Body For Life Review - 17 Things You Need to Know
In the diet industry, don’t mistake marketing for effectiveness. This is especially important with books, so we took a close look at Body for Life. We considered the details, side effects, clinical research, and customer service. We found thousands of reviews and read through tons. Then, we summarized it all to give you the bottom line.
Body For Life can be purchased through their Official Site.
What is Body for Life?
Body for Life (BFL) is a plan that allows the users to follow a 12-week dietary plan, full of nutrition and exercise. It is also a term given to the competition held annually based on body transformation. Body for Life exercise plan mainly uses the ideology practiced in bodybuilding. The program also supports other industries, including gyms, personal trainers, and nutritionists.
The Body for Life (BFL) program is centered around a dietary approach characterized by a low-fat, high-protein regimen. Originating from the innovative mind of Bill Phillips, a former competitive bodybuilder and the erstwhile proprietor of EAS, a prominent nutritional supplement manufacturer, the program has garnered attention from medical professionals. Assessments of its efficacy are generally positive, although some acknowledge the challenges associated with adherence. While some critics categorize it as a fad diet, it’s important to note that such criticisms are not unanimous, and the program has found supporters within the health and fitness community.
The Body for Life is available in hardback, paperback, Kindle, and audio CD. Before learning more about this plan, let’s take a quick look at the research surrounding this plan:
- Perspectives on Psychological Science: Decreasing calories alone may not actually lead to weight loss.
- International Journal of Preventative Medicine: A calorie-shifting diet may be more effective than a calorie-restricting diet.
- Journal of Research in Medical Sciences: Consuming fewer calories helps maintain weight loss.
Body For Life Competitors
| Product | Review | |
|---|---|---|
| BodyDynamix Slimvance | read | |
| Dr. Cohen | read | |
| Ayds | read | |
| Burn Slim | read | |
| Noom | read |
How Did Body for Life Start?
William Nathaniel “Bill” Phillips, the man behind “Body for Life,” is also the author of Eating for Life and a Muscle Media Magazine founder. Additionally, he’s been the former CEO of EAS, which is a performance nutrition supplement company.
Phillips was into bodybuilding until he moved back to Colorado to study exercise physiology and sports nutrition. He began to work with doctors and research scientists to create nutrition products that could eventually help fitness enthusiasts get better results from their workouts.
Body for Life Bill Phillips sold his majority of the EAS’s share to North Castle Partners in 1999 to concentrate on his passion for writing about nutrition products, exercises, bodybuilding, etc.
Bill Phillips got into bodybuilding in 1982. Body for Life: 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength, hit the bookstore in 1999, remained New York Bestseller for seven years, with a sale of more than 4 million copies worldwide in 20 different languages. USA Today named the book among the Top 15 bestselling books in 2004.
Bill Phillips currently have a fitness app. Additionally, he sells a line of nutritional products and supplements under Right Nutrition, Inc. and Right Nutraceuticals, Inc. Right Nutrition has a Better Business Bureau rating of “D+”.
Products Available From Pillips
- Right (meal replacement)
- Power Up (pre-workout)
- Strongevity Rx (build muscle)
- GH10x (burn fat)
- Eating for Life Book
- Transformation Book
- Bill’s Choice FitBiotic +
- Bill Phillips Transformation Camp
Scroll below for one of the best products we’ve seen over the last year.
Customer Service Contact Information
- RIGHT Nutrition, Inc. 221 Corporate Circle, Suite K Golden, CO 80401
- Contact form: https://eatingright.com/pages/contact-customer-service
- Email: helpdesk@transformation.com
- On their website, their office address is listed as follows:
RIGHT Nutrition
4800 Dahlia St, F-2
Denver, Colorado 80210
They have a Better Business Bureau (BBB) file, but it has no rating.
Return Policy
If you would like to return an unopened product for any reason, they can either issue a refund to your method of payment, or apply an in-store credit to your account that you can use towards a future purchase. The refund issued or in-store credit applied is for the price of the product only and does not include any shipping fees charged for delivery. If the product is opened they can only apply an in-store credit to your account.
If the item you’d like to return was ordered more than 30 days ago, or if the item was purchased using in-store credit as part of a previous exchange, or if the item was received as part of a previous exchange they cannot accept the return or issue a refund for any reason.
Body for Life Claims
The plan claims to help many users to burn their body fat, get lean, and build their muscles. The Body for Life program enables users to increase and utilize strength in living a healthy life.
The founder, Bill Phillips, promises that the 84 day Body for Life diet plan can get you “the best body that you desire.”
Body for Life makes a lot of claims – but will this book deliver on these promises?
Does Body for Life Work?
The best formula for weight loss combines two essential and proven elements:
- Intake fewer calories
- Burn more calories
This strategy of getting lean muscles is the critical formula mentioned in the Body for Life book. The program asks its reader to closely follow this formula if you want to shed extra weight and get the body you want.
The founder of Body for Life exercise plan claims that eating small meals a day, lean protein, vegetables, and essential fats will lead you to the path of success. However, Dr. Melinda Ratini, a WebMD medical reviewer, tells a different side of things. “You may see some quick results following the Body for Life program. But if you don’t want to commit to fitting six small meals into your day, it could be tough to follow. The intense workouts six days a week may also be too much for many people.”
How Does Body for Life work?
The Body for Life program is designed in a way where foods and exercises have equal importance. Exercise plays a vital role in this weight-loss program. Workouts in cycling, swimming, or any cardio exercises help to burn fat, in turn, delivering weight loss.
There are four steps that you need to follow with the program.
3 Sessions of Cardio Per Week
BFL brings you a 20-minute aerobic solution, which is a High-Intensity Interval Training. HIIT is a popular method of exercising but can be extremely difficult to follow.
3 Weight Training Sessions Per Week
Weightlifting exercises are to help you build lean muscle. Forty-five minutes of this exercise alternating between upper body and lower body will add strength to your body – or so it’s claimed.
Brief, Intense Workouts
BFL program plans an exercise session of 4 hours per week. The Body for Life workout routine helps you with intensity index to get the best and effective workout.
1 Free Day Every Week
Too much fatigue can be bad for your health. After a planned, intense workout session, a body needs to rest.
Body for Life Benefits and Results
Other than the company’s claims and promises, there are numerous benefits of working out and eating right. Let’s face it; this is what the book is all about.
According to CSHPM, exercise –
- Helps improve the life span
- Delay onset of certain diseases and conditions
- Improve health
- Improved mental health
A study published by CMJA mentions that “There is incontrovertible evidence that regular physical activity contributes to the primary and secondary prevention of several chronic health risks…There appears to be a graded linear relation between the volume of physical activity and health status, such that the most physically active people are at the lowest risk.”
Diet Plan
- A diet plan helps to increase your metabolism rate
- Diet plans can help shed extra weight, according to Healthcare.
- A good diet plan improves mental health and keeps you happy and relaxed
- A dietary program enables you to avoid unhealthy foods
Research published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found that “Meal planning was associated with a healthier diet and less obesity.”
Details on Body for Life and Weight Loss
The idea behind Body for Life is simple but can be hard to follow through. Of course, if you poke around online, you’ll find a bevy of scientific studies on exercise and dieting – this makes it difficult to search for “proof” that the book works.
Based on some of the user reviews we’ve read, both sexes have seen some success using the book. However, most mention the importance of following through. This is not a “quick fix,” rather a long-term guide and program that customers need to stick to. And this is where it becomes murky.
According to the author, some professional athletes, including Mike Piazza, John Elway, and Karl Malone, have followed the plan to boost up their performance. But these are trained athletes and not everyday customers looking to lose some weight.
According to the Journal of Human Kinetics, bodybuilders usually find more success with less weight-loss during competition periods, meaning weight-loss may not be a big priority to these athletes. However, research published in Sports noted that there may be some benefits to losing weight while maintaining or increasing lean muscle mass.
The Science Behind Body for Life
There’s no need to test Body for Life clinically. It is a diet and exercise program that promotes healthy eating and movement. If followed, it will likely result in weight-loss. The trouble lies in difficulty and commitment. The reader has to stick with the plan, and, from the information we’ve collected, the book suggests ample time in the gym, which may not be ideal for everyone. At DietSpotlight, we like strong support, and we have that with plans like this.
How to Use Body for Life
Body for Life challenge allows its users to follow a diet plan with a series of workouts to get the results they want. Body for life suggests its users eat six meals a day. Two meals should include vegetables, and you should consume at least ten glasses of water. The book urges dieters to add unsaturated oil each day in your meal and to eat salmon three times per week. Body for Life recipes can also include nutrition shakes to increase results. This makes it even harder to tell if the program will work since some nutrition shakes contain unhealthy ingredients.
Body for Life Diet
The diet is split into protein and carbs in the ratio of 40-50%. Your meals in a day must include lean-protein rich food, whole-grain carbohydrates, a portion of vegetables, and lots of water. Your Body for Life food list can consist of:
- Bread
- Lean meat
- Potatoes
Add a “free day” to your week to eat your choice’s food – but in a controlled amount. Skip any processed or sugary food like cake, candies, chips, soda, cookies, and other fat dairy products.
Body for Life Workout
Workouts play an equally important role as the diet plan when it comes to this program. You must divide your weight training sessions for both upper and lower body, alternatively to get the desired results. This enables your muscles to recover before your next session starts.
There are no specific exercise patterns, resting periods, or suggestions for weights. Some of the exercises can include a barbell, dumbbells, cable machine, and smith machine. You should also choose two activities for each group of your muscle. These exercises should be done in repetition with the same intensity for the result you desire.
Upper body workouts you could do:
- Bench press, incline fly, and pec-deck for the chest
- Dumbbell pullover, pull-down, and bent-over row for the upper back
- Lateral raise, shoulder press, and upright row for shoulders
- Bench dip, push-down, and triceps kickback for rear arms
- Hammer curl, biceps curl, and concentration curl for front arms
Lower body workouts you could do:
- Leg extension, squat, and leg press for front legs
- Seated calf raises and standing calf raise for calves
- Glute-ham raise, leg curl, lunge for rear legs
- Leg raise, reverse crunch, and crunch for Abs
Body for Life App
You must know how your work out sessions are going daily. You can use the Body for Life app to keep track of your daily progress. Body for Life workout app helps you plan not only your workouts but also keep the record of body fat and weight measurement.
Potential Body for Life Side Effects
Too much of anything can be bad for you – isn’t that how the saying goes? Although Body for Life seems like it would be without side effects, you may want to brace yourself according to our research.
According to Sports Health, getting carried away with exercise can cause “overtraining syndrome,” with side effects like:
- Dehydration
- Excessive thirst
- Drowsiness
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Inability to concentrate
- Weakened immune system
High-Intensity Interval Training
Although this method of exercise is known to work, it can also be grueling. Many experts have touched on HIIT’s side effects and warn you that you need to be in good health to do this training regularly.
Body for Life Product Warnings
Shedding off extra body weight can help you to prevent high blood pressure, regardless of your diet. However, it would be best if you kept checking the level of your cholesterol, amount of salt, and fat in your dietary plan.
This diet program calls for a higher protein intake than others. If you have a diagnosis of any health condition, you should consult your dietitian or doctor. It would help if you made sure that the workout won’t affect you in other ways.
This program is not for women who are pregnant or children.
Body for Life Alternatives
For those who are not satisfied with Body for Life, there are many other options available on the market that they can choose from.
Fit for Life
Fit for Life is a lifestyle and dietary book, written by American writers Marilyn Diamond and Harvey Diamond. The book mainly follows the concept of orthopathy for weight loss.
Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle
Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle was written by Tom Venuto and claims to provide its reader with a program that enables them to lose weight and build body muscle within 30 days.
The Bulletproof Diet
This diet focuses on the quality of the foods you eat, rather than quantity. The Bulletproof Diet author focuses on counting calories so much as the types of foods to eat that will keep you lean, muscular, and full of energy.
Other alternatives:
- Mediterranean Diet
- Ketosis Diet
What Users Are Saying
“Basic, no nonsense guide to diet and exercise.”
“Amazon is great but this book is NOT what I had hoped for.”
“I just bought Bill Phillips’ Body for Life, Kindle edition. It is LOADED with typos and splitting up words with misplaced spacing. I am fluent in reading typos, and there are always some in books or texts, but this. It looks like alphabet soup. The program is very good. I’ve done it before with great results.”
The Bottom Line on Body for Life
Have we already started to read Body for Life? Well, we love the idea of working out and eating right, but we have some reservations about the program. There are far too many readers who claim the commitment is just too much for them. Then, there is the time you’re expected to spend in the gym. This one may not be for busy people.
Body for Life Cons:
- Could be too hard to follow for some
- Potential for unwanted side effects
If you want to get the most out of a diet and exercise program, we suggest choosing one that is both clinically-tested and personalized to meet your individual needs.
Among the best weight-loss programs we’ve seen this year is one called Noom. The program includes personalized meal plans, exercise tracking, human coaching, and more. Plus, the entire system is available through their easy-to-use app, which we love.
Plus, the company is offering Dietspotlight readers a free trial offer of Noom, which is a great sign.
Learn More About Noom »
Gail F (Verified Purchase)
I followed a modified BFL program for more than five years after I reached my desired weight, and gradually ended most of my exercise over several more years. I’m starting again to try to drop about 10 pounds. This site makes the exercise part sound difficult and burdensome. It’s not. I never joined a gym, did all with some inexpensive equipment at home. Also after dropping g the weight I wanted I went to three meals a day and only the occasional “cheat” day. This is easy to stick to if you think of it as good food and healthy exercise.
Curt (Verified Purchase)
I did the challenge in the early 2000’s. Heard about it on a business trip, bought the book when I got home. I didn’t use EAS products but was disciplined. 12 weeks later I was 30 lbs lighter and in the best shape of my life at 40.
Body for Life works on any level that you are willing to commit to. It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. The home workout worked for me. If you track the amount of calories in your guestimates with your food in the beginning you will be more successful faster. It’s an excellent program.
Anonymous (Verified Purchase)
I did the Body For Life for the 12 weeks and it worked wonderful. I had 2 children and was able to manage the decipline that it required. It was very hard to keep up the workout and meals each day but my children followed me and worked out around me as well. It helped me feel healthy and strong.I was able to build up muscle and lost about 20 lbs. Thank you for the encouraging stories in the book and motivational words from sthe author. Have a blessed day 🙂
Penny Kingma (Verified Purchase)
I followed the Body for Life program for 10 years plus. I had 5 children 3 under the age of 6 when I started. Your never hungry as you eat 6 healthy meals per day. It taught my children the importance of eating healthy…as we all did.
I looked incredible and spent less time working out then most. 4 hrs a week is not “living in the gym”.
1. Buy the book 2 Read it….All of it 3. Follow it….it’s a map to great health.
People that put it down haven’t done it !
I dislocated my hips water skiing . I’ve had both hips and both knees replaced in 4 separate surgeries in a 13 month period. The knees injured in an earlier car accident.
The last of those 4 surgeries was 4 months ago. Lying beside me is a Body for Life Success Journal (available on Amazon) my body and mind crave the exercise and dedication this program is designed for.
As soon as I can I Will
Body For Life absolutely works! There is a difference between change and transformation! Body for life does not change you it transforms you- you become mentally and physically strong, happy, confident, infectious to others… and the fat loss, the healthy skin and hair, the tonen body wellll that’s just a bonus! If you do the program as layer out it absolutely works time and time again. I’ve done it for 20 years plus, I train my clients with it, of course it requires a discipline- any good regimen does. The best things in life are the most amount of work- if you want so so- change some things, if you want a transformation give yourself an honest 12 weeks of discipline and you will be transformed into a new thinking a new lighter manicured body, a happy soul, an energy junky, and people will want to know how you transformed and how you can help them do the same:) go for it! BFL works!
Dannie Libby (Verified Purchase)
How does one enter the challenge? I can’t find an entry kit for 2019.
Will the Abbot entry kit for 2018 suffice?
Dalia
Do you have a book that explains all kinds of supplements and what are they used for?
Hilana (Verified Purchase)
I am a bit surprised by the people who claim too much time is spent in the gym and the commitment is too hard. When you follow the program, you actually spend about 4hours PER WEEK exercising. And you could do all the workouts from home with some exercise bands, a few sets of dumbbells and a cheap workout bench. As far as the food goes, you eat 6 times a day. You should never go hungry. 4 hours a week… That is nothing. And If you get up an hour earlier each day, you could do it before you even start the day. I get up at 5 and do the workouts. Before I head out of the door, its done.
I agree. I loved the short, intense workouts and the rotation of body groups. It was hard in the beginning, but once you’ve adapted, it seemed perfect to me.
I agree you are in and out
Carol LeMaster (Verified Purchase)
I have completed the Body for Life in 2003 after I had gained 30 lbs. I have kept the weight off ever since. 16 years. It is an excellent plan! I still perform the workouts – yes I work out 6 days a week, and so should everyone! The workouts only take about 42 minutes for weights and 20 minutes for cardio days. I do them in the morning before work. I would recommend the BFL to anyone. Yes, it takes work to stay heathy, but it’s worth it. every day
Elle (Verified Purchase)
After reading “Body for Life” in 2000, I completed 3 back to back challenges with a 2 week break in between each. I transformed by body from 167 lb size 16 to 127 lb size 4. I then coasted for years, not eating right, not working out and found myself right back at my starting point by 2003. I completed the plan again and got to a comfortable size 6/8 and maintained 4 years halfway using the plan M-F and taking the weekends off. I then decided to get serious again for a 12 week challenge and took by physical conditioning to new levels. At 40 years old, I was 120 lbs, size 2, 15% body fat, and looked GREAT! I could leg press 360 lbs! Unfortunately, I didn’t feel too great. I loved the workout plan, but the diet was so hard for me. I was hungry and miserable all of the time, except for my free day. I was also taking the EAS supplements, which included stimulants. My anxiety was through the roof! My husband told me he would rather I weigh 1,000 lbs and be happy than to be the anxious, cranky, depressed, self-obsessed person that I had become. So, while the program is solid and effective, I just couldn’t handle it emotionally. It has been 10 years since I stopped Body for Life, and I have been physically active, but 30 lbs overweight for the last 8 years. I am considering another 12 weeks to up my fitness before I turn 50, which is how I found this article. Good luck to all that follow this plan. I have never found a better, more effective way to transform my body!
There’s more than “the eye can see in your case.” Image issues? Food as a substitute? Find your balance… emotional before anything… you’re a woman… and claim those curves. Your Dear Husband has loved you in all your forms, so accept your well being as you are.
Marlene
I saw this diet in another article (and it worked for that blogger) but unfortunately, I have COPD, and sorry to say that the exercise intensity required just can’t happen. Makes me want to cry. My cortosteroid inhaler medication has a side effect of gaining weight, and so I am searching for better ways of getting proper nutrution, but, other than short walks, I’m done. This from a really active person for years. Thanks for listening and good luck to all of you who can do both parts!
I’m not sure what the complaints are about. Time in the gym? 20 minutes of cardio three days a week and about 45 minutes of weight lifting three days a week. That is about as compact as you can make an effective workout routine. As far as being out of date…I totally disagree. It focuses on shorter, but more intense workouts. It’s a concept that has only gained traction since the release of this program. I’m a fairly advanced fitness buff, but when I know I’m going to be short on time for a few months, this is my go to. If you follow the instructions you WILL drop body fat. There really is no guess work here. It’s exercise and healthier eating made relatively simple (I said simple, not easy, again its an intense program), if you stick to it you will see results. Having the cheat day is huge, and seriously, go bonkers on that day it won’t matter. After about the second week you’ll start to feel terrible after your cheat day and won’t be craving junk again for half the week. If you’re short on time and knowledge on nutrition, give it a shot. You won’t be sorry.
Scott Gordon (Verified Purchase)
First it is not just a weight loss program. It is a change of life for a lot of people to include me who has always been the skinny guy, it has helped me gain weight and muscle. It is also a very positive self esteem program, it helps set goals and reach them and is actually pretty easy to follow. It also trumps P90X in a lot of way’s, and no DVD to watch. Plus 84 days compared to 90 and the longest work out is under a hour, not a hour and half every day.
TJ Bowman (Verified Purchase)
My wife and I both completed a BFL challenge in 2000. Both of us were quite successful. I lost 27lbs of fat in 12 weeks. One piece of advice, don’t pay much attention to the scales – it’s body fat you want to lose – not just a number on a scale. Use calipers or get a professional to check your BF every few weeks. We used a few of the supplements offered and some seemed to help and others didn’t.
Just finished 1st wk on Body for life. Lost 4pounds. Had free day yesterday. Weighed today & gained 3 pounds. Why??
You gained water weight from your free day. When you return to the BFL diet, that weight drops quickly, in a day or two, and you continue to lose weight.
I have to share my facts. I weighed 280lbs, stuck with BFL and completed 84 days, my life style changed, turned around and completed another 84 days, and then completed another 84 days. I now weigh 175lbs, life is great, thanks Bill Phillips
Yeh i lost 6 pounds at the end of week 1 and had a treat day and have put 5 pounds back on (I think it’s the shift of water weight as Kamilla says). What i had done was took a picture of my front back and sides the day before i started week 1 and then again on the morning of my first treat day. I couldn’t believe the difference! Nothing dramatic but i could clearly see the love handles had been trimmed ever so slightly! Try not to be so focussed on weight loss and more on body shape – that’s what you want right? If i finished the program with a face like brad pitt and abs like Jesus but still weighed the same…i’d be pretty chuffed 🙂
Body for Life definitely works! I did it in 2002 and was a challenge champion! I am on day 9 of my new challenge and know from experience that the results I seek will be there at the end of 12 weeks. Remember that once the 12 weeks are over, you have created new habits that can carry you through a lifetime of health and fitness.
MISHYBOO (Verified Purchase)
I AGREE W/ THE OTHER POSITIVE COMMENTS. I HAVE ALSO COMPLETED A FEW CHALLENGES MYSELF AND ALWAYS HAVE GREAT RESULTS. I LOST 17 LBS IN MY 12WKS AND I STARTED A NEW CHALLENGE JUST YEST. I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WHAT THIS 12WKS WILL BRING:) GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU BFL’ERS OUT HERE:)
Taryn (Verified Purchase)
I definitely agree with Jo and Su. It’s a great program and it works!! I don’t call it a “drastic lifestyle change” at all. There is a structured exercise program and you eat 6 meals a day, a protein and a complex carb. Planning is all it really takes to be successful. You don’t even need a gym membership! I have a weight bench, free weights, good runners and a great shopping list!! The option of having a “free day” as well allows you to still enjoy the food that you love one day a week. Knowing that I can go out for dinner with friends or enjoy my favorite sweets once a week keeps me focussed the other 6 days and I don’t get off track. I’m 10 weeks in and I’ve seen my best results the last 3 weeks. I had 40 lbs to lose and I’m down 34, I’ve gained about 7 lbs of muscle and my body fat has gone from 28% to 16%. Can’t wait to see what the last two weeks bring!!!! :))
Su (Verified Purchase)
The body for life program is a great program to get healthy and re-claim your life. While on this program I consistantly lost 24-30 lbs each challenge. I also felt like I had twice the energy that I had before.
Jo (Verified Purchase)
Body for Life is common sense eating, nothing drastic or “out there”. You don’t need the supplements, just eat like the book says and you will lose weight and be healthier than ever, guaranteed! Both my husband and I did it and it worked! It takes planning ahead and that is it.
Do you see weight difference right away or not. I have been training for two weeks now and I have followed the plan without the supplemens but have not lost any weight. Thank you. I have only 10 pounds to loose does that make a difference. Thank you again
Hi, I have also just started, this is my 3rd week and although I do feel my clothes a bit looser, my weight has hardly dropped. I also have only 10 pounds to lose. I just wanted to know if you completed the 12 weeks and how you got on?
I recommend looking at BF% – lbs are hard to justify at 10lbs as you may gain more muscle and lose less fat which muscle weighs more. I didn’t see a change in my weight until about week 6-8.