Not Another Fad

Posted by Zach

Just about everyone we know is aware that Susan and I are Beachbody coaches and have been for several years now. Our journey began right after Kate was born in the spring of 2008 when I convinced Susan to complete P90X with me. We had been using running as our form of exercise previously, but with the addition of child number two, we had no desire to push two strollers on our runs. At least with one stroller we could take turns. So we ordered P90X and dove in for 90 days.

We had run for years with very little change in our body composition. But the changes we saw after 90 days of P90X were so amazing that we began a second round almost immediately. We also became very interested in Beachbody, the company behind P90X.

About a year later, we had the opportunity to attend a lecture and workout with Tony Horton in Dallas. At the event we learned more about the company and what they stood for. Beachbody has been around since 1998 when it was founded by Carl Daikeler (CEO) and John Congdon (President). Since then, they have produced multiple fitness programs and nutrition supplements. After 17 years, I think it is safe to say that Beachbody is here to stay.

We were so impressed that we signed up to be Beachbody coaches, which means that we are ambassadors for the products and also coaches to help others choose and complete programs. Plus we get a discount on products we buy and commissions on anything we sell through our websites.

In the past seven years, we have made many changes in our lifestyle. I would say the most beneficial has been the addition of Shakeology to our daily nutrition. I read a lot of articles and books on nutrition, and lately I’ve learned a lot about the superfoods our bodies can benefit from. I’m always pleasantly surprised to see that most of the superfoods I come across are already in the Shakeology I drink every day.

We also improved our overall diet. On the fitness side, we began going through essentially every exercise program produced by Beachbody (with the exception of some dance programs, because I’m a white guy with no rhythm). Our goal was to experience each program so that we could tell others about them and answer any questions.

While we may not follow the typical business model for a Beachbody coach, we still truly believe in the company and the products. Darin Olien, the creator of Shakeology is about as knowledgeable as they get when it comes to providing great nutrition to fuel your body. (His book, “SuperLife: The 5 Forces That Will Make You Healthy, Fit, and Eternally Awesome,” is worth the read.)

Susan and I do not go for the “hard” sale in our approach. We strive to be a product of the product and let others know that we are Beachbody coaches and how we feel about the company and products. Our strategy/goal is to be the first person that others think of when they have a question about an exercise program or nutrition that will help them achieve their health and fitness goals.

We care more about our relationships than the sale of a product. We want others to trust us and have faith in us and any product they choose. I do not want someone to choose to drink Shakeology or order P90X3 because I am a good salesman. I want them to make these things a part of their life because they see the impact they have had on our lives and trust us. Is this a good business model for us as Beachbody coaches? Probably not. But, it is in line with our morals and goals of helping others.

In the past few years, I can’t count the number of fitness fads that have come and gone; some multi-level marketing companies and some not. Regardless of the business model behind them, the fads bother me. It seems that they all have one thing in common: immediate results with little work. Drink this, pop this pill, or wear this on your body and you will achieve your weight loss goals in no time. If there truly was a magic pill or magic wrap that melted fat, then why do we still have an obesity problem in our society? The answer is an easy one: because there is no magic pill. I think that Beachbody is unique because it’s premise is built behind hard work. You’ve got to put in the effort to reap the reward.

Susan and I are happier, healthier, fitter people now than we when we were in our twenties. Heck, I turn 40 next year and can do things I would not have even tried at the age of 30. We have helped multiple friends and family members improve their health, lose weight, get off of medication, and improve their energy over the past several years.

I think it is safe to say that Beachbody is here to stay, and I’m pretty confident that Susan and I will be very old people before we stop doing the programs (shoot, Tony Horton is 56 years old and still starring in these videos, so I’m sure I can keep doing them till I’m at least 70...or 80).

There is no magic pill. Improved health, fitness, and weight loss require hard work and proper nutrition. There is no way around it. Beachbody offers all the tool to get you there. All you have to provide is the intrinsic motivation to push play and follow the nutrition plan.

I really like Beachbody’s slogan, which is “Decide. Commit. Succeed.” That’s what we’ve done, and that’s all it takes for anyone who wants to make a change. Decide to make a change. Commit to a plan. Succeed in your plan. Our help is always here when you are ready.

Summer in rapid fire

Oh my. It's been nearly a month since I blogged last. This summer has been jam-packed with trips, chickens, gardening, bike riding, chigger bites, grandparents, cousins, swimming, Insanity (the workout, not the state of mind), and boot camp training. With each day that passes it becomes more apparent to me that I'm not going to be able to give each subject due time in its own separate blog, so I've decided to do a rapid-fire re-cap.

In no particular order, here's what's been going on this month:

#1: Losing teeth!

In the interest of full disclosure, this actually happened in May, but this picture of Drew's dangling tooth is so hilarious and awful that I felt it must be included.

#2: Team Beachbody Coach Summit in Las Vegas

Zach and I had a good time in Las Vegas for the Coach Summit meeting. We met new/old friends, participated in live workouts and training, and heard John Maxwell speak. The fabulous ladies below I've know through Facebook for the better part of a year, but only met in person last week.

We did a live Les Mills Combat workout with about 2,000 people that was super fun. Here's Zach getting his aschiva on (spelling? this is one of those martial arts terms that I have no idea how to spell).

Vanilla Shakeology! This one was a surprise. Beachbody has been looking for a "clean" source of vanilla for nearly three years, and they finally found it in the Malagasi farmers of Madagascar. The vanilla plants are hand-pollinated by these farmers!

We also got to meet and talk with Darin Olien, the co-creator of Shakeology. We listened to him speak about the process the team went through to find a natural vanilla source, and I was blown away by the integrity of Beachbody as a company.

They absolutely refuse to compromise on quality of the ingredients in this shake, while investing in the livelihood of indigenous farmers around the world. Beachbody is essentially providing microfinancing to these farmers to help them grow crops in a sustainable fashion, while supporting the Madagascar economy so that schools can be built.

Please take a minute to watch this video:

But how does vanilla Shakeology taste, you ask? As always, we go to the kids for an opinion:



We also tried out Shaun T's new Focus T25 workout live, and bought the program to start in July.
Each workout is only 25 minutes long, and I'm pretty sure it's going to be a game-changer. More on this topic to come!

And finally, at Summit we participated in a super workout with about 7,000 people. I'd estimate we were a half mile from the stage!

#3: I made this, and it was yummy:

Roasted Vegetable Cous Cous from Southern Living

#4: I have a GREAT IDEA, Mom!
How about you put one braid here, and another braid here, and then put a pony tail in the middle. And then put this barrette in too, okay? Isn't that a GREAT IDEA?

#5: MONSTER ZUCCHINI PLANTS

#6: Chickens laying eggs

The peace in the coop continues, and Polly has begun to lay eggs along with Roxie! We have a suspicion that Polly may also be eating some of her eggs, but it is thus far unconfirmed. We are keeping a close watch.

In case you missed Roxie running on Facebook, here you go. It will change your life.

#7: I read this book, and it made me twitchy and preachy about processed food.

#8: As a result of #7, I sought and found some jelly at the store that does not contain high fructose corn syrup. Hooray! (Yes, this is still a processed food, but it's a lesser evil, and kids gotta have some PB&J in their life! I'm just glad I can do it with straight up sugar rather than HFCS.)

Whew! That's it. Two more trips and many more fun things to go this summer.

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Workout of the Day

Insanity Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs

The House of Mouse

Did I tell you guys about the time we planned a trip to Disney World and hid it from the kids until the day we were leaving?

We totally did.

Last year I had a goal of earning "Success Club" each month with Team Beachbody. If I did that, then I would be eligible to earn a trip (and a lot of money while on the trip) to Disney World. In December I met that goal.

Disney World is not someplace Zach and I really ever considered going, because it is really, really expensive, and really, really....Commercial. While we do watch Disney movies, we don't have the channel and don't really make a big deal out of Mickey Mouse or princesses. I'd much rather my kids watch PBS. But since Disney characters and Disney World/Land is pretty ubiquitous in our culture, our kids had a vague idea of what it was when we told them at breakfast that we were getting on a plane to go there.

I just keep seeing their little faces in utter disbelief in my head. I love how Kate said a very quiet "yes" real quick after we asked the question as if we might take it back if we got no response. I also love that the kids seemed to be more excited about seeing Shaun T than Mickey and Minnie. Clearly they see Shaun T more than they do Mickey Mouse at our house.

As we left on the trip I have to say that I wasn't necessarily super excited for it. I mean, I was super excited for the kids, but I had a little bit of dread in that I knew there would be tons of people there, and it would be CRAZY expensive to buy food (hence 1/3 of our bags were stocked with food), and I just had a bit of apprehension.

But y'all, we had a lot of fun. Yes, there were lots of people. Yes, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches cost $5.75. But seeing the look on my son's face after he went on Space Mountain for the first time was priceless. (For the record, that look registered terror and dismay. But darn if that kid didn't get right back on another roller coaster mere hours later, as did his sister. I was so proud!)

The kids were complete troopers the whole time. We had them up at 6am so that we could work out at Epcot with Shaun T. It was cold!

We had them out late at Downtown Disney so we could find something to eat.

Drew even showed his greatest patience with the Disney photographers who requested some "quick" shots with a dad and his kids for an upcoming Disney Cruise Line commercial.

We were told it would be quick. It wasn't.
We thought we might get some Disney bucks from it. We didn't.

We made it to Hollywood Studios early and rode "Star Tours" three times in a row.

Kate was ready to swim at the drop of a hat, even if the temperature was 75 degrees (a good 15 degrees from proper pool weather, in my opinion).

Like any event hosted by Team Beachbody, it was a fantastic time. On the closing night, they had a huge dinner and had the characters come to take pictures.

After the dinner, we all retired to a private area at Epcot where we could eat cookies and cupcakes and watch the fireworks show, complete with 3D glasses that made each sparkle from the fireworks look like a Beachbody logo.

It was truly a magical trip.

It meant so much to me to be able to earn this trip for my family. This has been a difficult year so far, and this trip was a bright spot. It's something we will all remember for many years to come. I'm so thankful for Team Beachbody and the opportunities it has afforded me -- the opportunity to earn some money while being home for my kids, the opportunity to take a trip that we would never dream of taking on our own.

It was incredible.

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Workout of the Day
We are in week three of a brand new round of P90X. We haven't done a complete round in a couple of years, at least. Here's the news: IT'S STILL HARD! Holy cow, Chest and Back kills me. Plyometrics still has me doubled over by the end. Hands down P90X was the best $120 we ever spent. Think about it: we've been using these DVDs for 5 years. That's a mere $24 a year!

So, an English major walks into an Anatomy class...

Should I pursue my personal trainer certification?

PROS:
- Greater confidence in my knowledge level
- I'm interested in learning more about the mechanics of training
- Others will have greater confidence in my knowledge
- Possibility of training out of our home
- Possibility of earning other certifications
- I have the time to pursue it now that kids are in school

CONS:
- It's gonna take a lot of time to study
- It costs a few hundred dollars to do it.
- The test is probably kinda hard

People, it's my personal belief that time, money, and a "hard test" are invalid reasons not to pursue something that will make you better, more knowledgeable, and more marketable. So a couple weeks ago I pulled the trigger on becoming an ACE Certified Personal Trainer.

Ever since then I've been awash in pictures like these:

And dreaming about terms such as iliotibial band, flexion, extension, appendicular skeleton and on and on.

As an English major who shunned science classes like the black plague, am I a little nervous about all this anatomy and physiology? Yes. Am I enjoying this new adventure? Yes.

I've got about 12 weeks to master this material...20 if I get scared and want to stretch it out a bit. But the plan is to take the test at the end of the year and have my personal training certification to start 2013.

If you need me between then and now, I'll be studying the difference between fibrous, cartilaginous, and synovial joints. Wish me luck!

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Workout of the Day

P90X Core Syergistics

T minus 6 days till the Tyler Half Marathon!

The friends who we are staying with the night before kindly offered to fix chicken fried deer steak the night before the race. I politely declined saying that I was concerned about the welfare of the course should I run it mere hours after eating chicken fried venison. Maybe after the race when I'm nice and close to a bathroom...

Fear and Loathing...

Let's face it: women are naturally judgmental. We size up our neighbors, our co-workers, our family members, and virtually anyone else who comes in our path. It takes about 0.2 seconds and we hardly even notice that we're doing it. It's ingrained.

"Bless her heart," a southern lady might think to herself. "She has really gained some weight in the last few months."

"Oh no. That hair is NOT working."

"Does she think she's 16? Why is she wearing pants that tight? / a skirt that short? / a top that does not cover up those giant (fake) boobs?"

We are hard on people! Unforgiving. Ruthless. Catty.

But I've noticed something else lately. As hard as we are on other people, women are even harder on themselves. Brutal, even. When it comes to looks, weight, and bodies, I know some women who would be hard-pressed to find anything good to say about themselves.

Maybe we feel okay about ourselves in our 20s. Then we get married, have a baby, and put ourselves on the back burner while we care for a newborn, a toddler, a pre-schooler. Then it's back to work and the schedule gets even crazier. Drive thrus become a food group. And all the while the negative voices are getting louder and louder.

"I cannot believe I gained 10 pounds this year."

"Look at that belly. It's disgusting."

"Why did I eat that cake? It's only going to make me fatter than I already am."

Then it gets personal.

"Why would anyone even want to be with me?"

"I will never be able to change the way I look."

"I am just gross."

We belittle ourselves so much and so often that it becomes our own personal truth. It's a merry-go-round of self-loathing, fear, and lies that keeps us from taking charge and making change.

It has to STOP.

We are more than our body. We are more than the way we look.

Our body is a miracle. It brought forth children and it's the place where we live for as long as we're on earth. We have to stop punishing ourselves for the past and start acknowledging that we are in control of our own future.

We can change our habits. We can start thinking about food as fuel, and giving our bodies the type of fuel needed to operate at peak performance. We can make movement and exercise an enjoyable part of our daily routine. We CAN.

Our brain, like any other muscle, can be trained out of a negative thought cycle. Just like any other exercise,  though, it's hard work and takes time. You have to start by recognizing the fact that you're having negative thoughts, checking yourself, and then reframing that negative thought into a positive one.

If it takes wearing a rubber band on your wrist and snapping yourself every time you have a negative thought, then do it.

Don't make perfect the enemy of good. Celebrate and acknowledge the small steps. Don't be attached to the outcome. Enjoy the journey. Be nice to yourself. Get your swagger back.

Can you do that?

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Workout of the Day

P90X Yoga

Owning It

Last week summer wrapped up and I sent my little whippersnappers off to school.

It was at this point in my life where I had planned to go back into the workforce. Or, the workforce as I traditionally thought of it when I was a kid. You know...8 to 5, sitting in a cube waiting for lunch, then sitting back down for a few hours more till it was time to go. Answering some calls...writing some copy. At least that was my "workforce" experience.

Instead, I made a commitment a year ago to give Team Beachbody a go and try to bring home a decent income while working from home.

Goal #5: Earn $800-$1,000/month through BB

Zach and I agreed that considering his busy schedule and my ability to keep our family on track, if I could earn just $1,000 per month with Beachbody that it would be worth it for me to stay home and not get a "day job."

I looked at the goal every day.

Last month through Team Beachbody we brought in $1,960. Plus a few hundred extra through my contract job.

But this is not a post about setting and attaining goals, and it's not a post about joining my team (although I think both are fabulous things to do).

This is a post to question my commitment to this business.

I have almost doubled my anticipated monthly income with Team Beachbody. Thanks to my own contacts and through the customer lead program I have several hundred customers on my customer list. So why is it, then, when people ask me what I'm doing now that my kids are in school, my response is inevitably:

"Oh, I do some contract work for a company I used to work for. And also Zach and I have a fitness coaching business on the side, so I do that, too."

My contract work makes up less than half of my income. I don't particularly enjoy the contract work, while I absolutely love my Team Beachbody business and talking to people about being healthy and fit.

Why am I belittling my own business by not giving it top billing?

Is it because of the stigma of network marketing? Is it because I'm "selling something"? Is it because I have a college degree that isn't in business, and now I'm off trying to run my own little business? Is it because some people wouldn't even call this a business?

I don't know, but it bothers me. Because you can't tell me that $2,000 a month isn't a business. Is it buying me a Ferrari next month? No. But I'm not shaking a stick at two grand a month. And find somebody who's NOT selling something, right?

Maybe it's because I can't believe that we are turning something that we like to do into a home business. It sounds so cliched, or something.

And the funny thing is I'm not alone in being coy when it comes to talking about home businesses. A few weeks ago we met with some friends that we haven't seen in a long time. Since we'd last met, the wife, who was a teacher, had gone back home to stay with her kids, and didn't go back when they went to school. When we asked what she was doing, she said she was just staying at home. But later I found out she's working their small network marketing business from home. Why wouldn't she just tell us about it? Why didn't I tell her what I was doing?

So in the final quarter of 2012 I am adding a bonus goal to my list:

OWN this business. Talk about it, give it top billing. Make people understand that I make money by selling them fitness products and then coaching them through incorporating those products into their life. That is my job. When my kids are at school, I talk to people about how to live fit and healthy lives. I encourage them. I offer them recipes and tips. I read. I become a better leader so that I can show other people how to lead their own fitness and financial transformations.

My guess is when I start taking this business as seriously in public as I do at my desk every day, then other people will take it seriously, too.

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Workout of the Day

Insanity: Pure Cardio

News from Summit

Last weekend Zach and I went to Team Beachbody's annual conference in Las Vegas. It was a whirlwind trip with so much information to absorb it was like trying to take a sip from a fire hydrant.

I'll detail all the exciting announcements below, but the main things Zach and I gleaned from the conference were:

1) A renewed, strengthened confidence in Beachbody as a company, the Team Beachbody network of coaches, and the urgency of the cause that we're undertaking. The irony of holding what is essentially a health nut/fitness junkie meeting in the heart of Las Vegas was not lost on me, and walking down the strip it couldn't have been more apparent the path that this country is going down is not a good one.


Team Beachbody offers the total package solution: world-class fitness programs, solid nutrition plans, peer support, and monetary rewards. I held back tears as I watched 27-year-old Richard N. win $100,000 for losing 200 pounds with Power 90 and P90X. He lost the weight in 13 months. 13 MONTHS. Before his weight loss he and his wife were unable to have a baby, and now she is pregnant. He is healthy for the first time that he can remember. Read his story here.

2) A determination to help more people find their way to fitness and in turn succeed in this business. As I've heard Craig Holiday say in countless Beachbody meetings, instead of saying "Why Me?" start saying "Why Not Me?" and see what happens.

The other great thing about this meeting was to be around like-minded people. It was comforting to be around 4,998 other coaches who would rather wake up at 6am to work out with Shaun T instead of down free whiskey and Cokes till 3am. For better or worse, we dropped not one single nickel in a slot the entire trip. We were determined to soak up every single experience and learning opportunity from this trip, and we did.

Now the announcements:


1) BODY BEAST (This program's name must be said in a deep, growly voice.)
Want to get big and muscley? This is the program for you. Trainer Sagi Kalev was at the meeting, and his bicep was as big as my head. No joke.

2) VEGAN Chocolate Shakeology!
A new formula of my personal favorite chocolate Shakeology. I tasted it at Summit and it is goooood. None of the graininess that some people notice with the Vegan Tropical formula, and more of a dark chocolate taste -- not quite as sweet.

Also includes five new super foods, including moringa and Himalayan Sea Salt. So jealous of the Ultimate Resetters who will be able to use their chocolate vegan Shakeology during the cleanse!

As always, there is a 30-day "Bottom of the Bag" money-back guarantee on Shakeology!

3) Insanity: Asylum 2 available for pre-order this fall!
During Summit they showed a preview for the Asylum 1 infomercial, which spotlights Olympian Apolo Anton Ohno's use of the program. It also shows a short clip of Zach working out with Asylum last summer in our garage! We don't know if it will just be the short clip or if they will include any of Zach's testimonial, but regardless it was stinking exciting to see Zach and our shop up on the big screen at Summit! We were pumped up.

And speaking of Pump:

4) New Les Mills Pump COMBAT program coming out this fall!
It will include seven workouts and is hosted by Dan and Rach, two of my favorite Pump trainers. Pump is such a popular program! We were turned away from the workout last weekend because the room was at capacity. I can't wait to get back to it once we're done with P90X2. (Aw, who am I kidding? On the off days of P90X2 I sneak in some Pump workouts. They are just too addicting!)


5) Derm Exclusive offering

Beachbody has always had a separate offering through another division that focuses on skin care. Don't know much about the products, but an infomercial featuring Minnie Driver is slated to come out in coming months. I may have to buy a pack and see what it does. I will report my findings.

Those were the main announcements from Summit. It was a great weekend, and I can't wait to do it again next year.

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Workout of the Day

P90X2 Plyocide

Tale of the Cart

Yesterday at the grocery store I crossed paths with an overweight couple, each sitting on their own motorized cart. A younger person (a grandson, perhaps?) walked with a cart of his own, helping with items that were out of reach for his companions.

It was clear the couple didn't get out too often and that the trip to this store was meant to stock them up for awhile, as all three carts were filled to the brim.

Filled to the brim with soda, chips, cookies, white bread, prepared "meals" and other things that will ensure they have to rely on those carts forever. Or for the short time they have left on the planet anyway.

The easy thing to do when I see people like that is throw my hands up in the air and judge them. How can they eat that way? Don't they feel terrible? Don't they see what they're doing to themselves? To their families?

But that doesn't help them, and it isn't the way we should treat other people. There is so much hopelessness and lack of education about bad food and what it's doing to us. Of course the news reports all the time about what a fat country we are, how health care costs are skyrocketing due to obesity and its side effects. "We'll tell you the whole story," they say, "right after this break, sponsored by McDonald's. You DESERVE a break today! Go pick up a McRib for a limited time only!"

We go to Home Depot or the Jo Ann Fabrics, and the checkout line is stocked with candy, chocolate, Gatorade. When did lumber yards and fabric stores become Quik E Marts? "Happy Hour drinks at Sonic are only 88 cents! Stop on in and have one!" There is near constant access to bad food no matter where you go, and if you haven't exercised your will power muscle, chances are you're going to stop in and get that break that "you deserve."

What people really deserve, if they would stop to think about it, is to feel GOOD about themselves. To be healthy. To make the most of their lives and be productive, happy members of society well into their old age.

But we don't think past how good the candy bar tastes, and the mixed messages we receive all day long keep our brains (which hopefully know better) and our will power at odds.

It's sad. And it's a huge problem. And it's why I'm a Team Beachbody Coach. Because if someone wants to change, there ought to be people to help them do it and cheer them on along the way.

If there is any hope to turn the tide of this epidemic it's not going to be because of some government intervention...it's going to people helping each other sort through the tidal wave of misleading labels, clever advertising, and fad diets.

There may not be any hope for those grandparents in the carts, but maybe there is hope that their grandson won't end up in the same place 40 years from now.

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Workout of the Day

Les Mills Pump Revolution

Ultimate Reset Cleanse starts Monday, which means three weeks of little to no working out. After the past two weeks, I'm ready for the break!

Purposeful blog neglect

When I signed up to be a Beachbody Coach, one of the main questions in my head was how I might differentiate myself from other coaches. What service could I provide that others could not? How could I attract people to my website instead of just going to Beachbody.com?

One of the things I came up with was this blog. I have always liked to write, and a blog could serve as both a creative outlet and service to my customers who needed advice about fitness, nutrition, etc. 

In the early months I blogged on a hyper-consistent basis with no problems coming up with topics or time to write. I made it a priority, because in my mind it was "my service."

At the beginning of this year I sat down and made some serious goals for myself and this business, with my main objective being the creation of an entity lucrative enough to allow me to work from home even after my kids are in school.

Like good goals should be, I included several that were designed to push me out of my comfort zone just a bit.

For example, number nine on my 10-goal list is to "Call, visit, or interact one-on-one with at least two customers or coaches each week." I made that a goal because I found that I was increasingly spending time at the keyboard instead of actually talking to people. It had become a habit to simply send a message out via the Internet instead of connecting one on one.

Were my messages even connecting with the people who need them most? Who knows? And that's the problem. Because Beachbody Coaching is a one on one business. You've got to connect with people. You've got to listen. You've got to care.

Instead of doing all those things, I was hiding behind my blog because I luxuriate in the ability to think about word choice. It's just so much more poetic to get the words e-x-a-c-t-l-y right than to call someone on the phone and possibly say something dumb or embarrassing.

But perfect prose doesn't give assurance to someone who is super sore after their first time doing Chest & Back. Perfect prose doesn't invite someone to come work out with you early in the morning. Sometimes people don't have time to read your perfect (or heck, sometimes your imperfect) prose.

When I stepped away from the keyboard and picked up the phone, good things started happening in my business. When I met goal number nine, then number five -- my financial goal -- started being met, too. And my number one goal, which was to be a "Diamond" coach by June 21, came true a few months early on April 26.

There is a saying that says "don't make perfect the enemy of the good." I'm not a perfect "people person," but if I waited until I was perfect before I started getting out there to make personal contact, then I would never even approach "good."

This business has taught me so much about myself, about goals, and about people in general. I can't wait to see what the rest of the year will bring.

So while I'm far from abandoning my blog, posting may not be as consistent as it has been in the past. Because I have some calls to make.

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Workout of the Day

P90X2 Base and Back  

P90X, Team Beachbody on Nightline

Last week ABC's Nightline featured a story about P90X and Team Beachbody. It was filmed in L.A. last summer during the annual convention for Team Beachbody Coaches. They interviewed Tony Horton and Beachbody's CEO, Carl Daikeler.

On first viewing, I was thrilled at the exposure for the company and for P90X. When Beachbody does well, I do well, since they give me customers through their lead program.

But on second (and third) viewing, it struck me how the report's tone is really quite condescending and cynical. The reporter clearly can't believe that people can get so excited about an exercise program, and is bewildered by a legion of P90X fans.


Now, I'll be the first to admit that Team Beachbody Coaches can be a bit fanatical, to put it politely. Get more than three coaches together in one place and you've got full-on fitness frenzy. That convention where the report was filmed? There were about 1,000 coaches there.

We already know that Team Beachbody Coaches (and everyone else who exercises regularly) are riding high on a natural dose of the same chemicals found in Prozac. Most of these people can't believe they were able to change their bodies, their health, and in many cases their minds with a simple workout program. Couple that with the profound experience of paying it forward by helping someone else change their lives for the better, and you've got a group full of people who seem to be drinking the Kool-aid. It's no wonder the guy thinks Team Beachbody is a cult.


I guess I wish the report could have highlighted the fact that there is a problem in this country, and that Beachbody's trying its best to solve it. Yes, enlisting the people who have succeeded using the programs is a brilliant marketing tactic, but it's also allowing humans to interact and encourage each other to make good choices about the way they live.

I like to refer to myself as the Avon Lady of Home Fitness, but only to provide a point of reference for how this business works. In my opinion, these programs and the clean-living lifestyle that go with them are far more important than lipstick and mascara. (The phrase "Putting Lipstick On a Pig" just jumped into my mind, but that would be a decidedly tacky and insensitive phrase to explore, so I will leave it alone.)

All in all, the only bad press is no press, so I'm happy that Nightline gave P90X some attention. Maybe next time the report will be about how a million Team Beachbody Coaches are turning the tide against obesity.

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Ya'll, I fixed Chickpea Filets again last night and they are delicious. If the second go-round gets as high marks as the first, you know it's a keeper.

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Workout of the Day

P90X One on One Vol. 3: Yoga MC:2

The first of 13

Dear Drew,

Today is your first day of Kindergarten.

You are smart and funny. You are equal parts conscientious and wacky. You wake to an alarm clock and arrive in the kitchen five minutes later fully dressed, asking for a mix of Cheerios, Honey Nut Flakes, and Bran Buds for your breakfast.

You were born 13 days late, with a head full of hair.

It was worth the wait.

For the first 18 months of your life I worked and you went to day care. It was hard.

Then we moved, and I got the chance to stay home with you.

It has been the greatest privilege of my life.

Your sister and I will miss you terribly when you are at school. I can't tell Kate the proper way to build a Lego tower like you can. And who will give me the daily report of Sesame Street's letter and number of the day?

Your Dad and I have always planned on me going back to work when you and your sister go to school. But about a year ago I signed up to be a Team Beachbody Coach and started spreading the word about how exercise and eating good food can keep you healthy and strong -- just like we always tell you at home. A lot of people don't know about that, and because of it your generation is the first in a long, long time that is not expected to live as long as their parents. I don't like that, and want to change it.

Sometimes I go to meetings for my Beachbody business, and they always ask me to find a good reason why I want to make my business work. "What is your why?" they ask.

Spending this past summer at home with you and Kate has solidified my "Why." I want this business to work because I want to work from home. I want to see you off to school, and be here when you get back. I want the flexibility to go on field trips with you and to stop what I'm doing at a moment's notice to pick you up if you get sick -- without aggravating my co-workers and boss. I want to cook healthy meals for dinner, pack them up, and cart all three of us up to school to eat dinner with Dad when he has to work late.

I also want to help people find the best in themselves. I want to help people achieve things they thought weren't possible. So many people are suffering from the effects of bad food and a sedentary lifestyle, and I want to show them that growing older doesn't automatically mean you have to be overweight and medicated. We are stronger than we think.

If there is even the slightest chance that I can be successful in this business, I will find it. It may not be easy, and it may not be quick, but things that are worth having never are.

Drew, today is your first of 13 "First Day of Schools." I plan on being there for every one.

You are going to be an awesome Kindergartner.

Love,
Mama

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Workout of the Day

Insanity: The Asylum - Back to Core

The Beachbody Challenge: Why Not You?

"Big goals get big results. No goals gets no results or somebody else's results." - Mark Victor Hansen

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Motivation.

If I could unlock the key to what motivates people, I'd be a rich, rich woman. I guess the hard thing is that different people are motivated by different things. For some, the idea of looking and feeling good is enough to drag themselves out of bed in the morning (or off the couch at night) to get in a workout. For others, nothing short of $100,000 will get them into their workout gear.

Well, I don't have $100,000, but you know who does? Carl Daikeler!

Beachbody has a hunch that loads of cash might help motivate a few people to choose a workout program, take a "before" picture, commit to completing the program, and then send in their "after" picture.

$100,000 is the grand prize, but there are daily, monthly, and quarterly prizes, too. Not to mention you get a free wrist band for registering and a free T-shirt for sending in your final results. Take a look:



If you're the type of person who needs a push, or a goal to work toward, or a challenge, this is an excellent one. You'll compete against people who are your same gender and age group, so it's an even playing field. And heck, even if you don't win, I can guarantee you will be a happier, healthier you.

Plus, if you will make a commitment to yourself to enter the challenge, Zach and I will make a commitment to YOU to help you reach your goals. That may mean sending you recipes for meals, or monitoring your food diary, or checking in with you on a regular basis, or even working out with you if you're local.

If you (or someone you know...pass this along!) are serious about making a change and want to commit to a Beachbody program (any program), we want to help you. Send me a message if you're kicking around the idea.

Your first step will be to go here to sign up for a free Team Beachbody Club membership*. This will get you in the system as my customer, and then you'll visit the Beachbody Challenge page to register yourself (and get your free wristband).

Here's some more info if you need it: Frequently Asked Questions

And here's another question: Why shouldn't you be the one who wins the grand prize? 


"Whatever you imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe and enthusiastically act upon must inevitably come to pass." - Paul J. Meyer 

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Workout of the Day

P90X One on One: Fountain of Youth Yoga

Man, yoga felt so good this morning. I missed it during Asylum.



* Even if you're not registering for the challenge, you should still visit my page for a free club membership so that I can be your coach.

The way that I benefit from being your coach is by earning a commission from any Beachbody products you buy, as long as you buy them through my site or by logging in to www.teambeachbody.com. If you buy it off the infomercial or regular Beachbody website, I don't get credit, so come to my site first! I appreciate it.

Is Beachbody Coaching For Real?

When I signed up to be a Beachbody Coach nine months ago, I figured that if I could take advantage of the 25% discount and manage to cover the cost of our Shakeology, I'd be happy.

Since we're six months into the year, I decided to take a hard look at the goals I set for my Beachbody business back in January. One of those goals was to pull in around $500 a month with my business. Life-changing? No. Would that cover Shakeology and buy a few extra groceries? Yes.

As coaches, Zach and I buy Shakeology for $89.96, plus we have a $14.95 fee for our business websites...so that comes to $104.91 each, or $209.92 total.

We are both "Emerald" coaches, so that means that we qualify to receive customer leads from Beachbody. If someone orders from the Beachbody corporate website, they assign that customer to a coach, and they become your customer. You receive commission on anything they order in the future. Since Beachbody spends about $100 million per year on advertising (that's not an exaggeration; it really does spend $100 million), they pull in quite a few customers.

In the past six months Zach and I have built a customer base of 164 people made up of both people that we know and customer leads from Beachbody.

Since the proof is in the pudding, as they say, here is a breakdown of our earnings for the past six months:

January: $362.22
February: $377.30
March: $462.41
April: $403.39
May: $401.99
June (to date): $406.06

I haven't reached the $500 per month level yet, but I have something to work toward and nowhere to go but up. Beachbody has great tools and resources to help me build the business as much as I'd like.

This coaching stuff has become about a lot more than money, though.

For one, it's given us an avenue to meet other people who are interested in health and fitness. People who challenge us to be better both physically and mentally. Secondly, it allows us to support other people who are just starting to work toward a healthier lifestyle.

Every time we get an email from a customer asking for advice, we are so excited to help them. Whether they need recipes, or advice on what to do if they've skipped a workout, whatever -- we want to be a part of ending the trend of obesity in this country...and other countries, for that matter. Just yesterday I ordered P90X bars for a customer in the U.K. who can't place an order internationally.

Last Saturday Zach and I attended Team Beachbody's Super Saturday event in Dallas. Beachbody CEO Carl Daikeler spoke at the event, and as always, I was really impressed with his vision for the company and the country: to help people achieve their goals and lead healthy, fulfilling lives; and to end the trend of obesity.

"This isn't easy," Carl said. "Know that you're going to get criticism, and deal with it..." But nothing worth accomplishing is ever easy, is it?

As I sat in the audience with 360 other coaches and prospective coaches, I was proud to be a part of Team Beachbody. This company has attracted some highly motivated, positive people who think big, and if any group has a chance to end the trend of obesity -- or at least make a pretty big dent in it -- this is it.

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Workout of the Day
Asylum: Back to Core

As Tony Horton would say, "Oh, Mommy." I've never done a workout quite like this. It certainly wasn't high-impact and I wasn't huffing and puffing, but this was about as tough a core workout as I've ever done. And P90X Core Synergistics is tough. It's been an hour and my shoulders are still burning.

The great thing about Asylum is how quickly the workouts seem to go by. Today I looked up and saw 31 minutes left on the screen...and was a little dejected. Then the next thing I knew it was cool-down time! Ask me about this again in a few weeks when I'm familiar with the workouts and we'll see if I say the same thing... 

In Good Company

It's been said that you are the average of the five people you hang around the most. If that statement is true, then the people I want to hang out with are Team Beachbody Coaches.

I have been a coach for eight months now, and on any given week I come into contact with dozens of other coaches; some through business accountability groups, some on Facebook or blogs, and this week I met or spoke with five coaches personally.


These are some of the most dedicated, motivated, positive, success-oriented people I have ever seen. They work hard, encourage others, and are constantly working toward being better people, mentally and physically.

Even though we are all in the same business -- and essentially could see each other as competitors -- there is a high level of cooperation and transparency. I think that is because most of us understand that this company's goal of ending the trend of obesity will be difficult enough to surmount without being territorial. There are more than enough people who need our help.

In our daily lives we are surrounded by people who are negative, pessimistic, delusional, lazy, and entitled. Constant interaction with those people is bound to bring you down, especially if your five best friends exhibit those traits.

For me, Team Beachbody has been an antidote to all that; a breath of fresh air that has caused me to take stock of what it means to be successful in life, in relationships, and in business. Even if my business never makes a bunch of money, I will have reaped the intangible benefits that come with rubbing shoulders with great people.

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Workout of the Day

RevAbs: Rev It Up

My Sally Field Moment

A little housekeeping this Thursday morning: observant readers might notice a little new button on the top left just below the title. It's a "Like" button for my snazzy new Smells Like Fitness Facebook page, which I created on my snow day this week.

It's a page for my Beachbody business, complete with an online store and contest page for Beachbody's corporate contests. I'll also be using the wall to post nutrition tips, videos, inspiration, and any other thing that floats my boat on any particular day.

If you're a Facebook user and reader of this blog, can you take a quick second and "Like" my page? My goal is to get 100 "Likes" this year...Not sure how I'm going to accomplish that quite yet, but I think it's important to put a goal out there. If you have friends who might enjoy a page devoted to nutrition and fitness, please pass it on!

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And now: EURO TRAINING!!!!

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Workout of the Day:

P90X Plus Kenpo Cardio

People, I did not want to work out today. At all. It was 16 degrees this morning, which means the shop where we work out was about 38. I've been staying up too late at night reading Unbroken, so I am tired. (By the way, you should read that book. It's an incredible story about an Olympic miler and WWII veteran who survived astonishing brutality in a Japanese POW camp.) But I slogged out there anyway and did the workout. And you know what? I did NOT bring it. I was completely wimpy and went about half speed.

I could have known how much I was not pushing myself if I had bothered to put my heart rate monitor on, but the prospect of strapping a freezing cold strap to my nice, warm chest that had just rolled out from underneath 14 pounds of blanket left me less than thrilled. So I didn't do it. I'll try again tomorrow.

Beachbody Product Review: Brazil Butt Lift

You all know I love my P90X. I've spent the last two and a half years push-up and pull-upping till I'm blue in the face (sometimes literally). But I know P90X isn't for everybody, and that's why Beachbody has a whole host of products to appeal to all kinds of people.

Since I take this Beachbody Coaching thing seriously, I feel it's my duty to try out as many Beachbody products as I can and report my findings. And so today, with a special shout out to my friend Sarah who loaned me the program, I bring you: Leandro Carvalho's Brazil Butt Lift.

Here's what you get when you buy the Butt Lift:

• The Booty Makeover Guide, complete with Your Booty Blueprint (to tell you what kind of booty you have - "Too Flat," "Pear Shape," or just straight up "Too Big").
• Fat-Burning Foods Nutrition Guide
• 6-Day Supermodel Slimdown Plan
• Measurement Tracker Card and Tape Measure
• Resistance Band
• Triangle Training Workout Cards
• 7 workouts on 3 DVDs

And Oh! I forgot the pencil! You also get a pencil so that you can perform "The Pencil Test," wherein you put a pencil in the crease between where your butt meets the top of your thigh. If the pencil stays up  (or disappears), you, my friend, are in need of a lift. 

Now let me admit (if it isn't clear already), that I approached this workout with my tongue securely in my cheek. I mean, c'mon, a butt workout. Are you serious? Well after doing these workouts let me tell you: it's serious. And also? Seriously fun. 

First of all, each workout starts with drums and whistles straight out of Carnival and greetings from Leandro: "We are in RIO DE JANEIRO!!!"

Then you're in his studio, backed by six color-coordinated girls whose booties definitely do not need lifting. 

Did I say studio?

Oh, wait! Now you're on the beach!

You're in the studio!

You're on the beach!

You're on a horse!

After awhile I wasn't sure where I was, but I did know that my butt hurt. Leandro's got you lifting, shaking, and dancing all over the place, all the while shouting encouragement like only Leandro can:

"Beat the drums!"

"In Brazil we call the booty the boom boom, so I want you to work your boom boom!"

"Shake your booty! C'mon let it go! I dance!"

"Are you feeling warm? I hope so because I am sooo warm!"

"Did you like that move? I stole it from Shakira!"

Working out with Brazil Butt Lift is not unlike working out with your gay hairdresser. Your really fun, high-spirited, gay hairdresser.

You can't really appreciate what I'm saying until you hear from the man himself. So here he is, with a very important message that I wholeheartedly support:

I know he's Brazilian and all, but you know who Leandro reminds me of?

Oh, Leandro, I kid because I love. This workout seriously works your butt. The nutrition guide is great, the workouts are fun, and every time you work out with Leandro you're bound to work both your butt and your abs...due to all the laughing you're going to do while you try to keep up with him.

Want to try the Butt Lift? Buy it here.

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Workout of the Day
P90X Plyometrics