Customer Reviews

Transformation: The Mindset You Need. The Body You Want. The Life You Deserve

5 star:		(105)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

Of all the purchases I've made on Amazon over the years (both good and bad), I have never been so inclined to write a review, so this is my first. My first because I want to offer everyone a warning here to be very wary of the 4 and 5 star reviews for this book - Take a look at the review posted by Jennifer Franco on June 18, 2010. In it she swoons over Bill Phillips' expertise and includes the statement, "I had actually never heard of him before now. So all this is new to me." OH REALLY Jennifer?? I then clicked on the link by her name to see all of her reviews. She has 6 more reviews out there, ALL of which pertain to a Bill Phillips product, all of which were entered an entire year earlier on June 21, 2009. In one review of a Bill Phillips shake in '09, she even declares, "I have been a follower of the Body For Life program and Bill Phillips for a long time!!" Huh? So in 2009 she was a follower of Bill Phillips and in 2010 she had never heard of him? Sounded too fishy to me.

So, I went back through and read ALL of the 4 & 5 star reviews AND what other Amazon items they have reviewed - There is a VERY interesting pattern there, and I encourage you to see for yourself.

I am a successful Body for Lifer for ten years now, thus my initial interest in this book. If you have read Body For Life, don't bother with this - it appears that the Phillips machine is just trying to squeeze money out of repeat customers and offer you nothing in return. If you have not read Body for Life, I do recommend it - but after this blatant dishonesty I suggest you save your money and get it at your local library. If bogus positive reviews have to be manufactured in order to peddle a book, one has to consider the integrity of the author. I suggest the Bill Phillips machine have a "Transformation" of its own. Shame on you.

Bill Phillips goes beyond fitness with this new book. When I read Transformation recently I was impressed with how much Phillips has learned about the SCIENCE of Mind-Body medicine. He is more knowledgeable now than he was when he wrote Body for Life.

His writing has improved too. It is still like having a conversation with a friend (which is what Phillips' writing has always been like) but now it is like having a conversation with an open-hearted, more knowledgeable, mature, humble and caring friend. This makes it easier to understand the concepts. Most books on Mind-Body medicine which I've read are not easy to understand like this one is.

Before you buy this book ask yourself if you are truly OPEN MINDED about what all is involved with being healthy. This is not just a workout and diet plan. This is a program for HEALING your mind from unhealthy things like grief, trauma, repressed anger, anxiety, fear, and depression. Phillips believes that a healthy mind and healthy thinking are the way to lose weight and get fit for the long term. And he presents a lot of solid science to back up his theory.

Phillips delivers this information much more like a compassionate therapist than a personal trainer. So if you hate therapists and you don't like talking about your feelings, this is not the book for you. I used to dislike that kind of thing but a battle with prostate cancer a few years ago helped change my mind. I have grown to appreciate this kind of healing and now I have a plan for how to apply it in a way that can help me lose weight (which I need to do--30 lbs) and improve my health and fitness.

The bottom line message of this new book is: If you want a healthy body, do the work to have a healthy mind (and emotions). That is the promise of Mind-Body medicine. This is the future of health care in America I think.

My only gripe is that the audio book is not yet available.

I've just finished reading this book cover-to-cover. If you're looking at the next stage on where to go from Body for Life.. this book is not for you. The chapters which focus on nutrition and fitness (Chapter 2 - Exercise Rx, and Chapter 3 - Right Nutrition) are very broad, not specific, and cover basic tips that you can find on any free website that deals with nutrition and exercise (he has a whole page just on water.. seriously now). Let me be clear: there is no formal fitness plan or nutrition plan that he covers in this book. He gives broad guidelines and there's no real 'take-away' plan you can immediately implement in your kitchen or at the gym. This is what Body for Life was. This book is not Body for Life, nor can is it Body for Life 2. I should note, he does promote the small meals, 6 a day etc in this book and what a serving size is.. but then again, it's a re-hash from BFL.

I'm a huge fan of Bill Phillips. Body for Life changed my life around. It was the perfect book at the perfect time. This book really deals with the fluff of changing yourself in terms of thoughts, actions, and behaviours. There's nothing substantial in here that you can't get listening to the epilogue of a Dr. Phil episode. It's motivational speaker-ish, and really not substantive. It's nothing that is concrete nor really a roadmap for success. Bill has a new goal which is to not only sell this book based on the success of Body for Life, but also to promote his transformation community online. I have joined that website this week, and it's a well designed site, but again, there are so many more free options than a $19.95 a month site.

If you want to change your body, mind, and life, .. buy Body for Life by Bill Phillips. If you're curious as to what this book is about, go to your library. There's just not much in it. Bill, we all love you, but please stick to your core competencies which include fitness and nutrition. You lose credibility trying to be a self-help guru. I'm your biggest fan.. listen to us who supported you all these years and promoted BFL and EAS.

I'm a big fan of Body-for-LIFE - I still follow the program to this day - and I'm eternally grateful to Bill Phillips for writing that outstanding book. But where BFL was concise and inpsirational, this book comes across - and I don't mean this spitefully - as the pseudo-new-agey ramblings of a person going through a mid-life crisis.

Transformation meanders about, espousing feel-good common sense dressed up as deep philosophy on one page, then spouting out bible quotes the next. The actual fitness and diet-oriented aspects of the book are rather ambiguous, alluding vaguely to the plan outlined in BFL, but not presenting any coherent course of action beyond "you should work out and eat right - it's good for you". As a previous reviewer said, this book is essentially a thinly-disguised advertisement for [...]. The web site was free up until the release of this book, at which point it goes to a paid-subscription-only model overnight.

While I respect the community that Bill has brought together on his site and the achievements they have made in changing their lives, I must admit that they *do* come off as rather cultish, and that isn't helped any by the avalanche of gushing 5-star reviews that popped up overnight by one-shot reviewers. It was this mentality that discouraged me from joining the site instead of just lurking.

As I said, this isn't coming from a place of spite; 2 stars is my honest judgement of this book, and I'm disappointed that that has to be the case because I was really looking forward to it.

(I noticed that I'd accidentally given the book 1 star when I meant to give it two - which I've now rectified - my apologies for any confusion. I'd also like to add that shortly after this review was written the book's website ended the subscription fees and went back to being free)

I really, really love this book!

I have been in the fitness industry for years, 15 to be exact. I have been in incredible shape, and I have been out of shape. And this book woke me up. I am so externally driven and realized why some of the physically fittest times in my life were temporary. This book makes so much sense! There is a chapter on forgiveness, that just clicked for me, CLICKED! I have spent so many years in the gym trying to make myself beautiful and acceptable for the world to see, yet being so conflicted and hiding from some truths - unfulfilled.

Bill nails it in this book with the whole body, mind, and soul connection. Let's just say, I had an experience early in my life that I still carry, and this book woke me up. I am still peeking around his online community, and it looks really supportive. I think having the courage to really open up is going to be my first hurdle.

I don't know who will read this review, but if you are woman who has struggled with inner dialogue and old stuff like me, this book has already had a huge impact on me. And being in the fitness industry, I have read alot out there, and no one touches this book.

This will add a whole new dimension to the clients I train; there are so many yo-yo'ers out there that need to stop the pattern, so they can become and stay healthy once and for all.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to transform or enhance their lives and have a healthy, body, mind and soul! Bill Phillips has had years of experience, research, and personally has coached and guided many people who have enhanced their lives and the lives of others around them! I have read many books and have purchased many life-coach books, positive thinking books, and by far this is the BOOK EVERYONE MUST HAVE! I completed the 18 weeks online assignements you will find in this book and my life truly has changed! How do I feel? GREAT! AMBITIOUS! CONFIDENT! HAPPY! HEALTHY. I truly have found out who I truly am and know that I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! WHAT I HAVE TO SAY IS IMPORTANT AND VALUABLE! I also have learned that every person I encounter is precious and valuable and with Bill Phillips' guidance, nutrition, exercise advice and this wonderful community, we can make a major difference all over the world! It starts with prayer, forgiveness, that leads to love, joy, happiness, and an abundance of health. I no longer feel that I am alone. I do know, however, that it is up to me to open up my heart, clear my environment around me, start and finish necessary things in my life, so I can live a happy, fulfilled life. Clearing your environment is crucial #VITAL# to your future! Buy this book now and join the Bill Phillips' Transformation community and transform your life NOW!

I got this book about a month ago and have been putting it to work for about 2 weeks now.

Personally, I am 34 and in pretty good shape, and kind of thought this might be fun to try because I followed Bill Phillips back in the late 90's, but I didn't realize how much was in this book. I guess I have always defined my health by my appearance, however, this book is teaching me a lot about where true health comes from. I am looking forward to the next 16weeks and how this book challenges me. I give this book a big 5 stars and recommend it to anyone who wants to live better.

Sincerely,
Eri c

Please, if you are living an addicted life, get this book and set yourself free. Your family will benefit from your Transformation even more than you do.

The program in Bill Phillips Transformation is helping me break free from a decade long addiction to alcohol and cigarettes. I am 60 days clean today and I have never made it this long before no matter what I tried. I am also exercising 5 days a week for the first time in years.

This book helped me understand that my health recovery is going to be a lifelong process. I am getting there, one day at a time, and so can YOU.

A main theme of this work involves how to transform
the body through mind/body, exercise and vitamin
therapies. The author advises each of us to label a
definitive starting point , as well as a goal or
finish line. Exercise enhances the self esteem.

Inactivity is touted as being as dangerous as smoking.
I believe this to be the case because the body craves
movement. The book encourages the practice of
preventive medicine in place of disease management
under the current medical systems and processes.

Protein and carbs are said to stabilize the blood
sugar. Omega 3 vitamins provide us with good fats.
Vitamins B and C are water soluble. The book advises
us to eat 6 small meals daily to increase the metabolic
rate incrementally.

Some sample menus are provided like grilled salmon and
steamed spinach. A mainstay of the book is that the
protocols are aimed at lifetime implementation.
The psychological impact of eating is discussed also.
For instance, resentment and ill feelings are considered
to be just as dangerous as poisonous toxins.

Overall, the book is an excellent acquisition for your
personal library of medical and health books.

I'm excited to be able to buy the new "Transformation Solutions Program" which includes CDs and books and stuff. Bill himself "couldn't be more excited to share this with" me! Because I'm on a "special email list" I'll be able to buy it for half-price! I'm a winner!
When Bill announced this new program, he graciously offered to give away 20 programs for free to people who responded to his blog. He then reported that "We've been getting thousands of emails and comments to my blog from men and women who are eager to try the Transformation Soultions Program. The line is literally 'around the block' for its release." Excellent! Offer to give a few away, and then claim the contest entrants are evidence of demand! Truly transformational.
And if I buy it within 24 hours, I get a special gift, "Five Foods to Transform Your Body" which is a forty dollar value! I can only imagine how powerful and rare this information must be to make it worth forty bucks. Bill is kindly giving it to those of us who order his program within 24 hours because "I like to reward people who take action." Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
Look, there's nothing wrong with the basic information (hence, 2 stars) -- eat better, exercise, find support groups, set goals, embrace forgiveness, meditate, think positively, help others, etc. Now, this book can only present the most superficial treatment of so many topics in 212 pages (I hope there's more on the CDs!), but if you believe personal salvation comes from commercialism and marketing, this is the program for you.
For others seeking motivation or social connections, I'd suggest looking elsewhere. For instance, much of the book's "18-step program" is watered-down 12-step material, without giving the original "steps" any credit: Chapters include "Progress Not Perfection," where he encourages you to take it "one day at a time," and "Releasing Concealments," aka confessing your sins. But AA and its progeny are free. (And you can still find people who worship Bill, although it's an earlier Bill who's dead and collects no royalties.)
This reeks of the business model for programs like mail-order diet foods. It can work, as does almost any program/goal you stick with, but it makes its profits from repeat customers. It promotes personal "success" but it banks on your personal failure. "Results not typical" isn't a disclaimer, it's a business plan.
And the $50k transformation challenge is not a "prize" but a salary for promoting Bill's materials (see the website: "If named Champion ... (y)ou'll be asked to participate for a one-year term and you'll receive $50,000"). As Tom Waits said, the Big Print giveth, and the Small Print taketh away.
As with much of the self-improvement and corporate motivation industry, this is one seriously cynical sow's ear.