Beachbody Review - 13 Things You Need to Know
There aren’t many diet products on the market that are more recognizable than Beachbody. The company makes a number of claims related to improved health and fitness with the use of their products. However, most of the products lack appropriate clinical research, and we tend to be skeptical of MLM companies like Beachbody.
We asked our research team to help out. They looked into the products and plans available, including reports of side effects and any applicable clinical studies. We then summarized that information to present you with the Bottom Line on Beachbody.
Beachbody can be purchased through their Official Site.
What is Beachbody?
Beachbody is a multi-level marketing (MLM) company specializing in health and wellness products, supplements and simple eating.
Beachbody is the company behind the popular and successful workout programs:
Aside from the workout programs, Beachbody also offers a line of performance supplements, including:
- Energize
- Hydrate
- Recover
- Recharge
- Shakeology
Each one is uniquely created depending on what you want to achieve.
Whether you are looking for better performance in the gym or just want to sculpt your muscles with better recovery, there are a few ways you can use Beachbody’s product line to enhance your performance.
Part of working out with Beachbody is that you can customize your routine with their products.
They offer several ways for you to set up goals and then select the right line of products to help you achieve whatever you want to do.
You can choose to tone, lose weight, improve performance and recovery, or build muscle, but what does the research have to say about some of the ingredients in Beachbody products?
- International Journal of Exercise Science: The consumption of casein protein alongside exercise may not improve performance.
- Nutrients: BCAAs were found to help ease muscle soreness after exercise.
- Molecular and Cellular Biology: Creatine supplementation may be able to improve exercise performance, particularly while doing high-intensity workouts.
Beachbody Competitors
Product | Review | |
---|---|---|
1st Phorm | read | |
Amberen | read | |
Ensure Plus | read | |
Almased | read | |
Noom | read | |
Other similar products: Nitro Tech |
Beachbody – The Company
Beachbody started in 1998 as a way to teach people about working out, what to do to get the body you want, and how to succeed in other fitness goals.
You can tell that the company takes fitness to a higher level as they develop formulas made for people trying to improve.
Also, Beachbody is part of the athletic community already. Athletes have provided their success stories of how it has helped them stay hydrated and energized throughout any workout.
The Beachbody line was created to answer every fitness need that an athlete may have while training for important competitions and events like the Ironman series.
Beachbody was founded in 1998 and has over 23 million customers. The company has expanded in recent years to include several different weight loss, fitness, and performance products.
They are constantly growing and looking for ways to help customers live a complete and healthy life.
One of the great things about the company is the community. They have an online Beachbody coach network that helps others who want to improve their fitness.
The network of coaches helps keep you motivated and achieve your fitness goals.
Beachbody has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since February 20, 2002 with an “A+” BBB rating. Beachbody’s other popular products include Shakeology, Portion Fix, Beachbody Performance Stack, 2B Mindset Challenge Pack, Job 1™, 645™, LET’S GET UP!™, Beachbody Collagen Boost, Focused Energy BEVVY™, Barre Blend Total-Solution Packs, Hydrate, Recharge, and Orange Whey Recover.
Scroll below for one of the best products we’ve seen over the last year.
Beachbody Ingredients
Each product has different ingredients that fit your fitness and health goals.
Perhaps you are looking for more energy, or maybe you want to grow more muscle and recover from intense workouts.
Your goals will not change, but what Beachbody offers will.
The company uses some natural ingredients shown to work and produce results.
Some of the ingredients used in Beachbody products include:
Beta-Alanine
Beta-Alanine is an amino acid that helps move lactic acid within the body.
Beta-alanine results from the synthesis of carnosine; a small molecule made from histidine and beta-alanine.
Carnosine works as an enabled agent that makes sure your muscles have an optimal pH range. This delays muscle fatigue.
One study published in Amino Acids found that this amino acid can also improve exercise performance.
Caffeine
As a stimulant, the low amounts of caffeine help to stimulate you before a workout so that you can reduce fatigue and keep going when you need to pump harder.
According to the journal Psychopharmacology, caffeine also works to stabilize your mood and maintain focus when used in low-dose amounts.
Frontiers in Psychiatry also claims that when taken in such low amounts, caffeine is considered safe for most to use.
Quercetin
This is a plant-based nutrient that is a powerful energy enhancement. It also has a few anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory properties, according to Antioxidants in Sports Nutrition.
Sodium-Hydration Blend
This is a new formula created by Beachbody using sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
Together, these minerals maintain the body’s fluid balance while you work out.
You get a nutritional boost and increased energy at the same time.
Pomegranate Extract
This is a powerful herbal extract that is rich in ellagitannin. You get a faster muscle recovery, while also reducing muscle soreness and improving your strength.
According to Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, pomegranate extract has also anti-inflammatory properties.
Time-Released Protein
This amino acid formula results in muscle growth and recovery. According to the American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism, casein is one of the best forms of a time-release protein.
Anthocyanin
According to International Journal of Preventive Medicine, studies have shown that anthocyanin or tart cherry has been known to reduce muscle recovery time and decrease soreness after intense workouts.
If you are constantly ripping muscles and testing your strength, then this is good to have for repairing your body. Also, it can help reduce the risk of some diseases.
Micellar Casein Protein
These canals help enhance recovery overnight by promoting new muscle growth and reducing the amount of muscle breakdown after an intense workout.
Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
These amino acids come together to provide an essential formula for protein. You can feed your muscles and promote muscle synthesis at the same time. These amino acids are important for rebuilding your body.
Creatine
Some people like a blended formula, but why change what works best?
Creatine has been used by bodybuilders and athletes for many years.
This one blend can boost muscle strength, power, and performance in one serving. Creatine monohydrate is one of the better ingredients to add to your fitness regimen.
Beachbody does a good job of providing the ingredients and warnings for all of its products online.
You can read the ingredients and see the label with nutritional facts on the website.
Beachbody Side Effects
While no one wants to experience side effects besides muscle gain and weight loss; there’s always the chance that some will experience side effects.
Some potential side effects include:
- Headaches
- Muscle cramps
- Sweating
- Upset stomach
- Diarrhea
- Gas
- Bloating
- Dizziness
- Itchiness
- Frequent trips to the bathroom
It’s always best to contact your doctor before starting any new fitness routine.
Claimed Beachbody Benefits
So how is Beachbody different than all of the other programs out there?
For one, the brand is unified in its approach to fitness and overall health.
Some benefits of Beachbody programs and supplements include:
- Weight loss
- Increased energy
- Reduced fatigue
- Improved performance
- Muscle growth
- Improved recovery
Does Beachbody Work?
Aside from seeing Beachbody transformation pictures, there’s a chance product from Beachbody will work.
Many customers report that Beachbody works so well for training. They take the supplement every day and use it to boost their stats whenever they start to lift again.
You can see the difference in your workouts before and after, as you just get that energized feeling when you are taking Beachbody supplements.
Where to Buy Beachbody – What Does Beachbody Cost?
You can purchase Beachbody online at www.beachbody.com. All the products are available to buy together or separately. You can also visit a local distributor or affiliate member. Prices will vary for exercise programs, nutritional products, and gear.
When purchased together, you can save the most and pay $199.95 for all four in the “Advanced Performance Stack.”
Purchasing separately may be costly if you want to create a program, but you can also choose to go with a customized plan that Beachbody prepares for you. Some of these are $49.95 or $109.95 if including two or more Beachbody performance products.
In general, Beachbody products range in price from about $140 to $250 for workout programs, meal ideas, and coaching.
August 2019 Update: Beachbody and many other health and wellness companies selling goods, has been called out for using deceptive billing practices. The company “has agreed to change its website and sales practices to better protect consumers,” according to the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Directions For Taking (Using) Beachbody Products
Depending on how you want to work out and which products you select, you will likely take most of the performance products around when you plan to exercise.
These are designed to enhance what you are doing at the gym. Energize is a great pre-workout supplement because it gets you focused and flush with energy to take on even the most challenging workouts.
Hydrate has a different approach and works better as a drink you keep by your side during intense workouts. It can replenish your electrolytes and increase energy for when you are feeling too tired for the next rep.
If you are looking for more of a muscle recovery option, you can take Beachbody Recharge and Beachbody Recover to help grow muscles and feed them with different protein formulas.
Beachbody and Weight Loss
Most people are looking to lose weight when they start a supplementation program. If you are working out and exercising every day, then Beachbody should help you increase your metabolic rate and promote muscle growth. Both of these help you burn calories and lose fat. Many of the products under Beachbody are for replacing meals as well. For example, you can use Shakeology to replace a meal and energize your workout.
If you want to lose weight faster, Beachbody suggests that you create a customized supplementation program that has more than one performance-enhancing product. There are four training formulas included with the Advanced Performance Stack. You can use this to increase your energy before workouts and increase the body’s energy, so you perform at the highest level in the gym.
Exercise and diet are essential to use Beachbody products successfully. Without a daily routine, you will not benefit from a higher metabolic rate and increased energy levels. Most trainers currently taking Beachbody are working towards sculpting their physique each day. If you are up for the challenge, then you should create a customized supplementation program with Beachbody, too!
Beachbody Lawsuits?
A search of dockets and filings on Justia lists 64 case filings. Of those, many are cases filed by Beachbody against persons and businesses for copyright infringement. However, there are quite a few filed against the company:
- November 11, 2016: Rothschild Broadcast Distribution Systems, LLC v. Beachbody, LLC for Patent Infringement
- April 19, 2016: Yackery v. Beachbody, LLC for Diversity-Product Liability
- March 10, 2015: Qommerce Systems, LLC v. Beachbody, LLC for Patent Infringement
- September 1, 2020: Heather W. Carbone, et al. v. Beachbody LLC for Disclosing Personal Information to Third Parties Without Consent
There are many more lawsuits of the same nature filed over the years.
In August of 2017, Beachbody settled a lawsuit about unauthorized credit card charges. The company agreed to pay $3.6 million ($1 million of given to nutrition and community programs as restitution).
According to the Los Angeles Business Journal, the city of Los Angeles received the remainder of the money. “The judgment also requires Beachbody to reform its practices, including getting customers’ consent – through a separate checkbox – for subscription renewals, clearly disclosing the renewal terms, sending reminders of upcoming renewals, and allowing customers to cancel their orders.”
Beachbody and Making Money with MLM
The Beachbody program is designed around principles of diet and exercise that have helped many people experience weight loss and overall fitness success. Beachbody offers specific diet plans geared toward assisting many people to lose weight. This is also a multi-level marketing (MLM) program, which is why it’s so common to find advertisements on Facebook and other social media sites.
What Is MLM?
MLM marketing relies on customers to become salespeople. It’s a pyramid setup: for each person that joins a specific team and begins the network marketing process, the person at the top of the “pyramid” gains another salesperson who is helping them reach their goal. Beachbody focuses on adding “coaches” to the team to get their friends and family members through their network marketing efforts.
How Does Beachbody MLM Work?
In multi-level marketing, the individual at the top of the pyramid receives a commission for everything sold by the people beneath them. Many items are marked up significantly in price to make it possible for the entire pyramid to make the profits that they want from the process.
An individual coach will sell to their clients, receiving a percentage of whatever they buy. Then, each person above them also receives a certain percentage of the amount. The person at the top of the pyramid is positioned to continue to receive passive income from the process. In contrast, individuals lower on the pyramid must continue to add new members to profit regularly.
What Users Are Saying
“Worth every penny! Beachbody doesn’t disappoint! Great selection of workout programs and easily accessible with Firestick! No hang ups, no freezing, crystal clear streaming!”
“I’ve been drinking Shakeology for about 9 years now and have been a member of Beachbody on Demand for nearly as long. Both of these have quite literally saved my life. I was about 150lbs overweight and have lost about 100 of those pounds with those 2 products (along with healthier eating habits and working out consistently).”
“Great boost to begin your daily workout. Makes for a good pickup when feeling sluggish. One of my favorite Beachbody products.”
The Bottom Line on Beachbody
So, is Beachbody worth a go? Anyone can see that the company has stood the test of time and they certainly offer many DVDs and even the streaming service, Beachbody on Demand. We also like that Beachbody offers community support and programs for all fitness levels; not just those in better health.
If you need to shed those extra pounds, our research points in the direction of lifestyle changes. We also support using a clinically-proven weight-loss program – to give you that extra push.
Among the best programs we’ve seen this year is one called Noom. This one of a kind program works with human coaching (one-on-one), personalized meal plans, exercise tracking, food logging and more. We also find it amazing that dieters are seeing, and sharing, fantastic results.
To boot, the producers of Noom are so confident in the program that they’re offering a free trial offer, a positive sign.
Learn More About Noom »
Nancy (Verified Purchase)
My daughter started this diet with exercise video six weeks ago. She did the morning fruit drinks, ate a lot of chicken, fruits and vegetables and is down 40lbs. She is tall, 5’11” and now weighs 160. She looks fantastic and said she feels the best she ever has. I’ve tried all sorts of diets, basically felt deprived and hungry. She has posted pictures of her meals. She is not starving!She is recommending it to all her friends.
Brook (Verified Purchase)
Apparently no one has read the warning that starts before every workout that clearly says you should consult with a physician before starting any beachbody program, which I did. I never had an issue with shipping nor with the quality of the disc. People complain about the “coaches” but the same ones that are complaining know exactly what the coaches are. They are here to sell. That’s it. That’s what a multi level marketing company does is sell. I do have a coach, she doesn’t provide medical or physical advice. She just shares her experience and tries to keep us motivated.
If you ordered insanity because you wanted to have a rocking body by 90 days then you know nothing about the human anatomy. You won’t have abs if you had a beer belly. It takes a while. This is why there is a message at the bottom letting us know that results may differ. I don’t sell it, I don’t drink the shake I just use the workouts because I need guidance and a plan.
If you bought an intense workout without consulting your doctor especially after a bum leg, knee or shoulder then it’s your own fault. It is what you make it.
Marina (Verified Purchase)
I have had a great experience with Beach Body! After having my son I had a very hard time losing the weight and was feeling terrible about myself. I then was introduced to one of the Beach Body coaches (though a facebook friend). She was so kind and supportive…and NOT PUSHY AT ALL. She sent me options to look at to see what I thought, and offered feedback on her experiences with the programs. I ordered Chalean Extreme and the Shakeology. When the product arrived I immediately got to work. And with the support of my coach I was feeling positive. The program was somewhat pricey…however, it was a far better value to me, than a gym membership that I know I would inevitably not use enough and thus would not see results. When one of my discs broke I called customer service and they were very helpful. They sent my new disc right away without any questions asked….and when this was the wrong replacement disc, they fixed the error and told me to keep the mistaken disc to incorporate into my exercise plan if I liked. The work outs are tough! But there are always modifications you an do…we know our bodies, if it hurts stop. People really need to exercise some common sense when it comes to diet and exercise. Is Beach Body for everyone?? Definitely not. Does it work??? If you put the effort in and eat sensibly, yes. Do you need the shakes?? Probably not, but its a matter of choice. I have made several changes to my shakelology order, including stopping it for a while and have not had any difficulty with this. I think if you approach something negatively you will have a negative experience, try being positive, including when you have concerns and you may have a different experience. Just my opinion.
Your Name
Horrible horrible do your own workout at home.
Delores Grey (Verified Purchase)
You made a mistake, you charged me for the prevention of wrinkly kits. The reason why I came to your ad/company was directly a result of your honesty or so I thought Dr. Andrew Oren, The Doctors TV show.r thoughts about Beach ody.PLEASE I WOULD LIKE MY MONEY BACK. PLEASE DO RIGHT BY ME!!!!
THANK YOU
Hello, we are not affiliated with Beachbody, LLC. We would recommend you contact the company, using the information available in the Q&A section of this review, to dispute your claim.
Tracy (Verified Purchase)
I did not have a good experience with the Beach Body’s Multiple Vitamin. I would appreciate if the information about the Multivitamin sale is clearer. I kept being surprised by the charges. And when I called the Customer Service, they do not give me a clear instruction. For example, when I cancelled the Vitamin orders and wanted to return the bottle, I was instructed to send it back and get a tracking number to be sure that you will receive the bottle back. But there was no mention of calling you back to provide that tracking number. Hence, I just waited and waited for the refund. And I was surprised once more when I was continued to be charged after returning the bottle already. I called again and another customer representative asked me for the tracking number. He told me that I needed to call back to give the tracking number. Nobody mentioned that to me before!!! So I hope that your customer service will make an effort to make it really clear for other clients. Thank you for your attention!!!
its actually common sense that you call back for to provide shipping label for the agent to check if it has been shipped back to the company, once they verified that product was returned then they can process refund… you are not the only customer they are dealing with so how will they know if you dont inform the company???? duh!!!
Well, I think is NOT customer’s fault. The company itself should be more professional and have everything register on their servers. HAVING a trillion customers is not an excuse for being not well organize and keep records on return items. Now a days GOOD companies have the capability of have everything systemitize.
Your Name
Horrible. Don’t do it
Jim (Verified Purchase)
Maybe you haven’t noticed, but beachbody coaches are not represented as fitness gurus, they are simply knowledgeable on the products and are represented as such. Beachbody also has several programs besides P90X and Insanity and neither of these are promoted as beginner programs. They have even partnered with the American Diabetes Administrattion to develop a lifestyle changing program for people suffering from type II diabetes. before you quickly put down a company, you should know a little bit about it.
The coaches should definitely have a LOT of knowledge before pointing out an optimal start meal plan/workout for the others into a plan though, right? I want an optimal health plan, not someone with a lucky guess. I know I would have to double check the coach to really see this knowledgeable background that should be had…. instead of another way of selling a product over & over to earn money & discounts & do a mediocre job of following through with the people they “truly” care about using the products. That is great that the company?? has partnered with a Diabetes-related group, definitely but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything if the coaches are as knowledgeable as I am when doing light internet research.
I had a coach when I started, but, soon realized that he/she doesn’t know no more than I do, and I can find the answers to my own questions. I stopped emailing he/she, because I had no use for them. I too, was a coach, but, who am I to tell someone what they should do, when I am not qualified to do so. For me personally, the programs do work. As far as their products, you can find products that work just as well, without paying the high price! Think about it, before BeachBody, what and where were people getting their supplements from!!!
Lisa (Verified Purchase)
I do enjoy the DVDs I have slim in 6 that I purchased through the company horrible customer service they over charged me then charged me for the website use which was supposed to be 6 months free. So when my husband wanted P90X for christmas I bought it through Ebay. Great products bad company.
Tracy (Verified Purchase)
Beachbody is awesome. I am a coach and making money on just motivating people! Love their supplements (ActiVit Toning) and love their dvd’s!
Ms. Tee (Verified Purchase)
I’ve been using the Slim in 6 and Slim Series programs. I like them. You start off slowly then work your way to a higher intensity. I enjoy working out from home, and not having to pay for an expensive gym membership. I did get assigned a coach on team beach body that didn’t help me much. I contacted someone else in the team beachbody community whose results I was impressed with, and they told me that coaches get a percentage of what you order. I didn’t know that! I had just ordered Slim Series, and hated the fact that the unhelpful (and I might add, out of shape coach who was also trying to loose weight)got a percentage of my purchase, and she didn’t even do anything, and is very unknowledgable.
kathryn C. (Verified Purchase)
I chose insanity because P90X has 90 minute workouts & requires a chin up bar. I am 45 yrs old and modify some of the excercises so I don’t injure my knees. Years ago I taught aerobics & did power lifting 6 days a week (you would never know this because I am petite)and even did wide grip pull ups. Now due to scoliosis I should stay away from heavy weights. I am surprised INSANITY has NOT hurt my back! It’s helping me a lot. It’s given me the strength to pull weeds for an hour which would normally kill my back. I agree that if you don’t use common sense you will easily injure yourself! I am shocked how strong I am since I am only on week 3 but am giving it my all. I purchased it for $94 on Ebay. I agree with Nadine that if you don’t know what you are doing or are really out of shape you will hurt yourself!!
They sent me 2 shipments one week apart from each other. And the second one costs more then the first one. I called the number on the back and of course I got a foreigner who was very difficult to understand. He tried to put the blame on me. Then he wanted to refund me only for the cheaper first shipment rather then the more expensive second shipment. He’s going to email me a return shipment email but it’s been two hours and I haven’t received it yet. We’ll see if it shows and more importantly we’ll see if I get any money returned let alone the correct amount. This was the second item that I ordered from beachbody but never again.
my mother in law started beach body a little over a year ago. she was pre-diabetic and well over 200 pounds. she started with just the shakeo and slow paced walking. i have to add that she had a great coach who offered her good support and motivation, but this was all done via email and facebook along with her other group members of her 90 day challenge. she is now 145 pounds and still going strong, she has stopped all her medications and lives a healthy lifestyle. i too, tried the shakeo for a few months then moved out of state and forgot to change my address, they shipped my order to california where i use to live. when i called to let them know they where absolutely amazing. they refunded my money within 48 hours and didn’t even request that i return the order. and i was even canceling my subscription. i couldn’t afford it anymore with the new move but the customer rep didn’t even try to push me to stay.
i my not be taking the shakeo anymore, but i still apply everything i learned about healthy eating and use the tools that beach body introduced to me. over all i think if you can afford the $125 a month and are serious about loosing weight and getting healthy no one offers all the tools you could ever need better than beach bodies. and for those who have had a bed experience, do the company a favor and report the representative who did you wrong and allow the company to fix the problem, cuz I’m positive that isn’t there policy .
Phil, my daughter is now coaching because she had such good results. Does that make her a knowledgeable person on what is harmful? No way. Having success yourself does not qualify you to give health advice. Most are meant to give you support, not advice on exercise and eating habits.