Should You Join the MillionDollarBody Club?

Dear Boys and Girls,

Okay, after an initial feeling of overwhelm, I am beginning to really dig BeachBody's new and improved website. Change is hard, but worth it!!

First, if you're not familiar with BeachBody, you should know that it is FREE for me to coach you to fitness. You just have to sign up to have me as your free coach. Click here. I never push products, so don't worry. The products sell themselves and I just focus on doing what I do best: Coaching!

If you're already part of the BeachBody community, whether I coach you or not, you should consider joining the Club. Here are just some of the benefits! I personally think joining the Club is worth it for the meal planner and tools alone. It's amazing!

Wow! Your friend in fitness,

Barbie, PhD

***

Your membership in the new, improved Team Beachbody Club gives you dozens of helpful, motivational, fitness-friendly features, including:

• Access to the WOWY SuperGym™ online workout center, to help keep you motivated and ensure you never miss a workout again
• The latest social-networking features, which put you in touch with the most supportive fitness community anywhere—including Workout Buddies, Workout Groups, Messaging, Chat Rooms, and Blogs
• Your own customized meal plan to help you lose fat, build lean muscle, and power your workouts
• Online fitness and nutrition tools to help you reach your goals
• An inspirational goal tracker that shows you how far you've progressed
• An exclusive discount on Team Beachbody workout programs and nutritional supplements
• Lots of informative articles, fitness and nutrition tips, and healthy recipes
• Expert information and advice on the Message Boards
• Online chats with your favorite celebrity Trainers
• Your own Coach for extra support
• The opportunity to win cash prizes in the Million Dollar Body Game

Barbie Note: This is the feature I'm most excited about:

Eat Right and Lose Weight

Create your personalized meal plan.

If you're a Club member, Team Beachbody provides you with a customized, easy-to-follow meal plan based on your own preferences and your fitness and weight-loss goals. Instead of guessing about what to eat each day, you'll get choices of filling, satisfying meals that that complement your workout program and provide the perfect nutritional profile for you to gain lean muscle while losing excess fat.

Click on "Create my customized meal plan" and fill out the questionnaire. Based on your answers, you'll be offered a version of the Balanced Slim-Down plan, the Low-Carb plan, or the Active Lifestyle plan. (What if you prefer a different Basic plan from the one that's suggested? No problem! Click "See other plans" and make another choice.)

Are you a vegetarian? That's no problem either! Select "Vegetarian meals only" to get your plan with meat-free choices.

If you want to personalize your meals even further, click "I'll take the custom plan." Then you'll be able to change meal suggestions, make up your own meals, and set favorites in each category.

Search for recipes.

Team Beachbody provides a wide range of healthful, body-fueling recipes that also happen to be delicious. You can browse the whole list, or search by the specific meal you're planning, how the recipe fits into your fitness or food plan, or any keyword you choose. Be sure to check the Featured Recipes, too.

Find supplements. (this is free for everyone, of course)
Team Beachbody supports your meal plan with top-quality vitamins and health drinks, weight-loss supplements, protein powder, and meal-replacement shakes. Go here to find the best supplements for your needs, which you can purchase using your member's discount.

Calculate your body-fat percentage.

Lowering your body-fat percentage is the best way to tell that your diet plan is working. If you aren't using a body-fat tester, this calculator can provide that number. It will also tell you whether your current percentage is right for your body type.

Keep track of this number in your Goal Tracker, and you'll always know where you are and how far you have to go.

Calculate your Body Mass Index.

The Body-Mass Index (BMI) is a simple measurement that helps you tell if your current weight is in a healthy range. Just fill in your height and weight, and use the accompanying chart to see whether you need to lose weight to be healthier. (But keep in mind that this measurement isn't exact—people with a lot of muscle may have a high BMI while maintaining low body fat.)

Calculate your caloric needs.

Use this tool to figure how many calories per day it takes for you to keep your current weight, and how many you'd need to lose weight. Maintaining a caloric deficit is essential for weight loss, so this will help you determine how much to eat each day.

Test your foods with Michi's Ladder.

Michi's Ladder is a simple guideline that goes from the healthiest, most fitness-friendly foods (which you should eat most frequently) to the least-healthy, most body-depleting foods (which you should only have as occasional treats, if at all). If you're wondering whether or not to eat a certain food, this list will help you decide.