My Take On Piyo - Yay or Nay

Let me tell you, working out is no easy feat for me. I despise cardio, I hate weight lifting. Exercising is boring, demotivating, and too strenuous. I have major difficulty keeping up with any workout routine and can only make it about ten minutes before I am so out of breath, I have to stop. I always want to lose weight, but I can’t seem to stick to any sort of exercise program. Not to mention, I lose all motivation when I don’t see results instantly. I know that is not realistic, but that is just how my mind works.

So, after years of failing to accomplish more than a week of working out, I was almost ready to quit for good until I stumbled across one program that had me intrigued. It’s called Piyo and it is a combination of pilates and yoga. Beachbody advertised Piyo as using your own body weight to sculpt your body into a leaner, fitter version. There are no weights required, no jumping, and starts out slow only to build over the last month of the program rather than jumping right into an intense routine (like Insanity). For someone like me, this sounded perfect.

I must say, I was really impressed. As promised, the routines were very low impact, however, I was still working up a decent sweat. There was no jumping around or flailing about, rather slow, controlled movements that forced my muscles to work continuously. There are also beginner, intermediate, and advanced moves demonstrated during each workout which allows the user to continue to use the program as their abilities begin to increase.

My favorite part about Piyo is Chalene Johnson. She is incredibly motivating, yet very understanding of the fact that not every viewer is able to do the moves shown. She’s constantly offering words of encouragement and telling the viewer to modify the moves if necessary.

As she says in one of the workouts, “It’s ok if you can’t do this now, you have to have somewhere to go, right?” This is my mantra. I sometimes feel extremely frustrated if I can’t mimic the workouts. However, Chalene reminding me that I need to have a goal to work towards makes my mistakes and inabilities seem like stepping stones on the path of mastering Piyo. It is definitely refreshing to not have a drill sergeant-like host in a workout program.

In addition to the workouts, there is an included meal plan. This plan is similar to the 21 Day Fix, only it’s a bit more restrictive on carbs and sugars. This is due to the fact that you are participating in lower intensity workouts compared to the 21 Day Fix. It’s important to follow this meal plan as closely as possible to have the best possible results at the end of the 60 days. If you follow the plan and do the workouts, you will see results! That’s the best part! There’s no guesswork or fear that you are spending money on something that may or may not work. It is guaranteed to work. Unlike diet pills or wraps, the control is in your hands. Follow the program, get results. It really is that simple.

Overall, Piyo will build up your strength, increase your flexibility, tone your muscles, and help you lose weight. It is a 60 day program with the first month being easier while building up to a more intense second month.

My Results

I actually had several goals going into the first month of Piyo. I wanted to increase my flexibility (I hadn’t been able to touch my toes since the third grade.), increase my strength/stamina so that I could progress to a more intense program, and (the most important one for me) lose weight. Well, I have successfully achieved all of these results.

Within the first month, I was once again able to touch my toes (but I couldn’t hold them for more than a couple of seconds), I was able to do the pushups and upper body routines completely, and I lost 13 lbs. This weight loss meant that I shaved off inches: 2 inches off of my waist, 2 inches around my bum, an inch and a half off of each leg, and a half inch off of each arm. For me, that is pretty amazing. I’ve never been able to lose that kind of weight.

Now, I stopped drinking Shakeology during the second month and noticed a decrease in the swiftness of my progress. It is so important to get the proper nutrition. However, even though I wasn’t able to maximize my results during the last month, I still managed to lose an additional seven pounds. That’s a total of 20 lbs lost on Piyo! I am proof that Piyo and Shakeology are the real deal.

I must admit, if it wasn’t for my coach, I don’t think I would have had the self-control to be as successful as I was. She kept me motivated and helped me get back up mentally when I was feeling like I was failing. She reminded me to do my workouts and drink my Shakeology, which is so helpful for someone like me. That is why I want to offer you the same.

(Just a reminder, by purchasing through the below links, you will be getting me as your coach. I’ll be there with you every step of the way and help keep you motivated and accountable.)

If you are interested in trying out Piyo, you can check it out here. If you are wanting to try Piyo as well as Shakeology, then click here. That will take you to the challenge pack where you can get Piyo at a discount by purchasing it in conjunction with Shakeology. You'll save yourself $50. Also, once you have completed the program, you get to submit your results to Beachbody which will enter you into a contest to win cash prizes! Just for submitting, you will get a free Piyo t-shirt. Pretty neat!

Now, let’s get started!

As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me!

So, Shakeology. Is it a scam?

If you are familiar at all with Beachbody, then I'm sure you have heard about Shakeology. For those of you that haven't, this is the company's protein/meal replacement/nutrition shake designed to supplement the workout programs and provide maximum results. Or, at least, that is how it is advertised. They also like to say that it "tastes like a dessert, but it's the healthiest meal of the day." It is advertised on every Beachbody workout program from the 21 Day Fix to Insanity. The real question is, does it actually work or is this just another fitness scam?

Let me start off by explaining that I am not a nutritionist nor am I an expert in anything medical related. Also note, that when I tried Shakeology, I did it because I had heard nothing but glowing reviews about it's benefits and taste. I had also watched my niece's amazing transformation (post baby) which she attributed to Shakeology and the 21 Day Fix. I was not a coach at the time, I actually signed up for the discount. More on that later. I just want to make it clear that this is my own personal experience with Shakeology.

What's in Shakeology?
Here's the crazy thing, it's actually pretty difficult to find the nutrition label on the Shakeology website. When you click on the ingredients section, it lists general categories (protein, fiber, hunger blockers, etc.), but it doesn't actually give you a listing of ingredients. However, in a few of their ads on the workout programs (specifically Piyo), it starts to list out a lot of ingredients that it contains and the cost associated with purchasing them individually (you know, if you wanted to make the shake on your own).

I finally found a nutrition label, I posted it to the left. It includes over 74 ingredients all with particular claims associated with them. I'm not going to go into too much detail about each (you can google further if you are curious), but the list is overall impressive. All of these ingredients are known to have some benefit when consumed. There's far more ingredients in Shakeology than most other similar shakes. I would say, you are getting your money's worth.

I do highly recommend looking the ingredients list over if you have any sort of allergy or dietary restriction. I have some gastrointestinal issues and it was recommended that I try the vegan shakes first and start off with half a serving to see how it would affect me. I usually have an issue with these kind of shakes and supplements, so I tried it this way first. I was surprised with how it didn't cause my situation to get worse. It actually helped. I switched over to the non-vegan shakes and had better results, digestive-wise.

How about those claims?
I really only want to address three claims made by Beachbody about Shakeology. The first of which is weight loss. They don't claim that this is a weight loss drink, but that it can help aid in weight loss by acting as a meal replacement and provided the nutrition your body needs to function properly. Originally, I was skeptical. After all, I had been pulled in by Juice Plus before and found it didn't work as claimed. I also found that It Works is nothing but a scam. However, I gave it a shot on my 30 challenge.

I do want to make a little side note here. They advertise Shakeology as a meal replacement shake on it's own, however, I disagree with this. It only contains 160 calories, which is definitely not enough to be a meal. The very least a meal replacement shake should be is around 250 calories. When you are already on a calorie deficit (in my case, from following the weight loss meal plan included with the Piyo program), it is important to have the proper amount of calories at each meal consistently throughout the day. So, I always mixed my Shakeology with other foods to increase the calorie content and improve the flavor (more on the flavor later).

So, continuing on the previous topic, I drank Shakeology everyday for thirty days while doing the scheduled Piyo workouts six days a week. I was able to lose 13 pounds in the first month! This was absolutely extraordinary to me. I have tried so hard to lose weight for the past three years, and I never seemed to be able to lose more than three or four pounds. 13 was simply mind-blowing. However, I wasn't sure what to attribute my success to. Was it the diet change, the exercise, the Shakeology, or all three?

So, for the last month of my Piyo workout, I actually stopped drinking Shakeology. It was the more intense month of Piyo, so I figured I would continue to see progress without the shake as long as I kept my nutrition in line. Well, my progress actually slowed down. I only lost three pounds in the last month. That was a huge change in momentum from when I was drinking Shakeology. So, in my opinion, yes, Shakeology did make a difference. I don't think it is a weight loss drink the way Slimfast is advertised, but I do believe it allowed me to maximize my results because it worked as a supplement to my workout and diet routine.

The second claim I wanted to briefly address was it's claim to increase energy. I wanted to talk about this one because it is really important to me. I am always feeling like I am in need of energy and find that most things I tried made me crash. However, after a couple of days drinking Shakeology, I was noticing an increase in energy from the time I woke up and it lasted throughout the whole day. It allowed me to have the energy to exercise after work when, normally, I would want to just lay on the couch and rest.

During the time I stopped drinking Shakeology, that extra boost of energy drained away. I wanted to go back to laying on the couch after work. Getting up to exercise became a chore again. Shakeology's claim is spot on for increasing energy.

The last claim I want to speak about is the taste. This is the claim that bothers me the most. They advertise it as "tasting like a dessert." My niece, who is a coach and has been drinking Shakeology for the past three years, swore it was the most delicious thing ever.

Well, my taste buds must be broken, because I must humbly disagree. It does NOT taste like a dessert, at least to me. I tried the Vegan Chocolate, Vegan Strawberry, non-vegan Chocolate, non-Vegan Vanilla, and non-vegan Cafe Latte. That is five out of the seven flavors offered. None of them tasted like a dessert. With as many as 74 ingredients, it's no wonder that it is difficult to mask that vitamin flavor. They don't taste horrible, just not as good as it is advertised.

However, this can easily be remedied by mixing Shakeology with other ingredients. Each flavor comes with a recipe card that contains 30 different recipes. I tried several recipes and I found that I could easily make it taste like a dessert with a little blending. There was one recipe that made the Vegan Chocolate taste exactly like a cinnamon roll (the ingredients in that would surprise you) and mixing fruit with the Vegan Strawberry made it taste like a smoothie.

My favorite flavor wound up being the Cafe Latte. I added a shot of espresso to it and blended it with ice, which is all it needed to boost the flavor enough to make it taste exactly like an iced coffee. Occasionally, I would add a little vanilla or hazelnut extract to give myself some variety. I also found that coffee mixed well with the Vanilla and Chocolate Shakeology.

So, is it worth the price?

A 30 day supply of  Shakeology can run you around $130, if you purchase the bag. If you purchase the individual servings, then you only get 24. It breaks down to about $4.33 a serving. That's less than what I typically spend on Starbucks. However, there is a way to get this for less than $100. More on that in a minute.

I know cost can be the most important factor when it comes to trying something new. Shakeology runs in the middle of the cost scale when looking at shakes with similar benefits and ingredients. The one thing that sets Shakeology apart is the amount of healthy ingredients it contains. You won't find all of the ingredients contained within Shakeology in another shake.

The best part about Shakeology is that it actually works. I tried 30 days with Shakeology and 30 days without, the difference between those two experiences has me convinced that this is the best way to maximize results with a healthy eating plan and workout routine. It's not a miracle pill, it won't make you lose weight alone. However, combining it with a proper diet and consistent workout routine you WILL see results.

The second best part? It comes with a 30 money back guarantee. If you get it, try it out for 30 days, then decide that it's just not working for you, you can get your money back. That's an amazing deal and truly what pushed me over the edge into giving it a shot. However, I didn't need my money back because I had AMAZING results within the first week and they just continued to build over the first month.

A Discount You Say?

Now, there is a way to get Shakeology at a discount. Normally, you would pay $130 for Shakeology, plus about $15 in shipping. That comes to around $145 for a months supply (note that I am rounding). If you want to save a little money, I recommend doing what I did, become a Beachbody Discount Coach! This is honestly your best deal. Not only will you get Shakeology for around $97, you also get a discounted shipping rate of just $2.00! That brings it down to about $3.30 a serving.

Also, you get 25% off of all Beachbody merchandise! That means you can try out any of the programs that Beachbody offers for less! There is also free shipping on some wearable merchandise, and the ability to purchase the seven day sample pack for around $27. This will give you the ability to try all of the flavors and find out which is your favorite before continuing with a full months supply. I know, once you find that flavor you like, you will be hooked on this amazing power drink. It's also fun to play around with ingredients to make some delicious mixes.

As a Discount Coach, you will have the ability to sell Beachbody products, but you don't have to. However, I'm sure as you see results and share them with your fiends and family, they too will want to try out what you are doing. For every item you sell, you earn a nice commission. If you sell Shakeology to three people, your commission will completely cover your own Shakeology. So there is a benefit in selling, but I completely understand if you would rather not and just collect the discount. This is exactly how I started out.

Keep in mind, there is a $40 start up fee. This will cover the cost of start up materials that will be sent out to you. However, there is a way to get this reimbursed. More on that below. Also, there is a $15 a month maintenance fee, but combine that will the other discounts you are receiving and it is still cheaper to signup as a Discount Coach to get your Shakeology and other programs. Below I explain how to get the best deal.

The Best Way to Get the Best Deal

Here is the best plan of action that I recommend. Sign up as a Beachbody Discount Coach. You can do so here. Fill out all of the forms and hit continue. Now, while you are filling these out, you will come across a page that offers a lot of items you can add on. These include samples of other products or promotional materials. I recommend grabbing one of the packs of samples if you are interested in trying more products or interested in selling. If all you want is to try Shakeology and a workout program at a discounted rate, then ignore the items at the top of the list and scroll somewhere near the bottom to find the challenge packs.

As a Beachbody Discount Coach, you are ineligible for Challenge Packs (a combination Shakeology and workout program offered at a discount). This is your last chance to grab one and, the best part, since you are signing up as a Coach, you are getting a discount on the Challenge Pack and you will get your $40 reimbursed. This is the only way to get that fee waived, which is why I recommend this. Choose the workout program you are interested in, then when the option for Shakeology pops up, chose your flavor for that discount. It's that simple.

Why is this the best deal? You get the coach discount on the workout program and Shakeology, a deal on shipping, and the sign up fee waived! Also, for any future purchase, you receive 25% off!

If you have any questions on how to do this, feel free to contact me. I'm always happy to help!

The other deal you can get, without signing up as a coach, is to just purchase the challenge pack. You purchase Shakeology at the normal price, but get a workout program for a discount. For the month of June, they are offering the 21 Day Fix for only $10 with a purchase of Shakeology. You will get the workouts, the set of portion control containers, an awesome shaker bottle, and a months supply of Shakeology! This is what I started with when I tried The 21 Day Fix. You still get the same 30 money back guarantee, but I think you will be happy with your results from the 21 Day Fix. Also, if you purchase it through this link, you will get a bonus workout.

Or, if you want all of the above, plus the 3 Day Kickstart (an excellent way to kick yourself into gear) you and do so here.

If you are interested in the challenge packs, but want to check out Piyo, Insanity, or a different program, check it out here. Remember, by going through these links, you will receive a bonus workout DVD.

A little fun twist to the challenge packs. Once you have completed the challenge, submit your before and after photos to receive a FREE t-shirt! Also, you will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win cash prizes! I love a good contest!

As you can see, from my experience, I can conclude that Shakeology is not a scam. I had amazing results with it and I know you can to. It takes consistency, eating right, and a little exercise and you too will feel great and reach your own personal goals.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

I look forward to sharing my experiences and I hope you will join me on the journey to fitness.

-Dian

A Little About Me!

Welcome to my personal fitness page! I started this blog as an accountability tool in my fitness journey. Along the way, I hope that sharing my personal successes and struggles will help motivate someone into making a life changing decision to get fit and get healthy. I’m not perfect, and I most certainly am not a fitness guru, but I am happy to share what I have found that has worked for me and perhaps it will also work for you! That’s why I decided to become a Beachbody Coach, to help others on their journey to the fit side!

Let me give you a little background about my life and why I chose to make a change. Not long ago, I weighed in heavier than I ever have before. I was avoiding mirrors at all costs, wearing baggy clothing to hide my stomach, and was miserable with my appearance. I had zero energy, I would be out of breath after walking up a flight of stairs or walking a short distance, and I was as flexible as a toothpick. I had no willpower when it came to resisting food, so I was consuming candy and soda every day. I had tried joining a gym, but I hated exercise and found myself feeling faint after a very short amount of time doing moderate exercises. Those attempts never lasted more than a week or so.

Finally, after hearing some very inspirational words from my niece (who is a Beachbody Coach), I decided it was time to make a difference in my life. I was tired of looking at cute clothing, but never purchasing it. I hated looking at the ground anytime I passed a mirror.

I participated in the free fitness challenges my niece was hosting and went from there. I found an amazing fitness program called Piyo. It is a very low intensity, yoga and pilates mix that uses your own body weight to sculpt and tone your body. It’s a 60 day program with the first month being easier and building to more intense workouts in the last 30 days of the program. There’s no jumping, no running, no weight lifting. Instead, it’s constant movement and muscle control that gives you an amazingly effective workout in 40 minutes or less. For someone like me, who hates exercising and can’t keep up with any sort of cardio, it was perfect.

In addition to exercise, it was important to get my nutrition under control. The first step was to throw out all candy and junk food in my house. After all, if it’s not near me, I can’t eat it, right? Then I prepped my meals for the weak in accordance to the meal plan that came included with Piyo. It’s a pretty simple plan, actually. You do a little math to figure out how many calories you should be consuming for your fitness goals, then it will tell you how many of each food group you should consume in a day.

Under each food group, the guide lists what you can consume and how much of each item is considered a portion. There are so many options under each food group which allowed for a lovely variety. The goal is eat five times a day, which helps to keep your sugar levels from dropping. This will keep cravings in check and help to avoid that late afternoon energy drop. My favorite part is that I can have as much coffee and tea as I want, as long as I don’t load it down with sugar.

However, even though I have this amazing guide, I found that it was difficult for me to get in the amount of veggies that I should be eating as well as eating breakfast. Most veggies are my enemy and I really don’t like getting up early to prepare a breakfast. That’s when my coach suggested Shakeology. It is a shake that contains a full days worth of nutrition. They advertise it as being your “healthiest meal of the day” and that it “tastes like a dessert.” Beachbody claims that it can help you lose weight, reduce cravings, and boost energy.

I’ll be honest with you, I was extremely skeptical of these claims. After all, what health or protein shake doesn’t claim all of these benefits? However, I ran across an amazing deal where I could purchase Shakeology and get a fitness program for $10. I couldn’t pass that deal up. I purchased the Vegan Chocolate and Vegan Tropical Strawberry Shakeology combo pack. My coach informed me that if I have a sensitive stomach, sometimes it’s best to start with the Vegan flavors. They contain a rice flour as the base rather than whey protein.

Now, I know Beachbody states that they taste like a dessert, but I have to disagree. If you make just the shake, they still taste like a protein shake, though they are the best tasting shakes I have found so far. However, if you’re like me and don’t particularly care for the flavor, Beachbody includes a handy recipe guide for every flavor. It contains a new recipe every day for a month. I will tell you, there are plenty of recipes that actually do make these taste like a treat rather than something healthy. My favorite for Vegan Chocolate is the Cinnamon Roll recipe and my favorite for the Vegan Strawberry is blending pretty much any fruit into it and having a fruit smoothie.

So, I changed my lifestyle. I started drinking Shakeology every day for breakfast, incorporated a healthy eating plan, and worked out six days a week. What results did I see? I lost 13 pounds in the first month! All I did was eat better and move a little more. I noticed a huge change in my energy levels, I sleep better at night, I can move without getting winded, and I am feeling more confident in myself. I finally touched my toes for the first time since elementary school and I wore a form fitting shirt for the first time in three years. I’m feeling great and I’m looking great!

However, there is one lesson that I have learned on my journey. There is NO magic pill, NO magic wrap, and NO magic shake that will make me lose weight and become fit and healthy. It’s not easy. It takes work and it takes consistency. Shakeology is NOT going to be effective on it’s own. However, it does help maximize your nutrition and nutrition is the real key to fitness.

There are times when I fail. There are times when I miss my workout. I don’t always drink my Shakeology. Sometimes I just crave a piece of chocolate and I let myself have it. And that’s ok. It is perfectly ok to be imperfect. I keep my goals in mind and when I miss a workout or have a cheat meal, I remind myself that it’s about moderation, not deprivation. As long as I consistently hit that play button and keep up my meal plans more often than not, then I WILL see results. And I still am.

I’m currently finishing up the second month of Piyo, then I plan on doing a round or two of the 21 Day Fix. After that, who knows? What I do know is that I am going to continue working towards my fitness goals and keep up with my nutrition. I will continue to share my journey on here in the hopes that someone like me will find the inspiration and motivation to also start their fitness journey.

I have decided to embark on a new path and become a Beachbody coach myself. So if you, or someone you know, is looking to make that first step, make a change, or just try something new, send me a message. I’ll be happy to talk to you further.

If you are interested in sharing your journey with others, send me a message! I’d love to talk with you further about being a Beachbody coach and how you can get involved to help make a change in others lives.

Thank you for listening! I hope you will join me on the journey to the fit side!

-Dian

Side note: Beachbody still offers the challenge packs where you can get a months supply of Shakeology and a fitness program for an AMAZING deal. Message me for the link!