3 Years, 7 Months, 22 Days

February 9, 2009 was a big day for me.

It was on that day, early on a cold winter morning, that I stumbled downstairs to the basement to start Day 1 of a video exercise program from a company called Beachbody. The program was P90X. I still remember that first workout, and how I had to stop halfway through and take a break because it was so difficult that I was feeling nauseous. More than once that first week, I thought about quitting. But I saw that this program was different from anything I'd ever tried, and made the decision to stick wtih it for a full 90 days.

After three months of workouts, I really was a different person. Yes, I looked different on the outside; I had dropped about 7 lbs of bodyfat, and had six-pack abs for the first time in my life. But the real, fundamental change had taken place on the inside. I now understood what I was truly capable of. The program had given me confidence and a mental strength I didn't know I had.

So, I did it again. After the second round, I looked at what else these Beachbody people had to offer. Turned out, quite a lot.

Beachbody is one of the premier home fitness companies in the world. I know of no other company that even comes close to the broad range of products they offer. From the beginner to the elite athlete, there truly is a program for everyone. Programs for seniors? Check. Programs to get kids and teens active? You bet. As I came to realize the quality of the products Beachbody sold, I wanted to bring what I'd discovered to others.

Unfortunately, I couldn't. The Beachbody Coaching opportunity only accepted US residents. I asked about coming to Canada, and was told (by the company CEO, no less) that it was definitely in the works, but that there was a lot of red tape involved in setting up a business like Beachbody in Canada. So, I waited.

And waited. Months turned to years. I kept doing Beachbody programs, adding all the variants of P90X to my growing library. Then, adding Turbo Jam and Insanity. I tried and liked the supplements. All the while, I waited for the day when Canadians could fully enjoy everything the business had to offer.

If I'm to be completely honest, as the years went by I started to doubt if Beachbody would ever come to Canada. I still wanted to share all the benefits that increased health and fitness had given me, though, so I studied for and obtained my personal trainer designation. I even looked around at other companies that were operating in Canada to see if their products could match up to Beachbody. There are other companies that make shakes and supplements. But there is no company anywhere that matches Beachbody's commitment to both exercise and nutrition. The other shakes might be good, but they don't offer vegan options for people who can't or don't want to consume dairy. And, they don't offer any kind of exercise programs. For comprehensive, one-stop shopping, Beachbody is unique in the field.

After a lot of research in this area, I can say that I believe in this company, and I believe in what they offer. The fitness programs are second to none, and feature the best male and female trainers in the industry. The supplements are healthy and carefully crafted. The post-workout recovery drink, for example, has the exact protein to carbohydrate ratio that university studies consistently show is ideal to speed recovery from hard workouts, while Shakeology is truly the gold standard in meal replacement shakes. Over 70 healthy ingredients, sourced from around the world, go into every serving.

If you're reading this blog, that tells me that you're interested in your health (congratulations), and in what I have to say (thanks!). I hope you've come to realize that I'm not one to jump on bandwagons when the next fitness fad comes along. I don't believe in shortcuts or cheats to achieve goals. It takes hard work and dedication, not gimmicks. I further hope that you'll realize that for me to recommend a company as unreservedly as I do Beachbody is unusual. But such is the confidence I have in both the products and the people behind them.

I have waited for years to become an Independent Team Beachbody Coach. Now that it's finally happened, I can't wait to start bringing this fantastic company and its products to as many people as possible. I hope you'll visit my websites, www.beachbodycoach.com/coachscottpratt and www.myshakeology.com/coachscottpratt and see for yourself what Beachbody has to offer. If you have any questions at all, please contact me at scott@fitnessinthebalance.com. I want to get the word out, and it starts now!