My monthly challenge groups are full of runners doing just that – click here to get more information on joining the next monthly accountability group! 

If you love Beachbody AND running and want to share your love of health and fitness with others as a Beachbody coach, please head over to my coaching info page to learn more about how I can help you build a business of your own! You don’t have to give up running to be a coach – in fact, it can strengthen your business.

Related Posts:

Running & 80 Day Obsession Phase 1 Results

Running & 80 Day Obsession Phase 2 Results 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

January 30, 2019 By fitnessfatale 4 Comments

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 80 day obsession and running, 80 day obsession before and after, 80 day obsession half marathon training, 80 day obsession results, 80 day obsession review

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Deborah Brooks

    January 31, 2019 at 12:14 am

    wow you are really crushing your workouts. I often find it challenging to do legs and then run the next day without feeling it. Looking fantastic!

    Reply
  2. Leslie @ Triathlete Treats

    February 4, 2019 at 2:24 am

    Interesting review! You look awesome!! I’m in phase 3 in week 2 of 80DO. I like it but its so complicated! 😉 I thought it would be great to do in my off-season. I’m only kind of doing the nutrition correctly which I think is totally key in this program. (I didn’t really realize that was such a factor when I decided on this program) I am feeling stronger which I’m pumped about!

    Reply
  3. Heather

    March 25, 2022 at 2:06 pm

    Hi,

    You might want to change your statement stating that muscle weighs more than fat. This is not correct. A pound weighs a pound. It’s just that muscle is more dense than fluffy fat. So a pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat.

    Reply
    • fitnessfatale

      April 29, 2022 at 4:23 pm

      ah yes! thank you that’s what I meant but I’ll fix it 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Let’s Get Stronger, Healthier & Faster Together!

I am specialize in working with runners to help them incorporate strength training & nutrition into their running routines.

I am passionate about mindset and love to help people find more joy and success in their running by breaking through mental barriers.

While weight loss is a result of our programs, women in my groups often find that they are running faster, are less injury prone, and have more energy and confidence!

I am the founder of Team Run the World, a group of BODi coaches who love running! I provide mentorship, support and training for women who want to start their own coaching business from home and work flexible hours.

I would love to help support you in reaching your goals!

Archives

  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011

Footer

Copyright © 2023 · Fitness Fatale

 

Loading Comments...