Finale: Body for Life Review

It’s been 12 Weeks since I started Body for Life. Can you believe it? I can’t. Here is all the things I want to tell you about it and show you:

=> Click here to read the Body for Life Progress posts.

Cravings

    1. Two things I crave & enjoy now since starting Body for Life. First one, I love the color pink. I don’t get it. I have always been a tomboy (still live in jeans and tshirts). Pink was my least favorite color. But now I own a couple pink tank tops, a pink sweatshirt, and some awesome pink Nike Frees (I’m completely in love with these shoes).

    2. The second craving is chocolate. I have never been a sweets person. Let alone chocolate. If I ate chocolate, it always had to be white chocolate. Now I can’t suck up enough Vega Sport chocolate Protein Powder (and not because of the protein, but because of the chocolate). What gives? I also love indulging in a piece of chocolate for dessert.

 

Workout

    1. I am definitely stronger and gained endurance.
    2. Those people featured on the Body of Life before and after photos had to do more lifting than what is required on the program to get where they got. There is no way they did that huge of a transformation in 12 weeks sticking exactly to the Body for Life program. They either added more lifting days in their regimen, are a very small percentage of the population that did obtain those results or entered the challenge multiple times using the before pic from the first challenge and resulting with the most recent pic as the end.
    3. But don’t get me wrong, you do see positive results.
    4. It takes women about 6 – 8 weeks to finally see positive results. My biceps was the first thing I saw. And I couldn’t stop showing it off. I still can’t stop showing it off. Want to see?
    5. I learned this program works well if you are a busy mom or person with limited amount of time. The days you do the upper body workout takes the longest to complete.
    6. I found that I love lifting. And could definitely see taking a gander at power lifting.
    7. I definitely found out that a strong core is everything. It is the powerhouse to increasing that strength and endurance. **this is my #1 lesson learned from doing Body For Life**


      these are only some of the exercises listed that I completed

 

Cardio/Running

    1. I learned that I am not a runner. I have no desire to run a 10K or a marathon for PR (mud runs are different – for fun and beer).
    2. But I did find that I increased my endurance in running. In the beginning, I could only run continuously for 1-min. And that was tough for me. But now I can run continuously 5-7 minutes with no problem. And when I take a break, it only needs to be 30-seconds before I can quickly pick up my pace again.
    3. I did find that I love doing HIITs, Tabatas, WODs or any other 20-min cardio that makes the workout fun. I’ve done several of Fit in Heel’s at-home workouts for my cardio sessions. Katy packs in a great workout. And I can jump rope pretty good now. No double unders yet.

 

Nutrition

    1. I found the Nutrition Guidelines from Body for Life didn’t work for me. For some reason I just couldn’t get a clear picture of what I was supposed to eat, how much, etc…
    2. A trainer told me to read the Abs Diet for Women for nutrition after I almost passed out at Boot Camp because I wasn’t eating enough. The Abs Diet is wonderful to use as a nutrition guideline. Made myself a superfood tracker and I just highlight to make sure I am eating 2-3 servings of superfood in each meal.
    3. My calorie range calculated via Abs Diet was 1440 calories per day.

 

Abdominals

    1. I did not get the abdominal workout I was looking for with Body for Life (didn’t feel the Delayed Onset Muscle Fatigue – DOMS – I did with the rest of the regimen.). So I added the Abs Diet for Women workout into my regimen.
    2. I finally understood the term, “Abs are made in the kitchen”. It means no matter how much you work your abdominal muscles, if you don’t eat a lean diet then you won’t see that 6-pack.
    3. Let me suggest you read #9 again. Twitter #plankaday peeps.
    4. I still have a ways to go before I hit my goal to Rock a Bikini by Summer.

 

Nutrition (again)

    1. I finally understand why a high-protein diet is essential if you are body building. And why so many of you are eating protein snack balls and protein pancakes.
    2. And I am glad I found Peanut Butter is a superfood.
    3. And that drinking Chocolate-Peanut Butter Smoothies is encouraged.

      week: ? | week: 4 | week: 12

 

Body Building (addition to BFL)

    1. Two and one-half weeks until the finish of Body for Life, I increased my strength training to 5 times a week and cardio stays at 3 times a week with a free plan from BodyBuilding.com. It works out sections of your body separately. For instance, BFL requires you to do the upper body portion in one day. This plan breaks up the upper body exercises – shoulders/chest one day, biceps/triceps another day, etc…
    2. And I am really noticing the difference I’ve been wanting within these last couple of weeks.
    3. And I found that the desired results I am looking for require working out everyday with Sunday’s off.
    4. It means dedication. I work out anywhere from 40min – 1hr per day.

 

Qs & As

    1. Why did you add more to the program? Because my whole goal is to “see my abs by summer” (before I turn the big 40). And summer is fast approaching. I wanted to make sure I meet my goal. So that meant adding to my program to make sure I will meet my goal.
    2. How did you calculate your BMI and Body Fat? I used the Omron Fat Loss Monitor to track changes. It seems like an effective tool. Although, I don’t know how holding handles to a machine gives you the right results. But I did it the old school pencil and paper way. The results came out pretty similar!
    3. Did your keep track of your meals? Most of the time. I used a spreadsheet I created and/or used My Fitness Pal (the latter gives you a graph representation of the carb/protein/fat ratios of your diet).
    4. Did you take any supplements? The only two nutritional supplements I used were
      Vega Health Optimizer       (meal substitution) and the Vega Performance Protein (post-workout protein).

 

Changes/Weight from the Body for Life

    1. I stand taller and more confident (see #9 – its really true).
    2. I did NOT lose any significant weight. I actually gained a bit (due to muscle gain) then my weight evened out again. But my weight only fluctuated within a 2-3 pound range.
    3. If I did track #15 religiously, than maybe I would have lost a few pounds. I did manage to eat clean. But with my family’s meal plans and certain parties, it wasn’t always simple to keep the carb/protein/fat/calorie ratio. And I am okay with that. I think the beer is to blame.
    4. However, my clothes fit way different. I need to go shopping for smaller size pants. Because I have toned my waistline and lower body. And the pants just don’t fit like they used to. My butt fits differently in my pants, too (for the better).
    5. Overall, I lost 3 inches in my waist and 8.7% Body Fat! That was an awesome motivating end statistic to discover.

 

My Take

    1. If you need a weight lifting program to get you started, then Body For Life is a good place.
    2. It was not the body changing program I thought to believe. But it was a life changing program for me. I definitely see myself lifting weights for a long time to come.
    3. You don’t need to buy the book. You can find everything you need on the Body for Life Website.
    4. I did not like the taste of EAS Sports and Nutrition Line. So, I couldn’t participate in the Body for Life Challenge.
    5. My biggest challenge: nutrition. Even though I eat well. When you start calculating your carbs – it can be an eye opener. And the beer doesn’t help.
    6. It helps to have a support group and your family behind your goal. Makes things way easier. I now hit the gym with a coworker. We keep each other accountable.

 

Coming up

  1. I am going to keep following my BodyBuilding.com weight plan with Laura Bailey (#23).
  2. I am going to practice clean eating to the max!
  3. And will update the Timeline results when summer hits (in another 6-8 weeks)

The findings expressed above are that of my own opinion. ;)

40 Comments
About Christine McCarthy

Christine is the health & fitness author for Oatmeal in my Bowl. She likes oatmeal, trail running, hiking & nature. Is taking up patio gardening & recycling. Tech nerd by ♥ w/tattoo envy. Cooking Light Blogger member.
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  1. Caitlin says:
    April 9, 2012 at 6:24 am

    i really like the format of this recap! you and i sound very similar in our workout habits – dedicated, enjoying strength training, carb loving, hating running, loving HIIT/tabata-style. i can def see results in your bicep photos! i admire you for sticking to the BfL plan. i am just not a plan person when it comes to workouts because what i am feeling varies so often day to day. i’d hate it if i wanted to work legs and “had” to work upper body or vice versa. but these kinds of plans often give your body the kick in the butt it deserves because it’s something different, so good job!
    Caitlin recently posted..Why I Didn’t Go To Church Today

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    • Christine McCarthy says:
      April 9, 2012 at 8:39 am

      Thanks, Caitlin! Ya… does sound totally similar. And its my biceps I see the most results. My thighs are more toned, too. As long as I am working on each of the parts I need to for the day, then I am not picky about how its done. As long as its to the best of my ability. ;)
      Christine McCarthy recently posted..How to Microwave a Sweet Potato

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  2. Cat @ Breakfast to Bed says:
    April 9, 2012 at 6:26 am

    Hot.ness.
    Cat @ Breakfast to Bed recently posted..A Pox Upon Your Blahniks.

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  3. janetha @ meals & moves says:
    April 9, 2012 at 7:42 am

    Loved hearing your thoughts on BFL! I do just have to say that I know several of the before and after people featured and YES, they got that muscle following ONLY BFL, nothing more. I definitely would say 75% of my BFL success had to do with diet, though. I am not a runner, either, ew. Great job!!
    janetha @ meals & moves recently posted..easter 2012.

    Reply
    • Christine McCarthy says:
      April 9, 2012 at 8:42 am

      But in ONE 12-week session (regarding results) only working out 3x/week? As a typical result? Or what would be your gander on the percentage people of before & after that reach those results as seen in the book? I can’t imagine it, but of course… the findings above are purely my opinions. In fact, I need to put that down.
      And I definitely agree with you that 75% is diet. Still working on that one! I have approx 6-8 weeks til bikini season. So I am fine tuning and focusing on Clean Eating! ;)

      Thanks, Janetha.
      Christine McCarthy recently posted..How to Peel Hard-boiled Eggs without Peeling {and more egg-tastic stuff!}

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  4. Lindsay @ The Lean Green Bean says:
    April 9, 2012 at 7:43 am

    great review!!! very thorough!
    Lindsay @ The Lean Green Bean recently posted..Sweat to Street #3

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  5. Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table says:
    April 9, 2012 at 9:17 am

    This is a great review! Totally motivating right when I need it.

    Having a strong core is incredibly important. It has helped me gain strength, and my back doesn’t hurt like it used to.

    Show off those biceps – you earned them!!!
    Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table recently posted..Catering, Cupcakes, and Chillaxing

    Reply
    • Christine McCarthy says:
      April 10, 2012 at 9:05 am

      Thank you, Laura! The core definitely is the center for everything. My husband says from this program, he notices my posture is way better. And thanks. my biceps are probably the most noticeable change from this whole thing. Soon, I hope it will be my abs. ;)
      Christine McCarthy recently posted..A Weekend in Pictures

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  6. Lindsay @ Lindsay's List says:
    April 9, 2012 at 10:26 am

    So inspiring, Christine! And that body fat lose!! man – AMAZING!!

    Reply
  7. Jody - Fit at 54 says:
    April 9, 2012 at 1:35 pm

    Looking amazing!!! It suits you! :-)
    Jody – Fit at 54 recently posted..Gratitude Monday & Frustration

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  8. Jocelyn @ Peace Love Nutrition says:
    April 9, 2012 at 5:56 pm

    Look at those arms! You go girl

    Reply
  9. Elle says:
    April 9, 2012 at 7:02 pm

    I did this program for 12 weeks several years ago when the book first came out. I agree about the food. I found I was eating cottage cheese about 3 or 4 times a day and that got old fast! And though I got more muscular and tighter, I certainly didn’t lose any weight either.

    What I liked about it was that I had to DO something every day and liked the cardio too.

    Good review.
    Elle recently posted..Another 9 Miler Done!

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  10. MIz says:
    April 10, 2012 at 1:32 am

    SO FUNNY you say the pink thing.
    I LOATHED THE PINK…then I turned 40.
    Now I caint get enough of the pink, either.
    MIz recently posted..No, Im not pregnant (& other embarrassing tales).

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  11. Christine @ Love, Life, Surf says:
    April 10, 2012 at 5:10 am

    You are a rock star. Look at your guns!! And holy body fat loss! This is a great review. I think that you are so right that so much of it is about nutrition – more so than people often think. I think that’s one area that I struggle with constantly. And pink!! I don’t know what it is about pink but it seems to be multiplying in my house. BTW – looks like you all had a great weekend!
    Christine @ Love, Life, Surf recently posted..Scenes From My Weekend – Easter

    Reply
    • Christine McCarthy says:
      April 10, 2012 at 9:10 am

      I was really surprised by the fat loss. I hope it just keeps going that way. I guess all the cottage cheese & oatmeal is doing its thing. haha. i am surprised just HOW much nutrition plays into it. but it really is very important and I am glad I now understand it. I constantly struggle. but at least I am still chipping away at getting better in that department.

      Thanks, Christine! I had a great weekend. Need more fun in the sun. ;)
      Christine McCarthy recently posted..SpaFinder Gift Certificate Giveaway

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  12. Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers says:
    April 10, 2012 at 6:31 am

    Awesome job! You can so tell from your pictures that you lost weight, ok inches (even better), but you look wonderful! I need to step up the strength training myself. I’ve been trying to stick to it 3 days a week. How much time and how many days do you spend strength training?

    So you really like the Omron Fat Loss Monitor? I was thining of getting it, but I’m afraid to see what it would say!
    Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers recently posted..Apple Raisin Bread

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    • Christine McCarthy says:
      April 10, 2012 at 9:12 am

      I do like the monitor. I considered giving away one, but decided to do the SpaFinder instead. I think because I can ship that worldwide. And its not that expensive. I think $25 I paid.

      3 x a week is great. that is what body for life does. and incorporates 3 days of cardio. sundays are off.
      i am currently lifting 5 days a week. different body parts. legs; triceps/biceps; shoulders/back; legs; chest;
      Christine McCarthy recently posted..WIAW: Crazy for Strawberries!

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  13. kalli says:
    April 10, 2012 at 7:10 am

    so true christine about the whole BFL program. i did a few “challenges” in my 30′s and felt the same way you did about progress etc. it also made me LOVE lifting like you and now i do not feel like a silly girl in the weight area. your arms look great!

    Reply
  14. Tyler says:
    April 10, 2012 at 7:49 am

    I love the format of this post! I’m definitely taking notes and modifying my own writing because of it.

    Also, it’s great that you enjoy lifting! I hope you inspire tons of women to give it a go. The benefits of resistance training are so numerous that it’s ridiculous.
    Tyler recently posted..How NOT to “Blast Your Butt Fat!”

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  15. Kierston says:
    April 10, 2012 at 10:07 am

    Thanks for sharing this! Awesome progress (love the biceps shot!)! Keep it up!
    Kierston recently posted..Eat. SWEAT. Play.

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  16. Yellow Haired Girl says:
    April 10, 2012 at 2:45 pm

    LOOK. AT. YOUR. ARMS. Wow, girl! Amazing.

    I loved this review!

    Reply
  17. jan says:
    April 10, 2012 at 2:59 pm

    Funny, I’m the same way with pink. It’s my favorite color for workout gear, especially.
    jan recently posted..Daily Photos 4/2-4/8

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  18. Eric says:
    April 11, 2012 at 10:55 am

    wow way to rock the guns!!! cant wait to see what 6-8 more weeks brings you!!!

    Reply
  19. Phyllis Edson says:
    January 17, 2013 at 4:00 pm

    I’ve done BFL before and am getting ready to get back. I didn’t do 12 weeks. But, I did lose 10 lbs after about 6 weeks and lost a bunch of inches. I’m getting ready to try it again. I work out on my own but I need to readopt the nutrition portion.

    Reply

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