"Show me the pout. Come on. Work it! Work it!"

When our web design team puts together emails and web promotion pages, sometimes we have great photos from the catalog we get at Fitness Camps, the Hawaii Trip, or other resources.

It occurred to me this week when I saw this image of "Girl with Banana Mouth" on the meal planning page at MyBeachbody that it would be a lot more fun and representative of the Beachbody community to feature more photos of customers whenever possible.

This blog post is an invitation to send us any digital photos you can so we can add them to our library of images for use within the Beachbody.com family of websites.

Alison picks many of the photos we use, and is excited at the prospect that we might be able to feature more customer shots. Here's what she asked me, to as you to send us:

Food/Diet Photos
- You and your family eating healthy.
- cooking or preparing smoothies.
- posing with food (see odd banana shot above)




Exercise Photos
- Strike a yoga pose, grab those dumbbells and smile!
- How about some push ups from a fun angle?
- Let's see your best imitation of a Turbo Jam cover!




Show off!
- Fun images of you or your kids showing off: flexing, posing like a model, carrying ten bags of groceries at once... Something that shows the positive effect in their personal life of their fitness



Community
- Photos with Tony, Debbie, Chalene or other trainers
- Photos of you with other customers
- Photos of you on the computer using our online community. It's hard to make a photo of a person using a laptop fun, but it can be done



The important thing is for you to get creative and play with camera angles and color a little (Think; Red shirt - Red hat - Red resistance band... that kind of color repetition).

The images I have included in this post are just examples. I hope you just go for it. We'll crop them to fit on the site. The images throughout the community are changed every week, so the more photos the better!

Send your photos (with names of the people pictured) as attachments to MyBBPhotoFame@beachbody.com

It's On! Sign Up!

Yes! Tony's New York camp is (finally) taking reservations. And the page even has exciting video to show how much fun you'll have getting to rub shoulders with the Mayor of Fitnessville, Mr. Tony Horton.

Ok. Here's the bottom line. We don't make a lot of money on these events. But there is a HUGE benefit to getting people together: People ramp up their commitment to the program when they see a meeting with THE MAN coming across the horizon... and that translates into even better success stories than we thought we'd get form the next wave of Power 90 folks.

So if you're looking for a reason to press the pedal to the metal, look toward New York, Tony's packing his chaps for a weekend at the dude ranch, so KICK IT INTO GEAR!

"Easy" Won't Get You Ripped

Traci Does P90X Plyo


Yesterday I was working with Ned, the filmmaker behind the look and feel of P90X. We were digging into the infomercial, looking for the best way to tweak the show to motivate reasonably fit people to dig down and reach for the ultimate physique in just 90 days of extreme work, with this unprecedented program.

The voice in my head said "just make it look easier, that's what they do with other infomercial fitness products."

That's when I "got it". That's when I realized what sets apart the customers who buy P90X and get the results, from those who look at it, see the sweat, and turn the channel, resting instead on the latest pitch for the "Bun and Thigh Rocking Chair" or the latest "Ab-flattening Lawn Lounge".

It's "easy" to get ice cream and chow down before bed. It's easy to drive through McDonald's instead of having a healthier option prepared for your lunch. It's easy to skip workouts when you're busy. It's easy to take the elevator instead of the stairs. "Easy" is a creeping entitlement that has resulted in the global trend of obesity, passed down from parents to their kids. "Easy" is why being lean and ripped is so uncommon.

I am not above wishing fitness was easier. But I also know first hand that if being fit were easy, there would be a lot less demand for Beachbody products. It's an achievement, because it's NOT easy.

If you are contemplating getting into a new fitness program, don't look for the one that looks easy. Look for the one that looks hard enough that the money you're spending will not go to waste. Look for the one that turns sweat into results. From programs that get you up and moving like Turbo Jam or Yoga Booty Ballet, to the muscle grinding body shredding intensity of P90X, set aside the expectation of "easy" for just three months, and see what you can achieve when you accept the challenge.

When you transcend that expectation, soon enough you'll find out, that's exactly the choice your body has been waiting for all these years.

Happy Anniversary Beachbody!

With today, the first birthday of this blog, I wanted to also commemorate the 7-year anniversary of our very first Beachbody order on May 11th, 1999 from a woman named Hope Putnam.

Hope ordered the Great Body Guaranteed™ collection.

Since then it's been a constant struggle between celebrating the excitement of success and constant innovation while working hard to keep up with demand and the constant pressure to improve systems during dramatic periods of growth (like, um, now.)

Happy anniversary to Beachbody, its employees, investors, customers, and friends, and to everyone who has signed-on to make this a great place to gather to achieve real results!

Faux Sweeteners Creating Real Problems

Generally, I am not in favor of things that are labeled "artificial". And artificial sweeteners are a good example. Whether they're in diet soda, coffee, cereal, whatever, the growing body of evidence against the pink, blue, and yellow alternatives, is clear: Unless you want to be an unknowing lab rat in the long term public study of the effects of sweeteners, avoid them.

The good news if you like it sweet, there is an alternative that seems to be both sweet, AND healthy, and I use it every day.

Splenda® looks like it might be a real danger with the wave of products it will appear in, largely in response to the low-sugar concerns of dieters. It is being touted as the great savior of the sweet tooth.

Responsible experts are on one side of the argument saying that Splenda is unsafe — the latest sweetener that starts off claiming to be a healthy choice, only later to be proven to be full of side effects. How about this: Some authorities are saying that Splenda has more in common with DDT than with food. DDT. That's poison I think.

So be careful, and be informed.

Splenda -- Products sweetened with Splenda can be labeled “natural” because of the FDA-approved claim that Splenda is made from sugar. Splenda is made from a synthetic compound called sucralose, two molecules of sucrose (sugar) and three molecules of chlorine. YES... SPLENDA IS 2/3 CHLORINE. Sounds like I'd be better off pouring a packet into my jacuzzi than I would pouring it over Ava's cereal.

Apparently those chlorine molecules get stored in your fat cells and it may take years to figure out whether they’re influencing your health. I am willing to guess it's not good. The manufacturer's own short-term studies showed that sucralose, the chemical name for Splenda, caused shrunken thymus glands and enlarged livers and kidneys in rodents. But those were rodents, and we love them. As for humans, well, in this case, the FDA decided that because these studies weren’t based on human testing, they were not conclusive. There are no long-term studies. So WE are the long term study (although it is likely Splenda SHOULD be banded from rodent use. Sorry, Mickey.)

Some evidence shows side effects from Splenda, including skin rashes/flushing, panic-like agitation, dizziness and numbness, diarrhea, muscle aches, headaches, intestinal cramping, bladder issues, and stomach pain. These show up at one end of the spectrum — the people who have an allergy or sensitivity to the sucralose molecule. But like I said, the affects of the chlorine build up are unknown. That's my real point here.

By the way, almost all the independent research into aspartame (Equal) found dangerous side effects in rodents. The FDA did not to take these findings into account when it approved aspartame for public use. And within 15 years those side effects appeared in humans who were vulnerable to the chemical structure of aspartame. Tough break.

It's important to note that as food additives, artificial sweeteners aren't subject to the same FDA scrutiny and trials as pharmaceuticals. Most of the testing is funded by the food industry, which has a vested interest in the outcome. So the fox is guarding the hen house. Bet them are some sweet hens!

Some of the chemical ingredients in artificial sweeteners are well known hazards. Side effects depend on your biochemistry. Manufacturers are "hoping" that the body won’t absorb much of these compounds at any one time. But with the Splenda explosion that's happening, you won't know the effect on you until you’re already sick. Some scientists are calling Splenda a mild mutagen based on how much you absorb. Hey, maybe you could get a cool mutant power and be the next member of the X-Men! A mutagen! Unreal. We won't know the health implications for decades. But mutants are fun to watch. So stay tuned.

For people trying to be healthy, artificial sweeteners can seem like the best of both worlds — sweetness without calories. But the risks as I've outlined can be just as great, or worse. Time will tell.

Aspartame, the main ingredient in Equal and NutraSweet should be avoided by most people, but particularly in those with neuropsychiatric concerns. Recent studies in Europe show that aspartame use can result in an accumulation of formaldehyde in the brain, which can damage your central nervous system and immune system and cause genetic trauma. I had a twitch in my neck this weekend and thought, "Did all those years of Equal in my coffee add up to this?" I hope it goes away soon.

Aspartame has also been linked with MS, lupus, fibromyalgia and other central nervous disorders. Possible side effects of aspartame are: headaches, migraines, panic attacks, dizziness, irritability, nausea, intestinal discomfort, skin rash, and nervousness. Some people have woken up and been a completely different race after ingesting a packet of aspartame. Oh. Wait. That was the movie "Watermelon man". Anyway, some researchers have linked aspartame with depression and manic episodes. It may also contribute to male infertility. That alone would make me sad.

Saccharin, was the first widely available chemical - I mean artificial - sweetener. Most researchers agree that in sufficient doses, saccharin is carcinogenic in humans. The question is, how do you know what your "sufficient dose" is? (Figure it out, and consume just a little bit less, and you'll be a-ok.)

Some practitioners think saccharin in moderation is the best choice if you must use an artificial sweetener. It has been around the longest and seems to cause less problems than aspartame. Party on.

Bottom line, these artificial sweeteners are body toxins. They are never a good idea for pregnant women, children or teenagers (unless the teenager is being really difficult, then it's probably justified) despite the reduced sugar content — because of possible irreversible cell damage. Like smoking... if you decide it’s worth the risks, then go ahead, but would you put a cigarette in your kids hands so they would consumer less sugar?

So here's the good news... sugar substitutes don’t have to be artificial. There is an alternative, and it's "Stevia". They are the natural alternatives to artificial sweeteners. For many years, diabetics have used products sweetened with polyalcohol sugars like xylitol, malitol, and mannitol. These are natural sweeteners that do not trigger an insulin reaction. (Xylitol comes from birch tree pulp.) They have half the calories of sugar and are not digested by the small intestine.

I personally recommend the herb Stevia as a natural sweetener. I use it. And good old Trident gum now uses Xylitol in some packages marked as such. Stevia has been used for over four hundred years without ill effect. Stevia has been enormously popular in Japan, now rivaling Equal and Sweet’N Low. It’s 20 times sweeter than sugar, so a small portion of Stevia will sweeten even a strong cup of tea. In fact, when I first started using Stevia, I used too much and thought is was awful. Then I tried again, used less (in coffee by the way) and now drink my coffee feeling a little less guilty.

Stevia is slowly gaining steam as a sugar substitute, despite hurdles. The FDA has approved its use as a food supplement, but not as a food additive due to a lack of studies. Stevia can be used for anything you might use sugar in, including baking. It is naturally low in carbohydrates. You can buy Stevia at most health food stores and over the web. There may be those who have a sensitivity to a substance, but based on reports in other countries it appears to have little to no side effects.

So there it is... that's my opinion. Stay as far away from the chemicals as you can, and if you like it sweet, use some of nature's sugar alternatives like Stevia and Xylitol.

Please note: This information was accumulated from a number of resources, most notably an article titled "Sugar substitutes and the potential danger of Splenda", By Marcelle Pick at http://www.womentowomen.com/nutritionandweightloss/splenda.asp, http://www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/sucralose_dangers.htm, "The Secret Dangers of Splenda (Sucralose), an Artificial Sweetener" by Dr. Joseph Mercola at http://www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/sucralose_dangers.htm, and Splenda Toxicity Reaction Samples (Updated 2/13/2006) http://www.holisticmed.com/splenda/ which drew this conclusion from its research: "While it is unlikely that sucralose is as toxic as the poisoning people are experiencing from Monsanto's aspartame, it is clear from the hazards seen in pre-approval research and from its chemical structure that years or decades of use may contribute to serious chronic immunological or neurological disorders."

It's Time To Party!

Jam On! Today it's time to move, to groove, and to burn that stored energy - with reckless intent on success, mutual support, and having fun!

It's the kick-off "house party day" for Beachbody's test of a new fitness/weight loss motivation concept called "Turbo Jam House Party" and the neighborhood slim down. In over 1300 homes across the country, over 10,700 people have RSVP'd to get together today to learn about Turbo Jam, and to kick off the ten-day "Turbo Slim" program.

The point here is to get people together today to commit to following Turbo Slim for the ten days, and see how good you can feel and how much weight you can lose by teaming up for a brief ten day flight of fitness focus starting May 15th. In this case, the real motivation will come from two forces: The fact the people you are partying with today are relying on each other (and you) to keep the promise so they have that added accountability to keep their promise to you. If you don't quit, they won't quit. Second, the second house party (which we are calling the "weigh-out" party) is where people will see the visible results of ten days of consistency.

Ten days... Real results. Summer's around the corner. This one will be a winner.

Success has many fathers and mothers. This one is a group project that was motivated first by Beachbody President Jon Congdon's own Power 90 group which woke us up to the fact that, for some, it is easier to stay motivated by getting together in small groups than it is to work out alone in your living room with the accountability of WOWY to keep you going. The question was, how do we scale that concept? One morning I was reading a press release about a company called House Party, LLC that was helping media companies get fans of TV shows together to celebrate premieres and special events. I called them and met with co-founder Parker Reilly. I liked many aspects of the idea, but was not sure how it would translate to our products and community, except that it sounded a little like something that Chalene Johnson had described in terms of how she and her Turbo team band together in mini-groups to focus on accountability, especially when it comes to proper diet.

In discussion, the phrase Neighborhood Slim Down was being used to describe the motivation concept behind the House Party, and then everything fell into place. Bringing people together 1,000 parties at a time would be another arrow in our quiver to help people get in shape and lose weight without buying expensive equipment or having to join a gym.

After a few meetings and discussions, the concept had traction. And while there were many skeptics even at Beachbody, we know that no improvement ever comes from standing still. Contracts were signed, and the dates were announced. And today is the kick-off party.

So what's this mean to all of us who either didn't host a party, get invited to a party, or who aren't interested in the party aspect of the idea? With summer on the way it means that you can kick off your own "flight of fitness focus" with the rest of the Turbo Jam House Party. Neighborhood Slim Down does not have to be a physical neighborhood. It can be your cubicle. It can be your friends on WOWY. Or it can just be you and the rest of the neighborhoods who are hosting house parties. Whatever it is, we are all launching the ten-day program on May 15th. We'll be talking about it. We'll be supporting each other. We'll be in WOWY everyday.

EVERYONE who participates will benefit by the new friends, the renewed focus, and the spirit of support which is the central point to the neighborhood slimdown and today's Turbo Jam House Party event. I hope you join us and share your experience!

Sailing to Beachbodyland

Reading the Beachbody message boards, I am so impressed by people who handle any set back along the way to success with grace and determination instead of anger and blame.

No challenge along the way should ever be a surprise or even a set back to a fixed goal. The challenge just "is".

Losing weight with one of our programs (or running a company, getting a college degree, or keeping a house clean, etc etc) is a process of dealing with changing variables. There's no constant toward success except persistence applied to the best tools available. Your weightloss program is the tool, like a boat, that goes nowhere unless there is someone steering the ship.

You are the captain of the sailboat, and you are planning to sail your boat to "Beachbodyland" a destination where your clothes fit better, you have more energy, and you will gladly pose for family pictures because you like the way you look. As you sail across the sea toward Beachbodyland, the fact is, you are ALWAYS veering slightly off course. Every moment you are literally, constantly adjusting and steering your boat to make it to your intended destination. A resistance workout breaks down muscle, so that muscle will then rebuild, adapt and be stronger. When you eat, your body slows the usage of stored fat for energy, but its consequential confidence that there is food available let's it speed up your metabolism overall. The net effect is more energy usage throughout the day. Again, constant steerage, away from the goal, toward the goal.

If you're with me, I'll take this metaphor further: In addition to the very specific physical navigating of exercise and food intake that you are managing, Captain, there are multiple "life factors" and variables that constantly nudge and bump the boat off course sometimes in frustrating ways... the unpredictable "current" of work and family demands, the "tides" of holidays and seasons, the "surf" of emotion, gusts of wind such as emergencies, surprises, and accidents, plus the pitch of each sail which can be compared to your intensity of workouts, the choice of which workout to do which day, your recovery time, etc etc. Each one of those factors , they just "are". The wind is being the wind. The surf is being the surf. They are not against you getting to Beachbodyland. They just exist on their own, coinciding with your path on their way to their own. You can put your energy into reacting to the factors and be angry and miserable, or you can accept them, and maximize and enjoy the trip.

There will always be external factors that have an effect on your voyage. It's up to you to decide how you will react to those factors. Whether you put your energy into enjoying it, focusing on maximizing each variable, or you put your energy into anger, resentment, and self-judgment depends on how you Captain the ship. You can steer emotionally with each shift, in a constant zig-zag of over reaction, or you can go with it, making graceful corrections to stay on course without the fight. You make the choice. You set the tone of the trip. The more pleasant you make it on yourself, the more likely you are to keep forging ahead.

What I am saying here is, when you pin that Power 90 or Turbo Jam calendar up, don't EXPECT it to be a perfect process - expect it to have twists and turns. (Frankly, the only way it can be smooth or simple is if your are not moving at all - no wind, or tied to the dock.) As the skipper, expect the variables to come and effect the trip, and lightly steer to stay on course, and work on managing your reaction to them. When it seems like there is no time to workout, maybe you need to let it go that day. If you're exhausted, perhaps you should lighten up your workout intensity for a day or two, or perhaps you need to go for it with more intensity to break through the rut. Likewise, when the wind is blowing strong and everything is contributing to reaching the destination, seize it and maximize your progress. Increase your intensity without burning yourself out. Eat clean. Take advantage of the momentum while it's all falling into place.

And then, when there's a challenge, deal with it, without giving up.

Feel your body respond to each maneuver. Feel your moods improve when you focus your mind to let go of anger and stay on course. You're sailing. This is your life. Enjoy it by accepting challenges and staying on course.

I'll give you a sailor's salute when our boats are within view, and I'll look forward to seeing you in Beachbodyland.

In a New York State of Mind

In case you were planning/hoping for a Tony Horton Fitness Camp in the Northeast this year I have good news: We have decided to proceed with the New York camp in July, Fri 7/14, Sat 7/15 and Sun 7/16.

My understanding is that the event will take place in the same "ranch" type setting as last year, somewhere outside of Albany, but that needs to be confirmed and nailed down.

Traci, Anna, and Lara are working with Tony to finalize the details so we can announce the capacity and take reservations soon. Stay tuned NY campers.

We are still on track for the other two camps this year: Los Angeles, CA: Aug 11, 12, 13 (which we are calling "the big mama" based on the buzz we are getting) and Chicago, IL: Sept 15, 16 and 17

They are the **IT

They are the IT team, and they have put in unbelievable hours for the last ten days as they worked to solve multiple issues created by a Beverly Hills power outage in the midst of a critical system upgrade.

In case you tried to get customer service last week and were frustrated by a busy signal or lack of information, it all was a nasty ripple effect within Beachbody nerve center. But this team of dedicated folks worked literally around the clock for ten days straight to get it solved, and I am exceptionally grateful.

Now, when you hang around the office into the night with the tech crowd, you learn interesting things, like, what they use for energy to stay alert for fifty hours straight. The answer; an Indian pastry called "Jalebi". This stuff is like carnival funnel cake, with a gooey sugary center. If you ask me it's a speed pass ticket to a two hour sugar coma. But I watched them chew on it throughout the night last Friday, all the while keeping an even keel. I think you'd find Jalebi at the bottom of Michi's Ladder. But given that they seem to be in okay shape, maybe there's some magical properties that support weight loss. Bottom line is, they are getting the job done, and they are doing it with great composure. "More Jalebi Mom, please?"

Meanwhile, back at the office...

The operations and finance team are deep into it, counting ever little booklet, tape measure, DVD, vitamin and resistance band... it's the end of the quarter, and yes, EVERYTHING gets counted.

I wanted to thank the team, plus our auditors, for working hard through the weekend to make sure that this inventory would not impact our ability to ship product from weekend orders by Tuesday. So far so good!

Pictured on the ladder; Neil, Danny, Robert, and Heather.

Pictured around the table, waiting for numbers; Sofia, Helen, Louise, Ken (kinda looks like Ken's doing all the work here) and Traci (at least I spelled it right Traci!)

Fitness Camp Miami-Style

Beachbody's first official Tony Horton Fitness Camp concluded yesterday in Miami, Florida.

I missed it because my daughter Ava had her tonsils out, and the recovery was a more substantial commitment than I anticipated. (I am hoping to get a little sleep this week, if you know what I mean.)

So I sent an apology letter to everyone who showed up and a couple treats since I was a no-show. But the daily reports I got from Lara (our VP) sounded like not only was it another great event for fans of "all things Tony", but that SHE herself really got insight into what membership in the Beachbody community is about.

The itinerary was packed with exactly what you would expect from a Beachbody weekend fitness camp; "Circle of Love", seminars, feats of fitness, group fitness instruction, online friendships validated in-person, and an intense three-day focus on how good life feels simply when you take care of yourself and surround yourself with people who are doing the same.

Thanks to everyone who attended! And special thanks to Traci and Lara (pictured with Tony), Anna, Paul(Moodle), everyone at Beachbody who is working on these so we learn each time out, and of course, to Tony for sharing his enthusiasm and spirit with the community!

Keep your eye out of announcements on the next camps VERY soon!

Los Angeles, CA: Aug 11, 12, 13

Chicago, IL: Sept 15, 16 and 17

Further to that last post...

Here is a recent post by Shantel, the object of that last bit of motivation, clearly "getting it":

Hey Pioneers..It's day 85 of P90. The 10K was today. I placed last out of everyone. My time was 2:07:35. I am proud of that. At mile 4 I was exhausted and ready to quit. I was dead last with the traffic police following behind me..and I didn't quit. There were times when I couldn't catch my breath..I thought I was having some kind of panic attack..I just prayed and told myself to "Calm down because I am not a quitter." There were so many hills that I struggled to get up..as soon as I'd finish one..there would be another. I had calf cramps and shin splints. I'm proud because I pushed myself beyond my pain (physical and emotional). When I got home I checked my HRM and it said I burned over 4600 calories. So I thought..well I can just go eat the Chinese Fried rice and two chocolate glazed Krispy Kreme donuts..I've earned it. I didn't. I ate baked chicken wings and salad.

Well..I'm tired..until later,
Shantel

You gotta love these people!

Whether you are logging into WOWY to do a Turbo Jam workout with Chalene Johnson's passionate posse, or staying focused for 90 days with a body carving round of Power 90 or P90X, the MyBeachbody community's pulse is driven by the commitment of its members to help each other succeed.

MyBeachbody coach Virgina runs a group online who are destined to graduate into the elite of Beachbody, the people who have lost 100 pounds or more. I was given permission to post this message below, written by one member to another. That's what we're talking about when we say "it's the online support makes the difference between Beachbody and the rest of the fitness industry!"

Posted 03-02-06 07:48 AM
by ifitwags

Shantel-

You are doing really great, don't get discouraged! You ARE on your way! Not so very long ago you were at 310 and now you are almost down to 300! Now if you weren't doing this every day and working so hard to be a better you, then you could be slowly creeping p to 312, 315......you know? Believe me, I understand! I want so badly to see the results I'm killing myself every day to get! I mean if there is no change then why AM I not just eating all my favorite bad for me foods? Why AM I drinking a Mango/Soy Milk/ Protein Powder/ Wheat Germ shake in the morning instead of having a yummy bowl of coco pebbles??? You know? Why AM I working out with Tony every morning and still I look down and there's my big belly??? I totally get how you feel. But I think that deep down we both know that it's a long hard battle for everyone on this message board. Everyone here loves food. Everyone here has spent at least a couple years avoiding exercise and the hard work it takes to eat right all (or most!) of the time. The very fact that you ARE doing this, the very fact that you ARE on this message board, the very fact that you ARE trying to eat better, change your life, and be healthy is amazing and you should be very proud! Do you have any idea how many people like us have just completely given up on ever looking and feeling great ever again in their lives? Have accepted the fate that there are only a few clothing stores they can ever shop in? Have decided that it's OK to feel tired and achey all the time? You and I and everyone else on this board have said NO WAY! We are not going to live our lives like that. WE have the power to make changes about the way we feel inside and out and we are all doing it! Slowly and sometimes painfully, but I know it didn't take me just 3 months to put all this weight on and I know I have to be patient because it will take me more than 3 months to get it off! So please Shantel, pat yourself on the back because slowly you are becoming stronger and lighter and healthier.

So little time, so many House Parties

A thousand Turbo Jam house parties on May 6th, to be exact! We're trying something completely new to get friends and neighbors to pull together to lose weight and get in shape in ten-day, Turbo Jam style!

Introducing the first ever Turbo Jam House Parties!
Beachbody is launching an initiative where 1,000 select Turbo Jam fans and their closest friends will get selected to throw house parties on May 6th and join Chalene Johnson in kicking off a massive ten-day Slim Down event from May 15th to May 25th.

Here's how it will work:

1. Turbo Jam customers apply to host their very own Turbo Jam House Party on May 6th inviting as many friends, coworkers, neighbors and clones to kick off their weight loss with a focused ten day effort using the Turbo Slim program.

2. What’s in it for you besides the “feel good” and peer support to achieve ten lbs of weight loss? The host gets a complete party kit, including a DVD with Chalene's personal instructions showing how she throws a house party, original TJ party soundtrack, and a DVD featuring Chalene for your guests to watch to get a feel for what they can achieve in ten days, a Beachbody backpack, plus the Turbo Jam workouts on DVD -- all free. Yes FREE!

3. Everybody at the party May 6th then gets psyched to launch into your ten-day Turbo-Slim-down. Then everybody starts the ten day challenge on the same day, May 15th.

Be A Star at The Exclusive House Party Website!At http://www.turbojam.com/HouseParty we'll feature photos, videos, party blogs and comments from our 1,000 super star TJ house party hosts. Chalene will post personal messages, tips, invitation suggestions and more at that website. And the photos will keep coming all week as people workout together, celebrate early success, and just plain jam it, "Turbo Style."

4. Ten days later, on May 25th everyone gets together again for the "weigh-out" house party. That's when the celebration continues as you and your friends see what's really possible when you all pull together, share accountability, and stick with your commitment. (And with just a couple months to summer, isn't now the time to kick your weight loss in high gear?)

And Chalene's actually coming over!
Of course, there's no way to keep Chalene at home when there’s a party goin’ on! The blonde sparkplug from the OC is flying to the weigh-In house party May 6th of the host who generates the most orders prior to May 1st. And then, the host who generates the most orders prior to May 15th will get a visit from Chalene at your party on the "Weigh-Out" day May 25th! How's that for motivation to get your friends motivated to go for it?

The Revolution Begins At Your House (at 30% off!)
This is a grand experiment, seeing if the community spirit of support and positive accountability we see online can spread with the same enthusiasm into your neighborhood. This could revolutionize fitness and weight loss. So to help make it happen we're giving each host a special discount promo code so the people who sign up can get Turbo Jam at 30% off. (We haven't seen that price since we launched this thing last summer!)

For more information, click here or log on to http://www.turbojam.com/HouseParty. (Sorry we can't accommodate everyone, but we want to make sure we get a sense of the impact and potential before or if we expand this beyond these thousand house parties.)

MyBeachbody Members Can Join In Too!
In the meantime, My Beachbody members can follow along with Chalene's intensive ten days of Turbo Slim motivation, live chats, blog and support in her corner of the site during the House Party promotion. So if you have the Jam, this is the plan: Lose up to ten pounds in ten days along with a thousand house parties all across the country -- that's something worth celebrating!!!

"In Case of Boredom, Break Routine"

For those of us who have been doing Power 90 sculpt since 2000, and still enjoy its efficiency of a total body circuit in around 40 minutes, here's a little tip if you want to get away from the TV; Set-up stations around the house so you move from station to station... kind of like you're creating your own "Curves" right in your house with push-up stands, the chin up bar and resistance bands.

I did that this morning, because I just didn't feel like standing in the same spot and staring at the wall. Here's my made-up circuit, ten sets in 45 mins:

Bedroom: Push-ups - 10 reps (with Power Stands)
Guest room: Pull-ups - 5 reps (with P90X door chin up bar, multiple hand positions)
Downstairs Living Room: Biceps - 10 reps (with Green B-Lines)
Stairs: Legs - (15 steps) 10X up/down
Upstairs hallways: Abs - 20 reps (Ab ripper sequence)

I was drenched and beat after ten sets. I wouldn't advise this for a beginner, because it's helpful to have your video-trainer talking you through proper form. But "in case of boredom, break routine". Setting it up around the house made it interesting and took my mind out of it. I think I'll introduce Ava to it tomorrow morning as a psuedo-obstacle course. Should be fun!

A busy week, and a $5,000 winner

This week we started testing the new Power 90 Fat Burning Express show, shot more footage for the Slim in 6 revision (with Beachbody standout Traci Morrow playing the role of "fitness demonstration pixie"), shot a great testimonial for Yoga Booty Ballet featuring celeb YBB devotee Tori Spelling, secured an airdate to launch Kathy Smith's Project YOU on QVC on March 29th at 11AM ET, and started development of a new promotion for Turbo Jam which is going be announced in the next few weeks... plus worked on a few hundred other things.

But the fun part of the week is announcing the winner of February's $5,000 MyBeachbody Scavenger Hunt, Fabbecky, who not only was selected to win from all the entries received, but is a success story in her own right, having lost 32 pounds since she got started with Beachbody!

The contest was an interesting experiment. About 300 people played each day. 70% of the answers submitted were correct. The hardest question (which 37% of the people answered correctly) was:

Which trainer gives the tip to "Think Lean Protein"?
choices: Chalene Johnson, Steve Edwards, Tony Horton, or Debbie Siebers
> answer: Debbie Siebers

Easiest question (which 98% answered correctly) was:

Which type of information do we advise you to recorded in your private WOWY diary?
> choices: Exercise related, Diet related, Mood related, All of the above
> correct answer: All of the above

Most popular question (which 378 people answered)

One pound of fat is the equivalent of how many calories?
> choices: 3,500 calories, 3,000 calories, It ranges depending on your weight, 2,500 calories
> correct answer: 3,500 calories

(I wanted to add a question about "which of the two Beachbody co-founders is better looking?", but I got shot down... I maybe dodged a bullet there.)

Congratulations Fabbecky and everyone who won the $100 a day giveaway for playing. We'll working on some new fun ways to turn living a healthy lifestyle into cold, hard, cashola, so stay in touch!

Set Aside Some Dates!

We haven't finalized all the details, but I wanted to give you as much notice as possible to plan for these upcoming fitness camps with Tony Horton.

New York, NY: July 14, 15, 16

Los Angeles, CA: Aug 11, 12, 13

Chicago, IL: Sept 15, 16 and 17

As soon as we have the plans finalized, we'll announce the details and take reservations from the MyBeachbody members and then open it up to the rest of the community if space permits.

I am still hoping you will sign up for Tony's fitness camp in Miami March 31 - April 2, but if you can't make it to that one, it will be great to get together at one of these other events.

The Father-Daughter Dance

Last night it was the Malibu’s Who’s Who of fathers and daughters out for the annual Valentine’s Father-Daughter dance. It’s a ticket that’s so difficult to get that people were actually scalping them online and in the local Malibu weekly newspaper.

It's a fun time, preceded with a new dress and fancy hair and make-up appointment (for Ava), dinner, and then the main event; the big dance.


I’m writing about it here because, at one point in the evening, as Ava and I tried unsuccessfully to assemble one good “Macarena” and later faked it clumsily through “Born to Hand Jive,” I realized how much more fun it is to figure out moves like this when you have someone there to watch (and laugh at) you. We were sweating, jamming, and laughing at each other and the other dads as we barked in unison to "who let the dogs out?"

Later that night after Ava went to bed I thought about how so many people who get together to do Turbo Jam and Yoga Booty Ballet must have a similar experience, clumsily trying the moves first, celebrating together when they finally get it. (“Bad Kitty – Yeah!”) That's got to be a fun way to engage in body-transformation.

I think it’s possible that this is the attraction of the message boards too, where people can laugh together about how a move might appear if their were someone in the living room watching, or ask the questions about a move that they would otherwise be embarrassed to ask at a gym… “How do I swing my leg through to runner’s pose?”

I also imagine this is what we have to look forward to when we all go down to Miami for Tony’s fitness camp March 31st. We’ll be experimenting with some new moves, getting tips on the ones we never got right in the first place. And maybe someone can take me step-by-step through the Macarena.

Read the cover, you read the book

I love when a simple hook helps make it as simple for people to get results.

I experienced it when the simplicity of the 8 Minute Abs videos I produced sold a couple million copies, then got teased in TV sitcoms, the Tonight Show, and a movie.

Beachbody experienced it when Michi's ladder made food choices simple and people lost weight. And we saw it when a 90-day fitness program called Power 90 challenged people to focus on fitness and eating right, not for the year or the rest of their lives, but for just 90 days. The rest of their lives would be easier once they got 90 days under their belt.

I picked this book, "The 3-Apple-A-Day Plan" off the shelf at Barnes & Noble to find out what it was about, and it was such a simple hook, that I could understand how it would work for people: Eat an apple before each meal, and you'll lose weight.

To me, it makes the same sense as Atkins, Scarsdale, South Beach, and other systems that simply shake up our diet habits so we have to look at them... when you pay attention to what you're eating with the intent of reducing consumption, you lose weight. Doesn't matter if it's apples, lettuce, cabbage soup, or grapefruit; a change that brings more fiber and "good carbs." and less saturated fat and sugar into your diet will have a dramatic result to expedite your weight loss. It really is that simple.

Trouble for the author of this book is, the concept pretty much fit on the back cover of the book, where she describes how she got the idea from a weight loss client who came up with the idea, and lost a pound and a half of fat in a week. Coulda been a pamphlet.

A better title would have been: "Get full on anything healthy before you eat what you would have eaten otherwise, and you will lose a lot of weight and feel a whole lot better."

Then again, that might not have been as catchy.

Point is; keep it simple. Don't trick yourself into looking for the breakthrough - it's right in front of us: Eat more of the good stuf, less of the bad stuff.

Early AM Power 90 Sculpt Tip

If getting right out of bed for a resistance workout is as difficult for you as it is for me, I wanted to share a quick tip: Use the first round as a warm-up round.

This morning I wanted to do a Power 90 Sculpt workout at 6AM... not my favorite time to go for it to "max out". But when the alarm rang, instead of blowing it off, I decided that I would use the first round of moves for pure warm up. I did just ten push-ups, grabbed lighter bands than usual for the other resistance moves, and didn't go quite as low on the lunges.

The pay-off was that by round three I was ready for my maximum. As usual, once I was warmed up I went for it, maxed out to exhaustion on each move. And the way I felt for the next four hours, I think that was plenty.

So if the morning weights are intimidating for you because it's tough to go from sleepy-time night night to strainging like you're on the "muscle & fitness magazine" cover, make that first round a comfortable wake-up round, and save the hardcore sets for rounds two, three, etc.