Why so much hating on Beachbody coaches?

A pyramid scheme is a scheme where there are no products sold. A network marketing company is a company that has products to sell but rather than selling retail (which takes a crap-ton of advertising dollars) they sell through word of mouth.

I am not a beach body coach or have a desire to be one, but I think a good portion of them are really great people who are just trying to make a living and help others!

MLMs put the cost of advertising on their distributors, which is one of the reasons that most distributors never earn a profit.

Like so many things in life, it all depends on the person you are interacting with. I have a friend who is a "coach" that I have been friends with for years, and one day I noticed how fit she was getting. I asked her about it, and she told me about p90x and stuff, and never offered or tried to push it on me. After some research, I asked her about ordering it, and she said I could buy it directly from the company, maybe find it cheaper on craigslist or the like, and said also she had a link where I could buy it thru her, but to be advised she would get a commission on it. As I don't like to buy used stuff, I made the choice to buy it thru her knowing it would benefit my friend, and I am ok with that decision.

Seeing the references to shakeology in their products and on their website, I went to her and asked if she could get me a sample. She did, and explained if I decide to buy it I could get it direct, or thru her, but she also said it was expensive, and recommended alternative cheaper solutions to me for non BB products.

She stays in touch with me and pushes me to keep up with my program, and in general is super supportive and motivational to me, because she is a friend and was long before either of us ever heard of beachbody.

I know that is not representative of all coaches, just saying that just like with everything, their are both good and bad examples out their.

Some coaches go about this the wrong way. You are people. You want help. We are here to offer it. Whether or not that ends in a sale is not the point. If we have a product that might work for you, it is up to you whether or not you want it. Pushy coaches give the brand a really bad name, and I apologize for those types. Honestly, with clients I have, I want to help them. Pure and simple. I don't want to sell you anything. That's a perk -- it's not my purpose. I want to see people reach their goals by any means. That's what this business is really about. Inspiration, motivation, and treating people like people -- from people who have been there themselves.

You almost had me. :bigsmile:

Just kidding.

If your only motivation is to help people achieve their goals, then you are in the minority.

And, if you are the minority and your only motivation is to help people achieve their goals, then why not let them know them know they can do it without the products by simply eating at a calorie deficit and possibly incorporating more movement in their lives?

My point is that one interaction with a bad coach doesn’t mean we are all that way. That’s all. Yes, I can give you free advice until the cows come home, but some people need more guidance like an in home program they can rely on. Some people aren’t fans of the gym. It’s all about what works for the person. And yes – my goal is to help by any means. Like I said, the perk is that I can make money at it. If you could make a little side money doing something you loved and were passionate about… Wouldn’t you do it?

In the end, if you go into it thinking it will be a sour experience, it will be. It’s your choice whether or not you use a product, like a coach, drink Shakeology, eat clean… etc. Everything is up to you.

First of all, this it is not an interrogation. I never have claimed to be a nutritionist, but some BB Coaches are. I don’t claim to be a personal trainer, but some BB Coaches are. Some are doctors. Nurses. School teachers… It’s just about sharing what works for you.

Think of it this way – your best friend tells you they are doing P90x and it is working. Do they have to be a personal trainer for you to get interested and want to try it? Your neighbor has a garden and you see pumpkins growing. They share a recipe with you and give you a pumpkin. Do they have to be a nutritionist before your can decide if that recipe sounds healthy or like something you would want to eat? It’s work of mouth. It’s like Amazon reviews. You take them with a grain of salt and make your own choices.

Multi-level marketing is just the 21st century's pyramid scheme. Don't drink the Kool-Aid.

"I just want to help people", seriously? No, you just want to sell your overpriced, mediocre protein shakes. No one should actually be that naive, right?

I have wondered the same thing. I love my BB coach, but then she's my cousin, so ...

BeachBody workouts are awesome! And I love that she always lets me know when there is a sale coming up, even if it is only a Shakeology sale. I don't use Shakeology, but I don't find knowing about a sale on it any more annoying that seeing a sale on bananas, which I also don't eat, in my local paper.

Because they are not 'coaches' and most are in no way qualified to give nutritional advice nor exercise/fitness advice. Most that have tried to sell me are not trained nor certified in any way to 'coach' anybody on weight loss. Just about every single one I have come across acts like they are actual experts in nutrition and/or weight loss because they sell Shakeology...um WTF.

Honestly, with clients I have, I want to help them. Pure and simple. I don't want to sell you anything.

"Client" means you have a monetary business agreement with them.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

thank you for the clarification. I often wonder how many "coaches" are on this board as “one of my client" seems one of frequently used terms here. LOL

Slightly off the subject...I didn't realize that was Mark Sisson who was selling the recovery drink at the end of each P90x...LOL

First of all, this it is not an interrogation. I never have claimed to be a nutritionist, but some BB Coaches are. I don’t claim to be a personal trainer, but some BB Coaches are. Some are doctors. Nurses. School teachers… It’s just about sharing what works for you.

Think of it this way – your best friend tells you they are doing P90x and it is working. Do they have to be a personal trainer for you to get interested and want to try it? Your neighbor has a garden and you see pumpkins growing. They share a recipe with you and give you a pumpkin. Do they have to be a nutritionist before your can decide if that recipe sounds healthy or like something you would want to eat? It’s work of mouth. It’s like Amazon reviews. You take them with a grain of salt and make your own choices.

No offense intended, but your analogy is silly. Sharing what works for you as a friend regarding weight loss recipes is not at all the same as selling weight loss and food products. Why? There's the potential for money exchange with the latter. You are selling a product.

A friend is simply a friend, but a salesperson better darned well have some qualifications behind them. Given that they are selling weight loss products, that salesperson needs to also have some type of degree or certification behind them.

For example, anybody who weight trains can probably help someone else out. But, to be a trainer at the gym where I go, you have to be fit as a fiddle and have plenty of ongoing training and certifications behind you.

I have a great bb coach. He never pushed anything on me. He honestly helped me. He would post stuff on his Facebook page and tell ppl when he had samples but that's about it. He help me even though I couldn't afford the shakes. In 2012 I purchased the Brazil butt lift and I just looked for any coach just to get signed up with. I really didn't care cause I wasn't really Looking for help. Last year he emailed me and asked me to join his group on FB. I made the best decision for myself that day and he's been helping me ever since. Big shout out to coach Todd Warren!!! Their not all bad!!!

Nobody ever said that any or all BB coaches are bad. That's not even the issue.

It's clear that whomever is in charge of BB coaches and sales does not required their personnel to have any type of training, certifications, or licensing in proper nutrition and/or proper workout techniques. Anybody can sell the BB products.

I don't have a problem with their DVD's though I do think they're overpriced compared to other programs on the market. I do have a problem with the MLM system in general and especially people calling themselves coaches when they may not know any more about fitness and nutrition than me.

If they then gain qualifications in nutrition or exercise, how could they in good conscience continue selling people Beachbody?

Because the workouts are awesome! My coach is an ACE certified personal trainer, gym teacher, marathon runner, and is certified to teach both Insanity and Body Pump. And she is incredibly motivating and funny. I'd take her advice on fitness over anyone on MFP.

Yeah, I said qualified, not certified. She can deliver verbatim, workouts designed and choreographed by someone else?
Amazing.
No wonder her nutritional advice also comes prepackaged.

My main issue with some beach body coaches is that it literally takes ZERO expertise to become one. Any old Joe off the street is able to be a BB coach.
The problem that creates is misinformation. When I started P90X, I had a coach tell me that I shouldn't be taking whey protein supplements because "that is for men who want to be bulky. Not for women."
And yes, BB coaching is a pyramid scheme but that doesn't mean that people don't get successful. My fiance and I's original BB coaches are extremely successful now, making high in the six digits a year because they have thousands of coaches underneath them.
They will tell you to get Shakeology because it's how they make money. Is Shakeology bad? No, but it's not necessary and it's expensive.

I'm sure we wouldn't be having this discussion if BB had not decided to very cleverly name their sales resps 'coaches'. It's marketing gold whoever's idea that was.