Ready to get in shape for the new year? If so, you won't want to miss our next blog tour. In Side Hustle & Flow: Shape-Up, author Cliff Beach shares the seven essential steps to achieving a fitter, happier you. It's perfect for people looking to lose weight, get in shape, and overcome disease and setbacks. Join us as we celebrate the launch of his audiobook with a giveaway and an interview with the author.
But before we get to that, here's more about his audiobook:
Welcome to "Side Hustle & Flow: Shape Up!"—the second book in Cliff Beach’s acclaimed series. Following the success of "Side Hustle & Flow," nominated for a World Entertainment Award for Best Spoken Word Album in 2024, Cliff Beach returns with a powerful guide to transforming your health and fitness journey.
Discover the seven essential steps to achieving a fitter, happier you:
The Deciding Factor: Uncover your personal motivations and use them to fuel your transformation.
Checking Your Numbers: Learn the importance of tracking key health metrics, with insights from dieticians and doctors.
Intermittent Fasting Tips and Tricks: Master intermittent fasting with practical advice on timing, hydration, and managing hunger.
Picking a Diet That Works for You: Find a diet plan that suits your lifestyle and health needs for sustainable eating habits.
Exercise: Make it Fun and Be Consistent: Incorporate fun and engaging activities into your routine to ensure consistency and enjoyment.
Healthy Lifestyle Changes You Can Stick With: Implement small, manageable changes for long-term success.
Get Into a Support Group Now!: Leverage the power of community and support groups to maintain motivation and accountability.
"Side Hustle & Flow: Shape Up!" is more than just a fitness guide; it’s a call to action for a healthier, happier you. Cliff Beach’s practical advice and motivational style will inspire you to take control of your health and transform your life. Join Cliff on this transformative journey and take the first step towards a fitter, happier you today!
Release Date: October 21, 2024
Publisher: Please and Funk You Publishing
ASIN: B0DKFZLY8T
Audiobook Length: 3 hours and 24 minutes
About the Author, Cliff Beach
Musician and Author Cliff Beach has been performing live for more than 20 years. His single “Confident” was featured on Spotify All Funked Up and Funk Drive playlists with over 975k+ streams. He is the host of the Deeper Grooves Podcast and Deeper Grooves on 885FM. Beach is the author of highly successful book Side Hustle & Flow on Black Spring Press Group/Eyewear Publishing, which chronicles his musical journey while still working a day job. He has written previously for Beautytap, Pepperdine and Rock Star Life. He is the winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest Grand Prize, 2 World Songwriting Awards, 4 Global Music Awards, a California Music Video & Film Award and nominated for 4 LA Music Awards, 1 Hollywood Music & Media Award, and 1 Independent Music Award and more. His music has recently been featured on CNN, SYFY, CW, HBO MAX and in a BMW spot. He was nominated for a World Entertainment Award for his audiobook Side Hustle & Flow and has just released his follow up Side Hustle & Flow: Shape Up on Please and Funk You Publishing via Author's Republic. He is an awarding Distinguished Toastmaster and VP of PR from Culver City Toastmasters and TedX presenter.
Find him online at:
Website: https://sidehustleandflow.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cliffbeachmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cliffbeachmusic
Interview by Nicole Pyles
WOW: First of all, congratulations on your book! You had an incredible weight loss and overall health transformation. What was the catalyst that led you to make such an incredible change in your life?
Cliff: I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. A few key things drove me to make a change. My doctor wasn’t hearing me when I said I didn’t want to be on medication for diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. I also have a fear of swallowing pills, so chewing five pills a day was both gross and disheartening. As someone who focuses on personal power and success, I felt like I was failing. I wanted to live a better life and get off the meds, which meant I needed to work hard and lose weight. I decided to book a dietitian through my insurance, separate from my doctor.
The plan was aggressive—losing 50 pounds in five months—but I committed to it. Even after achieving my goal, my doctor didn’t want to take me off the meds, so I switched insurance, got a new doctor, and eventually stopped the meds with the help of a nurse. As Chris Rock says, “The money is in the treatment, not the cure.” But I believed, like Lissa Rankin said, that I could write the prescription for my own life.
WOW: I think that's amazing that you took charge of your own treatment. What was your process when planning on writing this book? How did you start?
Cliff: After writing my first book, Side Hustle and Flow, and experiencing how long it took to write and edit, I decided to take a different approach for this one. Having created a Udemy course, spoken at Toastmasters, delivered a TEDx talk, hosted a podcast, and released a successful audiobook, I chose to make this book audio-first. Instead of writing it out and then recording it, I recorded it directly from talking points to keep a conversational feel.
WOW: The conversational feel is really effective, too! I love that you made this an audiobook. Why did you go in this direction?
Cliff: As an audiophile, I can listen to audiobooks much faster than I can read—I often listen at 2x speed. I started a plan in March to read 52 books this year, and I’m already up to 77. Audiobooks are a growing sector, and I found a way to distribute this one across platforms without requiring an eBook version.
We created a short kickoff PDF supplement for those who want something physical, but the conversational tone is meant to be heard, not read. I’ve listened to many great audiobooks like this, though technically it’s an audio program. The musician in me combined with the reader in me felt this was the way to go. If the demand is there, we can always transcribe it into an eBook later.
I also intentionally made it shorter—my first book was 7.5 hours, but this one is just 3.5 hours. You can listen to it twice over a weekend and get started on your journey to losing weight quickly.
WOW: It's a great combination! Your first book, Side Hustle and Flow, was an awesome success. What has changed in your life since your first book came out?
Cliff: In terms of productivity, nothing has changed—I’m still hustling. But I’ve learned to hustle healthier. Book 2 builds on Book 1, making it easier to apply those principles. You need stamina, mental and physical fitness, and clarity, which comes from a better body and mind.
People kept asking me how I lost weight, so I created this book to provide a single resource rather than having the same conversation repeatedly. When your life serves as the only "Bible" people read, your results speak for themselves. You don’t have to convince anyone—they’ll see the proof and ask.
WOW: Great point! What do you hope people gain by reading (or listening to) your book?
Cliff: I hope they gain hope. For years, I felt stuck, unsure if I’d ever lose weight again. There’s so much conflicting information, and it can be overwhelming. But with the right advocate and information, I achieved in months what should have taken years.
You can fix your body over time—at any age, with any condition. That’s the message I want to share. Yes, I tracked my food for 500 days and walked 10,000 steps daily, rain or shine. Some people say, “That’s too hard; I could never do that.” But with that mindset, they won’t see results. Success requires effort, consistency, and working on your weaknesses.
WOW: What a great message. What advice do you have for people struggling with weight loss or making major health changes?
Cliff: Start small and underwhelm yourself. Avoid an all-or-nothing mindset—it’s okay to fail, as long as you fail forward and improve along the way. The journey isn’t linear; there will be ups and downs, but it’s about creating a sustainable lifestyle, not just following a diet or resolution.
My dietitian gave me a list of food types, but I chose what I liked within those parameters. If you hate fish, don’t force yourself to eat it just for omega-3s—that won’t last. Many people fail because they don’t plan or set clear, actionable goals. Saying “I want to lose weight” is vague. Instead, say, “I must lose 50 pounds in five months.” Be specific, act, and stop procrastinating. It works if you work it.
WOW: I LOVE that idea of underwhelming yourself and starting small. How do you do so much with your already full schedule?
Cliff: Time management isn’t about managing time—it’s about managing yourself in relation to time. People say, “If you want something done, give it to a busy person.” I plan far in advance, planting seeds today for future harvests.
Many expect immediate results, like mushrooms that grow in hours, but real growth is like bamboo—it spends years developing roots before shooting up 90 feet in six weeks. The time will pass regardless, so why not use it wisely? A year from now, you can either be 50 pounds lighter or full of regret. You don’t get to complain about the results you didn’t achieve from the work you didn’t do. You don’t have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great.
WOW: You have shared so many helpful insights already in this interview, and I hope readers pick up a copy of the book to gain even more from you. Best of luck on the blog tour!
Blog Tour Calendar
January 20th @ The Muffin
Join us on WOW as we celebrate the launch of Cliff Beach's audiobook Side Hustle & Flow: Shape-Up!. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of this audiobook.
January 23rd @ Words by Webb
Visit Jodi's blog for her review of Cliff Beach's Side Hustle & Flow: Shape-Up!.
January 27th @ Tracey Lampley's blog
Visit Tracey's blog for a post by Cliff Beach about weight-loss motivation.
January 28th @ Book Reviews from an Avid Reader
Visit Joan's blog for her review of Cliff Beach's Side Hustle & Flow: Shape-Up!.
January 29th @ Create Write Now
Don't miss a spotlight of Cliff Beach's Side Hustle & Flow: Shape-Up!.
January 30th @ Knotty Needle
Visit Judy's blog for her review of Cliff Beach's audiobook Side Hustle & Flow: Shape-Up!
February 1st @ Silver's Reviews
Visit Elizabeth's blog for a spotlight of Cliff Beach's Side Hustle & Flow: Shape-Up!.
February 5th @ Frugal Freelancer
Visit Sara's blog for a guest post by Cliff Beach about writing a memoir.
February 8th @ A Wonderful World of Books
Visit Joy's blog for an interview with author Cliff Beach.
February 12th @ Bring on Lemons
Visit Crystal's blog for a review of Cliff Beach's Side Hustle & Flow: Shape-Up!.
February 15th @ Choices
Visit Madeline's blog for a guest post by Cliff Beach on motivation.
February 18th @ Seaside Book Nook
Visit Jilleen's blog for her review of Side Hustle & Flow: Shape-Up!
February 20th @ World of My Imagination
Visit Nicole's blog for her review of Cliff Beach's Side Hustle & Flow: Shape-Up!.
February 21st @ Kaecey McCromick's blog
Visit Kaecey's blog for a spotlight of Cliff Beach's Side Hustle & Flow: Shape-Up! and an interview with the author.
February 22nd @ Caitlin C. King's blog
Join Caitlin for her review of Cliff Beach's Side Hustle & Flow: Shape-Up!.
February 23rd @ Instagram @harmonnicolenalani
Don't miss Nicole's review of Cliff Beach's Side Hustle & Flow: Shape-Up!.
February 23rd @ Teatime and Books
Visit Janet's blog for a spotlight of Cliff Beach's audiobook Side Hustle & Flow: Shape-Up!.
--- Podcast Tour
Cliff Beach @ Confidence Through Health
Cliff Beach @ Not Quite After Midnight
Cliff Beach @ Balance Health Now
Cliff Beach @ My Fit Tribe
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-fit-tribe/id1778718883Cliff Beach @ The Power to Pivot
Cliff Beach @ Just Say More
Cliff Beach @ Your Spectacular Life
***** GIVEAWAY *****
Enter the Rafflecopter form for a chance to win Side Hustle & Flow: Shape Up! by Cliff Beach. The giveaway ends February 2nd at 11:59 pm CT. We will randomly choose a winner the next day and announce it in the Rafflecopter widget as well as follow up via email. Good luck!
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