The whole ‘Body for Life’ phenomenon started with The Body for Life book which was written by Bill Phillips and introduced onto the book shelves in 1999. It was distributed initially in the United States and North America and quickly went on to become a bestseller.

The Body for Life plan is a simple no nonsense approach to transforming your physique into the best that it can be through the application of nutrition and exercise fundamentals that place the emphasis on a balanced diet combined with portion control plus a simple cardiovascular and weight training template.

The plan, or lifestyle, is split into 3 parts which last over an initial period of 12 weeks:

1. Eating For Life – this contains all the nutritional aspects of the lifestyle such as the food types that we are allowed and the portion sizes to consider as well as the frequency of meals.

2. Cardiovascular Training – this involves high intensity training for a period of 20 minutes 3 times a week.

3. Weight Training – this is a training session that lasts about 46 minutes which is done 3 times a week. The sessions alternate between upper body exercises such as chest and shoulders and the lower body.

One of the most notable aspects of this programme, other than how effective it can be if followed properly, is that it is by no means difficult to follow and is very manageable by most people irrespective of you age, current fitness level and experience.

As I have said earlier the programme lasts for an initial period of 12 weeks which is collectively know in Body for Life circles as a ‘challenge’. Many followers also continue onto another challenge after the initial one and some have gone onto totally transform their lives and compete in local and national figure and physique competitions.

The sponsors of the Body for Life programme run its own annual completion whereby ‘challengers’ submit a photograph taken before embarking on the challenge and an ‘after’ photograph as well as answers to a questionnaire that addresses issue that they had along the journey to their better body.

This submission is judged within various categories and prizes are awarded accordingly. The Grand Champion wins a lucrative cash and sponsor ship deal to befit their status.

The commercial side of the Body for Life lifestyle consists of a food supplement business and a media company that distributes books that show how to get the best out of the programme. There is also a very well organized and informative website that provides free access to download the eating and training templates as well as authorized foods and recipes and a helpful forum.

In my opinion the Body for Life lifestyle is a well organized and structured way to help educate and motivate yourself to obtain the best body that you can and in the process of doing so increase your self-confidence and self-esteem. Body For life is a great way for people who not only need to lose weight but also for people who are at an accepted weight but want to improve their fitness levels and muscle definition.

The author has no medical qualifications; please consult a qualified Physician before embarking on any weight loss program.

Frank Muller advocates the Body for Life plan as a means to lose fat and gain muscle.

Please drop by his website to see additional articles about transforming your body mind and spirit.

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Maybe not, but it looks like it can help your brain work more efficiently. Researchers looked at the brain waves of two groups of elderly people, one athletic, the other sedentary. They found that the brain waves of the athletic group more closely resembled those of younger people. This study strongly suggests that exercise can help you maintain your mental sharpness as you age. So who do you know who wants to maintain their mental edge as they age? My unique coaching system will provide you with an exercise program to help you achieve a fit body as well as a fit mind.

First hand experience shows me that older adults who work out make better drivers because their minds are sharper. The reflexes of an 80 year old exerciser as opposed to a non-exerciser/sedentary adult are more than 20 times faster. Being able to respond to traffic emergencies in a timely manner could mean the difference between a fender-bender and a fatal accident.

Exercise is the most widely prescribed �pill� today. Exercise, when done properly, incorporates the body, mind and spirit.

Can you be athletic at any age? You betcha. The old school of thought was that once you lost it (i.e. strength, flexibility, stamina, and mental clarity) you could not get it back. I�m here to tell you that that way of thinking is outdated. Whatever the age, whatever the circumstance, with consistency and perseverance, you can regain what ever physical characteristics you thought were lost. If your body is exercised and becomes conditioned, it links right to the brain and other motor skills. My unique coaching program can give you the motivation and support that you need to regain control of your body.

Aging can be a wonderful trip. To age with grace and dignity you need to be pro-active in your wellness regime. If you aren�t taking care of your body by fueling it with the proper food, hydrating it with the right amounts of water, and exercising properly, you can�t expect it to support you in your later years.

You can equate your body to an automobile. Would you wait until you run out of gas to refuel? Would you wait until the engine overheated to check to see if your radiator was full? Would you wait until the engine seized up before you changed the oil? Think about it!

Take classes in nutrition; learn about what the proper amounts of water you need for your individual make-up; hire someone to help you set up an exercise program that is designed for your body and its needs. Then, adopt this knowledge as a lifestyle and live a quality life.

I�ve mentioned taking classes, learning, and exercising. I�d like to interject that as you embark on your wellness journey that you do your homework and research the information that you are planning to adopt.

A very important tip is that no matter who or what source you decide to listen to, follow that one concept. Don�t try to pull in information from this person or that magazine or that newspaper article�it�ll drive you nuts. Find one person or source and stick to it.

Don�t try to pull from several different resources because you will find that there will be lots of conflicting information. If you try to listen to every suggestion and take each person�s advice it will get you so confused and overwhelmed that you will probably scrap the whole lifestyle change idea. You might need to have one source for nutrition counseling and one for fitness training, but nonetheless, listen to just one person for each segment of your voyage.

Learn to trust your instincts, your body and your coach.

An active lifestyle is so much more fun and rewarding than a sedentary one. Our bodies were designed to move. Even if you haven�t been active for a long time and you have no major health issues, with dedication, perseverance, and consistency you too can improve your life.

Don�t forget to find time for rest and recuperation. Your muscles need to rest so that they can rebuild and be stronger for your next workout. Wait at least 48 hours between full body strength workouts.

Bonnie Murphy-BFIT and Well- Healthy Lifestyle Coach for Mature Women. 20 years experience working with older adults. ACE, AFAA, AEA, and UAA Certified as Group Exercise Instructor, Personal Trainer and Aquatic Exercise Instructor. Master Fitness by Phone Coach. Developed the 18-week Ultimate Phone Coaching Program so that I can work with you from wherever you are in the World. This program is guaranteed to bring you results in fitness, weightloss and health.

Phone: 907.646.4076 Email: bonnie@bfitandwell.com Website: http://www.bfitandwell.com

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