Rating: 
Summary: A Lazy Novice Dieter's Tale
Review: Firstly, some background; Before this book I was a 39 year old woman who had never been on any kind of diet or exercise regime- had pretty much spent my entire life effortlessly thin. Then I quit smoking and gained 50 pounds in 9 months. Oh, the horror.While searching for a solution to my weight woes, I decided I wanted something that would promote a complete lifestyle change- not just some quick fix scheme. This program really seemed like something I could do for the rest of my life. Eat 6 times a day? Hey, I love to eat! Exercise 6 times a week? Not such a bad idea. The real clincher was having that blessed one day off each week to eat, drink, and be merry. It has now been 12 weeks and I am here to tell all you couch potatoes that it IS doable! Nope, I don't look like any of those dramatic before and after photos. Sadly, I was in worse shape than the lot of them. And, to be completely honest, I probably only gave it 80% of my efforts. But, believe me, I see a big difference. My body is taking on some definition, I can see those muscles straining to the surface!
I like the fact that he offers a toll free number for help and encouragement (I called for tips on how to get enough protein on a vegetarian diet). I like the earnest tone of his book, I found it quite endearing. I LOVE the stories- I have read them several times over, whenever I needed some encouragement to keep going. And, finally, Mr. Phillips' organization is very involved with the Make-A-Wish foundation, so you can also feel charitable using the Body-for-Life method- knowing you're helping, in some small way, to make a deserving tyke's dream come true. Look, if I can do it, ANYONE can do it. Seriously. Quitting smoking was a lot harder than this program is- all ya gotta do is flip the switch in your mind that says "Enough is enough!" This book gives you all the tools you'll need to take it from there.
Rating:
Summary: Pure Inspiration!
Review: This book is wonderful! A detailed book based on the Body for Life concepts created by Bill Phillips. A how-to to change your lifestyle and create a healthier beautiful body. Having entered the Body for Life "competition" previously. I can say that EAS, the company that Bill heads, and the entire staff involved with this company are so wonderful. They know their stuff when it comes to customer service and body transformations, and truely are just there with a deep desire to help people change their lives. Read the book! Give one to a friend! Check out their website www.bodyforlife.com! Enter the contest! You have NOTHING to loose! :)
Rating: 
Summary: Not bad, but consider a wider spectrum of books
Review: I find Body for Life a phase in our quest for body beautiful, and rather superficial in terms focusing only the physical. Beyond that, the spiritual and mental focus needs to be tackled with other possibilities. "The Art of Happiness" by HH Dalai Lama, "Tuesdays with Morrie", or the Asian book "This Body This Life", are some examples. I find This Body This Life inspirational because the co-authors are born with physical and medical conditions, and with little going for them, conquered their limitations to be healthy and happy. Quirky, down to earth, honest, and very useful!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent info that works
Review: Okay, Bill Phillips isn't a god, but just a guy trying to make a buck by providing mostly sound nutritional advice and solid weight training info. Does it work? It does for a tremendous number of people who try it and follow it to the T. Those who write that it didn't work for them, well, who knows how closely they really stuck to the program? Phillips is an outstanding motivator. He could sell iceboxes to people living at the North Pole. There is nothing wrong with that, especially if his motivation gets people trim and fit. And that's what this book and its program is all about. Does he sell supplements that he just happens to manufacturer? Yes. Will the program work without them? Yes. Will it work better with them? That's up to each individual body. Bottom line, and this is coming from a guy who has researched and written much on the topic of nutrition, motivation and training, Phillip's information will work for the majority of followers when they follow it accurately and honestly. And along the way, Phillips will keep you motivated during this most difficult of endeavors. If you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who are overweight...wait, let's stop soft pedaling it and call it what it is - FAT, what do got to lose? As the coauthor of The Fighter's Body: An Owner's Manual: Your Guide to Diet, Nutrition, Exercise and Excellence in the Martial Arts, I highly recommend this book to weight trainers and martial artists.
Rating: 
Summary: There is some merit in everything
Review: Thi book is NOT the be-all, end-all of diet/exercise books out there. It's OK. The before and after pictures in the book are pure fantasy, regardless of what the author claims. No human being loses that much fat and gains that much muscle tone in the number of weeks he claims. So that right there should tell you a little something about ol' Bill Phillips. Whether it's intentional or not, he is making claims he could not possibly back up with facts. To some degree part of Bill's diet recommendation is a plug for his EAS product line. I personally feel he prescribes WAY too much protein and I can only offer my opinion on his powdered meal replacement product - YUCK! I knew I was in trouble when I mixed the first serving in my commercial milkshake mixer and it actually bogged the machine down, the stuff gets so artificially thick. It also leaves a taste not unlike the fumes from burning plastic in your mouth. I thought I was going to get sick for the rest of that day. Fortunately, Vitamins.com let me return it for a full refund of the outragously expensive price (75 bucks!). What did I like? I agree with his idea of 5 to 6 small meals per day accompanied by loads of water and I still use his aerobics routine on my treadmill. Bill's enthusiasm that you can "do this" (lose weight and get in shape) is evident throughout the book and a bit contagious. Bottomline, I adapted his meal plan to my own life and made modifications that suited me, drank lots of water (this is key) and worked out like a mad man for 12 months and lost 107 pounds and ended up in enviable shape until I was diagnosed with brain cancer and the doctors told me stop lifting weights and gave me steroids that make you eat everything in sight. Plus, radiation made me crave fried chicken! Now, 3 years later, I'm back at square one, but I learned a lot along the way and I'm cancer free! Will I open Bill's book again on my next quest to lose all this excess weight? Probably not, but if you're a beginner who needs encouragement, give it a shot. Buy one of the used ones. There's some good in everything, including this book. Read it with a crticial mind and see if there isn't something in there that you can't apply to your own life. Betcha can. (just skip the awful protein stuff - I can still taste it sometimes - there are far better -products available)
Rating:
Summary: This Works, even without the shakes.
Review: I started on this program 51 days ago. I was at 299 pounds when I weighed in on the first day. As of today I weighed in at 269. That's 30 pounds in 51 days. Everyday more weight is coming off. I feel great and look forward to my workouts at the gym. I even cheated throughout the holidays and still lost 4 pounds over a two week period. To all the people complaining about the shakes, don't use them. At no point in the book did I see a place that said you must use Myoplex or some other supplement. So didn't. I eat six meals a day and I have yet to have a supplement shake, although I am considering them in the future. There is quite a bit of motivational fluff, but it kept me interested. Just for reference: I did not buy the Success Journal. You can download the same information from www.bodyforlife.com and it is free. There are extras in the Success Journal if you need or like to read the extra motivational stuff. Eating for Life came out when I was about a month into it and I purchased it ASAP. I have not made anything from that book that wasn't just delicious. Plus I have made quite a few of the recipes from the web site. Granted this program may not be for everyone but it worked well for me. I would recommend it to anyone looking to lose some weight. Remember I was large to begin with so my weight loss would probably be faster than someone looking to take off 10-20 pounds. Also keep in mind that muscle is heavier than fat so adding muscle will definitely keep weight higher. I believe in this book and am a new supporter of Bill Phillips!!!
Rating:
Summary: Demanding but sensible
Review: Warning: unless you have the time to spend 60-90 minutes at the gym 6 days per week, skip this program now. So how can a full life program last only 12 weeks?! Well the idea is that you need a minimum of 12 weeks to get into shape but then supposedly you stick with it in the long run. For most people, this is impractical or impossible - even for 12 weeks. The workout schedule is simply too time consuming. If you're still up for it, read on... This plan works. I have followed something very similar to it (similar diet but reduced workout schedule) and it transformed me. It is demanding but sensible and you should end up with a long term transformation of your body. This is a no-nonsense approach to the age old adage "eat right and exercise." The author realised that such advice was lost on most people because there is so much confusing advice on what these things mean. So he spells it out for you. If you are determined to succeed, you can't go wrong with this system. I've read them all: Atkins, Eat Right 4 Your Type, The Zone, Fit For Life... BFL is the only plan I'd recommend to friends. There's one caveat. I have one major problem with BFL which is that it involves pushing Myoplex meal replacements distributed by the BFL corporate vehicle EAS. It is very possible to achieve the same gains without taking expensive meal replacements however you'll have to work that out for yourself. Toss aside the commercialism and you can find a tough but very good plan here. But because of the blatant advertising, it taints the entire work. I don't like reading a book when I don't entirely trust the motives of the author. For that they lose a star.
Rating:
Summary: 11 weeks that completely changed my life...
Review: I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of Body for Life in 1999 - and having been a fan of Bill's magazine for years I decided to follow the programme exactly as written. Let me say that before I started this I was NOT in bad shape - I'm in the fitness industry so was sceptical about exactly how much a programme written for 'Joe Average' could do for me. I couldn't have been more wrong: In 11 weeks I lost over 24 pounds of fat and added over 13 pounds of muscle! BFL is a 12 week programme but I stopped at week 11 as I was under 7% bodyfat and had the body of my dreams already! 4 years later I still follow the programme - though I now no longer do the cardio and have remained in great shape with little effort. Simply outstanding... no question.
Rating:
Summary: If I can do it EVERYONE can!!!
Review: When I started this Program I was 200lbs and I couldn't see anyway of getting to My goal weight. I had the book for weeks and never read it.. one night after a real trying experience I read the entire book and started the program the next day.. I have been going to the gym every since (that was three years ago).. I was a size 1x and 200lbs. I dropped to a size 7 and lost 50lbs.. Everything you need to know is in the body for life book. How many times have you read a health book and they tell you how to eat heathy but don't tell How to use the diet with exercise Or vice versa. When I was done with the book I was able to join the gym the next day and get right to work.. As time went by people at the gym started asking Me what exercise program I was on... This book will only work if you really want to lose the weight, change your bad eating habits and feel better.. just think in 12 weeks you will be on your way to YOUR Perfect body.
Rating:
Summary: Best book ever made on Health
Review: I lost 30 lbs and slashed my bodyfat in half using the 12 week program. I've tried many other programs in the past and never had success. There's something about this book; maybe its the fact that he doesnt drown you in technical and scientific information and just gets right to the point. One note: this program assumes you are really willing to put in 110% effort and have a strong desire to change. If you do and you follow the program, you will see results no doubt.
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