American Inventor Judge Now A Million Dollar Body Coach!

The Million Dollar Body network has a new, high-octane celebrity coach: Pat Croce!

Pat was one of my heroes growing up. He used to be on the morning radio shows in Philadelphia as the motivation guy - inspiring people to greet each day with absolute enthusiasm for what they can achieve. Ask him how he's doing and he'll always respond with his signature "I'm GREAT!" To listen to him speak is to discover real human potential. This guy makes life look fun because that's the way he lives it.

I was lucky enough to meet Pat a few years ago through mutual friend Pete Albert, and we have stayed in touch since. The launch of Million Dollar Body happened to coincide with Pat's launch of his http://www.patcroce.com/ site, and he agreed that his brand of health and fitness motivation was a match with what we are creating at Million Dollar Body. So now, people who get turned on by Pat's way of embracing "the possible" of life have a great outlet to help them get healthy, get fit, and earn great money; Million Dollar Body!

Our core purpose at MDB parent Product Partners is to "Help people achieve their goals and enjoy a healthy fulfilling life." I've seen Pat live that in everything he does, from the companies he's built, to the books he's written, to his management of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, to shows he's appeared in like the current ABC network hit "American Inventor." He is a human achievement machine.

Pat was in LA to shoot American Inventor this week and we got together to talk about MDB. After the lunch he got up and said "All I needed was to sit across from you guys and see that you and this concept are for real. Let's blow this thing up!"

This is a real validation for me that we're creating something revolutionary here. Pat Croce doesn't do anything small time. As we count down to naming the first "Top Coach" of the month to come with us to Hawaii next year, and as weekly commission checks are growing week after week, I am certain that being an MDB coach will get more people healthy and help more people earn a substantial income than we have dared to forecast!

To give you a good sense of how perfect a fit Pat's approach to life is to Million Dollar Body, check out Pat Croce's 5 steps to a better life:

1. Pause each day to look in a mirror and give yourself a positive message. Focus on something you did well the previous day. “If you can start patting yourself on the back once a day — instead of kicking yourself in the butt — you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel.”

2. Keep a “victory journal” to list each day’s tiny triumphs. For example: If you vowed to avoid fatty foods and exercise today, and got it done, celebrate with a “victory moment” as you write down the deed.

3. Exercise vigorously for four hours a week. Split it up any way you want. “But I want you to spend half your exercise time on aerobic activity (jogging, brisk walking, swimming, racquetball, etc.) and the other half on strengthening activity (weightlifting, working out on exercise machines, etc.).” Get your doctor’s OK first.

4. Indulge yourself from time to time — then get back on track. If a bad day leaves you yearning for ice cream to fend off the blues, go ahead. “But before you go to bed that night,” adds Mr. Croce, “I want you to put an expiration date on that self-pitying behavior. And when you wake up the next morning, I want you to remember your goals and start working on them again.”

5. Accept that you can’t change your fitness or health overnight. “All I’m suggesting is that you do the little things that will slowly begin to improve your life. Walk briskly for 40 minutes a day. Put the cigarette back in the pack. Eat only half the food they serve you on that ‘super-size’ restaurant plate. Achieve these tiny triumphs one by one, and you’ll gradually transform your life!”

Welcome to the team Pat, and thanks for believing in the Million Dollar Body opportunity!

Upside Down Fitness

As a marketer, I like to think I can get inside the head of a prospective customer and understand the appeal of a product or service... but ever since I heard about strip aerobics and pole dancing workouts, I have been at a loss to understand the appeal.

Is it fitness? Is it voyeurism combined with exhibitionism? I really just don't get it.

If this were to be turned into a fitness DVD series, I suppose the eating plan would be a bowl of peanuts with a two drink minimum.

MDB-TV has arrived!

The Million Dollar Body TV team has broken exciting new ground this week. Vice President of programming, Scott Salik and his team launched the new MDB-TV game channel to make it easier for members to see and forward our MDB success story videos as we march our way into the second half of the year qualifiers for the big grand prize give away!

That means that as they add new videos, you can get automatic notification by email, on your iGoogle page, etc. so you never miss a game update. And as the competition enters the second half of the year, it will only get more exciting to watch who is making progress as each monthly winner competes for their share of $800,000 in success story grand prizes!

There is a lot about this player which is fantastic:
- You can now watch the videos full screen!
- You can now email the videos
- You can embed the videos in a blog or MySpace page
- MDB Coaches can send the videos to customers and prospects and the link will hold their coach information. That means when people start to get inspired by these incredible success stories and then decide to join the club – the coach will be hard-wired to that transaction and get the full 50% commission on club fees! Same goes when people who click through to purchase a product – the coach who sent the video gets the commission!

As we continue to celebrate the success of our customers who are getting fit and losing weight, the hope is that with your help, we’ll inspire people, and make it easier and more profitable for people to join to help coach those customers who "get it".

Million Dollar Body is gaining real momentum. This is an idea and a community whose time has come. We have more channels with new content that will be available to club members soon, like trainer tips from Tony, Chalene, Debbie, and Shaun T, plus cooking segments, and a bunch of videos for coaches plus some other purely fun stuff all set to launch throughout the summer.

Watch it grow at MDB-TV!

Celebrating 2 Million Hip Hop Abs DVD's

As you might recall, we made a promise to Shaun T that when we generated 500,000 orders or shipped two million DVD's of Hip Hop Abs, Jon and I would get mohawks. Well, last week we crossed the mark. Jon was lucky enough to be stuck in Hawaii, but promises to get his as soon as he returns.

Meantime, Shaun T did the honors in front of the entire company, with an assist from Hip Hop Abs success story, Chris Issoglio who lost 52 pounds and 39" with the program.

I think I finally found my look.

300,000 WOWY Workouts!

Yesterday we reached 300,000 workouts for the year in WOWY! (WOWY is an acronym for "Work Out With You", and is our online gym where people log their workouts and invite workout friends to help them stay accountable to their workout plans)

That's an average of almost 1,700 workouts a day this year! And what's impressive is that the most popular system on WOWY right now is intense P90X. That's a lot of hard work.

We're hoping to see the numbers stay steady or even grow through the summer, although since many people take to the outdoors for their summer activity, it's easy to forget to log in. This year might be different than past years since we choose a random prize winner every day to win $300 in cash, or iPods and camera gadgets, with one day a week serving as the "mystery day" where we give away $1,000 to someone who logs their workout in WOWY.

Congratulations and thanks to everyone who got us to this milestone. Our peak is still 522 working out at one time, but I suspect we'll see that topple later in the fall. But for now, keep logging your workouts, keep submitting your success stories each month (Sunday July 1st is the next qualification deadline!) and Keep Pushing Play!

And if you're already a member of WOWY, we're hoping to see you update your WOWY photo with one of you in a swimsuit by Labor Day -- accept that challenge and you've got REAL motivation! Over 100 people have already joined the WOWY swimsuit challenge group.

Swimsuit Challenge - UPDATE

The WOWY group for the swimsuit challenge has 49 people signed up already! (We're still waiting for Borat, the ultimate inspiration, to sign-up.)

Katie, the inspiration based on her bikini challenge, is talking it up and generating exciting buzz.

The whole point to the swimsuit challenge is to make this summer three months of "go for it", with the goal of putting it out there with a photo of yourself in a swimsuit in WOWY by Labor Day.

If you're up for a challenge, grab your Power 90, P90X, Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Abs, or Slim in 6 and set a time to go for it every day! This doesn't mean you can't have a good time at BBQ's and picnics this summer, it just means that you'll have fun and feel better about yourself as you get closer to your goal.

I hope you go for it, and special thanks to Katie for spreading the word, and for inspiring people to look for what they want, and go for it! That's what Million Dollar Body and this game is truly about!

Why You Could Love Being A Coach

We had a very solid week of business at Beachbody.com and Million Dollar Body. VERY solid.

We had very strong product development. We attracted some incredible new players to help us develop new product lines. Customer service and operations performed well. We made important decision in terms of how we intend to go green across every aspect of the company. And MDB continues to impress with the quality and enthusiasm of the customer and coaches. Plus we signed some exciting promotion deals which will make our entire business more visible.

And all that gets me charged up to continue to grow the business, and to make sure that I stay true to how I want to represent the lifestyle we advocate... which means it's time to put a workout in and Bring It hard.

What I am saying is that, for me, my motivation to work out, eat right, and take my supplements is driven a lot by how it is linked to my job - and as a coach, you get to experience that very same motivation.

I was involved in a few phone calls with MDB coaches this week, and each time I got more amped about how exciting it is to hear the passion and commitment our coaches have for helping people. That too makes me want to live up to their example, and workout and eat right... to show them that it's possible to be productive with this business and still stay healthy and fit. And every time I help a prospective coach decide to sign up, I am again motivated to walk the talk, push play, and stay with it.

If you have ever been frustrated by your own motivation to live this healthy lifestyle, consider living it the way I am: Where your entire life benefits by your commitment.

And by the way, on those weeks when I am challenged by the progress of the company, that inspires me to stay healthy too. I know that falling back into old eating and lazy patterns will only heighten the challenge, and undermine my own success. Again - if I can't stay with it, I can't expect our coaches and customers to stay with it. So... I. stay. with. it.

If you're wondering whether you would enjoy being a coach, and whether it would help you to have earning potential attached to your commitment to a healthy lifestyle, know that it sure works for me. I am living it. That's one of the reasons we created the Million Dollar Body network, to give you the ability to tap into the same motivation that I have. And today when I was digging deep for those last few reps it became very clear; at age 43, there's no way I would have found this intensity if it weren't for the fact that I am surrounded by the benefits, and that makes it that much more meaningful to me.

That's the way I live it, and if you become a coach, you can too.

The Beachbody Story - Part 1

Since I posted that Beachbody "Before" photo, I got some requests for more background. It's been an interesting ride for the last 8 years, and I won't bore you with all the details. But here's a first installment of a little background on how we've grown:

When we launched the company in 1998, we started with a product idea, and produced the workouts and the ads to sell the workouts at the same time. I think the budget was $25,000. Now the budgets have an extra comma in them.

In the early days I directed the workout videos and the commercials. And we called on friends to help us with everything from working the equipment to leading the routines. That included Tony Horton and Debbie Seibers, our first two trainers who turned out to both have something extremely special about the way they put a program together.

Great Body Guaranteed was our first video series, 7 to 10 minutes of efficient moves sequenced so you would target the different sections of the body in an order that would move from strongest to weakest so you got a great workout in a shockingly short period of time. The first DVD was Tony Horton's Great Abs Guaranteed, and it sold well on TV.

We created the on-screen graphic look of Great Abs Guaranteed, so people would feel like their TV's were more than a thing to watch, but a real source of fitness motivation and information.

Debbie Seibers is here on set for the shooting of the Thin Thighs Guaranteed Spots. Thin Thighs was a pretty big hit, when many in the direct-response TV business couldn't make a short form spot work. We enjoyed solid results for two years, and the Great Body Guaranteed line is still a popular product on the website.

Our next program was a kick boxing video called "Tai Fit" which I licensed from a friend for a few years. With the popularity of that title and our other programs, all of a sudden we needed and umbrella name for an online store. I wanted to call it "Great Body" but there was a squatter sitting on the dot-com... The back-up name was Beachbody.com, so we went for that.

We started to get success stories and photos from customers. I think our first was from Piper, and we were surprised at how much people wanted us to use their stories to inspire other people. Hmmmm... using our real success stories to inspire people. The future started to look more clear.

In the meantime to experiment with promoting Beachbody, Jon had a volleyball buddy who was putting on weekend tournaments on LA beaches, and for a few hundred dollars and some Activit, we got to put up this banner that made us look big time. The only thing "big" though was our waistlines... Power 90 and Michi's Ladder were right around the corner.

More to come...

Beachbody "Before"

While going through some old web files, our SVP of operations, Neil Evans found this snapshot of perhaps the very first Beachbody.com web page. This is when our tagline was still "Look Good Naked". (The tagline changed, but we still believe in the dream!)

As you look at the current websites at Beachbody and Million Dollar Body, one thing is for sure: We will continue to improve, and continue to listen to customer input (Which is why the tagline changed to "Decide. Commit. Succeed.")

And just like you, as you capture progress photos through your summer workout program, it will only get more interesting to look at where we all started, and celebrate how far we have come.

The WOWY Swimsuit Challenge

As you may have heard, I recommended that you take this summer to complete a full 12 week program of Turbo Jam, Power 90, P90X, or Hip Hop Abs. Well, Katie's Bikini Challenge on YouTube gave me an extra idea when I signed into WOWY yesterday: The WOWY Swimsuit Challenge!

Here's the motivator: Your goal is to workout, eat right and take your supplements with the commitment to update a new WOWY photo by Labor Day, displaying yourself in a swimsuit!

(1) Join the new WOWY group "WOWY Swimsuit Challenge"

(2) Buy the swimsuit you've always wanted to wear, and hang it near your workout space

(3) You've got three months to make it happen!

And consider doing what Katie did - updating us with a YouTube video once a week or so.

It's not a bad motivation to keep your profile updated either, because then you'll have a great photo to enter into the Million Dollar Body Game, because, if you can believe this; I am told we had yet another category where the $1,000 prize and the chance to qualify for the $250k grand prize will go unclaimed for June! It's crazy! Any submission would have one that category!

I like to recommend coaches ask their customers to update their pages every week, or every month at least, especially while they are trying to complete a program or reach a specific goal. THAT'S where consistency and persistence come from -- staying accountable with regularity. And your MDB Club profile is the place to keep yourself on track!

So update your stats and your profile, visualize that perfect swimsuit photo, and I'll see you online!

My Mom Loves Her Yoga... Booty Ballet

I got an email from my mother this morning talking about her success with one of our programs... The context is ironic, my mother giving me a testimonial for our Yoga Booty Ballet. Because, since I was eight years old, I can remember waking up to see my mom on the green carpet of the living room doing her yoga or following Jack Lalanne on TV. Her example didn't make me like working out unfortunately, but she definitely taught me it was necessary.

Now, at 69 years old she can dance all night and wrestle on the ground with her grand kids like you think just isn't possible. It's all because she never took her mobility for granted. (Thanks for that mom!) So she sends me this email this morning after my sister Robin recommended Yoga Booty Ballet... here's what she had to say:

Hi Carl,

I just finished my yoga booty ballet and couldn't believe how I could do it all on only my third day home from Europe, and deeply in the process of jet lag. As I was doing it I decided I'd write a "thank you" to you, and if you wanted, you could use it for a testimonial if you wanted. At least I want you to know how much I appreciate this yoga/exercise program.

I was getting a little lazy with my exercise ritual. At the same time I began planning my trip to Damanhur, in Turin, Italy. I saw the itinerary and got concerned that my body would not be strong enough to allow me full enjoyment of the trip. I decided to try yoga booty ballet and did it pretty much to your suggested schedule.

I could feel myself getting stronger and stronger. I had a month to let it work for me. Well, it was the best decision for my 69 year old body, for I could never have functioned as well without it! I found myself going up and down long flights of stairs, staying 100% engaged in long hours of classes and tours, and going from 7:00AM to Midnight (even having a glass of wine for dinner!) feeling strong throughout!

I am so grateful! The trip was wonderful, and my gratitude for my ability to be totally present is huge. Thank you Sweetie. The work you and your company does is awesome.

Love,

Mom

Denny Daikeler

Allied ASID Speaker/Author/Interior Design

Working Out: The Travel Edition

I mentioned Katie before, and her YouTube coverage of her bikini challenge is only getting more interesting (music's a little loud though). Anyone wondering whether it's possible to get thin thighs with Slim in 6, check out the results! Anyone wondering what to do this summer, commit to a program, see it through, and feel great by Labor Day!

International Extreme!

This is Dave Baldassi, the New Business Manager at a comapny called Northern Response. They do a great job distributing popular Beachbody products into non-US territories. (You should see Turbo Jam dubbed into Japanese!)

After seeing the success Jon Congdon and I had with P90X, Dave decided to try it for himself. I am always excited when an infomercial-industry veteran tries one of our products, because it gives us a chance to show that in fact, our products and our success stories are for real.

Dave's incredible success is his to enjoy, because he did the work. But it's always exciting for me to know that Norther Response, the company who is helping people in other countries consider these programs, now shares our enthusiasm based on Dave's personal experience.

Here is Dave's own testimonial which he emailed to Jon Congdon this week:

Jon, Here is my P90X story:

P90X Stats

Start Finish
Weight 203 187
Body Fat 19% 11%
Waist 35 31

Push Ups: 43 63
Pull Ups: 1-2 6-8
Wall Squat: 2:04 3:53
Toe Stretch: -10 0

Fat Loss: 17 pounds

My Life Before P90X
Every once in a while a person needs to remind themselves of what they are truly capable of. My diet had been a steady mix of good and poor nutrition on a daily basis for years. While I had lifted weights three times a week based on isometric holds I did zero cardio or stretching. My diet had become more sugar and carb heavy over the years. Aches and pains were becoming more prevalent each year. My toe stretch was a brutal -10" to start. I could reach around mid shin-bone. I had cravings and food addictions and I didn't hold back from feeding them. I often lived in a state of instant gratification, moving from one meal to the next as hi-lights of the day. Beer, Chips? -ok, Brownie?-sounds good. Given my eating habits and the way I packed food back I now wonder how I only weighed 203-206.

Two things finally inspired me to act. While getting some sweet action I happened to catch a look at myself without clothes on in the full-length mirror. Who is that guy, I thought as I saw the bulbous fat layers around my mid-section. " That's not me-I'm in good shape. Are you? Take a look fat boy-you've been kidding yourself." I really was out of shape. It's amazing how our own self perceptions and ego can mislead us.

It was time. But at 41 can you get in to top shape? When I saw the P90X infomercial and the results you and Carl and people in their 40's had gotten it completely changed my belief system about what could be accomplished through diet and exercise at this age. Without a belief in an outcome it would be hard to put in your best effort. I knew it was time to put the sample Beachbody sent me months earlier to the test.

Ego got the better of me for sure on this one guys. In retrospect, I should have taken the advice in the program and done a Power 90 before embarking on this journey.

During P90X
I think the best way to start is to say thank you for an absolutely awesome product. I can't begin to imagine what went into the making of this product-I really can't. It truly is phenomenal. I have more respect for you two then you know. You create quality products and you practice what you preach. This course far exceeds the price you charge for it and would easily be worth $499.00. I also believe the wealthiest people are those that help the most people so any success you have is well earned!

The food plan was great-tough but great. This was the toughest part of the program for sure. Eating till you are no longer hungry is much different than eating until you're satisfied. However, I did notice that your nutrition plan eliminated my cravings for junk food which was good as I had to make every calorie have nutritional value as dropping 20 pounds of fat is no easy task while trying to fuel muscle growth. I had a three full inches of blubber around my waist. My before photo doesn't truly capture it as I store the majority of my fat on my lower back and butt-which I think was another reason I let it go so long (it was out of sight). I now fully appreciate the dedication it takes to watch what you eat for months; from airplanes, to hotel food, to social events, you really have to want it.

At first the workouts were so hard they would beat me before I could complete them. I stayed with them the whole way, but truly became wiped and ineffective later into the DVD. But you know, if you just stick with it, and keep putting good fuel into your body great things happen.

My cardio improved dramatically. My strength and flexibility started to improve. The fat tides started to recede. Workouts became so engrossing I lost track of time just trying to do the movement properly. No way was I going to let these guys on the dvds kick my ass. Besides, Tony is older than I am and couldn't argue with -"So no excuses from any of you.". My body really limbered up, which to me was the most amazing. Pain disappeared- chronic pain I had for years. Often mornings before I had to do a tough workout on an empty stomach I would visit the Beachbody website and spend ten minutes reviewing the before and afters for inspiration-and it really helped knowing others had made the journey.

I never got bored with this program-actually quite the contrary. It is not only the volume of workouts that keeps it interesting, but each workout Tony makes it fun and challenging. I would be in the middle of a brutal workout, sweating profusely, and Tony would have me laughing with a joke. I learned what it means to really train, to "bring it" and the results you can get when you put it all together. While I completed the program -mastery of it is the vision. It is also great to know that at anytime in the future in 90 days I can completely rebuild and re-energize my body. People often asked me "What do you do when it's over?" I reply, the same thing I do with at the end of any day I care about, you get up tomorrow and put in a solid effort.

Great Gift
Someone who hasn't gone through this can't understand why I call it a great life experience. It's like trying to describe how an orange tastes if you have never tasted one. You just have to experience it. We can all fall into the trap of living in states of instant gratification, but we are most proud of our lives when we are strong and disciplined. Do you want your last great life experience health wise to be 20 years ago? I didn't. I am very proud of having gone through the program and giving it my best effort but I am not done yet with P90X. If I can produce these results starting at 19% body-fat-how would I do on this program starting in good shape?

Taking on an awesome challenge, giving it your all and completing it gives you a great sense of accomplishment. Beyond the physical it then elevates all other areas of your life where you were living at a comfortable level. What else can I accomplish in my life? Perhaps it's time to find out. I'm 41 and lean and mean thanks to the X!

Greatly Appreciated - Dave Baldassi

The Lesson of My Beachbod-a-thon

One of the things that makes Beachbody products effective is that they are created by a company of people that generally doesn't enjoy working out all that much. That means that everyone at the company is constantly looking for the thing that works "for them". For me, Power 90, P90X, and Fast 10 really fit my needs. For others it is Slim in 6, Kathy Smith's Project You!, Yoga Booty Ballet, Turbo Jam, or Hip Hop Abs which is "the answer" for them.

All of them have found a huge fan base. All of them have found their audience. Which is pertinent to what keeps us searching for the next opportunity to add a layer of diversity to the Beachbody and Million Dollar Body catalog: No single product is "the answer" for everyone.

Which is one of the lessons I learned from my Beachbod-a-thon, where I set out to complete each of our titles, one a day until I did every single DVD... An important aspect of my job is testing, developing, and tweaking new programs from a user-perspective. In the midst of the Beachbbod-a-thon, I haven't been able to keep up with my role in R&D, so development has been slowed. In that way, I have not been doing my job for you.

So my Beachbod-a-thon, which seemed like a good idea at the time, has been suspended. I will keep working my way through all our programs, just not quite as quickly as I expected to while we are in our heavy product-development season. The good news is, I've gotten a fresh taste of every one of our programs, and can relate to what's unique about every one of them. I also got a clear sense of areas where we can add to the catalog to make in-home video fitness better... I am talking about unique stuff no one has ever produced before. And you'll be experiencing the fruit of that lesson over the next nine months!

So from time to time, when you see me in WOWY at 6AM PT and I am working out to "Other", know that there's something exciting in development, and if it's good enough to get me up at 6AM, it's gonna be good!

P90X Plus Podcast Episode

How cool is this? Perry Tinsley is an incredible P90X Success Story. he is also a Million Dollar Body Coach and a video producer. he's taking coaching and motivating people to a new level on YouTube. I love it when people make my job easy... Check him out!

The Three Keys

Being an MDB Coach can mean thousands of dollars a month if you approach it with the three keys. It will truly transform how present the concept of living a healthy lifestyle is in your own mind, because you will talk about and think about your own habits more. And you will help others be conscious of theirs. And that means you will succeed, and they will succeed.

There are three keys to being a great coach. Three keys attached to a circular ring.

Coaching in this network is not about talking up a way of getting rich quick or getting in “on the ground floor” of this new idea. This is about (1) caring enough about your own health that you surround yourself with like-minded people, and then (2) caring enough about helping those people achieve their goals that you actually (3) help them lead a more fulfilling, healthy life.

But it starts with (1) you.

After you say hi to someone and ask them how they are, they ask you how you are. As a coach, you answer, (1) including how your fitness and eating is going. Sure they might be taken aback for a second. But the healthy conversation has now started, and weight loss is no longer a silent expanding social problem. You showed them it's important to be conscious of your habits, and you are living it (even if your response is "I am frustrated because I missed my workout two days in a row"). Then it’s about them. (2) How are they doing with their lifestyle of activity and proper diet? You are now supporting them, but the dialogue is about health.

And only after the first two keys is it about (3) how the income potential can help you stay committed to your goals and further motivate others to get healthy and spread the word.

The thee keys are on a never ending loop. It stops cold with the people you are supporting if you aren’t sharing your process. That doesn't mean you have to be perfect in your pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, just that you share truthfully where you are. The first key.

Here's mine:
1) My food intake is more consistently healthy than my exercise now, but I’m not too bad. I am gradually working through my Beachbod-a-thon. I am doing a different Beachbody workout with each session, usually at 6AM PT, until I’ve done them all. Today I did Power Half Hour Bun Shaper. As for diet, I am consistently eating five times a day, and pretty balanced too. As for supplements, I take my vitamins and my healthy fats every day. My weight is a fairly lean 152, a little lighter than I like because I need to add some muscle.

Just saying that makes my process present for me. Now that I've typed that (or said it) my decisions throughout the day will be that much closer to my goal, because I am conscious of my behavior.

(2) What are you doing? Is there an excuse that is getting in the way of looking and feeling great? If so, talk to your coach and explore it. Usually it’s "no time", which is why Fast 10 is an important program to have in your catalog. Everyone has ten minutes. If food is the problem, try changing that now, even if the goal is for today only. Go for a good day at the top of Michi’s Ladder. Pay attention to how you feel. And take your vitamins! Take your measurements, take your photos, and stay current with yourself. Talk about it!

(3) If you don’t feel a consistent burning drive to make these changes – how about the prospect of making some money for being the poster child for overcoming those excuses? Ask any of our success story winners who are also coaches, and they will all tell you that plenty of friends and neighbors have purchased programs and transformed their bodies primarily because off their success. That’s money YOU earn for being a part of the solution. And when you see how good it feels to get that check each week, just for telling people how you’re getting fit and helping them overcome their excuses, you’ll see others wanting to be coaches with you. And then the business, and the healthy revolution grows.

Our most successful coaches are the ones who are (1) sharing their progress with people – both the good and the bad of it – and (2) supporting others to share their progress, and (3) encouraging people to get on board to recruit others to be more conscious of their habits (1) and support others to do the same(2).

Some people have wondered if being a coach meant you have to be a fitness or diet expert. ABSOLUTELY NOT! In fact, the last thing we want coaches to do is give diet and training guidance unless appropriately certified. A coach merely checks in with the individuals on his team: (1) Share your story, (2) Get their stories and point them in the direction of resources at the MDB Club to get solutions to hurdles in the way of their success, and (3) to those that could use the money motivation to transform their body and life, see if they will help support and recruit people by living #1 and #2 above with you.

That's what is also great about the Million Dollar Body Game -- it too has roots in the Three Keys. (1) You update your story and photos (2) You see how other people are doing on their quest to live a healthy active lifestyle, and (3) you can show others the game, and encourage them to engage in their health and enter the game as well. A never ending loop, present in everything MDB is about.

Right now we have over 170,000 members of WOWY and 100,000 MDB club members; and just over 1,000 coaches. That’s 1,000 club members to a coach! And we’re adding over 15,000 new members a week! If you are looking for an opportunity to help people and get paid for it, this is it!

(1) Talking about my health and fitness helps my habits have a constant “share of mind”. (2) Hearing how you are doing gives me the opportunity to help you overcome your obstacles. I LOVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS! (3) And when it turns to the value of being a coach, there is nothing I am more excited about in our business than spreading our enthusiasm for how good it feels, from friend to friend.

That’s health!

(1) How am I doing?

(2) How are you doing?

(3) How about earning money living #1 and #2?

If you can do #1 and #2, plus you think doing that will help keep you accountable to losing weight and getting healthy, you’re ready to be a coach. Sign up, and do it with me!

And anyone who wonders if what you are doing is for real, show them this blog entry or just tell them about the Three Keys. This is what MDB is about!

How to Lose 280 lbs

Million Dollar Body is one step closer to being the center of the weight loss revolution - not by simply being the source for dramatic weight loss strategies and programs that combine great fitness programs and simple eating guidelines, but for also being the gathering place for people who want to celebrate their success and maintain their healthy lifestyle.

I got the letter below from Martha, a customer coached by Lisa Decker-Griffith. Martha blew the room away with her tale of losing over 280 lbs! (I wasn't there, but I had to email her and congratulate her for proving that it's not as much about how you lose the weight as it is your commitment, perspective, and support around you.) She gave me permission to post her email, as I suspect there are many readers who will be as inspired by her story as I am.

This is the kind of spirit that we are celebrating at Million Dollar Body, and with the help of coaches like Lisa and her husband Tom, and committed customers like Martha, I hope the trend continues!

Dear Carl,

Ok, now I am awe-struck. Thank you so much for your email! It is exactly this type of encouragement that is helping me to succeed. I guess I don't really find my story all that amazing, but when I hear from people like you it makes me think again! Since you said these kinds of stories really make your day, I thought I would give you the full scoop on my story.

As you already know, I lost most of my weight prior to finding the million dollar
body programs. But I could not have continued without it!

My weight has been a struggle since I was very very young. I have ALWAYS been called fat. Not plump, but FAT. I can't tell you how many times growing up that I would end up in my room crying because of it. At my heaviest point I was indeed 423 pounds. But believe it or not, other than being fat I was healthy. My doctor would tell me that I needed to lose weight but in the next sentence tell me "I was the healthiest fat person he knew!" (not very motivating to start losing weight).

I am a single mom and I have raised 3 wonderful boys by myself. I have always worked a full time job outside of the home, and never had time or made time for myself. So when I moved my family to Oregon 13 years ago to start a new life, I was bound and determined to lose weight. And I couldn't do it. I couldn't break the cycle of self abuse. I tried, I really tried. Then one day I decided to hell with it. I would just stay fat and die fat. I figured that was just how it was going to be and there was nothing I could do to change it. I also decided that diet was a four letter word in my house and would get extremely upset if anyone said anything about eating healthy.

Well, guess what? That attitude is what really changed my life. I was no longer
preoccupied by diets, my focus was no longer on food, and therefore it wasn't
important. And I started to lose weight. I started eating breakfast (no surprise to you that I wasn't eating it before) and I started to drink lots and lots of water! (and I do mean lots!) Then I started thinking. I would eat a fatty meal (ie a hamburger) and drink a COLD glass of water with my meal. While I was sitting at the table eating my hamburger a thought crossed my mind. Why do I drink a COLD glass of water? Look what happens to the fat in the pan when it gets cold? It solidifies. ewww. Is that what happens in my stomach? So I quit drinking the really cold water and started with room temperature water. I buy bottled water and I do NOT put it in the fridge. With this combination of new thinking, eating breakfast, and not drinking the cold beverages, I started losing weight. I lost the bulk of my weight over about a 10 year period.

Then last year, my Son was getting ready to leave for the Marines, he was devastated! He was told he was fat, and needed to lose about 30 pounds. I felt really bad for him. So I decided that if he could do it so could I. I wanted him to hold his head up at his graduation and not have people say to him "no wonder your fat, look at your mom!' So I really started concentrating on losing the weight and I started to cut down even more on my intake. So in August of 2006 I weighed 236 pounds. By the time I went to my sons graduation in November I had dropped to about 185, By the time he came home for Christmas? I was down to 177. (That was when I joined the MDB team and started on the Power 90).

Guess what? Thanks to MDB and all of the support from REAL people, I can now exercise, I am actually starting to lose inches, and I am now down to 144 pounds. (lol, so I guess that means I have topped the 280 mark!)

So when you tell me that you are awe struck? So am I. I joined MDB because of the support network. I am staying because of the support network. And I am Loving it! I sincerely hope that I can be an inspiration to others just as MDB in an inspiration to me. I want everyone to know that truly, if I can do it? Anyone can!

I hope this wasn't more information that what you wanted, but I felt compelled to share. Thank you, Carl, for creating a wonderful company that people like me can believe in. It really does restore my faith in mankind.

God Bless!

Martha
www.milliondollarbody.com/skinycricket

Trouble in Detroit Is An MDB-UAW Opportunity

BusinessWeek magazine had an interesting story about the plight of the big U.S. auto makers and a "deal that could save Detroit". As I read I was reminded of just how timely the launch of the Million Dollar Body Network is for the people who seize this opportunity to become a coach.

MDB was built to help people, and as the proud members of the UAW consider their options during turbulent times, taking their health and wellness into their own hands, member by member, is now more meaningful to the overall survival of the US auto industry than ever.

The BW article by David Welch and Nanette Byrnes outlines how beleaguered GM, Ford, and Chrysler have a crisis in the form of an estimated $120 billion in long term employee medical liabilities. Chrysler's current obligations to health care and pension benefits cost $1,500 per car according to former Chrysler chairman Lee Iaccoca!

A proposed solution to keep car makers viable is the creation of a trust to be run by the United Auto Workers union (UAW), whereby the union and its membership would assume more control over its health care costs, and also reap the investment benefits achieved. There is a downside risk to UAW members if the UAW doesn't manage the trust well, or if health care costs rise faster than investment returns. But there is an advantage that the UAW has which their employer (auto makers) do not; the ability to directly motivate and reward it membership for living a healthier lifestyle.

What I am saying is likely over-simplified analysis. But it is clear that rising health care costs in the US come from a combination of overall declining health (obesity, heart disease, diabetes, etc.) caused generally by lethargy, poor diet habits, stress, an aging population, etc, and incredible developments in treatments which cost money. We all have an expectation that any treatment will be available to us when we need it, regardless of the price. People also expect health insurance to shoulder those costs.

But when you look at the general declining fitness and diet of the country, it is clear that the majority of us are not thinking it through that "insurance" is not a "them" who pays our bills, it is the collective "all of us" who pays. Based on the rise of obesity in the country, few of us feel real accountability for making lifestyle choices that could ease the strain on the system (not to mention helping us feel better and live a healthy, more fulfilling life.)

Living an active lifestyle including fitness is not a drug that can be described. Making smarter food choices is not a program the government can regulate. These are choices we make, which are defining the state of health care.

Enter the Million Dollar Body Network. Here's a community of people who are helping each other stay accountable to their diet and fitness goals. Coaches earn a commission on sales generated from new people they introduce to the community, plus they earn commissions from current Beachbody customers whom they help to stay motivated. Thousands of people are losing weight and getting in shape at Million Dollar Body and as such, improving their health and wellness. That means they are actually having a direct impact on reducing health care costs and the demand for higher insurance premiums for the companies they work for - and those lower insurance premiums benefits everyone.

So there's Detroit - a microcosm for learning how we can turn around the crisis in rising health care costs. The survival-threatening reliance on corporate-supplied health insurance can be mitigated if not eliminated by the UAW if they take on the role of improving the health of their membership. (And I would propose that change can be as fast as 90 days for some, 6 weeks for others)

UAW membership who has been adversely affected by the competitive disadvantages faced by US auto makers in a global economy can take action by living a healthier lifestyle as individuals and through mutual support to achieve a new level of health as a community. Just like we are achieving within the Million Dollar Body community, the UAW will feel better, perform better on the job, and be in control of their destiny.

Your life, that body, is yours to take care of. The costs of taking care of your body are your responsibility. If you have a job which helps offset the expense of your health care as a benefit, congratulations. But in the end, the choices and habits that govern your well being are yours. And the ability to make a dramatic effect on improving your personal well being, and likewise, reducing the cost of maintaining that wellness, is also yours.

That is the message and mantra of the Million Dollar Network: YOU are in control of your health and fitness.

If you are an MDB coach, or are considering becoming an MDB coach, and you know someone in the UAW, I would start a conversation with people within its membership. We can help them feel better, and reduce the strain on their health care budgets for less than the price of one fill-up of an SUV.

If you are a member of the UAW, I would recommend you become part of the solution, become an MDB coach and start recruiting your fellow members to help them improve the health of the membership through active participation in a healthier lifestyle.

If I want things to change, it starts with me. If you want things to change, it starts with you. If you are a member of the UAW, and you want things to change, it starts with you - and you in this case is each member who wants the US auto industry to be competitive. As we stop relying on a "them" to solve out problems, we become empowered, and then we have options. But you need to decide to change things. You need to have the courage to succeed. And you need to commit to that decision. That's commitment to your self.

Once you've made the decision to improve your life, then you can decide to help others, and as a coach, you can profit by doing so in every way. And the rest is a revolution in your health, and the health of our country.

We all want the US auto manufacturers and the UAW to get through this tough period to remain highly competitive and well-compensated. After reading this Business Week article, I believe the UAW can make a dramatic impact by taking control of its destiny, and encouraging its membership to live a healthy lifestyle.

And the community of Million Dollar Body can help.

This is the "X" in P90X

This email below came from Tony's friend Erik S., one of the guys in the background of P90X Plyo/Legs. A friend of his decided to order P90X in the middle of the night when he couldn't sleep after seeing the infomercial. After a couple workouts, he finally got to plyo.

He cracked up seeing Erik in it and sent this email.

In a message dated 5/18/2007 4:23:12 P.M. Central Daylight Time, MnSo writes:

"Who the hell watching TV at that hour can handle that Plyo workout? I wonder how many people it has killed. :-) It's hard as my high school wrestling workout. I think that's why I like it. It really is a great f-in workout. After two weeks I already feel like a new man and I can't even get through them all yet. I do them every morning - usually with my girlfriend. I bought a late night infomercial spinning bike two months before that - used it twice, now I use it as the 'chair' for my plyo swing kicks. Hehe. Already done p90x at least 14 times, so a testament to how much better it is."

To quote Tony: "I f*&ing love this kind of feedback."

Click here and then click on Plyometrics to see Tony rant about this workout. It really is the renaissance routine that separates the pretenders from the extreme animals.

An Extra Bonus for Working Out... :)

Further to that video below - turns out Katie is an MDB Coach! And Swh won on WOWY! And she GETS IT! Thanks Katie!