21 Day Fix - what is so special about it?

fitchick327

I'm also no longer trusting the diet. When I was eating a low-carb diet, lifting weights at the gym 3 times a week, and doing Zumba for cardio, I lost about 4lbs in 10 days. A week on 21DF and all that weight came back--it's just too many carbs for me! I have about 35 lbs to lose, so I can't just hang in there and wait to see if this works--I'll keep doing the exercises, but the diet is a no-go.

LeslieW77

Hi there! I'm getting ready to start my 4th month of 21 Day Fix and love it! I don't eat many of the carbs - you don't have to eat every container every day. I reserve my yellows for an occasional carb or treat. I don't eat alot of salads, and when I do, I like ones with lots of meat so they're more filling. And, some of the buddies in my challenge group moved down a level on their containers because it was too much food for them. I don't use the shakeology to replace a meal, but have found that 1/4 - 1/2 scoop in water in the evenings keeps me from nighttime munching and satisfies my chocolate craving. Portion control was my huge problem, and the containers have really helped me with it - I make things like chili, mini pizza, chicken/brocolli rollups, turkey tetrazzini (can't spell it right,lol) and have it all figured out to fit into the day's worth of containers. I don't log my food into MFP anymore - I did it at first to test out the containers, and it had me eating the correct amount for my weight loss, but I want the time-saving of the container plan. I do log in my exercise, using either the circuit training-general or the calisthenics options. And, of course, I eagerly log in each pound as it's lost!

What I found for me is that I lose 1 - 2 pounds each week, and have toned up like crazy. The first month, I lost 7 pounds, and most of those were the last two weeks of the three - I think I was building muscle weight at first. I've lost 15 inches in the first 3 months, and gone from a size 16 jeans into size 12. I try to follow the portion containers all the time, but don't do the exercises on the week or so between monthly challenge groups - that keeps them fresh for me. I also added in Hip Hop Abs the end of June, as I love to dance and knew I need lots of ab work! I don't have a gym nearby to go to, and love, love, love the challenge groups.

Hope that helps! I completely agree with those on here who remind us all that we need to find what works for us, individually, and go from there. (And, no, I'm not a coach and don't plan to be)

26point2chick

Here's the thing: eating right, eating whole foods that meet all your nutritional needs, is the BEST way to eat, for weight loss or just for general health. Adding in a workout, about 6 days a week, or at least 3 hours a week, is also advisable. Do you NEED shakeology? NO. Do you need a beachbody DVD? No. Absolutely not. Beachbody is not THE answer. That said, I would like to offer this insight: Beachbody is AN answer. It's a REAL WORLD option. It's not magic. It's not a miracle drug or pill. It's a combination of movement (fitness), nutrition, and support. That 3 way "trifecta" is amazingly effective. For every person, every individual, I always say, "ya gotta find what works for ya." For many people, beachbody works. Shakeology satisfies nutritional vacancies. It tastes good. It provides actual nutrients to your body. It's not a trick. It's not a miracle. It's not magic. It's just pure nutrition, but it's pure nutrition that is EASY to find/make/prepare/drink. It's the bridge between HEALTHY and EASY. There's not many products/foods out there that create this bridge. It can absolutely be done without shakeology. Shakeology is 2nd to whole foods, but shakeology makes it easy. AND for many people, shakeology is the healthiest they've ever eaten. It's not for elite nutritionists who know what they're doing. it's for laymen who don't know nutritive needs, who don't want to research it or track it, who don't have time to worry about it, who don't like the taste of many whole foods that they need. Beachbody programs: again: NOT exclusive. You can go to a gym, go for a run, go for a walk, find free workouts on youtube, ANYTHING that gets you moving, and find results. But again, Beachbody takes the work out of it by making it EASY. All you need is a little floor space and a DVD player. You don't need a bunch of equipment, you don't need to drive anywhere, find childcare, a personal trainer (not that there's anything wrong with PTs! They are wonderful! And knowledgeable! And inspiring! They're just not for everyone, as no one thing IS for everyone.) For some of the programs, all you need is 5 days and 25 minutes! So, I guess what I'm trying to say, is that Beachbody isn't magic, and it's not for everyone. Beachbody's 3 way system makes it DOABLE for a lot of people. Fitness, nutrition, and support is the system. The system works. But so do alot of other systems. FIND WHAT WORKS FOR YOU AND DO THAT! And best wishes to you!

larisaleader

I totally agree. But a quick and easy "fix" sounds so tempting. It's quick & easy to spend the money and say you're doing something. But the consistency and the eating healthy regularly is much harder. I have done weight loss shakes and yes, I lost 17 lbs, but then when I stopped I gained nearly twice that back on.

RuffinFitness

Have you tried anything from BeachBody? It's not about spending the money to a lot of people..it's about being serious and keeping yourself accountable. These programs are awesome. It's like having a personal trainer in your own home. And the 21 day fix is about learning how to portion correctly. Many people do not understand how to portion their meals. Everyone of my clients have lost at least 10 lbs in 21 days on the 21 Day Fix. And it's only $59 right now. So about spending all this money, maybe they are actually serious about losing the weight. It's hard to keep yourself accountable on your own if you have never done anything before. When you have a coach, like me, I help them everyday and the other people in their group also help everyone keep going and stay motivated. If you haven't tried any of the BeachBody products, maybe you shouldn't mock them until you try. You can try them and they have a money back guarantee..so it's totally worth it. I'm a personal trainer and I love BeachBody..so many people that have purchased these programs have lost weight and kept it off which is the main goal.

krstn2

I don't do shakeology, but I do the 21 day fix and I love it. I chose the program because it was the workout plus portions. I knew I wasn't getting the right amount of veggies vs. protein etc. Sure I was able to stay under my calorie intake level, but that didn't mean I was fueling my body properly. The 21 day fix has put that in perspective for me. If you are able to do that without spending the extra money more power to you! I wish I had the ability to do that on my own, but I needed the extra help. Plus the workouts are good and I always love doing them, which is a new feeling for me.

krstn2

I totally agree. But a quick and easy "fix" sounds so tempting. It's quick & easy to spend the money and say you're doing something. But the consistency and the eating healthy regularly is much harder. I have done weight loss shakes and yes, I lost 17 lbs, but then when I stopped I gained nearly twice that back on.

21 day fix is not the shakes. Shakeology and 21 day fix are separate. Sure they are from the same company so they market them together, but if you do 21 day fix they encourage you to use Shakeology in conjunction with a healthy diet. I only do 21 day fix and its a workout/portion control program and unlike what it's name suggests it is not a quick fix. It is about working hard and learning to portion your nutrition.

GenXBrat

Beachbody DVDs are the first ones that EVERY held my interest for more than a few weeks. That doesn't mean its for everyone, but it works for me.

You and me both! I have several of them because the first one I got was so great at taking away my excuses to not exercise! I also have a couple I don't l like or that I couldn't do... but I read a lot of comments from people before buying them and knew ahead of time that they may not be doable for my knees... So that was on me, not the programs!

LULUREBEL

I honestly had no idea this post would generate so many responses and various opinions. After doing my own research and reading through the forums more, I became more and more confident with my decisions and continuing on the same path for weight loss and becoming healthier in general. I'm still going at it. I've lost 30 pounds now. I still have a long way to go but everything I'm doing is in my control and completely doable for the foreseeable future. Sure, I've had ups and downs but overall I've been very consistent. I did recently invest in a FitBit One and so far I'm very happy with the purchase and feel like it's worth the money. It's obviously your choice to decide how you want to become a healthier individual and if following these plans helps you and you feel it's worth it, go for it. However, I would really advise people to look into other alternatives. There are lots of free options out there that help with meal and work out plans. If you feel you are lacking in vitamins, etc, take a supplement. There is no magic fix/pill/shake/drink that will solve all of your health issues. Think long-term. Best of luck to everyone and stay healthy.

alra0274

I don't understand why I need to spend a significant amount of money on these programs/meal replacements.

you don't.
If that's what helps someone find structure and succeed, then who am I to argue with them...but you don't need it. Lots of us have lost a lot of weight without meal replacements or regimented programs.

Agreed

blueeyesal

After many nights of insomnia and watching the infomercials for the 21 day fix and other beachbody programs, I decided to Google personal results to see how well it actually works. Well I was a little disturbed when I found a pages and pages of "reviews" that people put much detail and time into making, and at the bottom of each page was a link to purchase the program. These people are all distributors (salespeople) who are appearing to have a legit review and then making money off you purchasing the program from their link. I can't tell who is actually a real customer and who is a representative anymore, even coming to a site like this. From what I can tell, the system WILL work, but it all comes down to portion control and calories and a good workout everyday. If a person does this on their own they will get the same results. Maybe people prefer those particular workouts, I don't know. But paying extra for little containers that premature food seems to be a waste of money to me. Maybe I am wrong though, I'm no expert.

kommodevaran

Here's the thing: eating right, eating whole foods that meet all your nutritional needs, is the BEST way to eat, for weight loss or just for general health. Adding in a workout, about 6 days a week, or at least 3 hours a week, is also advisable. Do you NEED shakeology? NO. Do you need a beachbody DVD? No. Absolutely not. Beachbody is not THE answer. That said, I would like to offer this insight: Beachbody is AN answer. It's a REAL WORLD option. It's not magic. It's not a miracle drug or pill. It's a combination of movement (fitness), nutrition, and support. That 3 way "trifecta" is amazingly effective. For every person, every individual, I always say, "ya gotta find what works for ya." For many people, beachbody works. Shakeology satisfies nutritional vacancies. It tastes good. It provides actual nutrients to your body. It's not a trick. It's not a miracle. It's not magic. It's just pure nutrition, but it's pure nutrition that is EASY to find/make/prepare/drink. It's the bridge between HEALTHY and EASY. There's not many products/foods out there that create this bridge. It can absolutely be done without shakeology. Shakeology is 2nd to whole foods, but shakeology makes it easy. AND for many people, shakeology is the healthiest they've ever eaten. It's not for elite nutritionists who know what they're doing. it's for laymen who don't know nutritive needs, who don't want to research it or track it, who don't have time to worry about it, who don't like the taste of many whole foods that they need. Beachbody programs: again: NOT exclusive. You can go to a gym, go for a run, go for a walk, find free workouts on youtube, ANYTHING that gets you moving, and find results. But again, Beachbody takes the work out of it by making it EASY. All you need is a little floor space and a DVD player. You don't need a bunch of equipment, you don't need to drive anywhere, find childcare, a personal trainer (not that there's anything wrong with PTs! They are wonderful! And knowledgeable! And inspiring! They're just not for everyone, as no one thing IS for everyone.) For some of the programs, all you need is 5 days and 25 minutes! So, I guess what I'm trying to say, is that Beachbody isn't magic, and it's not for everyone. Beachbody's 3 way system makes it DOABLE for a lot of people. Fitness, nutrition, and support is the system. The system works. But so do alot of other systems. FIND WHAT WORKS FOR YOU AND DO THAT! And best wishes to you!

I like this explanation. Thank you :flowerforyou:

angiereid

love this answer

angiereid

what is so special is that you actually have a great system where ppl can motivate each other just like here and not everyone is doing what you explained so don't stereotype coaches when you have no idea what it is that they do and how they help people

kimny72

what is so special is that you actually have a great system where ppl can motivate each other just like here and not everyone is doing what you explained so don't stereotype coaches when you have no idea what it is that they do and how they help people

Unfortunately, there are a TON of BB coaches swarming all over Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and sites like this putting the hard sell out there, making judgements on other peoples lifestyles, and saying things about diet and exercise that simply aren't true. There certainly are some that just want to help motivate people, but they are drowned out by the rabid ones who are trying to build their team so they can make more money. Enough BB coaches have posted here trying to get new members to send them a personal message so they can bombard them with ads that it is hard to blame people for jumping all over any coach who posts offering help.

LouiseCClarke

One thing I've noticed, having just read this entire thread from beginning to end, not a single BB coach in the 6 pages of comments here has tried to sell their product to anyone, if anything the BB coaches are the ones who have been the most polite, who've shared their story and said "this doesn't work for everyone, you need to find what works for you". On the other hand, the more hate-filled comments have come from people who haven't answered the original question but have come into a thread about a BB product simply because they don't like BB and want to add their negativity and belittle the people who like it.

The thread has been taken over as a discussion on Shakeology, which is a separate product and not part of the 21 Day Fix which is a nutrition and exercise plan. As previously stated, not every plan works for everyone. To the person who tried it and found it didn't work - you jumped down everyone's throats for the hatred they'd pour at you - no-one did. No-one blamed you. They were probably very much like me, happy to have an honest review from someone who tried it and said it didn't work, rather than someone who hadn't tried it and said it wouldn't work. Every programme has people who like it and people who don't, I thank you for having the courage to try something and let us know where you had issues with it, this allows us to make a more informed decision in the future.

Before anyone prejudges who I am and what I do, I use the BB dvd's, I'm not a coach. I'm in the UK, in order to have a coach you need to live in the US or Canada. I also don't use Shakeology, it's not sold in the UK, I doubt I'd buy it if it was as I already have a very nutrient rich healthy, "clean" diet (and lots of time available to make my meals). What I do have is access to the BB website, and a private coaching group on Facebook (where the coach obviously doesn't benefit from selling to me as she can't) but where the coach wanted to help me and offer support, along with a group of people who wanted to offer support. They are doing what these message boards were designed to do - support others through their weight loss journey, no matter what route they choose to take.

kitty32841

It just makes it easier to follow if you do not know much about nutrition or counting calories. You just put the food into the containers, if it fits you eat it. They have a list of things that shoudl go in the containers, show you how to calcualte the number of calories to eat, and give you workouts which you can modify. No you do not need it to lose weight, but like this website it is a tool. Weight loss sorta made easy to understand. You also do not have to do the Shakology part, but its good to do a meal subsititued. Yes it takes a lot of dicipline to stick to the program because you wont be able to eat everything you might want. Its easier to prepaire a meal plan and stick to that. You have to be commited or it doesnt work. I also got the vitamines to help with the fat burning process and help suppliment some of the nutrients that are missing from my diet. And no I do not have to get anyone to join and sell shakes or go to meetings. I do not think it was that expensive either considering people pay money for physical trainers,and other types of tools used for weight loss. This you can do at home with friends, etc. I also do not feel starving since it breaks thing sinto 6 small meals and you eat something every 2 hours and drink plenty of water (which it helps you figure out how much to drink.

mizztanjo

One thing I've noticed, having just read this entire thread from beginning to end, not a single BB coach in the 6 pages of comments here has tried to sell their product to anyone, if anything the BB coaches are the ones who have been the most polite, who've shared their story and said "this doesn't work for everyone, you need to find what works for you". On the other hand, the more hate-filled comments have come from people who haven't answered the original question but have come into a thread about a BB product simply because they don't like BB and want to add their negativity and belittle the people who like it.

The thread has been taken over as a discussion on Shakeology, which is a separate product and not part of the 21 Day Fix which is a nutrition and exercise plan. As previously stated, not every plan works for everyone. To the person who tried it and found it didn't work - you jumped down everyone's throats for the hatred they'd pour at you - no-one did. No-one blamed you. They were probably very much like me, happy to have an honest review from someone who tried it and said it didn't work, rather than someone who hadn't tried it and said it wouldn't work. Every programme has people who like it and people who don't, I thank you for having the courage to try something and let us know where you had issues with it, this allows us to make a more informed decision in the future.

Before anyone prejudges who I am and what I do, I use the BB dvd's, I'm not a coach. I'm in the UK, in order to have a coach you need to live in the US or Canada. I also don't use Shakeology, it's not sold in the UK, I doubt I'd buy it if it was as I already have a very nutrient rich healthy, "clean" diet (and lots of time available to make my meals). What I do have is access to the BB website, and a private coaching group on Facebook (where the coach obviously doesn't benefit from selling to me as she can't) but where the coach wanted to help me and offer support, along with a group of people who wanted to offer support. They are doing what these message boards were designed to do - support others through their weight loss journey, no matter what route they choose to take.

I am a Coach and I love this answer Thank you for posting!

mizztanjo

I have been reading through some of these posts and I wanna start out by saying I am a Beachbody Coach....judge me as you wish, but here is MY story...
My mom passed of breast cancer when she was 34 and I was just about 11/12 at the time. This has impacted my life since then. There were never any answers, but I took this as my drive to learn as much as I could about the human body, health, wellness, and fitness. I am now 30 years old, so I have nearly 15 years of knowledge under my belt.
I joined Beachbody as a Coach last year because this is what I love! Fitness & Health have become a passion as well as helping others understand it and help them reach their goals.
I am all for people using their own method of fitness! I host 5 Day Bootcamps where people are free to jog, go to the gym, do Jillian Michaels, whatever! In the end, I want to see people be happy with themselves and I want to see them HEALTHY.
The Coaching is a plus, on the side. Another answer, another way for those who are willing to try it. I personally have been transformed by their programs and recently found a way to afford Shakeology because it works for me and I love its health benefits.

There are so many judgmental people here on MFP towards Coaches just "trying to get rich" but no one ever asks us what our story is and why we do what we do. Most of you (not all) act like we're puppets on a string working for some bozo company. Do your research, ask us our story, and please don't bash until you know! Because for some of us, it's not all about the money.