great book slllloooowww on shippin i waited over a month to get and when i got in touch with seller they never emailed me back

Bill has shared his secrets of building beautiful, healthy bodies and a lot of the information just isn't available without hiring a personal trainer. The knowledge in this book, and the way he lays it out is very useful especially if you are just starting out into 'fitness world' and have little knowledge or experience. Having dieted my entire life due to a thyroid disease, I can tell you his eating plan, where you take the 7th day off from dieting, might just be the biggest secret to not hitting a plateau. His food suggestions are right in line with some other 'great' diets, so you won't have any issues with adopting this healthy lifestyle. His page 136, with a list of the exercises targeting the entire body is about the best page of the book, but then he goes on to full explain, with photos, the exact way to perform each exercise to its fullest benefit. The only thing better than this book would be to have Bill as your personal trainer!

I picked up Body for Life (B4L) after reading about the new P90X workout stuff. Some folks suggested following the program in B4L before even trying P90X. So I picked up the book and gave it a read through. I actually skipped a lot of it because a good portion of the book is testimonials and personal stories - stuff you really don't need. The core of the book - the stuff you actually want - is an easy read. Phillips outlines a decent fitness approach. The two key elements, IMO, are good nutrition and putting thought and planning into your workouts. You have to devise a way to monitor your progress and figure out how to increase the intensity through "progressive overload."

Phillips advocates the approach of eating several (in his book specifically six) small meals over the course of the day. Like any approach this is not foolproof. It'll work for some people and won't for others. Since he has his own line of supplements he naturally bases the diet plan around including shakes or bars from those products. This is one part where he's clearly trying to increase his return on the plan, rather than outlining other ideas for healthful snacks. But, you can at least get the idea from the book.

I was disappointed by his general workout plan. It's not that it's not a solid one - he has a good plan for outlining progress and has a fair number of exercises, but he doesn't include bodyweight exercises. He really misses out here because bodyweight exercises are a good way to work multiple muscle groups and increase fat burning. They're also a good way for people who are just starting to develop a fitness routine without investing in a lot of equipment. His exercises are good, but some are the usual fare of kickbacks, curls and such that develop "beach muscles" - that is, muscles that look good but aren't recruited a lot in daily living. For example, working up to chinups is more useful than doing curls for actual fitness versus simple aesthetics.

One pitfall is that he encourages readers to workout first thing in the morning before you eat, or later in the day after a few hours without food. This can really mess with your blood sugar and such and is not advised by most fitness professionals. It may make a difference in the results some experience, but use at your own risk. As always consult a doctor about new fitness programs and especially the idea of working out on an empty stomach.

Overall there isn't a lot in this book that you can't find online with a little research for free. That's not to say it's useless. For many people that don't know where to start in the fitness game this can be a good starting point that consolidates a lot of basic ideas into one place. It should be noted, however, that despite the numerous pictures in the dust jacket the results shown fall under the usual "results not typical" disclaimer. Most people are not going to get a body like that in 12 weeks without serious time investments and strict, strict diet.

You may have missed the Body For Life fad the first time around, but the book, tapes, supplements, etc. are still with us.

You may not realize that it takes 30 days to make a new habit, but using Mr. Phillips 12 week program, you can put a firm foundational habit in place to change your life.

It does take work and discipline, but then again so do most things worth working for.

I used Body For Life a few months before my wedding to lose the weight, and managed to drop 23 pounds in the 12 weeks. Since then I have gained it back, but the program does work if you stick to it.

You can save money by eating high protein foods such as Cottage Cheeze, Buffalo or Ostrich meats. You can also buy protein powders such as whey or soy in bulk to avoid buying the recommended supplements.

I give the program four stars because if you travel with work alot or are a road warrior eating in restaurants it can be hard to stick with it.

Recommended.

Cheers!

Body for Life: 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength

I bought the book because I wanted to know what a friend of mine was doing. She bought the book because a friend told her about it. My friend saw her friend's transformation and wanted to share it with me. I've got the book and am now transforming myself! I had to tell my friends. Get in the gym. Eat right. Work hard. You will get results. I lost 12 pounds in a month! I'm keeping this Body For Life.

I started Body for Life a few years ago. When I first started it, I followed it pretty much to the letter (without taking any of the supplements--I don't think the supplements are necessary), and I got great results. I didn't look super muscular or buff or anything spectacular, and I wasn't overweight to begin with, but BFL made me a bit more toned. I checked with my doctor to make sure that it was okay to eat like the BFL book recommended. I'm in pretty good health so he told me it was okay. However if I had had kidney problems he would have said it was not okay because apparantly it's difficult for your body to process so much protein if you're kidneys aren't functioning well. After the 12 weeks, it was hard to keep up with the meal restrictions so I just used them as a guide. I started eating between 3-5 meals a day instead of 6 because I just didn't have time to do six and I try to make sure that all of my meals include some sort of protein but I'm not picky about measuring it. I try to stay away from Trans Fats, high fructose corn syrup, aspartame and other such ingredients that seem unhealthy. I also don't do the binge day. I just try to eat healthy every day. If I want something sweet every now and then, I don't deprive myself of that sweet. I just try to eat sweets in moderation. I'm lucky because I consider fruits to be desserts. I'll take fruit over ice cream any day. I also like those Popsicles made out of real fruit, which at least seem healthy. My guide for eating is stop when I am full and remember that if I eat fast, my brain may not know right away that I am full so I give it a few minutes. It may be that I am hungry anymore, but thirsty instead. If I'm almost full but not quite, I'll drink a glass of water, and sure enough, that fills me up.

My favorite part about this book are the exercises. I had been going to the gym, using the machines with no real clue on how many reps I should be doing and what parts of the body I should be exercising, so the BFL book helped in that area. I've gotten to the point where I have memorized all of the workouts, and I don't keep the journal. I think I kept the journal for the first 1 or 2 month or so. I figure what is the point of keeping track of the workouts. As long as I am working out, I should make progress. I vary the work outs, and try to find different ways to work out different muscles in my body, so that I don't get bored.

There are times when I get extremely busy that I don't work out for a month maybe up to 3 months but I always go back to the gym eventually and do the BFL workouts. For me, it takes about two weeks of doing something consistently so that it becomes a habit. I keep this in mind if I have a hard time getting back to the gym. Once I get back in shape, I cut back from going 6 days a week to maybe 3-5 days a week if I'm very busy.

Also, I think it's good to read up on other perspectives on health, nutrition and exercise, especially if you are a beginner.

I have a BS in Health Science and was curious to read this book to see if it was quacky. Pretty much everything in the book is true to what my professors in health, nutrition, and physiology explained. I didn't have any classes on weight training, but my spouse is an athlete and agreed with the methods Bill Phillips recommends. It sounds like a good program if you're really ready for a lifestyle change. Go for it!

Worth the money. I met one of the people who successfully completed his program and found it was what I need. It has everything you need to do to be successful in the book.

This is a great program.

First of all and most importantly, you DON'T have to buy his supplements!! He never says that in the book! It is true that if you use, for example, a protein shake it will help you lose weight and build muscle, but you don't have to and the workouts will still work! Even Slim Fast sells a high protein shake, just use that if you want something.

The workouts are TOUGH. I had for months been spending 8 hours per week in the gym with little to no results. These BFL workouts make maximum use of your gym time and teach you how it feels to make your workouts work! (not painful, just not a walk in the park). I jog and the cardio workouts blew me away, the interval training is hard! I thought "no way 20 minutes will be enough!" because I had been running for 45 minutes 4x a week. Well, they do work! My metabolism is totally made over and my 20 lbs finally came off!

Diet: In a nutshell he teaches you how to eat small healthy balanced meals throughout your day. It's not gimmicky or "low carb or whatever", it's plain healthy eating to fuel your tough workouts.

It's true he doesn't go into th much nutrition basics, like why you should eat such and such. As he says in the beginning, this book is for people who know what they should be doing but they just aren't doing it. Motivation! Most people learn the basics just by picking things up on the news and/or in magazines.

I totally recommend this program. Just try it for a month if you're intimidated. Change your life! Like anything else, you have to commit to doing it. If you do it WILL work!

I've benefited immensely from Bill Phillips' 1999 mega-bestseller, Body for Life: 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength (BFL). It dramatically helped to rekindle my passion for fitness.

Using the BFL approach, by combining dreaming; goal-setting; planning; tracking; frequent small meals; weight training and brief but intense aerobic training, I personally completed multiple, 12 week transformations. I clarified and achieved goals. I burned fat and grew muscle. My physical strength skyrocketed. Many felt astonished when they saw me in person and when they viewed my before and after photos. Frequently others, even strangers, stopped me for advice.

During such journeys, I studied, learned and made ongoing progress in my fitness. I reliably kept my body fat low - and I've kept it low. Thanks to patterns of action learned from such practices, even when I've sometimes "drifted," I'm convinced that I've kept nutrition, training and fitness at much higher levels than I ever would have without the influence of BFL.

With time, I also learned and put into practice other fitness strategies. (These others included a 12 week transformation using a BFL-similar program from the 2002 book, ABSolution: The Practical Solution for Building Your Best Abs, written by Bill Phillips' brother, Shawn Phillips.) In the process, I learned volumes about the impact of training and nutrition on my mind and body.

I also found value in Bill Phillips' other books, the 2002 Body for Life Success Journal (BFL-SJ) and the 2003 Eating For Life (EFL). BFL-SJ further emphasizes and assists with planning and tracking, while EFL can help clarify and vastly expand healthy eating options. In the form of success stories and related tips, both books offer additional inspiration.

Much more recently, however, I finished my first reading of Shawn Phillips' new (2008) book, Strength for Life: The Fitness Plan for the Rest of Your Life (SFL). I'm already reading it again. Even though I've read dozens of books about fitness, SFL now stands as my favorite. G. Porter Freeman and Lynn Lingenfelter - whose physique and life transformations Bill Phillips dramatically profiled in the BFL book - both have enthusiastically endorsed SFL. To read their words, I recommend visiting the Amazon page for SFL.

In an email message that he widely distributed on May 1, 2008, even Bill Phillips recommended Strength for Life, calling it "very smart," "positive and powerful."

SFL looks at BFL's limitations and in my opinion makes clear how to surpass them. To find out much more about why I recommend SFL, I suggest reading my review of it, which also appears on Amazon's SFL pages.

As a complement to any fitness program, I also highly recommend the concise book, Eat by Choice, Not by Habit: Practical Skills for Creating a Healthy Relationship with Your Body and Food, by Sylvia Haskvitz. By my standards, Eat by Choice, Not by Habit (EBC) wonderfully integrates the consciousness of Marshall Rosenberg's amazingly powerful Nonviolent Communication (NVC) process. I predict EBC will provide additional tools for dealing with "failures" in compassionate, self-accepting and insight-producing ways. I predict such ways will dramatically help a person to cultivate inner peace, growth and further progress.

A person could draw inspiration and information from all the Bill and Shawn Phillips books. I know I have. Even if a person did, though - or if one chose only one book - I'd still recommend Strength for Life to frame whatever else one did.

One might ask about supplements. All the Bill and Shawn Phillips books recommend some supplements. Even so, all such books admit that each of their programs can be done without supplements. I've done 12 week transformations sometimes with more supplements, sometimes with hardly any. Either way, I've felt deeply satisfied with my results. I remain convinced that nothing fuels the body like real, healthy food. So I heartily recommend making such food the centerpiece of any nutritional strategy.

In short, I'll remain forever grateful for Body for Life. Now, though, I even more highly recommend Strength for Life.

His ability to market is LEGEND...Does his program work long-term for all? I wish it did. Is it one of the best books every written on fitness? It's certainly one of the most helpful and widely read, if not applied. If you have never seen it before, it may just blow you away. Will it be your long term solution? Lot's of good, solid, advice; difficult to follow long-term.

Pretty good fitness plan - first one I ever tried. I was definitely leaner at the end of the program and in the best shape I've ever been in. Completed my physical fitness test (Air Force) with my highest score ever so I was very pleased with the results. The book was annoying to try and read - the first several chapters made me feel like I was watching an infomercial but once you get past that they make good points and explain why they have you do certain things a specific way. I have an enormous sweet tooth and yet I was able to complete the program - the "free Sundays" really helped.

They push their own diet products in the book too, but if you shop around you can find some comparable products that do just as well.

I highly recommend the program!

I have read dozens of fitness books and Body for Life is one of the most simplistic, easy-to-follow fitness books for beginners that I have come across. Beginners be warned that much of the training is more intense than the average aerobic routine. But, it is difficult to beat Bill's simple explanations of training, eating and recovery. Being lactose intolerant, I only tried the recommended EAS supplements for a couple of weeks. Did not work for me due to my own nutritional requirements. For people wanting to look good and get into good physical shape, this book is a great time-saver. Many other readers whom I have talked to speak very highly of Body for Life. It is no surprise that this book continues to be a best-seller. Not really suited for advanced body builders and athletes. Still good info.

Doug Setter
Author of Stomach Flattening and One Less Victim

When you read a "diet" book, you should be motivated and think this is easy enough for me to do. This book did not disappoint. There were great healthy living tips and the information was broken down nicely. I would recommend this book and am pleased with my purchase.

I originally checked this book out of the library along with a few others in order to help me come up with some kind of a plan to get into shape. Once I started reading it though I could not put it down. I read the entire book in one night. It gave me everything I was looking for including plans for weight training, cardiovascular training, dieting, recipes, and more. It even came with a number of worksheets that let me track my progress. It is a great book. The day after I finished the book, I went out and bought a copy. It really does work.

What Bill says about eating properly and drinking water is very insightful, however, I find it hard to believe that anyone has the energy to push themselves for a "Level 10" experience 6 days a week. Don't get me wrong, pushing yourself both aerobically and muscle-wise is the right way to do it, but I'm a healthy 25 y/o and cannot do this more than 4 days per week. Doing 32 sets of weights for 5 different muscle groups in 46 min is not healthy. I did this for the first 3 weeks and suffered from a bout of exhaustion. I actually went to the doctor to get tested for mono! (which came back negative)
You need more than 1 day rest per week when lifting weights like that. The only way I can see anybody recovering that fast is if they sleep 12 hrs per day or they're on steroids (which Bill is an authority on, has written advice columns about, and has admitted to using).
If you read a bio about Bill Phillips and his rise to fame, you would see that he is a very vain, slick character who is always looking to make a quick buck (as evidenced in this book by constantly telling readers to buy his "MyoPlex" supplements).
To recap, I still follow the BFL plan as far as diet advice goes, but the frequency of exercise is not practical.

This book has a lot of good information and it is easy to understand. It is a good book for any level you are at. Beginners can easily read this and come up with diverse and safe exersizes to do.

Bill Phillips breaks down exercising to its basics. He clarifies many myths and teaches you about the right mindset, right eating habits, and right exercise routine you should follow.

I followed his program - kindof. I would say I followed it to 80% accuracy. Also I didn't buy the shakes recommended in this book, I bought another off the shelf protein shake. I felt more energetic and stronger than I have in a long time. Still, I think the expectations set by the pictures were a bit too optimistic. Don't buy and follow this book expecting to have such a dramatic change as many of the pictures would show, but do expect to lose fat, gain muscle, and feel much better inside and outside.

Enjoy.

The book makes lots of references to supplement shakes, but no-where does it say you "have" to have them as you'll be eating healthily through the day to get your required vitamins and minerals.
My mid-afternoon snack is usually a couple of handfuls of a nut/seed/berry mix at 5p.m. with a glass of water or milk to keep me going until I get home at 8 to do my training followed by my main meal.
No hunger and it's all tasty, textured, natural goodness I'm putting into my body

So far I'm on week 5 and my weight has gone up, my jackets are getting tight around my shoulders and my trousers falling off.
Return of the 'V' :o)

My grocery bill has dropped as I now buy less random rubbish and I also make batches when I cook and freeze the extra portions to re-heat later on which is again more time efficient during the week

Someone said that their social life suffered as they couldn't go out for meals with people and stay on the food plan. You can always find something on a menu that isn't junk, so there's no excuse ;o)
Even if it's a 'posh' restaurant then tell them you need a low fat meal 'for medical reasons' and the chef will happily alter the content to suit. That's their job and they usually enjoy the challenge :o)

If you've never trained before then it's worth joining a gym and investing in a couple of sessions with a personal trainer. Tell them what you are doing and get them to show you perfect technique for your exersises. This will be the best investment you will make in your transformation as, without perfect form you're limiting your results and may risk injury

So don't delay.
Do it .... do it now

This program is truly "the" way for someone who needs motivation and direction to achieve their goals. I have delt with the author, Bill Phillip's, many contributions to the world of fitness. His company EAS, supplies the world's athletes and bodybuilders with high quality nutritional and supplemental products. I have been on the "12-Week" Body-For-Life Program for 4 weeks. It is formulated so that anyone at any level at age can use it. It keeps you motivated and you end up with a detailed log of your accomplishments. If you follow his program for just 12 weeks you will see results. I guarantee it. In addition, Bill incorporates motivational, nutritional and technical support for your endeavor. Everyone owes it to themselves to have a great body and enjoy life to the fullest. Bill Phillips is on a mission. His mission is excellence and by reading his book you will be tempted to overcome all mediorcrity and reach for the stars. Another great book I recently bought is The Sixty-Second Motivator

This program is truly "the" way for someone who needs motivation and direction to achieve their goals. I have delt with the author, Bill Phillip's, many contributions to the world of fitness. His company EAS, supplies the world's athletes and bodybuilders with high quality nutritional and supplemental products. I have been on the "12-Week" Body-For-Life Program for 4 weeks. It is formulated so that anyone at any level at age can use it. It keeps you motivated and you end up with a detailed log of your accomplishments. If you follow his program for just 12 weeks you will see results. I guarantee it. In addition, Bill incorporates motivational, nutritional and technical support for your endeavor. Everyone owes it to themselves to have a great body and enjoy life to the fullest. Bill Phillips is on a mission. His mission is excellence and by reading his book you will be tempted to overcome all mediorcrity and reach for the stars.

This program is truly "the" way for someone who needs motivation and direction to achieve their goals. I have delt with the author, Bill Phillip's, many contributions to the world of fitness. His company EAS, supplies the world's athletes and bodybuilders with high quality nutritional and supplemental products. I have been on the "12-Week" Body-For-Life Program for 4 weeks. It is formulated so that anyone at any level at age can use it. It keeps you motivated and you end up with a detailed log of your accomplishments. If you follow his program for just 12 weeks you will see results. I guarantee it. In addition, Bill incorporates motivational, nutritional and technical support for your endeavor. Everyone owes it to themselves to have a great body and enjoy life to the fullest. Bill Phillips is on a mission. His mission is excellence and by reading his book you will be tempted to overcome all mediorcrity and reach for the stars. Also recommend Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff for readers who want to extend the life of their rotator cuff or have a shoulder problem that keeps them from exercising.

He could be a bit more detailed on the foods, I know he's trying to make it easy but I think anybody who has issues with food and portion control needs to be counting calories. I also have his cookbook and I must say the recipes in there are delicious.

Excellent, excellent plan for those who want to lose weight and transform their bodies; difficult, and so the more people you recruit to do with you, the better. I bought this book for 6 people, and we all started together. It has a very nice nutrition plan; weight-lifting regimen that the novice can start yet equally challenging for those that have lifted for years. Highly recommend this 12 week program if you really want to transform.

Applying the principles of this book resulted in, easily, the greatest life changing experience of my entire life. The book is an easy read, and the principles are easy to follow. The principles of the program, by the way, may seem strange, but follow them to the letter, they work remarkably well. The results will amaze you and everyone else that knows you.

I workout a good bit, and this book helps you keep up with your routine. Phillips is a master at putting things simply and setting goals.

Book was well written and easy to understand. Exercise plan is great and easy to keep up with. I don't totally agree with the eating plan, just a little carby for me. I am pairing the exercise plan with the Protien Power eating plan and it is working well for me. I am about 1/3 of the way through my first 12 week challange and am really starting to see some lean muscles popping out. :)

This is the Real Deal, no BS weight loss promises like no working out and eat all the food you want and still lose weight junk. He tells it like it is that you don't get the body you want by sitting around, you need to start working out and eating right. He has a fitness plan set up for you as well as menu's with recipes. Also buy his Eating For life book, some GREAT recipes in there let me tell you. He has a website you can also go to and get information and tips from too. Great book. No gimmicks, eat healthy foods, exercise, High intensity workouts lasting 20 mins cardio and then strength training by RPEs

Bill Phillips is the real deal. He is so motivating and is a true inspiration. I am so tired of the steroid side of body building, and it was exciting to read ( and see) how anyone can achieve success just by eating healthier and working out for a short time each day. My husband has lifted weights for twenty years and highly recommends it as well. It is real, you can change your life, and I am now armed with the knowledge and a realistic plan to do just that. If you want to lose weight and get it truly great shape, this is the only book you need.

Who could ever question the validity of anything Bill Phillips writes. This book is an excellent collection of exercises, methods, and principles that can help even the most novice fitness enthusiast lose pounds of body fat and tone up the muscles.



Bill teaches, quickly and efficiently, the principles behind building an excellent strength training routine, including effective exercises for every muscle group that can be performed at a gym or in a home gym.



The crown jewel of this book is the dieting structure Bill outlines. He gives tips on how to build a fat burning, metabolizing diet that one can adhere to for a lifetime.



Excellent book, Bill; a classic.



-Craig Nybo, author of Total Human: The Complete Strength Training System

Despite the cheesy picture of the author on its cover, "Body for Life" is a pretty good book- although I wouldn't count on looking like the people in the book in just 12 weeks- they no doubt were trying to win the contest that the author puts on and spent a little more than 12 weeks getting into shape. Having said that, I found the book valuable.

Why? Well, the best thing the book has going for it is its motivational writing style- which sets the book apart. The book motivates you to eat better (the diet plan is as straightforward as it gets) as well as setting you up on a pretty reasonable exercise program (which involves lifting weights and cardio).

All in all, its well laid out and downright inspirational, so, I give it 5 stars. [...].

Whether you're a guy or gal, you need this book! I don't like to work out. Never have. I've done it and do it because I have to if I want to keep in shape. But I just can not get motivated on my own--you either love to work out or you don't. BODY FOR LIFE is one of THE BEST programs I've discovered and I've tried everything from Scarsdale Diet, the Cabbage Diet, Akins Diet to South Beach Diet. Bill Philips program single handedly helped kick start my fitness post childbirth 6 years ago. It's a 12 week program that includes smart, easy to follow eating for men and women AND it includes easy to follow VERY EFFECTIVE work out plans. The best part of the book is the motivation and inspiration it offers with story after story of successful clients. He has a website site for support and usually a contest where you can win money if you stick with the program--a lot of money [...]. Truth is, I've slacked off in the last few months and just passed by this book on my shelf. I'm picking it back up today to regain my motivation and getting my body back for summer! I already have personal proof it works so here I go again!

Despite the cheesy picture of the author on its cover, "Body for Life" is a pretty good book- although I wouldn't count on looking like the people in the book in just 12 weeks- they no doubt were trying to win the contest that the author puts on and spent a little more than 12 weeks getting into shape. Having said that, I found the book valuable.

Why? Well, the best thing the book has going for it is its motivational writing style- which sets the book apart. The book motivates you to eat better (the diet plan is as straightforward as it gets) as well as setting you up on a pretty reasonable exercise program (which involves lifting weights and cardio).

All in all, its well laid out and downright inspirational, so, I give it 5 stars. Also recommend Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff for readers who have difficulty lifting weights due to a torn cuff or shoulder pain.

As a physician, I have taken people off hundreds of medicines thanks to Bill Phillips. Blood pressure medicines, cholesterol medicines, diabetes medicines, and pain medicines. I myself lost 6 sizes in six weeks and have keep it off for 3 years now. My before and after pictures are at least as impressive as the ones in his book. This is for the person that's really ready to go for it. It takes organization, but it works. It holds your hand through the process and teaches you about portions and being hungry in quite a simple way. Highly recommended. Also highly recommeded, Bill Phillips, Body for Life Journal and also his Eating For Life, receipe book.

A guide to exercise and working out that is perfect for those who exercise at home, and it's very user friendly.

No need for a long review here. The book is designed to help you improve your health and body by offering a weight lifting program, a cardio program, and a diet plan. Everything is clearly laid out and lots of great pictures do a good job of illustrating the exercises. But perhaps the best thing this book has going for it is its motivational tone that runs throughout the book. If optimal health is a concern (duh) than I recommend you also read the T_r_u_t_h about C_a_f_f_e_i_n_e. I was amazed how just even one can of cola can raise blood pressure and that several cans can actually make you feel more tired later in the day. This book saved my life!!!!!

Body for Life has changed thousands of people's lives and my own in just a few weeks. Sure you can use it to lose or you can use it to lose and keep it off by continuing on with this way of eating and exercising plus setting goals to improve you life along with your body. Just go for it!

The best part of this book is the planning pages for your exercises. It REALLY helps to keep track of what you've done and how much you have exerted yourself so you can keep trying to improve. It also helps to have a plan so you aren't wondering what you did last time or what you should do next. I have really increased my strength, stamina, and energy level over the last 8 weeks of following the program.

The reason I gave it a 4 was because if you are going to do all your workouts at home with free weights and a bench (which I do), your choices of exercises are limited. I would have liked to see more choices that don't need those fancy machines like they have at the gym.

PS. Check out Eating for Life as well. I didn't think it would ever work, but combined with this...it does!

Body for Life has changed thousands of people's lives and my own in just a few weeks. Sure you can use it to lose or you can use it to lose and keep it off by continuing on with this way of eating and exercising plus setting goals to improve you life along with your body. Just go for it!

This is the program that all other fitness "gurus" glean from. The info in this book is presented in a structured, user-friendly format. I know of several bodybuilders and fitness beginners who've obtained stellar results. As for those who are bent-out-of-shape (excuse the pun)claiming Mr. Phillips is pushing the Myoplex line..relax. You don't need to buy his meal replacements, and he clearly states that in the 1 1/2 pages dedicated to this subject. Anyone can tell you that supplements are an important component in an effective nutritional plan - whether you use an EAS product or chose another line - you'll be well served to invest in a portable protein and/or MRP supplement. Outstanding book and already a classic.

I had been working out and dieting on and off all of my life. I always seem to lose it, gain it back and get discouraged. I found that the advice and systems in this book were invaluable to my success. I even took 2.5 months off at the holidays and my body continued to metabolize. I have maintained my new body for over a year now. The most important lessons I gleened from this book: eating more times per day along with the exercise turns your body into a calorie burning furnace. The key to my success I believe was the interval cardio traing taught in the book. I don't really watch what I eat to much anymore because it's on autopilot now. I spend only 3 to 4 hrs a week in the gym and I'm in the best shape of my life. This book was a great motivator to me. The best part for me is the cheat days. It's so unbelievable that it works. All the best. You can't go wrong reading this book.

Are you fat? Are you overweight? Have you been going to the gym day after day, but haven't seen any progress? Are you unhappy with the way you look? If you can answer yes to any of these questions, this is the book for you. Bill Phillips will teach the basics about nutrition and exercise. In addition, he has created his 12 week Body For Life program. He will teach you what to eat and when and will help you reduce the time you spend in the gym, yet your results improve. This book will help you acquire the body you've dreamed of. If you follow his program, you will experience the success that millions of others have already experienced. A must read!

Ok, here is the scoop. Body For Life is a great book in terms of Bill Phillips enthusiasm for health, the workout routines and food recommendations. Excellent stuff... but there are few problems (thus 4 stars)...

He never even mentions any type of stretching. It's as though this important part of overall fitness doesn't even exist -- strange.

He says that you always need to be improving and growing stronger - always - but, logic tells you that NO ONE can always be growing stronger. At some point we hit our peek - and gosh, sorry to say people do age and their bodies change. This is obvious, of course, but it should be acknowledged.

And, oh, Myoplex... there are lots of in-between meal snacks, etc. as good as Myoplex...

So, overall this is powerful book and can be extremely helpful in starting a lifetime of fitness; however, I've learned that it's best to augment his recommendations with stretching, a realistic perspective on potential gains and know that you can succeed with mid-day snacks that are not branded by Bill.

I listened to the Book on CD, and particularly enjoyed the comments and testimonials by those who've already done it. Those made me believe that I can do it too.
It's a wonderful exercise to strengthen your body and increase your metabolism, so that you can earn that body you want.

Easy to listen to and follow; it's great guidance.

This is an awesome and easy to follow plan to getting in awesome shape. I use a toned down version of his technique, but nevertheless, you need to read this before attempting to transform your life.

The subtitle to Body for Life is "12 weeks to Mental and Physical Strength", and it's written by a professional trainer named Bill Phillips.

The book and program (they have a big website operation) seems to be wildly popular; there are 907 (and counting) reviews on amazon.com, many of them personal testimonies from people raving about the program - weight loss, build-up of self-esteem, etc. I've been feeling that I'm in a rut in the gym, and figured I might get some new ideas from Body for Life.

I think the book is pretty good. It really aims at people without much experience in comprehensive training - nutrition and working out. But even if you have a lot of experience there are useful ideas.

The nutrition sections are excellent. Six small meals a day, with a low fat diet. Phillips suggests substituting supplements (drinks, energy bars, etc) for the "in between" meals, late morning, late afternoon and after regular dinner. And of course he sells them on his website. I think supplements may be a very good idea for many people - it saves time, you can be sure of getting the right proportions of things - and you can probably get virtually the same supplements for 70% less cost at places like Walmart. You stick to the diet six days a week and eat whatever you want once a week.

The workouts also are for six days a week with one day off. There are three aerobic sessions and three weight training sessions.

The cardio sessions are only 20 minutes long. While he dosn't use the term, they consist of interval training, on whatever machine you favor. Or running/walking interval training. You have to make them as intense as possible. He suggests intensity levels rated 1 thru 10, with 1 sitting on the couch working the TV remote, and 10 "an all-out, 100% focused effort." So you start at level 5, gradually raising your effort to reach level 9, dropping down to level 5, back to level 9 and repeating the effort up to a level 10. Phillips also suggests that for optimium results (maximum fat burning), do the aerobics in the morning before breakfast, and don't eat for an hour after finishing. He makes the very valid point that many people do slow, low level aerobics, with no sign of any weight loss. So why not try his (the interval) approach?

The three weight training sessions take much more time. He doesn't use the term, but it is a pyramid exercise regimen. Again intensity level starts at 5, you do 12 reps of various exercises, and lower the number of reps as you raise the intensity. Then you finish with 2 sets of 12 at level 8 or 9. It's a tough workout schedule, and to do it right, would take about 45 minutes.

Oddly enough, there's absolutely no discussion at all of stretching, or anything about warming up. Because you are starting at a moderate intensity level for both the aerobics and weight training, perhaps he feels that is your warm up. There's even no mention of stretching or warming up at all on his website; not even in the FAQ's.

Body for Life has the standard rah, rah. "stay the course" cheerleading, and psychological insight talk you'd expect in this sort of self-help book. That sounds like a glib comment, but it isn't. I think the cheerleading and psycho talk is useful to just about anyone. Including me.

I am incorporating some of Phillips stuff into what I'm doing. A person adopting the whole program is sure to have excellent progress after 12 weeks.

Book was in excellant condition and I was very happy with the purchase.

I love this book. Before reading it, I knew very little about working out with weights (although over the years I have consitently ran and done calisthenics). I decided to try to develop some more muscle once I hit the big "40" and found this book to be the perfect guide. Following its principles, I gained 10 lbs of muscle! Not exaclty Mr. America, mind you, but hey I'm not complaining! I highly recommend it.

I own this book, and would buy it again. The great thing about it is that it's easy to read, well laid out and simple to understand...for the most part. I find the high point technique a little hard to master, mostly because it is subjective and not definitive, but it is well explained. The "diet" portion of the book is very simple, and while he mentions supplements, that is just as an alternative to eating six small meals a day, to save time. When I did it, I ate 5 small meals a day and had great results.

I started just doing the food portion of this book, and lost about 10 pounds. Then I started eating whatever I wanted and did the exercise portion of the book, and lost an additional 5 pounds. I can only imagine what the results will be if I can just do both at one time! I plan to start my next 12 week effort again, and will incorporate both aspects of the program - diet and exercise together - to see what the results will be.

This does work if you do it. I agree with other reviews that it requires discipline. Definitely check out the Body for Life website for additional info and inspiration! This will work for all fitness levels because it is customizable to you. And you can start anytime, anywhere! No need to buy a lot of fancy equipment. You can walk for the aerobic portion and just use basic weights (or whatever you have on hand - books, canned goods, etc will all work) to work out with. I would recommend upgrading to dumbbells eventually, though.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at www dot beautipage dot com backslash marieolson. Good luck!

I've been using these workouts for about 3 years. The book and companion websight has saved me hundreds of dollars in personal trainers. I rate the wisdom in the weight training and running sections better than the trainers I've known. Other readers have surely benefitted more than I, staying more disciplined.... but I'm so happy with the efficient workouts. I've reaped a lot more than I could have hoped for otherwise.

Bill Phillips also has the guts to be honest and say that this workout does not fill the bill as an easy, quick fix thing. You have to stick with it; it's hard and takes discipline.

However, as other reviewers have explained much better than I could, yes, he does push his supplements in the book. This is why I don't give the book 5 stars. I recommend The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, Thomas M. Campbell II, John Robbins, and Howard Lyman for a more researched viewpoint on what foods bring vibrant health.