GO-TO GIRLS: YouTube workouts that change your body and mind in 25 minutes or less
by Maggie Noble
The list of trainers below are a compilation of the girls who get me back into exercise after babies or after a sluggish couple of months.
When it comes to working out, we’re learning that anything is better than nothing. There seems to have been a message in the early 2000’s, if it’s under 40 minutes, it’s not worth it…well that was wrong. Even 5 minutes of exercise is beneficial both for the body and the mind.
These workouts are doable, free and best of all…short. You don’t have to take my word for it. I’ll list the current (as of this posting) number of subscribers so you can feel the energy around these women.
If you’ve got go-to trainer on YouTube, please share in the comments below. I’ll be adding to this list as I find more inspirational trainers.
The List:
Photo from bohobeautiful.life
Great for: Strength, toning and flexibility through pilates & yoga.
YouTube Channel Subscribers: 1.65 million
Difficulty: Moderate to high. Juliana is a great teacher and it is no mystery where her body comes from. The work-outs are mainly mat-based but they are tough. She puts the work in, both through clean diet and exercise.
Time: Boho Beautiful offers many videos that challenge and break a sweat in under 25 minutes. It burns so good but it’s over so fast. If you’re into a bigger challenge, Boho Beautiful offers pilates and yoga videos that ‘stretch’ up to an hour on their website linked in the title.
Highlights: This babe travels. You get to globe trot and work out at the same time. The videos are very high quality and the music and gentle voice-over take you away while you toil.
The website offers clean eating guides as well as programs for purchase they call ‘challenges’ that will change your body. I believe it.
‘Your decisions today will define your tomorrow.’ - Boho Beautiful Life
Photo from sarabethyoga.com
Great for: Prenatal and postnatal yoga. Getting back into exercise after a break. Gentle yoga as well as challenging flows that introduce new positions.
YouTube Channel Subscribers: 722K
Difficulty: Low to moderate but totally worth the time you give it.
Time: She offers classes from 5 minutes and up.
Highlights: Sara Beth is a really great video instructor. Her voice is gentle but confident. She employs the same voice-over technique as Boho Beautiful giving her videos a high-quality feel, as well. Her background is professional so you don’t feel like you’re wandering into someone’s living room on a Tuesday morning.
I got into Sara Beth after I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes, about 30 weeks into my third pregnancy. I didn’t want to take insulin so I managed my blood sugar through a pretty strict diet with a little bit of exercise every day. My blood sugar levels read lower after just 5 minutes of Sara Beth Yoga. Something is better than nothing and you’ll get a lot out of this quality time on your mat. To be fair, all the ladies on this list are beautiful, Sara Beth is just a little more…reserved.
‘Your best practice is your daily practice.’ - Sarabeth Yoga
ANNA RENDERER for POPSUGAR FITNESS
Great for: A la carte exercise videos. You name it, they’ve got it.
YouTube Channel Subscribers: 3.62 million
Difficulty: See above.
Time: See above again.
Highlights: With 32 million fans and followers, this site needs no introduction. However, the business that can boast as the #1 female lifestyle brand has many focuses. I tend to skip the style and media reviews and go for the fitness directly on YouTube. I love Anna Renderer, the host of most of the fitness programs offered by Popsugar. She is a certified Personal Trainer and she is also committed to promoting kids’ fitness and is a youth fitness specialist. My kids hang in there for her family workouts.
The videos are high quality. Anna is positive and sweet and she breaks a sweat with you. She acts as the host but she shares the job with guest instructors who bring on the diversity in every arena and are leaders in their fields of fitness.
MARNIE ALTON for POPSUGAR FITNESS
Great for: A really hard, fast results, no equipment cardio barre work out.
YouTube Views: 2.5 million (for Marnie, we’ll do views because she doesn’t have her own channel, yet.
Difficulty: Pretty darn hard.
Time: there are three 12 minute, 30 minute and 45 minute videos… so far.
Highlights: No, you’re not seeing double. I know I already shouted out about POPSUGAR but this chick is so good that she gets her own spot here. I had never done barre when I found Marnie’s video with Popsugar on YouTube. I was about seven weeks postpartum and still in the work-out phase I had kickstarted while trying to stay healthy with my third baby (the gestational diabetes thing). I was in decent shape and I could keep up with her…with some breaks. I’ve since fallen off the wagon and find it harder to work out with a 1 year old than a 2 month old so I haven’t seen Marnie in a while but we’ll get back together. These two videos are amazing. Your whole body gets challenged and your heart revs up all in the comfort of your own home.
Great for: Prenatal work outs of all varieties. Getting back into exercise with a down-to-earth trainer.
Subscribers: 521K
Difficulty: Gentle to moderately challenging.
Time: As short as 10 minutes.
Highlights: Amy has a huge catalog of videos. She is a fitness professional operating out of Texas, I believe, but mostly we see her in her humble basement. She gets the job done in under 25 minutes, from HIIT to cardio to pilates or weightlifting. You name it, Amy teaches it. Her video quality reminds me a bit of the exercise tapes my mom had in the 90’s and it makes me a bit nostalgic. She doesn’t mess around too much with production value but by the end of a workout, you don’t miss it. Her website offers some great resources for nutrition and positive thinking around food and exercise. She seems humble and real and the girl is in shape.
Great for: Short tough target workouts.
Subscribers: 1.52 million
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult.
Time: As short as 5 minutes.
Highlights: Maddie of MadFit is more enigmatic. I looked her up and there isn't much to find online beyond social media but that doesn’t matter. Her videos on YouTube are hard. They are quick. They are no frills yet sophisticated. This is a trainer worth checking out for quick and powerful workouts you can do in any space where you have enough room for a yoga mat.