Sunday 3 March 2013

Addressing the Whole ViSalus Scam

Let's Talk about the ViSalus Scam

visalus scam
There are hundreds if not millions of weight loss programs out there, and I'm sure every one has been called a scam at some point, including the ViSalus Scam.  Heck, I bet even eating right and exercising has been called a scam by someone!

Here's the deal.  Some are scams.  Some are not.  Often we hear the name "scam" from competitors who get into the whole "mine is better than yours" mentality, and proclaim to the world that the other guys' stuff is pure garbage without really even knowing what is in the products to begin with.

So, I'll be honest.  For about a year and a half I was a ViSalus promoter.  Yeah, I said the dreaded "V" word.  After a while I decided to switch teams and move to Beachbody, and have not regretted my move one bit.  Does that mean that I think ViSalus products are crap?  Absolutely not.  I have friends and family who have had success with the Vi-Shakes, so I cannot discredit their success.

However, today I'd like to talk about  few differences between the ViSalus and Beachbody products, as I know that there are a lot of people out there who are curious.  And since I am familiar with both, I feel that I can give you an informed, unbiased opinion.  I may compose another blog post in the future discussing the difference between the 2 marketing systems as well. But for today--we're talking about products.

visalus scam


There are some basic differences between ViSalus and Beachbody.  For starters, ViSalus promotes mainly their meal replacement shake, the Vi-Shake as well as some energy drinks and nutra cookies, metabolism booster pills and appetite control powder. Their Vi-Shake includes protein, fibre, and the nutrition from all of the food groups.  Beachbody has a  protein shake called Shakeology as well as other nutritional items (recovery drinks, energy drinks, protein bars, etc) and a variety of popular workout programs.  For today's discussion I've decided to talk about the 2 different shakes as well as Beachbody's Ultimate Reset.

Here are some basic difference between the 2 shakes:

**The nutritional values are based on the Canadian version.  I believe the American numbers are slightly different.

~ The Vi-Shake has 12 g of protein, whereas Shakeology has 17 g of protein.
~ The protein in the ViShake is mainly whey protein whereas the protein in Shakeology comes from all natural sources like pea protein, sprouted rice protein, chia, sprouted quinoa, and sprouted amaranth, to name a few. It's all natural.
~ The Vi-Shake has 2 g of fibre whereas Shakeology has 6 b of fibre.
~ The Vi-Shake as <1 g of sugar, whereas Shakeology has 6 g of sugar.  Some people take issue with the fact that there is sucralose in the Vi-Shake.
~ One of the big selling features of the Vi-Shake is based on the fact that they advertise that there is the nutrition from a whole host of different foods in it (pineapple, asparagus, tomatoes, chicken breasts, etc), however it's really difficult to get a handle on what is exactly in it--as those actual foods aren't actually listed in the ingredient list.  On the other hand, Shakeology has what's called an antioxidant superfood blend in it (they compare it to going to the salad bar 5 times) and some of the foods in the ingredient list include cacao, coconut flour nectqar, acerola cherry, pomegranate, bilberry, blueberry, goji berry, grape seed, Himalayan salt, etc.  It's all recognizable food that you have seen before.  And again, all natural.
~ I really like the fact that Shakeology is made from all natural ingredients.  I don't have to worry about the "unkown" stuff that I am putting in my body.
~ The Vi-Shake comes in only one flavor--Sweet Cream.  They call it the shake mix that tastes like a cake mix.  It does taste very good, and blends up nicely with other ingredients. Shakeology comes in a few flavors, including Chocolate, Greenberry, & Tropical Strawberry.  They also have vegan versions too, which is one thing that ViSalus doesn't. 
~ Shakeology does not have a vanilla flavored Shakeology because that would require them to add artificial flavor to the mix, which they refuse to do. It has to be all natural.
~ Both taste good.  Shakeology does seem to mix up into a bit thicker shake, which is something that I like.
~ ViSalus has a "3 for Free" deal where if you find 3 people to get kits from you, you can earn your kit for free.  This can be a pretty sweet deal, but sometimes it can be challenging to convince others to get kits, and have them continually buying so you can earn your kit for free. It also takes a lot of work making sure that you always have 3 people buying under you too. As well, in the past ViSalus has changed the "3 for Free" rules limiting the ways promoters could earn their kit for free, and did so without telling anyone, which really upset a great deal of people in the company.
~ Shakeology does not have a "3 for Free" program, however you can get free shipping on your kit by ordering it via a monthly autoship called Home Direct.  You can cancel at any point, penalty free, which is nice.  People who buy Shakeology every month can also become Discount Coaches (they are never required to do any active coaching) and then they can earn a 25% discount on not only Shakeology, but everything they buy from Beachbody, including supplements, protein bars, gear and workout programs.  It's a great way to get the Beachbody products at a reduced price.

ViSalus vs The Ultimate Reset



Ultimate Reset
 
 
Beachbody also offers a program called The Ultimate Reset which has become an increasingly popular way for people to not only get healthy, but to shed pounds too.  Since I've used both the Vi-Shakes and the Ultimate Reset to lose weight, I thought I'd take some time to talk about both. 
 
The Vi-Shakes help people lose weight in the fact that participants are required to take 2 shakes per day. There is also a basic meal plan for clients to use, however one complaint from many clients has been the fact that they are often not given a great deal of guidance regarding what to eat the rest of the day.
 
The Ultimate Reset is quite different.  It involves participants taking a series of supplements throughout the day (pills/powder/mineralize) and following a detailed meal plan for 21 days. The meal plan is split into 3, week-long phases where animal protein is gradually eliminated from the diet. The combination of the vegetable/fruit based diet with the supplements allows the body to detox itself, eliminating all of the garbage/toxins from its system--where by the end of the 21 days your body has essentially 'reset' itself and is in a much healthier state.  People have been relieved of digestive problems and have found that their cholesterol is much improved. 
 
I like the Ultimate Reset because not only have I lost a good chunk of weight in 21 days, it has really taught me what foods to eat and what to stay away from for optimal health. I think I will have a much better chance of keeping the weight off because now I have a solid plan for the future.  However, with ViSalus, once I stopped taking the shakes I gained the weight back because I hadn't learned anything about what foods worked best for me.
 
I also liked the fact that with the Ultimate Reset I am eating real food. Taking 2 shakes a day was a turn off to many potential clients, as they didn't really like the idea of drinking all of their meals.  With the Ultimate Reset, however, all of the meals were incredibly tasty and easy to prepare, and I never felt that I was being denied anything. 

Best Way to Lose Fat


I'll be honest here.  If you want to lose fat, you need to eat properly and exercise.  There is just no getting around it.  One thing that has been a thorn in ViSalus's side is the fact that it has often been called a 'magic pill solution.'  People have refused to even try it because they see it as a gimmick, and others have fallen into the trap of thinking that they can eat garbage and drink shakes and still lose weight.

The Ultimate Reset is not and has never been viewed as a magic pill solution.  Anyone who has done it can attest to the fact that it requires time, commitment and hard work--as any good diet plan will.  If you want to lose weight and get healthy, then you will need to make MAJOR changes in the kitchen and this program will help you to do so.  It will teach you what to put into your body, what to avoid, and it will also keep you on the meal plan long enough for your body to adapt to the new routine and make it a habit.  There is a lot of truth to the adage, "21 Days to Make a Habit."  By the end of the program your tastes will have changed, you may crave new foods and dislike your old comfort foods, and your body will have released all of the toxins and garbage, making you healthier than before.  You'll appreciate vegetables a whole lot more, and have a new appreciation for how drastically good food can impact your body and your life.

I also like the fact that with Beachbody, not only do you have access to a whole host of nutritional items like Shakeology, The Ultimate Reset etc., you also have the opportunity to invest in a whole host of different workout programs to help you shed those pounds and get in the best shape of your life.  You are never left alone to navigate through these programs on your own either, as coaches like me are always available for guidance and support.  And the coaching is FREE!!   Let's face it, losing weight and getting healthy involves following a good diet and exercising, so with Beachbody you get both, which to me, makes a better recipe for success.

In my opinion the Vi-Shakes do not do any of that.  Not even close.

So, to close, is there such a thing as a ViSalus scam? No, I don't think so. I just think that there are more effective products on the market that help you learn what to eat and what to avoid, and therefore will give you a winning chance of achieving long term successAnd the Ultimate Reset is one of them.

If you're ready to get rid of that weight and get healthy again, please join my team for FREE coaching and support.  Invest in the Ultimate Reset and invest in your health and future.  You are worth it!! 

 
To your success,
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jody Zarn
 

8 comments:

  1. Hey Jody,

    Thanks for the objective review. It is really hard to get a decent review without a complete bashing of another company. I liked how you outlined this review while highlighting the negatives with positive solutions.

    Although, I am a ViSalus promoter, I still think these reviews are good because it helps people to make an honest informed decision. Good luck with everything I hope hear from you soon.

    Mark

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  2. Hi Mark!

    Thanks for your thoughts. And I agree with you--it's good to know what these products are all about--and let's face it, we all respond differently to weight loss programs, so what works for one person isn't necessarily going to work for another.

    When I joined Beachbody I noticed that there was a lot of ViSalus bashing going on, and while I do see pro's and con's with both products and programs, I'm not about to bash anyone. My mother lost 20 lbs on the Vi-Shakes and would never have lost that weight if it hadn't been for ViSalus. Sometimes people just need something to get them started. Something to give them hope.

    Thanks for visiting and come back again!! :)

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  3. Whether or not there is indeed a Visalus scam is something most people that are interested in the company’s business opportunity are not sure about. The only way you can be sure about this is by taking a close look at the company’s profile, leadership, products and the opportunity itself. That is what this Visalus scam is all about.

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    1. Good point Reita! Thanks for your input!

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  4. I have been looking for a review like your and fianlly found it. I started with Shakeology Chocolate vegan and I couldn't tolerate the taste and stopped drinking it. (Dont know why I got Chocolate when I don't like chocolate) I called to have my next autoship changed to Tropical Strawberry. I just ordered Visalus and it came in today along with my autoshipping of Shakeology Tropical Strawberry. I haven't tried either one yet and I'm honestly scared to even open the package then not like it and waste my money AGAIN. I like what Shakeology really offers it's clients but the shakes are not good in taste and it's hard to drink when you hate so.much. I'm confused on what to do now. Any advise?

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    1. Hi Cookie,

      Thanks for your questions. I understand your concern as it is frustrating to try product after product and not be satisfied. One thing to keep in mind is that with the Shakeology (both Chocolate and Tropical Strawberry) Beachbody has a 'bottom of the bag guarantee' so if you don't like it you can call customer service and they will issue you a full refund, so you don't have to worry about being stuck with it if you don't like it. (Did you get it on HD?) ViSalus has a 30 day money back guarantee and will refund the cost of the product, just not the shipping, so you can try it as well and only be out the cost of the shipping. I do like the fact that Shakeology is made from all natural products--so I never have to worry about what I'm putting into my body. I always like to add a frozen banana to all of my shakes as well as a bunch of ice as this gives them a rich creamy texture, similar to a milkshake. You can also add other frozen fruit as well, and I do find that using Almond milk is great as it seems to mix up into a nice thick shake as well. Here is a link to a bunch of Shakeology recipes too--so maybe it's just a matter of finding a recipe you like: http://www.teambeachbody.com/eat-smart/shakeology-recipes.

      Feel free to use the contact form on the website here if you have any questions too. Best of luck!

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  5. I have a beachbody coach. I haven't tried it with fruit because I started the detox and couldn't do it because I couldn't tolerate the shake. When I explained this to my coach she said that I couldn't start the program until I do the detox. So she suggested that I change the flavor and when I get it to try and do it again. So, I haven't tried it any other way. I was a little discouraged

    Thank you for the supplying the website.

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  6. Hey Jody nice review I like it very much, but can you do the same comparison with herbalife please. Too much questions about this 2 that I can't anwer it all thanks again.

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