The chances are, if you’ve been on social media recently, you will have heard of Chloe Ting. Clocking in with an impressive 17.7 million YouTube followers currently, her brutal workout videos have recently exploded in popularity – with her most popular “Abs in 2 Weeks” video being viewed 302 million times. Social media is inundated with progress pictures that seem to promise an impressive difference to ab definition and overall weight loss within such a short space of time – but does it actually work?
Well, I recently found myself facing a ten-day isolation period, and having become so reliant on daily walks, decided that this was the perfect time to give it a go! I chose the infamous ‘2 Week Shred’ (all workout plans are available for free on her website, and consist of various YouTube videos each day), and got to work.
The Program
The Two Week Shred consists of 11 workout days, and 3 active rest days across a two week period, ending with a brutal 4 workout videos in one session. The videos are definitely very core centred, with the ‘Abs in 2 Weeks’ video appearing on almost every workout day. Warm up and cool down videos are included, should you fancy them (I just did my own thing). Here are my takeaways from the experience…
The first 3 days are the hardest.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the first 3 days are by far the toughest to get through. I was relatively fit to begin with, but was used to doing just one HIIT fitness video, rather than three different ones back to back. It was definitely a shock to the system, and having no break in the first three days was really challenging! However, it does start to get easier as you go along.
Listening to your own music is a game-changer.
Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed doing these videos (not sure if that means there’s something wrong with me), but there are only so many generic royalty-free pop songs you can listen to. The repetitive structure of the program meant that I started to get used to the order of the exercises, and could then blast Kanye West at full volume instead to keep me going.
There’s a real sense of progress as you go along.
I decided to write each video down like a to-do list as I went along, so I could tick them off and help me feel more accountable, which worked great! Even though they were gruelling, and working out when you already felt sore from the previous day could be tough, I could really see a sense of progression in my body strength.
They are time-consuming!
Overall, the videos are approachable and easy to follow, and I love the fact that Chloe herself actually appears out of breath and struggling at times – it’s so refreshing to see! There are also low impact versions of every exercise, so they are more accessible than many other videos I’ve tried. But that being said, the schedule really is a full commitment and one that I would struggle to stick to once term gets going/isolation finished. And to be brutally honest, on one of the days I did skip the workouts and have a pasty and a nap instead. It’s all about the balance!
The Verdict
So, did I end up becoming a ripped supermodel by the end of it? Sadly not. However, although there weren’t any drastic changes between my before and after pictures, I feel so much stronger. Particularly my arms and shoulders, which have always resembled noodles, are capable of so much more than they used to be. And I (almost) managed the 14 days, which, regardless of the outcome, is an achievement in itself.
I think it’s all about setting the right intentions – I didn’t start this program aiming to punish my body in any way, or drastically alter its shape, and continued to treat myself to cookies and the odd takeaway throughout. Instead, if it’s about the challenge, and having fun pushing yourself, then this could be a great place to start.
Just beware of those up and down planks…
You can check out Chloe Ting’s programs here, or on YouTube.