I started doing Tracy Anderson’s workouts ahead of my wedding more than a year ago. Spoiler: they really helped me tone my legs and abs. I wasn’t a fan of the upper body portion of the workouts – I had shoulder surgery eight years ago and really need to keep my upper body workouts straightforward and simple. Dumbbells, pushups, rows and stretches work just fine for me. But Tracy’s leg and ab workouts are a revelation if you haven’t done them before. They’re a mix of old-meets-new-school and they feel great.

When I started doing her workouts, it was 14 weeks before our wedding. That, along with stress over getting laid-off at work, motivated me to amp up my exercise and really switch my focus to getting more toned and relieve tension. Up until that point, I was kind of half-assing it in the workout department.

Shortly after getting engaged, I printed out a beauty checklist from Allure to keep me on point for wedding-related beauty extras, which you can find here. One of the main items on the checklist, listed repeatedly, is working out. And then working out some more. And the list recommended Tracy Anderson’s workouts. Back in the summer before our wedding, I dismissed her workouts as not for me and powered on with my YouTube cardio, light running and a collection of other strength workouts.

Except that nothing stuck. I lose interest quickly in all things if it’s not regimented, and I needed, craved, more structure. I’ve danced off and on for my entire life, ran a few 10ks and 5ks, lifted weights, done every Buns of Steel workout video with my mom as a kid, and Mousercise videos (YES, that Mousercise) and I’m no stranger to the female workout game. 

But this time I needed more structure. Time ticked on, and I wasn’t focused. After getting laid-off I ran a few times around my neighborhood, but I needed more. Then I re-read my wedding checklist and decided to look into Tracy Anderson’s workouts. They seemed to be exactly what I needed – structure that changes every 10 days with cardio and strength. I really liked what I saw.

Years ago, when I was a news reporter, I watched Gwyneth Paltrow and Tracy Anderson speak at a convention I was covering. I remember being interested in Tracy’s method, but I never checked her out. I’m so happy I finally did.

After a 30-minute dance cardio session I do the 30-minute muscle conditioning, and although I’m tired immediately afterward, I feel great. In fact, working out with the Tracy Anderson Method has given me much more energy. What was hard for me at the beginning of each 10-day cycle isn’t so difficult by the end of the cycle.

Tracy’s workouts get progressively harder, which is something you want in a workout program. It’s hard, but really fun when you get into the exercises. And afterward, there’s this amazing sense of accomplishment and I feel good. After day 30 of Tracy Anderson’s workouts, there were significant changes for me. I did at least 30 minutes of cardio every day, followed by the daily strength workout. Most of the time I did six days on, one day off, but had one sporadic week with two days off, two days on until it sorted itself out. Also, I didn’t follow the recommended diet plan that came with the program because I love to cook and I’m not eating those meals. But I ate better overall and was motivated to eat healthy, nutrient-rich food to fuel me and my workouts.

Up first came the mental and physical changes: My energy went through the roof. My head felt clear. I also became physically stronger. The exercises seemed so tough at first, but throughout the course of the 10 days, you learn them and it makes you feel wonderful. The program is hard, and I earned every ounce of strength and stamina I gained.  Our girl Tracy is a beast. #respect

My cardio endurance grew, and so did my determination. The cardio that I could barely do at the beginning of the workouts became fun and I craved harder and harder. Now for the bottom line: My weight didn’t really change, save for a couple pounds. But my clothes fit me much better than they did, and the inches melted off.

I know that when I do Tracy Anderson’s workouts, my body feels more toned and happy, and I feel stronger overall. I used Tracy’s DVDs because the online streaming service is a little rich for my blood at this point, but I still felt really engaged and motivated. The people who do her online classes swear by them. If you’re interested at all and worried about the cost, I say try a DVD or one of her streaming classes then go from there. You can also stream her DVD once you buy it, which is a nice feature. I liked having a hard copy and my online copy too, just in case, so I didn’t miss a workout.

I hope you try her workouts if you’re looking for something new that really, really works. I’m just getting back into her workouts after a long hiatus and my success on them while planning our wedding reminded me of how much I missed working out with Tracy Anderson. If you like general wellness or running articles, please enter your email address at the right and subscribe! I send out a weekly newsletter at most, and there’s always exclusive subscriber content included.

Thanks for reading!