Sick of Feeling Sick

Last weekend sitting at my desk, I had one of those cold sweat, "uh-oh-here-it-comes" moments, I felt like I was getting sick with something. I felt my head getting foggy, my throat beginning to feel scratchy, and my stomach not feeling altogether settled. All the warning signs were there, I was coming down with something.

As the day progressed, it slowly got worse. I could have crawled comfortably into bed at any time, but it wasn't bad enough to call it a day. My mind started to imagine where this was headed. Was it the flu? My turn to get H1N1? Did the bug ripping through Ava's elementary school finally get to me?

I got to bed early enough to rest and see where things stood the next day. Sleep was difficult, with body aches and mild sweats. Something was definitely up. I think I finally got to sleep around midnight, and the alarm that is my 18 month old went off at 6AM.

As I got up, I realized something was different. I did a quick bit of surveillance. Head; sharp. Energy; good. Throat; clear. Stomach; settled. I had dodged the bullet!

Here's why that is a big deal to me;

In the past, I was not a "get a little sick" kind of guy. When I get sick, I get SICK. But ever since I started taking better care of myself and drinking Shakeology every day, everything about my general health is stronger.

The point is not that Shakeology is some cure-all. The point is this, and it's important that you read this carefully: When your body has the nutrition it needs to operate, you will get sick less. Whether it's Shakeology or you have the discipline and patience to eat well, nutrition feeds your body what it needs to thrive.

When your body has a foundation of great nutrition, when it does get attacked by a virus, your immune system will be in better shape to defend itself, so you will be sick shorter. And as you age, when your body has a foundation of good nutrition to continue to build healthy new blood cells, keep connective tissue healthy, and to fight inflammation, you will feel younger, and enjoy the benefits of youth longer. That is the pay off with good nutrition.

I am thankful there are medications to help us overcome severe sickness. But I would prefer to treat my body in a way that avoids getting sick in the first place. And if I do get sick, I want to know that I have built a foundation of nutrition that will go to work and make my turn around as fast as possible.

If you're sick of feeling sick, then take action to give your body what it needs to thrive. That's what fitness does. That's what better diet choices can do. And that's what the Shakeology program is!

If you are sick of feeling sick, give your body the fuel it needs to protect itself!

Success Story Zero

If a disease has it's traces to the so-called "Patient Zero", then perhaps I am "Success Story Zero" when it comes to the health benefits of Shakeology.

My family has a history of brutally high cholesterol. In June 2006 with a cholesterol reading of 258, far over the acceptable range of 120-200, my doctor put me on the drug Lipitor. By October, my cholesterol was down to 226. Then I married Isabelle, an admitted health nut, who brought to my attention some of the reported liver side effects of prolonged use of the drug, so I stopped. By September 2007 I was up to 262!

Then I started to take Shakeology every single day.

One year later, I am happy to report that my cholesterol is down well into the safe zone, 172, with no drugs! As the first guy to take Shakeology every day, I know that makes me the very first healthy success story!

Now, I will be the first to say, this is by no means scientific proof and every body is different. I exercise, I eat better, I take Fish Oil and Red Yeast Rice, and I consume less alcohol than I did a few years ago. But I know I am not living the "perfect cholesterol reducing lifestyle" either, so this performance is quite gratifying for me.

As we look at the cost of health care in this country, my nutritional supplements cost less and are better for my OVERALL health than the prescription I was taking. Each daily dose cost almost the same as one serving of Shakeology - and the Shake gives me an entire meal at the same time! It's crazy!

This week as we celebrate all we have to be thankful for, in addition to so many things, I am thankful to be affiliated with people that created a product that goes so far beyond good daily nutrition and weight loss, but which actually completely improves my health and energy.

Shakeology, I am exceptionally thankful!

A Special Birthday Request

Dear Team Beachbody Coach:

I am having a birthday party and you're invited! I am asking for a special birthday present too. No, not a pretty new pony. I would like to break the record for the most coaches present on a Game Plan call since we started them. (I think the first call had 300 on it.) I am hoping you will be there to make that happen for me.

My birthday party Game Plan call is at 8AM PT Monday, Nov 23rd. All I ask is that you and as many coaches in your up and downline can join me for my Game Plan party, and help me celebrate our growth (and my receding hairline and increasing age.)

Please mark this in your calendar: 1(605) 475-6400 passcode: 354-5248

I hope to see you on the call!

Carl

Great Idea for the Gift of Health

We had a great coach call this morning discussing the big training in Dallas, the upcoming event in Vegas on Dec 5th (be there and get people there!), the importance of home parties, and the opportunity to use the products in the Beachbody catalogue as healthy gift ideas this year.

After the call I was thinking how smart it would be for people to give Shakeology instead of a bottle of wine.

What if you committed to give at least two bags of Shakeology to two people who you would otherwise struggle to find "the right gift" for? A gift that is actually good for the recipient... That's the real spirit of giving isn't it?

And when I arrived at the office, I got into the elevator with our Senior Director of Training and Development, Sandi Bouhadana who trumped my idea with her own: Between her kids and their school and activities, she has ten teachers who she will buy gifts for this year. Instead of the traditional "basket of soaps," she has decided to give each of the teachers a sampler pack of Shakeology.

As an idea for a coach, that's a great one for a few reasons:

(1) You are showing you truly care about someone when you give them this special, healthy shake. Bio-available nutrition for healthy energy. It doesn't get better than that.

(2) People who try it as a gift are very likely to want to buy more.

(3) Teachers are great coaches - They need and appreciate the extra money and they are great at networking. You might find that gift leads to a mutually productive business relationship. But that is a distant third to the top priority of giving someone a gift that is truly meaningful this year. That's the point!

I think it's a great idea. From giving Shakeology or a program P90X, Insanity or Chalean Extreme to anyone on your gift list, I am sure there are a thousand other ideas that our coaches will come up with.

But the important thing right now - like, today - is to get the word to your team of coaches ASAP. There truly is no better or more timely gift, than the gift of health! Coaches just might not think of it - until it's too late! Don't let that happen - our mission needs your energy and focus right now!

Every little action we all take toward getting people focused on healthy behavior vs. a neutral or negative habits is productivity toward our goal. That's what this is about. "Slight Edge" thinking, where we gradually gather improvements in our productivity and health and that of the people around us. That's what this is about!

Pass this great holiday concept on, and let's keep the momentum growing!

Are You Serious About Success?

If you REALLY want to make extra money, you need to get serious. If you REALLY want to help more people get healthy and fit, you need to get serious.

Are you willing to invest just six hours to learn the steps that will put you on the same path as our top coaches? We are seeing impressive, compelling evidence that the Game Plan is generating new coaches, new sales, and a lot more awareness about the health and fitness movement that is Team Beachbody. But it's important that get trained on it so you get the most from this powerful tool.

The guy to learn it from is Larry Zimberg.

What sets the successful people from the everybody else? I know first hand - the difference is going the extra step, doing more than "normal", going the extra mile. This is one of those defining moments. What are you willing to do to succeed?

Larry is holding a Game Plan Training this Saturday (11/14) in Dallas, TX. People who attended the Leadership Event a month ago or the first stop on the Game Plan tour in Tacoma, WA compared it to a seminar for which they would have paid thousands of dollars. We're charging $10. Six hours of step-by-step training in how to apply the proven action steps of network marketing to getting out the word of our health-changing, life-transforming programs!

If you would have been willing to go to a four year college that was a long drive or a plane ride away to secure your future, why not make an investment in one road trip, one plane ticket to Dallas, and one day to absorb the information that could completely, and quickly, get your business on track?

Maybe it's just my nature, and maybe it's why I have been successful, but take from this CEO: If I were you, I would get to the very next training possible. No excuses. And I would lean on my primary leaders to meet me there. I would take pages of notes. I would review the information with my team immediately after the event, so we all worked the system together. And then I would work my tail off to use the system to generate the most productivity. I would not accept anything less from myself than that. So why not you? Now is the time to get serious about YOUR success.

REGISTRATION LINK: https://www.regonline.com/gprtfortworth

ADDRESS:
AA Training & Conference Center
4501 Hwy 360S
Fort Worth, TX 761551
(817) 956-1000
www.aa-conference-center-dolce.com/
PARKING:Complimentary!

AGENDA:
10:00 AM Opportunity Presentation (Bring your prospects!)
11:00 AM Game Plan Training Part I
1:00 PM Lunch Break & Shakeology Sampling
2:00 PM Game Plan Training Part II
5:00 PM Close

If you can't make Dallas, get to Vegas:

Las Vegas, NV December 5th

REGISTRATION WEBSITE:
https://www.regonline.com/gprtlasvegas

VENUE:
Gold Coast Hotel & Casino
4000 West Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 891031
(800) 331-5334
http://www.goldcoastcasino.com/

PARKING:Complimentary

Now That's a Plan!

What a week, and what a plan! Team Beachbody is on fire and the new Game Plan protocol, modeled on decades of success from some of the most successful network marketing organizations ever. It is a complete revelation!

And what blows me away is how this simple ten point system has already become a foundation coaches are using to plan day-to-day activities and even pursue business building ideas that have been brewing within the business for years.

The people who qualified for our Leadership Event at the Ritz in Dana Point were deluged with reinforcement on the ten points, proof that with just two months of application it really works.

Plus we launched a challenge to put it into action for an unprecedented 60 day push. If you're a coach and you're not participating in the 60 day challenge, I suggest you go for it and recommit to your success!

Almost 1,000 coaches have already signed up on the Facebook page to share their experiences using the Game Plan. People are updating on every facet of the plan, including productivity at soccer games, birthday parties, listening to great audiobooks, exploring the new 3rd party tools, starting home parties... It's on!

Coaches are once again using the network to help cash strapped charities raise funds, because now they have a system to hand off to the leaders of PTA's, church groups, and others who are motivated, but never knew how to apply our programs and products in order to make serious money. We even have a coach planning on holding a regular Sunday "Open House" complete with signs just like the real estate folks use. Imagine the flags and balloons around the neighborhood: "Healthy Open House - Free Shake!"

Coaches who have been watching the rest of the team have success while they struggled to sign their first coach are shocked to see how powerful the step by step system is.

Even coaches at the event, who were unsure what it would be like to commit to "Two Exposures a Day" were so encouraged when they started a conversation with the hotel maid, or the waitress at the restaurant, got interest, and they were not demoralized if they heard "no"!

I am so excited about the future I can barely contain my enthusiasm. This is how we increase the decibel level of healthy habits! Two exposures a day!

Do the Game Plan faithfully, and your business will finally get traction.

And I am so proud of the work that the company did to prepare these tools, especially Larry "Game Plan" Zimberg, Denise Needham, Sandi Bouhadonna and the rest of the team all under the guidance of GM Michael Neimand. The "3rd party tools" created by Natalie Barandes and the production team are world class. The new coach starter kit (especially the requisite "Getting Started Right" guide) created by Maria Gitto and her creative group are simple and easy to follow. And the new website finally brings the coach landing pages inside the Team Beachbody look and feel.

Shakeology sales are taking off using the sample packets and "Watch This" DVD, as more and more coaches are discovering how much better they feel within days of starting this daily health program. Coaches are showing their confidence in Shakeology by challenging prospects to try it by adding; "You will feel amazing in 30 days, or you don't pay!"

That's the way to leverage Team Beachbody's 30 day money guarantee guys! Nice work!

Thanks to all our coaches who have had faith in us to this major launch into stage two of our growth. It's the right time to get in position as start to look ahead to stage three; international expansion. That's when you'll be glad you got in, got your friends in, and properly positioned yourself for the spike.

And the Game Plan tour is about to hit the road. I'll be there to help kick off the first stop in Tacoma, WA. It's a combination of opportunity-meeting for prospects in the morning, and then an intensive training in the Game Plan the rest of the day. Do you know someone in the Northwest - Get 'em there!

It's time to make things happen, and I am proud to work beside you to rebuild the health of our country, and in the process rebuild the middle class by creating a million "CEO/coaches", running their own health and fitness business as part of Team Beachbody!

"That's my son, P90X"

I am hearing more and more things about how the fervor around P90X has become even more iconic than any of us could have imagined.

A prominent investment banker got in touch with me to tell me how big a fan he is of P90X, and that he knew we were doing something big when he saw a guy at his gym sporting an actual tattoo across his arm with the P90X logo! A permanent tattoo of our product, on his body! And since then, I've received a couple emails of customers who prove the premise... people are more committed to this program than ever!



Yesterday I read on Twitter about Donny Osmond saying ballroom dancing is harder than a P90X workout. And I also heard rumor that American Idol David Archuletta is now twittering about the program.

This week a customer contacted me through Facebook and told me that he and his wife are so pleased with the program and how Tony Horton presents the workouts that they are giving their soon-to-be-born son the middle name "Anthony" in honor of Mr. Horton himself. (I suggest they make his first name "P90X"... doubt he'll go for it.)

It's really unbelievable, and the new show about P90X should be out by the end of the year which demonstrates even more unbelievably how amazing this program is and how it has transformed what people think of home DVD workouts. I am grateful to every customer, to Tony, and to everyone at the company who never gave up to create the greatest fitness program ever put on DVD!

We're On TV!

If you subscribe to DirecTV, I've got great news -- no more channel surfing through lame movies and reality shows when you want to watch great TV... there's always something to watch! Beachbody infomercials!

At least that's the way it is from 12AM to 12PM EST on Channel 341! Channel name: "BB" featuring daily Product Partners programming scheduled with WOWY promotion spots and other short for programming between each show.

We're blacked out on Sunday’s 6:00a-12:00pm (necessary for bandwidth issues relating to NFL Ticket), but otherwise, sit back, and enjoy the direct marketing fabulousness with over 18 million other happy DirecTV viewers!

Lemonana

Had to share a Labor Day special Shakeology recipe that we just created that my daughter absolutely loves: "Lemonana"

One whole scoop of Greenberry Shakeology

One scoop of The Fiber

6 oz of Organic Lemonade (organic matters)

2 oz of Rice Milk(also organic)

8 oz of ice

Half a Banana

Blend. Enjoy.

I swear, Ava downed this in minutes. And now I know my nine year old got a complete dose of fruits/vegetables nutrition today!

Patience Hummingbird

Tony Horton's One on One subscribers are in for an absolutely great routine in September, "Patience Hummingbird."



Many people consider "The Fountain of Youth" the best routine from the first year of One on One. I am not a "long yoga" fan (shocker!) and even Tony has to cut the routine down to suit his schedule from time to time. This is the routine.

It's the ultimate "feel good", with a little hummingbird and all. The laws of attraction continue to operate in full force.

In Case You're Dating John Daly...

A few people have let me know that John Daly criticized his girlfriend openly on Twitter for trying to help him eat healthy and exercise with P90X, and then he made a case that "P90X doesn't work."

First, this is not the guy I would look to for health and fitness advice.

Second, this is a great example of why the Team Beachbody community and its coaches provide such a service to people.

I know of many, many stories where one person in a couple makes the decision to get healthy, and they are not supported by their other half. In fact, the other half can be so alarmed by the prospect of being left behind by the lifestyle change that they will do whatever they can to undermine the success of their partner.

As sad as that is, our job at Beachbody is to give people the tools they need to get results, and that includes the support and encouragement they might not get at home.

From the message boards, to WOWY, to direct connections with coaches who are doing the same program as you, the support you need is right here. The decision to take responsibility for your own health and fitness is a powerful one. I mean it - it's a big deal when you decide to get active on a regular basis and pay attention to your nutrition. But it's a very personal choice too. It's not one you can impose on someone else. You can put it out there, but they are the one who has to step up and take responsibility for themselves.

My advice is always to show people what's possible with your own results. That's how you open someone's mind up. That's what our infomercials do; they give evidence of real transformation. But the person watching at home is always the one who gets the credit for taking action.

John Daly is an amazingly talented guy whose career never materialized with the promise he showed when he came on the scene. I can only imagine how much longer he could drive the ball or how much longer his career would be if he really thought through that the body swinging his driver could be a whole lot more powerful if he treated it with some respect and gave it better fuel than diet coke. It's possible for everyone, whether it's P90X, or any of our other programs. It's possible for John Daly. But he's the one who gets to choose whether he wants to live a healthy lifestyle or not. Likewise, it would be kind if he showed some enthusiasm for the choices of others.

How To Pay it Forward

In case you're wondering how to use that extra DVD you got in your July One-on-One shipment, Nancy Downard Schwertfeger sent me this story that is a great example of what we wanted to achieve. Thank you Nancy! That's what coaching is about right there!

I just wanted to share the experience I had with the Pay it Forward DVD today.

I'm an 8th grade teacher, and have an amazing assistant principal who is truly supportive and caring for her teachers. She is also 5' tall, and I'm sure weighs over 300 pounds. I have known her for over 6 years, and she's been involved with our 'Biggest Loser' club at school, joined the weight watchers program at school, and even walked the hallways with students after school hours. I know she wants to make changes.

Today I sat down with her and shared my P90X journey (I'm a grad, currently on round 2 doubles, have dumped 25 pounds, and developed strength and a new found love for myself!). Then I explained the One-on-One subscription that I receive, how I had the opportunity to meet Tony in Atlanta in June and how inspirational he is, and that I had received from Tony and Beachbody, a gift to pass along to someone that I care about. I passed the Pay it Forward DVD to her, shared Brian's story with her, and told her that because I care about her and her health, that I wanted her to find some time to push play.

She immediately broke into tears...she was so overwhelmed that I cared about her in such a personal way that I would want to give her the DVD. We spent some time talking about fitness, nutrition, my blog (http://personalsweatequity.blogspot.com), how you and Tony were in Washington D.C. meeting with congressional members about fitness and the health crisis of the nation, and about the promise of the future.

It truly was an incredible experience. I thank you and Tony for the opportunity.

Nancy Schwertfeger
Independent Beachbody Coach
=================================

Footnote: We have the tools. We have the team. Let's end the trend of obesity!

How's It Goin' eh?

I asked corporate counsel Jonathan Gelfand (who also happens to be the latest recipient of our esteemed corporate recognition "Nice Work Dude!" award for his work fighting product piracy) for an update on our progress to officially launch the Team Beachbody network marketing business into Canada.

Here is his brief summary in an effort to keep our Coaches current, especially those who have been enthusiastically waiting for this expansion:

Multilevel marketing opportunities are stringently regulated in Canada on both a national level as well as a provincial level, with separate approvals needed for every province into which the company seeks to operate. While this does not provide a legal barrier for companies like Beachbody that provide a fair and legal business opportunity, it does mean that it takes a significant amount of time to secure the required permits and approvals.

Accordingly, we have updated our compensation plan, policies and procedures, products and supplements catalog and even marketing materials to ensure that they conform to all Canadian requirements to make our review process as fast as possible.

Even so, we have been told by Canadian regulators that the review process may take as long as 20 months. That process does not include the operational/logistics work that begins once we know we are cleared to proceed.

We do understand that we have many customers and friends in Canada who cannot wait to become successful Beachbody Coaches and we thank you for your patience. While we are pushing this forward aggressively, this process is almost entirely out of our hands while it is being reviewed by the various Canadian regulators.

To clear up any confusion, there is no "pre-registration" or reservation of spots for the Canadian opportunity, as all Coaches in Canada will be presented the same opportunity at the same time. I will continue to provide Carl and the network team with updates on our progress and milestones on our path to complete the Canada registration process. In the meantime, our Legal team can be reached any time at Compliance@Beachbody.com, and I can be reached directly at jonathan@beachbody.com.

Jonathan Gelfand
General Counsel

Another Tony Horton One-on-One First!

As the "One Penny Promotion" for Tony Horton's One-on-One workouts ends its record-breaking run this Friday July 31st, it's time to look ahead at what he's got for us in August;



It's called “Core Ball Sandwich", a ball-based workout created when Tony was on a ski trip in Jackson Hole. Not only is this an incredible ab and core routine using a variety of balls to challenge his core from front to back, Tony brought the funny.

And with the August shipments, One on One subscribers are also first to get a taste of the brand new RevAbs program by Brett Hoebel called "Fire Up Your Abs". This workout is a 40-minute routine with a nice taste of real Capoeira. This is the real deal, and you are going to love it!



But the one-penny deal on Tony Horton's personal One-On-One workout expires Friday -- so get in now or you'll wish you did!

Shockers and Stunners

It's good to see the celebrity-visibility of our ground-breaking P90X continues to spread simply by the awesome spectacle of real results. Exercise and eating right, it works. You might say "Yeah but Demi and Ashton HAVE to workout and eat right. If my career depended on it, I'd be more consistent too!"

THAT'S why we created the Team Beachbody Coach Network and the Million Dollar Body Game. Your income can be positively affected by your health and fitness transformation, but you have to go for it.

I am proud of the Stunners featured in InTouch, and sorry for the Shocker. (Being underweight is as debilitating as being obese.)

Everybody deserves to be healthy, and everyone has the power to decide to take control of their situation. Team Beachbody coaches are helping people get access to solutions every single day. It's a pleasure to work beside people who get it and people who care.

Show and Tell

I got this great tidbit from Team Beachbody Coach Anne Dovel;

Rod Martin, another coach, (AZRANGER) was telling Anne about a "presentation" that he did for his 8 yr old daughter¹s class. He was lifting and showing electrical boxes and apparently her buddies were telling her that their daddies didn't have muscles like that.

Two days later, Rod had two more orders for P90X.

Success on YOUR terms

Just got finished speaking at the Tuesday briefing here at HQ and am always so pumped up.

Every person in that packed room tonight has the potential to achieve their goals. There is not one person there who by the very decision they will make tonight, and the commitment to plug into the system we've created, can't succeed at a level that will give them everything they always wanted.

It's not about years of study or hours of contemplation - but a flash of a moment where they decide to turn things around, physically and financially.

Better health. Freedom from debt. For real -- not just some radio ad. When you combine the passionate desire society has to lose weight and get fit with an opportunity to earn income with products that are world famous, you have life-changing opportunity. That's what being a coach means.

Just like we created fitness and weight loss programs that walk you through a success system that are guaranteed to get you results, so will the Team Beachbody Network. Work it, and it works.

The world changes when YOU are in control of your circumstances. But nobody GIVES you control. You have to step up, and earn control. You have to step up and be in control. And stay after it, every day. That's how you succeed on your terms!

Everybody, Pay It Forward

Tony and Beachbody are showing gratitude for the patience, loyalty and trend-ending heroics of our customers and coaches by making an offer in July that will pay off for everyone involved:

To celebrate the launch of "Volume 2" of Tony's One-On-One series, and celebrate Tony's birthday on July 2nd, new subscribers pay just $.01 for their first month (plus $1,000 s&h... kidding! $2.95 s&h) for an amazing Cardio Intervals routine.

Plus both new and current subscribers get the new "Volume 2" DVD wallet that holds the next year's worth of fabulous Hortonosity.

And to share in all this kindness; the July One-on-One DVD ships with a FREE workout called “Pay It Forward”. The Pay It Forward DVD is a first for Beachbody, where we asked a 400lb person to go through a routine with Tony. he did, and he loved it!

Your job -- give that DVD away to someone who thinks that fitness (and Tony Horton) is not accessible to them. This is a great starter program. Again, your job - give it to someone and let them see how good they can feel after just 20 mins!

It's a special launch of year two of One-on-One. Tony (and I) are exceptionally grateful to the people who made it through year one and are ready for more!

It's Time To Lead

While some accept the status quo, for others the status quo begs a leader to make things better.

The mark of a leader is someone who is willing to take risks, to step out of the safety zone of accepting the status quo. Leaders are change agents, and they make things happen that can move things in a big way. (That doesn't mean they're right, it just means they are the ones who make things happen. And they're usually the ones that make the money.)

Leadership is rare, and when it is directed toward something that truly benefits society at large, they are valuable. Leaders are the ones who hear people saying "that's not how it's done," and they forge ahead anyway. They try something, hear friends, family (and even customers) say "That's just stupid", they learn, and they continue to work through the criticism.

But the more bold the leader is, the more people there are who will say that leader is wrong. If you are leading, there will always someone who thinks you are wrong. Do it anyway.

Not everyone has what it takes to be a leader. I am a big fan of helping people see their potential to step into a leadership role, but I have been guilty of thinking everyone has what it takes to handle the criticism and also self-start. But over the years I have learned that leaders who are ready will step into the role when given the opportunity. I see it everyday on the TeamBeachbody Message Boards, Facebook and Twitter as coaches step up and help people get results and build a business out of helping people. There are great leaders out there, and great leaders emerging.

I had a conversation today with 5 star diamond Charline Bucher, a founding coach and a true Team Beachbody leader. We were talking about how we're seeing people succeed in this business who are consistent with achieving base hits vs. swinging for home runs. Day by day, sale by sale, coach by coach, leaders in network marketing make small progress and encourage other leaders in their organizations to do the same. That's the activity that works.

The people who achieve exponential growth in this business are the ones who are always looking for leaders in their organization, and focusing their efforts on building momentum with them rather than trying to pull everyone along. If you focus on the people who can help us get to one million coaches and 100 million customers, your business will grow. If you focus on trying to get everyone to join the business, you won't have time to work with the true leaders, and the business will languish and always require you to baby sit.

Attracting leaders creates a foundation on which the network will flourish. Strength in leadership equals a strong network that will help millions of people.

That's the point of the Leadership event that Michael Neimand, Larry Zimberg, Denise Needham, the rest of our network team and I are staging this October 17th and 18th. It's not for everyone. You have to qualify and want to break out of the pack to be a real leader in building this business. If you want to go big with this opportunity, you need to get to this event.

The following criteria needs to be achieved by August 30, 2009. Either...

A. Achieve the Paid Rank of Diamond Coach or higher and have sponsored a Paid Rank Diamond Coach who is active as of August 30th.

- or -

B. Achieve a Paid Rank of Diamond Coach or higher, and recruit at least two new active Coaches this June, July, and August (for a minimum of six new active Coaches with at least two in each month), all of whom are active and in good standing as of August 30th.

With only 4 days left to meet the June requirement, it’s decision time. Will you be one of our select group of Coaches who join me to lead the way forward? What do you want your life to look like a year from now? Every journey starts with a single step and your first step is to get to this exclusive leadership event. June qualifications are almost up so get focused, have intent, recruit your two new active Coaches for June!

Then we'll be training you and this elite group of leaders on the new "Game Plan", and as a leader, we'll give you a complimentary two night stay at the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel in Dana Point, California. (Get a good look at the pool now, because we won't be spending time there during the event. This is like training camp!) We want to initiate a huge push, a game-changing initiative which will signal the explosive growth in this network we have all been planning.

If you're a leader and want to build a business that pays you dividends every year, and you want to be a force of positive change in the health of the world, it is time.

I look forward to seeing you at the Leadership event in Dana Point! But you need to step up now!

A Little Help From My Friends

I spent the week on Twitter and Facebook learning from my "friends" how we can use these social networks to promote health and build the Beachbody coach business. Though I see what all the buzz is about, I definitely see the pitfalls.

These sites are like a party. The last thing you want to do is walk into a party and yell “I am here to sell you products!” That type of behavior isn’t accepted at a party, and I doubt it’s any different online.

In the pursuit of expanding our coach network, prospecting makes sense to me. But I don't think “broadcasting” sales messages via the social networks of friends is the best approach.

We established the Beachbody Network so when you get healthy results you could profit when someone notices and asks “Wow, what are you doing?” That’s how you turn your hard work and behavior change into revenue. You become the proof that it works!

That model translates well to social media like MySpace, Facebook and Twitter, where friends connect, share updates, and care about each other. What the health crisis in our country needs is people helping people. So the best action to leverage social media is to share what you are doing to inspire others, to celebrate the success of your team, and to pay attention to what people are saying.

When you have results to report or a photo to post during your transformation, NOTHING will get people’s attention faster than saying "Check out my 90 days photos -- Unbelievable!"And that facilitates a two-way conversation. Social media and networking is about starting a conversation. It’s a dialogue. It’s the first time in the history of marketing where businesses big or small must get back to the basics of listening. Listening is what separates the good friends from the not so good. As I read in Stephen Baker's recent article in Business Week, the value of information within these social media networks has dropped to zero. What is valuable, is attention; getting it and giving it.

That's how network marketing beats mass marketing every time; People get to know each other, and help each other achieve their goals.That makes you a good friend, not the Internet’s version of a door-to-door salesman. When a friend of yours gets results they’ll want to share it with their immediate sphere of influence. And your business continues to grow because you added value to the equation. You didn't take - you gave a service.

And that friend to friend service is the point of this whole thing. People have proposed to me that they could explode our business by getting actor Ashton Kutcher to become a coach and leverage his visibility talking about P90X on Twitter. As exciting as it is when celebs buy our products and talk about them, we aren’t looking to simply make more sales through their endorsement. We want this movement toward a healthy lifestyle to transcend a cult of personality, so it gets woven into the very fabric of our culture again.It's not about Ashton. It's not about me. It's not about Tony, Chalene, Debbie or Shaun T. It's about you. It's about your friends. I want YOU to be the star of this success story. We want you to help people you are the closest to. We want it to be on a personal, human level.

It’s not about spamming. It’s about sharing, listening, acknowledging and helping.

I believe that approach will make you a valuable friend in the web 2.0 world, and that’s the kind of service to others that will build your personal network in a meaningful way. I'll see you on Twitter and Facebook, and let's keep this party growing!

The Half-Price Life Saver

Last week we dropped the price of Kathy Smith's Project YOU for Type 2, a resource created in conjunction with the American Diabetes Association, in an aggressive push to help people avoid diabetes or manage the disease.

Looks like people are getting on board in a big way! Online sales jump up ten times over the sales for the prior week. That's big.

This is the first-ever comprehensive approach to eating right and exercise for both pre-diabetics and people with diabetes. It is a 12-week approach to losing weight and turning things around, but the results can be life-long.

For anyone who faces that dreadful moment in a doctor's office when he says "you are pre-diabetic and need to make some changes" or worse, "you have diabetes," there becomes this vacuum of resources that are reliable and comprehensive.

Support groups abound, but a system that walks a person step-by-step through the lifestyle changes they could follow to make an enormous difference just never existed in one convenient place, until fitness icon Kathy Smith and former president of the ADA Dr. Francine Kaufman team up with the ADA to create this program. Beachbody wanted to support their vision aggressively, and the best way to do that was to make it more affordable with a 30 day money back guarantee. Now people can try it and see what needs to be done, and make the decision for themselves, "Am I worth it?"

And guess what: YOU ARE WORTH IT! And successful results are easier to achieve than you thought, when you have a system that works. "Project: YOU!" is the system. Now is the time.

Thanks to everyone for helping us get the word out about this special promotion, planned to stay valid through the end of July. If you know someone who's life is affected by diabetes, this is the time to take advantage of a great half price offer, and a great product that is literally saving lives!

What We Do Is Patriotic!

I spent the last two days in Washington, DC speaking with Congressmen, lobbyists, and the President's Personnel Office (PPO) about Team Beachbody, and the importance of promoting a balanced approach to health and fitness.

I urged everyone I met to use us as a resource and sounding board, thinking beyond the highly publicized insurance aspect of the health care crisis to how we get people HEALTHY.

Beachbody and its coaches do it everyday, with intense focus on how to make health and fitness exciting, convenient, and affordable. And we have invested millions in connecting people to a new site of peer support that will be the epicenter of it's own revolution after it launches June 10th.

I asked the PPO, which is steering the formation of the President's Council on Fitness and Health on behalf of President Obama, to consider alternatives to the traditional appointments and instead look for ways to empower individuals to take accountability for their health and fitness.

As important as scientific advice is to helping make sure people are doing the right thing to get healthy results, and as inspiring as speeches by fitness celebrities can be to attract attention to the concept, what we need is a grassroots movement where millions of people take accountability for themselves and their health - the way so many Beachbody coaches and customers are doing every day.

Normally faced with blank stares and responses like "what's an infomercial guy going to tell me about getting people healthy?", I was incredibly encouraged by the attitude and enthusiasm for what we are doing.

Between meetings I managed to get in my own run around the Capital. I stopped at the Lincoln Memorial and took a moment to read the Gettysburg Address inscribed on the wall. It's truly one of the greatest speeches in American History, and will inspire anyone to fight for the preservation - and underlying health - of this country and its constitutional freedoms. I felt a sense of patriotic duty to continue investing in our momentum and celebrating the people who are helping us succeed.

From time to time I will return to DC to create new relationships and expand awareness of Beachbody's mission to help people achieve their goals and lead healthy fulfilling lives. And I will always be proud of the connection our company and our coaches have to reversing the health crisis. We are the change. I believe that. We are helping restore the health and prosperity of this country by inviting our friends and neighbors to get active and paying them for helping others get healthy and fit.

I am so proud of what we do and the enthusiasm with which we do it. Thank you for being a part of building this, as we only just begun on our quest for one million coaches and 100 million customers!

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!