It’s a fair question. Body for Life is a substantial commitment, and about 3 to 5 days in to it, many new trainees are asking, with a touch of panic in their voices, “How can I get it all done?” The question is usually preceded by a long list of commitments already, things like a 12 hour work schedule, homeschooling several children, working two jobs, going to school full time, traveling for their job.  Each one of these “obstacles” seems to make it impossible to do Body for Life, doesn’t it?

Well, one thing is for sure. That is, if you have made Body for Life a priority in your life, then you can do it. A priority is simply something that will come ahead of other things–no matter what. If that is the case, you’ll get it done. For most of us, and especially for those who are confused at the moment, the problem is that we SAID we made it a priority, but we ACT like it was just another project we could squeeze in. Too many new trainees are simply overscheduled and undercommited.

Look, I know you can’t stop a homeschool curriculum right now, nor can you convince a hospital to put you on 8 hour days if you are a 12 hour shift nurse, but certainly there are OTHER ways of getting this done. I commute 2 hours a day, conduct hearing dockets that typically go without a break for 5 to 7 hours a day, and have other work after that, but I still do Body for Life. I still have lawns to mow, snow to shovel, shopping to do, cars to fix, and lots of other things, but Iget it done–simply because I MAKE IT A PRIORITY. In other words, I set aside the time for it, and I let NOTHING else interfere with that.

Cardio gets done early in the morning; workout gets done as soon as I get home from work. I have to get up at 5, and yes there are days it seems dreadful, but I do it. I had to invest in a gym in my basement to be able to get that workout done the minute I get home, so I did it.

Priority. What are you willing to do to make this work? Or is this just another flimsy effort that will end up in the same dusty corner of your life as the old Thighmaster machine or the 900 video exercise tapes you sold at your last garage sale? The difference between BFL and that other garbage is that THIS WILL WORK–but it takes making it a PRIORITY! Let’s do this.

Each year, more people are trying to do body for life without reading the book Body for Life. While the website is a wealth of information, and the videos, booklets and other literature are superb, there is really no substitute for the book insofar as an overview of nutrition and exercise principles, specific recommendations to follow in setting goals, resisting adversity, and getting more out of yourself than you ever imagined you could. I’ve talked to those who haven’t read the book and they tell me unanimously that they know enough to do this right. The problem is that they DON’T know enough to even know what they are missing. They might know what they are doing, but they don’t know WHY they are doing it. So, the first time something new comes along, they are apt to follow that. Lack of knowledge produces instability. Instability produces chaos. And chaos produces failure. “Tweaks” seem to be the most common abuses of those who haven’t read the book. People introduce extra cardio, or different diet plans combined with the BFL exercise program, or different exercise plans combined with the BFL diet. These seem to be the most common variations. And if you haven’t read the book, you just don’t know why doing this is counterproductive to your best efforts. But, you argue, “this is a one-size fits all plan, and I want one that works perfectly for ME! I want to get fit right away and completely maximize my efforts.” That’s a great idea, but it’s also way too simplistic and unrealistic. What you need isn’t the perfect plan for you–you need a plan you can follow perfectly. See, even if there was a perfect plan for you, no one could know for certain what that would be like. The book supplies ALL the foundational knowledge. It tells you exactly what the abyss is, and why if you don’t cross it you’ll go nowhere. You’ll learn the differences between goals and dreams, between habits that help you and habits that hold you back, and what’s meant by future vision, and why it’s important. You’ll know exactly how to carefully and completely develop the goals for your challenge. You’ll understand perfectly (even though you might still have the urge to throw in extra cardio) exactly why that’s not a good idea, and exactly why weight training is absolutely the best way to fight fat! Even more importantly, you will understand exactly why rest is so important, why long workouts are counterproductive, and why it is important to choose nutrition sources wisely. You’ll have all the tools you need, and you’ll have the manual that tells you how and why to use those tools to maximize your body for life efforts. You’ll also receive the unvarnished truth about why so many other diet plans and exercise regimens just don’t work long term. And, there are the great stories! if you read them again and again, you’ll find bottomless inspiration in the true stories of those whose lives have been forever changed by body for life. You’ll see that the greatest and most life-changing reward they received was not the championship at all. “Tell me more,” you say? O.K. READ THE BOOK! It’s never too late!