"Coaches who can outline plays on a blackboard are a dime a dozen.
The ones who win get inside their player and motivate."
Vince Lombardi
Beachbody Coach Summit 2008
Last week, we told you about the 2007 Team Beachbody Game® winners. But it wasn't all about the money. The event was also an opportunity for Beachbody Coaches from all over the country to get together and share success stories, best practices, and strategies for bringing the Beachbody health and fitness revolution to everyone.
The buzz began bright and early Thursday morning, March 6 as Beachbody Coaches flocked to the Doubletree Hotel in Anaheim, California. Connecting with members of their own organizations and networking with new Coaches and the Team Beachbody™ staff, everyone was feeding off the camaraderie and palpable anticipation of the events to come.
Attendees registering
To help expel some energy and work off the jet lag,
Rockin' Body's Shaun T rocked, Turbo Jam's Chalene Johnson jammed, and P90X's Tony Horton "Brought It" with heart-pumping live workouts. Ballrooms were wall-to-wall with Coaches showing off their best Beachbody moves. Clearly, new transformations were in the making.
Chalene Johnson, Shaun T, and Tony Horton
The exclusive Diamond Coach Reception for the Coaches posting the greatest results in 2007 was hosted by Beachbody CEO Carl Daikeler, concluding the first day's activities.
Carl Daikeler, Aaron Lowe, and Tony Horton and Attendees
Early the next morning, Chalene, Tony, and Shaun T were at it again, getting everyone off on the right foot for a full day of fun and surprises. Even passersby crowded around their workout rooms for a peek into the Beachbody way of life.
Shaun T and Tony Horton
Beachbody Coach and Power 90® and P90X® Success Story Traci Morrow was first to take the stage with her inspiring story of how one little infomercial not only changed her life but the lives of her husband and six children. She was deeply moved remembering how only through Beachbody was she able to help improve the lives of people she otherwise never would have even met.
Traci Morrow and Attendees
Carl then kicked off the training festivities by highlighting examples of how far Beachbody has come in just a decade, why it works, and where it's headed. He highlighted his vision of Beachbody being part of the solution to end the obesity epidemic in America, one transformation story at a time.
Carl Daikeler and Attendees
Kevin Jensen, Director of Sales and Training, led a group of Top Coaches in a panel discussion about best practices; Coaches shared stories of how they've helped transform people's lives and gave advice to each other on how they can reach more people.
Panel and Kevin Jensen
Special guest speaker, Francine Kaufman, M.D., former president of the American Diabetes Association and Head of the Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology at Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, shared alarming statistics about type 2 diabetes and how Coaches are the real hope to help reverse the epidemic. Dr. Kaufman was instrumental in banning the sale of soda in the Los Angeles Unified School District, and recently released her book, Diabesity: Our Changing Lifestyle and What Has Happened to Our Health.
Francine Kaufman and Attendees
Michael Neimand, Vice President of Sales and Training, announced the brand-new 2008 Top Coach Contest kicking off this month and unveiled highlights of the incredible new Team Beachbody site and online tools in the works.
Michael Neimand
Two Star and Five Star Diamond Coaches were pinned and shared their inspiring stories before Chris Simonian, Founding Coach and former Team Beachbody® President, shared his standards of excellence and how to make new Coaches greater than current Coaches so that they can all "build an organization of giants."
Chris Simonian and Diamond Coaches
Carl wrapped up the afternoon session with heartfelt thanks and gratitude to everyone who continues to share his passion for creating a trend of health. He said his goal is less about building the greatest company and more about building "a super successful movement that helps people to get happy and healthy," so they can get the most out of life.
After some much-deserved relaxation time, it was off to The Grove of Anaheim for the Top Coach recognition ceremony, in which all 17 winners of the 2007 contest got to bask in the spotlight. And finally, the event everyone was waiting for had the crowd on its heels.
The Grove of Anaheim, Dancers, and Carl Daikeler
The Team Beachbody Game Grand Prize giveaway brought the house down as Danny Teeson announced winners Kimberly Barnett and Earl Broughfman, who were humbled by an electrifying standing ovation.
The main event
After the cheering and congratulating, Coaches and their guests showed some other Beachbody moves on the dance floor. And that's not all. The next day, the Top Coaches and Beachbody management team headed to Hawaii for a well-deserved vacation. Watch for highlights coming soon
Kevin Jensen with Hawaiian Dancers
Inspiring, educating, motivating. This year's event really set the stage for the next chapter in our collective success story. We can't wait to get started and to celebrate in even bigger ways next year!
Click here to learn more about the exciting things happening at Team Beachbody and how you can get a Coach or become one!
Related Articles:
"Meet the Winners of the Team Beachbody Game®!"
"9 Nutrition Myths Exposed"
"Just Eat This: 5 Rules for a Healthy Diet"
"5 Simple Steps to "Reprogram" Your Weight"
If you'd like to ask a question or comment on this newsletter article, just email us at mailbag@beachbody.com.
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10 Urban Food Myths
By Joe Wilkes
There have always been rumors spread about food. Remember the one about the Kentucky Fried rat or Mikey, the kid from the Life cereal commercials, who allegedly expired after washing down his Pop Rocks with a Coca-Cola? These, like so many, turned out to be apocryphal, but now in the age of the Internet, it seems like there's always some story making the rounds about a grocery item that will poison you or a food that will miraculously cure what ails you. Here are some myths we were able to dismiss.
Eating carrots improves night vision. This rumor was apparently started by the British during World War II, after a new British radar device began greatly assisting in the shooting down of German bombers at night. Not wanting to alert the Germans of the new technology, the government spread a disinformation campaign about how the British pilots' love of carrots was the cause of their keen night vision. It spread like wildfire, and it has become a staple in parents' arsenals for getting kids to eat their veggies. Carrots are generally good for your eyes though—studies are beginning to show a link between increased beta-carotene (carrots are loaded with it) consumption and a decrease in macular degeneration.
Turkey makes you sleepy. It's true that turkey contains tryptophan, the amino acid credited for the poultry's alleged soporific effects, but beef, chicken, meat, milk, and beans also contain tryptophan, and they don't seem to make you pass out on the couch after dinner. Turkey's bad rap probably comes from the famous post-Thanksgiving food coma, which is likely not induced by trace amounts of an amino acid but more likely induced by consuming vast quantities of carbohydrates, like potatoes and stuffing, washed down with a couple of glasses of wine.
Caesar salad was created by or for Julius Caesar. Actually, despite what they might tell you at the Olive Garden, the Caesar salad is not Italian food. It was created by Caesar Cardini, a restaurant owner in Tijuana, Mexico, less than a hundred years ago, not in ancient Rome. The recipe includes romaine lettuce, olive oil, garlic, coddled eggs, and Parmesan cheese, among other ingredients, but the original recipe does not contain anchovies—another myth debunked!
Mentos and Coca-Cola, combined, will make your stomach explode. As any YouTube connoisseur can attest to, dropping a Mentos candy into a two-liter bottle of Diet Coke can create an effect that will give the fountains at the Bellagio a run for their money. However, despite rumors of Brazilian youths dying of burst abdomens, this myth seems to be another of the endless variations on Mikey and the Pop Rocks. There seems to be little evidence that eating any combination of anything generally considered edible will make you explode. (Although that Chinese food I had for dinner came pretty close around midnight.)
Beware of flesh-eating bananas! There was an email forwarded by many well-intentioned people not too long ago that asserted that the FDA was covering up the fact that several thousand bananas covered in germs causing necrotizing fasciitis (the flesh-eating disease) had entered the country. This turned out not to be true. A reverse rumor, that humans were killing bananas, has also circulated. This one says that due to varying explanations, such as climate change or genetic modification, bananas will be extinct in less than a decade. This is also false. So, eat your bananas. They're full of potassium, won't make your skin fall off, and there are plenty more where they came from.
McDonald's uses kangaroo meat in their burgers. This is one that's been around since I was a kid. Common sense can answer this one. While we wouldn't put it past the Golden Arches to put anything in their food, kangaroo meat seems an unlikely beef substitute as it costs much more per pound than actual beef. Although, adventurous eaters might consider adding 'roo meat to their diet, as it has more protein and about half the fat of beef.
Chocolate milk is tainted with cow's blood. This is a popular playground myth that milk too contaminated with blood to sell as plain white milk is colored brown, flavored, and sold as chocolate milk. Chocolate milk and all dairy products go through the same rigorous FDA testing process that regular moo juice does. However, the added sugar isn't doing you any favors.
- Aspartame causes multiple sclerosis and lupus. Aspartame, often branded as NutraSweet, has been rumored to cause many serious diseases. While we consider the jury to be out on whether aspartame is completely safe, there have been no reputable scientific studies linking the sweetener to MS, lupus, cancer, or any other life-threatening illnesses. However, it still can't claim to be totally healthy.
Canola oil is toxic. It's been rumored that canola oil contains the same toxins found in mustard gas. Canola oil is made from oil pressed from the seeds of the rape plant, a member of the mustard family. There is actually no such plant as the canola, but it's easy to see the marketing problems that would result in calling it "rape oil." This may have been one of the reasons scurrilous rumors have circulated about this noble oil, which is perfectly safe and rich in monounsaturated fat, the best fat, also found in olive oil and avocados. As for the mustard gas claim, while it is true that canola oil is made from mustard plants, mustard gas is not. It's called that because of its acrid smell, not its ingredient list.
Red Bull causes brain tumors. As a favorite beverage of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, it's easy to make a case based on anecdotal evidence, but there is actually nothing in Red Bull that has been linked to brain tumors. It has been banned in some European countries because of its high caffeine content (a can has about as much as a cup of coffee), but aside from the typical health concerns regarding any sugary, caffeinated beverage, Red Bull appears safe. Claims that it will give you wings seem unfounded, however, and when mixed with vodka, it reportedly makes underpants disappear.
Related Articles:
"Nutrition 911, Part VI: The Worst Food on the Planet"
"Artificial Sweeteners: How Harmful Are They?"
"Energy Drinks: Do They Really Give You Wings?"
"10 Scariest Fast Food Dishes"
If you'd like to ask a question or comment on this newsletter article, just email us at
mailbag@beachbody.com.
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Test Your Famous Coach IQ!
By Joe Wilkes
Just as spring training has begun for baseball, the Beachbody Coaches are also preparing for their next season. Can you match these motivational quotes with the coaches who said them?
"Make sure that team members know they are working with you, not for you." John Wooden. Wooden coached the UCLA Bruins basketball team to an unmatched 10 NCAA National Championships in 12 years. His overall record was 620-147, including four undefeated seasons.
"Either love your players or get out of coaching." Bobby Dodd. Dodd coached the Georgia Tech football team to two Southeastern Conference championships and one national championship in the 1950s. He has been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame both as a player and as a coach.
"The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man's determination." Tommy Lasorda. A feat unimaginable today, Lasorda has an incredible 50-plus-years' association with a single baseball team, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1954 and following them when they moved to Los Angeles, and retiring in 1999 after 20 years as Dodgers manager. During that time, he won eight division titles, four National League pennants, and two World Series. He also coached the American team to a gold medal in the 2000 Olympics.
"Always remember Goliath was a 40-point favorite over David." Shug Jordan. Jordan was the winningest football coach in the history of Auburn University with a 175-83-7 record from 1951 to 1975. Additionally, from 1934 to 1946, he was the baseketball coach for the school.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." Yogi Berra. Who else but the master of the malapropism? Often overshadowed by his propensity for profound misspeaking is the fact that he was a multiple-time MVP and All-Star and coached both the New York Yankees and the New York Mets to World Series championships. He will always be remembered for his twisted sayings like "90 percent of the game is mental. The other half is physical," and the classic, "It ain't over 'til it's over." But as he himself said, "I never said half the things I really said."
If you'd like to ask a question or comment on this newsletter article, just email us at mailbag@beachbody.com.
Check out our Fitness Advisor's responses to your comments in Steve Edwards' Mailbag on the Message Boards. If you'd like to receive Steve Edwards' Mailbag by email, click here to subscribe to Steve's Health and Fitness Newsletter. And if you'd like to know more about Steve's views on fitness, nutrition, and outdoor sports, read his blog, The Straight Dope.
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