Beachbody details + a Shakeology giveaway

Any type of program that gets people motivated to be healthy is one that has its benefits in my book. Even though I’m a personal trainer and group fitness instructor at two major gym chains who lives for group exercising, I know that not everyone can afford a gym membership, nor has easy access to a good facility.

That’s what brings me to today’s topic. Because ladies and gentlemen, I don’t know about you, but my personal Facebook feed has been filling up with people talking about their at-home workouts and challenges. And all of this is part of something called the Beachbody world, which includes both fitness and nutrition.

First of all, I’m not a coach. I’m not at all affiliated. And outside of watching a few YouTube videos, I’ve never tried any of the Beachbody branded workouts, like P90X, Insanity, T25, or even the modified version of my beloved Les Mills BODYPUMP, which are all available to be completed in your living room via a DVD. 

All about Beachbody from a real life coach 

But because I like to learn everything I can in the fitness world, I decided to do some digging and went directly to a Beachbody Coach to get to the bottom of this popular craze. Below is a Q and A with Courtney Koch, a loyal blog reader and lovely lady who lives in Florida. Courtney is an attorney by day and has helped not only others, but also helped herself have great results with the Beachbody program.

Courtney showing off an at-home workout DVD and Shakeology pack, and smiling for the camera after her living-room sweat session.

Q & A with Courtney …

What is a Beachbody group?  

A Beachbody Challenge Group is a Facebook group that is private only to its members (so a challenger’s friends and followers cannot see). A few coaches team up and lead a 28-30 day group that requires daily check-ins with little assignments. A challenger’s only requirement is to purchase through their coach any Shakeology or Beachbody workout of their choosing. They will then be automatically included in their coach’s group. I have seen amazing results from challengers. I have had several customers jump from group to group with me, and when one group ends, they already want to be in the next one. The accountability is key for participants, and the encouragement and support from several people in the same boat as them, facing the same struggles really makes a huge difference. I have never been more inspired and motivated than I am as a coach of these groups. 

How did you get involved in Beachbody? 

A friend of mine started selling the products as a coach and got me started too. I saw how much more positive she was and how much she was loving being a coach, so I took the leap to take it on as a part-time job, and I absolutely love it. I cancelled my gym membership, bought my first at-home workout program (The 21 Day Fix), signed up for monthly auto-shipments of Shakeology, and the rest is history. 

What are the benefits of being in a Beachbody group?

Accountability, encouragement, positivity. Usually a few coaches are involved to answer any questions at any time of day, and you get support from other women and fellow challengers who are experiencing the same struggles (not enough time in the day to work out and eat healthy, apprehensive to get started in a new program, worried about adopting a new routine, etc.). I have not had one single challenger who has not seen results. I have only been a coach for four-and-a-half months, but every one of my challengers has seen results and has continued on with their workout programs even after the group ends. Also, once you join a group, even after the group ends, I will be your coach for as long or as short as you want and need. A customer can continue on into my future groups or I can begin working one-on-one, via Facebook, text, email or phone. 

How does someone find a Beachbody group?

Find me on Facebook or email me at ckoch@kh-pa.com, and I will be happy to get anyone started or answer any questions. It’s a very easy process to join a group.

What is Shakeology?

Shakeology is one of the Beachbody nutrition products. It is amazing. It’s not just a protein drink that’s filled with chemicals, preservatives, fillers and ingredients we can’t even pronounce. While it does have a great source of protein, it’s way more than that. It is a daily nutrition drink to help your body perform at its optimum level. Shakeology is packed with nutrients, antioxidants, digestive enzymes and pro- and pre-biotics, along with nine servings of fruits and veggies per scoop. I’ve been drinking it regularly for four months now and have noticed such a difference in my skin, my energy level, and most importantly for me, my bloating has gone away. I drink it as part of my breakfast every morning and I no longer have to take daily vitamins or supplements because everything I need is in my Shakeology.

Do you recommend drinking Shakeology as meal replacement?

I personally drink it as part of a meal. I have a few small snacks for breakfast every single morning, with Shakeology being one of them. That’s the first thing I have, followed by one hard-boiled egg and then maybe a few apple slices. On weekends when I am able to add more ingredients to the Shakeology, I typically do have it as a meal replacement.  It all depends on my appetite. Listening to your body is best. Shakeology has nine servings of fruits and vegetables per drink, so you are getting tons of natural vitamins and minerals all in one, without having to add anything. If your body still feels hungry after, feel free to add something else. But if your body feels satisfied, it absolutely can be used as a meal replacement.   

What’s the best way to enjoy Shakeology?

While you can mix it with water in just a little blender bottle, I prefer actually blending one scoop of Shakeology with 8-10 ice cubes, ½ cup of water, and anything else you want to throw in there to make a recipe out of it.

What is your favorite Shakeology recipe?

My favorite and my stand-by is: one scoop of Vegan Chocolate Shakeology, 8-10 ice cubes, ½ cup of water, ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk and half of a frozen banana. Blend and enjoy. PB2, regular peanut butter or almond butter are also popular additions to this recipe. 

Anything else you’d like to share about your experience?

I love the Beachbody company because they truly do not want to see one single customer fail. Their workout programs are so fool-proof. Any workout a customer selects will come with a workout guide and a calendar showing the customer which workout to do each day. Most programs come with a nutrition guide along with some healthy recipes.  Working out at home can definitely help people who don’t have time to make it to the gym every day. It is a great way to incorporate fitness into a daily routine. Thirty minutes in your living room in front of your TV, and that’s it! 

There you have it.

I get my fix of working out between teaching group fitness classes and hitting the weight-room between clients. But it’s nice to know there is something like this out there for those who prefer to get sweaty in their own homes, while still having a virtual group to help them stay motivated.

And Shakeology is pretty awesome. Courtney was nice enough to send me a few single-serve Shakeology packets to try out before writing this post, so I had some first-hand knowledge. Even though I enjoyed them all, I fell in love with the chocolate flavor. I drank the shakes along with a small meal and truly felt energized after each. I loved knowing that there were so many valuable nutrients in each one. I did not, however, think they were filling enough to make a meal.

Vanilla Shakeology mixed with almond milk, almond butter, water and spinach.

If you want to order some Shakeology, check out Courtney’s store or check out the rest of the Beachbody at-home workout line.

Now, for the fun stuff. I’d like to give away a work-week’s worth of Shakeology single-serve packets, compliments of Courtney. Follow the instructions to enter below. This contest closes on Saturday morning.

Shakeology giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Questions of the day

Do you ever work out at home? Have you ever tried any of the Beachbody products? How do you stay motivated to be fit?