Hip Hop Abs at work in Shinjuku

Shaun T is in Japan working with the distributor who is launching Hip Hop Abs into Japan for us this week. It's a media blitz that would have made the Beatles jealous.

Jumbotrons, outdoor stage shows, variety TV appearances, and of course, photo ops. And you have to check this video out. It features Hiromi Go (below), a Japanese pop star who loves the program.

People Who Inspire Me

We read about the extraordinary results people get with our programs all the time. Team Beachbody members can vote now on the latest batch of Beachbody success stories. You choose who gets the $10,000 this quarter in the newly formatted Million Dollar Body Game. (Voting ends Sunday!)

Aside from the contest, when it comes to extraordinary results, the testimonials I gravitate toward are the ones of triumph that exceed even my own expectations.

Coach Anne Dovel sent me another great one this week, which she got from Camille Lusk. Camille is “wheeliechick”, a new coach and the kind of inspiration that makes me want to ask everyone to ramp-up the decibel level and work harder to get the word out about what we are doing. EVERY DAY, EVERY CONVERSATION COUNTS!

Here's what Camille emailed to Anne:

"Hi Anne!

I have MS and am in a wheelchair. Due to numerous meds throughout the years my body stopped being hungry. At one point the doctors ran tests and found that my body digested about 3x's slower than a normal person would. That wasn't too alarming at the time but as the years wore on I found that I was probably only eating 600 calories a day at the most. My husband started doing P90x and we began looking at what I needed for calorie intake and I was floored! I began modifying moves for me and began feeling the results of my exercise but my appetite was still sluggish. I then found Shakeology! I love this stuff! We initially bought it to ensure I would at least get some nutrients in my body but after the first week I noticed my body was hungry! I now find that I need to eat 3 meals AND snacks to make it through the day. I have energy again, I think clearer after drinking it, and my mood is so much better. I am so thankful for Shakeology, I feel like I have found my youth again. Beachbody is truly in the business of changing people's lives and I'm thrilled that my family and I are along for the ride!"

I get to read this type of report every week. Each is a personal testament to healthy choices.

What's most important is that Camille would have never found this solution if not for a coach who introduced their family to Beachbody. And she would have never discovered what was possible for her if SHE hadn't investigated it further, and taken that leap of faith! So many people are convinced they have tried everything, and they have resolved themselves to their status quo. But we know better! We know that daily activity, good nutrition, and peer support can turn things around for someone who wants to lose a little weight, or even someone who is wheelchair bound looking for alternatives!

Shakeology was created to transcend hype, and to actually deliver the exceptional nutrition our bodies crave. And combined with our exercise programs, the healthy results are shocking. But it's so rare, and so hard to believe something really can deliver on what it promises, that it requires the passion of the Beachbody Network to share it.

Thank you Anne. Thank you Camille. And thank you Beachbody Network for not letting even a holiday weekend interrupt your important work of introducing people to a system of health and fitness that truly works.

Make this weekend worth "Memorializing" by stepping out of your comfort zone and getting the word out for an hour or two. This is the kind of weekend that separates the achievers from the coasters. Remind people they really can get healthy and help them understand they too can earn the wealth when the world catches on!

Brett Favre Tweets P90X

While the world wonders whether future Hall of Famer Brett Favre will really retire or not, he certainly is not keeping quiet about the fitness regimen he's using to stay in shape... P90X.

His "Tweet" was spotted yesterday, as was the following recommendation from Ashton Kutcher to one of his 1.8 million followers.

Maybe there really is something to this P90X thing.

Happy Ten Year Anniversary Beachbody!

Ten years ago today, our very first customer, Hope Putnam, ordered Great Abs Guaranteed to launch what has now become the $400+MM a year leader in finding an end to the trend of obesity.

To celebrate the ten year milestone, we sent this crystal trophy to the employees, investors, friends, and parents who helped us get things off the ground, and got the entire company together to make the occasion with an official announcement this morning.

To add to the excitement, in this week's IMS report, the company which tracks the most aired infomercials of the week, Beachbody had three shows of the top five - a first in our history!

Yet it feels like we're just getting started. We've really just found our momentum, with the Beachbody network redefining healthy peer support, P90X redefining fitness, and Shakeology redefining nutrition.

The last ten years have been exceptionally exciting. But we have a lot of work to do to achieve our potential... Our best is still ahead of us!

Go Shakeology, Go!

Time to brag a little: Shakeology, a product that so many people said would cost too much, would taste "too green", and would not appeal to our fast-food-drive-thru culture, has absolutely taken off.

We've already sold almost 10,000 units since the summit. That's over a million dollar's worth - without TV advertising. And despite a money back guarantee, less than 1% of the people who buy the product return it. Less than 1%! Better still, the retention of the home direct program is the best in the company's ten year history: 72% of the people who sign up, have stayed in the home direct program.

I have been in the direct marketing business for 23 years. And I have NEVER seen numbers like that. This is an unequivocal home run.

UPDATE 5/7: I was speaking with Seth Tuckerman, our COO who used to be a big shot at Nestle. He said when they launched a new product and achieved a 60% reorder rate, they knew they had a homerun. At 72% reorder, I think we're looking at a grand slam!

People are blogging about it - not just coaches - but customers. THAT'S how excited people are about how they feel. My own cousin sent me an email proclaiming that he lost eight pounds already thanks to Shakeology - that stubborn eight pounds that have been nagging him for years.

But to our shock, most people are looking beyond the weight loss benefits at the health benefits. In fact, I continue to read post after post of people who are fed up with fads, and this time they are putting their money where their health is.

Do you know how big this is going to be? BIG. And thanks for making it happen coaches! Thanks to you, a real nutrition breakthrough has transcended the anti-oxidant-fruit-juice-in-a-wine-bottle craze of the last five years, and the real deal is on the scene. Shakeology is here to stay, and you can only get it through the Beachbody Network at TeamBeachbody.com.

The Insanity of Cinco de Mayo

One on One subscribers have a present on the way; When your subscription is set to ship this month, it will be shrink-wrapped with a free workout from the Insanity program -- the first sneak peek of this unreal series due this summer.

And it's the perfect month too, because the One on One is a recovery workout that Tony put into his rotation after a particularly intense day of training. He needed to recover, and Steve Edwards had been asking us to develop a recovery routine with the right kind of exercise to help the body, rather than just... stop.

So enjoy the Insanity workout (you are the first!) and take advantage of Tony's perfect recovery routine!

THIS MONTH'S ONE on ONE:

Struggle Story

Almost 6,000 people logged their workouts in the WOWY Super Gym yesterday. And I am impressed by every single person who manages to keep it up.

I say that because, despite my position as CEO of Beachbody, my focus on making a business out of ending the trend of obesity, and being married to one of the most disciplined and certified health and fitness experts in the world, I still struggle to "keep pushing play" as consistently as I expect of myself.

Yesterday I was in a meeting with Whitney Provost the editorial director of Team Beachbody, and as we were reviewing the calendar and general direction of celebrating success stories in our online videos and newsletters, an idea surfaced: "Let's start to investigate the other side of the success story. Let's look at real 'struggle stories' within our community. Let's show people that EVERYBODY struggles with consistency from time to time - even me!"


One such struggle story we've all read about is not a person actually, but a concept; "Corporate Wellness".

Despite the health crisis in the US, even a company called Beachbody can't require people to live a healthy lifestyle (Otherwise, for months out of the year I'd be on probation!)

When Jon Congdon got back from the Top Coach trip in Mexico having launched a 90 day challenge with a bunch of the coaches on the trip, his enthusiasm spilled over into our People Department, which in turn launched a company-wide 90 Day challenge.


So for the last few days we've had a dunk tank in the parking lot, measuring body fat percentages for anyone who wanted to know where they stood. The emphasis of this challenge is on health and fitness, not on a "Biggest Loser" type competition or weight loss alone. And over half the company is already participating, with more joining each day. That includes me.

My WOWY calendar for the last few months is below. I finally look like I will put together a week of some consistency after wavering between "weekend warrior" and "walk the baby" since the fall.







It's time to get consistent. Summer is approaching. My personal goal is to be fit and ready to plow into 60 days of Insanity when it launches.

But the point of my blog post is this; If you or someone you know is a "Struggle Story" like me, know that nobody is immune. That's why it's so hard to stay healthy and fit. Life today has not been designed to make a healthy lifestyle the norm. And I can complain along with all Beachbody customers about how difficult it is to stay consistent. But complaining never got anyone back into their favorite jeans.

While I have been lucky enough to have the tasty Shakeology to keep me healthy even though my fitness got inconsistent, if I want to keep up with my kids, I have to keep the body tuned. That's a choice.

I invite you to get on board, and get everyone you know on board. It's often hard. But it's important - especially if you are a coach, or the CEO of a health and fitness company.

I read a great quote from Jim Rohn today: "We must all suffer from one of two pains: The pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces, while regret weighs tons." (I would argue that some discipline weighs pounds, not ounces... but I get his point.)

So while the last few month's I have been a "struggle story", my "success story" starts again today. Decide. Commit. Succeed.

Ashton Update

I have no confirmation that Ashton Kutcher is still using P90X. But some have commented to me that it looks like something is working on the set of Five Killers in France!

As seen on Zimbio.

Pure and Simple

If the prospect of 60 days of Insanity has you feeling some anxiety as we look ahead to the summer, we found a way to keep any Beachbody customer complaints to a quiet, peaceful hush with the ultimate zen antidote... We've just released two new specialty titles under the YBB brand: Yoga Booty Ballet "Pure & Simple Yoga" (with Gillian) and Yoga Booty Ballet "Baby On the Way" (with Teigh).


They are available at TeamBeachbody.com through your Beachbody Coach, or Beachbody.com.

Gillian takes you through an exhilarating routine with classic yoga without any difficult choreography in "Pure and SImple Yoga".

Teigh shares her pregnancy workout for expectant mothers to get you or that mom-to-be on your gift list ready for the special delivery with "Baby on the Way".












So log into WOWY, put your hands together, close your eyes, and BRING IT!

An Insane One on One

Time to subscribe to Tony's One-On-One!

Along with Tony's real-life workout series, where you get to follow along with the man as he trains in his personal gym, last fall we released a sneak peek at ChaLEAN Extreme to people who were subscribed. Then at holiday time, we shipped a bonus DVD with Tony and his helpers. But if you're a subscriber this May, not only will you get Tony's personal "Recovery 4 Results" routine, but the best bonus ever is about to show up in the mail.

We are releasing the entire Plyometric Cardio Circuit (42 minutes) from the Shaun T's new Insanity series along with the May issue of One on One!

Not a sneak peak... an entire workout. But if you're wondering what kind of workout would be called "Insanity", here is a sneak peek of this program that will light up the fitness world in 2009:



Insanity is the most intense and thorough cardio-intensive program ever set to DVD. We expect it to launch in summer 2009 with a base Configuration of 10 workouts, including:

1. Dig Deeper/Fit Test

2. Plyometric Cardio Circuit

3. Cardio Power & Resistance

4. Cardio Recovery/Max Recovery

5. Pure Cardio/Cardio Abs

6. Cardio Abs

7. Core Cardio & Balance

8. Max Interval Circuit

9. Max Interval Plyo

10. Max Cardio Conditioning/Cardio Abs

Plus it will include the Insanity Fitness guide (which will be brief... we want you moving, not reading!), the Elite Nutrition guide and Wall calendar.

I Thought I'd Never See This

My sister Robin is in town with her family for spring break, and her 10 year old son Josef is notorious for picky eating, to the extreme. I'm talking about living on Lucky Charms, white bread, juice, pasta with tomato sauce (as long as there are no lumps), and sometimes a piece of cheese. I can't blame him, because I was the same way.

Today I went to the Shakeology website for some Greenberry recipe ideas to see if we could get him to consume something healthy, and decided to go with the "Sunrise". (I also added a raw egg and banana in there. I'm like the Iron Chef of shakes)

It was like one of those "Hey Mikey, he likes it" moments. Instead of looking at the green drink and saying "no way", Josef took a sip, smiled with what teeth he has, and kept sucking on that straw. My sister was almost teary to see him get real nutrition for a change. My daughter Ava saw his reaction and had to have her own. Feeding the kids a good lunch was NEVER this easy!

Shakeology continues to amaze me. The health benefits, the success stories, and the sheer enthusiasm people have for something that delivers all this nutrition in a package that tastes this good seems to have struck a chord. Even Chalene Johnson went off on the product in her blog the other day. Even vegetarian Tony Horton, who has professed a devotion to the health-junky's Kombucha (I can't even get this stuff up to my lips) wouldn't let the production team leave the house the other day unless they left behind the two bags of Shakeology they brought with them during a recent One-On-One shoot.

The revolution continues to gain momentum, fueled by the healthiest meal of the day!

Heads Up In Atlanta!

In Sunday night's baseball season opener I am going to be torn between two teams: My hometown Phillies and the Atlanta Braves.

On one hand I'll be cheering the World Champs on to another great season, but on the other hand, I will want to see Atlanta's Matt Diaz light the place up because now he and I have something in common.

Here's what I read in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution today about Atlanta's fielder Matt Diaz who lost 30 pounds in the off season... Guess how:

Braves Q&A with Matt Diaz
Thursday, April 02, 2009

Do you want to know what Brave fell for an infomercial? Read on about Matt Diaz...

Q. How did you lose 30 pounds this offseason?

A. I hate to admit it, but I did an infomercial. … My wife ordered P90X. I saw her doing her leg workout, and it was similar to stuff I did in rehab. I thought that’d be a good way to ease my way back into weightlifting. After a week you realize there’s no easing into that workout.

Q. You watch videos as you work out?

A. They send you 12 videos with 12 different workouts and a diet plan. If you want it, it gives you recipes for every meal, six meals a day …. We moved our kids upstairs out of the nursery and changed the nursery into a P90X room. We got a pull-up bar and dumbbells. … I’d do a P90X workout with my wife in the morning, a baseball workout in the afternoon and go jogging with my wife in the evening while dinner was crock-potting.

Beachbody Coaches should love it when people say "I hate to admit it" about doing our videos. That just shows you how timely the decision is to become a distributor of our programs. Most people are still programmed to think that schlepping to the gym or paying a personal trainer is the only "respectable" way to get in shape.

But as we add success story after success story and star upon star to our customer list, the tipping point is approaching, and the $18 Billion gym business will shift as 200 million overweight Americans realize they can get fast results right at home with the support of a community that is focused on people helping people get real results!

Thanks for being a part of the solution! Let's end the trend now Atlanta!

Shakeology and the "Powerful Rejuvenator"

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

That's what's great about Shakeology... A whole lot of those supplements exist in their high quality, whole food form, in a high-protein chocolate or berry shake.

We talk a lot about how Shakeology gives you energy, but it's not caffeine and sugar energy like Red-Bull type energy drinks. I think one of the Shakeology ingredients which is responsible for that quality energy is Ashwagandha, also known as Rasayana which means "Powerful Rejuvenator" in Ayurvedic. According to some reading I've done, it has been used for thousands of years to treat inflammation, fevers, and to protect against infection and illness in India and Africa.

When it comes to energy, the adrenal gland can make or break you. Supporting the adrenals is important especially when you are active. On a site called Tattva's, which sells this herb in an isolated capsule, here's what they say about this interesting Shakeology ingredient, and how it can improve the performance of the adrenals especially in support of your exercise routine:

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

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

Happy 18,000th

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

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

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

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

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

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

20,000 coaches by May!

The Rumors Were True

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

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

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

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

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

Paradise Continued

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

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

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

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

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

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

~Conrad Hilton~

Ola!

Hello from the Fairmont at Playa Del Carmen Mexico!

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

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





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

Wish you were here!

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

New Record - A New Extreme

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

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

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

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

Thank you team!

Looking good!

With 321 showing up to workout this morning in the WOWY Super Gym, we're looking good for our drive to crush the record this Saturday March 7th at 11AM ET/8AM PT!

It's the kick-off to Dream Extreme week, and we need you and every one you know to show up and make a statement! The revolution has begun!

Health -- The Whole Package

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

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

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

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

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