Rating: 
Summary: It worked for me but I don't think it is for everyone.
Review: I first became aware of this book when my mother purchased it. I skimmed through it and liked what I saw. I was very inspired by the before and after photos he presented, although I wondered how authentic they were. I purchased the book anyway; I'm a [stinker] for a challenge.I read the book with enthusiasm and ran out and bought the Myoplex meal replacement shakes. These by no means are a necessary part of this program, but they are recommended and do help in quickly achieving your goal. I also purchased them from a vitamin store as opposed to the EAS website. I will say this program is not easy and you must be committed. I know almost nothing about diet and exercise, so I put my life in this man's hands. I ate the way he suggested and worked out the way he suggested. I was slightly overweight when I started. I stand 5' 11 ½" and weighed 185 lbs. This weight piled on due to a bout with Lyme Disease. My goal was to get back to 155 lbs and maintain. After following this program for 10 days I lost 8 lbs. Now I am sure most of this was water weight and I'd be lying if I said I felt great. I actually felt terrible. Although I was not hungry, I was tired and in pain from the exercise regimen. But I did not give up. The program runs on 12-week intervals that he terms 'challenges'. One can take as many challenges as they wish until they decide this to be a lifestyle. By the end of my first challenge I was down to 156 lbs and I no longer felt tired and in pain from the program. I did not continue on with the challenges, instead I adopted a healthier lifestyle and became a vegetarian. This book had much to do with wanting to improve my appearance and on the way I improved my health. I must stress that although I am not a doctor, I think anyone with a chronic illness (such as Fibromyalgia) should check with a doctor before commencing. At the time I did not know of mine, and it was a hard way to go. Had I known, I would have not have attempted this program because of the weight training regimen. All in all a good program if you don't mind wadding through the scientific jargon, that is helpful if you understand it, albeit difficult at times.
Rating: 
Summary: It's ok but....
Review: I really got into this book, I think it's 1/2 useful book, it does say some great things that we all should know by now.
The one thing that sort of got me was this 'healthy' lifestyle he talks about does not corispond to me with the fact that he goes on to sell his personal 'shakes'. I LOVE his workout program, yet has lot's of limiting factors to it. like the time of day you can work out, and what equipment you should and should not use. FOod plan was fairly good and he did make it 'easy' to eat things. I think he goes into a faboulous mental aspect of losing weight and is very motivational. I was extremely turned off by the suplimintaion he was 'pushing' in his book. I got the impression this book was suppose to be 'different', even his web pages goes to pages with some questionable products. I would recommend anyone checking this book out for some basic ideas and adding it to your collection, but don't think this is the 'last' book you ever read on ths subject.
Rating:
Summary: Exercises are great, but the food part is questionable
Review: If I wanted to read supplement ads, I'd leaf through the back of fitness magazines at the doctor's office.
That said, this book does a good job describing exercises which are simple, and targetted on the right muscles. My advice - eat a sensible, low-fat diet, like something your doctor might recommend (or check out Howard Shapiro's books) and concentrate on the exercise section of this book. If you're like me (and so many others) - you want to lose some weight, look a bit better, and feel good. That combination ought to do it. It may take a little longer, but the results will probably last longer since the lifestyle change isn't as radical.
Rating:
Summary: Higly Recommended, But ....
Review: I bought this book and did a modified version of the program going from 213 lbs to 187 lbs in 12 weeks without adverse effects and therefore recommend it highly, but not without caveats. First, the science presented in the book is fuzzy and at times flat out wrong. Do not assume that you know anything about metabolic pathways, molecular biology or human metabolism after reading this book, because you won't. Get "Biochemistry" by C. K. Mathews et al., "Molecular Biology of the Cell"
by B. Alberts et al. or something similar if that is what you want to learn. Otherwise take it with a grain of salt and know that it works for most people to stick to this diet. Second, the book pushes EAS "Myoplex" products in a somewhat benign manner. If you want to buy these type of packets, however, avoid the EAS website, and go to a general distributor like Netrition or some other and get these types (both EAS and other brands) of shakes more reasonably priced. Third, the pictures that come in the book are great for getting you motivated, but those that had the greatest transformations did not accomplish them in 12 weeks, no matter how much they say they did. Expect incredible results, yes, but don't expect to go from 250 lbs at 45% body fat to 180 at 5% body fat in 12 weeks. It's not going to happen unless you take "special" and controlled supplements, which I don't recommend. Like I stated earlier, I went from 213 lbs at approx 30 % body fat to 187 lbs 10.5 % body fat in 12 weeks while doing a significantly more intense program than that recommended in the book. Phenomenal results, but no GQ modeling contract yet. Lastly, this is not a diet for those who have specific medical needs or dietary needs such as any metabolic disease, renal problems, lower back injuries, or other issues, so be SURE to consult your physician before engaging in this diet/exercise program. That being said, when you ask your doctor, be sure that you doctor is not already prejudiced against high protein diets. This diet is higher than average on proteins, but it is NOT a high protein / low carb diet like Atkins. There are several good studies that suggest that a diets comprised of 30 - 40 % calories from high grade protein, 50 - 60% calories from low glycemic index complex carbohydrates, less than 10% calories from fat and extremely low simple sugar content are considerably better than the age old pyramid scheme many of us learned in school, safer than high protein / low carb diets, and more effective at reducing weight and increasing lean muscle mass than high carb / low fat diets. Do the research yourself, and decide what you want to do and stick with it, and by all means remember that eating too little is never what you want..
Rating: 
Summary: The proof is in the pudding
Review: I know 4 people personally that started the program and 1 person that finished it and they all said it was the best decision they ever made. They look fantastic and they feel like a million bucks! They've also inspired others to get started. I just finished the book and I am ready to get started! The people who think it's a farce are either quitters, cynics or cheaters. Name one exercise program that doesn't cost money...when you join a gym it costs money, when you set up a home gym it costs money. All the proper exercise clothing and apparel costs money as well.
Bill Phillips does not force anyone to purchase anything from his line of drinks and supplements. He only recommends. Each person is free to buy protein drinks and supplements from the local GNC or health food store. The results come from drinking water instead of soft drinks and eating home cooked meals instead of fast food. Me personally I prefer a home made sandwich over a Big Mac any day. Also realize that buying those jar spaghetti sauces, microwave lean cuisine meals and frozen tv dinners costs way more money than making home made foods. Has anyone seen the prices on these tiny boxes of instant meals?! Too much money. Watching tv doesn't help either. No one gets in shape watching the boob tube. So the bottom line is eat healthy home made meals, drink lots of water, exercise and take supplements. Following Bill's program will guide you NOT dictate you to get in shape.
Rating:
Summary: The real deal.
Review: This book is unique because it really delivers everything that it promises. Working out only 4 hours a week following the plan absolutely transforms your body! The plan is really 5 or 6 ways to speed up your metabolism, so you lose weight even when you are not working out. If your goal is to lose weight and get in shape, look no more. Body-for Life delivers!
Rating:
Summary: Reader from Ottowa, Mar 13 is full of mularkey
Review: ...I'm not a nutritionist, but I do have a medical background. Each meal consists of a portion of lean protein the size of your palm (not including fingers), a porton of complex carbohydrate the size of your clenched fist, six times a day (about 300-350 calories for me, a 6' 2", 42 year old male), along with as many vegetables as you want, and the proper amount of essential fats. What's unhealthy about that? It's a lot more protein than I'm used to, and it won't be enough calories once I reach my goal weight, but it's not a hard and fast rule. The book is more about principles and achieving a healthy attitude than a bunch of hard and fast rules. The amount of protein is very safe for someone with an active lifestyle (about 160 gm/day for me) I bought the book used, because I was not about to give some musclehead con artist my hard-earned cash. I mean, he looks so smug on the cover, just like all the other "diet gurus". I was a near-total non-believer, but I had seen it transform several friends. I'm a couch potato and a donut and carbohydrate junkie. Food was my life. I used to plan my vacations around what kind of food I could get. I've been following the program for three weeks now, after dieting for about 2 months (1200-1500 cal/day). I was tired, cold, weak, and starving, but lost 20 lbs and hit a plateau. Now I'm full of energy, warm, getting strong, and never hungry while eating somewhere just over 2000 calories a day. I've lost about 5 more lbs, but the scale does not tell the story. I did the same starvation diet three years ago and lost to 190 lbs. I now weigh 195 (lbs), but I had to cut another hole in the very same belt I wore when I was 190. I've even ordered a fat caliper to better track my progress, something I was not going to ever do. Something about the eating method just flat kills those cravings for carbs and junk food I used to get. I can honestly say, I'm not hungry on this program (I know, I can't believe it either). I really don't even pig out on the free day like I could. I absolutely refused to buy the supplements, but after making my own protein drinks, and trying to get enough lean meats into my busy workday (12-hour night shifts in a trauma ICU), I found the shakes and bars less expensive and far tastier. I found several places on the Web where I could get the products for about half the cost of EAS's Web site. I've never lifted a weight in my life until three weeks ago. I have done a lot of cardio work when I was in the Marine Corps, but never trained with weights. I'm getting muscles I haven't seen since I was in my teens working in a steel fab shop. ...and more. The pain in my bad lower back is almost gone, and I can now help the nurses lift and turn all those huge fat people that clog our ICU's. This program works; the shakes and bars are almost a necessity for a busy schedule, but you can make your own from protein powders or cottage cheese. As for the recipes being bland, yah they are, but you can create your own. ...and food just doesn't seem to hold the sway over me it did just three weeks ago. Just...give it a try. What have you got to lose except all that disgusting fat, and your unhealthy lifestyle. This is not a fad diet. It is a lifestyle change, and it works so well that it's easy to do and comes almost automatically...
Rating:
Summary: If you can't commit, then what are you doing here?
Review: A few months back, I was dating a woman who was ready to make a dramatic change in her life. I didn't realize then, how the change in HER life would cause such a change in MY life.
She brought home the BFL book and made time for herself so she could learn the techniques, and apply them to her life. Inspired by the book, she motivated me to read the book. At first I was apprehensive. I was sure there was no way we had the same goals and there was no way this book would/could apply to me. In reality, it doesn't matter what your goals are, as long as you set reasonable goals and you're willing to make the commitment to yourself to reach these goals.
Sadly, the relationship between this woman and myself ended shortly thereafter, but the commitment I had made to myself, was just beginning. What I started as a means of creating a mutual interest between her and I, was now becoming a means to control not only what I eat, when I eat, and how I eat, but also a means to control other aspects of my life as well. I made a commitment to lose 20 lbs. It has been nearly 2 months since I started, and I've reached that goal. Again, it all goes back to setting a reasonable goal, and committing to it. It's so easy to break the commitment and later say "Oh I knew that wasn't gonna work...I knew that was a stupid idea." When really, the only stupid idea was thinking you (as an individual) can reach your goal if you don't commit to reaching it.
Keep in mind, this isn't a diet. You don't change the way you eat, or stop eating for a little while, loose some weight, and then go back to old habits. No! This becomes a new way of living. You have to be willing to change the way you live, and then just live it. Once you've allowed your eating style and fitness lifestyle to change, it's easy to incorporate the same techniques in other aspects of your life. Not only is this book a good read, but it's also a good wake up call and an excellent tool of motivation.
Rating:
Summary: Ready For A 6 Pack? Ready To Lose That Fat Butt?
Review: I've sat here for about 5 minutes trying to figure out how to put into words how wonderful this book (and this training/nutrition routine) is. In 12 weeks on this "lifestyle" I lost about 30lbs. total, cutting my bodyfat in half. Besides looking great I also improved my self image, I was generally HAPPIER, and I had more energy, I got more done at work; this is not about a DIET, it's about changing your life. It's not about "I can lose my gut in 12 weeks" (although you can and will if you do it right) but it's about learning in 12 weeks how to LIVE, how to eat right "for life," how to work out and run and exercise. Besides the emotional and inspirational aspects of this book (Bill Phillips knows how to write in a way that makes you smile and get excited), this training 'style' and the ways of eating are based on sound scientific principles (references in book, or on their Web Site I am sure). Bill teaches you how to train to muscular failure, forcing your body to adapt and grow (or shrink I suppose, depending on your goals). However this book and this training style isn't for everyone. It's designed around YOU, so you don't have to be Arnold Schwarzenegger to do it. It takes YOUR strength and works with it. Just trust me on this - it does work, but you have to have the guts to go through with it. Not everyone can, because it IS hard. You have to hit the gym only 4 times a week, for a maximum of 45 minutes per session, but those 45 minutes are tough. If you are TRULY ready to make a change and bust your butt and sacrifice for it, then please get this book.
Rating:
Summary: Changed my body and my life
Review: I was skeptical about this book, but 10 weeks ago I felt chubby and out of shape. My roommate and I bought this book and this plan works. I did not start out overweight, but I had no muscle tone to speak of. I've been on the program for 10 weeks, lost 15 pounds and have never looked better. My roommate went from a size 10 to a size 6 in 10 weeks. I think this book is extremely easy to read and to follow. The plan doesn't take a superhero to finish. I've got two weeks left on the plan, but I'm not going to stop. The results are just too good. I would highly recommend this book for those who want to get in shape and start eating healthy. It will be the best money you ever spend for your body.
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