Instead of going on another unsuccessful yo-yo diet, buying the latest exercise trend or stocking up on the latest 'miracle' pill, why not transform your body instead of simply changing it? In 12 weeks you can go from being the big, the bad and the ugly to becoming the lean, the mean and the sexy with Bill Phillips' Body-For-Life Program.

The program combines the basic principles of bodybuilding and nutrition, which complement each other to help you build and maintain a perfect physique. After 12 weeks you will notice more than just a physical change, you'll feel the transformation from within and you'll notice it changing aspects of your daily life, the way you feel about yourself and others.

People believe that in order to stay slim and healthy they need to spend as much time in the gym as possible - and this is one of the myths that Body-For-Life dispels. All you need to do is spend 20 minutes to an hour in the gym six days a week to achieve advanced physical results.

With the Training-for-Life Method, you are required to weight train three times a week. This is an intense workout that focuses on building either the upper or lower body. It requires only two percent of your time, and you don't need to turn your life upside down to fit it into your daily routine. You are introduced to a variety of exercises and shown how to perform them correctly in order to maximise muscle definition.

The training program also includes the 20-Minute Aerobic Solution, an intense cardio workout performed on every second day. Both training methods incorporate the High-Point Technique, which as the title says, will help you to achieve your very own highest point when training, according to your own body and fitness level.

When you exercise, you are training at a certain level. Most people train at the same intensity level for a long period. The Body-For-Life Aerobic Solution encourages you to change your intensity levels - from a low level to a high level and back minute-by-minute - for a period of 20 minutes. By the end of the 19th minute you are working at an extremely high level pushing your body to its extreme. Constantly changing the intensity also "shocks" your body in to burning more calories and it also promotes a higher fitness level.

Another fitness mistake most people make is they fail to follow a healthy nutrition plan, they think that because they are exercising they will burn fat, so they don't need to 'diet' - wrong! You must keep in mind that exercise in only the spark to igniting your fat burning fire, you still need the fuel in order to get a lighter going - the fuel being nutrition. Combining fat burning exercises (spark) with a healthy nutrition plan (fuel) will help you to lose those unwanted kilograms and keep them off.

Eating healthy does not mean rice cakes and tasteless 'diet' foods, or even starving yourself to death. With the Nutrition- for-Life Method you are required to eat at least six small, equally balanced meals a day. Each meal must contain a portion of protein and a portion of carbohydrates selected from an authorised list, and combined in order to create a meal. (A portion being the size of your clenched fist or the size of your palm.)

Too much food? Think about it, most people eat three big meals a day, and snack through out the day on junk food, sweets and chocolates. This method basically breaks down those three unhealthy meals into six smaller, healthier meals that keep you energised all day, meaning you will not need to snack throughout the day and gain unnecessary weight. Your metabolism will also work faster, therefore helping you to digest food faster, so that it is not stored as fat.

With this program you are even allowed to eat your favourite food once a week, you are given a 'cheat' or 'free' day where you are allowed to eat absolutely anything you like and laze around all day long. The free day is like your reward at the end of the week. There also a physiological reason to purposely overeating once a week - it may help convince your body that it is not starving.

Another major element of the Body-For-Life program is the emphasis it places on planning. "If you fail to plan, you're planning to fail," says Bill Phillips in his book Body-For-Life - 12 weeks to mental and physical strength. By planning your meals each day, you are not forced into making bad food choices, which are usually made when we are hungry and don't have time to prepare a nutritious meal. Planning your meals starts by making a list before you go shopping and stocking up on quality sources of protein, carbohydrates and vegetables, instead of impulse shopping.

The Body-For-Life program will help you understand your body, and how nutrition and training work side by side to help you build your best body ever. The program is for everyone, young, and old, fat and thin, gym bunny to gym rat. People all over the world have taken on the 'challenge' and accepted 'the challenge' including people with disabilities, life threatening diseases, athletes, and couch potatoes to everyday, ordinary people.

Body-For-Life does work, and if followed correctly you are guaranteed results. You will not go from being overweight to appearing in Sports-Illustrated magazine, but you will make a transformation. Changing your body will lead to a positive change in lifestyle and attitude, you will become healthier, energetic and more positive.

Visit http://www.bodyforlife.com for more info and check out the BFL support page on GetFIT at: http://www.getfit.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsec tion&id=19&Itemid=128

About the author:

Dimi Deliyiannis is the founder and editor of http://www.GetFIT.co.za, a free online magazine with information on training, diet and nutrition. She regularly writes articles for top South African magazines, including: Fitness, Muscle Evolution and Women's Value. Visit her website on http://www.getfit.co.za and sign up for her free monthly fitness supplement on http://www.getfit.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id =227&Itemid=91

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