Rating: 
Summary: the skeptics must have quit!
Review: This is one of the most straight forward approaches to weight loss and getting in shape available on the market. I have read numerous books over the past couple of years on diet and health, The Zone, Carbohydrate Addicts, etc. and what Bill Phillips is promoting is a simple approach to good nutrition. Getting plenty of protein coupled with carbohydrates that are healthful(which forget the white bread and all the sugar) including vegetables and fruits is clearly the way to go. Eating 6 meals a day is what is recommended by authors who are revealing to us the negative hormonal consequences of a high carbohydrate diet. As a culture we have gotten fatter over the last 15-20 years since protein and fat were declared unhealthy and we all started leaving the meatballs off of our spaghetti. Most of us won't invest the time and energy required to have a complete understanding of just what a health-promoting diet is. Bill Phillips has made it simple because that is what most people need.... The basics! Weight training is essential because without lean body mass we cannot burn calories efficiently and we will get fatter no matter what we eat as we age without plenty of lean muscle. Regarding other reviewers' disparaging remarks about his recommendations to use supplements- if you think you are getting adequate amounts of key nutrients, antioxidants, amino acids, and minerals from today's food you are deluding yourself! With the exception of organic foods, the foods available today have been grown in nutrient depleted soils, are genetically manipulated, have been exposed to chemical fertilizers and pesticides and have been processed so that they have little nutritional value. So don't buy the Myoplex, but don't throw the baby out with the bath water! I don't understand why there is this notion that it is in bad taste for Bill Phillips to profit from his efforts and experience. How many of you work doing what you are an expert at for free? I commend his commitment to philanthropy. How many of you give this generously in your own lives? I have been on the program for 3 weeks and can already see results. These results are noticeable to others. For those of you who criticize the program all I can figure is you didn't make a commitment to it. Don't blame Bill Phillips for your lack of results. I have alot of experience with dieting and dieters. Most dieters never take responsibility for their failure; it is always the program's or its originator's fault....how convenient! If you are serious about getting in shape and taking control of your fitness and physique, stop whining and get started!
Rating:
Summary: The last diet and workout Book you will need for Life
Review: I've been using Bill Phillips "Body for Life" for over a year,and I love it.Its the last diet and workout book you will ever need.Bill tells you what kind of foods to eat and show's you,with pictures,the best weight workouts and the proper way to do the sets,and how many reps.You don't have to be in the gym for hours doing hundreds of different machins and lifts.Bill just does the basics,and he looks fantastic.Also,I love the idea of cheating once a week,eating anything you want.Even if you want three Big Mac's,Bill tells you to "Go for it." One thing I changed over the year is the supplements Bill tells you to buy,through the company he owns.If you eat the right foods,six small meals a day.Workout 6 times a week,you will lose weight,and look better than you did 6 months ago.Just remember 6,and you will win.
Rating:
Summary: A Life Changer
Review: This book is not just about changing the physical condition of your body, it's about changing your life. The physical changes that the book's instruction helps you to acheive (and they are dramatic!) become a platform of confidence and ambition in an uncountable number of other areas. It has truely changed the way I operate, not to metion completely transforming my physique. Beware, this is not a "quick fix diet plan". This program and the results it acheives requires a major comitment, but the results are major, and unlike anthing I had ever imagined possible. I strongly encourage anyone who is seeking change in their life to take this challenge. To those nay-sayer that have written reviews whining that "this program is impossible to follow"; I imagine that they have troves of rationals for many other failures in their lives." These people did not acheive results because they did not excerce the disciple that success requires, and its easier to blame a program that to blame yourself. If you have no dicipline or real desire, don't try this (you'll just waste your time and money), however, if you're looking to build dicipline, I can't imagine a better way of doing it. Mr. Philips does recommend using his supplements in this book, so the argument can be made that it is somewhat promotional or self serving, howerver, the recommended products are execptional and incorporating them into my effort has done nothing but facilitate phenomenal trasformations is multiple areas of my life.
Rating: 
Summary: A good starting point
Review: for reassessing your health and fitness goals. I know people from all life stages and circumstances who have used this book to identify and begin a comprehensive plan to improve their health and fitness levels. What I have found after reading the book and following the principals are as follows:Positives: * Descriptive, well planned, informative work out plan. Nothing fancy here folks. Some rather elementary weight routines that can be done for the most part at home; a few will require machines. Pictures provide clarification * Encourages healthful eating: no complex combining, restrictions, etc. You cant have Big Macs every meal, but the menus (with exception of the Shakes-more on that in a moment) are real life, easy to prepare, and easy to live with. * No overkill on cardio. The program has a realistic incorporation of the significance of cardio and offers several choices, underscoring the inclusion, but not exclusive use of running, biking, or stair climbing as a means to lose weight. You do not do weights and cardio on the same day. * Work out schedule is do able: no two hour routines here, folks. You can complete each of the work out requirements within 30-40 minutes. A caveat: Mr Phillips suggests working out first thing in the am, prior to eating. As a healthcare provider, I cannot say that I agree with that. But it is easy to keep with this program since you do not have to commit to 90 minute work out routines. Also, you can do this for the most part in the privacy of your own home if you choose to do so. Negatives: * Use of shakes: if you read more of the reviews, you'll notice disagreements on this controversial topic related to the book. However, I must state that I find this to be an unappealing feature for me. First, the shake are expensive. You will still have to purchase food, so those claiming that the shake is cost appropriate need to recheck the values. I recommend that anyone considerring this program check the price of this product before you start, and calculate how much a months supply will cost you. Further, I don't find it appropriate to replace meals with shakes from a dietary viewpoint; also, it will be difficult to begin eating regular food for breakfast or snacks in place of the shake and maintain weight-at least it was for me. * Supplements: I find these recommendations a bit excessive. Others will disagree, but a multivitamin has worked for me. Compared to some of the extreme diet and fitness regimes out there, this is definitely do-able. Modifications may be necessary in terms of the diet portion from my experience. But the author seems to be knowledgeable about physiology, does a fantastic job at inspiring the reader to achieve their health goals, and provides examples of how the program works. Good luck!
Rating:
Summary: Clear, Sensible, Effective and Incredibly Inspirational
Review: I picked this book up on impulse in the Summer of 1999 and it has utterly changed my life. Like many others, I was skeptical but intrigued and inspired to give the program a try. I did subsequently enter the 12-week Transformation Challenge and have completed two of them consecutively. Now, over a year later, I weigh 40 pounds less, look and feel wonderful and really love my life. Body-for-LIFE is now a way of life for me. I've never been able to maintain a fit body for anything close to this long. I won't refute the few comments I've heard here and there about the program, because the vast majority of people I know have have tried it now swear by it. I have now read the book four times and bought several copies for friends and co-workers who ask how I made such a dramaric change. I always challenge THEM to read the first 100 pages in two weeks and then either give the book back or pay me for it. Nobody ever gives the book back. This is the most solid total fitness program for real people I have ever encountered. It has completely altered my understanding of what fitness is and how it is achieved. I think Bill Phillips has really arrived at an effective program that should work for virtually anyone who commits to it and puts the information into action. With Mr. D'orso, Mr. Phillips has produced a very clear and motivational book that points people in the right direction and encourages people to start moving toward their goals. Like anything else, it can't circumvent free will, so of course it will not work for everyone. Nobody learns to skate by reading a book. We all have to strap them on and bruise our knees a bit before we can skate. Likewise, this book will do no good for the person who only reads it. For those who do read the book and accept the challenge to transform their lives, there are many sources of free support. EAS will send you free inspirational videos. Complete exercise guides and exercise and food forms and logs available for free download from their site. They even provide (and this just continutes to blow my mind) toll-free support, including free exercise and nutrition advice, motivation and personal experience, 24 HOURS A DAY! FREE! I have called in the wee hours of the morning on major holidays and someone was there to answer the call and help me with my program. This is an amazing book with a remarkably generous organization behind it. Yes, I know that vegetables are mostly carbohydrates, and that yogurt is mostly protein (at least, plain, non-fat yogurt is) but the program admits that classifying certain foods differently is FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROGRAM and simply works. I know a lot about nutrition and I know where to get authoritative information when I'm unsure of my facts, and at the end of the day, I can tell you that eating the way Body-for-LIFE indicates results in my having consumed a balanced and healthy diet. It just works. It should be mentioned that all profits from Body-for-LIFE are given to the Make A Wish Foundation, and that an important part of Body-for-LIFE is the cultivation of a generous spirit. If you are considering this book because you want to make positive changes in your life, I recommend it more strongly than any book I've ever read. It can point you toward a better life that keeps getting better and can result in you becoming a fundamentally better person.
Rating:
Summary: A "diet" that actually works
Review: I read some of the negative reviews people wrote about this book and I was stunned. One poor guy even wrote that it's not for people who want to gain muscle...he couldn't be more wrong. I've known of this book for about 2 years but only recently started doing what it says. After the first 5 weeks I went from 5'10" 147lbs to 162lbs. I can't believe how I look in the mirror now and I'm only getting started! The reason this book works is that it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle. I am a 20 year old firefighter in the USAF which gives me good time to make and eat all my food at the right times and I thank God I know these things now at such a young age. All I want to do now is get other people started on BFL like my parents, my girlfriend's Mom (who always tries dieting but quits), etc. I follow the plan of eating 6 times a day starting at 0730 and eating every 3 hours, the last meal being a myoplex at 2230 (1030pm to you civilians:). You'll never get too hungry or too full if you follow what the book says about portion size. I can't praise this book enough. It is a true way to get the results you want, it's NOT a gimmick and the supplements aren't expensive considering a myoplex or a bar is considered one meal, costing about 2 dollars.
Rating:
Summary: Be all you can be!
Review: BFL has been an answer to my prayers. I barely recognize the negative insecure woman I was 10 weeks ago. Not only is this program improving me physically, it has made me stronger mentally. But the main thing is you gotta do it. No one else can change your life but you. You have to decide & follow through with your whole heart. You can't blame Bill Phillips if you don't. I can see where the negative reviews on this book come from people who have let cynicism & apathy rule their lives. They resent people who want to be better because it makes them aware of how little they are doing to better themselves. Don't give up on yourself & you will see just how much greater your life can be & your new positive attitude will make the world a better place for everyone!
Rating: 
Summary: Overhyped
Review: I've seen my wife bring home various exercise and fitness books - this is just one more of the same. One of the strengths touted of this book is the support group behind it. When we tried to use that support group, we received no response. The book can be summed up easily: Lift weights, do aerobics, and eat lots of protein. Now you know, save yourself some dough.
Rating:
Summary: Its working for me
Review: I've just completed week 8 of the program. Let me say that I'm not a hard core fanatic, but I am really amazed at my results. I can't believe that I've eaten healthy and exercised for eight whole weeks. I have needed to lose twenty pounds for the last ten years and this is the first time I've been able to stick with it for more than a few days. I have a few small criticisms of the eating portion of the program. First, I don't agree with the idea of eating really high amounts of protein. Too much protein in the diet can be hard on the liver and kidneys so I don't go over 100 grams/day (which is plenty). Aside from that, I think the diet is very healthy and easy to follow. Second, I think the bars and shakes taste terrible so I don't use them. Third, I avoid the other supplements because they're expensive and who really knows what they do to the body. I don't have any criticism of the exercise portion of the program. My workouts have never been so effective. I have never consistently lifted weights but I'm really enjoying it. Also, the exercise plan doesn't require a huge time commitment. I set up a gym in my basement and as soon as I wake up, I go downstairs and complete my exercise for the day. My overall experience of the program has been extremely positive and I believe it has given me a very strong foundation for being healthy.
Rating:
Summary: Good 'straighten up your act' book
Review: This is an excellent book for someone who has lived their life without worrying about what they eat or if they exercise (like me.) I'm glad I ordered this book over the internet, there isn't a chance in heck I would have purchased it at a book store. The imagery and before and after pictures are just too unrealistic. I purchased this book because of people's reviews, which is why I'm writing here today. Reviews just aren't something I typically do. I also have no desire to be a body builder (the book is written by one), but I figured successful body builders do know a lot about their bodies. My plan was to try this, get to a size I liked, and then shift to more of a maintenance exercise program. Now that I've been at this a while, I don't think I need to shift programs, plus I like the '4 hour a week' program. I didn't do the before and after pictures recommended in the book. I really wish I did do those pictures now though. So if you do the program, bite the bullet and take pictures. I also didn't take a starting weight, being weight is really not a good indicator of size. That said, I have seen how my weight has changed via doctor appointments since I've done the program, so I do have an idea still of how much I've lost. I did the 12 weeks, my approximate loss over that time was about 20-25 lbs. Keep in mind that is countered with a gain of muscle mass by the added exercise, so I lost more than that in fat. I followed the plan very wishy washy. I did all the exercise, skipping maybe one day every other week due to various reasons. As for diet, I followed it closely during the day, but cheated almost every dinner because my wife wasn't on the program and we ate together. I did however not eat as much as I would normally have and was careful to balance my carbos and protien as much as possible. Even on my days off I watched what I ate, but allowed myself to be less strict. Supplements? I did succumb to the shameless advertising in the book and purchased a lot of EAS Myoplex Deluxe shakes and bars for quick meals at work. I figured if I was going to try this thing I'd go full at it. I don't like taking vitamin pills and this offered a good alternative (even though logically they are the same thing, but the shakes have more chemicals in them, which isn't necessarily a good thing.) I like the vanilla and strawberry shakes, I drink at least one a day. The bars I save for when I have a meeting at work that crosses one of my meal times (every 2 1/2 hours.) Its been about 5-6 months now, I did one run of the 12 week program, was sick and only dieting for over a month, and am now only working out about 4-5 days a week and trying to remotivate myself to do more. I'm still a bit overweight, but I'm not done. I am now about 35-40 pounds less than when I started. I drilled another hole in my belt two days ago. An awesome feeling. At one hole every inch, this means I've gone down 3 inches in waist size. All of my jeans are seriously baggy now. That said, I highly recommend this book. If you are ready to make the change in your life, and this is a great book to help you straighten up. If you don't really know much about nutrition, this book gives you some simple and easy guidelines to follow. I'm also eating a bunch more than I ever ate before and I'm loosing weight. Pretty cool. I wouldn't count on the spectacular changes they show all over the cover in 12 weeks, but do expect change for the better.
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