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Body for Life: 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength Hardcover – June 10, 1999

by Bill Phillips (Author), Michael D'Orso (Author)
See all formats and editions
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The principles of the Body For Life Program are surprisingly simple but remarkably powerful. Imagine, just 12 weeks from now, having the lean healthy body you’ve always wanted and not having to turn your life upside down to get it. Imagine having the energy to be at your peak from dawn to dusk, having the confidence to do all the things you’ve been putting off, and knowing that you really do have the power to change—not just your body but anything you set your mind to.

In Body For Life Bill Phillips guides you, step by step, through the integrated Body–for–LIFE Program, which reveals:

·      How to lose fat and increase your strength by exercising less, not more;

·      How to tap into an endless source of energy by living with the Power MindsetTM;

·      How to create more time for everything meaningful in your life;

·      How to trade hours of aerobics for minutes of weight training with dramatic results;

·      How to make continual progress by using the High–Point Technique™;

·      How to feed your muscles while starving fat with the Nutrition–for–LIFE Method™;

·      How thousands of ordinary people have now become extraordinary and how you can, too.

·      How to gain control of your body and life, once and for all.

Transform your mind, your body, and your life—in as little as 12 weeks.  

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  1. Print length
    201 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    William Morrow
  4. Publication date
    June 10, 1999
  5. Dimensions
    7.38 x 0.81 x 9.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0060193395
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0060193393
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Bill Phillips had been publishing bodybuilding magazines and marketing nutritional supplements for years when he had a weird revelation at a trade show: many of the most loyal and enthusiastic readers he had were totally out of shape. From that uncomfortable realization came his popular Physique Transformation Contest (top prize that first year: Phillips's own Lamborghini), now world famous, and this book.

The three-times-a-week weightlifting program in Body for Life is deceptively simple. If you've spent any time in the gym, you've already done all the exercises. But Phillips includes a couple of high-intensity sets at the end of each exercise that should compound the training effect on each muscle group. Same goes for the cardiovascular exercise he recommends: just 20 minutes, three times a week. But those 20 minutes are spent jacking the intensity up and down, accomplishing more in less time.

Phillips arranges all this into a 12-week program, along with nutritional and motivational tips. Be warned that the nutritional advice gets a little spacey. For example, he puts "carbohydrates" and "vegetables" into separate categories, and recommends three daily doses of a nutritional supplement called Myoplex, which his company manufactures. (Fortunately, he gives tips on how to make each dose taste different, such as by adding drops of peppermint extract.) Despite this strangeness, Body for Life still motivates because so many others have achieved astounding results in similar 12-week windows, and the pictures and testimonials are here as evidence. --Lou Schuler

Review

"After completing the 12-week program, I not only achieved my physical goals, I rediscovered passion in my life. This became the primary driving force behind my success. I've become the person I've always wanted to be." -- Russell Simpson, M.D., age 47 Physician; Huntsville, Alabama

"I admire Bill Phillips because he believes so much in what he's doing, and he's helped so many people, including me. The time I've spent with Bill over the last couple years has been tremendous for me. I feel better mentally and physically. I believe the more his message gets out, the better off everybody's going to be." -- John Elway Two-Time NFL World Champion

"When I first read about Bill's program, I felt a sense of hope I hadn't felt before. I was inspired to take the first crucial step--I decided to change. Within weeks, I felt better, I looked better, and people started to notice. After 12 weeks, I lost 30 pounds, 3 inches off my waist, 4 inches off my hips, and dropped 3 sizes. My life couldn't be better. I'm not settling for mediocrity ever again." -- Christy Hammons, Age 24 Accountant; Lexington, Kentucky

"When we discovered Bill Phillips, we realized we had been confronted with a simple decision, 'Change our lives or dig our own grave with a fork and knife.' After a few weeks on the program, our bodies were changing, but more than that, our relationship, our lives were changing." -- Fred and Rene Scurti, ages 38 and 35Sales Manager and Homemaker; Parker, Colorado

"While going through Bill Phillips' program, the physical changes I experienced were just the 'tip of the iceberg' for the changes in my mind-set. It empowered me and opened my eyes to the possibilities of change in all areas of my life." -- Hank Johnson, Age 39 NASA Space Shuttle Engineer; Cape Canaveral, Florida

"After completing the 12-week program, I not only achieved my physical goals, I rediscovered passion in my life. This became the primary driving force behind my success. I've become the person I've always wanted to be." -- Russell Simpson, M.D., age 47 Physician; Huntsville, Alabama

"When I first read about Bill's program, I felt a sense of hope I hadn't felt before. I was inspired to take the first crucial stepI decided to change. Within weeks, I felt better, I looked better, and people started to notice. After 12 weeks, I lost 30 pounds, 3 inches off my waist, 4 inches off my hips, and dropped 3 sizes. My life couldn't be better. I'm not settling for mediocrity ever again." -- Christy Hammons, Age 24 Accountant; Lexington, Kentucky

"I admire Bill Phillips because he believes so much in what he's doing, and he's helped so many people, including me. The time I've spent with Bill over the last couple years has been tremendous for me. I feel better mentally and physically. I believe the more his message gets out, the better off everybody's going to be." -- John Elway Two-Time NFL World Champion

"When we discovered Bill Phillips, we realized we had been confronted with a simple decision, 'Change our lives or dig our own grave with a fork and knife.' After a few weeks on the program, our bodies were changing, but more than that, our relationship, our lives were changing." -- Fred and Rene Scurti, ages 38 and 35Sales Manager and Homemaker; Parker, Colorado

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow; First Edition (June 10, 1999)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 201 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0060193395
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0060193393
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.4 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.38 x 0.81 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:

About the authors

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  1. Bill Phillips

    Bill Phillips

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    New York Times best-selling author, magazine publisher, documentary filmmaker, entrepreneur, inventor, self-made multimillionaire, and motivator, Bill Phillips has thus far proved unstoppable. Described recently by Outside magazine as "the most successful fitness author of all time," over the years, Phillips has served as "personal trainer" to a who's-who list of Hollywood icons, but what he's most proud of is his work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation® and more recently, his work as an adviser to the United States Department of Health and Human Services on programs to resolve childhood obesity.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Michael D'Orso

    Michael D'Orso

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    Mike D'Orso's work includes sixteen books, all in the form of narrative nonfiction. His subjects range from politics to professional football, from racial conflict to environmental destruction, from inner-city public education to social justice to spinal cord injury. The settings for his books range from Arctic Alaska to the Galapagos Islands to the swamps of rural Florida.

    Honors for Mike's work include the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award, the New York Times Notable Book of the Year list, Newsweek Magazine's 2009 list of "50 Books For Our Times," the American Library Association's Alex Award, the Lillian Smith Book Award for writing on social justice, the Christopher Award, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, the American Library Association's Nonfiction Book of the Year, selection among the New York Public Library's "25 Best Books of the Year", and inclusion three times in The Sporting News' annual Best Sports Stories anthology. Eight of Mike's books have been bestsellers. Three have been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. His newspaper work as a feature writer at the Virginian-Pilot was also nominated three times for a Pulitzer.

    Mike's work has been featured or reviewed in The New Yorker, Atlantic Monthly, Sports Illustrated, Time, Newsweek, Forbes, Outside, Cosmopolitan, Audubon, Reader's Digest, Business Week, People, and The Oxford American magazines, as well as in numerous major metropolitan newspapers, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, the Chicago Tribune, and USA Today. He has appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," C-Span's "Book TV," MSNBC and numerous National Public Radio programs, including Michael Feldman's "Whad'Ya Know?"

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  3. W. Nathaniel Phillips

    W. Nathaniel Phillips

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
1,266 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book's fitness plan and nutrition insights and philosophies to be a good starting point and framework for people to dedicate themselves to. They also describe the book as awesome, inspiring, and very straightforward. Readers also say the exercises take only 4 hours per week and the protocol is efficient. They mention the educational value as great and the program as delivering on its promise.

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Fitness and nutritionPopularityUnderstandabilityEducational valueUsabilityContentReadability
184 customers mention "Fitness and nutrition"178 positive6 negative

Customers find the book's fitness and nutrition plan pretty good, with a no-nonsense guide to diet and exercise. They say it incorporates the most effective training techniques and presents it in an easy-to-follow way. Customers also say it's great for weight loss and productivity soars. They also mention that the exercises are fun and keep them interested, and they've gained good muscle mass in their upper and lower body.

"...This book is no exception, being filled with insights and philosophies of how to live and take control of our lives and so on...." Read more

"...'s, one thing I can speak from personal experience is this, you will lose weight, and you will be more fit and look better then you have in quite a..." Read more

"...In a few months on it, I've built muscle mass and lost weight, and I'm confident anyone sticking with the program will do the same." Read more

"...The nutrition sections are excellent. Six small meals a day, with a low fat diet...." Read more

99 customers mention "Popularity"99 positive0 negative

Customers find the book awesome, wildly popular, and addictive. They also say it's worth the money.

"...book and program (they have a big website operation) seems to be wildly popular; there are 907 (and counting) reviews on amazon.com, many of them..." Read more

"...Easy to follow & very enjoyable. I have lost 20 pounds, having such support at work and I enjoy the easy to follow program...." Read more

"I’ve read this book and it’s great! I don’t know where my head copy went, so I figured I’d buy the Kindle version...." Read more

"This book is a gem...." Read more

79 customers mention "Understandability"75 positive4 negative

Customers find the book very straightforward, simple, and easy to read. They also say the exercise program is quick, simple to follow, and efficient.

"...The exercise routines are quick and remarkably effective. The diet is flexible enough to where you never have to cheat. What more do you want?..." Read more

"...program worked better then anything I have ever tried, it is a very easy program, you learn to go at your own pace,..." Read more

"...It's not the only way to go, but it is certainly a solid and efficient protocol, solidly backed up by other researchers...." Read more

"...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..." Read more

32 customers mention "Educational value"32 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's educational value great, and mention that it's a life-changing program.

"...But otherwise, this is a very solid and effective program...." Read more

"...It's a good program, and if you stick to it for 12 weeks, you'll love how you feel. You'll start loving it before then, even." Read more

"...I think Phillips' weight-lifting (strength-training) program is very good...." Read more

"...Personally I think this is one of the best work-out systems ever created .. and if you're looking to get in shape w/ out needing to spending long..." Read more

23 customers mention "Usability"23 positive0 negative

Customers are satisfied with the usability of the book. They mention that it really works, has quick delivery, and delivers on its promise.

"...The exercise routines are quick and remarkably effective. The diet is flexible enough to where you never have to cheat. What more do you want?..." Read more

"...In that regard, the book is, indeed, successful." Read more

"It is all here & it is working for me. Everything...what to eat, what to drink, how to exercise & the detailed method...." Read more

"...if you follow the plan - Only simple equipment required - works great with just a set of adjustable dumbbells and a bench - Great advice..." Read more

11 customers mention "Content"0 positive11 negative

Customers find the content outdated, disingenuous, and not what was advertised.

"...The before-and-after photographs in this book are probably a little disingenuous...." Read more

"...3. Phillips associates body weight with success in life. Absolutely preposterous...." Read more

"...As it was written several years ago, some information is outdated...." Read more

"...I'd definitely recommend this to anyone. The book is a bit old, but it's still valid today...." Read more

11 customers mention "Readability"0 positive11 negative

Customers find the book unreadable, with hundreds of spelling mistakes and scrambled sentences. They also say it's not written for dummies and contains writing in the workout pages.

"...Even the typesetting of the title is obnoxious.)..." Read more

"...And those pages are so tiny, they are nearly impossible to read! The hard copy version is much better, Kindle version is crap!" Read more

"...The book was annoying to try and read - the first several chapters made me feel like I was watching an infomercial but once you get past that they..." Read more

"I just bought Bill Phillips’ Body for Life, Kindle edition. It is LOADED with typos and splitting up words with misplaced spacing...." Read more

This is a great book, but there are serious problems with the kindle version
3 out of 5 stars
This is a great book, but there are serious problems with the kindle version
I’ve read this book and it’s great! I don’t know where my head copy went, so I figured I’d buy the Kindle version. The scanning is horrible misplacing “f’s” for “I’s” and capital letters where they shouldn’t be. Additionally, the actual scanned pages from the book are nestled into the electronic version making it hard to follow. And those pages are so tiny, they are nearly impossible to read! The hard copy version is much better, Kindle version is crap!
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Top reviews from the United States

Blake Watson
5.0 out of 5 stars It's fast, it's effective, it works. What more do you want?
Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2000
Verified Purchase
I'm on the 11th week of this program and while I'm not in two weeks going to look like the photos inside the book--those are the champions of the Body-for-LIFE challenge--it will probably only take me a month or so more to get there. This is not bad considering prior to this I had more-or-less given up on being much more than thin, since muscle-building programs always seem to take hours. And I have built more muscle working with weights for 45-minutes a day, three times a week, than I have in any previous program I've tried, no matter how lengthy.
The thing to keep in mind, if you use Mr. Philips' system, is that you will be gaining weight as well as losing it. I've only netted about a pound a week weight loss--but I've lost much more than that in fat, since I've gained considerable muscle mass. This is a good thing unless you're obsessed with the numbers on the scale.
The system for eating isn't a diet in the traditional crash-weight-loss sense. You don't measure stuff out with scales and tape-measures; you do have to maintain your integrity when picking portions for yourself. (There's a simple guideline.) You eat six meals a day from a simple menu. (Philips recommends a powdered drink mix but I don't care for those, and the program still works for me.)
This is the real genius of the diet though: One day a week, you can eat whatever you want, however much you want. In the book, Mr. Philips says that you'll be happy to get back to your regular eating pattern after your "free day", even after only six days on the diet. I didn't believe it when I read it; I was astounded to experience it for myself. (I'm a binge eater, normally: I eat one or two huge meals a day, easily go 15 to 24 hours without food, enjoy fasting. This program changed that, quickly and rather easily.) I've enjoyed my free days, and some weeks I've looked forward to them more than others, but I'm glad to go back to (my new) normal diet afterward, every time.
This really =is= something you can do for the rest of your life without completely organizing your life around exercise and diet. The exercise routines are quick and remarkably effective. The diet is flexible enough to where you never have to cheat. What more do you want?
Well, if Amazon would let me, I would knock a half-a-star out for a few annoying things: The graphic design of the book is not helpful. (Even the typesetting of the title is obnoxious.) The graphics for the workouts communicate the concept, but don't really help you if you're sweataing through one. And why is it that the three groups of foods (proteins, carbohydrates, vegetables) have exactly the same number of entries in the table? Seems like the list could be expanded a bit.
And, let's be honest: the number one source of philosophers in America are diet/exercise gurus. This book is no exception, being filled with insights and philosophies of how to live and take control of our lives and so on. I don't have a problem with this (and Mr. Philips' philosophy is fairly workable) but the sheer amount of it can make it difficult to just =find= the meat of the program (the exercise and diet patterns).
I also always get a chuckle out of specious analogies like "grazers are horses" where "bingers are bears", so which do you want to look like? Oh yeah? How about cows (they graze) and lions (who binge)?
But these are minor points. (Like the editorial review that thinks it's weird that carbohydrates and vegetables are listed separately--well, the vegetables are all of the low-cal variety and it wouldn't do to replace lettuce with a plate of pasta, would it?) The major point is that it works, and is manageable.
138 people found this helpful
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S. W. Snow
5.0 out of 5 stars A great Program, only if you follow it!
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2010
Verified Purchase
I found this book a few years ago, and thought what the heck I will give it a shot, and literally 10 weeks later I was standing in a store and one of my buddies I hadn't seen in a while came in with his wife and they almost didn't recognize me? I went back to put on the pants that I was wearing when I started the program......They were too baggy to wear.

If you read the negative reviews here it is usually from people that tried the program for a week and didn't follow thru. It really isn't a difficult program, actually it is quite easy to follow. You get to eat six times a day, and on Sundays, anything you want....Actually after a while you forget about the Sunday thing. The only reason I stopped the program was that I had hurt my back years before, and I finally went in to see a therapist, they tell me to stop working out, with out even asking me what kind of work out I was doing, (For the record the one I was doing was easier on my back then what they were having me do!) and they put me on their w/o, sure enough my back got worse and I gained 20 lbs. (For the record the therapist and their "Chain" are noted in the area that I live as the worst place anyone can go to for back issues, and this is coming from the local people at the local Hospital. Every time I mention the particular therapists name, I see Dr.'s faces cringe!)

I have tried w/o with personal trainers, I have tried with PT's & I have tried Gym Memberships, but all I am going to say is this, this book and this program worked better then anything I have ever tried, it is a very easy program, you learn to go at your own pace, (With a Personal Trainer all they wanted was $400 and they pushed me like I was training for the Olympics?) This book is one of the few books on working out, eating a more healthy diet and staying fit that I have ever seen that is reasonable, and works.

If you are trying to look like Arnold, this may not be the book for you, this is a book about overall fitness, not overall "Steroid" look. I have read thru most of the posts here, and I noted that the people that wanted an overall healthy life, and who were just trying to stay healthy gave this book a good review, the ones who wanted overnight results and wanted to look like Arnold were the ones that didn't like the book. If you buy this book, and use it for 12 weeks in the way they suggest's, one thing I can speak from personal experience is this, you will lose weight, and you will be more fit and look better then you have in quite a while. No Fluff, no external pills to buy, no special exercise machine, just buy the book, and have some basic work out equipment and you are ready to go. For the record, I used and still use an old Soloflex Machine that I bought off of ebay years ago. If you want, you can just use a basic set of weights. (This time because I am living in a different place and my Soloflex is in Storage, I will be using the "TRX Suspension Trainer". I am sure I will get the same results. BTW the TRX is a pretty neat tool as well, it lets you work out anywhere.)
21 people found this helpful
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kc
5.0 out of 5 stars This one's actually quite good
Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2004
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I've been in the fitness industry for over a decade, and unfortunately a lot of the material out there that is quite popular is also not the best for you. The problem is that almost any change you make can result in short term benefits, but many changes are not sustainable and you'll actually wind up worse off than when you started on some of these fad diets or unbalanced exercise programs.

Phillips program, however, is very sensible -- a low fat diet, with frequent smaller meals. Plus one day off a week to keep you sane and keep your metabolism up. There's plenty of science to back the program up. And he doesn't go overboard on the tracking and calculating calories. Just some simple rules of thumb.

This gets combined with a strength and cv program that are fairly high intensity. That could be challenging for some, but in general, they're pretty time efficient so worth the tradeoff. The CV program uses interval training which is highly effective and efficient. The strength program is an ascending half pyramid plus one super set at the end of each muscle group. It's not the only way to go, but it is certainly a solid and efficient protocol, solidly backed up by other researchers.

The only slight turnoffs are a lot of rah-rah emotional stuff in the book that I could have done with less of, and a minor pitch to buy protein bars from EAS.

But otherwise, this is a very solid and effective program. In a few months on it, I've built muscle mass and lost weight, and I'm confident anyone sticking with the program will do the same.
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Oscar Gonzalez
1.0 out of 5 stars Used Book Libro Usado
Reviewed in Mexico on July 22, 2021
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Oscar Gonzalez
1.0 out of 5 stars Used Book Libro Usado
Reviewed in Mexico on July 22, 2021
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ANOOP KOSHY THOMAS
5.0 out of 5 stars similar and a better book is a book by guide to bodybuilding by ...
Reviewed in India on October 29, 2017
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it is a must have book for anyone who wants to get physically fit in the gym.similar and a better book is a book by guide to bodybuilding by kris gethin particularly with respect to format table of exercises to be performed each day.also buy healthy for life by marika johansson by om books gives tasty healthy indian recipes.
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Paul Bkr
5.0 out of 5 stars The best ever book written on fitness
Reviewed in Australia on December 31, 2022
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I have tried every type of training regime and diet over 40 years and without a doubt this is the clearest and simplest training regime you could ever follow. It works, pure and simple.
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Tom N
5.0 out of 5 stars THE book to change your physic FAST!
Reviewed in Canada on December 22, 2014
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This book is for real if you are ready to turn your life around!!

From fat to fit in no time. Follow it and watch the results start the first week, no gimmicks, no empty promises just FAST results.
Join a gym or invest in a bench and set of dumbbells if you'd rather stay home or even better if you can afford it and have the room for it at home, buy a Treadmill and a Bowflex so you have cardio and all muscle work out at home.

The book shows you exactly what to do and what to eat day by day for six days. The seventh day is free. You alternate between lower body work out one day, cardio next, upper body work out on the third and cardio again the forth and on and on with every seventh day free. Watch your fat and blood pressure drop, muscles develop, blood sugar normalize, mojo return literally in the first couple of weeks as if by magic! Hey, if I could do it, you guys and ladies can too. Remember: "Every journey begins with the first step", so take the step and spread the word to others when you see how far you came.

Thanks Bill for sharing.
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keeperlit
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Programme!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 20, 2010
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I am in the final week of the 12 week challenge and it's made a great difference to my health and physique.

When I started I was fairly thin (11.5st and 6"2) but extremely unfit (rest heart rate of 108 bpm). I also had a nice beer belly coming along although funnily enough most people assumed I was fit as I have always been thin.

The intense cardio workouts shifted my beer belly within 6 weeks and I now have a rest heart rate of 66bpm which is a hell of lot more healthy for a 30yr old! Despite losing the belly I have put on nearly half a stone in muscle so am now knocking on the door of 12stone. The weights methodology is easy to follow and for the first half of the programme I documented every last rep. After I while I got into the swing of the programme and could rattle through the workout in my head and knew when loads needed increasing etc.

Diet accounts for 70% of this programme and while I followed the recipes to the letter for a few weeks, I soon realised that I needed more carbs to keep the bulk on and to keep my appetite satisfied. Instead of using EAS shakes I used a 'Total Gain' mix from Myprotein which was much better value and pretty tasty (around 20quid for 2.7kg tub). Also, as I was primarily after muscle gain I ignored the book's advice to workout on an empty stomach. Instead I add a scoop of protein to porridge and milk and down that for a filling carb & protein packed shake.

As per the rules of the book you can have a food/drink blowout 1 day a week, and believe me I make the most of this! Full cooked breakfast, takeaways, guiness, you name it! I suppose that is a good motivational tool for starting the next week. One final benefit I should mention is that by cutting out fatty foods 6 days a week I hardly ever suffer from heart burn any more. The odd twinge on a Saturday I can deal with...

After the 12 weeks I fully intend to continue the lifestyle as I have never had a better balance of good diet and good fitness. If you have read this far then get off your sofa and buy this book!
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