We all saw it—the grueling journey from postnatal (with twins!) ‘Yoncé to Homecoming cutoffs ‘Yoncé—and frankly, I, for one, instantly decided I didn’t have the stamina (seriously, the woman is damn near supernatural). But to hear it straight from the Queen’s mouth in the promo for her newest venture, 22 Days Nutrition, “getting the weight off was so much easier than me getting back in shape.”
What does that mean? It means we couldn’t stan for the slim-thickness of the superstar without the guidance of longtime trainer Marco Borges. It was Borges who assisted Beyoncé in dropping the remainder of her Sir and Rumi baby weight in the 44-day rehearsal runup to Coachella 2018, supplying her with a vegan-based nutrition plan that purportedly not only helped Bey slim down but gave her the energy to push through for the performance of a lifetime—and now, they’re sharing the plan with the world. Per the website:
22 Days Nutrition was created by Beyoncé’s friend, trainer, exercise physiologist and New York Times Best Selling author, Marco Borges. Recently, they launched the 22 Days Nutrition Meal Planner which offers members access to tools and foods that empower everyone to become their healthiest self through proper nutrition. Marco has teamed up with Beyoncé to offer the Hive special access to the 22 Days Meal Planner.
According to the trailer dropped last night like a new single, Bey started her 44-day, two consecutive 22 Days Nutrition cycles at 175 pounds (which some of us might call our goal weight, but I digress). Notably, she doesn’t reveal at what weight she ended that journey, but we do know that before it was over she fit back into what she calls the “Wonder Woman” costume—and anyone who has ever tried to fit back into their favorite “freakum dress” or “skinny jeans” knows that is one of the best feelings ever. (Meanwhile, was it just me, or did Borges give a far more enthusiastic reaction to the reveal than husband Jay-Z? I guess Borges was sharing credit for the transformation, so there’s that.)
Obviously, this is far from the first time Beyoncé, who famously sported a “Kale” sweatshirt (and little else) in her “7/11" video, has touted a plant-based diet. In fact, earlier this year she and Jay launched the Greenprint Project, which granted one lucky winner concert tickets for life for taking baby steps into the vegan lifestyle the couple adopted several years ago. It’s also not the first time Bey has been linked to a weight-loss plan—remember when the decades-old Master Cleanse was renamed “The Beyoncé Diet” after she used it to achieve Supremes-level sleekness for Dreamgirls?
So, what happens in 22 Days? I did a little recon on the site, so you don’t have to (you’re welcome). For the surprisingly low introductory price of $99/year (typically $168 annually or $14 monthly, also an option), the plan—which catalogues your likes, dislikes and allergies, available time to cook, and even the appliances in your kitchen—gives you personalized food recommendations as well as access to a line of “USDA Organic, Non-GMO, plant-based (vegan), delicious products.”
And yes, you can even specifically follow Beyoncé’s plan. (Insert requisite “Get Me Bodied” quip here.) However, there’s unfortunately no personal chef included.
Real talk? This might be the most affordable Beyhive merch yet, as well as the most beneficial to both the body and the environment, as vegan diets do have the lowest carbon footprint—and lower our cancer risk, according to Harvard Health. With that in mind, will this meat lover be trying the 22 Days program? For $99 a year, I’m admittedly curious—especially as I have my own Homecoming to get ready for (read: the 2019 Root 100 gala). And while there aren’t any cutoffs or intricate choreography in my future, switching up my nutrition game by cutting out a couple of beloved food groups for 22 days (oh, how I’ll miss you, cheese and meat—is sugar a food group?) may be exactly what I need to get this body back in formation—and back into my favorite freakum dress.