Thread: What is Body for Life?

Azhia posted this in another thread but when I googled it, it looked like a supplement ad. Does anyone know anything about it?

It's a weight loss plan. Originally a body building plan. High protein diet, daily workouts. There's a website Body-for-LIFE and a book, workbook, etc. They do offer supplements, too -- mostly protein drinks and stuff.

I wanted to read up on it, you know to see what the regimine is like but only find blogs, and drinks on that site. What am I doing wrong?

Get the book (it's on Amazon.com, author is Bill Phillips). I think it is more helpful than the website.

BFL was the first "disciplined" fitness regimen I have ever followed and it was quite effective via its simplicity (sensible eating plan, 6 days a week of 20-minute workouts, alternating b/t resistance training and cardio). The key is intensity. You really have to know your body and keep track of what you do in order to gauge your limits but intensity of your workouts and eating right will help bring about change in the body.

That's it in a nutshell!

I bought and read the book when it came out several years ago. It sounds great! But you have to be pretty disciplined to follow through on following the food plan which includes getting the shakes as well as, the work-out regiment. One of these centuries, when I do have time, I would like to actually give this a go and transform myself.

I got by w/o the supplements. I'm confident it can be done w/o them.

I was on this a while ago. If you like a variety of foods you don't need the shakes. I often found it difficult to eat all of the food I was allowed for the day. One day a week you are allowed a day off without exercise and you can eat anything you want. For the first few weeks all I could think of was what I was going to have on that day. After a while, though, you really don't look forward to fettucine alfredo and pizza and soda. It makes you feel so crappy and the cravings decrease in intensity for the bad stuff.

The basic diet plan is to eat one serving of a lean protein and one carb (a serving being roughly the size of your fist). Twice a day (I think) you add vegetables, and you eat about five or six meals a day. You start to get hungry when it's time to eat, but you're never starving.

When you are doing strength training, you work your body almost to the point of failure. You do ten reps in each set and six sets per exercise. You start with very little resistance and work your way up. This also works in a warmup so you don't have to do that as well. It's important to keep a journal so you know where each muscle group is since some progress faster than others.

I hope this makes sense - I'm tired and really don't have any business posting. ,s:: I do recommend getting the book, though. There's better detail on both the diet and the workout regimen, and there's also the reasons for why this plan works.

I completed the 12 weeks back in 2002. That's probably why I keep putting off doing another one, it's very intense. Your whole life revolves around training, eating and sleeping.

Once you get to your desired goal you could easy off on a maintainence program. I never did because I got downsized 4 weeks after taking the after photos and never got back on the saddle. Too busy finding work during dot bomb. And now I'm in quite a time demanding job.

Thanks, I will see if the library has it. I am a total detail person, so I don't mind getting into it, but what was a red flag reading all your posts was meal prep. I already have a family who eats a "farmer's" type diet, and two picky kids. I will have to really be diciplined to make yet a third meal for myself. And no, my husband is a veggie phobe so the family probably would eat it. But I am still going to check it out. You never know until you try. Thanks Az, for advice on reading the book.

Originally Posted by HOOKEDNOVICE

Thanks, I will see if the library has it. I am a total detail person, so I don't mind getting into it, but what was a red flag reading all your posts was meal prep. I already have a family who eats a "farmer's" type diet, and two picky kids. I will have to really be diciplined to make yet a third meal for myself. And no, my husband is a veggie phobe so the family probably would eat it. But I am still going to check it out. You never know until you try. Thanks Az, for advice on reading the book.

You're welcome! If you're a detail person, you'll thrive on the format, I think. From what I remember reading about the food plan, it was fairly conventional and nothing tree-huggerish about it. Things like tuna, cottage cheese, fruit, veggies. I think it's very doable.

sweet! That eases up a bit on the short order cook factor. Is it the book by Pamela Peeke? or Bill Phillips and Michael D'orso? The Pamela peeke book is 2009, the Bill Phillips book is 1999

Bill Phillips.

Apparently the Pamela Peeke version ain't that good from what women I know in the bfl community have told me. Never read it myself.

Oh thank you. That will save me a read! I have both on reserve from the library.

Hooked - BFL is sound, I've had some good results during the times I've committed to it. I get tired of all the meat prep, to be honest. The book by Bill is where it's at, the website is fun for looking at before & afters and reading people's stories, but the book has all the info in an organized fashion. I also really like Eating for Life, have continued to use several of the recipes. There are also recipes on the site if you dig around.

Azhia - do you do a vegetarian version of BFL? For some reason, I was thinking you were a non meat eater. And P90X - how does that compare with Bill's routine?

Joanne, I did, in fact, do a veg version of BFL. Yes, book book book book!

BFL is an excellent precursor to P90X, which is like BFL, except JACKED UP by 250%. Similar eating principles, much much more intensity and conditioning involved, also 1-hour workouts, as opposed to 20 minutes.