Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Et Tu Monsanto?
Friday, December 11, 2009
Get Serious. Get Into The Success Club.
We'll be able to tell who's leading by the new monthly metric that will highlight those who are tapping into the Game Plan strategy, and that metric is called "the Success Club", a monthly assessment of who is recruiting new coaches and who is retailing Shakeology on monthly auto-ship (Home Direct).
Your goal is to get in the success club by scoring enough points, and stay in the club from month to month.
There is no limit on the number of qualifiers, and that means you can get your whole team on the trip! There will be first-class recognition at all corporate events, in the newsletters and online office... the works!
Being a member of the Success Club means consistently following the Game Plan, and in turn, consistently growing the business - YOUR business!
Here's how I know that the coaches who use the Game Plan are the ones most likely to be in the Success Club and on the trip: In November, the coaches who purchased the Game Plan's 3rd party tools like the "Decide" DVD, "The Invitation", and "The Beachbody Solution", outperformed the rest of the coaches - including some of our founding coaches, by TEN TIMES! That's how I know who the leaders are - the monthly numbers tell the story.
Here's what you need to do to get into the club: Earn at least 5 Points a month.
> You get 1 point for any new customer Home Direct order(s) of 90 PV or more.
Get five points to get into the club for 9 consecutive months, and you go on the trip! And there are two levels of success club:
Success Club 5:
• You and a guest go on the next luxurious (and tropical) Coach trip!
• Airfare/transportation reimbursement up to $500
• First-class recognition at events, etc.
To get into Success Club 5 you need to earn 5 points a month for 9 consecutive months in 2010 (goes up to a full 12 months in 2011) and you must be enrolled with a Home Direct order(s) totaling a minimum of 90 PV (i.e., Shakeology) for every qualification month.
Success Club 10:
All the above, but etra recognition, Airfare/transportation reimbursement up to $1,000, plus i will personally give you a high five!
To get into "Success Club 10" you need to earn 10 points a month for 9 consecutive months in 2010 (goes up to 12 months in 2011), plus the rest of the rules on the official rules/regs page.
Qualification starts with results starting January 1st, 2010. There will be more bells and whistles added as we get more creative, but for now - get familiar with the Game Plan, get those third party tools, and build your business!
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Sick of Feeling Sick
As the day progressed, it slowly got worse. I could have crawled comfortably into bed at any time, but it wasn't bad enough to call it a day. My mind started to imagine where this was headed. Was it the flu? My turn to get H1N1? Did the bug ripping through Ava's elementary school finally get to me?
I got to bed early enough to rest and see where things stood the next day. Sleep was difficult, with body aches and mild sweats. Something was definitely up. I think I finally got to sleep around midnight, and the alarm that is my 18 month old went off at 6AM.
As I got up, I realized something was different. I did a quick bit of surveillance. Head; sharp. Energy; good. Throat; clear. Stomach; settled. I had dodged the bullet!
Here's why that is a big deal to me;
In the past, I was not a "get a little sick" kind of guy. When I get sick, I get SICK. But ever since I started taking better care of myself and drinking Shakeology every day, everything about my general health is stronger.
The point is not that Shakeology is some cure-all. The point is this, and it's important that you read this carefully: When your body has the nutrition it needs to operate, you will get sick less. Whether it's Shakeology or you have the discipline and patience to eat well, nutrition feeds your body what it needs to thrive.
When your body has a foundation of great nutrition, when it does get attacked by a virus, your immune system will be in better shape to defend itself, so you will be sick shorter. And as you age, when your body has a foundation of good nutrition to continue to build healthy new blood cells, keep connective tissue healthy, and to fight inflammation, you will feel younger, and enjoy the benefits of youth longer. That is the pay off with good nutrition.
I am thankful there are medications to help us overcome severe sickness. But I would prefer to treat my body in a way that avoids getting sick in the first place. And if I do get sick, I want to know that I have built a foundation of nutrition that will go to work and make my turn around as fast as possible.
If you're sick of feeling sick, then take action to give your body what it needs to thrive. That's what fitness does. That's what better diet choices can do. And that's what the Shakeology program is!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Success Story Zero
My family has a history of brutally high cholesterol. In June 2006 with a cholesterol reading of 258, far over the acceptable range of 120-200, my doctor put me on the drug Lipitor. By October, my cholesterol was down to 226. Then I married Isabelle, an admitted health nut, who brought to my attention some of the reported liver side effects of prolonged use of the drug, so I stopped. By September 2007 I was up to 262!
One year later, I am happy to report that my cholesterol is down well into the safe zone, 172, with no drugs! As the first guy to take Shakeology every day, I know that makes me the very first healthy success story!
Now, I will be the first to say, this is by no means scientific proof and every body is different. I exercise, I eat better, I take Fish Oil and Red Yeast Rice, and I consume less alcohol than I did a few years ago. But I know I am not living the "perfect cholesterol reducing lifestyle" either, so this performance is quite gratifying for me.
As we look at the cost of health care in this country, my nutritional supplements cost less and are better for my OVERALL health than the prescription I was taking. Each daily dose cost almost the same as one serving of Shakeology - and the Shake gives me an entire meal at the same time! It's crazy!
This week as we celebrate all we have to be thankful for, in addition to so many things, I am thankful to be affiliated with people that created a product that goes so far beyond good daily nutrition and weight loss, but which actually completely improves my health and energy.
Shakeology, I am exceptionally thankful!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
A Special Birthday Request
Dear Team Beachbody Coach:
I am having a birthday party and you're invited! I am asking for a special birthday present too. No, not a pretty new pony. I would like to break the record for the most coaches present on a Game Plan call since we started them. (I think the first call had 300 on it.) I am hoping you will be there to make that happen for me.
My birthday party Game Plan call is at 8AM PT Monday, Nov 23rd. All I ask is that you and as many coaches in your up and downline can join me for my Game Plan party, and help me celebrate our growth (and my receding hairline and increasing age.)
Please mark this in your calendar: 1(605) 475-6400 passcode: 354-5248
I hope to see you on the call!
Carl
Monday, November 16, 2009
Great Idea for the Gift of Health
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Are You Serious About Success?
Are you willing to invest just six hours to learn the steps that will put you on the same path as our top coaches? We are seeing impressive, compelling evidence that the Game Plan is generating new coaches, new sales, and a lot more awareness about the health and fitness movement that is Team Beachbody. But it's important that get trained on it so you get the most from this powerful tool.
What sets the successful people from the everybody else? I know first hand - the difference is going the extra step, doing more than "normal", going the extra mile. This is one of those defining moments. What are you willing to do to succeed?
Larry is holding a Game Plan Training this Saturday (11/14) in Dallas, TX. People who attended the Leadership Event a month ago or the first stop on the Game Plan tour in Tacoma, WA compared it to a seminar for which they would have paid thousands of dollars. We're charging $10. Six hours of step-by-step training in how to apply the proven action steps of network marketing to getting out the word of our health-changing, life-transforming programs!
If you would have been willing to go to a four year college that was a long drive or a plane ride away to secure your future, why not make an investment in one road trip, one plane ticket to Dallas, and one day to absorb the information that could completely, and quickly, get your business on track?
Maybe it's just my nature, and maybe it's why I have been successful, but take from this CEO: If I were you, I would get to the very next training possible. No excuses. And I would lean on my primary leaders to meet me there. I would take pages of notes. I would review the information with my team immediately after the event, so we all worked the system together. And then I would work my tail off to use the system to generate the most productivity. I would not accept anything less from myself than that. So why not you? Now is the time to get serious about YOUR success.
REGISTRATION LINK: https://www.regonline.com/gprtfortworth
ADDRESS:
AA Training & Conference Center
4501 Hwy 360S
Fort Worth, TX 761551
(817) 956-1000
www.aa-conference-center-dolce.com/
PARKING:Complimentary!
AGENDA:
10:00 AM Opportunity Presentation (Bring your prospects!)
11:00 AM Game Plan Training Part I
1:00 PM Lunch Break & Shakeology Sampling
2:00 PM Game Plan Training Part II
5:00 PM Close
If you can't make Dallas, get to Vegas:
Las Vegas, NV December 5th
REGISTRATION WEBSITE:
https://www.regonline.com/gprtlasvegas
VENUE:
Gold Coast Hotel & Casino
4000 West Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 891031
(800) 331-5334
http://www.goldcoastcasino.com/
PARKING:Complimentary
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Now That's a Plan!
Coaches who have been watching the rest of the team have success while they struggled to sign their first coach are shocked to see how powerful the step by step system is.
That's the way to leverage Team Beachbody's 30 day money guarantee guys! Nice work!
Friday, October 09, 2009
"That's my son, P90X"
A prominent investment banker got in touch with me to tell me how big a fan he is of P90X, and that he knew we were doing something big when he saw a guy at his gym sporting an actual tattoo across his arm with the P90X logo! A permanent tattoo of our product, on his body! And since then, I've received a couple emails of customers who prove the premise... people are more committed to this program than ever!
Yesterday I read on Twitter about Donny Osmond saying ballroom dancing is harder than a P90X workout. And I also heard rumor that American Idol David Archuletta is now twittering about the program.
This week a customer contacted me through Facebook and told me that he and his wife are so pleased with the program and how Tony Horton presents the workouts that they are giving their soon-to-be-born son the middle name "Anthony" in honor of Mr. Horton himself. (I suggest they make his first name "P90X"... doubt he'll go for it.)
It's really unbelievable, and the new show about P90X should be out by the end of the year which demonstrates even more unbelievably how amazing this program is and how it has transformed what people think of home DVD workouts. I am grateful to every customer, to Tony, and to everyone at the company who never gave up to create the greatest fitness program ever put on DVD!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
We're On TV!
At least that's the way it is from 12AM to 12PM EST on Channel 341! Channel name: "BB" featuring daily Product Partners programming scheduled with WOWY promotion spots and other short for programming between each show.
We're blacked out on Sunday’s 6:00a-12:00pm (necessary for bandwidth issues relating to NFL Ticket), but otherwise, sit back, and enjoy the direct marketing fabulousness with over 18 million other happy DirecTV viewers!
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Lemonana
One whole scoop of Greenberry Shakeology
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Patience Hummingbird
Many people consider "The Fountain of Youth" the best routine from the first year of One on One. I am not a "long yoga" fan (shocker!) and even Tony has to cut the routine down to suit his schedule from time to time. This is the routine.
It's the ultimate "feel good", with a little hummingbird and all. The laws of attraction continue to operate in full force.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
In Case You're Dating John Daly...
I know of many, many stories where one person in a couple makes the decision to get healthy, and they are not supported by their other half. In fact, the other half can be so alarmed by the prospect of being left behind by the lifestyle change that they will do whatever they can to undermine the success of their partner.
As sad as that is, our job at Beachbody is to give people the tools they need to get results, and that includes the support and encouragement they might not get at home.
From the message boards, to WOWY, to direct connections with coaches who are doing the same program as you, the support you need is right here. The decision to take responsibility for your own health and fitness is a powerful one. I mean it - it's a big deal when you decide to get active on a regular basis and pay attention to your nutrition. But it's a very personal choice too. It's not one you can impose on someone else. You can put it out there, but they are the one who has to step up and take responsibility for themselves.
My advice is always to show people what's possible with your own results. That's how you open someone's mind up. That's what our infomercials do; they give evidence of real transformation. But the person watching at home is always the one who gets the credit for taking action.
John Daly is an amazingly talented guy whose career never materialized with the promise he showed when he came on the scene. I can only imagine how much longer he could drive the ball or how much longer his career would be if he really thought through that the body swinging his driver could be a whole lot more powerful if he treated it with some respect and gave it better fuel than diet coke. It's possible for everyone, whether it's P90X, or any of our other programs. It's possible for John Daly. But he's the one who gets to choose whether he wants to live a healthy lifestyle or not. Likewise, it would be kind if he showed some enthusiasm for the choices of others.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
How To Pay it Forward
I just wanted to share the experience I had with the Pay it Forward DVD today.
I'm an 8th grade teacher, and have an amazing assistant principal who is truly supportive and caring for her teachers. She is also 5' tall, and I'm sure weighs over 300 pounds. I have known her for over 6 years, and she's been involved with our 'Biggest Loser' club at school, joined the weight watchers program at school, and even walked the hallways with students after school hours. I know she wants to make changes.
Today I sat down with her and shared my P90X journey (I'm a grad, currently on round 2 doubles, have dumped 25 pounds, and developed strength and a new found love for myself!). Then I explained the One-on-One subscription that I receive, how I had the opportunity to meet Tony in Atlanta in June and how inspirational he is, and that I had received from Tony and Beachbody, a gift to pass along to someone that I care about. I passed the Pay it Forward DVD to her, shared Brian's story with her, and told her that because I care about her and her health, that I wanted her to find some time to push play.
She immediately broke into tears...she was so overwhelmed that I cared about her in such a personal way that I would want to give her the DVD. We spent some time talking about fitness, nutrition, my blog (http://personalsweatequity.blogspot.com), how you and Tony were in Washington D.C. meeting with congressional members about fitness and the health crisis of the nation, and about the promise of the future.
It truly was an incredible experience. I thank you and Tony for the opportunity.
Nancy Schwertfeger
Independent Beachbody Coach
=================================
Footnote: We have the tools. We have the team. Let's end the trend of obesity!
Friday, July 31, 2009
How's It Goin' eh?
Multilevel marketing opportunities are stringently regulated in Canada on both a national level as well as a provincial level, with separate approvals needed for every province into which the company seeks to operate. While this does not provide a legal barrier for companies like Beachbody that provide a fair and legal business opportunity, it does mean that it takes a significant amount of time to secure the required permits and approvals.
Accordingly, we have updated our compensation plan, policies and procedures, products and supplements catalog and even marketing materials to ensure that they conform to all Canadian requirements to make our review process as fast as possible.
Even so, we have been told by Canadian regulators that the review process may take as long as 20 months. That process does not include the operational/logistics work that begins once we know we are cleared to proceed.
We do understand that we have many customers and friends in Canada who cannot wait to become successful Beachbody Coaches and we thank you for your patience. While we are pushing this forward aggressively, this process is almost entirely out of our hands while it is being reviewed by the various Canadian regulators.
To clear up any confusion, there is no "pre-registration" or reservation of spots for the Canadian opportunity, as all Coaches in Canada will be presented the same opportunity at the same time. I will continue to provide Carl and the network team with updates on our progress and milestones on our path to complete the Canada registration process. In the meantime, our Legal team can be reached any time at Compliance@Beachbody.com, and I can be reached directly at jonathan@beachbody.com.
Jonathan Gelfand
General Counsel
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Another Tony Horton One-on-One First!
It's called “Core Ball Sandwich", a ball-based workout created when Tony was on a ski trip in Jackson Hole. Not only is this an incredible ab and core routine using a variety of balls to challenge his core from front to back, Tony brought the funny.
And with the August shipments, One on One subscribers are also first to get a taste of the brand new RevAbs program by Brett Hoebel called "Fire Up Your Abs". This workout is a 40-minute routine with a nice taste of real Capoeira. This is the real deal, and you are going to love it!
But the one-penny deal on Tony Horton's personal One-On-One workout expires Friday -- so get in now or you'll wish you did!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Shockers and Stunners
THAT'S why we created the Team Beachbody Coach Network and the Million Dollar Body Game. Your income can be positively affected by your health and fitness transformation, but you have to go for it.
I am proud of the Stunners featured in InTouch, and sorry for the Shocker. (Being underweight is as debilitating as being obese.)
Everybody deserves to be healthy, and everyone has the power to decide to take control of their situation. Team Beachbody coaches are helping people get access to solutions every single day. It's a pleasure to work beside people who get it and people who care.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Show and Tell
Rod Martin, another coach, (AZRANGER) was telling Anne about a "presentation" that he did for his 8 yr old daughter¹s class. He was lifting and showing electrical boxes and apparently her buddies were telling her that their daddies didn't have muscles like that.
Two days later, Rod had two more orders for P90X.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Success on YOUR terms
Every person in that packed room tonight has the potential to achieve their goals. There is not one person there who by the very decision they will make tonight, and the commitment to plug into the system we've created, can't succeed at a level that will give them everything they always wanted.
It's not about years of study or hours of contemplation - but a flash of a moment where they decide to turn things around, physically and financially.
Better health. Freedom from debt. For real -- not just some radio ad. When you combine the passionate desire society has to lose weight and get fit with an opportunity to earn income with products that are world famous, you have life-changing opportunity. That's what being a coach means.
Just like we created fitness and weight loss programs that walk you through a success system that are guaranteed to get you results, so will the Team Beachbody Network. Work it, and it works.
The world changes when YOU are in control of your circumstances. But nobody GIVES you control. You have to step up, and earn control. You have to step up and be in control. And stay after it, every day. That's how you succeed on your terms!
Everybody, Pay It Forward
To celebrate the launch of "Volume 2" of Tony's One-On-One series, and celebrate Tony's birthday on July 2nd, new subscribers pay just $.01 for their first month (plus $1,000 s&h... kidding! $2.95 s&h) for an amazing Cardio Intervals routine.
Plus both new and current subscribers get the new "Volume 2" DVD wallet that holds the next year's worth of fabulous Hortonosity.
And to share in all this kindness; the July One-on-One DVD ships with a FREE workout called “Pay It Forward”. The Pay It Forward DVD is a first for Beachbody, where we asked a 400lb person to go through a routine with Tony. he did, and he loved it!
Your job -- give that DVD away to someone who thinks that fitness (and Tony Horton) is not accessible to them. This is a great starter program. Again, your job - give it to someone and let them see how good they can feel after just 20 mins!
It's a special launch of year two of One-on-One. Tony (and I) are exceptionally grateful to the people who made it through year one and are ready for more!
Friday, June 26, 2009
It's Time To Lead
The mark of a leader is someone who is willing to take risks, to step out of the safety zone of accepting the status quo. Leaders are change agents, and they make things happen that can move things in a big way. (That doesn't mean they're right, it just means they are the ones who make things happen. And they're usually the ones that make the money.)
Leadership is rare, and when it is directed toward something that truly benefits society at large, they are valuable. Leaders are the ones who hear people saying "that's not how it's done," and they forge ahead anyway. They try something, hear friends, family (and even customers) say "That's just stupid", they learn, and they continue to work through the criticism.
But the more bold the leader is, the more people there are who will say that leader is wrong. If you are leading, there will always someone who thinks you are wrong. Do it anyway.
Not everyone has what it takes to be a leader. I am a big fan of helping people see their potential to step into a leadership role, but I have been guilty of thinking everyone has what it takes to handle the criticism and also self-start. But over the years I have learned that leaders who are ready will step into the role when given the opportunity. I see it everyday on the TeamBeachbody Message Boards, Facebook and Twitter as coaches step up and help people get results and build a business out of helping people. There are great leaders out there, and great leaders emerging.
I had a conversation today with 5 star diamond Charline Bucher, a founding coach and a true Team Beachbody leader. We were talking about how we're seeing people succeed in this business who are consistent with achieving base hits vs. swinging for home runs. Day by day, sale by sale, coach by coach, leaders in network marketing make small progress and encourage other leaders in their organizations to do the same. That's the activity that works.
The people who achieve exponential growth in this business are the ones who are always looking for leaders in their organization, and focusing their efforts on building momentum with them rather than trying to pull everyone along. If you focus on the people who can help us get to one million coaches and 100 million customers, your business will grow. If you focus on trying to get everyone to join the business, you won't have time to work with the true leaders, and the business will languish and always require you to baby sit.
Attracting leaders creates a foundation on which the network will flourish. Strength in leadership equals a strong network that will help millions of people.
That's the point of the Leadership event that Michael Neimand, Larry Zimberg, Denise Needham, the rest of our network team and I are staging this October 17th and 18th. It's not for everyone. You have to qualify and want to break out of the pack to be a real leader in building this business. If you want to go big with this opportunity, you need to get to this event.
The following criteria needs to be achieved by August 30, 2009. Either...
A. Achieve the Paid Rank of Diamond Coach or higher and have sponsored a Paid Rank Diamond Coach who is active as of August 30th.
- or -
B. Achieve a Paid Rank of Diamond Coach or higher, and recruit at least two new active Coaches this June, July, and August (for a minimum of six new active Coaches with at least two in each month), all of whom are active and in good standing as of August 30th.
Then we'll be training you and this elite group of leaders on the new "Game Plan", and as a leader, we'll give you a complimentary two night stay at the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel in Dana Point, California. (Get a good look at the pool now, because we won't be spending time there during the event. This is like training camp!) We want to initiate a huge push, a game-changing initiative which will signal the explosive growth in this network we have all been planning.
If you're a leader and want to build a business that pays you dividends every year, and you want to be a force of positive change in the health of the world, it is time.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
A Little Help From My Friends
These sites are like a party. The last thing you want to do is walk into a party and yell “I am here to sell you products!” That type of behavior isn’t accepted at a party, and I doubt it’s any different online.
In the pursuit of expanding our coach network, prospecting makes sense to me. But I don't think “broadcasting” sales messages via the social networks of friends is the best approach.
We established the Beachbody Network so when you get healthy results you could profit when someone notices and asks “Wow, what are you doing?” That’s how you turn your hard work and behavior change into revenue. You become the proof that it works!
That model translates well to social media like MySpace, Facebook and Twitter, where friends connect, share updates, and care about each other. What the health crisis in our country needs is people helping people. So the best action to leverage social media is to share what you are doing to inspire others, to celebrate the success of your team, and to pay attention to what people are saying.
When you have results to report or a photo to post during your transformation, NOTHING will get people’s attention faster than saying "Check out my 90 days photos -- Unbelievable!"And that facilitates a two-way conversation. Social media and networking is about starting a conversation. It’s a dialogue. It’s the first time in the history of marketing where businesses big or small must get back to the basics of listening. Listening is what separates the good friends from the not so good. As I read in Stephen Baker's recent article in Business Week, the value of information within these social media networks has dropped to zero. What is valuable, is attention; getting it and giving it.
That's how network marketing beats mass marketing every time; People get to know each other, and help each other achieve their goals.That makes you a good friend, not the Internet’s version of a door-to-door salesman. When a friend of yours gets results they’ll want to share it with their immediate sphere of influence. And your business continues to grow because you added value to the equation. You didn't take - you gave a service.
And that friend to friend service is the point of this whole thing. People have proposed to me that they could explode our business by getting actor Ashton Kutcher to become a coach and leverage his visibility talking about P90X on Twitter. As exciting as it is when celebs buy our products and talk about them, we aren’t looking to simply make more sales through their endorsement. We want this movement toward a healthy lifestyle to transcend a cult of personality, so it gets woven into the very fabric of our culture again.It's not about Ashton. It's not about me. It's not about Tony, Chalene, Debbie or Shaun T. It's about you. It's about your friends. I want YOU to be the star of this success story. We want you to help people you are the closest to. We want it to be on a personal, human level.
It’s not about spamming. It’s about sharing, listening, acknowledging and helping.
I believe that approach will make you a valuable friend in the web 2.0 world, and that’s the kind of service to others that will build your personal network in a meaningful way. I'll see you on Twitter and Facebook, and let's keep this party growing!
Monday, June 08, 2009
The Half-Price Life Saver
Looks like people are getting on board in a big way! Online sales jump up ten times over the sales for the prior week. That's big.
For anyone who faces that dreadful moment in a doctor's office when he says "you are pre-diabetic and need to make some changes" or worse, "you have diabetes," there becomes this vacuum of resources that are reliable and comprehensive.
Support groups abound, but a system that walks a person step-by-step through the lifestyle changes they could follow to make an enormous difference just never existed in one convenient place, until fitness icon Kathy Smith and former president of the ADA Dr. Francine Kaufman team up with the ADA to create this program. Beachbody wanted to support their vision aggressively, and the best way to do that was to make it more affordable with a 30 day money back guarantee. Now people can try it and see what needs to be done, and make the decision for themselves, "Am I worth it?"
And guess what: YOU ARE WORTH IT! And successful results are easier to achieve than you thought, when you have a system that works. "Project: YOU!" is the system. Now is the time.
Thanks to everyone for helping us get the word out about this special promotion, planned to stay valid through the end of July. If you know someone who's life is affected by diabetes, this is the time to take advantage of a great half price offer, and a great product that is literally saving lives!
Thursday, June 04, 2009
What We Do Is Patriotic!
I urged everyone I met to use us as a resource and sounding board, thinking beyond the highly publicized insurance aspect of the health care crisis to how we get people HEALTHY.
Beachbody and its coaches do it everyday, with intense focus on how to make health and fitness exciting, convenient, and affordable. And we have invested millions in connecting people to a new site of peer support that will be the epicenter of it's own revolution after it launches June 10th.
I asked the PPO, which is steering the formation of the President's Council on Fitness and Health on behalf of President Obama, to consider alternatives to the traditional appointments and instead look for ways to empower individuals to take accountability for their health and fitness.
As important as scientific advice is to helping make sure people are doing the right thing to get healthy results, and as inspiring as speeches by fitness celebrities can be to attract attention to the concept, what we need is a grassroots movement where millions of people take accountability for themselves and their health - the way so many Beachbody coaches and customers are doing every day.
Normally faced with blank stares and responses like "what's an infomercial guy going to tell me about getting people healthy?", I was incredibly encouraged by the attitude and enthusiasm for what we are doing.
Between meetings I managed to get in my own run around the Capital. I stopped at the Lincoln Memorial and took a moment to read the Gettysburg Address inscribed on the wall. It's truly one of the greatest speeches in American History, and will inspire anyone to fight for the preservation - and underlying health - of this country and its constitutional freedoms. I felt a sense of patriotic duty to continue investing in our momentum and celebrating the people who are helping us succeed.
From time to time I will return to DC to create new relationships and expand awareness of Beachbody's mission to help people achieve their goals and lead healthy fulfilling lives. And I will always be proud of the connection our company and our coaches have to reversing the health crisis. We are the change. I believe that. We are helping restore the health and prosperity of this country by inviting our friends and neighbors to get active and paying them for helping others get healthy and fit.
I am so proud of what we do and the enthusiasm with which we do it. Thank you for being a part of building this, as we only just begun on our quest for one million coaches and 100 million customers!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Hip Hop Abs at work in Shinjuku
Shaun T is in Japan working with the distributor who is launching Hip Hop Abs into Japan for us this week. It's a media blitz that would have made the Beatles jealous.
Jumbotrons, outdoor stage shows, variety TV appearances, and of course, photo ops. And you have to check this video out. It features Hiromi Go (below), a Japanese pop star who loves the program.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
People Who Inspire Me
Aside from the contest, when it comes to extraordinary results, the testimonials I gravitate toward are the ones of triumph that exceed even my own expectations.
Coach Anne Dovel sent me another great one this week, which she got from Camille Lusk. Camille is “wheeliechick”, a new coach and the kind of inspiration that makes me want to ask everyone to ramp-up the decibel level and work harder to get the word out about what we are doing. EVERY DAY, EVERY CONVERSATION COUNTS!
Here's what Camille emailed to Anne:
"Hi Anne!
I have MS and am in a wheelchair. Due to numerous meds throughout the years my body stopped being hungry. At one point the doctors ran tests and found that my body digested about 3x's slower than a normal person would. That wasn't too alarming at the time but as the years wore on I found that I was probably only eating 600 calories a day at the most. My husband started doing P90x and we began looking at what I needed for calorie intake and I was floored! I began modifying moves for me and began feeling the results of my exercise but my appetite was still sluggish. I then found Shakeology! I love this stuff! We initially bought it to ensure I would at least get some nutrients in my body but after the first week I noticed my body was hungry! I now find that I need to eat 3 meals AND snacks to make it through the day. I have energy again, I think clearer after drinking it, and my mood is so much better. I am so thankful for Shakeology, I feel like I have found my youth again. Beachbody is truly in the business of changing people's lives and I'm thrilled that my family and I are along for the ride!"
I get to read this type of report every week. Each is a personal testament to healthy choices.
What's most important is that Camille would have never found this solution if not for a coach who introduced their family to Beachbody. And she would have never discovered what was possible for her if SHE hadn't investigated it further, and taken that leap of faith! So many people are convinced they have tried everything, and they have resolved themselves to their status quo. But we know better! We know that daily activity, good nutrition, and peer support can turn things around for someone who wants to lose a little weight, or even someone who is wheelchair bound looking for alternatives!
Shakeology was created to transcend hype, and to actually deliver the exceptional nutrition our bodies crave. And combined with our exercise programs, the healthy results are shocking. But it's so rare, and so hard to believe something really can deliver on what it promises, that it requires the passion of the Beachbody Network to share it.
Thank you Anne. Thank you Camille. And thank you Beachbody Network for not letting even a holiday weekend interrupt your important work of introducing people to a system of health and fitness that truly works.
Make this weekend worth "Memorializing" by stepping out of your comfort zone and getting the word out for an hour or two. This is the kind of weekend that separates the achievers from the coasters. Remind people they really can get healthy and help them understand they too can earn the wealth when the world catches on!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Brett Favre Tweets P90X
His "Tweet" was spotted yesterday, as was the following recommendation from Ashton Kutcher to one of his 1.8 million followers.
Maybe there really is something to this P90X thing.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Happy Ten Year Anniversary Beachbody!
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Go Shakeology, Go!
Time to brag a little: Shakeology, a product that so many people said would cost too much, would taste "too green", and would not appeal to our fast-food-drive-thru culture, has absolutely taken off.
We've already sold almost 10,000 units since the summit. That's over a million dollar's worth - without TV advertising. And despite a money back guarantee, less than 1% of the people who buy the product return it. Less than 1%! Better still, the retention of the home direct program is the best in the company's ten year history: 72% of the people who sign up, have stayed in the home direct program.
I have been in the direct marketing business for 23 years. And I have NEVER seen numbers like that. This is an unequivocal home run.
UPDATE 5/7: I was speaking with Seth Tuckerman, our COO who used to be a big shot at Nestle. He said when they launched a new product and achieved a 60% reorder rate, they knew they had a homerun. At 72% reorder, I think we're looking at a grand slam!
People are blogging about it - not just coaches - but customers. THAT'S how excited people are about how they feel. My own cousin sent me an email proclaiming that he lost eight pounds already thanks to Shakeology - that stubborn eight pounds that have been nagging him for years.
But to our shock, most people are looking beyond the weight loss benefits at the health benefits. In fact, I continue to read post after post of people who are fed up with fads, and this time they are putting their money where their health is.
Do you know how big this is going to be? BIG. And thanks for making it happen coaches! Thanks to you, a real nutrition breakthrough has transcended the anti-oxidant-fruit-juice-in-a-wine-bottle craze of the last five years, and the real deal is on the scene. Shakeology is here to stay, and you can only get it through the Beachbody Network at TeamBeachbody.com.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
The Insanity of Cinco de Mayo
And it's the perfect month too, because the One on One is a recovery workout that Tony put into his rotation after a particularly intense day of training. He needed to recover, and Steve Edwards had been asking us to develop a recovery routine with the right kind of exercise to help the body, rather than just... stop.
So enjoy the Insanity workout (you are the first!) and take advantage of Tony's perfect recovery routine!
THIS MONTH'S ONE on ONE:
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Struggle Story
I say that because, despite my position as CEO of Beachbody, my focus on making a business out of ending the trend of obesity, and being married to one of the most disciplined and certified health and fitness experts in the world, I still struggle to "keep pushing play" as consistently as I expect of myself.
Yesterday I was in a meeting with Whitney Provost the editorial director of Team Beachbody, and as we were reviewing the calendar and general direction of celebrating success stories in our online videos and newsletters, an idea surfaced: "Let's start to investigate the other side of the success story. Let's look at real 'struggle stories' within our community. Let's show people that EVERYBODY struggles with consistency from time to time - even me!"
One such struggle story we've all read about is not a person actually, but a concept; "Corporate Wellness".
Despite the health crisis in the US, even a company called Beachbody can't require people to live a healthy lifestyle (Otherwise, for months out of the year I'd be on probation!)
When Jon Congdon got back from the Top Coach trip in Mexico having launched a 90 day challenge with a bunch of the coaches on the trip, his enthusiasm spilled over into our People Department, which in turn launched a company-wide 90 Day challenge.
So for the last few days we've had a dunk tank in the parking lot, measuring body fat percentages for anyone who wanted to know where they stood. The emphasis of this challenge is on health and fitness, not on a "Biggest Loser" type competition or weight loss alone. And over half the company is already participating, with more joining each day. That includes me.
My WOWY calendar for the last few months is below. I finally look like I will put together a week of some consistency after wavering between "weekend warrior" and "walk the baby" since the fall.
It's time to get consistent. Summer is approaching. My personal goal is to be fit and ready to plow into 60 days of Insanity when it launches.
But the point of my blog post is this; If you or someone you know is a "Struggle Story" like me, know that nobody is immune. That's why it's so hard to stay healthy and fit. Life today has not been designed to make a healthy lifestyle the norm. And I can complain along with all Beachbody customers about how difficult it is to stay consistent. But complaining never got anyone back into their favorite jeans.
While I have been lucky enough to have the tasty Shakeology to keep me healthy even though my fitness got inconsistent, if I want to keep up with my kids, I have to keep the body tuned. That's a choice.
I invite you to get on board, and get everyone you know on board. It's often hard. But it's important - especially if you are a coach, or the CEO of a health and fitness company.
I read a great quote from Jim Rohn today: "We must all suffer from one of two pains: The pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces, while regret weighs tons." (I would argue that some discipline weighs pounds, not ounces... but I get his point.)
So while the last few month's I have been a "struggle story", my "success story" starts again today. Decide. Commit. Succeed.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Ashton Update
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Pure and Simple
They are available at TeamBeachbody.com through your Beachbody Coach, or Beachbody.com.
Gillian takes you through an exhilarating routine with classic yoga without any difficult choreography in "Pure and SImple Yoga".
Teigh shares her pregnancy workout for expectant mothers to get you or that mom-to-be on your gift list ready for the special delivery with "Baby on the Way".
So log into WOWY, put your hands together, close your eyes, and BRING IT!
Thursday, April 09, 2009
An Insane One on One
Time to subscribe to Tony's One-On-One!
Along with Tony's real-life workout series, where you get to follow along with the man as he trains in his personal gym, last fall we released a sneak peek at ChaLEAN Extreme to people who were subscribed. Then at holiday time, we shipped a bonus DVD with Tony and his helpers. But if you're a subscriber this May, not only will you get Tony's personal "Recovery 4 Results" routine, but the best bonus ever is about to show up in the mail.
We are releasing the entire Plyometric Cardio Circuit (42 minutes) from the Shaun T's new Insanity series along with the May issue of One on One!
Not a sneak peak... an entire workout. But if you're wondering what kind of workout would be called "Insanity", here is a sneak peek of this program that will light up the fitness world in 2009:
Insanity is the most intense and thorough cardio-intensive program ever set to DVD. We expect it to launch in summer 2009 with a base Configuration of 10 workouts, including:
1. Dig Deeper/Fit Test
2. Plyometric Cardio Circuit
3. Cardio Power & Resistance
4. Cardio Recovery/Max Recovery
5. Pure Cardio/Cardio Abs
6. Cardio Abs
7. Core Cardio & Balance
8. Max Interval Circuit
9. Max Interval Plyo
10. Max Cardio Conditioning/Cardio Abs
Plus it will include the Insanity Fitness guide (which will be brief... we want you moving, not reading!), the Elite Nutrition guide and Wall calendar.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
I Thought I'd Never See This
Today I went to the Shakeology website for some Greenberry recipe ideas to see if we could get him to consume something healthy, and decided to go with the "Sunrise". (I also added a raw egg and banana in there. I'm like the Iron Chef of shakes)
It was like one of those "Hey Mikey, he likes it" moments. Instead of looking at the green drink and saying "no way", Josef took a sip, smiled with what teeth he has, and kept sucking on that straw. My sister was almost teary to see him get real nutrition for a change. My daughter Ava saw his reaction and had to have her own. Feeding the kids a good lunch was NEVER this easy!
Shakeology continues to amaze me. The health benefits, the success stories, and the sheer enthusiasm people have for something that delivers all this nutrition in a package that tastes this good seems to have struck a chord. Even Chalene Johnson went off on the product in her blog the other day. Even vegetarian Tony Horton, who has professed a devotion to the health-junky's Kombucha (I can't even get this stuff up to my lips) wouldn't let the production team leave the house the other day unless they left behind the two bags of Shakeology they brought with them during a recent One-On-One shoot.
The revolution continues to gain momentum, fueled by the healthiest meal of the day!