YouTube is the second most popular search engine in the world, and it's a place where billions of people learn new skills, get advice, and be entertained. It can also be an amazing resource for learning about fitness and nutrition.
It's 2021 and many people are looking to spice up their workout regimen, lose weight, and improve their eating habits.
Many turn to personal trainers, yoga experts, health and fitness gurus, and YouTube diet experts.
Want to lose a few extra pounds? Interested in a workout program but not sure how to go about it? YouTube is an incredible source of workout videos, nutrition information, and everything else you need to live a healthy life.
Of course, the channels are not lacking, but which ones to follow? The world's largest video streaming platform attracts its fair share of junk videos, but the cream always rises to the top.
The best fitness chains are the ones that offer the most value. We've scoured our playlists, our friends' playlists, and done the research for you.
The result is that we have achieved our health and fitness goals and look amazing.
But seriously, here's a list of what we think are the best fitness and nutrition YouTube channels you should follow today. Take charge of your health and fitness with just one click!
Adam Frater
Let's start with one of the best chains for increasingly popular movements called calisthenics. Adam Frater has 140,000 subscribers and he's "shredded".
At least, that's the word he uses often. Let's say he's not about to win a pie-eating contest. The man has abs and pecs, and a few other impressive muscle groups.
And his goal on YouTube is to teach you how to get strong, get a six-pack, and get better. But it's not just about working hard and sweating. It's about having fun and learning new skills.
Calisthenics is strength training with minimal equipment. It consists of working large groups of muscles with exercises that resemble gymnastics.
You'll build muscle, but you'll also become more flexible, agile, and fitter. However, be warned. Calisthenics is difficult for beginners, so it's a type of exercise best suited to people who are determined and want to persevere.
If you have the will to make small progress every day, this may be what you need.
If you've ever wanted to do handstands, muscle-ups, one-arm pushups, and challenging exercises like handstand pushups, start following Adam as he walks you through exercises that range from the simple to the seemingly impossible.
Joanna Soh Official
Having trouble staying motivated? Personal trainer Joanna Soh can help you achieve your goals with her Crazy Workout Challenges. The most popular videos in the series include Burn 10,000 Calories in 30 Days, 4-Week Burn Belly Fat Challenge, and 500 Abs on Fire Challenge. Despite their name, the challenges are suitable for different skill levels and each one has a fun aspect to keep you interested.
Along with the workout videos, Joanna also has a wealth of informative health and nutrition videos. You can learn how to build a workout plan, boost your metabolism, and more.
There's no shortage of fitness celebrities on YouTube, but Joanna stands out for her positive energy and welcoming teaching style. Based in Asia, she is the first Malaysian woman to win YouTube's Gold Play Button award. She also received the Woman Leadership Award from the World Women Leadership Congress.
Joanna's channel is relatively new, but she already has an impressive number of followers. In just five years, she has created 400 videos that have had 150 million views and 1.6 million subscribers. New content is uploaded at least once a week.
Overall, the videos present an interesting combination of exercise routines and health information. If you want to change your diet and improve your fitness, Joanna Soh is ready to help.
Bonus: Our Workout From Home YouTube Channel - WFH!
Love Sweatshirt Fitness
With over 600,000 subscribers, this channel is doing something right. To lose weight, it is not enough to make physical efforts. You also need to have a healthy mindset.
With Love Sweat Fitness, designer Katie Dunlop focuses on both aspects by incorporating a variety of personal stories about her weight loss. Two years ago, she lost 45 pounds and made a commitment to healthy living.
Her philosophy is that anyone can learn to lose weight as easily as she did. Her videos detail her diet, exercise routine, and healthy living mindset. It stands out from other videos because it understands that losing weight can be emotionally challenging, and it offers tips to help you stay on track.
His most popular video is My 45 Pound Weight Loss Story, a 20-minute expose that has over 2.3 million views. It also offers fitness challenges, recipes and targeted exercises. Note that her videos also cover non-fitness topics, such as a house tour, budgeting tips, and travel information. Although his videos are interesting, they may not appeal to viewers who want fitness information.
Ultimately, her videos are well-suited for women who are struggling to lose weight and find it difficult to connect with most fitness gurus. Katie has experienced these challenges herself and is ready to help you succeed. She's fun, friendly, and full of positivity, which is probably why Love Sweat Fitness is one of the most-watched health and fitness YouTube channels.
BodyBuilding.com
Bodybuilding.com is a huge (huuuge!), ultra-popular and well-established leader in online fitness. The official video channel offers the same quality of information and instructions as on the website. New videos are coming in at the rate of a dozen a month, and there are years of existing material for you to dive into.
Topics covered include: all things bodybuilding, how to target specific muscle groups, what to eat to gain weight, the science of bodybuilding and more. Videos range from quick two-minute lessons to in-depth shows that last over an hour. Best of all, it's all free.
With 5.29 million subscribers, the Bodybuilding.com channel is one of YouTube's largest across all categories, not just fitness. There is something for bodybuilders of all skill levels. Most of the videos have over 10,000 views, with the most popular reaching over 150,000 views.
Want big caliber? There is a video for that. Want to break your squat record? Yes, there is. Want dream abs? You guess it. Everything is here.
Don't forget that Bodybuilding videos don't have a dedicated host. Instead, you'll find a wide variety of instructors. Although most of them do a great job, the quality varies somewhat.
And some fitness fans on YouTube prefer to learn from one person. This is a channel that does not seek to provide a personal touch.
The Fitness Marshall
Here's one for people who need a lot of fun in their workouts. Working out can sometimes be a boring chore and for some people, that's enough to send them back to their couch with a bag of donuts.
But what if your training partner was a fitness trainer who focuses on fast-paced workouts that incorporate music, dancing, and lots of positive energy? It's possible with The Fitness Marshall.
Caleb Marshall's channel has an impressive 3.02 million subscribers on his YouTube channel and while that's not for everyone, if you're looking for something different, give it a try!
Of course, the advantage of learning dance moves and practicing like crazy is that no one can see you move.
Marshall says he loved dancing all his life and says it helped him learn self-acceptance when he was young in Marion, Indiana. He sees dancing as vital "medicine" that helps keep him healthy and happy.
Each exercise video revolves around a different artist. You can practice in sync with Meghan Trainor, Sia, Justin Bieber and other popular musicians. No equipment is required, but you will need some space to move around.
The exercises are fast and high intensity, but three different levels are offered. The levels work like this: each of the three facilitators does the exercises differently, so you follow the one that matches your skill level.
New routines are posted every week. Each video is between 30 and 60 minutes long and they are all designed to make you sweat. And you will sweat.
Added bonus: In addition to burning calories, the routines also teach you new dance moves. Adopt them the next time you are clubbing.
If you're struggling to stick to an exercise program because you're bored, the Fitness Marshall might be what you're looking for. You will be so focused on the movement and the dance that you won't have time to get bored.
Yoga with Adriene
2020 has been a huge year for this YouTube channel. With people spending more time working out at home and looking for home workout routines, many have turned to yoga. And YouTube users (and the algorithm) preferred Yoga with Adriene's well-produced videos. With nearly 10 million followers, this yoga channel is one of the most popular of all time. There are hundreds of videos suitable for practitioners of all levels. According to Google, Adriene's site was the most searched workout in 2015, and she won a Streamy Award for excellence in health and wellness in 2016.
The yoga mat has become a fashion accessory, and here's the place to learn about this booming trend.
Adriene Mishler is a yoga teacher, actress and writer. She has an easygoing and welcoming style that is both educational and entertaining. His videos are well organized and easy to follow. You can search by skill level, disease, and even video length.
Are you new to the world of yoga? Try Yoga Poses for Beginners - Where to Start for a quick introduction.
Every year, Adriene publishes 30 days of content designed to help you develop a routine that you can follow all year long.
Along with the physical benefits of yoga, the videos also focus on the mental and emotional aspects. You'll learn routines designed to increase your feelings of self-respect, inner room, and more.
And keep an eye out for her lovely little dog, who makes appearances in many of her videos.
And did you know that followers of HIIT, CrossFit and other high-intensity training regimens can also benefit from yoga?
Bradley Martyn
Next we have Bradley Martyn, a bodybuilding expert and easily the tallest individual on our list in terms of sheer size. This mountain of man has seven years worth of videos available on his site.
Martyn's YouTube videos include workout routines, diet and nutrition information, and general information that people with his amazing physical condition come across on a daily basis. Yes, you are entitled to videos of the man eating his lunch or signing autographs, but it's fun and it can open your eyes to the world of professional bodybuilders.
Two factors make this site stand out from other bodybuilding channels. First, it's a great place to watch live workouts.
Bradley streams his entire workouts, which often last an hour or more. Second, the channel stays fresh as Bradley often posts new content. You'll find new free videos to watch every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10 a.m. PST.
However, keep in mind that not all videos are related to bodybuilding tips and tricks. For example, one video features his thoughts on keeping his gym (Zoo Culture) open when it was forced to close. In another video, Bradley dresses up as Santa Claus.
Bradley is a big guy with an out-of-this-world personality to match. It's no surprise that he has 3.7 Instagram followers. If you're looking to laugh while learning, this workout vlog channel is for you.
Athlean-X
With 10 million views in just three years, Athlean-X is one of YouTube's most popular fitness channels. Host and creator Jeff Cavaliere believes in simple, "No BS" instructions that anyone can easily follow.
Efficiency is the watchword here. Jeff's methods are not very time consuming and he likes to use minimal training equipment when possible. It devotes an entire section to workout routines you can do at home using your own weight as resistance.
Additionally, it offers a series of lessons called Sore in Six Minutes. As the name suggests, you only need six minutes to complete each exercise. These classes are designed to help you overcome plateaus in your training so you can start a new streak of gains on stubborn muscles that aren't responding to your current workouts.
Jeff, in his forties, is in great shape. He's been a physical therapist and personal trainer in the world of professional sports, and his instructions don't just tell you what to do, but explain the science behind every action.
Her channel posts new content about once a week, and most videos top 1 million views within a month.
It's worth pointing out that Calaliere's accomplishments and videos have come under scrutiny. He was accused of faking and a number of vloggers and bloggers made their disapproval clear. Make up your own mind about the authenticity of the videos, but one thing is for sure, this channel is popular and doesn't seem to want to slow down.
Final Thoughts
Take control of your health and improve your life with the help of the best fitness YouTube channels.
Use our list above to find videos on weight loss, home workouts, healthy recipes, and everything else you need for a healthy lifestyle.