Sometimes, finding an unbiased answer from a knowledgeable source is HARD. The world of Shakeology is no different. People claim to have “honest opinions” and they turn out to be coaches, or perhaps there is another product they are trying to sell in its place. As a former coach, I’d like to give you my unbiased (as much as possible) Shakeology review. I have absolutely nothing to gain from you buying my product. In fact, even as an affiliate marketer, Shakeology is just not an option for me to sell to you at this point. My other affiliate links help to support this blog and keep it running, but trust me when I say I’m not going to be sporting a fancy new car as a result of my blogging ventures (I’m rocking the mini-van, y’all!) However, I used this product for over a year and did my research on this product. Therefore, I hope this information will be of use to you as you do your research.

My Story:

I’m a huge skeptic by nature. When I first ordered the 21 Day Fix in January 2015, I did so after doing research on the program and seeing the ins and outs. At the time, I didn’t have a coach and I didn’t even know how to find a coach! However, I was so hooked on the 21 Day Fix Product that I decided that I wanted to be a coach, to not only share this amazing product with my friends, but to also build a business and earn some income. I had never done a MLM before, and wasn’t completely sure how it worked. When I decided to commit, I realized that Shakeology was a HUGE part of the Team Beachbody business. Since your coaching sign-up fee is waived when you purchase a challenge pack (fitness program combined with Shakeology), I decided to give it a try.

It was love at first taste. I also felt the benefits from it. (Click here for my biased post about it: Shakeology) I liked it enough to try to sell it to my friends, because I believed in the product. I loved this product enough to regularly drink it, and even started giving it to my 15 year old daughter because I knew she wasn’t getting good nutrition elsewhere.

Did Shakeology help you lose weight? Did it really give you more energy?

Yes, Shakeology helped me to lose weight. No, it wasn’t a magical potion that made weight loss super easy. I did the work – in fact, with my first week on the 21 Day Fix, I hadn’t received my Shakeology order yet and was already losing weight. Shakeology helped in the sense that I felt like I was drinking such an amazing tasting drink that I had no desire to cheat on the sweet stuff. Since it was a meal replacement and not just a protein powder, it did help to keep me full. I ended up losing close to 30 pounds last year.

As far as energy, yes, it was a HUGE help in that regard. My younger kids were 3 and 1, therefore I was quite sleep AND energy deprived. Caffeine? Yep, I’m totally immune to it. Within the first couple of days of drinking Shakeology, my energy level completely changed.

So Tina, why did you stop coaching if the products are so great?

That’s a fair question. I stopped the business building aspect months ago. I’ve got a teenager and two toddlers. While I didn’t have a “job”, my life was consumed by my kids, who always seemed to need me when it was time to “work” on my business. I was not driven enough to stay up late past bedtimes to get it done. I didn’t want to sacrifice family time to build a dream. In reality, I was living my dream already. I have the adoration of my husband and children, and our family income is comfortable on a budget. It also wasn’t fair to my clientele – my dream has always been more about helping people rather than the paycheck that comes each week.

Back to Shakeology…

What happened to you after you stopped drinking Shakeology? Did you gain your weight back?

I have been off of Shakeology for three months now. I’m happy to say that I have NOT gained any weight since quitting Shakeology. Health is (and always will be) very important to me. If I had gone back to my previous habits, then yes – the weight can be expected to come back just like any other program out there. I have intentionally slowed my weight loss progress, but I have still maintained my loss.

What did you NOT like about Shakeology (if anything)?

The cost. Pure and simple. I know you can justify it by breaking down the cost, saying it costs less than Starbucks or eating out. You can also justify the cost by saying that signing up as a coach will get a discount (I do love discounts). Check out my article on  Shakeology costs and money saving tips here. Even assuming you get the “coach discount”, you’re paying close to $100 for a 30 Day Supply. I get that the ingredients are quality and superfoods and all that, but the MLM model makes me wonder. I never took any business classes in college, but I would be extremely curious to know what the cost of business is for any MLM marketing company compared to traditional marketing tactics. (If you’re a business person and know these kind of figures, please feel free to send me an e-mail at FitFunTina@gmail.com as I would genuinely like to know).

The other thing I didn’t really like was the requirement for *most* challenge groups. This is the part of the MLM that gets to me. The majority of coaches out there require Shakeology to join their challenge groups. I understand it from a coach view, as these coaches run them without any reimbursement from the Team Beachbody company, so their “payment” is through sales with Shakeology. Coaches spend a lot of time putting their heart into these groups to create a great experience for their clients. But coaches need to earn money for their time, too.

Would you still recommend it?

If it is within your budget, then yes, I would still recommend it. If you’re already planning on buying one of Beachbody’s Fitness program such as 21 Day Fix or PiYo, then buying it along with Shakeology can save you money (and can save even more money if it happens to be on sale!). Besides the shakes themselves, it is an easy way to get plugged in with accountability.

That being said, it’s not in everyone’s budget. Some people also just don’t like the taste! (Note: I was never a fan of Greenberry. Fortunately, I never had to worry about it with the chocolate!). If you like the convenience of a shake (or even the taste), there are options out there that are more economical. Just do you research and if possible, get a sample of it before you dive in. Check out my blog section called Shake Central. There are alternatives out there for you to start your researching.

Do I need a shake to lose weight?

No, nope, and absolutely not. There’s nothing magical in those shakes. Hopefully, whatever shake you have will contain good nutrition that would replace nutrition you’re not getting elsewhere. You still have to do the work. You still have to train yourself new habits.

Shake-tender. It’s like a bartender for shakes! Here’s a little guide you can keep next to your blender to help you put together whatever shake flavor tickles your fancy. Enjoy your Shakeology!

If you don’t use Shakeology, don’t fear! You can always substitute your favorite meal replacement/protein powder. Just remember to count accordingly, if you’re on the 21 Day Fix. If you’re looking for Shakeology alternatives, check out my posts on One Affordable Alternative to Shakeology They Don’t Want You to Know About and Shakeology Info and Alternatives.