Could I Be Compensated As Well For My Review Of Body For LIFE? Please?
Written: Dec 20 '01 (Updated Dec 20 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: the weightlifting exercises are pictured in stages w/ helpful tips
Cons: Phillips believes in no pain no gain; his diet advice might not be helpful
The Bottom Line: Although the Exercise Guide is wonderful and some of the myths/facts are very good, his strenuous program isn't for everybody nor recommended for everybody.
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| jankp's Full Review: Bill Phillips et al - Body for Life: 12 Weeks to M... |
So far I’ve reviewed several books with diet or nutrition plans that mention nothing of anaerobic exercise, which is weightlifting, but only aerobic exercise, which is walking for example. Now I’ve found one. This very popular, New York Times bestseller (in case Grouch is reading), Body For Life by Bill Phillips, the founder/editor of Muscle Media magazine and creator of EAS (promoted heavily in the book for its meal replacement shake and supplemental products), not only has a “Eating-for-LIFE Method”, but also the “Training-for-LIFE experience.”
I can see quite a few reasons why the book is so popular. It is terribly motivational with dozens of pictures of readers before and after twelve weeks on his program, as well as a number of success stories they sent to him. Phillips also must have learned psychology from the best motivational speakers or 12-step programs and this is not bad.
After the motivating pictures of slenderized, toned-up women and men (many have lots of muscle definition) and success stories, Phillips says,
I consider it a privilege when people let me help them. I love it when they succeed. But as numerous as the success stories are, I’m repeatedly reminded of the fact that there are still millions of people who have yet to discover their true potential. Pp 21
He makes it into a rewarding challenge, especially by offering for free a new sports car or other prizes to someone with the best results after twelve weeks. If you are intrigued by this challenge, please go to his website, bodyforlife.com, for more updated information. This book was published in 1999, so it’s a little dated. If instead you’d like more objective information on his program, please keep reading and I’ll do my best.
Contents
Preface: Real-World Proof (the pictures)
Foreword: The Promise (the challenge is given)
Part I: The Breakthrough (four success stories by readers)
Part II: Crossing The Abyss (you need focus, goals, not dreams. He asks you to answer questions and make specific goals on paper.)
Part III: Separating Myth From Fact
These thirteen myths and their corresponding facts were probably the most fascinating part of the whole book. For example, the myth is that the longer you exercise, the better, but the fact is that too much exercise prevents results. He says this only regarding length of your workout, but not regarding pain caused by your workout. To reach your potential, muscle must burn and tear and not merely stretch, according to Phillips. The other twelve myths/facts seemed okay to me, though, such as the myth that high-carbohydrate, low-fat diets work best, but the fact is that people are becoming (and staying) fat from a “carb overdose.”
Part IV: The Training-for-LIFE Experience
Phillips sells his weightlifting program by explaining that he’s worked with and learned from the best athletes, coaches and athletic trainers in the world. Then he goes through how to get started and why to do it his way. Examples given of Daily Progress Charts and your 12-week schedule.
Part V: The Eating-for-Life Method
“Exercise is the spark. Nutrition is the fuel. Without both, there can be no flame-no results.” Pp 83
After explaining why quality nutrition is so important, he lists his recommended foods in proteins, carbohydrates and vegetables. Interesting differentiation, huh? I thought so, too. He recommends six days of the week lean animal products, potatoes, fat-free yogurt, pasta and a number of vegetables, for example. He uses NutraSweet and recommends a tablespoon of safflower oil daily OR three servings of fish weekly. This, he says, will provide enough of your Essential Fatty Acids. I beg to differ. Use canola oil for baking or stir-frying at least.
Part VI: Staying On Course
His solutions to the challenges of staying motivated and on the program, such as transforming adversity into energy, honoring self-promises, focusing on progress instead of perfection and exercising with someone else.
Part VII: The Gateway or the Afterword
Pep talk to keep on transforming other things in your life besides your body, now that you’ve proven to yourself that you can. Phillips’ goal is to transform a million bodies and lives by the end of this month. Wonder if he has.
Appendix A: Questions and Answers
Readers send in questions of his program without reading the book, I guess.
Appendix B: Terms and Jargon
Appendix C: Exercise Guide (with many pictures and tips)
Final Thoughts
This is really pretty interesting and helpful in a few ways and the exercises in Appendix C are very helpful to determine how to strengthen a certain muscle group in various ways. I’ll be using his advice in that way, but at my own pace.
His advice on how to lose weight is also a bit different from others I’ve read. For instance, he asks people to exercise aerobically and anaerobically first thing in the morning on only lots of water before, during and an hour after. Otherwise you’ll just be burning carbs for fuel and this does makes sense to me. I know as a runner you don’t start burning fat until you’ve run about sixteen miles or reached the hump in a marathon. Unfortunately, most people going on this program have not already trained for months for a marathon and this strain on the body should be worked up to gradually.
And then I’m not so enthusiastic about weightlifting until there’s pain, exhaustion and a burning, dizzying high that takes over. This sounds extreme to the max. He doesn’t seem to know about the two ways of building muscle, also. There are isotonic exercises where you lift and lower free weights and then isometric exercises where you hold a muscle in position for at least eight seconds. Isometrics build muscle without wear and tear of the muscles, is recommended for injured or physically-challenged people and it can be done while waiting in line and without equipment. If you have heart problems, you should consult your doctor because isometrics increase blood pressure. Be sure to keep breathing while doing them. E-mail me for more details.
Some of the success stories are from people with HIV, cancer, no diabetes, depression and at least twenty pounds overweight. They were all enrolled in his twelve-week program and “received consideration from EAS,” which probably means compensation. Must be nice!
Will it work for you? Who do I recommend the book and its program to? I know it’s very popular as are Muscle Media and EAS among athletes, but I have reservations about recommending it to a diabetic or pre-diabetic person who doesn’t do aerobic exercise to begin with and needs a better balance of Omega 6 and 3 fatty acids. Perhaps eating six small meals, a few of them his EAS shakes, will be good for them, though.
But if you really want to lose fat and build muscle in a healthy, faster way, I wouldn’t advise you to eat only animal products when delicious soy products are available. Too much Omega 6 fatty acid is in grain-fed animal products and safflower oil, which is not a way to lose fat and become healthy, either, as I’ve explained in a recent book review listed under The Omega 3 Connection.
So read it for some interesting information and good tips on becoming motivated, but don’t believe everything he recommends is the best or only way to lose weight and build muscle.
Recommended:
Yes
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Member: Jan Peregrine
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