Rating: 
Summary: CHANGED MY LIFE !
Review: Looks like everyone benefited in some way from Body for Life, even though some apparently had expectations beyond what is obviously a fitness primer and VERY effective tool for those of us who aren't die-hard, fitness freaks and gym goons.I was 43 when I started Body for Life and then, only because I knew someone personally who had done it. Easily in the 12 week period described in the book I went from 5'9" , 200 lbs to a lean and FAR more sculpted 165 lbs. My total cholesterol dropped from 200 to 150 and my doctor was astounded. He is now using Body for Life ! Incidentally - Phillips never says that his nutritional supplements are required to accomplish your goals and I am PROOF of that. I did NOT use them and lost 35 lbs in 12 weeks. I wish I had this AND the desire to change when I was 30 and I probably could have avoided *some* problems in life (i.e., high blood pressure) But HEY - better late than never right?! I've never been much of a "follower" of ANY product or person - but Body for Life is a GREAT tool, simply laid out and accomplishes what YOU plan with it.....and even Phillips says it's just a beginning.....and he's right.
Rating: 
Summary: Fails to cover stuff
Review: While the book did help me out nicely with my workouts, he failed to help the little man. I am not short according to other people (I come in at around 6'1") but I find myself short. I come in at about 175 lbs. When I started working out using BFL, I came in at 150. Other than my shoulders and abs I have noticed no change in my physical appearance in comparison to the ones in the photos. I have gotten much stronger, but have not gotten bigger. Because of my metabolism, my body will not bulk up. I am very skinny, yet in some exercises I can match other people at the gym who are 2 or 3 times my size. All I got from this book was toning. He never talked about how a smaller person could get muscular using his method. I used his method and got stronger, just not bigger.
Rating:
Summary: Easy to understand advice
Review: Well 35 lbs later I'm a believer. Never much for exercise I picked this book up, lost a bunch of weight and changed my eating and exercising habits forever. I find it very simple to stay within the guidelines of the book -- it does require a 360 degree change in your thinking and how you eat. Out goes the fast food and junk food -- in comes balanced meals. If there is any portion of this program that I have difficulty with it is the weight training -- I seems to have some difficulty finding the correct starting weight so that by the time I've increased my weights and done all the repetitions my arm's aren't hanging to the floor. There is a fantastic companion journal that you will want to get to record all of your planned meals and exercises. Yes, this book does push supplements to some degree. So what. The advice seems to work -- at least it did for me. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to make a change in their life fitness. It really is not as hard as it might seem.
Rating:
Summary: NOT a Panacea.
Review: Depending on what shape you are in and what your goals are, this book can be either very helpful, or a complete waste of time. If you are 100 lbs overweight - this is definitely a good start: you will have a structured program, a way to change your eating habits, and a good regimen that will teach you how to make gym part of your every day routine. If you are already eating well and exercising, have no belly, are toned, and have advanced fitness or bodybuilding goals - this book will not help you. His basic workout is a very, very old "pyramid", that is proven not to work, unless you're taking anabolic steroids (obviously a no-no!). He is a bit pushy about his supplements, which are not the best thing for shaping, as they contain carbs together with proteins. It is much better, in my opinion, to simply have a protein shake. No need for extra calories. If, however, carbs are necessary - a glass of fruit juice would do just fine. Cheaper and healthier. In one sentence: I would rather recommend a knowledgeable trainer, than this book.
Rating: 
Summary: not a secret formula, just a well structured fitness program
Review: Being already quite active and reasonably fit it's always been depressing to not be able to see any results after months of solid physical activity. However, not even half way through the 12 week program I'm already seeing results even though I feel I'm not doing the program exactly as I'm meant to. I'm sticking to the eating program (which btw is a good balance of carbs, protein and veges) most of the time but there'll be a few days a week I can't. This is why I can believe the transformations that are shown in the book, some of them might may discourage you by giving yourself an unreasonable expectation, but at least try the program for 4 weeks and if you've done it properly you'll see results. The program isn't a magic formula though, it does take some hard work and effort. After the first weight training session my shoulders, chest and back were aching for 3 days. For the next week I'd be aching the day following a workout. The pain doesn't last though, after a week or two you'll be feeling fine soon after your workout and be able to get on with your day feeling great. Perhaps my only gripe with the book and the reason I give it 4 stars is that I found the number of weight training excercises provided in the book is a bit limited. Phillips provides 4 excercises per muscle group which would be enough if you had all the equipment that the excercises use. With a bench, dumbells and barbells you'll be able to do at least 2 of the examples for each muscle group which is enough but I would have preferred a bit more variety. Another minor quibble is that he appears to skimp over examples of the cardio part, whilst the 20 minute cardio is excellent and will really push you the only examples provided are the obvious running and cycling with no upper body cardio excercises in sight. For those people who think the book is a way to push his supplements I doubt you've done more than flicked through it. Bill clearly indicates that they are unnecessary but are convenient and can help you achieve results a bit quicker. He even tells adolescents not to bother with them. Aside from the minor issues the book is excellent and well worth the purchase. Read the book, follow the book as precisely as possible for 3-4 weeks and I doubt you'll give up on it.
Rating:
Summary: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Review: Bill Phillips promises to help everyone build his or her best body ever in as little as 12 weeks! He provides in this book his specific exercise plan, nutrition plan, together with enthusiastic motivation, inspiring success stories with before and after pictures, basically everything one needs to know and to do to get a great body. The GOOD: lots of motivation, some good advice about exercise and nutrition, (for example: the importance of weight training in addition to aerobics for shaping the body and losing weight, the necessity for eating well by not skipping meals and combining proteins and good carbohydrates), The exercise guide with step by step illustrations of the basic exercises for each muscle group. The BAD: The absence of warm up and cool down from the exercise program and the high point technique that Phillips bases his exercise program on: when I applied this for the first time (under supervision, in a gym) for lower body training I was so sore hours later and I could hardly walk for the next 3 days (extreme muscle fatigue). I later followed the same exercises but with adequate warm up, cool down and stretching and with gradual use of small weights and few reps then built up the weights and reps gradually. Results were not fast but I did not injure myself again. The UGLY: promotion of supplements, and the unrealistic before and after pictures that I can't believe were taken only 12 weeks apart!
Overall, a useful book to purchase, but watch out for the pitfalls.
Another book that I found useful (for beginners) is: Bodybuilding : A Realistic approach by Frank A. Melfa.
Rating: 
Summary: Book is a waste of time
Review: I had heard alot about this book, and really hoped that it could help me get back into shape. It didn't. The author shamefully uses this book to push the supplements he sells. Mr. Phillips seems to know alot about bodybuilding, but not how to apply it to an average person who needs to lose weight. He obviously does not have a backround in nutrition and has not done his research. This book was really a waste of time and money. The only thing Mr. Phillips has done well is con people into buying his advertisement.
Rating:
Summary: The Truth
Review: This book is a very eloquent version of the truth. That is, it is the right and healthy way to lose weight. It isn't an easy way out and it isn't unrealistic. I think everyone has hit the nail on the head about this book. I lost 37 pounds and 4 pants sizes in 12 weeks. Bill Phillips' doesn't teach you any miracle diets. He teaches proper nutrition mixed with regular workouts to produce a healthy lifestyle. He makes it simple for you no matter your age or gender.
Rating:
Summary: Has same flaws of most other weight and fitness books
Review: Persuading someone to adhere to a program for twelve weeks might be better than doing nothing assuming that some of them continue the program indefinately. However it falls into the same trap of most fitness and weight control books--most of the participants have not decided that this is a program that they must continue for life. Doing something that makes rapid changes in the body is counterproductive because the body's homeostatic mechanism works to prevent rapid change. Therefore we see people losing fat from the fat cells rapidly only to regain it plus more. To judge the effectiveness of the book, we must look at least 5-10 years down the road and see what has happened to those who began the body for life program. A new book written by a Harvard trained physician titled Mind Over Fatter explains why rapid changes in the body tend to be temporary and explains why gradual changes are more apt to be permanent.
Rating:
Summary: It Works!!
Review: I never believe in gimmicky schemes designed to help people lose weight. I think that's why this works. It's not a gimmick, just a common sense approach to eating and exercising that really, truly, honestly works. I've always been in pretty good shape, but using this method I feel better, look better and have tons more energy. I modified the plan to fit my lifestyle (ie. always eating "on the run") and my exercise preferences (yoga and pilates are my workouts of choice...) and still got great, FAST results. You can't go wrong with this one.
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