No matter what you do, what is more important is your drive and consistancy.
The challenge is not to go to the gym, but to go to the gym and do the diet on a regular basis, to make it habit.
Without that, no program or information will work.
If you're not sure you can handle it on a regular basis, don't get any program. Get into a routine of fitness first, do anything. Once you know you will do something and stick to it, then look into more information or a program.
Even if you are skinny or fat, simply running around is a BIG IMPROVEMENT than just sitting there doing nothing like most people do. A body molded by action is more attractive than a body that just sits around.
This is better than buying a program or reading countless articles and expecting miracles. Once you know you have the DRIVE and the CONSISTANCY, only then would I reccomend paying for any program.
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The Body for Life is a very generalized book whose market is a mass audience. Meaning, the book is meant for old people, young people, fat people, poofy people, people who look like walruses, people who waddle about, ape-like people, and so on. After all, Wal-Mart features Body for Life throughout their stores.
From what I've read from Body of Life, the information is not bad, it's just that the author gives no solid details, just more prose. The reason why is because the book is targeted at a generalized audience.
Body for Life is something you'd give your parents.
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The Skinnyguy.net progam is designed for and targeted for (no surprise) skinny guys who have trouble gaining. Though I've noticed the information is so well presented and applicable that even older people and people not of the 'ectomorph' (skinny) body type benefit as well.
Donny Osmond is correct that you can get results if you go and look up the information (for free) over the Internet. Go ahead and try that, as you won't be losing any money from it.
But there is a problem with this argument. I could also gain the same information (and probably superior information) through the Internet than going to college. After all, all the classics are up on the Internet. All the medical journals, scientific journals, literary classics, and even commentary on them. But if I did this, I would lack a solid foundation.
The reason why I bought the skinnyguy.net program, when everyone told me I shouldn't because I can 'get the information for free over the Net', is because of TIME.
To me, it wasn't an issue of money but an issue of time. Time, to me, if more valuable than money as I can always make more money, I cannot make more time.
There is a lot of hype in the fitness realm and a lot of 'this NEW program works WONDERS' mentality. Do you want to go sorting yourself through that junk?
I wanted solid information that would let me gain mass. Anthony Ellis's program gives you all that, even describes the scientific reactions behind your metabolism, the supplements, your diet, the work-out, and such.
I actually do the program lazily. But I'm consistant in my diet and work-outs, and the results follow from that. When I want to 'upgrade' my routine, I just apply more and more of the details. In fitness, the devil is in the details.
Go ahead and try all the websites and articles on the Internet. But if you find yourself going in circles, not getting SOLID information, consider a program.
Your time is worth more than your money. If I can spend a little bit of money to gain extra chunks of time in my life, I'll do it in a heartbeat.