Sunday, March 29, 2009

Shakeology and the "Powerful Rejuvenator"

If you've ever wandered the aisles of a vitamin store, you've probably been as perplexed as I have been about just how many of these little bottles am I supposed to use each day to have energy, great health, etc. etc?

That's what's great about Shakeology... A whole lot of those supplements exist in their high quality, whole food form, in a high-protein chocolate or berry shake.
We talk a lot about how Shakeology gives you energy, but it's not caffeine and sugar energy like Red-Bull type energy drinks. I think one of the Shakeology ingredients which is responsible for that quality energy is Ashwagandha, also known as Rasayana which means "Powerful Rejuvenator" in Ayurvedic. According to some reading I've done, it has been used for thousands of years to treat inflammation, fevers, and to protect against infection and illness in India and Africa.
When it comes to energy, the adrenal gland can make or break you. Supporting the adrenals is important especially when you are active. On a site called Tattva's, which sells this herb in an isolated capsule, here's what they say about this interesting Shakeology ingredient, and how it can improve the performance of the adrenals especially in support of your exercise routine:

It has rejuvenative properties that produce energy, which in turn helps the body to calm down and sleep. Thus it helps the body address a stress-related condition rather than masking it with sedatives. Recent research points out that Ashwagandha may be the best herb to take to maintain normal adrenal levels. Caffeine, nicotine, processed foods and processed sugar all take their toll on the adrenal glands and leave the victim fatigued, depressed and often bewildered as to what to do with themselves. One of the special properties of Ashwagandha is that it will enhance Ojas. In Sanskrit, Ojas literally means "vigor" and according to Ayurvedic theory, is the most subtle, refined level of the physical body and, in fact, is its essential energy. Ojas is the sap of one's life energy and is the end result of healthy food which is properly digested. It is responsible for a healthy immune system, reproductive processes, physical strength, lustrous complexion, clarity of mind and sense of well-being. It allows consciousness to flow within the body. With decreased ojas, we are less in touch with ourselves and more prone to weakness, fatigue and to experiencing a sense of disharmony. Ojas depletion can be caused by stress. Ashwagandha is known to relieve the body from these stress-related weaknesses by specializing in the building of ojas and rejuvenating the body, thus maintaining a healthy balance of physical energies. Ashwagandha can also be a natural training aid and its use is becoming popular in sports and athletics. When you train hard, you walk a very fine line between overtraining and training just enough. Even in perfect circumstances, training by itself is a stress on the body. To get the maximum performance from your muscles, you require just the right amount of training coupled with appropriate rest and recovery periods. Overtraining means too much cortisol which leads to the consumption of muscle protein by the body and thus performance suffers. Endurance athletes who train heavily, such as long-distance runners and cyclists, are very prone to infections, as excess cortisol produced in response to the heavy training load suppresses the immune system. It can also lead to muscle and tendon tears because the muscles are weakened due to protein loss under the influence of cortisol.

That's what I love about this shake! Shakeology gives me the confidence of knowing I am getting the best of the best, in one fantastic shake each day, but instead of opening up 70 bottles of pills and powders to get these ingredients, I open up one cool looking bag. Is it lunch time yet?

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Happy 18,000th

18,078 coaches to be specific. That's where we are as of yesterday!

The momentum out of the Summit has been strong, built both by people invigorated to achieve their "Extreme Dream" plus the launch of Shakeology.

Hawaii alone has amazing momentum, perhaps thanks to the hard work of Fran Patoskie's team ("ilovetosweat") plus the excitement of Hawaiian hero Dallas Carter's $250,000 victory in the Million Dollar Body Game. I've heard that even Hawaii's Governor, Linda Lingle, is going to officially recognize Dallas and his healthy transformation in front of the State Senate!

But we're seeing enthusiasm and growth throughout the organization, especially now that the 2008 Top Coaches are back at it.

I also wouldn't be surprised if the "Shakeology Math" is helping. Sure, the Shake as the healthiest meal of the day is worth every penny at $4 a serving retail... beats a Big Mac right? And for people like me who intend to take the Shake every day, becoming a coach can save you around $15 a month. ($120 Shakeology retail minus $30 coach discount plus 14.95 monthly coach fee = $105... not including the bonuses or retail commissions you earn when someone tries the shake and buys or joins because of you!)

Whatever the reason for the ramp in growth, this is our year. Thanks for keeping the momentum going coaches!

20,000 coaches by May!

Friday, March 20, 2009

The Rumors Were True

Any Beachbody complaints about not getting noticed by the media are distant history. And P90X is the best free publicist we could have hoped for.

Without spending a dime on endorsements or PR efforts, word continues to spread about the shift in health and fitness from gyms and trainers to our DVD programs, and it seems to be nearing a real tipping point.

First it was Chicago lead singer Jason Scheff who used P90X and the coaching opportunity to motivate himself to get back into shape. Then it was NFL kicker David Akers who's trainer suggested P90X to answer coach Andy Reid's command to get back into pro-bowl condition. Then People ran a story on Poppy Montgomery from Without A Trace. Then we got calls that Sheryl Crow has transformed her body with P90X, and went on and on about it on the red carpet of the Grammys. Then at the Pro Bowl, Baltimore Ravens' super star Ray Lewis told the media he uses P90X.

And then there was a rumor that a "Twitter Tweet" surfaced that Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore were asking questions about this P90X thing they keep seeing on TV.

It looks like the rumors were true.
Look what just got posted by People Magazine...

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Paradise Continued

Day two and three in Mexico have been a little warmer, and a little more relaxed.

After the exclusive Top Coach cocktail party Monday night, it seemed everyone (including me) got comfortable with the format of TV interviews and business planning by day, mixed with socializing and gourmet meals with these incredibly positive and inspiring coaches.

Last night lead tenor vocalist from Chicago and Beachbody Top Coach Jason Scheff accompanied some of the musically inclined of the group for a couple hours of informal cabaret. At one point he and Tony might have stumbled upon the theme for Shakeology with the refrain, "Excuses, excuses, excuses... there's no more excuses."

The gang just headed out to sight see, and I stayed back to work on the Beachbody Revolution script and catch my plane to get back to the office.

I did a promo for BNN today challenging you to do what it takes to join us next year in Kauai, HI. I really hope you set your sights on the goal and go for it! I just read this quote today. If you're wondering which step to take at this point, maybe which step matters less than taking A STEP:

"Achievement seems to be connected with action. Successful men and woman keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit."

~Conrad Hilton~

Monday, March 16, 2009

Ola!

Hello from the Fairmont at Playa Del Carmen Mexico!

After our first day filled with TV interviews, the Top Coaches just finished a training session with Michael and are about to get together for the exclusive Top Coach cocktail party by the beach.

This is a photo from the welcome reception last night, when the guy was blessing the dinner from a Mayan culture perspective. (Really, there was Citronella in that pot, so you wanted to stand near him to keep the mosquitos away)





And these fire dancers entertained us with a native performance that gave me an idea for a new workout: "Keep those fire numchuks spinning or die".

Wish you were here!

In fact -- If you feel like earning an incredible five star trip like this for the same time next year, I would love nothing more. We're headed to Kauai, Hawaii next year, and bringing a lot more people. Decide. Commit. Succeed! but "You gotta be HUNGRY!" Let's do this!

Saturday, March 07, 2009

New Record - A New Extreme

This morning at around 8:25AM PT we shattered the prior WOWY record of 522 people working out at the same time by 460 people! A new record of 982 people all working out at the same time was set!

They didn't have to lug themselves out to a gym and wait in line to take a class... they woke up, put on whatever clothes felt comfortable, and did their workout... with almost a thousand other people from all across the continent!

There were Beachbody staff and management, Tony and Chalene, fit people, big people, coaches, new customers, old friends from early Power 90 Hawaii trips, and finalists from the Million Dollar Body Game. To see the people pile in to this WOWY online Super Gym was more proof of a real revolution - the days of the gym being the default method to get in shape are coming to a close. The era of home-based fitness supported by an enthusiastic online community is here. Welcome home!

My Extreme Dream is coming into focus: One million coaches supporting 100 million customers. We are Beachbody, and we are an unstoppable future!

Thank you team!

Monday, March 02, 2009

Looking good!


With 321 showing up to workout this morning in the WOWY Super Gym, we're looking good for our drive to crush the record this Saturday March 7th at 11AM ET/8AM PT!
It's the kick-off to Dream Extreme week, and we need you and every one you know to show up and make a statement! The revolution has begun!

Sunday, March 01, 2009

Health -- The Whole Package

Beachbody has always been about a comprehensive approach to health, fitness and weight loss.

We've created breakthroughs like Power 90, Slim in 6, Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Abs and P90X. We made easting easier to decipher with the aid of Michi's Ladder. And now we're making great nutrition simpler than ever to achieve with the launch of Shakeology, a true state-of-the-art breakthrough in nutrition.

There's less than a month before we launch our premium health shake at Team Beachbody.com and its coaches. And I've been using it for over a year now, every day. And it is literally my favorite meal of the day.

Every time I drink Shakeology I enjoy a rich delicious shake filled with whole food sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, not some high-priced juice where the antioxidants have long since been destroyed. And because I am getting those antioxidants with a generous dose of protein and phyto-nutrients, my blood sugar doesn't spike and my body has what it needs to rebuild and clear out toxins.

Beachbody is making fitness accessible and fun. We're making weight loss easier to achieve. Now for anyone who wants to eat healthy, lose or maintain their weight, and feed themselves the kind of nutrition which maximizes cellular health and function, get ready... Shakeology is coming soon at TeamBeachbody.com and through our fantastic Beachbody coaches.