Sweet Tooth Sweet Life

A Love of Food, Fitness, & Fashion

Why I’m No Longer a Beachbody Coach

By 217 Comments

I’ve had a few people reach out to me recently regarding Beachbody programs and coaching, and I realized that I never really told you guys that…I’m no longer a coach.

I actually decided to end my coach account back in probably August or September(?) and it was for a few different reasons. But before I get into those, I will say this…

I still absolutely love the Beachbody workout programs, and continue to use them. I also really enjoy the Shakeology, too (just not the price of it…) although I’m not currently drinking it. I would wholeheartedly recommend the programs to anyone, and I look forward to continuing to use them during my pregnancy, and postpartum. They’re led by qualified and trained instructors, and with the small amount of training background I do have, I feel that they’re absolutely safe and effective.

les mills bodypump

As for the coaching? Well, it just wasn’t for me.

I told myself from the beginning that when I decided to become a coach, I wasn’t going to blast it around the internet (problem #1). I’ve told you guys before that I’m not that great at “selling myself” or sales in general (hence the reason personal training in a gym didn’t really work out for me), and nothing changed with that.

NASM study materials

My Facebook and Instagram feeds are already filled (literally, it’s become HUGE lately) with people selling Beachbody, and I really didn’t want to add to that. I also didn’t feel comfortable sharing it much on the blog either because it just felt forced, even IF I love the workouts.

One of the huge things behind Beachbody coaching is to “sell sell sell!” I mean, I get it…that’s how you make your money! But after seeing many of the coaching guides and recommended sales strategies, and then seeing others posting things that were basically textbook to what they tell you to do, it just started to turn me off more and more. On top of that, there’s really no certification process for becoming a coach either.

I honestly really only gave myself 3-4 months of coaching before I decided to call it quits and, who knows? Maybe if I had gone longer then it would have been a different story. But I really doubt it. I said from the beginning that, as long as I was making enough to cover the expenses of my own Shakeology and workout programs, that I’d stick with it. I wasn’t out to become a millionaire with it. I just thought it would be fun to help others and maybe make a few extra bucks in the process?

BUT…when you don’t get out there and sell the products, you aren’t going to make money. 😉

T25 beta upper body

For me, there was a time and a place in my life where fitness was at the forefront of it AND this blog. It was a huge part of my daily life and something I felt incredible passionate about sharing. But now, three-ish years later, one kiddo, and one on the way, fitness just isn’t the passion it once was.

Don’t get me wrong…I absolutely love staying fit and active. And I’m beyond thrilled that I’m FINALLY back to feeling a bit normal and have been able to get back into my early morning workouts (mann, it makes a world of difference for my mind and overall well-being). But my desire to really dive deep into it and make it a huge part of my life and this blog again just isn’t there.

workout with dumbbells

All of this continued to become more and more apparent as I spent more time as a Beachbody coach. I figured, hey, if I love the workout programs, that’s enough, right? Well, no…for me, it wasn’t enough. And when it came down to deciding what to spend my extra time on, my choice was always this blog over trying to scout out new potential contacts for Beachbody.

I’ve got a lot on my plate these days, and most weeks I still struggle to find the time to blog! Adding something else on top of that just wasn’t the right fit for me. Because any extra time goes to these guys.

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And myself, too. Because let’s be honest…I mean, I’ve gotta get in my weekly TV shows, some adult coloring, and a manicure here and there somewhere, right? It’s nice not to have ALL of my free time be devoted to social media.

I’ve noticed since I first started coaching back in April that Beachbody really seems to have exploded in the healthy living blog world. For some of these girls, it looks like they’re absolutely killing it at the coaching, and really, good for them. That’s their passion, that’s what they love to do…keep rockin’ on, ladies.

Do I get a little jealous when I see others succeeding so well, when I just…quit? Yeah, a little. But like I mentioned…it just wasn’t my passion, and I didn’t want to be sharing before/after photos of myself or videos of me doing the workouts in an attempt to make a sale. That’s just not where I’m at at this stage of my life.

So honestly, this post is not meant to be about bashing Beachbody coaching. For some people it’s great, but it just wasn’t for me. Like I mentioned before though, I absolutely love the workouts and would vouch from personal experience that they do work.

It’s just that, when it comes to something like a hobby or side job, you’ve gotta love what you do. And for me, Beachbody coaching just wasn’t it.

I’d love to hear from other coaches or former coaches out there! Any thoughts you’d want to share?

Comments

  1. First, I love this. Personally, I get very, very annoyed/turned-off by textbook-long insta posts about shakeology and bootcamps. Also, I think you are the first person that has ever mentioned (or admitted?) that I've seen, at least, that BB doesn't require any type of certification. I've noticed that many BB coaches are labeling themselves as "Health Coaches," which I feel like can probably be misleading to many potential buyers. Doesn't being a "real" Health Coach require certification? I definitely have a lot of respect for you for mentioning that :). I know I would be a HORRIBLE BB coach. I just can't do all that sales-y stuff.
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    • oh yeah! I also wanted to say that I'm sure being part of the HLB blog world, there is some sort of pressure to make fitness a HUGE part of your life. Again, I have SO MUCH respect for you for just coming out and saying that it's not a huge priority for you. That's okay! You are still active and healthy, and if anything, it's just one less thing to stress about day-to-day ;)
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    • THIS. This is what makes me give Beachbody coaches the side eye. I am a certified personal trainer and fitness professional. I am also certified to teach PiYO Live...but I am not, and will never be, a Beachbody coach. It scares me that there are so many people out there "changing lives" without a fitness and/or actual health coaching background. So much can go wrong. And I'll agree that some of the programs are awesome. But they're not necessary...and I wonder how many Beachbody Coaches would be willing to "coach" someone through a healthy lifestyle change without making mention of a single BB program or "shakeo" that could be purchased to assist in the lifestyle change. To each is own, kudos to those that are making it work...and kudos to those who are doing it without Beachbody. Because it can be done, no program/shake crutch necessary.
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      • I disagree with this statement, but we are all entitled to our opinions, right? Being a Beachbody coach to me (anyways) means being a positive motivator for those who are struggling with weight loss. To inspire others to work out, eat healthier, and make time to just in general help your body to be better overall. Being a Beachbody coach is not about teaching any kind of workouts to anyone. If there are ones out there doing so, then they are misrepresenting, and shame on them for doing so! I do plan to drink the Shakeology (not live on it, but do it for a short time). Shakes are great when you are on the go, and you don't want to make time to grab something healthy (food) on the go. I admit, I can be that lazy "SOMETIMES". So shakes are a great way for me to get some of the nutrients I need, that I just didn't make time to do with actual food. Make sense in regards to shakes? I don't plan to "PUSH" products, I'm just going to follow a program that I feel is best suited for me and my lifestyle, and post my journey. And if someone decides to purchase something to try because of my results, great. My main purpose for being a Beachbody coach is to help me stay accountable for bettering my body and food options. I could get a personal trainer or join Jenny Craig, but I don't feel like going that route due to my lifestyle, and what I feel is best for me to stick with. When you are tracking your results for the world to see, it kind of forces you to not "fall of the wagon", as I like to call it. I struggled with having a baby, and there was a large percentage of me not being able to get pregnant, but with the good graces of God I conceived, even with all odds against me. Unfortunately, I had my daughter at 40, so for that, I'm doing this program to get myself on track to live longer to be in her life. Being a Beachbody Coach for me will help me with that. And....like I said, if others are inspired by that, and feel the program can work for them as well, why not?! It's not like the work out programs they offer through Beachbody is going to harm anyone that is ok to do the workouts (approval from doctor if needed, etc.). The shakes aren't unhealthy, so what's the beef with Beachbody? I'm the kind of person that researches everything for several months in advance before I get myself involved, and for me this is the way to go, and I'm excited about my journey and sharing it with others. I am NOT certified in any type of work out training, however, that's why I leave it up to the Professional, certified trainers that have DVD workouts through Beachbody. Makes sense right?
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        • Tiffany- So glad that Beachbody is working for you! They have some really great programs, for sure. My argument is not against that or the programs' ability to provide results. Or your ability to motivate others. My argument is this: So many coaches encourage people to join challenge groups to lose weight or get fit or (insert reason here). And then they coach people through the process (eat this! do this DVD X times a week!), or they let the trainers on the DVD do it (as you say)_...but can those trainers on the DVD speak directly to participants about underlying health issues or recurring injuries? Do Beachbody coaches sit down with challenge group participants before they begin and go over a medical history and/or physician restrictions? If they do, they are crossing legal boundaries and that's scary. Furthermore, can't anyone purchase a workout program from Beachbody? They can, which means they can begin the program without physician consent. "If it works for her, it will work for me." But that's not always the case. Personal trainers and group fitness instructors know to sit down with each of their clients/participants before they begin. They can legally discuss medical histories and proceed accordingly in the best interest of the client/participant. They start from scratch, tailoring the program to the client's needs and educating their clients/participants along the way. Beachbody coaches cannot and should not do that. They are not certified as such, but so many act as if they are, which is why I give major side eye to the concept of a Beachbody coach. (Unless, of course, the BB coach is also a certified fitness professional...major props to those that seek that distinction. They'd be the only type of BB coach I'd trust or recommend.) Best of luck to you.
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          • Tara, As a certified personal trainer myself, I fully agree with you! "Coach" is so misleading! Every BB "coach" that I've asked if they plan on becoming a certified personal trainer, ALWAYS say, "well, it's too expensive," or "it won't work with my schedule," or whatever other excuse. I had to pull a friend aside after a coach recommend a program and the friend was excited about being so sore days later! No, that's not "growth" that's DOMS. Bb coaches are also not there to make sure the form is correct, and if they correct form without certification, then BB needs to give them some sort of correction. I paid my time in school, MANY HOURS, and I feel BB "coaches" cheapen what true personal trainers do! I won't take my car for an oil change to just anyone who can sell the oil, I'm going to the certified mechanic. People need to think of health and wellness the same way! Go to the pros! One of these days a BB coach will get sued for getting someone hurt with their "advice".

          • I came here to get try to get real cons to beachbody since a friend recommended it other than they post too much on social media. Instead I got a blogger who somehow finds what She does not the same even though it took forever for the page to load due to ads. Second, I disagree with the statement you have to be a doctor to share workout tips. I have lost over 50 pounds (not beachbody) and people ask all the time what I do and I share. If people are too dumb to consult their primary care provider before beginning a work out which it says in every disclosure before any fitness program, dvd, and even signing up at a gym that's on them. People need to start taking personal responsibility now days! Maybe we should shut down gyms where too many unqualified people get hurt? Ban the sales of fitness equipment without a prescription from a doctor? Maybe no should grocery shop without an approved menu from a nutritionist? That way we can assure no one is hurt and always safe. 🙄

        • There are some people who do it responsibly.. but to disagree with someone elses opinion, which is totally solidified. Sure u can motivate, help someone to achieve a weight loss goal, but to say u disagree with someone who has valid concern regarding the dark side of it..kindof undermines the motive behind it. People do/are getting hurt doing these programs...meal replacement plans can be hazardous to some people, th workout are not all tailered to every individual. Sure, if u are encouraging someone in terms of "keep it up, I believe in u" that's pretty much all anyobe can do without any qualifications. Health and fitness is not about persoal experience works for everyone. Im sure there are coaches who are doing it with integrity and the best interest in a client. But I will tell u this... a dear friend of mine contacted 9 different coaches randomly. These are your self proclaimed individuals who have their own websites, saying they want to ispire and help people. If u search bb coach chances are it's one of these people who u look up. My friend has a digestive disease and told each one of thwse coaches. All 9 of these recommended shakeology. Without even any form of phone consultation, any further k owledge on the digestive disorder.... nothing. What do u have to say about this? Again im not saying u are a bad coach, but to disagree with th other half of the coin, which is a very big concern.. is not cool.
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        • Many do not have certification to reach out to individual. At obesity in a pandemic state...We have to use everyone to help such ones make healthier choices. I prefer a person to be qualified however I say it takes a village to help one person.I believe to be taken seriously go to college and get a degree in Exercise Science.
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      • I sooo agree 1000% so said so well. I'm also a professional trainer holding certifications (NASM, ACE, CPR and most current graduated from Integrative Nutrition Holistic Health Coaching) not only that I'm also insured. And I see this FB and IG circus of so called professionals that it scares the hell out of me. It's all about selling, selling.
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        • "I’m also a professional trainer holding certifications (NASM, ACE, CPR and most current graduated from Integrative Nutrition Holistic Health Coaching)" So you've studied exercise science and nutrition in college? If not then please stop calling yourself a professional. The ace and nasm are both weekend courses, neither one make you a professional. How can anyone think that 2 day courses make them a professional? These certifications are only for padding resumes and nothing else. The don't make anyone a professional. Institute for Integrative Nutrition is nothing but a scam. People who take this course are not professionals nor are the dietitians or nutritionists. This program doesn't even touch the basics of food science. No one should be giving advice on nutrition, much less asking people to pay them money for nutritional advice unless they have a bachelor of science in dietetics and have studied nutritional science for atleast four years. Anyone who thinks the Institute for Integrative Nutrition is legitimate should read the following article: http://www.credentialwatch.org/reports/iin.shtml I will never understand how anyone can take that place seriously.
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          • I agree the institute for integrative nutrition is a scam. However, holistic health is different than a dietician degree. It depends on what road you want to go down. It's basically the difference between a doctor and a naturopath. Extremely different. Dietician is more "modern" and doesn't address the body as a whole. I think it's best to get a degree in both, just as functional medical doctors are best. That shouldn't discourage people who are certified holistic nutritionists from giving advice though. They are also extremely knowledgeable....so long as they get their info from the right place (an accredited school).

          • ACE and NASM don't make you a professional? Gee, then I guess every single personal trainer out there is not a professional. Which personal training certification do you recommend, then?

      • I do actually know of a few BB coaches who are willing to and have helped many with their nutrition goals and fitness without mentioning "Shakeo" or any BB program because they are in the business to actually help people where they are at and not to just make $$$$$. I don't know of any coaches who have claimed to be personal trainers either some of them are certified in some of the programs so to say "certified" I feel is totally ok. There are some out there who are only out to make a buck or a few hundred but that doesn't mean that all of them are bad.
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      • "I am a certified personal trainer and fitness professional" When people say this I wish they would clarify what they actually mean. A true fitness professional has a background in exercise physiology and has studied fitness at the college level. However I know when most people say something like this they have just been through the ace and nasm weekend courses which does not make you a professional. If someone hasn't studied exercise science then they have no right to call themselves a fitness professional.
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        • "As a certified personal trainer myself - TH" Which as far as I am concerned means nothing unless you have studied exercise science. Sorry but paying a couple hundred dollars for a weekend course just doesn't cut it. I think every state should update the requirements on being a fitness trainer and put a stop to untrained people with no education in exercise science selling themselves a fitness trainers and fitness professionals.
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      • This thing sounds like a pyramid scheme to me with forcing the trainers to buy products like the Shakeology drinks to then push it to the "clients". I agree that people who do not have the proper education should not be entrusted to train other people who may be misled into thinking that the trainers are qualified to give fitness or nutrition advice.
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      • I completely agree, months later lol. I want to be a beach body coach basically so that I can get the discounts on the shakes. I love the shakes, I was on the shakes for 2 weeks and I lost 4 lbs. maybe a fluke, but could be something to look into more. My friend is a coach and she pushes and pushes and pushes it so far that you feel almost guilty for not signing up for it under her. All she does is push the shakes, the programs, the free and paid for Facebook weekly programs to join in on. That is NOT what I want to do. I want to literally show what it's like for me to lose weight. I have arthritis and cannot just jump into a BB workout program that is for definitely healthy people. I want to start out working the "Sit and Be Fit" programs that way I can work my way up to Shawn T's whatever camp. I want to show what it's like for ME to lose weight without shakeo and then what it's like with shakeo. I don't want to sell the product just for selling the product. I want to show that it works for me and it MIGHT work for you. Not that if you follow everything I do, you'll find that sweet spot and be "just like me". I'm sorry some coaches just look like they suck in the gut to show results. I have 4 coaches on my fb page and all are alike. Do this or do that and you'll get results. Well, yea sure if you follow a healthy diet, get exercise, sleep well, keep stress levels down you can lose weight. Add in food allergies for myself including food intolerances and you have even less you can eat, but still it can be done. The thing I found I enjoyed about Shakeo is that I could replace two meals a day with a shake. That's two meals I don't have to make because I don't. I typically only eat once a day at dinner time. So for me being able to whip up a shake at breakfast and lunch time is much easier than trying to figure out what to make for those meals. I am a college student with lots of homework and I live at home still with my mom and family so it's not like I can just whip up anything I want, we have a small amount of groceries per month. With shakeo I can eat dinner with the fam and have three square meals a day. I cut out all my intolerance and allergy foods lost 60lbs. then I had to quit because it cost too much for us. Still does. I don't eat the ones that I'm allergic too just the intolerant ones. I've gained every bit and then some back. I would love to have a personal trainer and a dietician to help me, but I'm on my own. I just wanted to say that there are different coaches out there. I am in no way trying to tell someone that if they follow the directions set by beach body they'll definitely lose weight. I just want to show my struggles and then hopefully my accomplishments.
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      • Is it true that the shakes only contain 140 calories? Are they a meal supplement or a meal replacement? I don't think 140 calories should replace an entire meal. A snack with 140 calories sounds reasonable.
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    • I personally feel anyone who thinks it's ok to give unqualified "inspiration" in a health and fitness field, highly unethical. It's really not about helping others.. it's about making money and showing off. Think of all the ppl who could be damaged from your "knowledge" as a coach... doesn't that concern these coaches? I know a handful of bb coaches personally and must say they are the last people who should be giving advice to anyone. I know 1 who is just downright phoney. She lives in an upper class community, wears name brand clothes, and leaves a post of her kid on a new bike, commenting "thank u bb for giving me the opportunity to buy a new bike for my child with my bonus money". So phoney. I knew this girl from hs and then she was never the most accountable person.
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      • I disagree with this statement, but we are all entitled to our opinions, right? Being a Beachbody coach to me (anyways) means being a positive motivator for those who are struggling with weight loss. To inspire others to work out, eat healthier, and make time to just in general help your body to be better overall. Being a Beachbody coach is not about teaching any kind of workouts to anyone. If there are ones out there doing so, then they are misrepresenting, and shame on them for doing so! I do plan to drink the Shakeology (not live on it, but do it for a short time). Shakes are great when you are on the go, and you don't want to make time to grab something healthy (food) on the go. I admit, I can be that lazy "SOMETIMES". So shakes are a great way for me to get some of the nutrients I need, that I just didn't make time to do with actual food. Make sense in regards to shakes? I don't plan to "PUSH" products, I'm just going to follow a program that I feel is best suited for me and my lifestyle, and post my journey. And if someone decides to purchase something to try because of my results, great. My main purpose for being a Beachbody coach is to help me stay accountable for bettering my body and food options. I could get a personal trainer or join Jenny Craig, but I don't feel like going that route due to my lifestyle, and what I feel is best for me to stick with. When you are tracking your results for the world to see, it kind of forces you to not "fall of the wagon", as I like to call it. I struggled with having a baby, and there was a large percentage of me not being able to get pregnant, but with the good graces of God I conceived, even with all odds against me. Unfortunately, I had my daughter at 40, so for that, I'm doing this program to get myself on track to live longer to be in her life. Being a Beachbody Coach for me will help me with that. And....like I said, if others are inspired by that, and feel the program can work for them as well, why not?! It's not like the work out programs they offer through Beachbody is going to harm anyone that is ok to do the workouts (approval from doctor if needed, etc.). The shakes aren't unhealthy, so what's the beef with Beachbody? I'm the kind of person that researches everything for several months in advance before I get myself involved, and for me this is the way to go, and I'm excited about my journey and sharing it with others. I am NOT certified in any type of work out training, however, that's why I leave it up to the Professional, certified trainers that have DVD workouts through Beachbody. Makes sense right?
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        • Tiffany u just disregrded everyhing ed said. You "didagree" with thr dtatement because it affected u positively? Hat is a pretty closed off and self serving opinion u made. Ed made an example of a cpl coaches he knows. But u disagree because it is not YOU? That is pretty selfish imo.
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      • Beachbody Coaches aren't meant to be certified trainers (they can become one if they like, but again, they NEED to get certified). That's what the DVDs are for where there are actual "certified trainers" who create the programs. When you sign up as a beachbody coach, they explain this to you in the policy handbook guide, which it seems apparent that a lot of people didn't take the time to read (unfortunate, but seems true). Well I took the time to read it, and I researched everything available to me online about Beachbody, and many other programs out there like Beachbody. For me, Beachbody hands down had a lot more to offer myself and my weight loss/health journey. I don't do ANYTHING that will change my life without a TON of research. It's just part of my personality trait, and there are NO apologies from me on this character trait. :) I can go on and on about being more efficient and using less time as being a Beachbody Coach, but not sure anyone would listen on this page. My motto: work smarter, not harder! :)
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      • I've been a coach for 5 years. I quit my corporate career at the age of 25 after getting my MBA and I retired and moved to South Africa to become a missionary. I love it. I have built genuine relationships with people online. I never recommend a program or shakeology unless they ask me about it first...and if I am authentic in sharing my story I get asked OFTEN. I also do review their likes, dislikes and abilities when recommending programs. Behacbody also has a nutrition course available for people who can't or unwilling to exercise and it doesn't include buying any shakes or supplements, just understanding the science behind food developed by a registered dietitian nutritionist who sits on the board for the American Heart Association. It's brilliant products that DO work for MOST people. ANYONE wandering around a gym is a lot more likely to sustain injury then someone who is following a trainer on a screen and listening to their safety cues. Anyone who struggles with digestive issues and has been recommended Shakeology should've been told to consider it in consultation wiht a Doctor. But nobody would tell you to NOT eat vegtables, or matcha tea, or maca root, or quinoa, or probiotics or anything of those things (unless theres an allergy) because they are all GOOD for you. The ingredient statement is detailed, and the consumer should take some responsibiltiy knowing their allergies (like my friends with nightshade reactions and can't drink it due to goji berries) BUT a salesperson in a store or a nutritionist would also rely on the client to share that. And finally I don't sell. I SHARE. Super big difference. Sharing your story IS inspiring to people, just look at my inbox of dozens of people who say so. If YOU personally find it phony, that's totally cool. BUT I would still encourage you to continue being authentic in your own way. For us, we are just fortunate we have a way to take our success story and pay it forward so others have the same. For a super fit chick on IG who can't present a full routine or meal plan (developed by dietians) to the inquiring follower....well shame she did all that work for herself and isn't truly changing lives. I LOVE to pay it forward. XXOO
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    • There is a woman I know who talks on fb about coming from an eating-disorder background. Very dangerous territory to be preaching fitness to the weak and vulnerable. On a funny side she preaches about how she squeezes her fitness regimes into her ever-so-busy schedule as a mother of 3, full time job, wife, yadda yadda. However on her fb status it shows her response frequency is a few minutes. She has 1000 followers and replies to messages in minutes, hmmmm...... many instead of taking your hours of planting your face in your fb account you will have time to exercise and most importanly, give the proper attention to your family. Who are you trying to fool girl??
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      • If you set up an auto response on fb, it will show you get back to people within minutes. It could be a message getting to people thanking them for their message and telling them that she will respond when she can. She may not actually be living on fb.
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      • It is pretty appalling that you would discredit someone's fitness knowledge based on the fact that they come from an "eating disorder background". As a person who also "comes from that background", I have a degree in exercise science, and lead many people to healthier lifestyles. And as for BB coaching? I am not a BB coach, but I enjoy their programs and shakeology. I am a full-time working mom, and those programs fit ideally into my life. You don't need to be a certified anything to motivate other people to use programs that are designed by the certified professionals. Many times, it is easier for a lot of people to connect with people who aren't certified trainers and professionals, for the sole factor of relatability. And at the beginning of EVERY SINGLE work out, there is a long disclaimer stating that no one should do the program before consulting a physician. Should a BB coach encourage that also? Probably, but they are not the ones who created the work out. They are CONNECTING people with the work outs designed by those certified trainers.
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        • Well said, Michelle! I am a Beachbody coach, but I do not PUSH products ... I prefer the Attraction Marketing method (taught by Jesse Regan). And I've never called myself a "coach", because of all of the reasons given here ... it feels inauthentic. I'd rather call myself a "mentor" ... I am very open about the fact that I still have my own struggles with health & wellness, and am solely in this to provide support and accountability to others who are on the same journey. I will be getting my ACE Group Fitness Instructor certification later this year. And, I hope to get some certification in nutrition, as well. Until then, I KNOW I'm not qualified to be giving out any kind of medical advice. I point people towards other qualified professionals, when the need arises.
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          • PS.... I don't run challenge groups (and I can't drink ShakeO due to an allergy to some of the ingredients). I just post about my own lifestyle on my page, and if someone asks me what I do, I'll share the details with them. However, I much prefer to build the relationships with people, FIRST... this is what Jesse Regan teaches. So I know a LOT of very successful Beachbody coaches who do this -- attraction marketing -- instead of the traditional "cold messaging" and challenge group thing. These are the coaches I really respect because they're not all "cookie cutter".

    • Beachbody Coaches aren't meant to be certified trainers (they can become one if they like, but again, they NEED to get certified). That's what the DVDs are for where there are actual "certified trainers" who create the programs. When you sign up as a beachbody coach, they explain this to you in the policy handbook guide, which it seems apparent that a lot of people didn't take the time to read (unfortunate, but seems true). Well I took the time to read it, and I researched everything available to me online about Beachbody, and many other programs out there like Beachbody. For me, Beachbody hands down had a lot more to offer myself and my weight loss/health journey. I don't do ANYTHING that will change my life without a TON of research. It's just part of my personality trait, and there are NO apologies from me on this character trait. :) I can go on and on about being more efficient and using less time as being a Beachbody Coach, but not sure anyone would listen on this page. My motto: work smarter, not harder! :)
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      • When you research programs and encourage others to use them, you are acting like a certified fitness professional because you are, in essence, prescribing workouts. This is unethical and dangerous from a true health coach, fitness professional standpoint. Beachbody Coaches sell product under the disguise of being health coaches. But true health coaches study long and hard for that title, and have to pass the test to prove that they are capable of taking other people's wellbeing into their own hands. True health coaches know that a boxed DVD is only part of the story. Again, I'm so glad you found success with BB. Best of luck as you continue that journey.
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        • I feel like a lot of people are upset that people are spending money on Beachbody and not on their programs. People don't get upset when someone says "hey lets go for a run tomorrow" or "Hey, I go to Goodlife and I love it", but if they say "Hey, I do these online workouts and I absolutely love them", everyone loses their minds and says they are unqualified to promote those products. Millions of people work out without a personal trainer to show them how to do the moves properly and millions more are at risk because they don't dedicate any time in their life to working out or eating healthy. So, if Beachbody is what gets them motivated then that great! Of course there are people with specific needs (ie., previously injured or diabetic) that need special attention. I also know several doctors who recommend terrible diets and personal trainers at big box gyms that aren't qualified either. One personal trainer I knew liked to flaunt that he now had so much muscle that many days he could eat big macs and donuts without gaining a pound. Doesn't that sound harmful?
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    • I agree with this. I reached out to a few bb coaches and all of them were quick to jump to a workout and shkeology recommendation, all without a proper consultation. I told them all i had a minor digestive disease yet they all recommended shakeology. One of them even said it would heal my disease, or at least make the problem better...thn sent all the neccesary reference links to sign up under her reference id. This strumed a nerve in me. I asked why she thinks this shakeology will help me, when I didnt even metion what my disorder was? She replied saying I only said it was a minor disorder. Also to consult my Dr. before taking it. Then went on to say that there are probiotics and prebiotics in the shakes that will heal most gut issues. Why couldnt she refer me to a dr before I confronted her? Who us she to tell me what gut issues i will heal? Just because I said it was a minor digestive disorder who is she to say it will help it? So greasy
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      • I'm a certified holistic nutritionist and I would never recommend shakeology to cure anything. 😳 That is pretty greasy! I'm curious if you would have felt differently if she had recommended l-glutamine, probiotics and digestive enzymes? The problem with doctors is most of them dismiss you and act like you don't know what's going on with your own body. I found functional doctors or naturopaths more helpful.
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  3. I love your blog more and more every day! To me, THIS is healthy living! You have such found such a great balance of fitness, normal eating and enjoyment with your family and it is refreshing to see! Like you, I love Beachbody workouts. I think they are fun, effective workouts for those of us who exercise at home. I was contemplating signing up to coach but for all the reasons you quit, I decided to forego that option. It just doesn't seem authentic when it's being thrown in your face constantly!
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    • Hi Suzanne, I'm a Beachbody Coach. I understand why this gal who wrote this blog quit Beachbody, but there's a better way to go about being a Beachbody Coach that I've embodied,...not because Beachbody said I had to be a certain way, and even if they did, I'm still going to be me unapologetically. Being a Beachbody coach to me (anyways) means being a positive motivator for those who are struggling with weight loss or those who are looking to maintain their healthy weight with healthy eating. I know a lot of people who are thin by genetics, but eat a TON of crappy foods that don't fuel their bodies the right way. I consider myself a person who isn't a textbook type of personality or one that would market myself to be. I'm a genuinely good person, who is looking to inspire others to work out, eat healthier, and make time to just in general help your body to be better overall. Being a Beachbody coach is not about teaching any kind of workouts to anyone. If there are ones out there doing so, then they are misrepresenting, and shame on them for doing so! I do plan to drink the Shakeology (not live on it, but do it for a short period of time). Shakes are great when you are on the go, and you don’t want to make time to grab something healthy (food) on the go. I admit, I can be that lazy “SOMETIMES”. So shakes are a great way for me to get some of the nutrients I need, that I just didn’t make time to do with actual food. Make sense in regards to shakes? I don’t plan to “PUSH” products, I’m just going to follow a program that I feel is best suited for me and my lifestyle, and post my journey. And if someone decides to purchase something to try because of my results, great. My main purpose for being a Beachbody coach is to help me stay accountable for bettering my body and food options. I could get a personal trainer or join Jenny Craig, but I don’t feel like going that route due to my lifestyle, and what I feel is best for me to stick with. When you are tracking your results for the world to see, it kind of forces you to not “fall of the wagon”, as I like to call it. I struggled with having a baby, and there was a large percentage of me not being able to get pregnant, but with the good graces of God I conceived, even with all odds against me. Unfortunately, I had my daughter at 40, so for that, I’m doing this program to get myself on track to live longer to be in her life. Being a Beachbody Coach for me will help me with that. And….like I said, if others are inspired by that, and feel the program can work for them as well, why not?! It’s not like the work out programs they offer through Beachbody is going to harm anyone that is ok to do the workouts (approval from doctor if needed, etc.). The shakes aren’t unhealthy, so what’s the beef with Beachbody? I’m the kind of person that researches everything for several months in advance before I get myself involved, and for me this is the way to go, and I’m excited about my journey and sharing it with others. I am NOT certified in any type of work out training, however, that’s why I leave it up to the Professional, certified trainers that have created the DVD workouts through Beachbody. Makes sense right? Suzanne, if you are still interested in joining Beachbody, I would love to chat with you on my views, and how "I" go about it...the positive way. I read the policy handbook guide thoroughly, there's just so much more to Beachbody, and there are some misrepresentations of it on here. :(
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  4. All we can do is be true to ourselves. Priorities shift through life and it's so important to be honest with your wants and needs, no matter the topic. Love this, way to go.
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  5. This is how i feel about myself and Advocare. While I'm still a distributor, I do NOT feel comfortable blasting ("selling") it all over social media or my blog or contacting individuals personally. Like you and Beachbody, I like the products and I have no problem recommending them, but I feel SO uncomfortable making every other social media post about it. Do I get jealous of my friends who are raking it in (seriously, a friend just paid of $66,000 in debt!!!!)?? Absolutely. But you can't sell that kind of stuff and have that level of success unless it's a true passion (which it is for this friend and her husband.) Also like you mentioned, the market has become oversaturated with both products recently and I'm kind of like "ehh, we get it. if we want to lose weight, we'll give you a call." BUT for my friends who are enjoying it and feel like they've found their passion, I'm genuinely happy!
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    • Oh my gosh...$66,000 in debt?!?! That's INSANE (and yes, that makes me jealous, too haha!). But hey, if she's working hard for it, then she deserves it!
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    • Honestly if they are making that much off their client base thry had to have damaged some people along the way. Passion? Not really... go get properly educated if u are that passionate. Sure it may work for some people, but it doesnt for that many more.
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  6. Thank you for being so honest! I've seen coaches and shakeology explode all over my Facebook and Instagram and though like you said it can work and be a great product I often find it hard to get into something that's essentially a pyramid scheme . I'm glad it works for people because it might help jump start their fitness journey but I also appreciate when people ( like you) are upfront and honest ... Thank you for being a great blog to read !
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    • I agree with you 100% Andrea! I've been blogging for about 7 years and have gotten nowhere, lol. Although there isn't anywhere I really want to go with it, but still! I have a bloggy friend who is CRAZY successful with Beachbody and I am starting to cringe a little when I get messages from her about something totally random, because it always ends up being about me joining Beachbody.
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  8. I kind of went through the same thing when I decided to become a health coach for herbalife. I also kind of realized that I do love the products, but helping someone lose weight I don't think that going on a diet or using shakes to do that is the best approach. I realized in order to really change you need to change your lifestyle and that included eating the way you want to eat, and let's be honest not everyone likes smoothies or shakes!
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  9. I love the s#!t out of this post! I've also loved watching your blog evolve over the years (especially since our kids are close in age). You're awesome <3
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  10. I definitely relate! I had signed up to be a beachbody coach, thought discount on shakeology would be great and if I make a few bucks, it's all that much better, right?! I realized soon after, selling myself and pushing/selling products is not my thing. I can cheerleader people but coaching others on their own fitness and health journey is not my thing. I still love beachbody workouts and will continue to use them! I wish I could continue shakeology but have more into green smoothies; I know shakeology is super healthy but for me, the cost is just too high. Thanks for your post and all that you do write about, you show real and healthy living at its best!!
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  11. "On top of that, there’s really no certification process for becoming a coach either." THIS. I am a certified BODYPUMP and AFAA group fitness instructor and this is so frustrating to me. I worked my tail off for those certain and when I see BB coaches on posting videos of workout moves showing improper form I want to scream and then show them the correct move. Certifications exist to keep clients safe. I am not a nutritionist so I have no business coaching people on how or what to eat. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and being honest. This has been something frustrating for me for quite awhile. :)
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    • I get where you are coming from.but I don't see how coaches are showing people form... Coaches aren't doing that, the challengers have a trainer showing them form on the actual fitness videos in a similar way that a trainer in person would. (It's just on screen vs in person). Coaches post videos to inspire people to get off their asses they should never claim to instruct others and if they are they aren't doing their job.. And if they haven't learned form that's their mistake.
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      • I agree with Jess. If coaches are doing that, I don't agree with it. But I post my workout vids everyday to my Instagram. Not to give people moves to do. Not to give them pointers. But to maybe motivate them to get off their couch and get a workout done!
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        • I don't think you understand what she's saying. Form is the foundation of an exercise, JUST the beginning. I have seen people watch videos on proper form and still have bad form! Bad form is worse than not working out at all! I take it as it may not even be about teaching form (which is part of the job of a certified personal trainer), but if you're "leading by example" and using bad form and okay with it, it's not okay! When you go through the certification process, you learn that there's SO MUCH MORE to exercise than movement! There's a why, and a how, and it's really an in-depth, detailed process.
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        • I disagree with Jess and Tracey, all u are saying is what your intention is for posting your workout regiments, not to demonstrate form. In turn your current and potential clients are following u as a role-model essentially. Afterall thry pocked u to take their "journey". So wether or not u are doing it intentionally, u are still demonstrating FORM. There is someone learning from u. This can hurt people. So u need to ask yourself, do u care about the betterment of your clients and maybe..just maybe u are hurting someone who is following and copying yoir every post. Or do u still focus on the idea that u are doing it just to motivate people. I think if u are still stuck on your own motive and not looking at the bigger picture, u have just answered yoir own motive... and it's not to help people genuinely. Let's be honesty Mallory rasied a good point. This should have left a blueprint in our minds that "oh people will be "inspired" by me as a coach and be copying my forms I post. Instead u are arguing it. There may be someone ONLY copying your regimes, and havent even purchased or picked up the dvd. Maybe as a cert trainer mallory knows what she is talking about perhaps???? Again this is thedangers of unqualified coaches just blurting out their "opinions" vs what should be left in the hands of a trained specialist.
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  12. I'm glad you are so honest about this. Any type of thing like this has never worked for me either. I did MaryKay for a while and wow, that was a big failure! There are honestly just too many people already selling anything like MK or BB. You really have to either spam people to death and not care or just get lucky I think. I have always loved the workouts from BB but have never bought them from a coach. I recently did a trial of Shakeology and it was absolutely awful for my baby because I'm nursing, so I couldn't do it. She was SO incredibly gassy. It's also way to expensive for me to ever justify! I'm glad you wanted to be realistic about it and not spam all your followers. Pretty much everyone I know who does BB or something you can sell is very selly and pushy about it on social media and I dislike following them now.
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  14. THIS post! This is why I love your blog and why I continue to read your blog. Thank you for being real and honest. I think your blog is the best example of healthy living :)
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  15. The same thing happened to me, but I only lasted 2 months before I threw in the towel! I started doing BB programs about 5 years ago and truly love them because I do not have access to a gym and I just really enjoy the workouts! Plus, I love fitness but have a full time job and thought this would be a nice outlet for me. I signed up to a coach with the intent that I just wanted to break even, but I shortly realized that was never going to happen, because like you, I never wanted to talk about it, cringed at the thought of taking photos of myself, and couldn't sell even my closest friends on Shakeology (it's so expensive!), etc. I guess some of us just aren't meant to be in that type of business! I was so glad to read your posts because it seems so spot on with my experience! Thanks for sharing!
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    • Wow, haha, it really does sound like we had very similar experiences! I'm with ya too...still LOVE the BB workouts!
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  16. I loved reading this, because this is how I felt about 2 years ago when I was a Beachbody coach. I really joined so that I could get a discount on Shakeology as I was training for my first marathon and HATED all the spammy selling techniques that were presented to me, so after my marathon, I quit coaching. However, I've recently started my own business and I am now certified in crossfit, personal training, and fitness nutrition and many of my clients were asking about beachbody programs. So, I took the plunge again. But, this time I found a team (and am building my own team) that uses practical marketing techniques that are not spammy. Most of us are fitness and health professionals that are selling beachbody on the side because there is a demand for it within our clientele. So, while I completely agree with your perspective, I also think there is a way out of the spammy and annoying marketing and for someone who views it as building their own business it could be a really great opportunity! Overall, great post!
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    • Jenna, that sounds like things have really fallen into place for you. That's amazing!! I truly love the idea of a BB coach also being certified as a trainer or in nutrition as you are. It's like the full package, you know? I also completely agree that some are much better than others with the "spammy" aspect of selling. Best of luck to you! :)
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    • I love this! I signed up as a BB coach for discounts and because I love the program's especially the On Demand feature. I've only been a "coach" for several months and I want to be a certified trainer more than ever! I refuse to sell the way they are pushing me to sell. I don't advertise it but I realize I will keep using the programs and my friends, if I get certified, will keep asking about them as well. I've really wondered how BB and being a certified trainer go together. I'm really curious what marketing techniques you use because the multi-level marketing ones drive me and my family and friends crazy! And congrats on taking the step of certifying :)
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  17. Starting a slow clap for you over here, Courtney! I think there are so many people (in blogging and all these direct sales products) that are just doing what they need to do to make fast money. While I can respect people trying to support their families, I think it's super important to stay true to who you are and what you feel comfortable with. I think that's one of the things I'm most proud of with my blog - staying true to myself and not doing everything that's pitched my way!
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  18. I am actually a Beachbody Coach right now, just started a couple months ago. I do agree with the "selling" part as I have done Lia Sophia but I have to say, I love this so much more.. For me, this isn't about selling the products, I truly want to help people feel better about themselves. I have had people come to me with weight issues, feeling crappy about themselves, etc. I honestly don't look at it like "oh, I can sell them something." I look at it as Wow, they trust me enough to help them so I make it my job to help them. I have even helped people that weren't using Beachbody products at first as the selling is not my focus. As someone who has had weight issues in the past and had support to get me through, I look at this as I am paying it forward. I do have a passion for helping others. I do see where a mother of young pnes, this could be tough. I am at a new stage of my life where my boys are a little older so I feel it is my time to pay back. One other thing, if you are ever wanting to sell Bodypump, I will take it off your hands. I loved those videos and can't get access to anymore :( ok, one more. If have anyone looking for a coach, send them to me. I would love to help out!!
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    • Well it definitely sounds like you've found a great fit for you Tricia! That's great! I love the idea of the driving factor being to want to help people become healthier...the BB is just an added perk! It sounds like you've got a great perspective on it, and I wish you the best of luck! (but sorry, the BodyPump workouts aren't going anywhere...I loooove them!) ;)
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    • Let me ask u this tricia, if a potential client came to u and said they have severe depression, have an eating disorder, and phsycal problems, would u take these people on hoping to help them and turn their life around? Or would u recommend them to see a dr or a specialist to help with her issues before seeking your help? Because let's be honest u arent helping this person as losi g weight is not solving their true problems. But if feeling better aboit yourself because u feel fuzzy that u fulfilled someone's "goal"personally, hence losing weight, if this is more important to u than turning them away..then u have answered your questio to they type of person u really are. 9 coaches my friend contacted. All had the same general motive, similar to what u are saying motovates u.. all recommended shakeology to fix health deficiencies, losi g weight will help her self esteem and depression. That is diguisting.
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      • If someone knows enough to say to anyone "I have a eating disorder and certain physical problems", you can bet they have already seem a dr or specialist to help. I am betting they didn't help much which is why a person is still seeking help. In my experience, Doctors and specialist can only do so much. They certainly do not put motivating youas a reason to contact them on the instructions.
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  19. Thanks for writing this post. I was wondering what had happened . . . I've been a blog reader and fan of yours for over 3 years now - love the blog and your openness and honesty. I became a beachbody coach in August and have had a completely different experience than you described. I understand it's not for everybody and it sounds like you made the right decision for you. But I also wanted to say that I'm sorry you had such a negative experience, particularly that you felt the culture was "sell sell sell". I don't know what team you were on or who your coach was, and I've seen a lot of coaches go about it that way which is unfortunate. But I've had an extremely positive experience on my team and with my coach. It's very empowering and all about helping people in real, genuine way. And it's definitely something you have to work hard at if you're going to be successful, even positive things, maybe even especially positive things in our lives, don't come easy ;-)
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    • That's awesome, Kristen! I often wonder if I would have had a different experience if I was on a different team, but even still, I just don't think I had the passion for it. And I just didn't have the time/desire to really work hard at it, you know? I know many people who are having wonderful experiences with it, and it sounds like that's definitely you! I love seeing women empowering women and leading them to a healthy lifestyle. :)
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  20. I love this! I've been approached to be a beach body coach numerous times and was always hesitant bc of the selling aspect. It's tough bc I teach fitness classes part time and am a SAHM and would love to bring in some extra income but I can't bring myself to be "salesy" to my friends. Thanks for sharing!
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  21. I feel very similarly. I LOVE rodan and fields products they really worked for me to get rid of acne, and I tried selling them b/c I truly believe in them, but I HATE pushing products on people. It's so awkward. Some with advocare. I love and use the products and still sell them if people ask me about them, but I very rarely post that I sell them.
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  22. I, too, love the Beachbody workouts but am so turned off by their marketing scheme. I've had to hide "friends" that are constantly posting about Beachbody. It feels like they view me more as a potential customer than a friend. It also bothers me that anyone can become a coach with no certification. The term "coach" itself is misleading.
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  23. I absolutely love this post. I feel like so many blogs are dominated by Beachbody/Advocare/Herablife etc. and it gets very annoying. I have stopped reading some as it seems so fake and very pushy.
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  24. Good for you! This is precisely why I like your blog more and more. You eat real food ("real" meaning healthy and not-so-healthy!), you're honest and transparent, and you seem to live a normal life (like me!) and not a glamorous fantasy life like some bloggers. That statement isn't meant to knock the bloggers who don't have families or "regular" jobs, it's just that I can't relate to them like I can you. Fitness is important, but it's not my passion. For a while, I tried to make it so and emulate those super-passionate bloggers and BB coaches. It's just not "me," though. I completely understand not being great at selling yourself (I'm not either) or devoting even more time to social media. You definitely have a lot on your plate and it's important to do what feels right to you!
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  25. Finally, a blogger who does not want to sell BB. Are people aware of the fact that they do NOT need to spend hundreds of dollars on a shake when they can go to the produce isle and choose healthy foods to blend back at home? Eat real food, people. It doesn't have to come in a bag with Shakeology on the label. Courtney, I truly enjoy reading your blog. Thank you for always keeping it real. It seems that many bloggers are losing sight of why they even starting blogging in the first place. Reading blogs is like walking through the perfume section of Macy's. "Buy this, buy that, smell this, smell that" Vent over.
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  26. I was wondering if you were still coaching! Thank you so much for being honest always and sharing your true opinion. I'm currently a Diamond coach and started in August of 2014 after falling in love with the programs and Shakeology. I was also very hesitant b/c the LAST thing I wanted was to be selling stuff to my friends and family. The approach I take always is to be genuine, put my customer's needs first over a commission and to help others. I take this seriously and invest a lot of time into learning the programs, sharing my tips on how to be successful and building relationships. Yes, I post a TON on social media, but the majority of my posts are insight into my life, tips and motivation for getting others moving, recipes, etc. Once in a while I'll post about a group I'm running and at this point, most of my customers come to me for help rather than vice versa. I have one customer who's lost 40 lbs since working with me, is off her medication and has told me that it wouldn't be possible without me. WOW!!!! Heck yeah, I'm glad that I do this. Unfortunately a lot of other coaches give Beachbody a bad name with sleazy sales tactics, but for the most part all of the other coaches I've met are truly caring people. My team is AMAZING! They've become my best friends. Maybe one day you'll join back up ;-)!
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  27. I am a discount coach for beachbody and my feelings are SO mixed about coaching. Like you, I love the workouts but when I see others posting about it on social media, it feels so forced. My other issue with that is, people get incredibly personal in their postings in order to honestly express how the program has really changed them. For me, when I read about these intense personal challenges that are immediately followed by a plea to hop on the band wagon, I feel really conflicted. Yes, I am so happy to see people making positive change and getting through tough situations, but when it feels like the motivation to share is to make money, I feel really uncomfortable. I've been thinking about ending my coaching recently too. I often feel guilty for not dedicating much time and energy to it.
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  28. Thank you for being completely honest on your post! I'm a Beachbody coach and have been one for over a year. I was really uncomfortable with the term "coach" when I first started because I didn't feel like I had the knowledge or training to "coach" anyone and I felt like the term was misleading. Since becoming a coach, I have been certified in nutrition and fitness so I feel like I can truely help others on their fitness journey. I am not in this for the money but to help others lead a fit and healthy life.
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  29. I was always a discount coach, but I quit that as well. Now I only drink shakeology. I work full time and I used to have a job that was all fitness all the time. But I am now in research and I don't have the time or passion! So I agree with you 100%!
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  32. Thank you for this! I honestly had no idea you were a coach but this is exactly the reason I've chosen NOT to become a coach. I love health and fitness but I don't want to spend the time begging people to buy things from me. I totally respect your decision and wish that some coaches would respect my decision to love the workouts but not want to become a coach. Great post Court! It's hard when you have a family and a ton of things pulling you in different directions, you have to chose what means the most to you.
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  33. For the few times you find yourself jealous of the girls killing it with Beachbody on their Instagrams, just know there are far more of us loving YOUR blog and YOUR message, which is fitness? Sure! But not at the expense of having a great family life and indulging in some goodies now and then too. :) People who are passionate about fitness post a lot, which is okay, except that it makes us (who aren't quite as passionate) feel like we are the minority...when I guarantee we aren't. :)
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  35. Hi Courtney! Thanks for posting this. I feel like so many people our age have known for years what they "want to be when they grow up," and my plans (to be a teacher) turned out to be the wrong choice for me. Then I looked into personal training, too, and I knew almost immediately I would struggle with the selling aspect (just like you!). I took some time off when my son was born (over a year!), which was wonderful, but reality hit and we needed a second income, so now I work as an academic advisor at UCLA. I absolutely love it. It's not what I thought I would want to do with my life, but it turns out that the 8-5 desk job is the right one for me for now. And maybe things will change in a few years, and that's okay, too. It's wonderful to hear from people I admire (like you!) that it's okay not to have it all figured out and have some perfect career by the time you're 30. I'm far from that, but I get to spend time with my family and have a job I like. That's enough.
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  36. This makes me love you even more, Courtney. Thank you so much for not selling out. I am so sick of the ever-constant shilling of goods and services on blogs. I totally get using ads on sidebars to make money, but when blog content itself becomes a constant ad stream, I am done. I love the way you are able to identify your priorities and not get swept away with the current trends. I also find it disappointing when the very people who tout eating real food a la Michael Pollan's fill their insta feeds with shots of Shakeology and other food products. Keep rockin' on!
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  37. I quit BB for almost all of the same reasons that you did. Mostly, it just isn't ME to sell sell sell. I do believe in the workouts and the products, I just wasn't a good fit as a coach. Also, I am a new reader and I love your blog. I've been trying to find a balance between working out, eating right, seeing my friends and family and work. I think I found your blog at just the right time, you've helped me ease up on the pressure I put on myself with a healthy lifestyle and remember to ENJOY life.
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    • Thanks so much for reading, Jennifer! I'm so glad you've decided to stick around, and hope to see you more! :)
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  39. I can't stand people selling any of those type of things on my Facebook. I find a lot of it to be so pushy and misleading. There's an IT WORKS! Distributor or whatever you want to call it who posts pics of herself eating super fatty fried things and then shows herself taking some magical fat burning pill after. Then there's magical body wraps that shrink your stomach by 50 sizes in 1 day. Oh and hair serum that grows your hair 6 inches overnight. Wrinkle cream that completely erases super deep creases. Before and after pictures are just laughable. if these products did all they claim, wouldn't all the reps have perfectly lean and in shape bodies with perfectly clear airbrushed skin and voluminous luscious hair? Because last time I browsed insta or Facebook, none of the reps I've seen look like that. It makes me feel bad because I feel as thought frustrated or unhappy mothers desperately looking for a quick career and body fix are the targeted demo for their posts (want to stop missing your baby's milestones while you're slaving at work? I'm making bank in my pajamas! Want a flat pre-baby stomach again? Look at my unbelievable after pics! *insert 50 unnecessary emojis here*). The reality is 99% of ppl who they recruit to sign up to sell will lose money or barely make any and quit. And, after all that, they will still have a belly bc no pill is erasing that without hard work and healthy eating.
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    • I agree with everything you said except beachbody is clean eating and fitness. The program's encourage you to work out and eat clean and are created by nutritionists and fitnes trainers.. No quick fixes here.
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      • Sorry but this comment by jess comes across very 1-sided. There are 2 sides to the coin, the other side being the dangers it is causing for weak/vulnerable ppl. You just undermined the whole point. There is more to it than what u want to believe.
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  40. Hi Court! You know (or you should know) that I respect you and appreciate you as a fellow blogger and online friend. That being said, to be honest, I was a little disappointed as I read this post. This, of course, is coming from a Beachbody coach herself, so maybe I'm biased, but I want to share my thoughts from the other side. First of all, I absolutely agree that the coaching thing isn't for everyone, so I'm glad you were able to see that and make the best decision for you and your family. I guess I am mostly disappointed in the way you seemed to place all of us coaches in one group. Because not all of us are out there just to "sell, sell, sell" as you say. In fact, many of us are out there to genuinely help people! I've already seen lives transformed and changed for the better because of Beachbody products (because like you said, they are awesome and effective!), and it brings me SO much joy to be able to help others on their healthy lifestyle journey. Yes, there are absolutely Beachbody coaches out there that shouldn't be coaches for various reasons, and yes, there are coaches out there that are only in it for the money (sadly!) ... but this isn't the case for all of us. I guess it just saddens me that there was such a negative undertone toward coaches in this post because there are a lot of coaches out there that are doing so much GOOD too. Anyways, I'll keep it at that ... not trying to stir the pot, but just offering a different perspective.
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    • Hi Ashley - To give you feedback from a non-blogger perspective, the impressions I've gotten from beach body selling friends on my personal Facebook news feed have not been positive. The before and after pictures and just the tone of the statuses are odd, forced, condescending and obnoxious. And to me, there are registered dietitians and trainers out there already, some available for free thru various avenues, so why would I pay into some very expensive protein powder to get this kind of knowledge? It's unappealing to me on that level and then the "coaches" on my feed seal the deal - as a prospective customer, I have a negative connotation of beach body.
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    • Hey Ashley! Likewise, I have the same respect for you as well, and I appreciate you sharing your perspective. I know you've become a BB coach and seem to be doing very well with it, and I'm happy for you for that. I'm sorry that you viewed the post as negative towards all coaches, but that wasn't my intention. As I mentioned in the post, I'm not out to bash BB and I know there are great coaches out there doing great things. I was on a team with some great coaches who were truly passionate about what they did and helping others, but I think their focus on selling the product was a bit more intense than I preferred. It felt awkward, forced, and unnatural any time I tried, no matter how much I enjoy the products. And I really do love the products and I fully believe that they work, too! But ultimately, when you're a BB coach, your goal is most likely to sell the product and grow your business. Of course you want to help others achieve their goals and change for the better (or at least all coaches should!), and that's likely why we all signed up from the get go. But we could all be doing these things like challenge groups and support groups without BB, too. I love seeing that people are wanting to help others lead healthier lives, but the more and more I see that tied with BB, I've just gotten turned off by it. My social media feeds have become saturated by it. I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to help others and sell a product at the same time...I mean, that's what you're (not only you, but saying in general) doing when you post pictures sharing personal anecdotes tied in with the BB product (or any product, for that matter) on Instagram or Facebook or blogs...and when you truly are passionate about it and changing lives, then that's great. I'm just saying that the coaching and selling tactics weren't for me.
      Reply

      • To sit and defend the "passion to help people" is very irresponsible unless u are just being a cheerleader .bb coach, nothing more. To push a health product on someone without proper diagnosis, without any form of certification, you are being a hypocrite when u say u do it to help people.
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        • I know this post is old but I’m gonna chime in and totally agree with you. I’m a registered nutritionist and the training About the body we go through is extensive...everyone is bio individually different therefor needs a different diet / workouts/ supplement recommendations not to mention allergies, sleep patterns, type of job, medications,etc. I take this all into account and do a detailed questionnaire with each client to find what areas need working on- and encourage testing from doctors (thyroid, vitamin levels, etc) before I recommend anything. This is where my years of schooling and work Comes In. So to have people that have no education putting out information is extremely unsettling.
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    • Hey Ashley I agree with you wholeheartedly! Coaching has been SUCH a positive experience for me and my clients. I'm a blogger, and while I love to write posts, it has been AMAZING to be able to take those relationships a bit deeper and lend a hand to help them with their health and fitness journey! Many of my clients live in small towns or don't have access to a gym with childcare, or money for personal training sessions, and the the workouts and nutrients in Shakeology have literally TRANSFORMED their lives! It's such an honor and blessing to walk side by side with them! I've personally chatted with Carl Daikeler, the CEO and Founder of Beachbody, and what I appreciate about him is that he always leads with HELPING people. He doesn't focus on the money that can be made, and I've never heard him say, "sell sell sell!" - that's secondary! It's sad that Beachbody has gotten a bad reputation from some people, because when done sincerely and effectively, it's a pretty amazing thing to be a part of! Reading these comments makes me so thankful for the sincere and heart-felt team I get to be a part of! Partnering with Beachbody has been one of the biggest and unexpected blessings. I would sincerely hope that anyone considering becoming a coach would know that while it isn't for everybody, it's a powerful tool that is being used for so much good as well! It's about so much more than making sales!
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      • Amber, it sounds like you've had an incredible experience with Beachbody and that's wonderful. It really is! But the point of my post wasn't to say otherwise...BB is a great product and I believe in it wholeheartedly. Personally, I just didn't feel comfortable sharing it and selling it the way that many others do. I'm sorry if you took this post as anything but that, as I have nothing against the product or the coaches who are in it for the right reasons (as I'm sure you and Ashley are!). Best of luck to you and your team!
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        • Thanks Courtney! You are sweet. Like anything, a few (or several) bad eggs have a way of taking away from the GREAT things about something! I'm sure you didn't mean to come across as negative, I think my heart just wanted to say something to all the negative comments on here to give hope that not all Beachbody coaches are spammy or salesy! :) Best wishes to you as well!
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    • Ashley- your blog/Instagram is exactly the type of bb annoying salesperson that I've unfollowed. Courtney, you always keep it real. Love it
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  42. For many of the reasons you mention is why I've never decided to join the Beachbody ranks, for as often as I'm recruited. I love that Beachbody is getting more people active, so that's a major benefit. The few workouts I've tried are great. But I'm also VERY turned off by the selling factor, and it seems like the market is totally saturated at this point. Thanks for sharing, Courtney
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  43. I'm glad you were honest about how this feels FOR YOU and did what was best for your family. To tell you the truth, I find the beachbody schilling extremely off-putting. I know some people feel very passionately about it, and good for them. But to me, posting those before and afters and millions of selfies with your shakes feels very braggy and inauthentic. I'm proud of the way my body looks, too, but I do workouts I love and eat healthfully for me--not to "inspire" others (or maybe make them feel like less because they can't afford beachbody or whatever the case may be). I try not to judge that kind of thing, but it does feel like beachbody is a club, and not one I'm interested in. I'd rather sustain a lifestyle on exercise and healthful real food choices than do a program. I've always thought that when you're doing something like that, it's not a lifestyle, it's a program, and therefore unsustainable. I don't know . . . this is something I've been thinking on lately and sorting out for myself, too, so thanks for giving me a place to brain dump ;)
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  45. I respect you even more after reading this post and your responses to those who got defensive by what you wrote. I thought your post was well written and you made it clear that you weren't against BB or people being coaches just that it wasn't for you. There is NOTHING wrong with that! I love several of the BB programs but have never had a desire to be a coach because of the selling aspect and I HATE it when people come after me wanting me to join their challenge groups, etc. It's such a turn off...if I want to join, I'll ask. Thanks for always being honest, genuine and gracious :)
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  46. I can totally relate to what you're saying in this post, Courtney. I am a Beachbody coach, but am just using it for the Shakeology discount at this point. While I do enjoy the shakes and the workouts (LOVE PiYo and both 21 Day Fix workout plans), personally I'm just cannot get into the sell part of the 'business'. When I found myself making a list of people I hadn't talked to in years to contact, shakeology pictures took the place of my dog in my instagram feed, and I was stressing out about challenge points instead of my real job, I had to take a big step back. That isn't me, and never will be. On the flip side, I do have to say that I am part of a GREAT team of coaches and I really enjoyed helping to lead challenge groups and helping people make a change. Most of the coaches I work with actually do hold certifications in health coaching or fitness instruction and they do a great job of mixing all aspects of health and fitness and incorporating BB products. Like I said, that's just not me and I felt a little out of place. I do have to say that 'coach' is a little misleading, although there are a lot of people out there who can benefit from just a few tips or advice from someone who isn't necessarily an expert (cheerleader is a better term). That's why I love blogs, and ultimately why I returned to blogging myself. I still enjoy sharing healthy tips and talking to friends and family about small changes they can make to move to a healthier lifestyle, and through blogging I can do that without any pressure! Anyway, just my input with both sides of the discussion. Long-time reader, first-time comment. :)
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  47. Thank you for the honesty. I want to shout this out every time I hear/talk about this and I am glad you got to! I joined as a participant and 1 month of coaching with people who commented above about you being negative. But it's the truth! Being on their team all they do is say sell, sell, sell. I was told I couldn't sell if I didn't do certain things. In a coach message it was told not to let people join challenges too if no one bought something. It made me really sad and I couldn't be apart of it. I have a 4 year degree in exercise science and these are not health professionals just sales people. I WILL continue reading this amazing blog for being real!!!!
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    • Wow Leah! It sounds like you have a rough upline. I would never tell my coaches that because that's not what I practice. I help everyone whether or not they have bought something from me or not. I'm so sorry that you were brought in under this pretense. If you ever want to chat, let me know. Not all of the Beachbody coaches out there are like that.
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  48. I think the biggest point you've made Courtney is that all of the things the coaches do can be done for free/more cheaply, and that's what turns a lot of people off. While those shakes are delicious and I'm sure nutritious, it just seems odd to me that they are SO EXPENSIVE. That's why I take a step back from these coaches and question their intentions.
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  49. I absolutely love this post! Your honesty is super refreshing and much needed in the blogging world. So many of the Beachbody coach posts seem so disingenuous and can be very off-putting. I am right there with you on the selling thing too-I can not sell anything to anyone! Your blog is my very favorite, Courtney!
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  50. I totally get it! I'm not a Beachboy coach but I signed up as an Advocare rep for awhile and I ran into a lot of the same problems. I also realized that I'm not as 100% behind ALL of the products that I feel like I WANT and NEED to be to really sell them, so when my renew period comes back around, I probably won't renew which is a tough decision. I'm happy for the people these sorts of things work for but it just wasn't for me after all.
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  51. This post was perfect! I am glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. I am currently a coach for Beachbody but much like you, I do not care to go out there and sell myself or the products like that. I enjoy using them and will always help others who ask for recommendations and what not but I just can't be that ideal coach they are looking for. Beachbody is great, they offer amazing products but honestly, who has that much time to devote to them like they want?! I whole heartedly stand by your post and am glad you posted it!!!!
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  52. Loved this post. I've always been a fitness and health "enthusiast" however the whole Beachbody coach thing really goes over my head, as does the incessant push for Shakeology instead of eating real, healthy food. I actually own/participate in several Beachbody exercise programs and love them all. However I will never understand the MLM structure in general, or how people feel ok exploiting their friendships to make money. Good for you for being true and for the fair, honest post.
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  53. I'm so glad you are able to do what feels right for you, and to share it on the blog! I have to say that I feel similar to you, and am very intimidated by the need to "sell, sell, sell" and post before/after pictures of myself to do well with it. I love the idea of helping others hit their goals, but I guess that is what my blog is for. I could never get past having to sell product and fill my news feeds with it!
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  54. I've read your blog forever but don't comment (so hard on my phone!!). Anyways, I have a whole new level of respect for you after reading this. I really appreciated how you weren't negative about BB or coaching or other coaches (although, lord knows--you could be--90% of the "coaches" are so smarmy!!!). As usual, well written and very honest.
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  55. I appreciate your honesty, Courtney. It takes vulnerability to share things that don't 'fit' right in life as a blogger and on a social platform. I've been approached basically WEEKLY by a different BB 'coach' to join his/her team.....it's totally annoying. I'm so glad that the workouts & products are there though for those who want it, and I'm happy for those who love it & love doing it, but I too agree, it's just not for me. I'm an IPC for doTERRA and while I love the oils & use them daily, I try not to be all spammy/sell it to everyone I know. If someone asks what I use on the daily, it's obviously going to come up.
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  56. I agree with so much of what you said in this post! I used to be a Beachbody coach, and like you, I still love their products, but I just could not get into the selling thing. I hate the pyramid part of it all and I also don't like that anyone can become a coach without any training. I have worked hard to become a personal trainer, and even that, I do for fun to help my friends, not to get paid. Thank you for sharing this perspective on your blog. I appreciate your authenticity.
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  57. I know I'm a little late to the party, but I'm about to turn in my own coach cancellation letter. While I love the Beachbody workouts (currently doing Hammer & Chisel) and think Shakeology has it's merits, I have my own idea what health looks like - and it's not sacrificing sleep to sell products like my upline seems to think we should do. Like you, my family and my sanity is my priority and I just don't feel right about befriending people just to sell them products. Thanks for your post and honesty!
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  58. UGH! I've been a coach for nearly a year. I suppose the fact that I Googled "Why I quit Beachbody", should be reason enough for me to make a decision! I've literally been losing sleep over this. My dilemma: I've gotten GREAT feedback from my challengers. I've helped many people make positive changes. I'm authentic and not salesy - I'm hyper sensitive to that fact. That's probably why I haven't built a huge team as I don't post 3-5 times a day, etc. like they recommend. I also haven't made much money doing it if you subtract the price of Shakeology (which I love by the way) My upline is great, authentic and supportive. It's a great venue to share fitness and nutrition without having a degree in it (maybe this is a problem?) What I don't like: Having to be ON everyday, multiple times a day in social media. Building a team as this is the ONLY way to make money in this business. I don't want to be responsible for other people's success in the business. I'm not sure if I've given it enough of a chance? What else do I do to make money (we desperately need a second income since now all 3 kids are in school) while sharing my love of fitness and nutrition? I really want to find a job where I help people to "fill my cup"! Geez, I could go on and on! Brain is FULL and exhausted from vacillating between, "YES! I CAN and SHOULD do this", to, "Ugh, do I WANT to do this? Is there another way?"
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    • Did you quit in the end. Team Beach Body is launching in the U.K in October and I am debating whether or not to join as a coach...exact same reasons as you...dont want to be on social media all the time but it seems you need to be on there all the time to make money
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  59. Just read this & kudos to you. I'm debating stopping the coaching myself for all the reasons you mentioned. I'm just not good at the 'sell' either - & I get irritated seeing it blasted everywhere myself... haha... that's bad when you sale it & get tired of seeing it -its why I dont want to add to it. I appreciate this because I feel the same way - a little jealous of all my friends that are killing it! & I want to walk away? Just good to know I'm not alone. Thanks for the post!
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  60. I know this is an old post... but I was recently reminded of it because a close friend is a BB coach. As a random blog reader, just wanted to give you a compliment: I truly respect your class and authenticity in describing your experience. This is why I've been reading your blog since 2011 and I look forward to reading your posts. You keep it real and are kind to those who disagree with you.
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    • Wow, I really truly appreciate that comment, Nicole. Thank you so much, AND thank you for being such a long time reader!!!
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  61. I seriously want to cry! I'm a beachbody coach and in May it will be 1 year. I feel like the passion I was starting to have for fitness and health had slowly decreased. This team I'm part of called Uproar with this lady Angie Bellemare is an awesome team but the leader is pretty much a mean girl. I fell into depression shortly after joining, she basically always threw indirect comments at me and would ignore and continues to ignore my messages. I make her no money so basically I am nothing and unworthy of her even replying a 'k' . I want to quit and I have wanted to since the 1 months after I joined but I kept thinking I don't want to quit and miss out on something fantastic. But I've been living with these two conflicting feeling for almost a year now. I Don't know what to do. Thank you for your post. I just feel so alone. And I'm not in a depression anymore but I recently started interacting with the team again and starting to feel like a loser again. And of course like I said this almost millionaire leader is a total bitch. I'm sorry but there I said it. She'll act so nice to other girls that are making big bucks just the way she acted with me when I first joined but she changed as soon as I started questioning things and didn't hit any huge sales or recruit people. I feel miserable but also don't want to quit and wonder what if.... I'm so confused. I love your blog. Anybody with some words to help me figure out my way would be greatly helpful. Xo
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    • Wow I have read a lot of these and my goodness ladies if this isn't for you then don't do it! Were you promised great income in a certain period of time? If so and that time has passed, it wasn't real. If not and you think it still might happen, it probably won't. I am not a fan of the BB culture. I have been a certified personal trainer for over 15 years and if you care about helping people you care enough to do it the right way. These are programs someone else has put together and the coach tells the client to do them. What about form, posture, decreased range of motion, pain in joints? Who looks at that? And telling clients how to eat? Where is the registered dietitian? My gosh if someone has diabetes these coaches have no business talking nutrition. And certified personal trainer that has bought into this pyramid should be ashamed of themselves. Courtney I commend you for what you have done. Best of luck to you and your family.
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      • I'm sorry but when you go take a Zumba, hiit, cross fit, or any club fitness class does anyone look at range of motion posture etc?? Fitness programs have been around for decades and specifically state don't start this unless you first consult a doctor so anyone in their right mind should know better than to start a program if they have bone muscular, health, or overall structural issues. Coaches aren't teaching the moves! Certified trainers are on the screen and they are talking about form throughout. Before you criticize something please ensure you are clear about what you're talking about. Ps I had a physical trainer she injured me faster than beachbody programs telling me to deadlift 40 lbs when she knew I had a Achilles injury, and as far as nutrition I've learned more about nutrition how to eat for my goals and how to still enjoy chocolate from the 21 day fix than any other program, trainer or nutritionist I ever used and spoke to.
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        • Jess, first off i dunno what zumba has to do with anyone and everyone being a "coach" and giving unqualified advice and selling health to people. Also when people are vulnerable they will try just about anything to lose weight... to sit there and say people in their right mind would consult their Dr is the problem, nost arent consulting a Dr... they are so led by a coach that they will believe what they want. If u honestly are going to sit there and put the blame on the clients u obviously arent in it for their best interest. As for your experience with your personal trainer, way to throw every personal trainer into the same box..because u had a bad experince with 1 trainer. Your answers are quite close-minded.
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        • Btw Jess u just undermined a personal trainer who has been in the business for 15 yrs... and u are going to argue her view (and most other personal trainers) who underwent the proper certification and dedicate their lives to proper care. Show some respect and don't be so ignorant.
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    • This is so far after the fact you write this post, but my heart breaks for you. That is truly awful and not at all what it is about. I am sorry you have had such a bad experience - thankfully most Coaches are not like that. My success partner also had an upline coach who figured her not worthy of even a response because she wasn't raking in the money. If this was about money, I would have quit years ago. I do it because it has connected me to other Diabetics who are looking to make some lifestyle changes to get themselves healthy. The premise behind Beachbody is helping people - Carl and company reinforce this daily. If you enjoy helping people, it sounds like you just need a different team to work with! I wish you the best - please don't let anyone else's words or lack thereof depress you - life is too short for that, right? :)
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  62. I've been thinking hard about becoming a coach for about a year now. I love the workouts and totally dig 21 day fix, and the food, but the money I would put in for shakes kind of turns me off to it. I struggle to make ends meet as it is already, and I'm not a salesperson! I have been googling beach body and success and this blog popped up. Not what I wanted to read, but exactly what I needed to read. Thanks.
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  63. Hi , I loved reading your post. I am going through a real struggle with the beachbody coaching. Having been asked if I would like to do it. I thought ya it would be fun to have a little group to keep me accountable and post yummy recipes. To inspire and be inspired by others. To keep me accountable and my team mates. I was hoping to just have a small group from my area. We could work together. Wasn't doing it for the money. I'm from a small home town and the last thing I want to do is step on toes of my friends that are fitness coaches, coaches that I do admire but just can't find the time to drive to town to do the classes. This is why I love beachbody, i can do it all at home. I am very passionate about health and fitness. March-October is our season to make money with our business. November to February I have time on my hands. However, I am finding that the coach I am dealing with is extremely pushy and unless your in it for the Big picture or $$$ your a nobody, because she just doesn't have time for people who can't put there family and business aside. My family is my priority and I don't need beachbody to help me support it. Also, I'm not a selfie person, I personally hate taking selfies, so why should that matter...I'm pretty sure they don't need to see my face on a daily basis. REALLY!!! So my question to you is when you decided to leave beachbody coaching was there any penalties and how did you go about it. Thanks for giving me somewhere to ramble, because this is consuming me negatively these days. How can something that you love and advocate, make you question what you are doing?
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    • Hey Jodi! I totally get it. I also really love the products and am passionate about sharing them, but when it came to actually selling them, I just couldn't do it. I don't think there's anything wrong with that though. You can still be passionate about something but find that it just doesn't fit your personality (at least that's how I felt). There weren't any penalties for me stopping my coaching account and it was a pretty easy process. Whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck!
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  64. I just signed up as a coach a few months ago. Love the workouts. I'm about to throw in the towel because like you, I don't spend my time posting on socia medial all day everyday. I just can't. Not me, and I don't have the time. The thing that gets me is in order to stay active you basically have to drink shakeology which even at the discount is ridiculously expensive! I've been drinking it and I know it's full of healthy ingredients but it has not been a miracle product for me like so many claim. If I didn't have to pay so much to be a coach I would continue because I do like helping people and sharing my journey and heathy lifestyle but not to the point where I am told to be successful I should be posting 3 times a day and reaching out to everyone on my friends list. No way would I do that! My up line coach was my neighbor and makes A LOT of money. She's also on social media ALL day. I was hesitant but gave it a shot but at $113 a month, and im maybe making $15-50$ here and there, not worth it for me.
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  65. You said it best. I also enjoy the workouts and shakeology wasn't terrible, but I have no desire to sell, sell, sell. It is systematic; I see the same formulated post from a BB coach in SC that I see in Guam. I get asked all the time and though I respect their efforts I have no desire to coach.
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  66. I am right there with you. I am currently a beachbody coach. I actually feel like I am loosing money. It seems like no one I know is even remotely interested in what I do. So why am I wasting money? I really first started doing this to better myself any way. I am a single mom with three kid, and like you I would rather spend time with them than blogging! You really got me thinking and gave me some insight on whats important, thank you!!!!!
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  68. I probably am breaking the record for BB Coach quitting time- I signed up to "Coach" a month ago, and OMG I can't stand it. Seriously, I thought it would be fun, but no.. I'm being annoying, my friends can NOT afford the challenge packs or really anything on my site. I can't stand how my "Coach" is constantly breathing down my neck about my posts and saying how I should have deleted a friend of mine's comment and how I'm my own brand and blah blah blah. Like, I'm sorry but I like my friends and what she said was true! She can buy 21 day fix knock off containers at walmart for 9 bucks! Sorry for the rant I am just so sick of the whole mentality. Sure, some coaches become super successful and yeah they earned it but it isn't for everybody. I'm losing money if I continue and I would rather just try to save a little money from my day job. It's a very driven business and basically they do not care if people can't afford it, as long as your "Coach" ends up making money at the end of the day that's all they care about is if they make money off of you and your recruits. That's my take, and as of next week, I am so DONE with Team Beachbody. I do love the programs and will still buy those from time to time, but as for TBB, DONE!
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  69. Thank you for writing this! Technically, I'm currently a Beachbody Coach, but lately I just haven't wanted to do it, and your post about the reasons why you didn't want to anymore, are pretty much mine. I don't want to sell to people, and I remember saying that to my coach when she was signing me up. I told her I've done things like this before, and I am not into sales. She said that was totally fine because, "it's not sales...you're helping people." But I was hoping for some advice on how to handle this. She's my friend and I don't want to lose her friendship but I don't know how to get her off my back and stop sending me IM on FB about when I'm going to get Shakeology back and have I been working on messaging ppl, etc. How do I get her to understand that I am not interested in doing this anymore? It seems like every time I try to tell her why I'm not working on it she has a rebuttal to make me think I shouldn't quit.
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    • Heather, with all due respect, if you are truly friends with her, she will happily understand that you tried, but it's not for you. I don't expect her to throw you a goodbye party, but honestly, how can she hold this against you? She shouldn't be pestering you about when you get Shakeology back - to me that sounds like shes missing the volume from your Shakeology, not that she wants to help you. I hope you don't mind me saying that, I am a Coach myself and I totally get it, but if I had an upline who was being that forceful about it, not only would I question their intention, but I would question our friendship, too. I don't sell, myself. I make almost zero money off of Beachbody - I guess one would label me a discount coach, as I do love my Shakeology and how it helps me keep my Diabetes under control. I do this for the connection - I love connecting with others. That's what its about!
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    • @Heather "it's not sales...you're helping people." Yeah - I was told that too. Honestly it was my Zumba instructor turned "friend" who talked me into coaching. I ended up doing a free BOD trial and being in an accountability group and that's pretty much all I knew. BB was coming to the UK and my "friend" was all keen. She had done her research and chosen a team and was very enthusiastic. I'm a nutritionist and I was enjoying doing the workouts (still do) and the recipes, support and resources available and thought this would be a good addition to what I can offer to my clients. Next thing I know my I'm having zoom calls every other day with somebody or other, telling me I needed to be going to coach university every day and doing this and doing that. Frankly it was a lot to take in, in such a short span of time, and I said this to my "friend's" upline coach. And she was horribly rude to me saying - Well you just don't want to do it. No - all I said was, it's a lot to take in. And in the meantime my "friend" kept talking to my customers (such as they were) behind my back and never quite giving them full disclosure on prices terms etc so when they found out they would complain to me. I was getting all of the hassle and no benefit - and frankly quite a lot of stress. I felt like I was treated like an income stream or a bad employee - not as a friend, a human being, and as someone who was going to "help people". So I'm not saying it's a "scam" but I am saying - be careful who you choose to associate with. I do feel some of the BB coaches out there are really helping people with integrity, but there are a large number out there who are strictly in it for the money. I have cancelled my coaching status for now mainly because I didn't agree with the DT's team ethos nor being treated the way I was treated. So I now have 6 months to sit back and observe who's doing what - and if I choose to go back into coaching again it will be with more thought and open eyes as to who I associate with.
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  70. Not sure how I stumbled across this blog, but I love your honesty. I'm a beachbody coach because I love Shakeology and the workouts. I got as far as Emerald and then my Husband lost his job and we had to make some cutbacks, including his Shakeology order. I never force people to join me, nor do I jam my promotions down people's throats. I suffer with hashimoto's hypothyroidism which is an autoimmune disease so my foods are very limited and I appreciate that the vegan shakeology does not contain SOY which is something I have to avoid like the plague. I agree I don't have any certifications, but I enjoy hearing from people that they are happy to be losing weight and feeling better about themselves. The truth is that if you want to help people then you have to find your "avatar" which is someone who is similar to you - same interests, etc. People don't want to join Beachbody or any other MLM or opp.. .what they want is to join you. So what you need to do as a coach is stop selling and start listening. That's the secret right there. By the way, working for a living is a pyramid scheme.... the CEO, then the VP then everyone under them is in the lower part of the pyramid. Just my views. I'm not selling, just giving my observations.
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  71. This was very insightful. I agree with a lot of others and appreciate how honest and candid you are Courtney! Being a personal trainer and someone who has completed a BB program before I have severe reservations about BB. I completed the program a few years ago. After completing the program I will admit at the time I was in the best shape of my life. During the program I started experiencing severe pain in both my knees. I'm confident in saying it was due to the plyo exercises. Now that I've been formally educated and have certification I understand why I was experiencing knee pain. The BB program I was on progressed people too quickly. I was not overweight by any means when I started it. Just wanted more strength and definition. Which I did get, along with severe knee Pain. I then stopped the program. Went to a gym with a trainer. Also found out I was doing a lot of basic movements (i.e. Squats) incorrectly. No doubt this also attributed to my knee pain. And I had a lot of muscle imbalances and mobility issues, again a contributing factor. From my knowledge BB programs don't address any of these. I would guesstimate id maybe recommend BB programs to 15% of people. These are the folks already conditioned and know how to do basic movements with proper form. This was a few years ago. Now I'm in so much better shape and exerpience no pain. The other thing about BB is I fee calling yourself a "Health Coach" with no certification is misleading and unethical. I'm not biased against MLM as I'm also involved in one with a different organization. When you think of a coach a person usually thinks of knowledge and experience. Generally having both is preferable but not always the best. I've seen plaenty of people in the gym who appear in good shape but have horrible form when exercising. I also know people who appear out of shape but are very knowledgable of the human body and know A lot about exercise science. With no certification needed anyone can just sign up and now call themselves a "coach" no experience or knowledge needed. Theis is my educated opinion on BB. I say educated because I can back up my opinion with science and formal education.
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  72. I signed up to be a coach in June, mostly for the discount. And hey, if I could make a few bucks by getting my friends and family to buy workout programs through me - that I've already recommended they try, anyway - why not? I was immediately turned off by one of the team's more successful coaches really pushing the sale of shakeology. She said she wouldn't let customers into her "exclusive" group unless they were using shakeo because otherwise they weren't taking it seriously and investing in themselves.I commented I think putting that money into healthier groceries for the whole family is more beneficial than shakes for ONE person. Needless to say she didn't like that. The only way to really make money is to get people to sign up for that monthly shakeology autoship. I've seen her and other coaches posting how some foods are evil and should never be used. I asked if they were dietitians because while something can be true for one person it doesn't apply to others. She told me I don't know what I'm talking about. Anyway I love the programs, just started Country Heat which is a lot of fun. I stopped shakeology, can't justify the cost. And I'm going to send in my quit notice next week. I'm not cut out for the cutesy, sly sales pitches. I'm not going to friend random people on social media to try and sell them stuff. I'm not going to post "sweaty selfies" and pics of me drinking a shake. My friends and family don't want to spend money, they want to "borrow" my stuff to see if they like it. That's a big no. Done that before and didn't get it back! So yeah, I'm done. I'm glad these stay at home moms have the time, inclination and personality to do this, though I have become much more concerned about some of the information they spew. I tried it, it's not for me. Another Beachbody coach dropout!
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  73. I found this because I was googling false advertising beachbody after gastric bypass. I don't know how it found this. I'm struggling with what to do about coaches that are sharing a before and after picture to sell this Beachbody product after one of them had gastric bypass surgery. I understand she is using the program to continue to lose the weight as she's lost about 150 pounds but the majority of it came off from the surgery. She never would have gotten to this weight from Beachbody alone, she even has mentioned she tried everything and the weight never came off. I know this person, she tried Beachbody before she had the surgery and it didn't help her then either. So now she is promoting, selling this product claiming the weight came off from just Beachbody. It's incredibly frustrating and false advertising to get sales. She is constantly posting before and after pics, her coach is doing the same, and more are copying the picture and doing the same, not one person mentions she had surgery. And some of these coaches are Elite coaches, my good friend was pictured up on the wall at the Nashville party last month. It's false advertising to get sales and it's making me crazy to see them all continually posting this. Does anyone agree with me and think I should contact Beachbody? I'm so confused what to do.
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    • That is frustrating, but each person's story is different. I know several people who have lost over 100 pounds WITHOUT surgery, and because of BB programs. It's up to you if you want to report them or not, but know that there are others out there who truly have accurate B&As.
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      • I understand others profiles are accurate and have lost the pounds without BB. She did not, she has now lost a total of 175 pounds in one year and only raves about it being from BB, nothing mentioned about also having gastric bypass surgery. That's not ok in my book. If I saw her and the weight she's lost thinking she did it alone on BB, I'd want to sign up too. They don't have any other customers in their group that has lost the large sum of weight she has so they continually keep posting her before and after pics with a big long blurb about her doing it from BB. Wrong? I think yes.
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        • Yes I would agree with you. She should be more transparent about her combo of the surgery and BB! I'm frustrated that she's showing a false image. :/ I'm just relieved that my team doesn't operate like that.
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  74. I'm happy that you are continuing to focus on you! Am really disappointed to hear about your experience with "sell sell sell" though. I'm sure each team is different, but I work with a top 10 team that is focused on relationship building, and helping others, not on selling. Yes, we do set people up with programs and Shakeology, but you won't find us pushing product like other network marketing companies. Just sad to hear that you had a bad experience! <3
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  75. I just signed up as a coach, but after years of working at various gyms as a certified group fitness instructor. Their programs do work, but I did not do it to only sell their programs and products, I actually want to make a difference and help people while getting paid sometimes as well. We will see how it goes, but no one is the same in this community.
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  77. This is so how I feel about being a beachbody coach....I'm struggling with it and have been for awhile with the business side of it. I love the products toy believe in them. They really do work but Hate the sales side of it and the pushing. I am so not that person. I won't go into a store because pushy salespeople!! Thank you for writing totally sums up how I am feeling!
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  78. I am also a BB Coach with the same struggle...awesome coach and team, but I work full time at a job I do love and really need to focus on...most of my team members do BB full time as their job or part time as SAHM. I have two younger kids and my coach can't seem to understand that I work 9-5 and then head home and the kids need my full attention from 5-8. Then my hubby needs my time. I don't ever feel like I have time to post even once daily on social media...try once a week. I mean my kids swim in the dog water dish or make some terror in the split 10 seconds that I use the toilet...so posting on social media while caring for them is not happening. But I do love helping people and so I feel like I will be a quitter if I quit. After watching my mom get sick from her job and pass away...I try to eliminate all extra stress and lately my real job is good stress while BB is guilty stress...guilt that I don't have time to devote to it. I feel like it can be a great thing when in a good team with people who put the person before the money even if they are doing it is a business, but it makes a big difference which life phase one is in. If I my kids were older, or out of the house...I would be all on fire for this maybe.
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    • I am kind of in the same boat, except I am a single mom who works full time outside of the home. Most of the BB coaches I know who are actually making money at this are SAHM who have the comfort of a husband's income to help them out while they grow their business (and also someone to help with the kids so that they can get those workouts in, etc.) or they are married/single people who don't have children. My days sometimes start at 4am and I sometimes am not even home until nearly 5pm. Once home, there is homework, dinner, showers, hopefully some quiet quality time before starting all over again the next day. I am lucky if I even have the energy/time for a workout, let alone time to post about it on all my social media accounts which is basically necessary to be successful in this business. Not only that, I am just not into sales. I had heard some women who started using the BB products, got fit, and had tons of their friends and family get interested and TADA they started making money quickly, without having to go through months/years of unsuccessful challenge groups, constantly asking friends to join you and/or try a product. These people are the ones who seem to go Diamond in six months. It took my personal coach TWO YEARS just to become and emerald coach and make enough money to be able to quit her 9-5 job. Even now when she runs challenge groups, she usually doesn't have more than a handful of participants (I know this because I have joined almost every one of them). I REALLY love the workouts. I have purchased a few programs and have enjoyed all of them. But the Shakeology, which is the biggest money maker (and helps you keep up with your own PV so you don't become inactive) does not agree with me. I have a digestive illness and the Shakeology just aggravated it. So my status as a coach is now inactive because without the monthly purchase of Shakeology, I cannot reach the amount of PV each month to stay active. And trying to sell that shake is nearly impossible for me! I had a friends who really loved it, but she said it is just too expensive to buy it every month. Most people tell me flat out it is just too pricey and won't even try it. I am one of those people who hates seeing the IT WORKS and RODAN and BB all over my social media every day. I don't want to see my BB coach friends workouts every day or their Shakeology posts. And I certainly did get sick of being asked to join a challenge group every month. So I certainly cannot be one of those people. I tried! I did create a Facebook page dedicated to my fitness journey and I did get quite a few followers and likes and people cheering me on. But it is so awkward to post workout selfies, especially knowing how many people detest seeing that stuff in their newsfeed on Facebook. And it didn't get me anyone saying they were interested in BB. I am thinking it may be time for me to throw in the towel. After six months, I have had only one friend show any interest, and since buying one program, she has basically said that even though she loves BB, she cannot afford to become a coach/and or buy anymore products from me. I am not successful at sales, and I cannot drink the Shakeology. It is really frustrating because I really wanted this to work out for me. My job is stable at the moment, but in recent months, things haven't been going too well. And I also just want and need more time with my kids. As a single mom, I don't have another income to rely on, so switching jobs or taking a lower paying job just isn't an option. This seemed perfect. I could earn money, be with my kids more, get healthy, and have fun while meeting new people. But I think it just isn't for me. I am going to have to explore other options for work from home opportunities.
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  79. I could've written this - word for word. When I bowed out after my brief attempt the only verbalization I gave to my own coach was - I don't like facebook (or any social media) enough to spend my extra time there when I love my full time and I have two kids and a fiancé to spend my extra time with. Love the works and the shakeo though :)
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  80. I are right, bb offers some really great products... for an individual who wants to buy/try something new for their own personal benefit. It gets wrong as soon as people try to recommend it to anyone else. It may or may not work for u (great if it does) but this whole "coach" mentality and earning income for selling health/nutrition is irresponsible. It's great for a trained professional to use it as a tool.. but that's it. If u truly want to "help" people, get certified. If not, go down to the nearest shelter and donate your time there... bc u are out f your scope of practice.. Sincerely, Common Sense
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  81. I'm not even going to read all the other comments. THANK YOU for posting this. I just cancelled my coach account as well. I have a HUGE problem with how there are so many people acting like they're professionals when they're not. I actually became uncomfortable coaching after I injured myself doing Hammer and Chisel. You can't just correct form through a video and I felt SO uncomfortable selling a program that caused injury. A trained, certified profession can correct your form and tell you what you're capable of doing and CORECCTLY modify a program for you. I have that now. I also (not ashamed to say) have my psychologist who said the containers legit lead to an OCD of sorts over food.Now I don't diet...I eat sensibly, work out regularly and I'm not looking for 3 week results...I'm going for LIFETIME results. That cannot be achieved in 21 days, and if you say it can come back to me in a year. Better yet, stop the containers, and stop revolving the same program and tell me you can. Thank you for being honest without clickbait. <3
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  82. Great post! I stopped doing it when I realized that there literally thousands of other people out there promoting the same products and programs to people all over the internet. Not only that, many of those thousand were WAY better than me at what they did pitching Beachbody and their shake. I didn't stand a chance! Why would someone sign up with me who didn't make dime when they could sign up with someone on Instagram with thousands of followers and was making 6 figures with Beachbody. Sorry...I can't compete with that. I'm out!
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    • I miss you buddy. They just replaced my coach. Thank you Izzy for all your inspiration over the years. Find something else to do where you can continue to inspire others and I'll sign up.
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  83. Interesting post. I know someone locally who invited women to do a "healthy fall crockpot challenge" - I love crockpot cooking so I joined. Very early on I figured out that she was pitching shakeology and to have you sign up to be a client (with her as coach). I didn't continue. As a runner and someone who knows a lot about nutrition, I found the recipes not particularly healthy (oatmeal with bananas and apricots and berries - wow skip the bananas way too many carbs). The workouts were not to my liking either. Anyhow, I even questioned her own particular weight loss claims. I'm still seeing Facebook posts from her and even question her income claims. I've sold beauty products from home before. I know the drill. Recruit recruit recruit. It may be a legit program but certainly not for me. A friend joined a gym and lost a ton of work through hard work and working with legit nutritionists. She went on to get her certification as a trainer and weight loss nutritionist. I also disagreed with her "workout every day" - As a runner I don't run every day. On my off days I may do weights but recovery time is so important. She seemed to have no knowledge about it.
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  84. My friend contacted a bb coach via social media. She suffers fructose malabsorption, has a cpl food alergies, celiac, and peticide hypersensitivity. After mentoning this the bb coach said that shakeology is organic, does NOT contain pesticides, and knows a cpl members who are celiac and swear by shakeology. She then recommended a vegan shake. After reading the label nowhere did it say it is organic, pesticide or gluten free. To add to that there are 2 ingredients in the shake that she said she is allergic to. I personally know a lady who has celiac disease and she fell extremely ill after trying shakeology, due to gluten exposure. It sickens me that this coach can give such advice to someone, and could care less about the well being of another human being, and cared more about getting the sale. These people prey on the vulnerable who pretty much want to hear what they want, and do anything to lose weight. There is a lot worse to the bb story than what you speak.
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  85. They did an experiment recently where 15 random bb coaches were contacted. The person doing the contacting claimed to have several health deficiencies, physical and mental, as eell as some food allergies that were present in all shakeology products. 100% of these coaches pursued a sale, not one of them suggested seeking a doctor's recommendation before continuing. The main goal was...to get the $$$. This is truly disguisting, I equate these people to your self-proclaimed psychic medium who preys on the weak and vulnerable and tells them what they want to hear, so they can get paid. They are screwing with people's health and emotions for personal gain. Their sincerity when they say they want to help people is the same as a person in an interview at a fast-food chain, ssying they want the job because they want to help people. They don't want to help people, they want to get paid.
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  86. Ask yourself this, Would your Doctor prescribe a beachbody program, put you on meal replacement shakes and recommend workout videos to mimic in your living room, all follwed by the advice of a "coach" on your shoulder who probably doesn't know what the ×××× they are talking about? Did you even consult your Dr? If you truly care about your health and what's right for your body most of you won't be using the products/programs. For those who are using it for other motives besides what I mentioned, BB isn't going to fix your true problem by weighing a certain amount and looking a certain way in the mirror at the end of the day. You could be damaging yourself more in the longrun.
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  87. You seem to take a very passive approach to the issue. The reason u quit bb is really because u aren't a salesperson, but kudos to everyone else who is making it work. There is so much danger with the way it is structured. Unqualified people providing recommendations and advice about health and nutrition is unethical. For anyone to undermine this in any way is truly irresponsible. To tell people that they are living a healthy life by drinking meal replacements and mimicing workout videos is disturbing.
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  88. The whole bb coach image promotes body shaming. Before/after pics, selfies galore, vanity, spiels about how much confidence they have gained in their journies, the usual. All of this reflects poor body image. First off the whole process of drinking meal replacement shakes, food portions, and dvds is not a healthy lifestyle for any everyday person to utilize in a Dr's eyes. People generally do it as a wuick fix to look good, not be healthy. Also by showing your confidence and feeling self worth by having a nice body actually doesn't do anything for your self esteem... it is just a mask. People with self worth are confident wether they have a "beachbody" or not. It is not contingent upon the way their body looks. It's like someone being bullied for having a big nose. Instead of the person accepting it and loving themselves for who they are, they go and get plastic surgery to shrink their nose...then feel worthy because they have "normal" nose. They gave into the problem, instead. Most people with these fit bodies look unnatural anyway, honestly it says a lot about a person who invests so much time into such irrelevant stuff. Body worshipping is so weak. If u really didn't care what others thought most wouldnt even be using bb.
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    • Yep, I see it all the time. An already thin girl starts beach body posting before and after a making everyone else feel bad because she thought she was fat in the first one and how much they’ve “transformed” In 2 months. It’s tiring and It’s so cookie cutter. Everyone is bio individual and needs different workout and nutrition. I totally agree with what you’re saying.
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  89. Horrible blog. You clearly missed what BB is about. Peer support. Not professional. You lose credibility when you bash what was not a fit for you. This company and it's coaches saved my life and many others. For the record. I am a registered nurse a health coach and a fitness professional in charge of training all of our company instructors. A 6 month minimum process. A guess a mom of two would have all the credibility in the world. Like I said. Awful blog.
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    • Well hello, Ann! Thanks so much for your feedback. It sounds like BB has been amazing for you, and that's great! If you actually read the post thoroughly, then you should have also picked up that I, too, LOVE the BB programs. I think they're wonderful. I don't think there's any credibility to be lost, however, if I'm sharing that being a coach wasn't a good fit for ME. Just a mom of two sharing her personal experience. Again, as I said above, there are some amazing coaches out there who are doing awesome things, and hey, maybe you're one of them? So best of luck to you. Thanks so much for stopping by.
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      • What a classy response Courtney. Ann went low and you went high :). There was nothing in your post that made you lose credibility in my eyes. It was actually very complimentary to BB while still being authentic. This post was an excellent, honest and well thought out illustration of your personal experience. Thank you for this blog and for creating a platform for people to express themselves freely in the comments section. I've noticed that you have really touched many BB Coaches who are feeling the same way that you did. Great work lady. :)
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      • I have minimal interest in Beachbody whatever. But I ended up because y'know, the internet. I'm so impressed and inspired by how you handled the above posted comment. I read it a few days ago and just kept thinking: that is how I need to remember to deal with situations like that. So, I just had to come back and comment. Thanks!!
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    • Ann, what does being a registered nurse have anything to do with bb? So because bb has worked for u and some others, this is an awful blog? And u coach people? That is scary.
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  90. Thanks for this post. I'm new to health and wellness blogging world. I thought about being a BB coach but I'm not a salesperson either. I'd rather blog and sell my own expertise than a product😊
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  91. I simply do not trust bb coaches. I reached out to a handfull of them, and with my health conditions I felt all 5 of the coaches I spoke with about it completely dismissed my concerns and were more focused on trying to get me to sign up. Honestly I hold a car salesman higher than these coaches. At least at the end of the day if I get conned into a bad car deal, I paid too much for a car. When dealing with 100% of my bb coach experiences, at the end of the day these people are f××king with my health and safety. Shame on you people
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  92. I discovered someone I know is a bb coach via fb. She sold her home in the city and with her equity bought a fully renovated home with all the bells and whistles in a smaller town. Her recent photo is of her new top of the line gas stove, with her beautiful expensive cabinetry and marble coutertop surrounding it. She added a header to to the photo saying "does anyone know how to clean a gas stove??" If she really wanted to know how to clean a gas stove she would google it or call the manufacturer.... problem solved. If she was being vain and just wanted to show off her new stove she would just post "I love my new stove". However what we have is a dishonest - vain showoff.... and a simple-minded one I might add. She just proved that she was trying to deceive people by pretending to wonder how to clean this stove - but anyone with half of a mind knows her true motive. This may serve as such a small issue, but she is influencing many vulnerable people who are trying to lose weight. Do u want a dishonest, materialistic person, with no form of education - with a motive for money; advising u on health and fitness? It makes me ill to think that people think they have the right to "coach" people on health and fitness, with no formal training.
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  93. Today my bb coach posted that she is "getting those endorphins and dopamine doing their thing, the nerd in me loves and appreciates the science behind exercise" under a video of her work out session in her yard. For someone who actually knows a thing about science and neurotransmitters my coach just did what I call, a social flop. If she even cared about the science behind it, or is as "nerdy" as she says, it doesn't take long to discover that there is no proof of this and she is actually misusing the terms, resulting in just embarrasing herself. The self-realization I had today is that her followers believe her nonsense, becaue they want to. I think I may find another mentor.
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  94. Years and years ago, while on vacation in Kauai, I watched a B.B. infomercial, and was intrigued enough to purchase the DVD' only. I still use one of the 5. My health program is my own, and has been for forty years. I am ok with BB but all the fluff on the side isn't for me. I use weights, resistance, yoga-strength, stretching, and I walk 4-6 miles every day. Getting in shape never ends, and changing up my personal program depends on the changes in my life. Having babies slowed me, work and home stresses slowed me, but I kept moving forward, not to have some amazing body but to stay healthy for as long as I can. If anyone is not where they want to be in regards to a healthy lifestyle, I have one thing to say: 'It took a long time to get to where you're at, and it takes a long time to get out of it. One day at a time.
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  95. The thing with bb is that their own information is flawed/misleading and people (customers or coaches) will just believe what they want either to lose weight or make money. For example the Beachbody Canada faq section answers a question if shakeology is certified gluten free. The answer is " Shakeology is not certified gluten free. Although Shakeology is made with gluten-free ingredients, all Shakeology formulas are in a manufacturing facility that also processes known allergens such as soy, milk, egg, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts and wheat (gluten) ingredients. While our manufacturing procedures follows strict, required FDA Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), which include immediate cleaning and breaking down of equipment after every production batch and proper air filtration systems as precautionary measures, the possibility of cross-contamination can never be 100% eliminated, therefore we are required by the FDA, to include a warning that addresses this." This answer is very misleading as all manufacturers have to adhere to gmp standard, wether their product is gf or not. Next, the fda doesn't even apply to Canada.. it applies to the U.S. Canada has their own food and drug regulation - it isn't fda. Also, the fda does not require a warning label (this is false). This falls under an "avisory" label, and these labels are purely voluntary. Actually, Shakeology doesn't even have to be certified to carry a "gluten free" label. As long as cross contamination can remain under 20 ppm (parts per million) shakeology is freely allowed to label it without hassle or expense of a certification or strict regulation. The difference between a gf claim and a certified gf claim is that the certified group has to contain 10ppm or less, and the product has to be frequently inspected by a licenced inspector...which is expensive. But even the certified gf groups don't require a dedicated gf facility to earn a gf certification. My question is..... why don't all shakeology labels contain this gf label, if their standards are the same that they try to convince? Probably because their product ISN'T legally gluten free and they know it - meaning the amount of exposure it is susceptible to at the facility isn't safe enough for most of those who are celiac. The trouble is that there are so many celiacs out there (or no celiacs even), willing to risk their health all in the name of dieting. They hear other celiacs are using it and have no issues, then they try it and tell others, and so on. Many aren't even celiac and have no issue telling a celiac that it is safe or works great for those who are. But they don't bother to see or think about the other celiacs who are being affected by it negatively... i wonder why? All it takes is a little research to get the right info. We aren't talking about hot dogs here, we are talking about a lawfully labelled dietary supplement. It targets a fragile demographic that deals with people's health. A little proper research would be the responsible thing to .do
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    • To add: If you are a celiac and try shakeology once, twice, or 20 times, and it doesn't affect u negatively; that doesn't exempt it from being unsafe for your health. All it takes is ordering 1 more package that's ingredients had a little more exposure than the last at the facility or during the seperation process prior to the facility.... if u want to gamble with your health, fine (but pls reconsider) ..but for God sakes don't mess with other people's.
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  96. I enjoyed reading your post. I became friends with a coach and she became my coach and I became a coach to get shakeology cheaper. Workouts I found hard to do with hypothyroidism. I know they have helped but I am not a cardio person because my muscle metabolism is so poor. I Lao started rock climbing and that what really helped me become fit and drop inches. Now I am no longer friends with my coach and I stoped shakeology. Beach body ruined my friendship with her because she was so obsessed and ridged. W ate dhelp planning workouts that were systems and not cardio. She also wasn't understanding of my disease. Soap opera done. Question though is did you use their recharge? I liked it and am trying to find a similar product. Vega sports protein is looking good so far. I am using garden of life protein and I really like it.
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  97. Chalene Johnson from PIYO just made fun of #metoo on her snapchat last night! I thought Chalene Johnson was a person who empowered people not make light of things like the #metoo situation. This is why I am NOT A BBCOACH NOW! https://twitter.com/lacy0067/status/925261191462768640
    Reply

  98. This post was SO refreshing to read. I was a Beachbody Coach back in 2015 for about 7-8 months. I quit because I hate being pushy, I am NOT a cold sales marketer, I HATE fake people (those that message you "hey girl" as if they're really interested in your post, etc but they're 100% not), and the market was WAY over saturated. Most of the people I reached out to where ALREADY COACHES! (how crazy). Or already had a coach, etc. And I had a fitness group on fb, which was awesome- but I ended up NOT selling anything bc I genuinely wanted to help people- so I was giving out free advice based off of my dance career and I was a fitness instructor already and most of these girls wanted circuit workout programs and style that beachbody didn't offer! HAHA. It was also hard to balance with my dance career at the time too. I LOVE the beachbody workouts for myself, and I LOVE Shakeology, truly. So much so that I've considered going back to beachbody, but for myself- like you mentioned,f or the discount. And for the products I do love, I'd just post affiliate links on my blog. This is SO not the "beachbody way" but, I figure, if I still believe in the product and can get a discount for myself, why not post some affiliate links? If I get a few purchases because these people read my reviews are GENUINELY interested- super!! But I'm not trying to push them to order anything. I'm a certified fitness instructor in fun things like Zumba and Barre, I am in no way a Personal Trainer. I took some anatomy, nutrition, and physical therapy classes for fun in college- but I am in no way certified. I agree with the others on this post- your beachbody coaches are usually out of shape, which is a turn off because why would anyone who wants to build muscle take advice from someone who doesn't have muscle? Well same thing, why would anyone want to purchase a nutrition product from me if I'm not a nutritionist. So, hey, I'll leave at the links and give my background with a disclaimer that these certain programs work for me- but they are not everyone, purchase at your own risk. But, that was a long rant. I just wanted to say- I 100% respect your choice! It was the EXACT SAME CHOICE I made when I left. There comes a point in your life when you're starting a family and your just over posting certain things on social media, let alone being on it all the time. Life is about family- you made an excellent chocie!
    Reply

  99. This post was SO refreshing to read. I was a Beachbody Coach back in 2015 for about 7-8 months. I quit because I hate being pushy, I am NOT a cold sales marketer, I HATE fake people (those that message you "hey girl" as if they're really interested in your post, etc but they're 100% not), and the market was WAY over saturated. Most of the people I reached out to where ALREADY COACHES! (how crazy). Or already had a coach, etc. And I had a fitness group on fb, which was awesome- but I ended up NOT selling anything bc I genuinely wanted to help people- so I was giving out free advice based off of my dance career and I was a fitness instructor already and most of these girls wanted circuit workout programs and style that beachbody didn't offer! HAHA. It was also hard to balance with my dance career at the time too. I LOVE the beachbody workouts for myself, and I LOVE Shakeology, truly. So much so that I've considered going back to beachbody, but for myself- like you mentioned,f or the discount. And for the products I do love, I'd just post affiliate links on my blog. This is SO not the "beachbody way" but, I figure, if I still believe in the product and can get a discount for myself, why not post some affiliate links? If I get a few purchases because these people read my reviews are GENUINELY interested- super!! But I'm not trying to push them to order anything. I'm a certified fitness instructor in fun things like Zumba and Barre, I am in no way a Personal Trainer. I took some anatomy, nutrition, and physical therapy classes for fun in college- but I am in no way certified. I agree with the others on this post- your beachbody coaches are usually out of shape, which is a turn off because why would anyone who wants to build muscle take advice from someone who doesn't have muscle? Well same thing, why would anyone want to purchase a nutrition product from me if I'm not a nutritionist. So, hey, I'll leave at the links and give my background with a disclaimer that these certain programs work for me- but they are not everyone, purchase at your own risk. But, that was a long rant. I just wanted to say- I 100% respect your choice! It was the EXACT SAME CHOICE I made when I left. There comes a point in your life when you're starting a family and your just over posting certain things on social media, let alone being on it all the time. Life is about family- you made an excellent chocie!
    Reply

  100. I've never sold any weight loss programs, but I'm tired of being approached by people who do because I'm fat. I just got a friend request from someone I knew years ago and I hoped maybe it was because she likes me or wants to connect for music reasons, but after I accepted I saw she's a Beach Body "coach". I'm now awaiting her sales pitch in dread. Everyone who sells this stuff: Your fat friends have been approached at least ten times by friends, acquaintances, and relatives who want to sell them weight loss. It doesn't feel like friendship or love. It feels like you ran out of people to sell to. If I ever were interested, I wouldn't know which one of my friends to choose. Definitely not the ones who are obese themselves.
    Reply

  101. Speaking of these accountability groups, and the "positive" side of the "support groups" in beachbody. Why does it happen only through beachbody? How many "coaches" will offer their support if they weren't associated with a monetary benefit at the end of it? How many will offer their support and motivation without representing a company?
    Reply

  102. Speaking of these accountability groups, and the "positive" side of the "support groups" in beachbody. Why does it happen only through beachbody? How many "coaches" will offer their support if they weren't associated with a monetary benefit at the end of it? How many will offer their support and motivation without representing a company???
    Reply

    • That is absolutely true! Some of the people I feel bad for, they join because they WANT to help and then people take advantage of their niceness and they never end up truly selling any products nor making money. Others are only "helpful" by being really pushy, and the moment that person doesn't buy anything they drop them. Or WORSE they "invest in them", a fake friendship where they feign interest in this person's lives only for the hope of a future sale....which to me, is disgusting
      Reply

  103. Hello I see reviews all the time that the workouts are great. The Shakes get mixed reviews, but even if you like them you can get all the ingredients at a local suppplement shop or online for much less. My biggest compliant is how the coaches treat people on social media. Friending anyone with a faint connection on social media for the explicit purpose of selling something is not only tacky, it’s cruel.
    Reply

  104. Thanks for the refreshing candidness Courtney, but you are good at selling yourself. In fact if you try to hard to sell yourself you achieve the opposite effect and I can totally relate to your reasons, heck Ishare them! Who wants to tell others what they want when it's better to just be yourself. Great looking family too, love the blog.
    Reply

  106. I agree with everyone's assessment of the idea that unqualified people should not be giving personalized health and fitness advice in a professional setting. However, Beachbody is basically a multi-level marketing (mlm) scheme that seeks to recruit more coaches (the coaches are the real target), sell supplements, and at the very least provide motivation/support and general fitness information (basics) to anyone that chooses not to be a coach. Soon, the upper level coach will motivate the person to become a coach themselves (the MLM angle.) This hook might be ego-based, financial,-based it could be anything....so that's the truth of the matter....a scheme no different than AVON or Amway, except applied to the health and fitness industry.
    Reply

  107. Thanks for this post! I've been feeling burned out at my full time corporate job and I've been thinking about getting into something like this - just as a supplement. Something different to look forward to / do so that my "day job" isn't all I have going for me ... but I have the same questions/concerns that you brought up. I don't know if I can sell myself, or FEEL like I'm selling myself. And I don't want to bombard instagram with a bunch of "spammy-seeming" (maybe) posts when they're already all over the place. You gave me some stuff to think about ... still on the fence, maybe I'll try it for a few months? Who knows. Thanks again!
    Reply

  108. Nice! The information I got through this blog has really helped me in understanding this topic. After seeing many of the coaching guides and recommended sales strategies, and then seeing others posting things that were basically textbook to what they tell you to do, it just started to turn me off more and more. Thanks for sharing such an informative blog.
    Reply

  109. I as a registered holistic nutritionist am weary about “health coaches” from mlm centers. Not to offend anyone but they do not have the education to back Up their coaching... nutrition is complex and involves knowing anatomy, physiology , chemistry, safe supplementation etc. And I find it weird that someone without education can just coach people (and even weirder people pay them). I know people that have worked out for 2 months and become “health coaches” and I gotta say that’s a bit dangerous as they jsut don’t have the knowledge to really know what they’re taking about. I do also find that these programs Are focused on buying only their products and selling selling selling for the people at the top
    Reply

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