Body For Life

Despite what goes on in the chop shops, formally known as "plastic surgeon offices" you only get the one body that you were born with. Of course, this plan does not claim that it will give you a whole new body - just a better one than you have at the moment- in fact, the premise is that if you follow the program for the full twelve weeks, you will have the best body of your entire life. And, of course like many dieting books, there are plenty of before and after pictures to inspire you (or frighten you to death, when you think of all the hard work you surely have to put into this regimen). Make no bones about it (and do not gnaw on the bones, either), this is a very challenging, yet rewarding program, if you are able to actually stick with it.

Body For Life: From the Beginning
Designed by founder, Bill Philips, the Body for Life diet plan is intense, challenging, rewarding and not meant for those with limited self discipline or the true desire to put in the work it takes to make it through the whole twelve weeks. Not only is the food portion of the program fairly strict, but the exercise portion requires a lot of exercise. Nope, not just a gentle walk through the neighborhood, smiling and nodding at the neighbors as you pass by, this is real, dripping with sweat, bribe your trainer to let you quit, hip-check your mom out of the way to get to the nearest hospital bed type exercise.

Three days of the week you will be weight training and we are not talking about teaching your tummy flab to roll over either. The time you will spend lifting weights up and down, until you are arms threaten to fall off? About 45 minutes for each day! On alternating days, you will be doing at least twenty minutes of aerobics. (How rough is a work out when you are looking for to a mere twenty minutes of aerobics?) On the seventh day you are free- no workout, no restrictive foods at all.

Body for Life Pros:
The diet portion of this plan emphasizes healthy foods like plenty of vegetables, brown rice, poultry and fish. You eat often throughout the day with several small meals instead of a few larger ones to keep you from feeling deprived. The portions that you eat are described as "fist sized" and you are encouraged to drink plenty of water throughout the day.

The food list that is included within the plan is typical, common foods with nothing expensive or exotic included. Philips does recommend a nutritional supplement, especially during the days when you are following the very restrictive diet plan.

The diet emphasizes smaller portions of healthy foods, eaten more frequently so that the body does not get overly hungry and to keep energy levels high for the intense exercise that it will be asked to do during the week.

Philips also warns that on the day of rest, that you should eat your favorite foods in moderation, rather than gorging throughout the day.

Body For Life: Cons
This may be far too much exercise for some people, as the intensity level may be too high. Remember, if you feel extreme discomfort or even pain, stop immediately and evaluate the pain - should you pull back just a little bit on that one particular exercise, or are you doing too much, too soon or too often. Start with smaller weights, work at half the recommended intensity or half the recommended amount of time and build up as you get stronger and fitter.

This plan may not have enough calories to be nutritious or other filling for many people. The plan may also present some very serious problems for those who have weakened kidneys because of the strain from extreme carbohydrate limitation.

The after pictures may be a problem (and when aren't they?) because they may give the impression that this is a realistic expectation. Read the small print and you will probably see "results not typical" however, most people need that to be in glaring neon, before they will get the idea in their head.

The End?
Hey, if you like strict, almost painfully so, workout and food routines, then you will love this plan. Not good if you groaned picking up the marshmallows the other night and then managed to eat them all, once you dragged the bag to the couch.

Here's the official website for in case you want to get started right away: http://www.bodyforlife.com

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