body for life and pure strenght?

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tamara2000

Guest
is there anyone out there who follows the body for life program and has used the pure strenght series tapes as a guide to weight training?
the body for life book has the photos and tips on how to lift ,but i am intimidated and new to weights so i would feel much more comfortable with a high intensity interval video to follow along with. for those of you wondering about bfl because its all about transforming your body through proper nutrition,efficient cardio nad weight training with results showing in 12 weeks.
 
bfl

Hi Tamara! I've done the Body for Life weight lifting and found that there just wasn't enough variety in it for me. Also, you do have to have a lot of different dumbells in various sizes in order to perform the pyramid system that he wants you to do. Cathe's system is much more varied and it's fun to watch a video and also be instructed on proper form which is essential to any weight lifting program. I stopped doing Body for Life because my new tapes came in and I've seen fabulous results from Cathe's new tapes so I'll stick with this. Good luck! Kathy
 
I go by BFL way of eating....

but solely use Cathe for workouts. I think she understands the female body in a way that Bill Phillips just can't plus, Bill is a body "builder" which is great but, it's not what I want. I don't want to look like him (of course that's not possible even if I did) but, I do want to look like Cathe (it may never happen but, I do believe it is possible). Plus, I just simply trust Cathe completely. I have been using the PS series for the weight work and I think it fits in very nicely.

JMHO
Alli
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bfl

<center><font size="1" color="#ff0000">LAST EDITED ON Aug-30-00 AT 05:07PM (EST)</font></center>

ladies thank you so much for responding.
you dont know how much you have helped me .
i had been researching weight training videos for about a week now.
and the only one that seemed to fit the concept was cathe's.i ordered them,just got them today but was afraid of taking the plastic of them because once you do you cannot return.
this is my 2 attempt at the bfl program
i didn't see any results because i didn't stick with it long enough and couldn't motivate myself to do the weight part. as easy as it sounds i find it difficult to focus on proper form and timing if i have to be looking in the book.
i like working out with videos because it feels as though you have a friend working out along with you.
i was so stressed out about what to do.
and praying that i could find someone(females) who saw great results from cathe's
thank you again
i will definitely be reviewing after school tonight.
 
weight training tapes

hi kathy
i posted a general reply to you and the other lady that was kind enough to take me out of my misery.
but i still wanted to thank you all personally
i didn't know what to do, so all week i have been doing cardio until i found the best path to losing my 33%bodyfat and gaining muscle instead.
 
Body for Life

Hi Tamara,

I did Bill Phillips thing back when it was called the "Physique Transformation Challenge". He didn't offer any specific workout programs back then so I did my own thing using Carthe's cardio and Pure Strength tapes. It worked great. So go for it!

Just remember a huge part of what happens WILL be determined by what you eat. Bill's "bodybuilders" type nutrition plan really works if you stick with it. I was able to drop 15lbs. of bodyfat and have kept it off for about three years now. I'm still doing Cathe's tapes though!

Good Luck. Sheila
 
Just a word of caution about BFL

I also checked into the BFL program out of curiousity, but decided there was no way I could follow it properly. It requires the use of certain shakes for snacks and every shake contains NutraSweet (Aspartame) as a sweetener instead of sugar. While I adamantly agree that sugar is something to avoid at all costs, I am even more adamant on the subject of NutraSweet and health. It's a long subject to get into (though if you're ever really curious I can sumarize all my research over the years) but suffice it to say that any program that uses shakes or bars made with NutraSweet isn't about health as much as it is about weight loss without regards to long-term side effects. Just keep that in mind when looking over the plan because it's something I think a lot of people take for granted as safe and harmless when it's quite the opposite. You CAN get equally dramatic and permanent results by eating a healthful diet devoid of high sugars, artificial sweeteners and even animal protein (if that's your desire.)

What tends to attract people to such programs is usually the convenience of having it all planned out for you, so all you have to do is really follow along. It does make it so much easier than trying to do it all yourself, but just make sure that any dietary changes you make are going to be permanent because temporary changes in eating results in temporary weight loss followed by weight gain (usually adding more weight than you started out with in the first place.) There are so many great nutrition books out there and no one plan is perfect for everyone, but one of my favorites is "Fit For Life." I integrated the concept of Food Combining into my diet (which also combines a Blood Type A diet with an anti-Candida diet) and it literally completely changed my life. My energy, total health, moods and body have changed so much, I look and feel younger at 30 than I did at 20.

I hope this didn't sound like a sermon, but it's a subject I'm passionate about. I'm currently studying nutrition and Kinesiology so I can get carried away! But I hope this has helped even a little bit.

Take care.
 
the shakes are not required....

rather they are an option to help some people fit in 6 meals per day. Some people have plenty of time to shop for and prepare 6 "real-food" meals per day, and that is wonderful for them, they do not need to rely on shakes or bars to get their 6 meals in. For others, who have trouble coming up with 6 food-meals per day, the meal-replacement shakes offer an alternative. They aren't required though. The BFL nutrition plan simply calls for 6 meals per day, each meal consisting of a portion of carb. and a portion of protein. I do however agree with your words of caution about artificial sweeteners, Lex! It is good that you pointed that out, but I just wanted to state the fact that those MRP's aren't a requirement for doing BFL. Thanks, and congrats on finding a nutrition plan that is working so well for you!!!
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Debbie
 
whose weight training method is more efficient for my goal Body for Life or cathe's?

thanks for replying

how did you lose the 15 lbs of body fat was it by doing weight training on your own or was it through the help of a video tape? how soon did you see results.even though I have heard alot about cathe's tapes through reading customer reviews,I know very little about weight training.

I still have my doubts about using her tapes,you see I want to see a decrease in my bodyfat and tone in a few months & not years.so I am still a bit confused about the right way to go about my weight training.

BFLs plan seems wonderful because I can plan what weights I am going to use and follow my progress.I don't see how I can do that with cathes it would be so much less stressful if they both followed the same kind of weight lifting pattern but they don't,so I don't know who is right for me. I want 2 look like cathe but I don't know if she got like that by just following the same techniques that she uses in the pure strength series. that's really what one of the thing i would like to know.
I spent 60 something for the tapes I already opened one and cannot afford to open the other 2 if they are not what I need.I wish I could see before and after photos of women who followed her weight tapes.
 
Losing Bodyfat

Hi Tamara! I've been weight training for 15 years and the way I would have you start is to first follow Cathe's tape for Back, Biceps and abs. Then either the same day do cardio after your weight training or do cardio the next day. The next day do Chest, Shoulders and Triceps from Cathe's tape and again either cardio the same day or the next day. Remember to cross train your cardio, meaning do kickboxing (if you like it), running, fast walking, biking, etc. Whatever activities suit you. Write down exactly how you felt each day after your workout. This will determine if you needed to make adjustments in your weights for next time. I would want you to take pictures of yourself before starting your workouts. Stay on this routine for 12 weeks also remembering to eat a VERY CLEAN DIET! This is essential. This will determine your progress by 80%. Drink plenty of water always before, during and after your workouts. After the 12 weeks, take pictures of yourself again. Now your routine is going to change. Your muscles remember exactly what your going to do that's why we must change things up a bit. I don't know what tapes of Cathe's you already have but try using Maximum Intensity Strength doing again Back, Biceps and abs and cardio and then Chest, Shoulders and Triceps. You'll notice that one tape (Power Strength) uses dumbbells while MIS uses the barbell. Let me know what you think and best of luck to you! Kathy
 
i have the pure strenght

hi kathy.
i have the pure strenght tapes vol 1,2 and 3.and i have my dumbells and my before photos.
sticking to a healthy eating plan is easy for me too, since i started following the bfl eating plan i go through a gallon and 1/2 of water a day.
thanks for your advice.
 
BLF and Pure Strength

Hi, Tamara. I haven't done body for life, but I'm a personal trainer and have lots of clients who are currently following it. My understanding is that the weight training programs detailed in the Body for Life book are fairly strict (i.e., doing 12, 10, 8, 6, then 12 reps of one exercise before doing 12 of another for the same muscle group). For the record, there isn't anything 'magical' about this program. There are lots of different ways to work your program that will be effective as long as you're lifting enough weight to challenge your muscles.

Cathe's Pure Strength series doesn't follow the Body for Life format, but it IS similar in that it is more for building muscle than increasing muscular endurance. You could start with Cathe's tapes and then perhaps take some of her moves and modify them so that you're following the BLF format, if that's what you're after. I highly recommend getting a trainer to help you plan your program to get the best results. Barring that, Cathe's probably the best 'video' trainer you'll ever get!

One of my clients who is into BFL has a website you might want to look at (www.changingmybody.com). Perhaps you could email him with specific questions you have...he's done the BFL challenge three times and is still going strong!
 
More comments about BFL

I just wanted to say I totally agree with you. You can get a program just as structured as BFL with a personal trainer and it will be just as effective. There isn't anything magical about this program...it's the same type of thing many exercisers follow every day (i.e. regular cardio, weight training and a health diet).

What I am curious about is Bill Phillips...who is he and what is his background? Does he have a degree in Exercise Science or Physiology? Is he certified?
 
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