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body for life review
Review of Body for Life by Bill Phillips
Body for Life is a bestselling book containing a 12-week diet and workout program written by bodybuilder and publisher Bill Phillips.
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.
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