Rating: 
Summary: Successful approach to weightloss
Review: The book starts off kind of slow, giving success stories. Once Bill Phillips starts to explain the 12 week program, it is very informative and in very simplistic terms so that anyone can understand. He combines an eating program with weight lifting to reshape the body and aerobics to burn off the unwanted fat. He does a very good job of explaining the techniques and also supplies a step-by-step exercise guide for the weight lifting portion of the program. He also supplies you with an 800 phone number for any questions or motivational assistance. I found this to be an excellent book. I had no knowledge of how I should eat, or how I should exercise to get the needed weight off, but he managed to explain it. For added incentive, he also offers a challenge where, if you register, you can win money and vacations. I found the program to be very easy to follow and easy to stick to. I found results in as quickly as 2 weeks and dropped 3 dress sizes within 6 weeks (from size 14 to size 8).
Rating:
Summary: Lighting the Fire
Review: Author, Bill Phillips, says "Exercise is the spark. Nutrition is the fuel. Without both, there can be no flame..." What Phillips does, with this book, is throw in the oxygen and create a major fire. He covers everything needed to succeed at building a life from the body up, and he does so in an easy to understand, conversational style. The only people knocking this work are those who are jealous of Bill Phillip's phenomenal success in the fitness industry. Try it, you'll like it!
Rating: 
Summary: Lacking some details, but worked for me!
Review: I read the reviews of this book before I bought it and some of the ones pointing out flaws were accurate. There is no real discussion of stretching before or after lifting. There are not a lot of recipes or an exhaustive listing of high quality proteins and low fat carbs. But - the book is inspirational and, frankly, the first book that has helped me get off my rear and get into shape. The stories are interesting and I for one liked Bill Philips relaxed style of writing. This is not Shakespeare, but that was not the goal. In twelve weeks, I lost over 15 pounds and gained about 10 pounds of muscle. I can fit into pants I wore in high school (I'm 38) and am, truly, in the best shape of my life. This book describes a program that you can stick with for life. It is not some faddish, freakish, un-maintainable, "eat only bean sprouts or meat" routine that is not realistic for most people. The book has been worth it price a hundred times over for me.
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Summary: THis one actually DOES make sense
Review: I read the book, started the program and then read quite a few of the reviews listed here... which caused me to write a review as well. I find it refreshing that I can aggressively work within the Body For Life program and NOT have to BUY anything else from the author's company. As for supplements, well, I actually did a LITTLE WORK and realized that there are DOZENS of different products that are relatively comparable to Bill's product. Those who go to such great lengths to whine about the supposed commercialization of this program tire me... they represent a case of the --corporation hater-- who spouts his vitriol while ignorantly wearing his brand new pair of Nike Air shoes. The commercialization simply is not there. What is offered in this book are resources... while reading it I did not sense any mysterious --wooo-wooo-wooo-- power trying to separate me from my wallet. Anyway, I found the program straightforward, simple and results oriented. As for the diet part, yes, it is only 17 pages.... THANKFULLY. After all, while I might be a reasonably intelligent person, I am not a nutritionist or a rocket scientist. For those who are, great. For me, THIS is great. Simple, powerful, to the point. Basic information about putting simple foods together. Basic information about when to eat. Basic information about what foods do for the body.... can you see the theme here? When I want deep intellectual stimulation I'll read Thoreau or Irving. When I want no-nonsense results and want them fast and healthy, I'll read Bill Phillips. Yes, his delivery is a wee bit patronizing, but come on now, lets' not be so... sensitive! LOL... Actually, I think he does a fine job of handling a subject many before have treated far too technically. This book is very transformational if you are legitimately making life-changes.
Rating:
Summary: Definitely worth it
Review: I was sceptical, but did find the before/after pictures to be motivating. I stuck to the program "pretty well" for 12 weeks with no use of supliments. The result was: I lost over 30 pounds, went from a size 40/42 to to a size 34/36, my cholesteral went from over 360 to 204, etc. Definitely worth it!
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Summary: Absolutely THE BEST PROGRAM!
Review: I've tried many programs in the past (including Anthony Robbins' Living Health, and many more) and so far this is the only program that actually delivers what it promises. The results are absolutely unbelievable. In my opinion, this is the real way to go. Thanks Bill!
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Summary: Motivation, guidance, and knowledge to live by...
Review: I'd like to applaude Bill Phillips once again for this inspirational book. He and is staff are the only writers/editors I've found who explain thoughts and experiences in a down to earth manner. Compared to the other sports magazines, and supplement companies, Mr. Phillips companies have the most uncompromised intgrity of all. That's why they are number one! I competed with all of the 98' Transformation Challengers, and finished a better person. Both mentally and physically. I no longer have a fear of rejection, or second thoughts about my capabilities. I'll even take off my shirt in public now. I have not quit eating well or working out. I could not have done it without the information given to me by Bill and his staff. Now, people actually ask me what I do, or what they should do. I always find myself recommending strategies I've read in Body for life, Muscle Media, or using EAS products. Bill doesn't play when it comes to building a better body, and I'm sure he'd be honored to help you. If you're skeptical, visit his web site bodyforlife.com.
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Summary: Not a Magic Pill, but IT WORKS!
Review: I have to say that this book has changed my life and my body. I've been doing the program for about 5 weeks and I am looking and feeling great. Other people have noticed the changes in my body and they all want to know what I'm doing. I can't wait to see what I look like when I complete week 12. Hey, this program is NOT easy, so if you're looking for that magic pill, you're in the wrong place. But if you're willing to work hard and you follow the program as outlined in the book at the proper intensity levels, you will see results. The extent of the results you see will be up to YOU, NOT Bill Phillips. Nobody can control how hard you train and how good you eat, except you. This book can only give you the spark, but you have to keep the fire burning yourself (there are also Body for Life reps who you can call 24/7 to answer any questions concerning your training and/or nutrition). Just a word on supplements: Yes, I use them, and yes, they can be expensive (there are places on the internet where you can get them for 40% - 60% off, do your research); but they work. I am very busy, so the only way I can get six meals a day is by replacing three meals with Myoplex, which tastes pretty good. And yes, Myoplex has Aspartame. A word on Aspartame: I see that many of you people have fallen into Big Sugar's powerful trap. There has been plenty of research that proves that unless you have, PKU, which ia a very rare congenital disease, aspartame is completely safe. The Center for Disease Control estimates that only about 15,000 Americans have PKU. Over 100,000,000 people use aspartame. The average American consumes over 100 lbs. of sugar per year. Whenever any product comes along that threatens Sugar sales, such as Apartame, the Sugar Lobby in this country will make sure that research is done to find something wrong with it! Heck, if you inject rats with enough of anything, they will develop cancer. The FDA has tested Aspartame on HUMANS, and have found no evidence to suggest that it is anything but safe. All I know is this; I've never met one person who has become sick from the use of Aspartame, but I see hundreds of people everday that are overweight and unhealthy because of SUGAR! Think About It!
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Summary: Another 5 star Bill Phillips creation
Review: This book is 100% accurate and is completely about being healthy. For those who say the book is a self promotion, if you read the book, you will see differently. Also, for those who say that they could get better results following a sensible diet and exercise plan, they certainly didn't read the book. That is EXACTLY what the book tells you how to do correctly and accurately and in great detail (only essential details though). This book gives a program based on the principles of proper nutrition and exercise and gives a complete program that will change your life. The reason this book is so great is not that it offers something "new". What this book offers as all the information that experts and healthy people have known for years, but that the average person has not. Bill puts it all together in the absolute simplist of ways so that even people who have never worked out and people that have worked out for years can do it. The skepticism comes from the fact that people have never seen others do things the RIGHT way with all the essential pieces of the puzzle. When you do things that right way, the results are simply amazing. I have achieved those results personally and seen others do this same. This book is second to none.
Rating:
Summary: Simplicity is key to success
Review: Having just completed 12 weeks on the program, I thought I would pen my impressions. The only thing that kept me from giving it 5 stars is the before and after pictures of the contest winners. While serving as a motivation for many, my wife started the program when I did, but because after 7 weeks she was not on schedule to look like those in the book, she gave up (although remains a weekend warrior). Remember, these are the winners out of a pool of over 50,000 contestants! The real beauty of the program is its simplicity. Believe me, once you get into the "workout lifestyle", you will get conflicting advice---stick with the program! I stuck with the program probably as well as anyone could, but if Bill were to interview me I would admit to not drinking as much water as recommended (I hate it!), and being very sporadic with supplements. My observations: 1)after 6 weeks I hit a wall. Probably because I had never stuck to an exercise program for an extended period, I was totally worn out and ready to give up. I thought exercise was supposed to make you feel better! After summoning up reserves of will-power, I continued and now feel great! Be patient and scale the wall. 2) Probably due to genes (stocky Irish) and a debilitating injury, my results were good but nothing like those pictured in the book. My weight went from 189 to 175, but, I went from 41" to 36" on my "love handles", which is pretty amazing. Be prepared to plateau after 3-4 weeks of rapid gains (losses), and remember the health benefits, not just the asthetics. While it was not important to me, my strength has increased nearly 75%! 3) I'm horrible with remembering to take the supplements, but did notice that Creatine made a big difference in gaining strength. In the final analysis, its a great program that is simple enough for anyone and realistic enough to stay on for the rest of your life!
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