Are you a FIXer who is curious about the new Beachbody Program 2B Mindset? Are you wondering if it’s for you? Read on to find out my honest opinion of this plan!
**For price and ordering info, please see the bottom of this post!
Looking for 2B Mindset Recipes? Check out this post!
Like you, I have heard about 2B Mindset a lot recently…and for the last few weeks my newsfeed has been full of ads for this new Nutrition-only program by Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist Ilana Muhlstein.
I saw posts like – Want to lose weight without workouts? Are you an emotional or stress eater?
And, my favorite, Want to drink wine, eat ice cream, and lose lots of weight?
Ummm…yes, yes, and totally yes.
So naturally I bought the program and spent several hours yesterday “researching” this new plan…reading through the documents, watching the videos, and trying to learn as much as I could for myself and also to share with all of you.
As someone who loves the 21 Day Fix and truly believes that the container system works, I expected to not like 2B Mindset…but that wasn’t the case at all. I found a lot that I did like, and there are actually a lot of similarities to both programs which I will discuss here.
First, though, I need to get something straight.
This is not a plan that incorporates all you can drink wine and and free cupcakes as part of the program. For anyone out there who is hoping for a nutritional free for all that will still result in weight loss, save your money. That unicorn of an idea doesn’t exist, ok? Ok.
And yes – there isn’t a workout that goes along with this program. Ilana recommends focusing on nutrition first IF you feel uncomfortable with workouts at the moment or don’t feel ready to tackle both nutrition and fitness at the same time. But she isn’t telling you not to make exercise a choice…she is simply making that a goal to work towards.
The 2B Mindset Nutrition plan might avoid “rules” but there are definite guidelines to this program. Similar to the FIX, there is a food list with 4 categories – Veggies, Proteins, Carbohydrates (called FFCs), and Accessories – aka fats and sweeteners – and also a recommended amount of each food group to eat daily.
Unlike the FIX, though, there isn’t an exact measurement for these foods. Ilana encourages you to eyeball the amount in a way that’s trackable for you. She also has a simple to follow Plate It system and shows you how to divide your plate at each meal – for example, the breakfast is 50% protein and 50% carbs – or FFCs (Fiber Filled Carbohydrates) as they are called on the plan. Veggies, she says, are extra credit for breakfasts, meaning you can add them (for free!) if you want to.
So unlike the FIX where you can manipulate your containers how you want to throughout the day, in 2B Mindset you will be eating certain types of food at each meal..similar to the way food is grouped for meals in the 80 Day Obsession. There are three meals per day and there is also an optional snack between lunch and dinner. And Ilana suggests you follow the rule “Dinner and Done” so no snacks or food, healthy or otherwise, after dinner.
There are also differences in the food lists. Fruit is a carb, and some of the higher starch veggies, like Butternut and Acorn squash, are also on the carb list. Oh – and hummus, too. As far as veggies – you will be eating a lot of these, as veggies most is one of Ilana’s mantras – they are the more water based veggies from the 21 Day Fix list. There is definitely less protein on this plan than the FIX, but the protein list includes similar choices to the FIX, as well as low fat cheese (mind blown).
There are no “teaspoons” or “fats” on 2B Mindset. What we think of as blues, oranges, and teaspoons on the FIX are called accessories on the Ilana’s plan and you can have 1-2 from the list at each meal to add flavor to your food. Again – there isn’t a specific measurement for these, but Ilana encourages starting small – like with a tablespoon and going from there.
If you are still hungry after a meal, Ilana also has a plan for that called More, Sure…and she will walk you through how to eat more at a meal, social event, or holiday while also staying on the plan.
And like the FIX, 2B Mindset allows for treats. But instead of having set treat swaps with parameters like on the 21 Day Fix, the 2B Mindset gives you the freedom to choose that glass of wine or that cupcake whenever and wherever, as long as you track it. These “silly” carbs as Ilana calls them, are ok on occasion…aka probably not more than the three times Autumn recommends. The idea behind not giving you a set amount, though, is it empowers YOU to make the rules instead of forcing them onto you. If you allow yourself some wine and you track it, you will be able to see how it affects your goals and change the behavior accordingly.
The big question, though, is whether that is easier said than done for some of us (looking at myself here).
While everything is printed in the program materials (which you get in hard copy AND printable, digital files), you get a series of videos with Ilana that you can watch via Beachbody On Demand. I spent most of my afternoon with these videos yesterday and, honestly, I could watch Illana all day. She is super likeable and brimming with awesome tips, tricks, and mantras for making this plan – or any healthy eating plan – work for you.
She also explains the reasons behind her choices for the plan, which is key. Instead of being annoyed with her for not including carbs with dinner, you understand the purpose behind this and hopefully there is more buy in because of that.
Another notable difference between this program and the FIX is instead of staying off the scale and trusting the process, you will be weighing yourself daily, as Ilana views the scale as accountability, which makes total sense for this plan. Because you are tracking every single bite of food that you eat each day including the amounts, the scale is going to dictate your good days and bad days.
So, yes, there are no “rules” but if you are choosing “silly” carbs or eyeballing a little too many carbs or accessories, you are going to see it on the scale and therefore you will have you make adjustments if you want to lose weight.
This is why most people in the test group lost less weight in the first month than they did in months 2, 3 and 4. There is a learning curve for this…a much different one that with the FIX. Instead of trying to figure out how to piece together your containers throughout the day, you will need to learn to choose the foods and amount of these foods that will lead to your own personal weight loss.
Whether or not the 2B Mindset plan is right for you, it might be worth investing in the program for the education alone. As I stated before, Ilana is a wealth of knowledge. I consider myself pretty savvy in the ways of healthy eating and nutrition label reading, but I found myself taking note after note while watching Ilana on the videos. And there is something nice about having all the videos there for you to refer to or refer back to – no searching required.
So if you are contemplating this program, here are some questions to ask yourself.
Are you willing to track every single bite of food that you eat and the amounts?
The Food Tracker is a key element of this program, so you need to have that with you at all times and track every bite of what you eat – especially at the beginning – so you can learn how to adjust your food for weight loss. Down the line there will be an app for this, but right now you will need to track pencil and paper. I would personally suck at this!
Are you comfortable eyeballing the amounts of food in a trackable way?
The FIX does the thinking for you – there is no guesswork. The 2B Mindset allows for more flexibility, but for those of you who need the structure, this might not be comfortable. And if you tend to overeat, not having the portions measured exactly for you, might lead to weight gain at first. But the good news is you should be able to use your tracker to help you make adjustments and have success.
Will you take advantage of the flexibility or use it to empower yourself?
The 2B Mindset program is meant to change your thinking, and therefore change your behavior to put YOU in charge of your weight loss through the choices you make. And since there aren’t hard and fast rules like in the 21 Day Fix, you have more flexibility…but this requires you to be honest about your choices and what is or is not working for you and own it. This might not come as easy as it sounds and will still require you to have willpower and commit to your goals, just like any other plan.
Are you ready for a change? Are you bored with the FIX or with whatever plan you are currently using for healthy eating and/or weight loss?
Sometimes you just need to switch things up…so maybe this plan will allow you to do that. All in all, it’s not that different than the FIX, but maybe it will be different enough. And like I mentioned before, Ilana will teach you things that you can incorporate into any healthy lifestyle.
At the moment, you can only get 2B Mindset through Beachbody. If you are interested in ordering, you can use my referral links below. Right now the program is discounted $20 – this price is good until June 3rd!
You can order it in a few different packages:
The 2B Mindset Base Kit comes with –
- 21 Learn the 2B Mindset Videos
- 5 Ask Ilana Videos
- 15 Recipe Videos
- Getting Started Guide
- My Go-To Guide
- My Tracker
- 2B Mindset Water Bottle
- Recipes
- Beachbody Nutrition+ App (Coming June 2018)
The 2B Mindset Challenge Pack comes with all of the above, plus a 30 day Supply of Shakeology, which llana recommends as one of your daily protein choices.
And the 2B Mindset Annual On Demand Challenge Pack with Shakeology comes with all of the above, a 30 Day Supply of Shakeology, and a yearly subscription to Beachbody On Demand with thousands of workout options to stream!
I hope this helps you make an informed decision about whether the 2B Mindset is right for you. If you have any questions that I didn’t answer for you, please just reach out!
Looking for more 2B Mindset Recipes? Check out my Ultimate Recipe Guide!
Alleah says
I just wanted to add that Ilana also provides recipes and meal plans on BOD. The recipes are DELICIOUS. There hasn’t been one that I’ve tried that I was disappointed in. Highly recommend the 2B Mindset program!
Nancylynn says
Yes, totally agree!
Crissy says
Thanks for this! I’ve been interested in making the change to 2b for awhile now and this article was very informative and helpful. Thank you!
Amy Miniuk says
Thank you for the helpful information. I’m looking forward to starting the 2B Mindset & #MBF. I look forward to updates & recipe ideas
Elise says
Super helpful! Exactly what I searched for! Thank you!
Nancylynn says
So welcome!
Sharon says
What a great article! Just what I was looking for. Since you’ve done both of these plans, and I’m sitting here trying to decide which to start with…which would you recommend to start? I keep going back and forth. I do like the idea of the structure of the 21 Day Fix, but I also like the idea of all these tips you learned and took notes on with 2B Mindset. Oh what to do, which to pick! 🙂
Nancylynn says
I see your dilemma!!! Here’s what I think almost a year later – some people really NEED the structure of the 21DF. The tips are all so great for 2B, but you have to be more disciplined to lose because you are eyeballing your portions and tracking your food yourself. Does that make sense? If you are someone who needs structure, I would start with the 21DF.
sharon says
That does make sense! Thank you so much! I think I’m going to go jump into 21DF….and I’ll be scouring your site that I discovered today during my research of these programs. I signed up for your updates, bookmarked you, did all the things!
thanks bunches!
Janice L says
Be careful if you are just starting this plan, I bought into it and I was not feeling the energy as I hoped for. I logged my food for a day and found I was only eat 850 calories. I went back to the containers – maybe I just need to adjust it a bit. Its hard because there is no calorie parameters. I really feel you need to cosume at least 1,000 calories. I did like the plan better than the containers, but the calorie levels were too low.
Lisa B says
Then try increasing your portions. That is the beauty of 2B Mindset, it is a program YOU adjust as you see how your body reacts. Track how you feel, increase your portions, and see what happens! It does take several weeks to figure out what works for you! Good luck!
Sabina says
Hi there … when one purchases this, does one have access to the 2B videos “forever” or only for a limited time? I don’t understand that part.
Nancylynn says
I believe you have access as long as you are a BOD member.
Lisa B says
It is forever, regardless of whether you are a Beachbody On Demand member.
Lisa B says
You have access forever, regardless of whether or not you have a Beachbody On Demand account
Karyn says
I started 2B on May 31st. As of yesterday I am 43.8 lbs. down!
Nancylynn says
Oh my goodness!!! That’s amazing!! Congrats, Karyn!
Gina S says
This is a great article. I did the 21 Day Fix, then went back to do it again but felt like other things kept getting in the way that didn’t allow me to use the system correctly (events, dinners, etc), so I wasn’t able to lose anything. I felt like I had to keep stopping and starting. With 2B Mindset, there is no stopping and starting. And events and dinners out with others come up all the time, but that’s ok. Just track it and do your best in your food choices. I lost what I was hoping to lose – actually, went below my goal and I’m still there! I started 2B when it first came out. I would recommend taking a look at it. It worked better for my busy life!
Stephanie says
I have a lot of health problems..long to short about it..woke up one morning went from very active person to feeling like I hit a brick wall..not knowing if I’d ever get up..I have chronic pain. Autoimmune Diseases, been thru several surgeries. My days go from good being a pain level 1 to 10..from 8 to over 15. Between medications and not being able to be very active the weight came on. I really need to find something to work. Never really been on diets or anything on those lines. I need to be careful what I eat. Not sure if any research has been done for people like me with autoimmune diseases or illnesses? If this is something that can help someone like me or others like me? Just curious. Any information would help? Thank u very much!!
Nancylynn says
Hey! I also have autoimmune issues and I honestly think the best thing that helped me was going gluten and dairy free! I have a lot of recipes for both, regardless of the diet plan that you follow.
Julie Whitley says
Thank you for this overview! I’ve been wondering if every person that purchased this had to sign a confidentiality agreement because it seemed no one was giving any specifics about it. ?
Nancylynn says
That’s hilarious, Julie!! Glad to help!!
Kay says
Great article!! I was wondering if there are food restrictions? So like can I eat real bacon or do I have to eat turkey bacon only? No processed food? I’m wondering if this is something I’d be able to do with my husband but I’ll be honest food is a struggle at our household. My husband is a picky eater and things can taste similar or even the same (cauliflower mashed potatoes v. real) and he’ll freak out. 🙂
Nancylynn says
Hi! So whatever you eat, you need to track, so nothing is “off limits” but it is recommended that you follow the food list. The good news is pork bacon is listed as an accessory, so you can eat a small amount with your meal!
Natalie says
This was a great post, the best I’ve read on 2b mindset yet as I’ve been trying to find out more info. I think someone else has basically plagiarized this post, please check the website for Fit and Fab Mama http://www.fitnfabmama.com/2b-mindset-vs-21-day-fix-which-is-right-for-you/. Not cool if that’s the case.
Nancylynn says
Oh my goodness, Natalie! Thank you for letting me know – that’s NOT cool at all.
Valerie Frazier says
I just bought this yesterday and am glad to read your review– I had much of the same thoughts as you while I watched the videos– I am definitely gonna give it a shot, I am on day 1 today!! 🙂
Nancylynn says
That’s great, Valerie! <3
Michele H says
I started 2B Mindset this past Monday, so I’m on day 5. I love it! I was intimidated at first because it feels like there’s no structure. But if you follow the “2 Bunnies” and “Plate It,” it comes together fast and makes sense. And feels like something you can continue forever. Thank you for this great post!
Nancylynn says
I agree – I totally feel like a lot of what she says makes perfect sense! Glad you are having success!
ree says
minor typo – it should be “versus” not “verses”. Love your site! Thank you!
Nancylynn says
LOL! Thank you – glad this went out to thousands of people first! I appreciate you, Ree!!!
Laura says
Is this program food allergy friendly? I’m allergic to eggs, banana and avocado. It seems like these types of plans are heavy in these items.
Nancylynn says
It’s very allergy friendly – and there are more choices in the food lists because there is only a total of 4 lists.
Treesy says
Thanks! I have been looking for this exact info. Even though I could find lots of information about the 2b mindset, I really wanted to know how it compared to the fix and if this program would teach me anything I didn’t already know. Thanks so much for the great review!
Nancylynn says
So welcome!
Antonella says
This is amazing – thank you! I’ve been trying to find info on what exactly this program entails and this is perfect! It actually makes me interested to learn more, even though I love the container system.
Nancylynn says
That’s GREAT to hear!!
Michele says
Thank you so much for this review! I’ve been trying to decide whether or not to purchase 2B. This has been very helpful!
Nancylynn says
I am so happy to help, Michele!
Angi says
Thanks for this recap. So far this has been the easiest recap to understand what the program is asking you to do.
Nancylynn says
You are so welcome! I hope it helps you decide if it’s right for you.
Janet de Vries says
great article! I have been on the 21 day fix for quite some time and also bought the new 2B. I’m hoping to find all sorts of recipes for the instant pot as I have for 21 day fix. Do you think that these same recipes apply well to the 2B program?
Nancylynn says
I think with some modifications! I hope to get some recipe ideas out there soon!