On the EAS Insider Blog on the Body for Life website, this year’s champions have been writing about the reasons to send in your challenge entries.

I’ve written many blogs about starting your challenge strong. I’ve told people that a guestbook post that says “Woo Hoo, here we go!” is not all that’s required to start strong. In fact, that kind of “mile wide–inch deep” enthusiasm won’t last a day. What it takes to start strong is an investment.  Not just an investment in money, you really need an investment in carefully thinking about what it is you’re doing, why you are doing this, and how you will get it done. This takes reading the literature very carefully, planning even more carefully, and executing each day’s chores with precision and focus.

But, what I really wanted to write about today was finishing strong, because there are a couple of things you can do right now to make that much simpler.  In order to truly finish strong, you need to end your challenge in an official way. That means sending in a packet. That means taking both before and after photos. So, if you’ve just “started” your challenge, but you didn’t have the courage to take before photos, I really want to encourage you to stop right now, get a tripod and your camera, take those before photos and start over.  I’m not generally in favor of starting over, but when you didn’t take before photos, as far as I am concerned you really didn’t start.

Why is doing this officially important if you don’t care whether you win? It’s all part of that investment thing. And, it’s also all about how much you care. I guarantee you that NOTHING will give you more fire to start and stay strong, and to finish even stronger than looking at those before photos. Yes, they will mortify you–because they reveal truth that you have been denying for way too long. In fact, it is that fear, shame and embarrassment that keep you from asking someone to take your photos. The best news I have for you is one word–TRIPOD! It keeps you from bothering friends and family, and keeps your dignity intact as well!

So, why do an official challenge if you “know” you can’t win?  See, thinking or “knowing” you can’t win keeps you from even trying to win. You need a really good reason to do this, just to keep it up, but starting out by deciding you can’t win is a weakening thought that will only hurt your challenge. I wish I could tell you how many guestbook posts I’ve seen from people who didn’t take before photos, and were in the end so terribly sorry they didn’t because they got terrific results. Imagine how much better they would have done had they had the added incentive of thinking it was possible!

Please, enter the contest and turn in the packet. If you do so, you’ll be in elite territory whether you win or not. Less than 5 % (my estimate) of those beginning a challenge ever finish and turn in a packet.

In the end, you never know who is going to win! I know a guy who finished his challenge–which he did for another reason than winning–and then after he had sent it in, threw all this stuff away, even his copy of the entry. It was, after all, going to be his last challenge, and it did turn out to be his last official challenge. Because he won! Winning was great, but it was a bit embarrassing to ask them to send me my essay copy.

I wrote this a  year ago. Though a lot of people who read it this year are different from those last year, I am hopeful it will be as popular and helpful as it was last year!

Every single day of your Body for Life challenge, you will be presented with opportunities to change your plans. Seriously, every day you will receive invitations to dine, attend events, to stay after school, to haul someone somewhere, to sleep in, and any number of other things that have the power to change your routine for that day. How you respond to those invitations will dictate the course and the outcome of your challenge results. Your response will have to depend on two things:
1. How serious you are about getting serious challenge results;

2.And how serious the situation that arises is.

Let’s say that a “TEN” situation arises, an emergency jeopardizing the health or life of one of your children or another family member. Really, there IS no choice–you do the right thing and go, because you know that NOTHING is more important than that person and situation having your undivided attention.

Let’s say a “ONE” situation arises. Someone you couldn’t care less about asks you to go have a Latte and donut with them. That’s easy, too. You and your challenge deserve better than a flimsy event like that. You just kindly but firmly say “No thanks” and leave it at that.

The toughies are the “tweeners.” And the challenge is to stay faithful to your challenge without rupturing a relationship or inflicting pain on yourself or others. The gang is going out for a beer on Friday to wish someone well on their last day of work; or your boss asks you to stay an extra half hour to finish his report; and your workout was scheduled for that time. Can you respond to those requests and still get your workout in that day? If so, sure, go ahead with the “interruption.” If not, be ready to say, “I just can’t–I’m sorry.” And leave it at that.

I can almost hear you saying, “he doesn’t understand,” but I do. I do UNDERSTAND that you never want to tell anyone “No” and that this is a never ending invitation for others to take advantage of you. “No” is a complete sentence, and a complete response. You really must be able to sort out the toughies if you have any hope of succeeding without driving yourself crazy. What will happen if you don’t is that you’ll continually give in to situations that you shouldn’t and you’ll be so disgusted with yourself that when you finally say “No” to someone it will be so forceful that they’ll fear for their life! And if your firmness costs you a job or friendship, what the heck kind of a job or friendship did you really have anyway?

Look, if you need some help with courage here, just tell them that “I promised my Uncle Mike I’d do something for him tonight and he will really be disappointed with me if I don’t go through with it.”

Courage is like most other character traits. The more you use it, the easier it gets!

God bless! Carpe diem. 

I’ve written on this topic before, but this is all new material, so please don’t think it’s a rerun!

Most people reading this are at one of three different intersections in their search for a new body and a new life. They are either just now ending that first big challenge, or just beginning it, or are somewhere in the midst of it, wondering when they will get to where they want to go. For those who just ended their challenge, and are not as happy as they thought they’d be about the results, this blog will help. For those beginning, it should be really critical. For those in the midst of the swamp right now, this could be the light in the darkness!

Wherever you are in this, you must remember one critical thing–your results will depend completely on what you have put into this challenge. Completely! Oh, I know it’s easy to read a champion’s story and think, enviously, that he or she was lucky to have great genetics, or the extra time to do this, or a great place to work out, or lots of money, or whatever! But, really, what separates a champion from the rest of the pack is a GREAT REASON to do the challenge, and a great ability to stay focused through thick and thin. In other words, it wasn’t the money, the genes or the extra time, it was the reason and the stick-to-it attitude.

The champs sowed the right seeds. They sowed seeds of hope and challenge at the very beginning. They had a good reason to do this, and they set their goals at a lofty level.

The champs sowed their seeds in good soil that was prepared ahead. In other words, they PLANNED this out carefully, from the very beginning, prepared for each week as it came, and executed each day to the best of their ability.

The champs watered and weeded the plants that came up from those seeds. In other words, they ate well, rested much, kept a mental attitude full of hope and faith instead of weeds of doubt, dissent and depression. They REFUSED to get down to the level of self-pity, and REFUSED to believe that adversity could cause them to fail.

The champs also fertilized the plants at the right time. In other words, they ate all their meals, took the right supplements, did their workouts with maximal intensity, and worked the universal law of reciprocation often.

When you consider all that it took to plant, raise and protect this “crop,” is it little wonder that what they harvested was a real thing of beauty that will serve them well for a long time.

Though I’ve compared BFL to successful farming in this blog, you can also compare it to the life of a good soldier, a good businessman, or an evangelist. But, you can’t compare it to winning the lottery, which unfortunately is the approach that many of take instead.

I’m betting that there are lots of people starting a new challenge tomorrow, Monday! Why? Because in the 8 years I’ve been hanging around the guestbook I have picked up on some trends. And one of those trends is that people tend to start their challenges at rather regular times of the year.

For example, New Years is always a big time of the year for challenges–since it fits right in to that combination of a New Year’s resolution, and the end of a rather disgusting two month period of pigging out during the holidays which has lowered self-esteem and heightened the tightness at the waistlines.

Spring time, usually right after Easter, is also a biggie, because it is the beginning of a new season, spring, when things change for the better, plus it is about three months away from the most critical events of a younger person’s life, the beach or a wedding!

So, new friends about to start your journey, may I just offer a few bites of advice that will keep you in this game instead of just failing out after a few frustrating weeks of flopping around in unfamiliar territory.

1. Read the book carefully, the Body for Life book by Bill Phillips. And don’t start until you have done that. No matter how anxious you currently are, keep in mind that anxiousness and enthusiasm, or even desperation, are no substitutes for thorough planning when it comes to a body for life challenge. No matter how enthused you are, if you don’t know what you’re doing, that enthusiasm will fade like those Easter flowers you forgot to water this morning!

2. Set difficult but achievable and measurable goals. “Get fit” or “look hot on the beach” are not goals–they’re just dreams or visions. The goal is more like “lose 6 inches from my waist” or “drop 20 scale pounds,” something like that. Achieving that measurable goal will help create the vision, but the vision won’t help create the goal, so BE SPECIFIC!!

3. Even if you’re not going to enter the contest formally (and you should enter it formally) make darned sure you take your before photos. They will do more to keep you going than anything else you can do. If you cringe at the thought of it, that’s all the more reason to do it!

4. Be sure to let your family and co-workers know what you’re doing, because they will wonder soon enough why you’re no longer eating double Whoppers for every meal. But DON’T give them too much detail, and don’t let them see your before photos. Do yourself a huge favor and take your own before photos with a cheap tripod from Wal mart. The $9.95 you spend on that is cheap compared to the indignity of having a friend or relative photograph you in a too-tight swim suit.

5. Be patient. Getting fat took time–so does lean and strong! That’s why this challenge is 12 weeks long, and if you’ve already talked yourself into the idea that you’ll be 25 pounds lighter in three weeks–well–let’s just say you need to get real! most ladies don’t see big results for around 8 weeks, but they are worth the wait! Keep in mind this is not a quick weight loss scheme, it truly will give you a body with a different look, a different shape, and a different outlook. There’ll be a new you in the mirror in twelve weeks, but don’t rush it!

6. Don’t forget to work hard, have fun, and help others. If you forget this last step, which is really three steps in one, you’ll just waste your entire 12 weeks.  Good luck, future champions!

ACTUAL POSTS FROM THE GUESTBOOK OFTHE BODY FOR LIFE WEBSITELAST EDITED 12/29/07  This is a document that consists of either actual guestbook posts from ladies, or responses from personal emails (where I requested additional details) These posts have only been edited by the Microsoft spell check system to avoid embarrassing and unreadable errors in the posts. Otherwise, these are the exact words used, and the  names and dates on which these occurred.  This document probably represents less than 3 % of the overall number of posts I’ve seen on the topic, but I chose not to copy posts that did not give detailed information and were only general in nature. The few that are copies of emails sent to me were sent after I saw a post about progress on the guestbook, and asked for more details. Of course, as you might imagine, there are some who have posted and said that they DID NOT experience the 8 week miracle. None of them admitted to struggling with eating right, but why would they? My sense is that most women who do not see good results on BFL simply are unable to adhere to the diet 6 days a week.  Happy reading! Mike Harris Posted 6/10/04 by Donna from Massachusetts Oh Yes!!! I had to go shopping for new shorts because all the ones I had were too big! I was wearing a size 11 last summer and when I went shopping today, I had to get size 5!!! My weight hasn’t really changed much and when I looked in the mirror, I didn’t see much change, but the shorts are proof positive that BFL works. I’m in week 8 and that is when everyone said I’d start to see a difference. Thanks so much for your encouragement and wisdom. I pray that you are all blessed as much as you have blessed me. Posted by Loise Miller, 6/30/04What if I had quit at week 4 when my scale weight went up 5 lbs and I cried because I worked so hard. I read everyone’s posts about week 8 and 9 and I continued. What if I had quit on week 6 when I saw no change but I visited Hussman sight and he said when there is no change in body weight that is the time your body is changing fat for muscle. I believed and carry on. If I had quit, at night I would not have gone to bed smiling after looking at my 8 week pictures. They are absolutely awesome. If I had quit, I would not be jumping for joy because I have lost  6 lbs of scale weight. The feeling is awesome; this result had me in the gym so fast I hit all my 10’s and then some. I am in week 10 my next 2 weeks will be the best ever. Have ever wonder why results come out in the last four weeks? Please stick with the programme it works.   Denise Kowal, 1/7/04C1D52 I haven’t posted in a while, so I owe you all some encouragement. After the first six weeks of feeling changes but seeing little, the “high burner” switch must have turned on inside me. The last week and a half has yielded unbelievable results in terms of increased energy, decreased body fat, and (shock of all shocks) a little six-pack peeking out! No, I haven’t changed anything - still eating clean and about the same quantities (like the book suggests), and workouts leave me in tears every time, but it just goes to show me that patience, persistence, and hard work will be rewarded. So those of you who are wondering how come you aren’t getting the results you hear about from other people, remember this: every body is different, and each has its own schedule for change. Stay with the program, because it works. Review it often to make sure you are doing what you should, and carry on! Results will be yours if you stick with it. Be strong! –Denise Linne, Goleta California, 2/28/05Well, I posted my Week 8 photos on BFL Tracker! I am finally seeing a difference, my clothes are getting baggier, I’m feeling happier and all is well! So many people told me they didn’t see a real difference until around week 7 or 8 and I felt like…”week 7 or 8?” “I can’t wait that long!” But you have to power through it and know you may not see it right away, you may not see it until wk or 7-8-9, but it will happen. For anyone who gets discouraged, please hang in there, the early weeks can get discouraging (maybe even a little depressing) but don’t give up, you can do it. From “Chriss” in a personal email to me on 4/10/05: “my transformation took the entire 12 weeks,didn’t actually see a lot of change until week 8, and I am really GLADthat I did not step on the scale, measure myself, or anything until day84, and wow what an improvement.  Actually, the photos were the icing onthe cake, because the scale only moved 7 pounds, but I lost 15 inches,went from size 10 to a size 6, and lost 12% body fat!  So, who cares whatthe scale says, and doing the weekly re-measurements is for the birds.” Kellie, from Santa Clara Utah, 5/16/05Happy Monday Everyone!!! I am proud to write it is C2D1 Here!!! I NEVER would have believed that I would be writing that! It’s amazing what happens when you commit to a goal and actually FOLLOW through. All you women starting out, don’t get discouraged. Keep working towards your goal. Keep your self promises. If you falter a bit, don’t get down and out just brush it off and over come it. Be patient with the results. I didn’t see any till week 8, but what happened between then and the end, is amazing to me. Am I the best??? Far from it!!! But in my opinion I’ve already won!!! I’m already a champion, because I followed through and finished something that is important to me! My greatest reward is a healthy body and a brain that says I CAN DO IT, energy to keep up with my 12 1/2 year old daughter who runs a 6 min. mile and my 2 year old who just plain runs me ragged!!! The level head that keeps me sane when I’m rushing from work, to ball games, to ballet!!! And the self confidence that I’m not so bad after all and I know that I can handle all of the above!!!! Karla, in an email to me 8/12/05I could tell a difference after 4 weeks, but it was slight.  The biggest change I noticed was after 9 weeks, when I took a photo.  I’m highly critical of myself in the mirror, but I couldn’t deny the change in the pictures.  Also around week 9, my clothes were more loose fitting, and now, most of them don’t fit at all.  To be clear, I wasn’t overweight before.  But I was completely out of shape.  I don’t know if it’s harder for really overweight people or not, as far as seeing quicker results. Even though I didn’t see the physical changes right away, the mental changes came within a week or two.  Not to the level I’m at right now, but I could already tell I was feeling good.  And in other ways physically, the better diet has helped in so many ways, and early on.  I hope people focus on the bigger picture, instead of only worrying about their appearance, weight on the scale, etc.   I know it’s hard to do that.  Sorry for the long response.  Thanks for your interest! Shelley, Johannesburg 9/1/05Hi All I am in the middle of week 8 and I can see a huge difference in myself and so can others everyone I meet asks me how did I lose so much weight. The funny thing is I haven’t lost that much weight at all but I have lost plenty of centimetres, I can get clothes on that I couldn’t get past my thighs before. Everyday I see changes in my body and it motivates me to keep going especially when people give you comments it makes you feel great so hang in there everyone it DOES work. Kathy, Lambertsville Michigan, 12/4/05ALL WOMEN LISTEN UP…..This is for all of you that are in a hurry to see weight loss or quick results…BE PATIENT…I too was wondering every day when it would happen, only once more to be discouraged because the scales didn’t move, or my tummy was still there. I am in week 9, and the changes are fast. I took a picture of myself at week 8, and was ready to give up. I saw a few changes, but thought there is no way I will achieve the results I need in 4 more weeks. Surprise…I have about 21/2 weeks left, and I will get there. Just in the last week I have lost 4 lbs, and gained some really nice definition. I really am going to make this goal.. The only problem I can see at this point, is finding a cute bathing-suit to put this new body in, since it is December…HELLO…My computer is down, some virus or whatever, so I did not check e-mail me box, as I am using the library computer again, but please know that it will happen. Give it the full 12 weeks…that’s why it is called a twelve week program. Have a great BFL day…I need to go to Ab Bootcamp now…Kathy Amy San Diego, 8/7/06Hello I know it has been a while but as some of you know I have been on the hunt for a job! It is going well a few interviews here and there. I am completely elated with all of my changes so far I am in week 10 and people are now noticing the differences. Hallelujah! I got asked if I had lost 15 lbs. ****************************For all of those concerned with not dropping scale weight I haven’t lost a pound but I look like I have and my pant size doesn’t lie!!!! Size 11/12 to an 8!! Keep up your dedication and hard work! Started boot camp for abs today…oh my gosh! I know I will be feeling this in the am. I had a funniest home video moment in the gym today. I feel very at home in the gym and comfortably know my way around. Well today was a different story I was following the abs training and only could find a flat bench for the side obliques. (Now it is visual time) I reached up to hold on to the bench and twisted my body as I curled my legs up I fell off the bench…Ha Ha Ha!! I was sooooooo embarrassed but I shrugged it off and kept up with the ab workout. Guaranteed that everyone in the gym saw the fall out. At least I laughed and moved on!! Keep up the good work everyone it is totally worth it! From Heather, exact date not known sometime in 2006It’s the beginning of my 8th week. I feel sooo good these days! BFL is amazing simply from a health perspective, not to mention the benefits to one’s appearance! I have had a “brain fog” for a few years now. I am YOUNG, and yet felt like I wasn’t quite as “sharp” anymore. NOT ANY LONGER! My husband doesn’t know what to do with his “hyper-functioning” wife these days! I am even taking over some of “his” chores(some of the time–haha!) My face has changed so much I FINALLY recognize myself again! For the first time in several years, while shopping at a department store, I actually LIKED what I saw as I passed the mirrors (instead of trying to glance away–some of you ladies probably know what I mean!)These are simple things that mean a lot to me. I intend to keep right on going into the next Challenge after this one and see just what I am truly capable of. I feel like my body is thanking me for finally giving it what it really needs!So anyone out there who is feeling impatient or frustrated, keep on going! It just keeps getting better! Some of us may not have “earth-shattering” and ultra-motivating changes in the first few weeks as some are fortunate enough to have, but keep pushing because they WILL come! Focus on how much better you FEEL, and before you know it your appearance will catch up!

It’s true–believe and you will achieve!!
Heather Kimberley, Bunker Hill W.V., 2/8/07 I have been reading some of the other posts and the 8-week change. It is sooo true. I did this program in 2003 and week 8 and all the rest of the weeks were stunning. I would wake up looking different everyday. Amazing. I had been so discouraged because my husband was losing like crazy and looking great. And here I was stuck, so it seemed. Week 8 oh week 8 I cannot wait to get there. I could see a different lump (that’s a good thing, muscle) everyday. I would look in the mirror and wonder who the heck was that. Hang in there ladies. The results WILL come. It is like Christmas. Almost overnight it happens. I can’t wait for week 8, I can’t wait for week 8. Posted by Jami from Medford Oregon on 3/8/07  Okay, this is going sound lame, but a few tears shot out of my eyes this morning when I changed into my workout clothes and took a gander at my progress from yesterday. We’re in the middle of week 10 and we’re literally seeing change every day. THIS PLAN WORKS!!!! The more faithful you are to how it’s laid out, the more results you will see. My goal for the 12 weeks was 20 pounds lost and I’m now down 23.5. I cried, I guess, because I was so hopeful when we began and wasn’t sure how it would go. Tears of joy. The changes inside are more wonderful than the exterior. I am really blown away at how life changing it really is. EDITOR’S NOTE: Jami’s couple’s challenge is on the featured challengers of the 2007 BFL website.  Posted by Sarah, on active duty in Afghanistan, on 3/21/07 Well, here I am- staring down the last 48 hours of my challenge. I feel like I’ve been through it all. I had the withdrawal headaches from sugar in the beginning. i had the aches and rotten attitude during the first couple weeks- wondering why the fat wasn’t falling off of my body and why I hurt so darned much. I’ve been at that point where I couldn’t understand why my weight would plateau…and I would get on the scale every day. I measured my body every day- more for accountability purposes than anything else. in the process, I learned how sensitive my body was to extra calories and sugar (which would explain why everyone in my family is diabetic!) When I hit a plateau and felt frustrated, I kept asking myself how much effort I had put into eating exact amounts that day. I discovered a few things. 1. I lost a majority of my weight in the first three weeks, but a majority of my inches after that. 2. The last two weeks really do matter. My last 7 pounds came off and I went from a snug size 8 to a size 6, AND I lost another 2 inches from my waist. I am energetic and full of hope. For everyone who wakes up feeling bloating or wondering why they just aren’t losing that fast, I have three recommendations for you. Ask yourself if you’re eating the right amounts (for women- that’s less than 1500 calories a day). Ask yourself if you’re eating high glycemic carbs- like a lot of fruit. I’m not saying that fruit is bad- I’m just saying it could have a profound effect on your challenge. And lastly- are you eating a lot of sugar-substitutes? They are a lesser evil than sugar, but plenty of substitutes will cause your body to react in the same way as it would to sugar. Anyway, I’m getting ready to head back to the states after a long year in Afghanistan. I had a few days where I was dragging my food around the mountains with me- it took some creative planning on my part. Oh yeah- for all you new guys starting out. Stay flexible. If you cheat, give that day up as your free day. If you miss a workout, let that be your free day. Don’t tell yourself “oh, no big deal…I still am going to take my original free day.” Realize that you may be breaking a sugar addiction and be patient with yourself and your cravings, but be strong. I’ve got faith in you. I’m 26 pounds lighter and went from a size 12/14 to a size 6. I’m looking forward to sending in my packet- not because I expect to win- but because it symbolizes my completion of a something great. See you all next year at the expo! (I’m planning ahead.) AND, a personal email to me from the same Sarah:  “Mike, feel free to add anything I said to that document.  It helped me immensely to read that women’s document- and if I can be a part of inspiring or helping other people out, I’d be proud to be a part of that.  I just felt so compelled to share my joy with everyone today, so I posted that note on the guestbook.  I hope that others out there realize if I can drag my rice and tuna around the mountains (questioning my sanity the whole time) while working with the people/livestock or whatever the mission/crisis was- they can do it with their own particular set of adversities and challenges.  if I even inspire one person, I’ve done great.  So yes, please add me to that document.  I’d be proud to be a part of that. Sarah”  (email 3/22/07) EDITOR’S NOTE: Sarah’s transformation is among the 2007 featured challengers on the BFL website.  Posted by Lacy, Olney, Md, on 4/2/07 “Hi all! First all, I’m stoked! I looked in the mirror yesterday and saw the makings of a lil’ 6 pack, too cool!! If that isn’t motivation I don’t know what is! Okay, I’m on challenge 2, week 2 day 1. For those early in the program with no changes, please listen to my story….
NO CHANGE in weight, barely any in clothing, and little difference in the photo up until week 8. Then I started to see some changes. Week 12 I took my photo and was literally astonished with my new bod, jumped on the scale and weight EXACTLY the same thing as my starting weight! Dropped from size 16 to size 12 and the photos don’t lie. Same weight on the scale. That hit me hard, but I’ve since had my sanity talked back in and I’m really psyched. I’m on essentially week 14 and just feel like at the end of this second challenge I’ll have that body I’ve always wanted!So please, please, please don’t expect pounds to melt off fast, this is a slow moving program where you literally get healthy on the inside before you start to see it on the outside! You must be patient, you must stick with the program, and you must keep going or you will never see those changes start to manifest them on the outside. You can’t visualize the great things happening inside, but if you keep going and keep going, soon they will be on the outside and when they start to show, they show fast!!” (In an email to me, Lacy told me that she weighed 173 at the beginning and end of that first challenge and that people have told her she looks like she weighs 140.) KRISTY, a 41 year old lady who did BFL three years ago with good results, reported on the guestbook on April 24 2007 that she had seen great results at the beginning and near the end of her challenge, losing five pounds or more in weeks 10 and 11. She has gone from a size 8 to a baggy size 6, but not quite a size 4. She estimates her starting body fat at 35% and knows that her measured body fat at the end of week 11 is 24%.  She has lost 17 scale pounds so far. She was sedentary for the most part before her latest body for life transformation and endured a lengthy plateau between her early results and the results that came in weeks 10 and 11.  Sometimes it doesn’t take quite 8 weeks to see really amazing things. Nicole T wrote this email to me on 4/25/07: “I am 43, always been active and healthy but weighed 185 lbs on January 1st of this year.  I vowed to learn to eat reasonably and lose some weight.  I started by buying a skin tight pair of size 15 black jeans which I would use as my benchmark.  I weighed and measured myself as well.  I tried on my own to change my eating habits and exercise but wasn’t progressing.  I finally gave Body for Life a chance.  I started my first challenge on March 5.  My jeans were still skin tight.  I followed the program to the letter.  At the four week mark I couldn’t wait to weigh and measure myself and try my jeans. I did and I was so devastated.  The scale hadn’t moved although I was ready and warned about that.  So I went to my measuring tape.  I was sure the changes would show there.  Nope.  Not one centimetre lost.  In fact I GAINED on my thighs. But the worse came when I tried on my jeans, they were still suck-in-your-gut-to-snap-shut tight.  I only kept going with BFL because I’d heard that week 8 was the week to see changes.  Truthfully, I didn’t think I would see them.  I did not alter anything; I stuck to the BFL following it to the letter and counted the weeks.  Well, at the end of week 7 I was getting dressed for work and pulled out the only clean pants I had: the black jeans.  I couldn’t believe my eyes.  They were huge and baggy!  I was making my children’s lunches and had to keep pulling up my pants because they were hanging at my hips!  My daughter told me I was gross because she could see my underwear.  I finally had to get a belt to keep them on.  I haven’t worn those pants since. They’re TOO BIG! That was last week.  I can’t wait to see what the next few weeks have to offer.”  Signed simply, “Nicole”  Posted by Frances from Biloxi Mississippi on 4/29/07: Hi, everyone! Just dropping in to let you know about more changes I am going through. If you will remember, I am one of the ladies whose fat is just so darned stubborn it won’t budge. Well, week 8 came and went and not much diff:( BUT…week 9 came and something began to happen. Inches started coming off and weight started dropping on the scale. The BF% did not change but at least it did not move up. I previously had lost 5% BF in the early 5 weeks and was amazed at how much marbleized fat I had in my muscles. I truthfully just didn’t have much muscle mass to begin with so I was carrying quite a bit of adipose tissue on some skinny bones. WoW! I just had to go back and change the last sentence to reflect a PAST tense!So here are some more changes and I am only day 3 on week 10. I woke up skinnier! Yep. I stretched to get the mind racing and when my hands fell across my abs there was nothing there!!! I jumped out of bed and the scale was down another pound. Now my scale has not moved in weeks. I think I might have lost 2-3 lbs the first 4 weeks and then nothing until week 9. I began to lose a pound a day! I am not fibbing here. A pound a day! I am eating 6 balanced meals a day , sometime 7-8 depending on how long the day has gotten. I exercise with all I have and do the appointed workouts as BFL wrote them. That is it! I am losing inches, too! I lost 3 inches last week in my waist. I know I have lost more but I am not measuring again till Thurs (my free day).BTW: Regarding free day for me, I take a free meal. And not just some junk meal because I can. I just eat out someplace and get home cooked style food that is not as artificial as the fast-food places. I watch my portion size too! For me, eating BFL is about eating wholesome foods, not “dieting”. I was already a whole foods buff, but  I still have cake and hot dogs and what not on my free day but it is all natural products and usually a dessert I made from scratch using wholesome ingredients. These things are not bad for you if you begin with healthy ingredients. It’s that other stuff that is killing us all! Well, that and eating way too much of it! So try to think in terms of long-term health when using your free day/meal. It is not an opportunity to junk out. We should never ever  have an opportunity to do that to our bodies! If you are craving processed food, go make the item you are craving from scratch! I am NOT saying not to eat cake, cookies, doughnuts, pizza, etc…just saying make them yourself using wholesome ingredients. That is MY take on Free Day/Meal. ABS MAY APPEAR EVEN LATER THAN WEEK 10 IN LADIES!! Here is a guestbook post from Jocelyn of Waco on 5/31/07 (whose husband works in a Snicker’s Candy Bar plant by the way!!), followed by an email from her with a bit more information: “Thank you all so much for your compliments! I trained my abs HARD like every other muscle. As the layers of fat melted off they eventually uncovered my abs. It wasn’t easy, this is the first time in my life I’ve seen abs, and that’s after having 2 kids lol. It’s possible, just not easy.I got my packet sent in I also had delivery confirmation added to it, so at least I know EAS will get it “  On June 1, Jocelyn added dietary details to her remarkable results story: “My progress started stalling out a few times. At week 10 I was at my old afters (from 03) measurements and weight wise), I thought there was no more room for improvement. So I figured I’d end strong. I cut out whole wheat bread and tortillas and pasta out after week 10, week 11 I cut out fruit and I upped my water. Week 11 was when I started noticing my abs were coming out, I couldn’t believe it. When I did my final measurements my hips and my thighs were both one whole inch each less than my old afters (I didn’t think it was possible to get any smaller than that). In my 2nd challenge I lost about 24 lbs, went from 26.9% body fat to about 12%, and I am in better shape than I EVER have been before. I am smaller than I was in high school, better shape than the last times I did BFL.”  [Editor’s note: Dropping the starchy carbs in week 10, cutting out fruits in week 11 and increasing water consumption really helps to drive out those last few pounds off fat and water between the skin and abs, and is a strategy long used by professional bodybuilders and fitness competitors.]   And in an email to me she tells more about how it happened:  “Wow Mike I am very honored that you’d ask to put this in your success document!  Of course you can!!  My abs didn’t appear until I was below my possible perceived smallest weight and waist size.  I didn’t think it could get better, I didn’t think I could see my abs.  I felt them rock hard below that last layer and in my very last week of this challenge they uncovered.  Honestly I thought things couldn’t get better, but I ate a little bit cleaner just to see and made sure I hit my 10’s and they came out.  (the bold is mine, not hers)The # of inches and everything is irrelevant, everyone is different.  When I had my week 10 results I didn’t think there was room for improvement, but I found that there really was.  I hope this is helpful to you!  Thank you Mike :)”  EDITOR’S NOTE: Jocelyn’s transformation is among those selected for featured challengers on the BFL website. From Michele B, received by email of 11/8/07: Mike,I promised I would send you information for the ladies success journal, so here it is: During the first 6-7 weeks of the challenge I was one of the “lucky” ones.  What I mean by that is I saw steady weight loss on the scale during those weeks.  However, when I took my week 6 picture I saw little change.  There was some drop in inches, and I went from a 16 to a loose fitting 14but still not a 12.  At the end of 8 weeks I wondered if I had any chance of seeing the “8 week miracle” that so many women with little to no weight loss speak of getting.  Somewhere around week 10 I started seeing the difference.  The size 12 pants fit, and the next week they were loose.  By week 12 I was in a comfortable size 10!  The inches seemed to melt faster after week 10, and people started noticing it in my new body.  Even one of the very conservative guys at work commented on my weight loss!  That was when I knew it was real.  I lost 24lbs total over the 12 weeks, but dropping from a size 16 to a 10 was the bigger accomplishment.  The best part was when my husband stared at my legs one day while I was tying my shoes before a run. He said he  was amazed at how strong my legs have gotten, and that he could really see the muscle coming out.  After 17 years of marriage I’m thrilled that he is still checking out my legs!  One of the women at work told me I look “fit”….me, fit?  Imagine that!  I’ll be forty in less than a year, and thanks to BFL I am on my way to 40 and FABULOUS!  I have more energy than ever, and I’m not even the least bit moody anymore (yes, I admit I WAS moody).  The sugar highs and lows are gone, and the cravings have gone from cupcakes to long runs.  I’m training for a half marathon now and am currently running over 7 miles without falling over on the side of the road…all thanks to my improved body…thanks to BFL and hard work! I hope this helps someone else hang in there.  I wanted to give up more than once, but I stuck it out with the support of the wonderful people in my life, especially on the GB.  If you are a lady reading this…YOU CAN DO IT!  The end result is WORTH the difficult days. And here’s the best part. I am still exercising regularly with cardio and weights, eating 6 meals each day, and  following a maintenance eating pattern, and the weight is still coming off.  I would like to drop one (or 2) more size, and I know I can do it by completing another challenge after the half marathon.  Life is good! Michele FROM LIL OFF THE GUESTBOOK on 12/3/07: Robin, 8 Week Miracle Story here. Iff you are frustrated with or questioning your progress, I am a living 8-week miracle. At weeks 6 and 7, I was considering whether I had the ability to lose weight at all. I saw no change in my pants. Around week 8, people at my office started commenting, and I noticed a change in my pants, etc. From that point on, I saw almost daily changes.  End of challenge results: 15.5 lbs lost; down . 8% body fat; all tape measurements went down,; my waist went down the most (2 inches). Mike, feel free to snip and drop this into your ongoing “book.” Thank you to all who helped me along the way! I am so glad I finished! I am so proud. Thank you, thank you.  

Janice from Vancouver, posted on the guestbook in early December 2007: “ I made the Top Ten in the EAS Canada Body For Life Challenge!! Very exciting. And I once walked through Wal Mart thinking, “I hope no one I know sees me”- I was so unfit and malnourished and stressed out that I was foggy-headed and would bump into things and felt like I had to hold onto things or lean against the wall if someone tried to talk to me.  I was so exhausted—dealing with low iron, poor nutrition, massive levels of stress, and carrying an extra 40 pounds around with me.<p> If you are here for the first time or what you think might be your last, don’t let go of your hope and dreams to be fit and healthy. This transformation, my main goal was not to listen to my head and to follow the BFL plan no matter what. I lost weight and thought “okay I have been here before but it is not a transformation yet.” I would have quit but I  had done that a thousand times before—I HAD TO KNOW! What if I did the full 12 weeks?<p> Week 11- that’s when my body shaped totally changed. Ladies,  do not freak out– it may change sooner for some and later for others- but what a feeling of euphoria to see that happen!! So it was not just marketing after all!! It works!!!! It works!! It works!!! <p>Then my life I catapulted  forward and everything seemed to be happening at a completely different level. My body kept changing at a faster rate and I gained momentum knowing that what I was working for was paying off. It all  felt so good!! That was the breakthrough I was looking for.<p> I once thought, “How will I know if I have made a transformation?” Now I know. But now I want to know - what if I took where I am at even farther? There is a figure contest coming up in April in my province- if I do it, because of my age- I can go to the Provincials- if I place top three there, I go to Nationals. Now that once would have seemed a ridiculous consideration. But not any more. <p>The transformation that you are going to make is not the end result, but  is the beginning of doing whatever you feel like because you are no longer  afraid  it won’t happen. You get to cause happenings in your life instead of letting life happen to you. And I mean I REALLY doubted myself!! So believe, and you will get there.”

 

 

 

According to Bill Phillips, the architect of this fabulous Body for Life system, the contest was designed as a way of giving people motivation to do the challenge and stick with it.  But Dave and Amy Sayers are living proof that there are other ways of staying motivated when you can’t enter the contest. This is their story!

 

            See, Dave Sayers, Amy’s husband, works for Abbott Nutrition, a company whose parent is Abbott Laboratories,  which owns EAS as well as the Body for Life contest and products.  Rules are rules, and the employees of the sponsor can’t enter the contest.  But Abbott, being a company that is heavily invested in promoting employee health, has a corporate challenge. There, the Abbott employees competed to change their bodies into the healthiest and fittest they could be—in twelve weeks. Dave decided to enter that contest, and that’s how it all started. At least that’s how the healthy changes got started.

 

            Dave and Amy’s relationship got started years before Dave started that  corporate challenge. Amy and Dave fell in love in high school, but their paths separated for quite a while. Dave always knew they were meant to be soul mates, so in 1995 when they married, it was no surprise at all. On that wedding day, not only did Dave gain Amy as his life mate, he also became the stepfather of Amy’s two beautiful daughters, McLaine and Shelby.

 

            Amy is an epileptic, and the seizures required some very strong medications. Those medications came with a huge price.  In a very short time, Amy’s weight ballooned from a trim 130 pounds to 235 pounds. Not only that, but the seizure medications are tough on the liver, and as her weight rose, so did her cholesterol levels. Amy was faced with a weight that was uncomfortably high, cholesterol levels that were dangerously high, and a predicament—since cholesterol medications would only add to the liver stress from the anti-seizure meds. So, she made a literal life-changing decision. She joined Dave in the challenge and they did this transformation thing together!

 

            Though for Amy the BFL routine was at first a struggle, Dave was used to physical exercise and had always wanted to do this contest anyway, so he took right to it. Soon, it became a regular routine for both of them, and their results, outside AND inside, have been nothing short of amazing.

 

            The first challenge results were stunning. Between the two of them they lost a total of 70 pounds, about 35 pounds each! Though Amy’s highest weight was 235 pounds, she now weighs 137, and took 43 of those pounds off the BFL way in her first two challenges.

 

            I have an entire picture gallery on my website, www.mikeharris.org dedicated to the Sayers’ pictures.  They tell a great story in themselves, but they are only a part of it. I really like how Amy put it when I asked her how it went and what kept her motivated. Amy is a school teacher and expresses thoughts very well.  “You know, even though I never entered an official challenge, the challenge was on within me from day one.  No amount of recognition or prizes could ever compare to the assurance that I have inside me that I will be able to enjoy my later years with my children, and with their children. I have come to appreciate that I was given only one earthly body to last my life long and I have a responsibility to take care of it.”

 

            Both Dave and Amy say that quitting was never an option once they got started together on this new road of life. Amy even got in the habit of getting up at 4:30 a.m. to do her cardio, so that her busy school days don’t leave her too tired to do it later in the day. The obstacles they have faced are just the same as those of you doing the contest have run into, eating clean, especially when no one is looking, knowing when you’re too sick to work out and need to rest, and just fitting this grand lifestyle in with all the other things this busy family has going—church activities, gymnastics meets for the girls, and lots of other things.

 

            As to the great things that have come their way in addition to their svelte looks and better health, here is what Amy mentions in her interview responses:

 “David and I have our priorities in line, and when two people put their health at the top of that list, great things happen for each of them. What’s nice about doing BFL together is that these great things happen for the two of you-together. David and I plan our weekly menu together, we shop together, and we coordinate our workout schedules together. To be able to openly discuss something that you are working so hard at each and every day is great. It’s not this separate thing that I do and want to tell him about, it’s something we share.  

As far as accountability, well, to be honest, it’s quite “in your face” when it comes to doing it with the person you love the most. It drives me to stay on track, and I only get resentful once in awhile that his portion sizes are bigger than mine. Mind you, I can go head to head with him on free day!”

 

            As for how David responded to that same question, read what he said here and see if you think he just might have some strong feelings for this “soul mate” of his.

 

“Before BFL and the way it has made me feel, both physically and mentally, I never fully realized how bad I used to feel.  My brother had a valve blockage a few years ago that required Angioplasty and having a stint put in.  After his surgery, it was so easy for him to breath and his stamina improved so much, that he then realized how hard it had been to breath before his surgery, and how often he had become short of breath.  As we put on weight and become more and more out of shape, because this happens at a steady pace, we don’t necessarily notice the changes in how we feel physically.  The greatest benefit I’ve received from BFL, physically, is how great I feel.  I get around easier, I feel good, and I have stamina and endurance to handle anything I decide to do on a given day.  My overall confidence has improved dramatically, because I feel like I can literally do anything I put my mind to.  Physically, I know I can do it, and BFL has shown me that I’m mentally strong enough to do it too.

 

As for our relationship together, it has always been great.  BFL has just made it even better.  As I just said, the greatest benefit I’ve received from BFL, physically, is how great I feel.  But without doubt, the number one greatest gift I’ve received from BFL is how great Amy feels about herself.  When you truly love someone with your whole heart and being, there just isn’t anything in the world more important to you than their happiness.  I knew for years before BFL, that Amy didn’t feel good about herself, and I had serious fears that she might never really feel good about herself ever again.  That’s hard to deal with.  I tried so hard to make sure that she felt loved and appreciated, but in the end, you can’t make anyone feel good about themselves, unless they feel good about themselves first.  Body for Life has lifted the weight of the world (and actual body weight) off of Amy’s shoulders and now she feels as good about herself as I’ve always felt about her.  There is no amount of money in this world that is equal to what that is worth to me.  She has always been a beautiful person on the inside (where it counts the most,) but BFL has helped her to feel so good about herself on the outside, that now that inner beauty just radiates out from her every day, and that is really awesome to see!”

 

            I asked these two what they’d like to say to those of you couples who are thinking about doing a challenge but really wondering if they can get through this. I can’t do any better than just quote what they wrote for you, because it sounds absolutely perfect. Here is Amy’s response:

 

 “Realize that though you are doing this together, you each need to have separate goals. I have found that even if I might not eat something that David eats, or understand why he is doing his workout a particular way, that is ok. I don’t question what is working for him because I realize that the routines that we establish are very personal, even if we are both body for lifers. It makes for some great discussion, and David does a great job of answering my questions when I have them.   

What you can do is this: When your spouse either needs to miss a day because of sickness, OR, if he/she doesn’t eat clean or misses a workout, point it out in a positive way. Last spring I had some seizures and didn’t work out a couple days because of it, and sometimes those nasty migraines still disrupt my day. David does a wonderful job of reminding me that a few days out of my life will not change the lifestyle I have chosen for myself. It is because I adhere to the program almost all the time, that make it ok when I’m sick and unable to work out. Also, if one of you eats unclean or misses a workout, well, because you CHOSE not to for one reason or another; don’t make your spouse feel bad about it. Instead, remind them to “isolate it” as we say at our house. Don’t dwell on it, move on, and make your next workout out or your next meal, a great one. Remind them this is NOT A REASON TO JUST GIVE UP A CHALLENGE OR EAT UNCLEAN THE REST OF THE DAY. “

 

            And Dave offered this advice for you all:

 

            “To me there are two huge reasons for couples to do this together.

1. Eating is so easy if you’re both following the program versus one following BFL and the other eating whatever and whenever.

2. As Amy noted, the encouragement you are able to give to each other is invaluable.”

 

            Well, there was more in the transcript, including the fact that this couple spend some time volunteering at Notre Dame to help with seating folks at the Irish football games. That is why you see them in ND and usher’s garb in the one head shot photo in the gallery. Please take a look at those pictures, and just let it sink into your mind how truly amazing this life turnaround really is. About a hundred total pounds of fat, GONE, for Amy, and a healthy lifestyle that co-exists with a difficult condition, epilepsy. The girl of his dreams for Dave, 35 pounds of fat gone, and a healthy lifestyle as well!  Oh, this family has the same challenges and “moments” that all the rest of us have, but they also have a tremendous commitment to the healthy lifestyle that is body for life, as well as lasting commitments to their faith, and to their family relationships. 

 

            Now you know why I wanted to tell you about Dave and Amy! If you have questions for them, or would like to contact them, let me know, and I’ll see if I can’t hook you up. They’re willing to help with questions you might have about their transformations!

 

 Here’s how Amy summed up the entire body for life experience: “Mike, it is just so hard to put into words how [much] BFL has done for me. I thank God everyday for taking my life down this path.”

             So do we, Amy, so do we!       

It’s an advantage in nearly every organized sport there is, individual or team. It’s call the home field or home court advantage. And what this means is that the athletes who play on their home field,court or pitch nearly always do better than if they played on somebody else’s home base.

 

This blog is about giving yourself that home court advantage. It’s about all the things you need to do to make sure you’re  going to always get the most of every day of your challenge, even if you’re not really AT HOME.

 

1. KEEP A JOURNAL EVERY DAY. This is truly the most important thing you can do. Your journal should have your meal plans, your workout plans, dates and times, and your goals. With a journal always with you, there will be far fewer missed or incomplete meals, and missed or half-baked workouts. this will make all the difference in the world in your final results. Most lapses in diet result from failure to prepare, and most failures to prepare come from indadquate planning.

 

2. KEEP AN INSPIRATION WALL! Kelly Adair, in the video Success Stories, shows Bill Phillips her wall  that was filled with inspirational photos of successful athletes and bodybuilders. She said she looked at them while she was working out, and that she imagined herself looking just like them some day. I think I also read that she also imagined that they were “cheering her on” in a sense.  This may sound like corny stuff, but these things work. Story boards, walls of inspiration, and things like that help you to VISUALIZE exactly what you’re doing and where you are going–strengthening and quickening that mind-body connection that has helped so many.

 

3. WATCH INSPIRATIONAL VIDEOS! I mentioned the Success Stories video, and there are two others. Kelly Adair watched continually the full length movie, Body of Work, that is about the first ever contest, and there is a Success Stories 2 video. These can be purchased and are available in a packet from Body for Life. If Body for Life doesn’t have them, you should be able to find them on Ebay or Amazon. I have watched every one of these videos more than 30 times each, and they never fail to make me more inspired than I was! They are fuel for the will and the spirit!

 

4. GO TO A COMMUNITY EVENT–OR SEVERAL! The key to staying power is having a really good reason to do this. And having lots of good friends to encourage you in your BFL journey helps tremendously. Having online friends is helpful, for sure. But, having real life friends, with whom you can laugh, cry, hug and all that other stuff is just plain precious. You can meet many of your online friends at events in Kansas City in June, Knoxville in October, and perhaps others as well. These are events sponsored by private associations wanting to help you succeed, and they are the thing that get me going more than anything else. I’m not the outgoing type, either, but I just love going to these events, and you will too. There are links to the events I mentioned on my website, www.mikeharris.org if you’d like more information on them. They are inexpensive, and indescribably inspirational!

 

Well, that’s it. With these home court tools, you might not win every battle, but you’ll sure finish and finish strong! I guarantee it!

 

I’ll bet some of you have ideas as well. I’d love to hear them.

Are You Running on FAITH, Or Feelings?

Here is a typical post I see on the guestbook. “Hi, I’m new here, and

really ready to give this all I have, but I have a question first. Do

any of you really think the 20 minutes of cardio is enough? I’ve heard

that many of the champions did more cardio than that and

they……….”

This type of question reveals that our newbie  has not thoroughly read

or understood the book, that he is not ready to wholeheartedly adopt this

program, and that he  is still comfortable hanging onto his old ideas

even though they didn’t work. It is also almost 100% certain that the

same person who asks that question will be wondering why they haven’t

seen a bunch of scale weight loss after the first week. The most

important thing this question shows is that this is a person letting

their feelings make their decisions, rather than their faith.

Many of you are now completely comfortable with the idea of 20 minutes

of high intensity cardio three times a week.  Others are still

struggling with it. Many of you are completely comfortable with the

notion that the scales are a lousy predictor of successful fat burning,

because you are gaining muscle at the same time as you lose fat. Some

of you are still struggling with the idea that it’s how you look, not

what you weigh, that makes the difference.

What ultimately makes the crossover happen is faith. You might say,

“No, it was seeing the results after doing only 20 minutes of cardio.”

But I think that’s not entirely accurate because many people who see

results with 20 minute cardio still sneak extra cardio simply because

they “feel” that if 20 minutes works, 30 minutes will work even better!

So, you actually came to a faith driven decision that has changed your

feelings about the parameters of this program.

Faith is a simple word, but it is a profound concept that makes all the

difference in the world as to how your life efforts turn out. People

who are naturally pessimistic or who are continually doubting or second

guessing the experts–they rarely are successful, and they are most

often miserable as well. Misery is usually the end product of a life

that is lived based only on feelings, rather than time-honored

principles. With faith, it can all turn out differently.  That is the

beauty of faith. Faith cannot exist apart from joy. A person filled

with faith is not an empty headed optimist. Rather, they are naturally

upbeat and expectant, because they know that faith is rewarded both

here and in the hereafter. A faith-filled person is happy because all

the inner turmoil is gone!

No, Bill Phillips is NOT God! But, placing your faith in Bill Phillips,

when it comes to fitness, is an excellent idea. If you do this program

as written, with faith that it will work, you’ll see your confidence

level and your daily attitude soar. Just that present expectation of a

future reward will change you enormously–not at the end of your

challenge, but the moment you acquire it!

How do you get that kind of faith? In my case, it was simply an act of

conforming my will and my mind to the notion that THIS was the vehicle

I had been given to get where I wanted to go, and that if it worked for

hundreds of thousands of other people it would work for me. When I 

quit doubting, and started acting like the successful transformer I

hoped to become, things changed inside dramatically. Those inside

changes fueled the transformation to the end. In your case, it might

require making a contract with yourself at the front of your journal,

that you WILL give this all you have, and that you WILL NOT cheat or

add to or take away from the program.

Take that leap of faith–all you have to lose is doubts and difficulty.

And what you have to gain is–everything!

Most of you have heard this before. The KISS principle is an acronym that stands for “Keep it simple, stupid!” When I first heard that saying, I was sitting in a recovery group meeting in Wichita Kansas. I arrived at that meeting in a white hospital van and  we were all wearing  green bracelets that had our names, allergies and dates of birth on them. As you can probably tell, I was not in a situation that I had always hoped would happen!

In fact, as though he was reading my mind, an older gentleman in the back of the room, who had obviously been sober a long time, said, “You know, I never wanted to be an alcoholic when I grew up, but I have come to actually think of this as a great gift. All you have to do to really enjoy life is stay sober, come to meetings, and work the KISS principle.” I got more from that off-handed statement than that man could ever have imagined. In fact, it eventually became the very roadmap for success in my life, too. I found that to stay happy and free, all I had to do was stay sober, go to meetings and keep it simple, stupid. I also realized that the reverse was true, that if I didn’t go to meetings, and if I allowed my life to get complicated, then I wanted to drink. I never did drink, but it sure made life miserable when I left those bedrock principles that guy gave me.

So what? Well, these principles apply to body for life as well. All you have to do to make body for life your operating system, and to stay happy and free, is to stay sober as far as food is concerned, go to some meetings, and keep it simple.

1. Staying sober with food is basically eating 6 small meals of carbs and proteins that are good for you, rather than munching on the wrong stuff or sneaking sweets and fatty snacks and lying about it.

2. Going to meetings is going to the gym, and staying in touch with your communities of support as well. Yes, you can do BFL as a lone ranger, but it gets harder with each passing day, whereas if you do it with a group that supports each other, it gets easier and more fun every day.

3. And the KISS principle is the real key. KISS means doing cardio vigorously just three times a week, always early in the morning, and always on a fasted stomach. KISS is doing resistance training 3 or 4 days a week, hitting all the muscles hard at least once a week, and getting plenty of rest. KISS also is being somewhat frugal with myself, so I can be generous to others, knowing this means God will treat me extravagantly. KISS means quickly apologizing when I have wronged someone, being even quicker to forgive when I’ve been wronged, and keeping no record of offenses against me.  Most importantly, KISS is remembering every day that being a BFL champion is an honor and a privilege that comes with a duty to be the BEST you can be in helping others to grab hold of this lifestyle and experience the true freedom and power that comes with living a life under control.

How about you? Is KISS one of your keys to better living? 

What Are You Looking Forward To?

Albuquerque attorney and fitness author Clarence Bass, now in his 70s, says that trying to maintain your fitness level saps your energy and is downright depressing.  What he means is that just staying where you are, with no vision, and no goals, is contrary to the real nature of the human spirit. Let’s talk about that today, because since the Expo I feel like  I need more vision and fresh goals!

See, going to the Expo has been my vision for the last several months. The Expo was a mountaintop experience for me. A mountaintop experience is where you feel so much joy and exhilaration that you can hardly contain yourself. And that is how it was for me. I saw so many people I had only ever seen pictures of; I sat on a panel with two of the prettiest ladies you’ll ever see and a real live hero (Kelly and Alexa Adair and Mark Unger); it was terrific seeing and hugging some folks I truly love, and meeting the new champs was exhilarating as well! I came home happy, and yet nearly worn out from the experience as well.

After a few days of rest and a lot of work, I need a new vision, something to really look forward to, and I need some new goals. We’re not made to experience the mountaintop stuff all the time. It’s a rarity, but in between those kinds of experiences, we ARE MADE to always strive toward something bigger than our current life can hold.

Here are what I’m looking forward to:

1. Getting some copies of the new book, Champions Body for Life, the minute it comes out, and figuring out a way to make them available to those who truly will benefit from it. This is NOT an unselfish goal–I’m in the book! I mainly want to see if they made me look as humble as I really am! O.K., bad joke, I know…

2. My son’s wedding on June 7. (We are already empty nesters, but there’s something about marrying off the last one that provides a launching pad for a freer lifestyle.

3. Going to the Kansas gathering! It will be another mountaintop experience–I guarantee it!

4. Setting a personal best in wide grip pullups. (I did 19 yesterday at the gym without even warming up, and I’m thinking that 25 will be in reach if I work hard.)

5. Understanding a really hard parable, The Parable of the Dishonest Steward in Luke 16.  (I will accept all help available if you think you already know the real point there.)

6. Summer in Michigan. Last year it was on July 18 I think!

Something about just putting those things down on the blog makes me more empowered and more excited about the rest of this day! Something about having goals and visions just makes us a more complete human. Want to see how many people truly have goals, visions and desires?  Just for one day, find a way to ask people you have more than a passing conversation with “what are your personal goals this year?” Or, “What in your life would you like to change within the next year?” You’ll see blank stares, and hear and occasional “it would be nice if……” but you’ll find that most people live unexamined, directionless lives. So, for them, it’s somewhat like the old saying that “if you don’t know where you’re going, any old road will get you there.”

If you are left wondering if you really have vision and goals, start here by putting them down in writing. If you already have done that, why not meet me in Kansas City in June?

Aren’t you glad today that you have Body for Life, and that because of that you have structure, goals and vision? I am!

This is the last of the four false beliefs that when used as your mental operating system will tear your life apart and bring either chaos or absolute depression to you to stay.

This one is a common mindset, though less common in BFL’ers, thank God! Still, some of you may be tormented with this type of attitude, or know others who are, so I want to cover this so you can help yourself or those who are dying inwardly due to this horrible sense of hopelessness. The most common presenting problem in BFL in someone who has this mindset is a long-standing eating disorder. This mindset is part of the end-stage process of that disease. 

A person suffering from this attitude feels deep shame, hopelessness, inferiority to others, and is passive. She usually has lost her creativity and interest in life. She stays isolated, and withdraws from others.This leads to a deepening of the eating disorder, whether it be bingeing, bulemia, or even anorexia. Eating disorders are often but not always connected to abuse that causes the shame. Sufferers are sometimes attracted to BFL and its serious structure, in hopes that the structure will provide relief so they can “get over” the disorder.

Working with someone like this is very difficult because of the hiding, passivity and lack of desire to interact. They are simply incapable of acting like you do, because their shame keeps them always fearing rejection and feeling inferior.They believe the secrets they are sitting on are so bad that if you got to know them you would intensely dislike and reject them.

How do you help them, or help yourself if you suffer from this? First, the source of shame is almost always something that was done TO them, instead of by them. They need to be told and they need to tell themselves that the shame has become a substitute for a type of self-punishment, and they don’t deserve to live a life of hopelessness and loneliness. I’ll be brutally honest with you. This kind of an attitude can at times be very dangerous to the person who has it. They need to be asked if they want to live, and they need to be reminded that they are a created being, that they have a purpose in life, and that sitting on the sidelines or destroying themselves cannot fulfill such a purpose.  You may want to ask for help for them whether they want it or not. Sometimes there is an ongoing drug dependency that fuels this hopelessness, and sometimes not. But seeking the help of an expert may be necessary in this case.

We are NOT MADE to endure shame. In a sense this person is much like the person we talked about yesterday, who punishes themself and others out of the mistaken belief that failure should have consequences. But our hopeless person has created failure out of an inability to accept or deal with something that has happened to them, and they usually need help with that. For God’s sake, literally, love them unconditionally, and love them too much to leave them alone. But, love them with another one present as well. I don’t recommend dealing with this kind of situation without another person being there to help.

If you are yourself the victim of this terrible situation, I simply urge you to seek the help of someone with expertise in counseling who can help you to deal with the underlying issues, so you can deal with life in a joyful situation. There is no easy journal writing cure here.

I hope this series has been helpful. I enjoyed bringing it to you, and it has really made realize anew what a wonderful and eternal gift my own faith is. I hope it has for you as well. God bless!

Here’s the next false belief that some of us have, one which leads to failure and even devastation.

“Those who fail are unworthy of love and deserve punishing.”

O.K., I know what you’re thinking–”NOBODY THINKS LIKE THAT–AT LEAST I SURE DON’T!” Right?

Well, hear me out, please. How do you feel when someone continually tells you one thing and acts in another way? Remember that person in your life who used to tell you how much you meant to them and then treated you or betrayed you in a way that showed clearly what they really thought of you? You concluded that they were not what they said, didn’t you? So it is with this false belief as well.

See, I watch you to see how you treat someone, someone you say you love, and then I see how you treat them when they fail, and you aren’t nice to them at all. You treat them just like you believed they were unworthy, and that they deserved the punishment you give them. Who? YOU!! See, I watch how you treat yourself when you “mess up” and it makes me just want to weep!

You look in the mirror and you scowl at yourself. You say things to yourself like, “How stupid could I be??” Or, “I’ll never get this right!” Even when you started out your last challenge you said to yourself, “Well, what do I have to lose–I’ll probably just mess up again and end up even fatter, though!” You never even gave yourself a chance, did you? And then when failure was clear, out came the punishment. You packed on even more pounds and sat at home with tears in your eyes and ice cream in your lap! You wouldn’t answer the phone and you denied yourself every opportunity for your friends and family to really help you or encourage you. You blamed others and you even punished your own family members too! You were shocked at the rage that came out of you. Then you hid out at home to avoid punishment from others.  Yes, you really lived this out, and that’s why I think you believe this false belief much more than you say you do!

How do you turn your thinking around and escape this, the most deadly trap of all? This is one of those steps that works best with faith, and with an understanding that you are a child of God. Punishment is a function of government, and self-punishment is an affront to God, who took all the punishment for you.  Once you realize that your self-punishment is not just dumb, but morally wrong and destructive, and once you admit it, you have a chance to stop it, and if you stop punishing yourself, you’ll lose the urge to punish others as well.

Get out that journal. Write something like this: “I am worth too much to destroy myself with punishment. I have too much to give to others to deny them the opportunity to love me by acting like this. I will love myself appropriately, and I will not curse myself, or others. I will not abuse myself or others. I will treat myself with the respect I once treated others. Most of all, I will forgive myself, so that I might feel forgiven.” And if you are a person of Christian roots or faith, think about what the cross really meant–not just a symbol, but an event where once for all time God took upon himself the punishment so that we need not live lives of torment. Think about the great sacrifice that was made that we might lead lives of freedom from fear and torment. THen, act like the champion you are, and you’re on your way!  Don’t forget to make amends to those who caught the brunt of your self-hatred, which poured over onto them!

Boy, yesterday’s blog really hit a nerve for lots of people, and really struck home. Today’s blog is probably even more revealing to those of us who struggle with obtaining our self worth from sources that will betray us. To review, yesterday’s blog was about the false belief that one must obtain certain goals in order to feel good about themselves. Today’s false belief is a kissing cousin to the first:  “I MUST BE APPROVED BY CERTAIN OTHERS TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT MYSELF.”

Like yesterday, at first blush  seeking other’s approval seems like it might be a virtue, but it is definitely not. Sure, you need to be approved by others. Unless your boss approves of your work, you will be on the streets soon. Unless your spouse approves of certain actions, conflicts always arise. THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH NEEDING APPROVAL! But, here’s where it all goes wrong, “IN ORDER TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT MYSELF!”  If you have to have the praise, admiration or acceptance of others as part of your self-worth you are in trouble!

How? Well, as we said yesterday, there are no PERFECT people, and that includes those whose approval you need. People who know you seek their approval have all the power, and you’ve given all yours away. If your self-worth is dependent on their giving you what you want from them, they can do anything they want. Even though most people are decent, it is human nature to take advantage of those who “need you.”

What usually happens in BFL is someone does a challenge to get the approval of their mother or father or spouse. Then, one of two things quickly happens. Usually, the challenge hits a rough spot, the progress stops, and the approval seeker is devastated when the one whose approval they seek says something hurtful. Even a sort of harmless remark like “I don’t see any changes yet” can send an approval seeker into a  swirling depression. If you’re one of these folks, you’re getting that sinking feeling right now, even as you read this.

The second possibility is that even if you get good results the one from whom you seek approval never responds in the “fairy tale” way you may have envisioned. The end of the story here is usually the same as what happened to the person who tried to get their self worth from meeting certain goals:  Our challenger, with her approval needs unmet, becomes angry,then fearful of rejection, then supersensitive to any type of criticism from anyone, then withdraws to avoid disapproval, then drops out and goes into hiding. This is even more devastating than the situation where one tried to find self-worth out of meeting goals, because now there are two wounded people, and usually a relationship has been stressed.

How to avoid this? The solution is very similar to yesterday. First, be absolutely sure that YOUR challenge is yours–that you’re doing it FOR YOU, not someone else. This is one of the few times that selfishness is laudable! Next, get out that journal again, or your prayer journal, and write something like this in it: “I am a worthwhile and lovable person whether or not I meet all these goals. I am completely and unconditionally accepted by the God who made me. My happiness must come from within me, not from what another person thinks or says about me. I will not turn over to another the power to control my feelings and emotions. I will not create situations where I seek approval or flattery, and I will not respond to remarks that hurt me, other than to pray for that person and ask God to bless them. I will do my best today to please God and myself, and if that isn’t enough for others, that is not my problem!”

Do this out of love for others, not bitterness. Act like the champion you’ll be some day–and you’re on your way to freedom from the approval seeking bondage!

THis short series, four blogs, is about mindsets that will defeat you if you keep using them,  even if you don’t know you have them.  The terms are drawn from a book called Search for SIgnificance by Robert McGee. But, the principles are timeless, and are not Dr. McGee’s creation by any means. So, what I will do in this series is to identify and describe each of these false mindsets, give you the results of this mindset, and then give you the “solution to the problem.”  Many people, by the way, have more than one of these, so you may see yourself in more than one of these blogs!

McGee’s book is from a Christian approach. I am a Christian as well. But, whether you are or are not a person of faith, these principles of failure, and the solutions, will work whether you have a faith-based operating system or not. So, hang with me, please.

“I MUST MEET CERTAIN STANDARDS IN ORDER TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT MYSELF.”

This is probably the most common “false belief” of those who come to BFL for the first time. It leads to defeat every time. I know what you’re thinking–”Wait a minute Mike! We HAVE TO think like that if we’re going to be a success!” Nope.  Here’s why and what happens.

First of all, you almost immediately play the tape in your head and fast forward it to a failure point. You say, “I am going to WIN THIS CONTEST–and then the first time you miss a meal or a workout, you begin to think you can’t win–that you’ve failed already. This creates a fear of failure and leads to even more perfectionism, which means that the next “mistake” leads to dropping out or starting over. You become driven to succeed, and you begin to fabricate excuses or even to manipulate others to get what you want. Ultimately, you withdraw from all healthy risks, drop out of the challenge, and you basically go into hiding.  You have lost all confidence in yourself!

What’s the “solution?”You must understand and agree with yourself that you are already a good and complete person, that you are likeable and lovable whether or not you get all A’s or lose 20 pounds, or end up with a 200 pound bench press. You must understand and agree with yourself that the end results are not near as important as carrying out what you start to the end. Breaking promises to yourself is destructive, but falling short of good goals is commonplace, and is NOT unacceptable. There are no perfect people, so there are no perfect results.

Great people fail often. You must understand that unless you change this way of thinking, you will ALWAYS be setting yourself up for failure. Even if you DO succeed momentarily, as long as you have the unhealthy mindset that you must meet certain goals to feel worthy, you will always raise the bar until you fail. Can you see it now? This mindset is a form of functional insanity because it always leads to failure and withdrawal, never to lasting success and joy!

Is it hard to do this agreement with yourself? Not if you have a journal. Write the truth in your journal every day. Write something like this: “I am a success today. I will not be ruled by fear, and I will not let my opinion of myself change if I make a mistake. I will be honest with myself, and I will love myself in an appropriate way.” Do that every day, and read it out loud to yourself, and you’re on your way!