Why Bother with a Beachbody Coach?

I've been asked many times, "What is a Beachbody Coach?" and "Why bother having one?"

Before I answer these, I will begin with a short recap of my initial experiences with Beachbody.

Quite a few years ago, I purchased Insanity and I kept seeing the little ad on the videos to "sign in to the WOWY supergym at beachbody.com."  I finally decided to check it out.  I created my free account and this little pop-up appeared with someone saying hello and asking me if I needed any assistance.  I freaked out and closed it.  HELLO!  I was there to quietly check things out...anonymously.  I didn't need anyone else knowing my fitness goals or how much I weigh.

Later, I also received a couple of emails from this person, introducing herself as my coach and offering assistance.  I ignored these emails.

I started the program...going strong for a few days....then, my kids' activities were getting in the way.  I couldn't work out right after dinner.  Right before bed didn't work, either.  Before I knew it, the dvds were sitting on a shelf and I hadn't even come close to making it half way through them.

Fast forward to February 2014.  This is when I decided that I needed a shorter workout in order to stick with it.  I decided I'd give Focus T25 a shot.  I started actually using the Beachbody site and began interacting with someone who was a coach.  Not only did she help me out, but other people she was coaching helped to push me through getting up each morning to work out and actually get through the program.  This is when I realized that Beachbody Coaches do not have to be these creepy people that pop out at you when you are looking to get back into a fitness routine.

So.....back to the questions....

What is a Beachbody Coach?

Easy.  He or she is a customer, just like everyone else.  We use the Beachbody programs and we like them so much that we want to see other people be successful with them.  We are not here to sell products.  We are here to provide a service.  If you are not sure which program is right for you, we can help.  If you have questions about a program that you are using, we can help.  If you need motivation....you get the picture.....

Why bother having a Beachbody Coach?

This is an easy one.  Unless you are SUPER self motivated, having someone else to support you through a program and hold you accountable for getting your workouts in is the only way to succeed.  It is also nice to be able to ask the little questions that come up, like "I haven't lost any weight in three weeks, what can I do?" or "I can't do ONE pull-up and this workout is full of them, how do I get a workout in when I can't do them?"

What you get from ME as YOUR Beachbody Coach:

Well, as you've already read, I don't like the creepy coach technique.  If you'd like for me to be your coach, I would love to help you in any way that I possibly can.  I will not harass you to buy programs, but I will inform you when new programs come out or when one is on sale.  I will not bug you each day to see if you've completed your workout....unless that is what you WANT me to do.  Everybody is different.  

Some people just want to get their program and be on their way and only have their coach there to answer questions when needed.  I can do that if that is what you are looking for.

Some people want someone to occasionally check in on them.  Maybe they want to check in with a group every once in a while to feel as though they have company through their fitness journey.  This is absolutely doable.

Some people want to be in an accountability group where they have to check in daily throughout their entire program.  This is also an option that we can do.

I am here for what YOU need.

If you currently are not working with another Beachbody coach and would like support from me, click here to join my team and get a free Beachbody account.  If you are interested in becoming a Beachbody Coach, send me a message at momnteach@hotmail.com and we can schedule a time to talk.

Focus T25 - the program that got me BACK into fitness

The purpose of this blog post is to give a general description of FOCUS T25, as well as the opinions and experiences that I had with the program.

General Description

The only thing standing between you and the results you want is TIME.  That's why Shaun T experimented to design a program that delivers the same kind of results you'd expect from an hourlong workout, in under 30 minutes.

FOCUS T25 is a 10-week program split into 2 cycles - ALPHA and BETA - which each last 5 weeks (there is also a 3rd month - GAMMA that is 4 weeks long).  Shaun's pulled out all of the rest, so you get everything you need, nothing you don't.  The name implies the intent:  If you focus your intensity for 25 minutes, and you do it 5 days a week, you WILL get results.

The Workouts

Alpha:

Cardio - This workout is just that....cardio.  It is a good workout that gives you a basic move and slowly ramps it up, then repeats with a new move.  If you can't do as much jumping or some of the moves are tough on your knees, Tania is there to help modify.

Speed 1.0 - This is another cardio workout, but Shaun actually gives you some stretching throughout the workout, just when you really want to stop.  There is a lot of squatting and a lot of hammering on your calves!  Again, Tania is the modifier.

Total Body Circuit - This is definitely a total body workout.  Shaun T keeps you moving throughout the entire 25 minutes, hopping, squatting, jumping an invisible rope, then you are on the floor to strengthen your core and use your upper body.  This was absolutely my LEAST favorite workout for the first four weeks of the program.  It wasn't until the fifth week that I actually enjoyed it....which was a good thing, since it is on the schedule THREE days that week!

Ab Intervals:  This workout WORKS YOUR CORE!  If your shoulders/wrists are not very strong, this workout becomes even more challenging.  I will admit, the first time this workout appeared on the schedule, I spent more time watching the video to see what the heck they were doing more than I actually DID the workout.  It took me quite a while to be able to do more than I watched.  The key here is PROGRESS.  You do what you can and you push yourself and you work to do better each time.

Lower Focus:  Oh YES!  This is focused on your lower body and it WILL BURN.  As with many of these workouts, there are a lot of squats and lunges.  If you have ANY problems with your knees (like me), you need to slow down what you are doing and REALLY watch your form.  When I started, I could not keep up with their pace because my form would suffer, which was not good on my knees.  As weeks moved on, I was able to move faster, but form is SO important in order to avoid injury.

Beta:

Core Cardio:  This is a ramped up Alpha Cardio workout that works your core while you are on your feet.  There is a lot of twisting and lunging while jumping, so, again with the knees....You have to be sure your form is ON or you are going to hurt your knees.  I slowed down the moves in order to make sure of this....and I still got results.  Don't be afraid of slowing it down in order to have good form!

Speed 2.0:  If you enjoyed Speed 1.0, you are going to LOVE 2.0.  Just don't go looking for those stretches to give you a mini-break.  There are NO breaks.  This workout was brutal the first couple of times that I went through it, but it's amazing how much I loved it after a few rounds.

Rip't Circuit:  I absolutely loved this total body workout.  There are slow, controlled movements, as well as cardio, and this is where weights or bands are introduced.  It is a great mix of calorie burning cardio and strength training.

Dynamic Core:  This is a core workout, but you are on your feet for almost half of the workout.  Be VERY careful with form in this video!  There are a lot of twist and turns in lunge position, so you have to watch those knees.  I went VERY slowly through those moves and followed Tania when need be.  Don't let the focus on your core fool you in this video, either.  You WILL get a cardio workout.

Upper Focus:  Yes, there is obviously a focus on your upper body, but you do still get a cardio workout while working those arms and shoulders.  Weights or bands are used again here.  I was very thankful for Tania in this video!

Gamma:

Although Tania is still IN the Gamma workouts, she does not modify!

Speed 3.0:  As you can probably guess, this is another version of Speed 2.0.  You WILL sweat during this workout!

Rip't Up:  This is a high intensity, cardio workout that also brings in work with weights or bands.  Picking up the weights ALMOST feels like a break between the cardio moves....ALMOST.

Extreme Circuit:  If you were exhausted during Total Body Circuit, this will knock you out!

The Pyramid:  This workout is exactly as it sounds.  Every move is done in a "pyramid progression."  After you warm up with jogging, jack feet, front raise jacks, and pushes off the knees, you'll do one curl, then one squat.  Then it's two curls and two squats.  Then three....well, you get the picture.

As much as I loved Focus T25, I was glad that the Gamma round was only 4 weeks, instead of 5.  By the 4th week, although I had been seeing results, I was ready for a change.

Results:

Alpha Round:

I did not see a lot of physical results with this round.  What I saw was that I was building my stamina and feeling better.  I did lose a few pounds, but nothing significant.  Most of the progress was in my ability to get through the workouts without feeling like I was going to die!

Beta Round:

This was where I saw most of my result....does that mean that people should skip Alpha and go straight to Beta?  Absolutely not!  I think I would have quit if I started with Beta!  The Alpha round sets you up to be able to get through Beta successfully.  This was the round where I lost inches and about 10 pounds.

Gamma Round:

This round helped me to build more muscle.  I continued to lose some weight during this round, but also did much more toning. 

Overall:

This workout was the workout that got me back into the habit of fitness.  Fitting 25 minutes into my day for myself was much more do-able than finding an hour or getting myself to a gym.  I was very happy with the results I was seeing, especially during the Beta round, and I look forward to doing this program again in the future to see if I can keep up with the group more and follow Tania less.

Looking for more information on Focus T25?  You can find information on the T25 Challenge Pack here or the base program here.