Obesity Costs More Than Exercise

According to a recently published report by McKinsey, did you know that in the U.S., we currently spend about $160 billion on obesity-related medical costs - twice the amount we were paying only a decade ago. And unchecked, it's projected that these costs could double again in seven years.

But that's only the beginning. The actual costs are three times that amount!

In addition to the direct medical costs, employers get hit with the costs of absenteeism, decreased productivity, and short-term disability.

Individuals who are obese pay for it not just by putting their health at risk; they spend more money on food, plus-size clothing, out-of-pocket health care costs and weight-loss solutions that don't work.

All told, the estimate is that obesity costs the United States... (take a breath)... at least $450 billion annually.

That's 450 big ones, BILLION, with a B. That's $1,465.76 for every person in the US, every single year... because of OBESITY! That is a lot more expensive than buying a fitness program, and replacing a meal a day with Shakeology could actually SAVE you money on what junk food costs!
What if we could change that? What if we could tell every person on the planet that we can literally wipe this problem out?!

Oh, wait. WE ARE DOING THAT!

We are the ones who are going to END THE TREND. Team Beachbody has the tools, but we need to put them in the hands of more people. The combination of our programs, diet guidelines, nutritional supplements and peer support deliver proven results. Yes it takes work. Yes people need to find some self discipline. And YES the rewards are plentiful when you do! "Decide. Commit. Succeed!"

As a Coach, YOU have the power to reach out and help people...to literally save lives every time you muster the courage and enthusiasm to share Team Beachbody with someone!

Share the tools and programs. Offer support, compassion and encouragement. Help them by making them accountable to a start date, a schedule, and a goal.

The halls of Beachbody are lined with dramatic transformation stories of people who have succeeded. Don't you want to add people you know to those ranks?

No doubt we've got work to do, and we also have an immense opportunity! It's not going to be easy, but when a $400 million dollar company which has THE solution is staring at a $450 Billion dollar problem, the mission and opportunity is too great to rest!

We will not give up this fight. It's time to END THE TREND. Who can you help today? We need to build this team!

Childhood Obesity is a Choice

I'm sure you're aware that childhood obesity is a real problem. According to the Mayo Clinic, over 25 million kids are overweight or in danger of becoming obese. And overweight children are at higher risk of developing: Type 2 diabetes, Metabolic syndrome, High blood pressure, Asthma and other respiratory problems, sleep disorders, liver disease, early puberty or menarche, eating disorders, skin infections and more.

When you think about it, it's a choice. Aren't kids are supposed to be out playing? And we as parents are supposed to be monitoring what they eat, whether it's at home or at school. But so many kids are TV addicts and so many parents don't have a clue how to eat for themselves, much less guide their kids' habits. And the proliferation of awful foods and sodas in school vending machines doesn't make it any easier. So what matters is how we make choices for our kids, and how we teach our kids to make choices.

Beachbody is getting more and more involved, mostly through the efforts of our MDB coaches who are taking matters into their own hands.

We've marketed Tony and The Kids for years, and now we're adding a title to the cause this January which will be fun step in the right direction:

Shaun T has a new workout coming in late January; Shaun T's Fit Kids Club, which includes two 25-minute workouts on one DVD with a fun wall poster that shows healthy snack tips and a kids-guide for reading nutrition labels. I think it will appeal to kids form age 5 to 14.

The release date is mid-January for MDB coaches and late January for everyone else.

If you have a kid in grade school, you know how frustrated teachers get at recess time on rainy days. I'm giving a copy of the DVD to my daughter's school and giving the poster to her classroom so they have some additional healthy messaging around them at snack time.

Of course when it comes to fighting childhood obesity, I think the most compelling strategy is to get parents active and eating right. Show them how you're making smart choices. Kids learn choices from their parents. When kids see their parents working out, they see that it's an important part of their lifestyle. It might not happen right now, but at some point, that child will "get it" and remember how it's done because they saw mom and dad choosing health. "Hey mom, where's that Shaun T DVD?"

Same goes for eating. Teaching kids healthy food choices is not nearly as compelling as serving them the right portion size and food options. You learn what you eat.

The best of all this is the upside: Kids who are active and eating well have a real chance of avoiding the harsh trends of obesity-linked diseases. And healthy kids make healthy grand kids. It's time for us to help them learn the importance of this lifestyle, by example, and by guiding their choices.