Improving your health and fitness takes time and hard work. You shouldn’t expect to see changes after one or two workouts, but if your daily workout routine isn’t producing noticeable results after a month or so, there might be a good reason why.

How do you know if your exercise routine isn’t working? According to Beachbody fitness expert Cody Braun, there are a few telltale signs: “Lack of progress toward your goal, lack of performance improvement, and new or nagging injuries,” he says. William P. Kelley, C.S.C.S, ACT, adds that your daily workout routine could be lacking if you no longer get sore from your workouts, meaning “you [probably] aren’t overloading the muscle enough to elicit change,” he explains.

If you’re unsure about the efficacy of your daily workout routine, assess your situation: Do you still look the same after six months of exercise? Are you lifting the same amount of weight you did when you started? Do you have new or worsening injuries? Are you losing muscle? These all may be indicators that you need to change your approach to exercising.

11 Reasons Why Your Daily Workout Routine Isn’t Producing Results — And What to Do About It

Take a look through these 11 potential problems in your daily exercise routine. If one (or more) of them sounds like it applies to you, try the suggested solutions to get back on track.

1. You don’t have a clear goal

Exercising without an intention makes for aimless, inconsistent workouts. If you don’t have a clear goal, chances are good you don’t have a barometer for measuring your progress, which means you won’t know what type of results to look for.

Solution:

“Before you start your journey, you should know what it is you want to accomplish,” Braun says. Do you want to lose weight? Gain muscle? Run three miles without collapsing? Once you get clear on why you’re exercising, you can create a SMART goal (one that’s Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Sensitive).

From there, Braun suggests setting benchmarks, which gives you a way to check your progress while also helping you stay motivated and focused. Try using a journal or tracking app to monitor your progress more effectively.

2. You’re not challenging yourself enough

You don’t need to be on the brink of exhaustion after every sweat session, but you won’t see results with your daily exercise routine if you’re constantly breezing through your workouts. “You want to keep pushing your limits to force the body into adaptation,” Braun says. As your body gradually adapts to a specific workout, you become stronger, more efficient, and more conditioned, he explains. “Once a workout that used to seem difficult starts becoming easier, it’s time to increase your intensity again,” he says.

Solution:

To ensure you’re pushing yourself hard enough, Kelley suggests creating mini goals, like setting a weekly cardio PR or increasing the amount of weight you lift by five percent each week. Another strategy is to wear a heart rate monitor, says Amanda Dale, ACE-certified trainer and sports nutritionist. “If you think you’re working hard [during a high intensity cardio session], but you’re not seeing heart rates above 80-85 percent for at least 10 minutes of the effort, you may not be doing as much as you think,” she explains. You can also calculate your RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) by observing how you feel — if you’re breathing heavy or struggling to complete your final reps, for example.

3. You do the exact same thing every day

In a similar vein as the point above, doing the same exact daily workout routine (down to the number of reps) day after day and week after week is a surefire way to stall your progress. “Once you become efficient at something, you need to add a new stimulus to keep your body adapting and improving,” explains Braun. “The stimulus could be weight, speed, apparatus, or rest,” he says.

Solution:

Try adjusting the amount of weight you lift, changing your number of reps, reducing your rest periods during HIIT workouts, or adding sprints to your cardio session. You can even alternate the days you work certain muscle groups, suggests Kelley.

4. You jump from one workout type to the next

And now for the opposite problem: too much change. Bouncing from pilates to circuit training to running all within a week – and then something entirely new the following week – may seem like the smartest way to shock your body into shape (and avoid boredom), but this strategy can actually backfire. “If you change your workouts too often you won’t give your body the chance to improve upon those exercises and movements, so very little adaptation happens,” Braun says.

Solution:

Exercise ADD is real, but if you want to see significant progress, stick with a consistent exercise routine (for example, strength training three days a week and biking two days) for a minimum of four weeks. “This will help you stay committed to the workout you are doing, [while] setting an optimum time to jump to a new workout routine,” Kelley says.

5. You’re not sleeping enough

Getting adequate sleep is critical to improving your fitness. “Without [sufficient] sleep, your muscles never fully repair or grow stronger, meaning you lack energy for your next workout and you can’t perform your best,” Dale explains. If you sleep fewer than seven hours a night and feel fatigued or foggy on a regular basis, you probably need to make some adjustments.

Solution:

Set a regular bedtime and aim for a minimum of seven hours a night to allow your body and mind to rejuvenate, Dale says. She also recommends developing a nightly ritual if you have trouble winding down: take a hot bath, drink a cup of herbal tea, meditate, or read a book. Natural sleep remedies can go a long way to helping you get a solid snooze.

6. You’re not giving yourself time to recover

Insufficient recovery time between workouts can impede your progress and make you more susceptible to injuries. “You can only push your body so hard before it will shut down,” Braun says. If you find yourself overly sore, exhausted, or consistently in pain, you’re probably not giving your body enough time to recuperate.

Solution:

Give yourself a day or two of rest for each muscle group worked, Braun suggests. For example, if you do leg exercises one day, don’t stress the same muscles by doing a tempo run the next. Take the day off or target your upper body muscles instead with something like a strength workout or swim session. This type of active recovery should be an important part of your workout routine, Kelley says.

7. You’re not practicing proper form

There’s a difference between doing a move that “hurts so good” because it’s challenging your muscles, and doing a move that just plain hurts your body. If you notice that an exercise is causing that second result, you should check your form. “Moving incorrectly can lead to pains and discomfort,” Braun says. “When you don’t exercise with proper form, your muscles won’t work optimally, which will inhibit some of your progress.” Bad form is also a surefire way to set yourself up for injury down the road.

Solution:

Don’t attempt an exercise unless you understand the mechanics of the movement. If you’re following a workout program on Beachbody On Demand, pay close attention to the trainers when they demonstrate the exercise with proper form. From there, use a mirror to check your form throughout the workout and adjust your position as needed.

8. You’re not eating enough protein

“Your muscles need protein to recover and rebuild, so if you aren’t getting enough you could be limiting your results,” Braun says. One good indicator that you may not be consuming enough protein is a loss of muscle mass, Dale says.

Solution:

To maximize muscle growth and repair, aim to consume about 20 grams of protein within about 30 after your workout, Dale advises. Eggs, chicken, and Greek yogurt are all great sources, she says, as are high-quality supplements, like Beachbody Performance Recover. Both the chocolate and orange flavors have 20 grams of protein in each serving to help facilitate muscle recovery, plus pomegranate extract to help reduce muscle soreness.

9. You’re not hydrating properly

Skimping on water, either before, during, or after your workout, can derail your daily exercise routine. “Without water, your body feels depleted of energy,” Dale says, which means you may not be able to give as much effort to your workout. Plus, without sufficient water intake, Dale adds that you could also experience irregular bowel movements, increased feelings of hunger, and bloating. If you’re getting plenty of sleep and still feel fatigued or mentally fuzzy, you may need to up your H20 intake.

Solution:

As a general rule, Beachbody recommends using your weight to figure out how much water to drink: divide your body weight by two, and drink that amount in ounces. “Add another liter (32 ounces) if you’re working out hard or outdoors that day,” Dale suggessts. If you can’t keep track of how many times you refill your reusable water bottle, buy a gallon jug (128 ounces) instead, suggests Kelley. Draw lines on the jug labeled with times (8am, 12pm, 3pm, etc.) to keep you on track throughout the day.

10. You’re not eating the right amount of calories

Both eating too much or not enough can impact how your body responds to exercise. Generally, eating too few calories can cause you to lose muscle alongside fat, Dale says. Exceeding your daily calorie count, on the other hand, can cause you to gain fat, Braun says.

Solution:

Refer back to your fitness goals. “[To lose weight] you need to be in some form of a caloric deficit in order for your body to pull energy from stored sources,” Braun explains. But if you’re trying to build muscle and mass, you need to eat more calories than usual, he says. Determining the right amount of calories for your specific body type and goals can be tricky, so here’s a good place to start. Once you have a number, be diligent about sticking to it. “Tracking calories on an app is a good way to maintain accountability with nutrition, and can also help curb overeating,” says Kelley.

11. You’re bored with your workouts

The way you view your workout program impacts how you approach and execute the workout. So, if the thought of your workout makes you want to bang your head against the wall, chances are good you’ll only give it half the effort — or skip it completely. And while it’s normal to occasionally feel like you’re not in the mood to exercise, you shouldn’t despise or dread your workouts every day.

Solution:

Choose a daily exercise routine that aligns with both your interests and goals. Ideally, it should get you excited to move and challenge yourself. If you love to get your heart rate up but hate traditional cardio like running, try a dance workout. Or, if you’re not a fan of the gym, opt for an in-home workout à la Beachbody On Demand. “Not every workout will be fun,” Braun says, “but you have to trust the process and remind yourself why you are exercising.” And that’s why it’s so important to start off with a solid goal. (See tip #1)

Workout Wisdom

If you’re not seeing results with your daily workout routine, it may be time to change things up. Beyond choosing a smart exercise regimen — one that challenges you to continually push yourself — the right nutrition, sleep, hydration, and recovery are crucial to improving your fitness. Once you identify why your routine isn’t working, you can start taking steps toward improving it.

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The biggest problem with Shakeology (that’s right, there’s actually a problem with Shakeology!) is that it’s really hard to classify.

It’s not a meal replacement — nor is it just a protein shake. So what is Shakeology?

By placing it in a category, you’re limiting how dynamic this shake is. So let’s break it down.

Is Shakeology a Meal Replacement?

By itself, Shakeology does not replace a meal. That being said, it can be part of a balanced meal when consumed along with healthy foods like fruits, nuts, seeds, nut butters, avocados, various milks, or whatever else tickles your fancy.

Or what about drinking it before your meal? “Wait!” you say. “Won’t that ruin my appetite?”

It does — but in a good way! Among other ingredients, Shakeology contains protein and fiber — two things that help you feel full.

So drinking it before breakfast, lunch, or dinner is what’s referred to in clinical circles as “pre-loading,” or consuming a pre-meal snack to suppress hunger and decrease food intake.

In other words, Shakeology can be considered a healthy way to tide you over, keep you from “pigging out,” and help you stay on course with your balanced, healthy diet.

That said, it’s not just a plain old protein (and fiber) shake!

Is Shakeology a Protein Shake?

With 16 to 17 grams of protein per glass, depending on your flavor, Shakeology comes in at roughly the same protein level as a serving of Greek yogurt (18 grams per 7 ounces) or tofu (16 grams in 7 ounces).

And it surpasses eggs, which check in at 12 grams for two eggs. While it’s not as high as meat or fish, it still has enough protein for it to count as a red container in the Portion Fix Container system.

So, yes, Shakeology is a protein shake.

That said, regular protein drinks tend to focus almost exclusively on, well, protein. Therefore, they may have more protein grams at the expense of other nutrients.

This isn’t the case with Shakeology, given it includes a variety of nutrients, like phytonutrients, antioxidants, enzymes, pre- and probiotics, fiber, adaptogens, vitamins, and minerals.

Shakeology is even low glycemic index-tested by an independent laboratory.

Shakeology works to benefit your overall health, helping to support healthy energy†, curb junk-food cravings, and support your digestive health.

So while you can certainly drink Shakeology to add protein to your diet, you’re missing the big picture — and some of the prime benefits — by focusing exclusively on this one macronutrient.

So what do you call Shakeology? The marketing gurus at Beachbody have gone around in circles with that one for a while and landed on this: “Your Daily Dose of Dense Nutrition.”

Sure, that’s a spot-on tagline, but given Shakeology’s diversity, it’s a hard product to pin down.

So instead of spending all this time focusing on how to categorize it, let’s do what we’re supposed to do with the stuff: Drink it, stay active, eat right, and get healthy.

† Vitamins C, B6, and B12 contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism.

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Want to know the secret for strengthening your core, protecting your joints, and getting more muscle-building benefits out of every workout? It’s stability. Or, a stability ball, to be exact. Also referred to as an exercise ball or a balance ball, stability ball exercises can take your workouts to the next level.

“Stability ball workouts help to teach the body to move as one unit,” explains Beachbody fitness expert Cody Braun. “When performing stability ball exercises, the muscles that make up the core and surround the hips and shoulders have to work together to keep the body strong through a full range of motion.”

Increased stability is useful for many reasons, both in and out of the gym. Stable joints are less prone to injury, because they have the strength to stay in the correct position during taxing movements. Additionally, being able to move your body as one cohesive unit helps when it comes to weightlifting, running, and other athletic endeavors, Braun says.

How do you use an exercise ball?

You can use an exercise ball in a number of ways, and since it doesn’t take up a lot of space it’s an excellent piece of home workout equipment. One common way to use a stability ball is as a substitute for a bench. (Many moves in Beachbody On Demand workouts can be done with either a bench or stability ball.) If you’re accustomed to performing exercises with a stable bench, using an exercise ball will require firing up your core, hip, and shoulder stabilizers in a new way, Braun explains. Just keep in mind that because of this extra requirement for stability, you should start by using less weight than you would use with a bench.

Stability balls also allow movement in exercises like ab or hamstring rollouts. And you can use a stability ball as a sort of weight (a very large, light weight) and move it from one side of your body to the other, or pass it between your hands and feet.

What size stability ball should I get?

Before you put your gym’s stability balls to use or buy your own, make sure you have one that’s the right size. Like any piece of exercise equipment, it’s important that your stability ball fits your body. To find the perfect size, all you need to know is your height. If you’re 5’4″ or taller, opt for a ball that’s 65 cm in diameter. If you’re shorter, 55 cm is best. (Beachbody offers balance balls in both sizes). Use a tape measure to make sure that you have inflated your ball to the specified size – it should be firm to the touch, but still have some “give.”

10 Moves to Include in Exercise Ball Workouts

Ready to start sculpting your muscles and improving your stability? Try these Beachbody-approved stability ball exercises that can be done in the gym or at home. If you want even more exercises, head to Beachbody On Demand and check out our full list of programs.

1. Stability ball jackknife

Benefits: This core exercise does double duty by strengthening the hip flexors and crunching your abs.

• Get in a high-plank position with your hands directly underneath your shoulders and your shins on top of a stability ball.
• Brace your core to keep your body in a straight line from head to toes. This is your starting position.
• Squeeze your core and bend your knees to roll the stability ball toward your hands until only your toes are resting on the ball, keeping your hips down as you do so.
• Pause, then slowly straighten your legs back behind you, returning to the starting position.

2. Stability ball hamstring curl

Benefits: Strengthen your hamstrings and glutes with this seemingly simple move, while also engaging your core.

• Lie with your back flat on the floor with the back of your calves on top of a stability ball and your legs straight.
• Brace your core and squeeze your glutes to raise your hips off of the floor so that your body forms a straight line from shoulders to heels. This is your starting position.
• Drag your heels to roll the ball as close to your butt as possible or until your knees form 90-degree angles.
• Pause, then slowly straighten your legs as you roll your feet away from your glutes, returning to the starting position.

3. Stability ball deadbug

Benefits: Deadbug exercises teach your core to work as it was designed to do—keeping your spine stable while your arms and legs do their own thing. This variation cranks it up a notch by requiring an extra ab squeeze to keep the stability ball in place, while also targeting your obliques.

• Lie with your back flat on the floor with your arms extended straight up, your legs bent at 90 degrees, and holding a stability ball between your knees and your hands. This is the starting position.
• Keeping the ball in place with your right hand and left knee, brace your core and slowly lower your right leg and left arm to within six inches of the floor (both should remain in line with your body). Only go as low as you can with your low back pressing in to the floor.
• Reverse the move to return to the starting position, and repeat on your other side.
• Continue alternating sides, performing equal reps on each side.

4. Stability ball V-pass

Benefits: Challenge your entire body with this next-level stability ball exercise. It works your core as you pass the ball between your hands and feet, and you have to engage your inner thighs and arms to keep the ball from falling to the ground.

• Lie with your back flat on the floor with your legs extended straight on the floor, holding a stability ball overhead with both hands. Brace your core to minimize any arch in your lower back. This is your starting position.
• Squeeze your abs to lift your arms and legs to place the ball between your calves, creating a “V” position.
• Lower back down to the starting position, but this time with the ball between your legs.
• Repeat the movement, passing the ball back and forth between your hands and legs.

5. Stability decline push-up

Benefits: This advanced bodyweight move is a version of a decline push-up that challenges your core just as much as your arms. You should be able to perform regular push-ups with confidence before taking on this exercise. (Here are some tips to get better at push-ups.) You’ll find this move in the Body Beast workout, Beast Up: Chest Shoulders and Tris.

• Get in a high-plank position with your hands directly underneath your shoulders and your toes on top of a stability ball. Brace your core and squeeze your glutes to keep your body in one straight line from head to toes for the entire move.
• Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the ground, keeping your elbows tucked close to your body. They should form a 45 degree angle to your torso when viewed from above.
• Press your arms straight to return to the plank position and repeat.

6. Stability ball wall squat

Benefits: Strengthen your glutes, hamstrings, and quads while building stability through your hips and core. Perform back-to-back reps, or hold each rep as long as possible.

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a stability ball between the middle of your back and a wall. Your feet should be slightly in front of your body. This is your starting position.
• Bend your knees to roll your body down the ball until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Your knees should be in line with your middle toes
• Pause, then press through your heels to return to starting position and repeat.
• Make this move harder by holding a dumbbell in each hand.

7. Russian twist

Benefits: Improve your core’s stability and rotational strength in one simple move that really targets your obliques and transverse abdominis.

• Lie with your upper back on a stability ball and your feet flat on the floor with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle. Brace your core and keep your hips extended so your torso forms a straight line from head to knees.
• Extend your arms straight above your chest and press your palms together. This is your starting position.
• Rotate your torso to roll onto one shoulder as far as you can while raising the other from the ball. Your hips should stay square with the floor.
• Reverse the move to return to the starting position.
• Repeat, rolling onto the opposite shoulder

8. Single-leg stability ball hip thrust

Benefits: This advanced hip thrust variation builds your glutes and hamstrings by training one leg at once, helping to correct any muscle imbalance between legs. Using a stability ball rather than bench hones in on single-leg hip stability even further. Practice with both feet flat on the floor, and then both feet on the ball before graduating to this advanced move.

• Lie with your back flat on the floor and both feet on a stability ball, legs bent at a 90 degree angle. Rest your arms straight on the ground by your sides.
• Lift one foot off the ball and extend it out straight.
• Squeeze your glutes to thrust your hips off the ground. Brace your core so that your torso forms a straight line from head to knees.
• Pause, then slowly lower your hips back to the ground.
• Perform all reps, then repeat on the opposite leg.

9. Stability ball “I-Y-T” shoulder raise

Benefits: Fend off the effects of sitting at a computer all day by training your shoulder stabilizers and mid-back muscles with this deceptively difficult exercise.

• Lie facedown on a stability ball with your stomach on a stability ball and your legs extended out straight behind you, digging your toes into the floor for support. Brace your core so that your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
• Let your arms hang straight toward the floor, holding your hands in fists with your thumbs up. Squeeze your shoulder blades down and away from your ears. This is your starting position.
• Leading with your thumbs, raise your arms straight up and close to your ears, keeping your shoulders pressed down. This is the “I” formation.
• Lower your arms down toward the floor, then lift your arms up again, but this time diagonally, making a “Y” formation.
• Lower your arms down toward the floor, then lift your arms straight out to your side to form a “T” formation with your palms facing the floor.
• The cycle of “I-Y-T” is one set.
• Make this move harder by holding a dumbbell in each hand.

10. Stability ball rollout

Benefits: This seemingly simple move will leave your abs shaking as it tests your core strength and stability.

• Place your hands on a stability ball and kneel with your knees hip-width apart and your toes on the floor for stability.
• Keeping your back flat and core braced, and without moving your knees, slowly roll forward so the ball comes to your forearms, until your body forms a straight line from your head to your knees.
• Pause, then roll back to the starting position.

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Morning exercise is a great way to feel like you’ve accomplished something before you dive into the monotony of your day. But if you’re not a morning person, it’s a lot easier to keep hitting snooze in lieu of working up a sweat…unless you know about these life-changing morning workout hacks.

But why should you even consider exercising in the AM? “Morning workouts let you take care of your body first, before getting distracted by the events of the day,” says ACSM certified exercise physiologist, Joan Pagano.“It’s not an indulgence; it’s the practice of self-care.”

Here’s how to plan for a morning workout you’ll never want to miss.

11 Brilliant Morning Workout Hacks

1. Get enough sleep

Sounds obvious, right? But it’s true: It’s easier to get up early if you log the recommended seven to nine hours. “It’s all about discipline and consistency,” says sleep expert Michael Breus, PhD. aka “The Sleep Doctor.” Here are a few ways to optimize your sleep for morning workouts:

• Keep your bedroom cool. Optimal temperature for sleep is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
• Your body’s internal clock is naturally programmed to sleep when it’s dark, so limit the amount of light in your bedroom. Keep the lights low before bed, shut down light-emitting electronics about a half-hour before turning in, and block outside light with blackout curtains or a sleep mask.
• Toss those old scratchy sheets and invest in comfortable bedding. You might even want to reconsider your pillows and mattress to make sure your sleeping in optimal comfort.
• Create a wind-down bedtime routine to tell your brain that it’s time for sleep. This might be drinking a warm cup of tea, curling up with a good book, meditating, or listening to calming music.
• Gradually make your bedtime earlier by about 10 minutes each night, and soon your body will grow accustomed to going to sleep earlier, so you can wake up earlier for your morning workout.

 2. Lay out your exercise clothes the night before

Set your clothes in sight of where you sleep, so when you open your eyes and spot them it will send a signal to your mind that it’s time to work out. Better yet, make that outfit one that you love, so you can’t wait to put it on. Pro morning workout hack: Don’t just lay your clothes out in the morning—wear them to sleep! Most workout clothes are as comfortable as pajamas, and it will save you time when you’re getting ready.

3. Put your alarm out of reach

It’s far too easy to just keep hitting snooze until your workout window has closed. By setting a loud alarm across the room, you’ll be forced to get up out of bed to shut it off. And if you’re not already wearing your workout clothes, put the alarm next to them so you can just grab them and go. For extra insurance that you don’t sneak back into bed, consider setting a second alarm to go off five minutes after the first.

4. Set your coffee maker to go off at a specific time

There’s nothing that signals “good morning” like the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee. Some coffee makers come with automatic built-in timers that you can schedule to go off at a specific time; others can be set with a smart device. The smell wafting from your kitchen will give you just another incentive to get up and crush your workout. And coffee doesn’t just smell and taste good; it actually can help you work harder and burn more fat.

5. Let the light in

Expose yourself to natural light as soon as you can after you wake up. “Getting blue light from the sun turns off your brain’s melatonin faucet, which in turn can erase any morning fog you feel and give you energy to get going,” says Breus. If the sun doesn’t wake up when you do, try using a light box, which can simulate natural sunlight.

6. Sniff peppermint oil

If you’re looking for a quick jolt to wake you up out of sleepy stupor, coffee isn’t the only solution – peppermint can help make you more alert, Breus says. Research shows that a whiff of peppermint essential oil can increase alternateness, which can help you get pumped up to crush your workout routine. Drinking peppermint oil may also help your performance – a small study found that drinking 500ml of mineral water spiked with peppermint oil improved subjects’ power and time to exhaustion.

7. Fuel up (but don’t sit down!)

You need to eat the right thing to boost your glycogen levels and fuel your morning workout, but resist the urge to sit down so you can keep your forward momentum going. Choose a bite to eat that’s about 100 calories and easy to digest, suggests Denis Faye, M.S. and Beachbody’s executive director of nutrition. His pick: A small piece of fruit, like half a banana. Pro morning workout hack: Set your food out the night before so you don’t have to go scrounging for it in the morning.

8. Drink up

Dehydration can have a huge effect on physical performance. “When you wake, you are dehydrated; you’ve lost about one liter of water while sleeping through sweat and breathing,” Breus says. He suggests drinking water when you first wake up to jump-start your body – about 16 ounces should keep you hydrated for your upcoming activities. Pro morning workout hack: Squeeze some lemon juice into your water for an invigorating flavor.

9. Keep yourself accountable with a workout buddy or group

Telling yourself you can’t work out is easy to do; making that excuse to someone else is a whole other story. “The accountability factor is definitely a key to success,” Pagano says. Not only does it keep you from canceling, but working out with a friend can help you push yourself harder. If you can’t convince a buddy to join you for morning workouts, consider turning to a friend online, like a Team Beachbody Coach, to help you stick to your goals. Some Coaches offer morning workout meet-ups via video chat. “Anyone can hop on and work out virtually,” says Team Beachbody Coach Amy Rada. “Being seen and knowing that other people are getting their workouts in…that really gives you an extra push to get your workout done, too.”

10. Download a new playlist

Create a “wake-up” list of energizing songs to get you motivated to move. Research shows that music can reduce the perception of effort and increase endurance up to 15 percent. Pick a playlist you love to get an energy surge that will take you through even the toughest workout. Check out some of our favorite workout playlists!

11. Work out at home

Your time in the morning is valuable, so why waste it by driving to the gym? Clear out some space at home and do your workouts. You can stream more than 40 workouts on Beachbody On Demand on your phone, computer, or TV. Choose from beginner, intermediate, or advanced workouts, and if you’re short on time, there are plenty of workouts that are 30 minutes or less.

Rise and Shine

Ready to give the early bird routine a try? With these morning workout hacks in play, you may never return to being a night owl again. Once you figure out what works best for your routine, you’ll set yourself up for success in reaching your health and fitness goals.

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Timed nutrition – eating the right foods at the right time – helps your body to fuel your workouts, build muscle, and recover while keeping your energy levels high. It’s an important component of 80 Day Obsession, Autumn Calabrese’s ground-breaking fitness and nutrition program that starts on January 15, 2018. In addition to completing 80 intense workouts, you’ll follow a specially calibrated macro-nutrition plan that is timed around your workouts to produce amazing results.

The 80 Day Obsession nutrition plan makes timed-nutrition easy with specific combinations of Beachbody Portion Control Containers for each meal. You’ll eat a light, pre-workout meal 60-90 minutes before each workout that is made up of vegetables, protein, carbs, and a little bit of healthy fat. People eating at higher calorie levels will also have a serving of fruit. If you exercise in the morning this might be your first meal of the day, so make it count! It will give you the fuel you need to power through each intense sweat session.

Use the 80 Day Obsession program guide to determine your calorie level and corresponding meal plan then get inspiration from the delicious meals below. All of these dishes can be adapted for other calorie levels by adding or removing ingredients to make them match your meal plan’s prescribed containers. Don’t like an ingredient? Swap it for something else on the food list for that color container.

These pre-workout meals aren’t just for people doing 80 Day Obsession. They offer balanced pre-workout nutrition for anyone who wants to get the most out of their workouts, including those who are doing A Little Obsessed, 21 Day Fix, and anyone using the Beachbody Portion-Control Containers with their fitness program.

Omnivore Pre-Workout Meals for Plans A, B, and C

If you are following Plan A, B, or C, your pre-workout meal will have the following containers:

• 1 Green (vegetables)
• 1 Red (protein)
• 1 Yellow (carbohydrates)
• 1 tsp. (oils and nut butters)

Use the 80 Day Obsession food lists to make simple combinations of the foods you like best, or try some of the delicious meals we’ve created for you here.

Asparagus and Eggs

Top steamed or roasted asparagus with a pair of eggs. Hard-boiling the eggs makes for easy meal prep, but if you like your eggs poached or soft-boiled, the yolks will create a luscious sauce. Serve with baked sweet potato or atop a slice of whole grain toast.

 

This pre-workout meal has:

10 large spears asparagus

2 eggs

½ cup baked sweet potato (or 1 slice whole grain toast)

1 tsp. olive oil (for roasting asparagus, or drizzled on toast)

Meal Prep Tip: Bake a few small sweet potatoes, hard-boil a batch of eggs, and roast asparagus for several meals.

Breakfast Burrito

In a rush? This grab-and-go dose of protein and carbs can be eaten quickly and won’t feel heavy during those booty-burning burpees you’re about to do.

This pre-workout meal has:

1 cup spinach

2 eggs, scrambled

1 small whole grain tortilla (6-inch)

1 tsp. olive oil

Meal Prep Tip: Add olive oil to a heated pan and cook the spinach until soft, then add scrambled eggs and cook until just set. Spoon the egg mixture into a warm tortilla and roll. Breakfast burritos can be made ahead and frozen. Wrap individual burritos in sheets of wax paper, place in a plastic bag or freezer-safe container and freeze. Reheat in a microwave for 2 minutes.

Spinach and Bacon Quinoa Muffins

These savory muffins are perfect for meal prep. Why not make a big batch to freeze so you always have a healthy, pre-workout meal at-the-ready?

This pre-workout meal has:

1 cup spinach

1 Tbsp. green onions

1 egg, scrambled

2 slices cooked turkey bacon, chopped

½ cup cooked quinoa

1 tsp. olive oil

Meal Prep Tip: Heat oven to 375° F. Cook the spinach with olive oil until just wilted. Transfer spinach to a bowl, add all of the remaining ingredients, and stir to combine. Then spoon the mixture into a muffin pan lined with muffin cups or coated with nonstick spray. Bake for 20 minutes. This amount of ingredients makes three muffins (one serving), and can be easily multiplied to make more.

Pumpkin Parfait

Packed neatly into a Mason jar, this yogurt and roasted pumpkin parfait with cinnamon and muesli is a perfect grab-and-eat breakfast before early morning workouts. Make several of these pre-workout snacks ahead of time to store in the fridge.

This pre-workout meal has:

1 cup roasted pumpkin or butternut squash

¾ cup reduced fat (2%) plain Greek yogurt

¼ cup muesli

1 tsp. coconut oil for roasting

½ tsp. cinnamon

Meal Prep Tip: Baking pumpkins, which are smaller and sweeter, are best for this dish. Peel the pumpkin, cut it in half and scoop out the seeds, then cut into bite-sized cubes. Drizzle with cinnamon and 1 tsp. of coconut oil per cup of pumpkin, place on a baking sheet and roast in an oven heated to 375° F for about 30 minutes, or until soft. When cool, layer half of the yogurt, half cup pumpkin, and 2 Tbsp. muesli in a jar or other container; repeat.

Snack Style

Don’t like to eat before working out? Reach for this combination of ingredients that will make your pre-workout meal feel more like a snack. This combination of ready-to-eat foods is perfect for days when you don’t have time to cook.

This pre-workout snack has:

½ cup baby carrots

½ cup cucumber slices

2 hard boiled eggs

2 whole grain rice cakes

1 tsp. nut butter

Meal Prep Tip: All you need to prepare to make this meal ahead of time are the hard-boiled eggs. An electric egg cooker makes that fast and easy.

Breakfast Grain Bowl

Substitute any vegetables you like in this light, but satisfying grain bowl that can be prepped in advance and quickly assembled at meal time. If you prefer freshly cooked eggs with a soft yolk, try this with poached or sunny side up eggs.

This pre-workout meal has:

½ cup roasted broccoli

½ cup roasted butternut squash

2 eggs

½ cup cooked quinoa

1 tsp. olive oil

2 tsp. balsamic vinegar (optional)

Meal Prep Tip: Every ingredient in this grain bowl can be made in advance! Roast all of the vegetables together, prep quinoa (or brown rice) in a rice cooker, and make a large batch of hard-boiled eggs.

Omnivore Pre-Workout Meals for Plans D, E, and F

If you follow plan D, E, or F, your pre-workout meal has the same containers as the lower-calorie meal plans, plus an additional purple container. Simply add any fruit from the purple container food list (½ large banana, 1 cup berries, 1 small orange, etc.) to any of the meals listed above. Or, try these scrumptious Zucchini Muffins.

Zucchini Muffins

Easy to make, and so yummy it’s hard to believe that these naturally sweet zucchini muffins are good for you. And with three small muffins per serving, they’re really satisfying! The ricotta topping is reminiscent of cream cheese frosting, and adds extra protein.

This pre-workout snack has:

1 medium zucchini, grated

½ large banana, mashed

1 egg

¼ cup dry old-fashioned rolled oats

1 tsp. coconut oil

¼ tsp. cinnamon

dash nutmeg

dash ginger

6 Tbsp. part-skim ricotta

Meal Prep Tip: Heat oven to 375° F. Sauté the zucchini with 1 tsp. coconut oil until it has decreased in volume by about half. Then, mix it with the banana, oats, egg, and spices. Spoon the mixture into muffin cups or a muffin pan coated with nonstick spray (this amount makes three muffins) and top each muffin with 2 Tbsp. ricotta. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool, then store in the fridge (or freezer) until ready to eat. The amounts listed are for one serving, but you can multiply the ingredient amounts to make multiple servings.

 

Vegan Pre-Workout Meals for 80 Day Obsession

If you are following the 80 Day Obsession Vegan Plan A, B, C, D, or E, your pre-workout meal will have the following containers:

1 Green (vegetables)

1 Red (protein)

1 Yellow B (tubers and more processed grains)

1 tsp. (oils and nut butters)

For Plan F, add one extra teaspoon to any of the meals below.

Vegan Veggie Burger

We served this veggie burger with roasted sweet potatoes for easy meal prep, but if you have time before your workout, you can swap that out for a toasted half of a whole grain English muffin instead.

This pre-workout meal has:

½ cup spinach

½ cup mushrooms

1 veggie burger patty

½ cup sweet potatoes (or 1 slice whole grain toast)

1 tsp. olive oil

Meal Prep Tip: Save time by baking sweet potatoes whole, then peel and cube them, if desired. Instead of sautéing, try roasting the mushrooms at the same time as the potatoes. Arrange sliced mushrooms evenly on a baking sheet coated with nonstick spray, drizzle with olive oil, and roast in a 375° F oven for about 20 minutes.

Vegan Breakfast Scramble

Protein-packed tofu takes on the flavor and texture of scrambled eggs in this yummy breakfast dish that gets its yellow color from turmeric. We like it with sautéed onion and pepper, but if you prefer something gentler on the tummy before a workout you can swap them for a cup of spinach.

This pre-workout meal has:

½ cup onion

½ cup bell pepper

1 tsp. coconut oil

¾ cup firm tofu, chopped

dash ground coriander

dash ground cumin

dash turmeric

1 slice whole grain toast

Meal Prep Tip: Sauté onion and pepper in coconut oil. Add tofu and spices and cooke until heated through. Serve with toast. This vegan scramble keeps well in the fridge, so make double or triple the recipe and have your pre-workout meal prepped for several days.

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When I was a kid, I remember reading a story called Stone Soup. It was about a traveler who wanders into a small town looking for something to eat, but is told that everyone there is starving. The traveler then produces a stone from his pocket and informs everyone that this is a magic stone, one need only to pop it into a pot of boiling water, and presto, instant soup. The excited townspeople gather up the largest cauldron they can find, fill it with water and light a fire beneath, and while they wait for it to boil the traveler begins to make suggestions: “I sure wish we had a ham bone, stone soup is extra-delicious with a ham bone.” “I have a leftover ham bone,” one townsman cries, and he runs home to get it. “I sure wish we had some carrots, stone soup is even better with just a few carrots,” says the traveler. “I have a couple carrots left in the root cellar,” a woman says. “Let me go get them.” And so on and so forth. I think we all can see where this is headed – the magic isn’t in the stone, it’s in the judicious use of what seemed to be useless kitchen scraps.

The most perfect item to start creating your magic soup stone is a turkey carcass – an enormous pile of flavor-packed, roast bones replete with the juiciest, tenderest bits of close-to-the-bone meat that the carving knife wasn’t nimble enough to discover. And yet, it’s usually the first thing to go in the trash, followed by that half an onion, two carrots, and three stalks of celery that you had tossed to the back of some refrigerator drawer. That’s why the morning after any holiday, when I’m making that much needed pot of coffee, I also fire up a pot of what I’ve come to call my “Holiday Stone Soup.”

Into the largest stockpot I have goes the turkey carcass that I wrapped up and refrigerated from the night before, along with any other leftover bones (perhaps there was a rib roast, or a rack of lamb) – all are welcome in stone soup! I fill the pot almost to the brim with cold water (stocks always begin with cold water to extract all the proteins from the meat), put the pot on the stove, and then I sort my vegetables.

I like to sort my veggies into two categories: those I want in my finished soup, and those I’m using just for flavor. In the latter category, I usually throw in my alliums (members of the onion family), which would include onion, garlic (cut in half, but no need to peel it), and leeks. I also throw in any leftover herbs, stems and all, such as sage, parsley, rosemary, thyme. Citrus? Why not? A leftover lemon or orange, even a lime is fine, just cut them in half and into the pot. And don’t forget that knob of ginger. All of these foods are flavor components for the stock and will be strained out of the final soup. Now bring the whole thing up to a boil, then reduce to the barest simmer. If the stock is boiled too long, it will lose its flavor and turn opaque. Gently simmered stock, however, will be rich and translucent. Allow it to simmer for at least six hours.

You don’t have much to do during the cook time other than occasionally checking your water level (if it dips below the surface of the ingredients, top up your pot with more water). If you want, you can skim any fat and foam from the surface every few hours.

About an hour before dinner, I strain the stock twice. On the first pass, I use a regular colander to catch the big stuff, which I empty into my largest casserole dish and put into the refrigerator to cool. I strain the stock a second time, but this time through a fine mesh strainer or a colander lined with cheese cloth to catch the smaller bits. The finished stock goes back on the stove where it’s held at a low simmer.

Now it’s time to prepare that first category of vegetables, the ones we want in our finished soup. I usually use colorful veggies like carrots, bell peppers, and celery, as well as starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and turnips. Root vegetables are peeled and everything is cut into roughly equal-sized pieces, the way you want them to look in your hearty bowl of soup. If you don’t have any starchy vegetables, you can pre-cook some noodles, rice, or quinoa that you can add to your soup at the end. Twenty minutes before I’m ready to serve dinner, I add all my veggies to the simmering pot and cook them until they are fork tender. While they’re cooking, I return to that casserole dish and pick out all the juicy bits of meat that look like something I want to eat, leaving behind the skin, bones and gristly bits. Once the veggies are cooked, turn off the heat, add the meat, taste, and season with salt and pepper as needed.

And there you have it! Rescued from the trash can, a big ol’ pot of some of the richest, tastiest, most satisfying homemade soup you’ll ever eat. Loaded with quality nutrition, it’s sure to be a hit at your post-holiday dinner table, and if there’s more than you can finish (it’s amazing how much food we nearly threw away, right?!) Stone Soup freezes beautifully for up to three months.

 

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It’s a conundrum people face in kitchens the world over: You want to eat healthy, but you don’t know where to start. Oh, and you kind of don’t like vegetables.

You’re in good company: Carl Daikeler, Beachbody co-founder and CEO, does not like vegetables. The solution? His wife Isabelle and nutritionist Darin Olien created Shakeology so Carl would eat healthier.

But what’s actually in this shake? Are the ingredients legit healthy? Is it a meal replacement or just a protein shake? Why should I drink it?

Let’s get some answers to your most pressing Shakeology questions:

What Is Shakeology?

In a nutshell, Shakeology is a nutrient-dense superfood protein shake that’s formulated with globally harvested ingredients that supply phytonutrients, antioxidants, enzymes, pre- and probiotics, fiber, adaptogens, vitamins, and minerals.

Shakeology includes whole food-based ingredients that are as close to their natural state as possible to help maximize nutrition and still make it convenient for you to drink. No artificial sweeteners, colors, preservatives, or flavors.

Beachbody searches the world over for the best quality ingredients. Before anything makes it into our shakes, hundreds of hours of work go into vetting and testing both the ingredient and the supplier.

This helps ensure that each new ingredient is of the highest quality and complements what’s already in the mix.

We continuously strive to improve Shakeology, so in 2017, we introduced a new Shakeology formula with several additional benefits:

• improved vitamin and mineral composition
• matcha, chaga, and sacha inchi are now in all flavors, in both vegan and whey versions

The Benefits of Shakeology

So, why should you drink it? Shakeology’s powerful and premium formula can support healthy energy, curb junk food cravings, support digestive health, all to help you lose weight as part of a Beachbody health and fitness program.*

In addition, the nutrition in Shakology can help you get better results when you pair it with killer workout programs like the SHIFT SHOP or CORE DE FORCE.*

Shakeology Ingredients

• Proteins and fiber: Helps reduce hunger and food cravings.*

• Antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals: Helps fight free radical damage, while helping your body support a healthy immune system.*

• Adaptogen herbs: Traditionally used to help your body adapt and respond to the effects of stress.*

• Prebiotics, probiotics, digestive enzymes, and fiber: Helps your body absorb nutrients as well as supports regularity and healthy digestion.*

Is There Sugar in Shakeology?

Shakeology has about seven grams of sugar per serving (eight grams in Café Latte) from a combination of organic cane sugar and the various superfood fruit powders.

To put this into perspective, there are 14 grams of sugar in a medium banana, and 19 grams of sugar in a medium apple.

Is Shakeology a Meal Replacement?

On its own, Shakeology does not replace a meal, but it can be a part of a balanced meal when combined with other healthy foods like fruits, nuts, seeds, nut butters, avocados, or various milks.

Drink a morning shake with a healthy breakfast that has a mix of carbs, protein, and fatand you’ll be setting yourself up for success for the rest of the day.

When Should I Drink Shakeology?

If you’re not a morning-shake drinker, you can have it whenever you’re hungry. Shakeology is loaded with protein, fiber, and wholesome ingredients, all of which work together to help keep you satisfied.

And because Shakeology helps reduce junk food cravings, you’ll be less likely to pig out on stuff that you’ll regret later.*

How Many Calories Are in Shakeology?

Shakeology contains between 140 and 170 calories per serving, depending on the flavor. Keep in mind: As you add fruit, nut butters, and milk, that number starts to climb.

Even when you’re eating healthy foods, like smoothie bowls or shakes, it’s important keep an eye on all the add-ins so it doesn’t turn into a calorie bomb.

Is Shakeology a Protein Shake?

All that protein + other macro- and micronutrients + superfoods makes Shakeology a multi-dimensional premium nutritional supplement, not just a protein shake.

What Are Superfoods?

“Superfood” isn’t an officially recognized term, but you can think of them as foods that are nutrient-dense and considered to be beneficial for health and well-being.

Common superfoods include foods like blueberries, salmon, nuts, legumes, seeds, and whole grains. Less widely available superfoods include foods such as bee pollen and mangosteen. Shakeology includes an array of superfoods like matcha, chaga, goji berry, and more.

Antioxidants vs. Free Radicals

What are these free radicals and antioxidants that we speak of? Long, complicated science short:

We generate free radicals as a result of various bodily processes and when we’re exposed to things like pollution, radiation, and chemicals.

These free radicals are atoms that contain a single electron; but electrons like to travel in pairs, so they roam around stealing electrons from other atoms. Then those atoms, in turn, become free radicals, which start looking for another electron, triggering a chain reaction of electron theft.

That process is called oxidation, and over time, results in oxidative stress on your cells.

Enter antioxidants: These are compounds like vitamins A,C, and E found in foods, especially colorful fruits and vegetables, that help neutralize these scavenging free radicals by giving them free electrons.

Shakeology Ingredients That Can Have Antioxidant Behavior:

• Vitamin A
• Acerola cherry
• Pomegranate
• Camu-camu
• Bilberry
• Goji berry
• Vitamin C
• Blueberry
• Green tea
• Rose hips
• Cinnamon
• Luo han guo (also known monk fruit)

Now that you’ve got the 411 on all the good stuff that’s in Shakeology, it’s time to get to the practical stuff, like how does it taste, what flavors does it come in, and how you can get your hands on some.

Shakeology comes in nine flavors, including four vegan versions: Chocolate, Vanilla, Café Latte, Strawberry, Greenberry, Chocolate Vegan, Vanilla Vegan, Café Latte Vegan, and Tropical Strawberry Vegan.

What Protein Does Shakeology Contain?

Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, Café Latte, and Greenberry Shakeology formulas are loaded with protein from whey protein isolate, yellow pea, sacha inchi, chia, flax, and quinoa.

What Protein Does Vegan Shakeology Contain?

The vegan Shakeology formulas all contain a proprietary blend of plant-based proteins, which is ideal for those who cannot tolerate — or choose to avoid — animal proteins, whey, or dairy.

The proteins in vegan Shakeology — pea, chia, flax, sacha inchi, quinoa, rice, and oat ingredients — are plant-based proteins, that supply all nine essential amino acids (ones that our bodies can’t produce).

Is Shakeology Dairy-Free?

The four vegan flavors (Chocolate Vega, Vanilla Vegan, Cafe Latte Vegan, Tropical Strawberry Vegan) are dairy- and soy-free.

Is Shakeology Gluten-Free?

There are no gluten-based ingredients in Shakeology; however, it’s not a certified gluten-free product. We take significant precautions to prevent any gluten containing ingredients from being included in the product.

Is Shakeology Organic?

Since we globally source Shakeology ingredients, certifying every exotic ingredient is very complex. However, the possibility of a completely organic Shakeology is being researched. Stay tuned!

Does Shakeology Contain Any GMO Ingredients?

Shakeology is not certified GMO-free. However, special care has been taken in its formulation to exclude GMO-based ingredients such as soy, canola, and corn.

Ingredient suppliers are required to provide documentation to Beachbody on their position on GMO ingredients. The possibility of obtaining a third-party certification is currently being evaluated for Shakeology.

How Much Does Shakeology Cost?

You can buy Shakeology online as a one-time purchase or monthly subscription. The price varies, depending on which purchase option you choose.

And if you find that Shakeology is simply not to your liking, you can return it within 30 days of your purchase for a full refund of the purchase price, minus shipping and handling, even if the bag is empty.

Shakeology Bag or Combo Packets $129.95 (U.S.)

You can buy a single 30-serving bag, or if you like a little flavor variety, there are Combo boxes that contain 24-single serving packets in different flavors:

• Chocolate, Vanilla, Café Latte (vegan option available)

• Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry (vegan option available)

• Chocolate, Vanilla (vegan option available)

Shakeology Whey Sampler $24.95

If you can’t decide which flavor you want, your best bet is to get a Shakeology Sampler, which contains one single-serving packet of each of these five flavors: Café Latte, Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, and Greenberry.

Shakeology Vegan Sampler $19.95

The vegan sampler contains one single-serving packet of each of the four vegan flavors: Chocolate Vegan, Vanilla Vegan, Café Latte Vegan, Tropical Strawberry.

Why You’ll Love Drinking Shakeology Every Day

Shakeology can help provide healthy energy, reduce junk food cravings, support your digestion and regularity, and help you lose weight.*

The protein, fiber, and healthy fats will help you feel full longer so you’re less likely to snack. Plus, it provides healthy energy, which will help you power through your workouts, and your day.

Bottom line is, you’ll love Shakeology because of the way it will help you look and feel, inside and out.

 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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When you’re ready to take your fit goals to the next level, you may feel like you’re playing a game of “Would You Rather:”

Would you rather blast body fat and get flat, defined abs? Or would you rather focus on healthy curves and a firm, sculpted booty?

You can have both — if you’re willing to work for it.

80 Day Obsession, the new fitness and nutrition program by Autumn Calabrese, is designed to flatten your abs and firm your butt using a timed nutrition plan and 80 unique, challenging workouts.

This isn’t a quick-fix plan. After all, you’re not just trying to lose weight — you’re striving for your best body, and that requires serious commitment.

“The ethos of this program is obsession,” says Paige Benté, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D., and nutrition manager at Beachbody.

“There are no cheat days. There’s not a lot of wiggle room. It combines a strict nutrition program and intense workouts to get maximum results,” she explains.

But if you’re ready to get a little bit obsessed with your fitness and nutrition strategy, you’ll see the kind of jaw-dropping results that always seemed just out of reach.

Here’s what you need to know about the 80 Day Obsession nutrition plan before you get started:

How Timed Nutrition Works

Your body has peak windows of muscle protein synthesis throughout the day, and if you eat the right nutrients around those windows, you’ll build muscle and burn fat more efficiently.

“The benefits of timed nutrition play on your body’s metabolism,” Benté says. “With 80 Day Obsession, we’re supplying specific macronutrients at specific intervals to maximize muscle protein synthesis — so you’re gaining the most muscle and utilizing your food as fuel as optimally as possible.”

You’ll follow a strict meal schedule and use Beachbody’s Portion Fix containers to create meals that deliver the nutrients your body needs, exactly when it needs them.

The plan is structured so your pre-workout meal gives you the fuel to power through an intense workout, while your post-workout meal helps your body restore and rebuild muscle during the optimal window for muscle protein synthesis.

The 80 Day Obsession Glossary

When you get started 80 Day Obsession, you’ll get a detailed set of guidelines on how you need to schedule your meals for the week.

A few of the elements of this plan may be unfamiliar to you, so here are a few key terms you’ll need to know.

• CALORIE TARGET: Before you start 80 Day Obsession, you’ll calculate how many calories you need to consume each day, and choose a nutrition plan built around that calorie target.
• WORKOUT BLOCK: This is the four- to five-hour block of time before, during, and after your workout. The nutrition plan revolves around this window, and you’ll follow specific guidelines for which color-coded containers and supplements you can use during this block. You’ll also eat three small meals outside of your workout block, along with a Recharge supplement before bed.
• BEACHBODY PERFORMANCE: Our workout supplements — Energize, Hydrate, Recover, and Recharge — are built into the nutrition plan to maximize your results.
• REFEED DAY: You’ll boost your carb intake on refeed day — but it’s not a cheat day. “A cheat day is a free-for-all,” Benté says. “Refeed days are meant to give you a little boost in glycogen by supplying extra carbohydrates, but it’s still very much timed nutrition.”
• DEPLETE DAY: During the last week of the program, you have the option of reducing your carbs and increasing your protein to finish strong with an all-out “shed and shred.”
• REST DAY: These days should be taken as seriously as the rest of the plan. “It’s not an opportunity to go do another workout,” Benté says. “Your body needs that recovery.”

When Is the Best Time to Work Out?

That depends on what works best for your schedule — morning, midday, or evening. The most important thing is that you plan ahead.

Because your timed nutrition plan is built around your workout, you can’t just squeeze in a workout whenever — you need to choose your workout time first so you can build your meal schedule for the day around it.

It’s critical that you’re able to build that block around your workout, so if you normally roll out of bed and run five miles before you’ve eaten breakfast, you’re going to need to rethink your approach while you’re following 80 Day Obsession.

“You don’t do a workout at a time that you can’t build a block around. It’s not an option,” Benté says.

The one exception: If you really can’t stomach the idea of eating a full meal within 90 minutes of working out, you can swap your Meal Option 1, for the Pre-Workout Meal.

“That’s a smaller meal than the pre-workout meal, and that can help for people who work out first thing in the morning, or don’t like eating very much before working out,” Benté says.

Nutrition Tips and Tricks to Keep You on Track

80 Day Obsession is intense, so if you want to crush it, you’ll need razor-sharp focus and serious motivation — along with a few helpful strategies to set yourself up for success:

1. Prep your meals in advance

Meal prep can help you stick to your healthy-eating goals, and it’s even more crucial when you’re trying to navigate the super-strict schedule for 80 Day Obsession.

Fill your color-coded containers at the beginning of the week so you can focus on following your schedule without worrying about what you’ll eat at each meal.

2. Set meal reminders

You know when you get caught up in your work, forget to eat lunch, and suddenly it’s 3 p.m. and you’re starving? That’s not going to fly with a timed nutrition plan.

“Write out your workout block, write out the times for the rest of your meals, and put timers in your phone,” Benté says.

3. Make Shakeology part of the plan

Not in the mood to roast a chicken or wait for tempeh to bake? Whenever you see a red (protein) container on your meal plan, you can have Shakeology instead.

The superfood protein shake provides the nutrients you need to get the most out of this program.

80 Day Obsession Nutrition Plan FAQ

Because 80 Day Obsession is designed to help you reach your ultimate fitness goals, the nutrition plan may be a bit more structured and complex than other programs you’ve followed — you may still have a few questions about how the plan works and whether it’s right for you.

Here are answers to some of the questions we hear most often:

Is 80 Day Obsession beginner-friendly?

80 Day Obsession is an intermediate to advanced program for those who are already in good shape, but want to get seriously sculpted.

(If you’ve already completed 21 Day Fix or 21 Day Fix Extreme with Autumn, that’s even better!)

Not sure if you’re ready for this level of commitment? Try A Little Obsessed, a five-day introduction with 30-minute workouts and a sample nutrition plan.

Can I do 80 Day Obsession without Beachbody Performance supplements?

Yes. You’ll be provided with charts that explain how to adapt the plan if you decide not to use Beachbody Performance supplements.

For example, if you’re vegan, you may choose to replace the post-workout Recover supplement with Shakeology.

Or you may skip the supplements altogether and shift your meal times accordingly.

Can I use Portion Fix with the 80 Day Obsession workout plan?

You can — but without the 80 Day Obsession nutrition plan, you’re not going to see the same results. “You’re still doing a great workout plan, but it’s not the same thing,” Bente says.

Is it okay to swap meals if I’m craving something different?

Because this is a timed nutrition program, there’s not a lot of wiggle room if you want to get the results you’re looking for.

During your workout block, it’s important to follow the plan exactly. Outside your workout block, the three meals can be eaten in any order — as long as you don’t mess with the combinations of containers within each meal.

Can I do Deplete Days every week for faster results?

Nope. “Deplete days are only an option in the last week of the program, if you want to really shred out,” Benté says.

“It’s not something we recommend doing any other time, and it’s not something we recommend sticking to long-term.”

What should I do if I’m always hungry?

“If you get two or three weeks into this program, and you’re actually showing signs of true hunger — you’re tired, you’re dizzy, you have a headache, you’re having trouble sleeping, you can’t make it through a workout — you might need to bump up to the next plan,” Benté says.

The Bottom Line

And remember, it’s called 80 Day Obsession for a reason. If your goal is to shrink your core and chisel your booty, you need to be ready for 80 days of intense focus and rigid rules. It won’t be easy — but it’ll be worth it.

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Guys of all ages are transforming their bodies and their lives at home with Beachbody fitness and nutrition programs. These 4 dudes in particular really did the digity-darn thing and won $1,000 in the Beachbody Challenge monthly contest from November 2017! Check out their jaw-dropping “before” and “after” photos…

Jeff Rogers Lost 154 Pounds

The effectiveness of P90X was a key component in keeping Jeff engaged in the program. Once he began to see results, he couldn’t stop. 9 months and 155 lbs. later, he’s still going!

He says: “P90X has helped me keep my motivation by being such an effective program. Because I was committed, I began seeing results so quickly and that really helped me to not only stay motivated but it increased my motivation twofold! In nine short months I have lost 155 lbs! I am very proud of the progress I’ve had with my weight loss as well as the mental stamina I have gained. Now, I can buy clothes anywhere I want, I can play with my children and not be winded, and I can enjoy outdoor activities that I couldn’t physically handle prior. I am extremely excited to ride roller coasters for the first time in over a decade! Perhaps the biggest change has been my mental state of mind. I have gained such huge amounts of confidence and my outlook on life has completely changed. I am so excited for the future as a result of the success this program has given me. Now, I’m on a mission to help others better their life in the same way!

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Rigo Izaguirre Lost 120 Pounds

Over the last 16 months, Rigo has been shredding his workouts, and shedding his waistline. He’s lost 120 lbs and doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon!

He says: “What I love most about the Body Beast program is the muscle building. I’ve never had this much physical strength before in my life. It has gotten me to become more productive with myself and has boosted my confidence significantly. My whole lifestyle changed dramatically with this program; from having poor eating habits and being inactive to eating clean and healthy foods and being active such as playing with my son outdoors more often and always looking forward to the next workout. I really enjoy using Beachbody on Demand. It makes accessing the programs 100 times easier and faster. I use it everyday with my workouts, and it has helped me diversify my workout routines with Sagi Kalev Exclusives and Beast Up Hybrid Challenges. I have continued with the Body Beast program for over a year now, and I’ve lost 120 lbs, which is something I thought I would never achieve. I am not finished, nor do I have any intentions of stopping. Thank you, Beachbody!”

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Jeff Gottfried Lost 155 Pounds

Jeff lost 155 lbs. with the help of Beachbody’s proven system of fitness, nutrition, and support. He also shared his results with us in the Beachbody Challenge contest and came up $1,000. Talk about a win-win!

He says: “The gym isn’t the be-all-end-all to fitness, you can do it at home too! I am 42 and I am in the best shape of my life. Every day I get better and better. I can walk run, swim, and spend time with my family now. I don’t get tired playing with my daughter and I can actually run and play sports. Life is so exciting! Beachbody has helped me get my life back, and words can’t explain how grateful I am!”

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Andy Dean Lost 14 Pounds

Andy (age 53) got great results in just one round of Body Beast. It looks like Papa’s got some brand new abs!

He says: “When I heard about Body Beast I was intrigued. I hadn’t really worked out with weights since my college days. I liked the idea of concentrating on muscle groups in each workout once per week. So, off we went! I knew that I just had to get past Day 1 and I was fine. …and I was! Before I knew it I was on Day 30 and taking my 30-day photos. My muscle mass increased dramatically in a short amount of time. The low impact workouts saved my joints from pain and the concentration of different muscle groups kept my motivation up each day. I can now work in and around the house for hours without feeling the aches and pains I used to feel in half the time. I am most pleased and proud with the lowering of my body fat. I went from 28.7% body fat to 17% on my final day, and I’m only getting started. Believe the testimonials you see on the infomercials and on the website – they are real! Regular people, just like me, of all ages have some fantastic and inspiring stories. My wife has always told me a quote she heard some time ago that “when you believe it you will see it.” I believed it and now I see it.”

You can change your life, too. Take the Beachbody Challenge for the tools you need to Decide, Commit, and Succeed! Complete any Beachbody program, and enter your results for a free gift and a chance to win cash and prizes. Ready to pick a program and get started?

 

The Beachbody Challenge contest is currently open only to legal residents of the 50 United States (incl. DC), Puerto Rico, and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are at least 18 or the age of majority at time of entry. Residents of Quebec and the UK are not currently eligible to compete in the Beachbody Challenge transformation contest. However, they can earn free gifts after completing a Beachbody program by submitting this application form online.

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