Most of this was posted in 2012 after my first round of the Beachbody Ultimate Reset and is still relevant in 2020.
If you don’t know by now the Ultimate Reset is a 21 day cleanse and detox program designed to help you lose weight, lower your cholesterol, and increase energy by gently removing toxins stored in your body.
This is done by following a strict meal plan and taking supplements through each phase. No working out, no coffee, no alcohol, no caffeine, and no to just about everything else I normally eat or do for 21 days.
At the time, I had made Elite Beachbody Coach and was asked to take part in a challenge group on Facebook with Beachbody CEO Carl Daikeler.
Getting Started
There were small capsule bottles with funny names like Optimize, Mineralize, Alkalinize, Oxygenize, and Revitalize in the package.
You even get a “Caddy” to carry your supplements on the go. And a bracelet (we both wore) “to remind you of your dedication to resetting your body and your life”.
The “Quick Start Guide” was well put together and informed us of what to expect over the next three weeks.
Started to wonder how much weight I might lose and how I was going to feel. Can’t remember the last time I had gone three weeks without caffeine, a beer, or working out.
The guide said to start on a Wednesday because there might be times during each phase where you are low on energy and need the weekend to chill.
I really liked the grocery shopping list they provided because over half of the things I had never heard of. Had quite an experience at Whole Foods buying these new foods. Did I ever look like an idiot.
Our fridge has never looked so green, lively, and healthy. It would look like this for all 21 days of the Ultimate Reset. And no, I did not drink the beer on the bottom right side of the fridge.
Week 1 – “Reclaim”
There was not a whole lot of info as what to expect during the first week besides trying to get your body back on track. Put a pinch of Mineralize and 15 drops of Oxygenize in a certain amount of water (22oz for me) along with 2 Optimize capsules three times a day.
In mid afternoon you take 1 Alkalinize packet (now called Power Greens) with a pinch of Mineralize (and now the Soothe capsule).
Go to Day 1 to see my day to day progress.
Or skip that and know how shocked I was when I stepped on the scale and it said I lost 8.5 pounds that first week.
Carl told us we were feeling achey (I was) due to the Alkalinize working through our systems and breaking down any parts of our bodies that had a high acidic level. Basically, our insides were getting a workout.
On a different note I was falling asleep very quickly, was waking up with a new level of focus, and even a little bit more energy.
By the end of the week there were no more aches and pains. Was rested for the first time in a long time. My body felt like it was finding a new level of health and was starting to crave new food.
Week 2 – “Release”
This week you take the “Detox” packet three times a day (you still take the other supplements) and eating a vegan meal plan. I had never gone Vegan before so this was going to be a challenge.
Go to Day 8 to see day to day progress.
Dropped 4 pounds during Week 2 for a total of 12.5 pounds.
Pants were looser. I could see more muscle definition. Didn’t fill as chipper in the morning as Week 1. No aches or pains.
Some meals were harder to make. Days 10 – 14 were the hardest of the Ultimate Reset. Was the only time during the entire 21 days where I was thinking about cheating on the meal plan.
The Detox packets were doing their job getting whatever was not removed from my body in week one out of my body for week 2.. And did they ever have a unique taste.
Was really tired throughout the day and fell asleep around 10pm where 11:30pm is the norm. On two separate days I took an hour long nap on the couch. That never happens.
Was hard to focus on work as I just wanted to sleep. Didn’t really have an appetite but the food kept me full.
Spent a lot of time at home because I didn’t have the energy to go out.
Week 3 – “Restore”
I was so glad to be done with detox week. It really challenged me. But here I am on my last week of the Ultimate Reset. No more Detox packets. The only change this week was taking the Revitalize capsule with the other supplements.
It was another week of eating Vegan with a lot more fruits and veggies.
Again, go to Day 15 if you want the day to day approach.
Or know I dropped another 3.5 pounds during Week 3 for a total of 16 pounds lost.
That is quite a bit of weight for me to lose. Especially with little to zero working out.
And this is what I looked like on Day 1 and Day 21.
- 16 Pounds Lost
- Lost 2 inches off my waist
- Lost 1 inch off my chest
- Right & Left Arm both lost an inch
- Body Fat % went from 15% – 10% for a 5% loss
*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.*
Not happy with my before photos. I’ve never been that heavy in my life and I look bloated.
I’m also seeing a decent amount of inflammation in my before photos with redness everywhere. Especially on my right elbow, tricep, and face. Inflammation seems to be gone in my after photos.
If I look a little tanned in my after photos its because we were in the Bahamas a week after I took my before photo and started the reset two days after getting back.
**Update – Feb 2020: I have been contacted by Beachbody’s compliance department in regards to a number of factual things I had written into this post in 2012 after my first round of the Ultimate Reset. All of the statements I made are true and did happen. But since I am a Beachbody Coach it appears I cannot make those statements because you the reader might not be able to understand that the results I had may be different than yours.
Hence, I have had to remove a whole lot of factual information for you the reader because the Food & Drug Administration could take this post and use it against me or Beachbody and say I was making false or mis-leading statements. Or something like that. I’m not even allowed to email you my results. Its that sad.
Basically, one of the best reviews of the Ultimate Reset you could find on the internet has had to be dumbed down. Like, a lot.
If you see a dash (-) after something and there’s nothing there, you should know there used to be something factual there and I was told to take it down. You’re gonna have to guess.
If you don’t care about any of that I can say “I felt healthier overall after doing the Ultimate Reset.”**
Blood Work
Before starting the Ultimate Reset I had been asked by Beachbody to get my blood drawn. At the end of the 21 days I had to get my blood drawn again to compare.
Dr. Bill Wheeler from Beachbody called me up a week later to discuss my blood results.
- Good Cholesterol (HDL) –
- Bad Cholesterol (LDL) –
- Blood Glucose –
- Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) –
- Testosterone –
- Total cholesterol –
Other Things I Noticed
I thought the Ultimate Reset was just going to be about losing weight but now think the weight loss was a small percentage of everything the reset does.
- Not Working Out Was Good – I just finished my first round of P90X2 and was not into it. My results were not impressive. With working out 5 days a week, playing double-header softball games twice a week, and putting 300 miles on my mountain bike that summer I was burnt out. The 3 weeks off gave my body a chance to chill.
- Cooking – Well, I could cook but now I can cook more things. Instead of spending an hour a day working out and 10 minutes throwing some food together I now focused 40 minutes learning how to prepare new foods.
- I Crave New Foods – Quinoa, Lentils, Kale, and other things were foreign to me before.
- Old Injuries –
- Focus –
- Gum – No gum for 21 days. When you chew gum it sends a signal to your brain that you’re about to eat. I chew about 2 sticks of gum a day. Was weird breaking that habit.
- Coffee – I never was really a big fan of coffee but I got in the habit of having one cup a day over the past 2 years. Sometimes it would give me stomach aches and usually the buzz was too much. I did enjoy having something warm with breakfast and will try other things. Im sure I’ll have coffee in the future but will cut back on it.
- Breathing –
- Partying – This was probably the first time I had gone more than 10 days without having at least one drink since my first adult beverage. I’m a social drinker which means I gave up the few drinks I’d have on the weekends during these 21 days. It was different. Hate to admit it as I do like an adult beverage from time to time but I felt great without it.
Cost
- Week 1 – Whole Foods – $324.86
- Week 2 – Trader Joes & Hollywood Market – $202.02
- Week 3 – Whole Foods – $159.63
- Sushi Restaurant – $73.48
Grand total of $759.99 or $379.99 per person. We went out for Sushi twice because we did not want to make the Sushi on the meal plan. If we didn’t go out to dinner and tried to figure out how to make vegetarian sushi rolls we would have spent $686.51 or $343.25 per person.
You could also add the price of a bag of Vegan Shakeology to it since we had it for breakfast on 3 days instead of Miso Soup. But I’m not going to.
We had a number of $10+ items (Coconut Oil, Apple Vinegar, Walnuts, and Quinoa) last all three weeks.
I really think we spent about the same amount of money on the reset as when we’re not on it due to not buying drinks or going out as much.
Round 2
Completed my second round of the Ultimate Reset on 1-26-14. Lost 11.2 pounds. Did not do blood work nor take measurements with my second round.
If you are wondering how my weight went from 173 pounds at the end of round 1 to 199 pounds at the beginning of round 2 it is because in-between these rounds I did Body Beast and got huge.
*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.*
Round 3
I did not document my third round of the Ultimate Reset which I did in early 2015. What I can tell you is I lost 10 pounds and had a similar experience as previous rounds.
Round 4
What if I just followed the meal plan from the Ultimate Reset and not take the supplements?
Thats what I did for round 4 in late 2015. And I lost the same 10 pounds.
I felt great from eating the food but I do believe the supplements make just enough of a difference.
Round 5
In early 2019 at the age of 38 I decided to workout while doing the Ultimate Reset.
Nothing compares to the first round though. I was 32 years old and it went to work on 20+ years of crap stuck inside me. Literally!
At the time I had been taking Shakeology every day for a year. Still take it everyday some seven years later at the age of 37.
Soothe and Power Greens were added after my first two rounds. I actually wore the bracelet my first time but thats it. Beachbody discontinued Oxygenize after my second round.
Round 6
Completed my sixth round of the Ultimate Reset at the age of 39 in January 2020. Lost a little over 9 pounds. Worked out 4 days a week while doing it. And as usual, I felt healthier after finishing another round.
Any Good Tips?
- Don’t Do It Alone – If you live with someone than pony up the money and buy the dual Ultimate Reset kit. It would have been a pain in the butt if Andrea and I were making two separate meals every time we ate.
- Check Tomorrows Meals – There were a couple times where breakfast took 30 minutes to prepare.
- Prepare Meals The Night Before – Make lunches and have tomorrows breakfast ready to go.
Shopping Lists
You can find the grocery shopping lists for week 1, week 2, and week 3 here.
Recipes
You can find every single recipe used during the Ultimate Reset here.
Both of the links to the shopping lists and recipes send you to the Ultimate Reset Participant Portal. Its a fancy online tool Beachbody made after my third round that shows you everything from how to make the food to what to expect on a day by day basis. There’s even an app!
Where To Buy
If you would like to save some money then sign up as a Beachbody Coach like I did and save 25% on your order. You’ll see the discount during the sign up process.
If the discount does not interest you than choose one of the options below.
| Ultimate Reset | Ultimate Reset Challenge Pack | Ultimate Reset Dual Kit |
 |
 |
 |
| $200 | $265 | $350 |
Summary
Out of all the products Beachbody comes out with it is the Ultimate Reset which surprised me the most. I’d even say it has better long term effects than their workout programs ever could.
You learn so much about food, what goes in your body, and how your body reacts to this way of eating. A push up is a push up. But if you’re not fueling your body right those push ups might not do so much.
I’d go so far as to say someone who has 20+ pounds of weight to lose should do the Ultimate Reset before attempting P90X, Insanity, or any workout program. Reason being is you could eat those 20+ pounds off instead of trying to burn them off. Do you know how much easier it is to do a push up with 20 less pounds on your body? Like a lot less.
After that first round I could not believe how much better I felt. I definitely pay more attention to what I put into my body now versus before. How could I not? I lost weight, reduced inflammation, and just felt great. It has had a lasting effect.
The second and third rounds were so much easier than the first as I was more comfortable in the kitchen. And Beachbody made changes to the program guide making it easier to plan meals ahead of time. Grocery shopping was easier too!
I didn’t get all psycho with measurements in later rounds like I did in the first round which made those rounds much easier. I even skipped some meals I did not like and made something else.
What I’ve found is you should plan to do the Ultimate Reset during a slow time of the year. For me, it’s early January. The Holidays are over and I’m not playing sports.
Feel free to leave a comment below if you have questions about the Ultimate Reset.
Brad,
Awesome review and awesome results! Nice work sticking to the program and bring diligent in recording your thoughts. Your actions will inspire others to self-betterment. You certainly have for me! I’ve penciled in the Reset to conduct upon my return from deployment. Thanks for sharing! You’re a great American.
-Joe
Thank You Joe. America.
Brad,
Thanks for the detailed synopsis. One question: Do you think it’s possible to do the Reset if you travel 3-4 days/week?
Ken
Great Review! Exactly what I was looking for – a blow by blow detail of your experience with the reset and how you were affected by it. I tell people all the time that the most common thing I hear is “Yeah, I did P90x, but I really didn’t stick to the diet”. In the end, the story is the same. I learned a lot and got it great shape, but didn’t lose a lot of weight. Diet is huge and it seems experience with the reset will install knowledge, better habits and facilitate results. I’m excited to give it a whirl.
Todd
Yes. You will need to prepare meals ahead of time. They give you a little pouch to put the supplements into to take to work.
Hey, Brad. Sounds like you just went through hell and liked it. Kidding aside, that’s a great review. We all know what to expect. Now we just have to go with it. Thanks for the pep talk.
-Ellyn
I’m glad you liked the review Ellyn. The Ultimate Reset wasn’t that bad. It was just different. The hardest part was trying to find my way around the kitchen.
Glad you liked the review Todd. I learned a lot from the Ultimate Reset. I feel better prepared for a new round of P90X with the new knowledge I have about food.
Brad, I live in a small-ish city with no Whole Foods in sight. How hard is it to find some of the items at my local Wal-mart/Sam’s Club/Safeway? Also, if you are already taking vitamin supplements on advice from your Dr. (One-a-day Silver and Vitamin D) does the program allow you to continue?
Thanks
Sven
You should be able to find the foods at any grocery store. If not, they give you options to to use other foods. I’m not sure about the supplements from your Dr. I believe most of the vitamins you are getting from those supplements are in the foods you’ll be eating. I do remember reading in the Ultimate Reset guide that if your Dr says to stay on a prescription than do so. As always, check with your Dr. first.
Thanks, Brad. My weight at around 180 and a height of 5′ 11″ is not terrible although I’m a little flabby. The reason I’m interested in this is that at age 51 I’m seeing some problems and I think this program can help. I’ve always had digestion issues going from one extreme from another along with acid re-flux. Lately, what used to be seasonal allergies has become a year long problem and now I’m suddenly experiencing eczema for the first time. I think my body is rebelling. I have a terrible diet and drink too much coffee and beer. I’ve been able to give up alcohol for extended periods but I’ve never tried to give up coffee. I’m looking forward to the challenge.
I think you’ll be surprised how many other health benefits you’ll get out of the Beachbody Ultimate Reset besides just losing weight.
For a busy mom, would you do shakeology for breakfast instead of the meal plan?
Yes. Using Shakeology is a whole lot easier then messing around with some of the meals. I remember one of the meals took 40 minutes to make and was a pain. Most usually take 10 so its not that bad but Shakeology was simple.
Hi Brad! So happy for you that you stuck to the UR!! Congrats!! Your story is very inspiring and I hope I can do as good as you!! My only fear is the cost of the food and the foods that you have to eat. I do not like fish and definitely don’t eat sushi. Do you think this will be an issue or do they give options to replace foods like that with other foods? I am concerned too with the foods you eat during the Vegan part of the diet. I don’t want to spend to buy the plan then not follow it to get good results! Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much for your time and help!
They give you options to replace foods but I suggest giving them a try. The meals are very good. The Vegan thing was not a big deal. Do you eat veggies and fruits already? If anything, the Ultimate Reset is a plan on how to lose weight, improve your health, how to cook, and how to eat correctly. We still use many of the meals from the Ultimate Reset. There are many support groups online to get tips and advice. I’ll show them to you.
Wow, thank you for this cool review. I started the Reset yesterday, and so far so good. I can’t believe I feel better after only just one and a half days. I’m sure it will get harder as I go on, but I am committed. The alkalinizer is a struggle, but I’ll get through it!
Just stick with it.
Thank you for taking the time to write all that Brad. Very helpful!
My wife and I are doing this and Honestly not enjoying some of the food but still sticking to it. 13 days in and still only lost 2 lbs total that I lost first 2 days. I have never drank coffee or caffeine but did eat a lot of snack food like chips. don’t have much desire for them now but really thought I would lose more weight. I started at 198 and I should weigh about 150 for my body size so I am told 5’7″
why haven’t I lost weight.
Thats a good question. I am not sure. My best guess is everyone is a little bit different. I have heard of some people who don’t see a big drop off as quickly as they like as its quite a shock to their system. The body retains the weight as its a drastic change from what they’ve been doing for years. If you’re saying you snacked a lot than that might be the case. I come back to if you are following the plan then it will work. Sometimes it may take longer. Besides weight loss you can also look at things such as: how you’re feeling, energy, mood, sleeping, etc.