Total Wellness Transformation: Hank's Journey - Back In the Game

Welcome To Hank's Journey: Total Wellness Transformation - Diary Of A 50lb Weight Loss

Hey, everyone, it's Hank here! I'm finally starting to feel human again. I'm still resting and repairing and on the road to full recovery, but I feel a whole heckuva lot better this week than I did the week before. So good, in fact, that I have been able to ease myself back into working out.

I'm following the advice of everyone - my doctor, friends, YOU - and being careful not to overdo it. I can't afford a relapse. I can actually feel my body readjusting and recalibrating itself as we shift gears again. I had to take a little break, but now I'm back in it to win it.

I'm still enjoying my beloved Shakeology for breakfast and lunch, plus some healthy, high protein snacks at regular intervals. I'm aware that I am actually reprogramming my metabolism, among other things, so it's essential to keep fueling my body as it repairs and gets back into the groove of things. I'm making sure I give it fuel throughout the day so it doesn't go into starvation mode and hold onto what I'm working hard to lose.

As for working out, I'm not pushing myself or getting crazy. It felt great to get back into that routine. Mostly some good cardio and light resistance training. I got a little overzealous my 2nd day back and got a little dizzy and had to remind myself not to push too hard, but other than that, it's been good. I'm a little sore, but it's good soreness - the kind you earn.

I'm still eating a high protein meal in the evening (mostly grilled chicken or pork) and it's funny how the old cravings are not there anymore. When people at work have giant cupcakes or go out for fast food or have Halloween candy out on their desks, it feels good not to be tempted. Frankly, I'd rather have some apple slices and a handful of raw almonds instead because I know it's giving me what my body needs, as opposed to stuff that might taste good in the short term but provides no nutritional value.

So that's this week's update. Thanks to Carl and all the Team Beachbody Coaches for the encouraging comments and support. I was on the bench for a bit, but now I'm back in the game and pushing ahead. Looks like it's working, because I'm down nearly 4 pounds!

I Want To See Your Success Story!

I got a frantic call from director Ned Farr last week: "Dude, I need more female P90X success stories with solid 90-day photos for the next show! Put the call out to the coaches that if they want to brag about how they're helping people get results, we need the proof!"

As a Team Beachbody Coach, you are out there on the front lines, helping people get fit and healthy. You are a product of the product - and the best source of the kind of real testimonials we pride ourselves for featuring in our shows. That's why it's so important for you to share any success stories you have with us!

I am going to feature one success story here each week as a reminder of what we are about and that we want to inspire people with our own success.

If you have a success story of your own or someone you know, please submit it to SuccessStories@beachbody.com

A Coach recently emailed me this picture from Summit 2010 and I think it hits the nail on the head when you consider that "what you do" can also mean "how you inspire"... The inspiration of your success stories is what makes this company so special, and we want to see more of it!


To kick things off, check out this amazing success story from Justine P. who got smokin' results with TurboFire:

The Surf Report Says It's Coming...Are You Ready For It?

Do you want to ensure that you and your team will be ready to catch the tsunami wave of demand and opportunity that's coming on January 1st?

Do you want to reap the rewards of the Grab Your Board promotion before it's too late?

Of course you do!

Then don't miss The Surf Report! Get a front row seat to this special one-night-only webinar event - Register Online NOW!

Join us Thursday, October 28th at 5:00pm PT / 8:00pm ET

Sandi "Boo-Yah!" Bouhadana, Larry Zimberg and some very special guests are gonna give you the must-have info you need to build your business—double time—with the Grab Your Board promotion.

You'll learn how to leverage the influx of new Coach sign-ups under the promotion and get them on the fast track to becoming high performing Coaches. This promotion ends December 31, 2010, so take advantage of this unique opportunity to aggressively build your business now before it's gone.

Simply put, if you're going to be ready to catch the wave that's coming January 1st, you need this info, so don't miss this special webinar event!

Weekly WOWY Winners: Trick AND Treat

Do you want to earn cash & prizes for getting fit and staying consistent? Well, you can with the WOWY Trick AND Treat! The TRICK is to log into WOWY every day. The TREAT comes in the form of your fitness results...and the awesome prizes you can win! Just ask this week's WOWY winners...

10/17 Michele Maxwell won $300

10/18 Robert Barber won $1,000

10/19 Michael Stotts won $300

10/20 Amy Haab won $300

10/21 Becky Phillips won $300

10/22 Derek Davis won a Samsung digital camera

10/23 Cassandra Deguc won a Samsung digital camera

These people signed into the WOWY Super Gym to lose weight, get fit and find support - and they won big for doing it! If you want a change at the loot, you've gotta log into WOWY to be in the game!

A Halloween Shakeology Trick AND Treat!

Halloween is coming and here's something to help you celebrate in a healthy way AND build your Coach business!

Jimmy Hays Nelson and his wife, Kelly shared this recipe for a rich, decadent dessert featuring Shakeology as the secret ingredient and I'm passing it on so you can use it for all the Halloween and holiday parties coming up.

Plus, it's not just a boo-tiful dessert, it's a real trick AND treat - the trick is Shakeology and the treat is it's a tasty way to make an exposure! Simply have copies of the recipe stacked beside the dessert for people to take and next thing you know, you've started the conversation!

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Shakeology Pie

Ingredients:

•1 container tofu, silken (approx 12 oz)
•1 and 1/2 scoops Chocolate Shakeology
•1/2 cup peanut butter, natural (no sugar)
•2 tbsp soy milk
•1 pre-made pie crust…you can find whole grain, graham cracker-like pie crusts that are fantastic for this!

Preparation:

Blend together the peanut butter, silken tofu, chocolate Shakeology and soy milk in blender until smooth and creamy, adding a bit more soy milk if necessary. Pour into pie crust and refrigerate until firm, at least one hour.

It's so good, it's scary!

Total Wellness Transformation: Tough Lessons Learned

Hey everyone, it's Hank here. So, I'm recovering after being so sick. I'm not gonna lie - it's been no picnic. Slowly but surely I'm getting back to normal - I'm still not 100%, but I'm on my way.

After speaking with my doctor and friends in the healing and wellness fields, I now have some perspective about the whole thing. As was previously stated, I am going through a lot of transition. They helped me realize that the human body is an amazing machine, but sometimes it needs a tune-up and a full flush to run in optimum condition.

The meds they gave me were so powerful, they served as a sort of system reboot: they got rid of all kinds of stuff - both good and bad - to allow the body to recalibrate. Now I have to replace all the good bacteria and build my immune system back up to full strength. So that's what I'm going through. I'm still a little weak, but the doctor says later this week, I'll be able to ease back into working out. Nothing too crazy or intense - walking, rowing, light cardio and resistance training. Don't overdo it. Everyone stresses that I need to listen to my body and not push it. Give myself time to heal and repair. As Doc Horton says, "do your best and forget the rest!" Okay, message received loud and clear!

While I certainly wasn't enjoying it while I was sick, I was aware that my body was forcing me to slow down and was doing what it needed to do. I knew that ultimately, it was a positive thing to get rid of toxins and bad stuff. Not that I'd care to repeat it anytime soon. So I am recalibrating and getting everything back into alignment. I'm back on my beloved Shakeology during the day, and I'm starting to get a little appetite back. I've returned to solid food - lean protein in the evening, some veggies. And hydration, of course!

Even though I pretty much held steady and didn't see significant weight loss this week, it's okay. (After not being able to keep fluids down, my body returned to solid food and is grateful for it.) I'm down about another 1/2 pound, but I'll be back in the saddle again soon and we'll pick up where we left off. I'm going to listen to my body, get plenty of rest so it can repair and then onward and upward! It's been a tough 2 weeks, but ultimately, good lessons were learned. All the same, I'm looking forward to looking back as I forge ahead!

Until next time,
Hank

WOWY Weekly Winners - Sweating Really Pays Off!

Does your gym give you money and prizes for going in and working out? Mine does!

Here are the weekly WOWY winners for 10/10 - 10/16:

10/10 Sandra Range won $300

10/11 Esther Bush won a Canon digital camera

10/12 Todd Metz won $300

10/13 Jill Bateman won a Samsung digital camera

10/14 Susan Painter won $300

10/15 Dave Wulf won $1,000

10/16 Pamela Schaefer won $300

These people signed into the WOWY Super Gym to lose weight, get fit and find support - and they won big for doing it! You could be next, but you've gotta log into WOWY to be in the game!

Body Gospel Brings It In Dallas!

Greetings from Dallas!

Donna Richardson Joyner ran a great workout this morning for the leaders who came to the Dallas Leadership Event. For many who misunderstood what BodyGospel was about, now they see how good this program can make you feel. She made it an amazing and inspirational morning.

Then Donna and Tony met in the lobby and spoke about how each of them are building interest in Beachbody throughout the government, military, and White House. With Tony making his (and our) presence known on Capitol Hill and Donna being appointed to the President's Council On Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, Team Beachbody is making great things happen to end the trend of obesity!

I am so proud to work with these two!

Are You Preparing For The 2011 Wave?

It's October... what are YOU doing to build MOMENTUM for the last quarter of 2010 so you have a team ready to take advantage of the explosive wave of opportunity we expect in January 2011?

I was speaking with Craig Holiday about plans for 2011 and the topic of momentum came up. He mentioned that many people make the mistake of easing off the throttle during the last three months of the year. Kids go back to school, holidays abound and social obligations increase. Instead of seeing this as time to put your Coach business on hold, see it for what it really is; the mandatory time to build your team, to build momentum as you prepare for the biggest explosion of interest in our products ever!

This trend of obesity is a real disease, and it's only getting worse for the people you know. Likewise, unemployment is only creeping up. That means every social event is an opportunity to listen for openings where the topic of health, weight loss, fitness, and career come up. Are you listening?

Take advantage of every chance to share how this business opportunity can help people solve the problems THEY express. Craig told me has has been personally speaking with our 5-Star Diamond Coaches and above - the proven leaders in our business - and he said they are more amped than ever and they are really driving growth. They see this time for the golden opportunity it is and they are ready to take advantage of it!

"I'm putting it out there to my leaders to say 'Hey, here's what my work ethic is going to be and here's what I'm going to accomplish.' I post it and ask them to hold me accountable - then I ask them what they are going to do," Craig said. "I put it in the minds of my leaders that November and December are the best months for sponsorship. Around the holidays, people start thinking about being broke, about still paying off last Christmas. What better time to ask them how they want next year to be different? Then show them how they can make it a reality!"

Now is the time to make sure you and your team are positioned to ride the tsunami of demand that's coming in January. There's less than three months left in 2010, and 2011 is going to be even bigger. Don't let the chance to be prepared pass you by. Start driving the growth now so you can see tremendous Success Club PV growth at the start of the New Year!

The wave is coming...but you need to start paddling out NOW so you'll be ready to catch it!

The New Tote Board!

We just installed this new "Tote Board" in the common kitchen area so we keep everyone at Beachbody HQ updated on new coaches signed in the last 24 hours and the current coach total.

Every single coach counts!

Earn Cash & Prizes For Getting Fit?!? Heck yeah! It's Our Weekly WOWY Winners!

Get active and fit AND win cash and prizes for doing it? No, it's not a dream...it's WOWY!

Here are the Weekly WOWY Winners for 10/3 - 10/9:

10/3 Jessica McClurg won $300

10/4 John Abbott won $300

10/5 George McGuire won $300

10/6 Krista Moretz won $1,000

10/7 Michael Lowry won a Canon digital camera

10/8 Dixie VanderArk won $300

10/9 Steven Finkel won $300

These people signed into the WOWY Super Gym to lose weight, get fit and find support - and they won big for doing it! You could be next, but you've gotta log into WOWY to be in the game!

Total Wellness Transformation: A Slight Delay

Just when you think you're hitting a stride and things are going well - BAM! Reality strikes, and the universe put the beat-down me. This entry is going to be brief because, well, I'm sick. Not sniffles or common cold sick - that's kids' stuff. I'm sicker this week than I've ever been. I'm major league, can't get out of bed except to go to the freezer to get an ice pack sick.

This past Sunday, I got what I thought was food poisoning. Nasty stuff. I've spent the past 5 days barely able to keep down fluids, weak, delirious and pretty much bed-ridden. It escalated to the point that I was concerned that it was something serious.

After two visits to the doctor, three prescriptions and gallons of water, Shakeology, and organic chicken broth, it turns out it's nothing life-threatening - just some nasty virus that kicked my butt. I'm not used to missing work or letting illness slow me down, much less stop me in my tracks, so that week was a lesson, as well as an exercise in humility and patience.

Wise counsel explained to me that I am undergoing a lot of transition right now. Changing the way I eat, incorporating exercise, etc. - all of it requires adjustment and time. I've been told by my doctor, my friends and my boss that I am allowed time to heal and that I should allow myself this time without beating myself up over it.

It was pointed out to me that this is a sign of the true evolution I am undergoing. So although I am physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted, I am looking at this as a gift of sorts. It reminds me I need to listen to my body and ensure that I am caring for it on all levels. And it forces me to keep things in perspective.

As I plan my return to solid food over the coming days, I am excited to get back into working out. Unfortunately, there will be a slight delay, due to one of the meds I was given. I can't work out or engage in anything too physical until the course of meds is complete...because one of the side effects is that it can cause severe tendon damage. In fact, it can cause the Achilles tendon to "detach". WHAT?!? As the pharmacist explained the warnings to me in the most serious tone, I started to feel defeated. But then I caught myself.

"Marathon, not a sprint." This is just a slight delay and I'll be back in the saddle soon.

In the meantime, I'm focusing on making sure I get the rest, nutrition and hydration I need to facilitate the healing. I'm focusing on the concept of total wellness - if I can't work out the physical side at the moment, I'll work out the mental and emotional aspects...and be grateful for the chance to do so.

I'm down a few more pounds (though I can think of better ways to accomplish it) and I look forward to getting back in the fight shortly.

Until next time,

Hank

The End of Product Partners?

What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, we call a butterfly. In this case, the caterpillar is "Product Partners, LLC" and as of today, it's getting it's wings. Welcome to the all new, Beachbody, LLC!

Time to let our corporate name reflect who we are, and be who the rest of the world has come to know us as: We hereby declare us, once and for all, Beachbody

Behind the scenes, nothing will change except our corporate name. It’s business as usual – only under the name that people see as the leader in helping people achieve their goals to lead healthy, fulfilling lives!

Over the coming weeks, we will be re-branding basic items such as stationery, labels, letterhead, parking spaces, the company blimp, etc. to reflect the new name. (Anyone know a good tattoo removal guy?)

But it’s official! We. Are. Now. Beachbody!

Fly little Beachbody, fly.

Shakeology, You've Done It Again!

I got this note from RainCatcher's founder Jack Rose while he was on a trip to Haiti.

I am so proud of the work this organization is doing to install sustainable water sources where they are desperately needed. And I always get a kick out of the reactions people give us when someone experiences the real value of nutrition when they hardly expect it. Shakeology, you've done it again!

Carl and Isabelle,

It's the morning of my big meeting with William Gardner

head of CRV- Haiti (Community Violence Reduction - United Nations)This is the main reason for my current trip to Haiti.

My driver is late and I'm waiting and fuming. It's about 11:00am and I haven't had time to even think about nutrition (typical).

Somehow I have a brainstorm and dig a packet of Shakeology out of my nap sack and pour it into a bottle of Oregon Rainwater I happened to have with me.

I shake it all up, devour it, and my driver finally shows up.

On the way down the mountain, during my ride to the UN Delta Base at the American Embassy, I can feel my whole body, mind and emotions change (for the better). I never yelled at Jean Pierre & Gino for being late.Instead I calmed down and experienced an amazing state of peace.(Is this what real nutrition feels like ?)

Although I arrived at the meeting a half hour late, I felt an amazing degree of confidence and love.

The result: a million dollar deal to bring our clean-water systems to a half million people. These are the forgotten ones, the poorest of the poor in Port-au-Prince.

My goal is 'Water for Everyone' - method is sharing.

You two sharing Shakeology is very much appreciated,

Jack

To help RainCatcher achieve their mission of water for everyone, become a Team Beachbody Coach and not only will you be in a position to help people get healthy and fit, but we will donate $5 to RainCatcher for every active coach as of Dec. 31st 2010. Or you can give directly right now at http://www.raincatcher.org/

Weekly WOWY Winners - It Pays To Get Fit!

Get active and fit AND win cash and prizes for doing it? No, it's not a dream...it's WOWY!

Here are the Weekly WOWY Winners for 9/26 - 10/2:

9/26 Fran Patoskie won $300

9/27 Jennifer Brown won $300

9/28 Derek Nicholson won $300

9/29 Ed English won $300

9/30 Francine Rivera won $1,000

10/1 Traci Morrow won an Apple iPod Touch

10/2 Christian Blaney won $300

These people signed into the WOWY Super Gym to lose weight, get fit and find support - and they won big for doing it! You could be next, but you've gotta log into WOWY to be in the game!

Wait... What's That On The Horizon?

There's something approaching on the horizon...something that can mean tremendous growth and success for your Coach business. It's a wave, the likes of which we have never seen before. The question is...Are you gonna be ready for it?

With each New Year comes millions of resolutions to get in shape, eat right and make lifestyle changes. And that means billions of dollars of demand for the exact products we offer. We've got the tools and the solutions to help people keep those resolutions and change their lives, but only those in position to take advantage of the demand earn their share of the rewards.

And we're launching a promotion to keep you focused and get you paddling out to catch this wave, BEFORE it hits! NOW is the time to make sure you and your team are positioned to ride the tsunami of demand that's coming in January. There's only three months left in 2010, and 2011 is going to be even bigger than last year. NOW is the time to build and strengthen your team.

The wave of demand is coming...but you need to build your team and get them all in position NOW so you'll be ready and this wave won't pass you by!

It's time to GRAB YOUR BOARD!

Go to www.grabyourboard.com and download the .PDF version of the flyer below! Surf's up!