My story, followed by some killer tips for using this life-changing routine:MY STORY:Jillian Michaels has changed my life over and over again. When I was just starting college, I bought some of her discs for the first time to help me lose the last 25 lbs. of high school weight gain. And I lost that 25 lbs. in under 5 months. For the next 8 years, I was a size 4/6, super-powered trail runner who did Jillian Micahels several days a week. She put me in the best shape of my life, inside and out.Then I got sick. Really, really sick. The kind of sick where they send you to Mayo Clinic and keep you there for 3 straight weeks in physical rehabilitation and say the best you can hope for is to work part-time at a low stress job—you'll never be healthy or able to handle much strain again. Before my diagnosis, I was so horribly sick with no treatment options that I gained about 90 lbs., including 60 lbs. in 4 months. How is that even physically possible?At Mayo Clinic, they had me walk 6 minutes without stopping and do stretches, some basic strength exercises, and use a recumbent stationary bike. After the program, they said I had to do this same set of things 3 days a week for 6 months before even *thinking* about adding any other kind of physical exertion (not just exercise, mind you—I wasn't supposed to carry boxes or reach for things on higher shelves!).My first thought was: I refuse to live this way. I know what the problem is now and I understand it as best as anyone can (still a rather mysterious syndrome), but their "solution" (barely living) is garbage. So, who did I turn to? My trusty, old friend: Jillian Michaels. I'd purchased this set right when I got sick in order to try to get my strength back up, but it had been hopeless then, since my body was on an inexplicable, untreated spiral. But now...After 3 months of their stupid (but necessary) exercises, I felt strong enough to TRY. "Just try one" Jillian Michaels says in so many of her videos. That's how you get stronger! You have to try! For the next 2 months, I did Workouts 1 and 2 with Cardio 1. Not 2 weeks. 2 months. And the first 2 weeks, my back literally crunched when I tried to do anything with impact. So, I did jumprope on a mini trampoline. But did I get stronger? I GOT STRONGER. Impossibly stronger, the kind of stronger Mayo Clinic told me was impossible! And once I discovered Beginner Shred, my results jumped into overdrive (it's a great workout to get you up to Body Revolution, if you need something even-more-beginner).I lost 24 lbs. in my first 3 months on Body Revolution and Beginner Shred working out just 3-4 days per week with an adjusted and healthier by not quite Jillian Michaels-level diet.So, I began dropping the weight, improving my endurance dramatically, and REVERSING THE SYMPTOMS of the syndrome that had destroyed my life. Now, two years later, I finished a graduate program and I'm employed full-time, successful, and getting crazy healthy! All things Mayo Clinic said I'd never do! THANK YOU, JILLIAN!HOW TO USE BODY REVOLUTION:• BEGINNER: If you stay on Workout 1 and 2 for more than 3 weeks because you've tried Workout 3 and it's too hard: Get Beginner Shred, do that, and come back• MODIFIERS: If you just can't do something, investigate how to modify it (either online or through other workout DVDs). Push yourself. Keep trying the real way periodically until you can do it. (I had to do my jumprope on a mini trampoline at first to kill impact, but it got me there!)• EQUIPMENT: (1) Hand weights. (2) Optional: Cable and mat. Details: Most cable exercises can be done with hand weights, particularly if you get a set that's 10 or 12+ lbs. There is only one exercise in the first few weeks that *requires* a cable (rowers): You can definitely get started without a cable. I always recommend CAP neoprene hex weights; they are insanely durable, have great grips, and won't roll around. For cables, I recommend heavier than they're using (I also use a much shorter cable; I find the long ones are just harder to max out on).• CARDIO: If Cardio 1 bores you because of the 1-minute intervals, stick with it for 1 week and then move on to Cardio 2 or substitute Kickbox Fastfix Workout 2 (full-on cardio, very effective, and not boring in the slightest). If you're advanced, you can also substitute the cardio workouts from Bodyshred for more variety.• ADVANCED: Start combining workouts in Body Revolution with workouts in Jillian Michael's Bodyshred. I started with combining Bodyshred 1-2 with Body Revolution 6-9. Doing these back-to-back gives you insane results and a whole new kind of fun challenge!This series WILL change your life. And if you want more, get more! I have an entire library of Jillian Michaels now...MY TOP 5 JILLIAN MICHAELS RECOMMENDATIONS:Skip the out-dated, unbalanced 30-Day Shred and really kick it with these!1. Killer Arms & Back and the rest of the Killer series (except Killer Cardio)—fun moves, totally balanced combos, and unbelievable results2. Extreme Shed & Shred (intermediate/advanced)—Brazilian jiu-jitsu really shakes it up! (If these are too long for you at about 40-45 minutes, check out 10-Minute Body Transformation 1 & 2 for some more fun variety.)3. Kickbox Fastfix—Workout 2 is one of my favorite *cardio* workouts ever—fun, effective, different (it's 99% kickboxing), and just 20 minutes (for those days when 10 minutes might as well be a million dollars)4. Beginner Shred—as beginner workouts, this DVD conquers the world; it can take you from *nothing*, even injury, right up to any JM workout5. Body Revolution & Bodyshred—the Bodyshred series (advanced) kicks ass, and will get you crazy results. The cardio workouts are crazy fun and challenging, too. Once you're intermediate/advanced, combining these series' is awesome!Beginner Shred & Body Revolution together are the best way to go from no/low-fitness to amazing!BODY REVOLUTION vs. 21-DAY FIX:If you're considering 21-Day Fix from Beach Body—seriously, don't. I tried it. Boring (1-minute intervals with breaks and so little variety—only 7 workouts you repeat until you die of boredom), too easy (!), and not very effective! Plus, they advertise to you *constantly* (including during workouts!) and a single extra disc in the series will cost you as much as the 7-workout series (their 7 workouts cost as much or more than all of Body Revolution!—depending on varying prices)! The only workout from that series worth anything is Pilates Fix, and it's practically useless for weight loss.I actually gained weight and lost muscle on 21-Day Fix. I did gain a little flexibility, though (Pilates). But it threw off my progress for months with its weird dieting rules and horribly ineffective workouts. Just *investigate* how to eat healthy (healthy, sustainable life changes, not fad diets), work on eating healthier, drop whatever you're addicted to (in my case, pizza and diet soda, and also cheese when I'm really dropping weight), and kick ass with Jillian! Even if you can only do 2 days a week, you'll see remarkable results with Jillian Michaels (but 4-6 days will get you there fast!).Now, go forth, and change your life! :D Thank you, Jillian!!