Body For Life

Mr E

I'm going to enter the Body For Life challenge in a couple of weeks. 12 weeks of hard training and perfect diet. I've been training regularly for over 18 months, and will be doing the program with someone who has done it before (and won their age category), so I'm not taking this lightly.

I'm thinking of using the journal on boards to keep track of my progress.

Has anyone got any experience of this?
Any pros/cons/things to watch out for?

- Dave.

Magic Monkey

Try fitday.com to track your progress.

Chucky the tree

my god, some of those pictures actually would put me off!


http://www.bodyforlife.ie/ss_steve_matt.htm


:eek: :eek:


Best of luck with it anyway!

[Jackass]

Hmmmm....it seems you have to pay for every scrap of information on that website!!!
Care to share the routine/plan?

Mr E

I'll post the full routine when I have it done up.
I'll be starting the routine at the end of next week, so it'll be before then.

AARRRGH

What a scam. Look at this guy: http://www.bodyforlife.ie/ss_edward.htm

There is NO WAY IN HELL you can change your physique that dramatically in 12 weeks. Try 12 months maybe.

Mr E

I'm sceptical myself, dublindude, but I've seen first hand that its possible. I'll be interested to see what I can achieve.

AARRRGH

If you are not body shy, I'd love to see your results too. Good luck.

Mr E

Well 'before' and 'after' photos are part of the deal, so I have no problem making those available....

pwd

http://www.bodyforlife.ie/ss_edward.htm

total buill****. If that is the same person before and after a 12 week period then he took steroids no question.

Transform

With the pics they get tanned and place their hands in positions to hide the body fat areas e.g. placing them on the hips. The pics are real but most will use stimulants to accelerate the fat loss.

Good program overall but a massive sales pitch to continue taking EAS supplements - which are very good anyway

Supercell

If the pics are true and not done with 'roids then its a pretty amazing transformation that I find hard to believe (but really really want too!!).
TmB, have you considered doing a site? ..or blog or something to chart your daily progress ..am sure many people here myself included would love to see how you are getting on..what you are doing on a day to day basis and how hard /easy you are finding the regime (and of cos before and after pics!!)

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

kazzer

I endorse alot of the ideas in the Body-for-Life system, but check this guy out.

http://www.bodyforlife.ie/ss_timothy.htm

I dont know which is best, the before or after!!

pwd

I think that some of the people in those pics took steroids. I'm sure there are plenty of people who see these competitions and think "Hey if I take steroids I'll be able to win that!"
Also, the controls for illegal substances in such a competition are unlikely to be strict, if, indeed, they exist at all, because the whole point of it is to advertise how effective the [legal] supplements are.

Mr E

I guarantee I'll not be using steroids (I'm not stupid) or any other illegal supplements.

I'm a subscriber on boards, so Im going to set up a journal to document my progress (thanks anyway for the offer, Daveirl).

- Dave.

kazzer

TmB,

Let us know when your up and running. I tried Body-for-Life briefly but found the diet and weight training very difficult. I think the weight training program is unrealistic as it requires too much intensity for the amount of sets. If you can commit to it, you will get great results. Good Luck,

Mr E

I have no problem with hard work in the gym (I already go 6 days a week, so it'll just be a step up from that in intensity). The diet is going to be HARD though... I'm a snacker, and have a sweet tooth.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Mr E

Yep, I'll be tracking all measurements once a week....

- Weight
- Tape measure on waist, chest, legs, upper arms.
- Skinfold calipers for BF%.

Mr E

Sorry to dredge up the old thread (but its better than starting a new one).

For those who haven't been following my progress in my journal, I'm down to 11.42% bodyfat, and I've increased my weight by about 9lbs.

I'm down to the last fortnight of the program. For the next 2 weeks, I'm focussing on cutting carbs right back to almost nothing. I'll be cutting out sugar and salt, and cutting down alot on water too. Obviously the focus is changing from bulking to fat burn.

If anyone has gone through this (I suppose the closest equivalent would be bodybuilders leading up to a competition), do you have any suggestions or tips that'll get me through these 2 weeks of hell? Is a small amount of carbs really doing to set me back? Is fruit really that bad to take? Any food tips?

Easygainer

I don't know about the Irish one but I definitely know that those in the American one have often used steroids. Personally, I have no problem with steroids in sports or for recreational use when eveyone else is using them (which they are), but in a body for life contest it kind of defeats the purpose.

Anthony Ellis was a former winner of it in the States and has web sites www.howtobuildmuscle.com and howtolosefat.com too I think. Basically, it sets you up for failure if you think you'll achieve a physique like that in a few weeks.

(by the way, no way that guy in the pic posted in 3rd post was 8% - I'd give him 15% AT BEST - especially with a 36" waist. And more like 40% starting out. To have a 26" waist at 8% you'd have to have a ridiculously blocky structure.)

Easygainer

TmB wrote:

Sorry to dredge up the old thread (but its better than starting a new one).

For those who haven't been following my progress in my journal, I'm down to 11.42% bodyfat, and I've increased my weight by about 9lbs.

I'm down to the last fortnight of the program. For the next 2 weeks, I'm focussing on cutting carbs right back to almost nothing. I'll be cutting out sugar and salt, and cutting down alot on water too. Obviously the focus is changing from bulking to fat burn.

If anyone has gone through this (I suppose the closest equivalent would be bodybuilders leading up to a competition), do you have any suggestions or tips that'll get me through these 2 weeks of hell? Is a small amount of carbs really doing to set me back? Is fruit really that bad to take? Any food tips?

Yes carbs will set you back. You can't control your water levels properly without following the diet, even fruit will spike insulin beyond what you need. Stick to it, no deviation or you'll look soft!

Mr E

Thanks Easygainer.... Its only 2 weeks, its only 2 weeks, its only 2 weeks ....
(then I can go nuts)

Oh, and I'm not using steroids. I used a good lot of supplements though (ThermoDynamX, MyoPro, Simple Gain and Creatine).

BrianD3

LOL at those before and after photos. OK, there is an improvement in the people's physiques but as already mentioned it's made to look much more dramatic by the pose, (fake) tan and lighting. Pale skin and harsh flash photography will show a body at its worst, a good tan and better, more subtle lighting will make a massive difference. Men's Health magazine often uses these tricks for the "before" and "after" photoshoots that appear in the mag regularly.

BrianD3

Mr E

You're right, Brian. Thats part of the power of the photos.

Take the 'before' photo in a badly lit room (using a flash). Look miserable, slouch, take the photo on a full stomach.

Take the 'after' photo in natural light, on an empty stomach, without a flash. Use tan (if you're that way inclined), smile, pose.

Makes the world of difference.

that guy

How much does it cost to sign up for the program?

Any chance you'd post the diet and routines fo us???

Mr E

Doesn't cost a penny. More info at http://www.bodyforlife.ie/index1.htm
I have spreadsheets with my full diet, program, and progress. I have a meeting now, but I'll post them up later.

Mr E

Routine, progress and diet for first 10 weeks....

- Dave.

bonzai bob

hey TmB, you got any pics yet or are you saving them for when you're finished?

I just 'entered the challenge', what happens now? They send me some kind of 'starter pack' or something?

Mr E

I got an application form off a friend of mine (whos a personal trainer and previous winner). I looked at the site, and it looks like they'll send the pack out to you by post. It'll probably be the application form + competitor guide, and some EAS (supplement) brochures.

You can see a sample of the competitor guide here: http://www.bodyforlife.ie/images/compguide.pdf

Take your 'before' pics, start the hard work, and take pics every 3 or 4 weeks to chart your progress. Once you've finished, take your 'after' pics. Fill in the mini-essays in the application form (inspiration, challenges overcome, methods etc.), and send it in any time before the end of the year. There'll be an event at the start of next year to announce the winners (this years was in Carlow at the start of this year). All entrants were invited down for a presentation, dinner and awards.

Mr E

My journal of the experience so far.

bonzai bob

cool, sounds just like what i need to get off my arse tbh!

kazzer

I definitely know that those in the American one have often used steroids.

How do you know for definite? Im not saying thats not true, im just curious about what you know and we dont!