How Many Calories Are Burned Doing Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred Level 2?

Whether you're looking for a more intense workout or struggling with a weight-loss plateau, consider trying Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred. The calories burned doing the 30-Day Shred Level 2 may be worth the effort. This workout routine will skyrocket your heart rate and help you get leaner.

Jillian Michaels is one of the most popular fitness experts worldwide — and for good reason. She holds a Kettlebell Concepts certificate, a black belt and four personal training certificates. Over the years, she has turned her passion for sports and wellness into a successful business. Her workout videos, including the 30-Day Shred, combine cardio, strength and functional exercises that you can do anytime, anywhere.

The 30-Day Shred includes three 20-minute workouts based on Michaels' 3-2-1 Interval system. Beginners can start with Level 1 and build their way up to Level 3 as they progress. Each level lasts 10 days. According to Michaels, her program can help you lose up to 20 pounds in just one month. The exercises are intense and must be performed with no rest between sets, getting your heart rate up in no time.

Read more: The Truth Behind 5 Common Myths About HIIT

For best results, it's recommended to do the 30-Day Shred every day for a month. All you need is a set of light dumbbells and an exercise mat. The workout includes high-intensity strength, cardio and ab work followed by a cool-down. Think jumping jacks, squats with overhead presses, side crunches, bicycle crunches, reverse crunches and other exercises. The key is to move as fast as you can and transition smoothly from one movement to another.

Jillian Michaels' 30-Day Shred is a form of circuit training. As the American Council on Exercise notes, circuit training workouts require performing a series of exercises for a predetermined period of time, followed by rest or low-intensity training, such as walking or stretching. You may use dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands, gym machines or your own bodyweight.

The 30-Day Shred Level 2 is more intense than the Level 1 program and consists of three circuits. The workout is structured as follows:

• Three minutes of strength exercises
• Two minutes of high-intensity cardiovascular training
• One minute of ab work

Once you've completed the circuit, start all over and continue for 20 minutes. After 10 days, you can progress to Level 3, which is a lot more challenging.

Jillian Michaels doesn't mention the number of calories burned doing the 30-Day Shred Level 2, but she states that it's possible to lose up to 20 pounds in 30 days. That's about 5 pounds per week, which is more than the recommendations made by health organizations.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, recommends losing 1 to 2 pounds per week. This way, you'll find it easier to keep the weight off and maintain your figure.

However, the results will vary from one person to the next. Your age, weight, metabolism and body composition all affect your energy expenditure. Consider using the estimates provided by Harvard Medical School to determine your energy expenditure during 30 minutes of circuit training — based on your weight:

• 125-pound person: 240 calories
• 150-pound person: 298 calories
• 180-pound person: 355 calories

Next, calculate the calories burned doing the 30-Day Shred Level 2, which lasts 20 minutes. That would be 160 calories for a 125-pound person, 198 calories for a 150-pound person and 236 calories for those weighing 180 pounds. If you work out daily, you can expect to burn 1,120 to 1,652 calories per week through exercise alone.

As discussed earlier, the 30-Day Shred consists of explosive movements that elevate your heart rate and energy expenditure. According to a small study published in the International Journal of Exercise Science in November 2017, circuit training increases post-exercise oxygen consumption, which helps maximize the calorie burn. Again, intensity is the key.

The number of calories burned doing the 30-Day Shred Level 2 isn't high enough to cause major weight loss. Generally, it's necessary to create an energy deficit of 3,500 calories to lose 1 pound of fat. Even if you burn slightly more calories than the above estimates, you'd still need to do a lot more to lose 20 pounds in one month.

Make sure you have realistic expectations. Clean up your diet to cut calories and get faster results. By performing the workouts daily or every other day, you may improve your overall fitness, endurance and strength.

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A small study featured in Frontiers in Physiology in April 2017 suggests that functional high-intensity circuit training may help increase lean mass, boost cardiovascular health and improve body composition, or fat-to-muscle ratio, in overweight women. In the long run, it may have beneficial effects on quality of life and protect against cardiometabolic disorders.

All in all, the 30-Day Shred Level 2 is a good choice for those who are short on time. It's easy to fit into a busy schedule and incorporates a wide variety of movements that engage most muscle groups. Although you may not lose 20 pounds in one month, you can get leaner and more athletic.