Andy,

Those that go out and get the tan and photo shoot are not doing it for the prize.  They are doing it for themselves.

Flip

Hi there ,this will be my first challenge and prizes or not I intend to finish for my long term health.Everything is here in this site diet,workouts,support whatelse could I want .Check out Precision Nutrition site if u want to pay to go into a body makeover comp . P.S and u may win 50,000 for your money and time . (MAY WIN)

I agree Flip. I went last night and got a professional spray tan. Man, am I tan today!!! :) It's a nice way of rewarding myself for the hard work I put into this over the past 12 weeks and to be able to take a good after photo that does justice to all I've accomplished physically.

However, I only did that because I happened to have the extra money to do so at this time. If I were low on funds, I wouldn't have been able to justify the money for the pro tan, let alone a pro photo shoot.

I'll probably just take my photos outside in some good lighting with a nice backdrop, as I don't have enough money for the pro photo shoot as well.

I'm dissappointed.  Andy pretty well sums it up with "who moved my cheese".  I too have followed to some extent BFL for the past 10+ years.  While I have never entered the challenge officially, I have planned my rounds to some extent based on their dates. I know, I should be living it everyday, but I'm just not there yet.  I have been motivated by the winners, and even met them one year at "The Arnold".  I looked forward to the round winners, or eventually highlighted challenge participants and their stores that used to be posted after each round.

I like what they have done here with the forum for the BFL community to come together, share and motivate each other, but I am dissappointed where they have gone with the challenge itself. The fact that each year they post later and later the round dates and the "challenge kit", how they post the pictures of the winners but not the stories till even later.  How they have dropped round winners or even highlighting participants after each round that have done well.  While yes, the cash prize was motivating, to me so were some of the little things that just don't seem to be as important as they once were.  Will I continue to support the BFL lifestyle, absolutely.  Like I said, just dissappointed.

The prize change, well...  it's convenient for them I get. But in the end while I like EAS products and I appreciate that I only need to know use one during a challenge if I officially would enter, I intend on living a BFL lifestyle eating healthy and not so much supplementing with product.  

Isn't quality (and quantity) of life a better prize than cash?  That's something you just can't buy.

As usual, great wisdom from THE FONZ! :) I think this pretty much should sum it up. Everybody likes awards and stuff as recognition for their hard work, but ultimately the greatest reward you can get is the satisfaction of a job well done and pride in yourself.

FF to 3:25

I know my incentive for this went way down.If Im in good enough shape to win this challenge then why would I need alife time supply of the supplements. I use the supplement to get in the best shape. Once im there I shouldnt need them any more. If Bill Phillips was dead I think he would turn over in his grave at the thought of not having a big cash reward. Lots of supplement was not the idea when he first put up his treasured sports car up for the first challenge.There are lots of workout programs out there and some are giving big rewards P90* is one of them. I can see EAS not wanting to give cash as it is quite an expense for them but if they were to say that to sign up for the challenge you have to buy at least $20 .00 worth of their product.That profit money should pay for the prize. If everybody that signed up for the challenge actually used the product regularly they should be doing quite well financially.The product is a good product but it is overpriced for the average joe. Why buy Bayer Aspirin when you can buy another brand half price for the same thing.EAS makes such a good product that if they made it more competitive in the price range they would be like McDonalds and make tons of money because of their good quality and low prices. A little bit of profit per item is better than having alot of product that wont sell because of cost to customer.... No Prize money..I hope this is not the beginning of the end of Body -For -Life.It was a great decade. I hope Eas will change their mind

If you want what you've always gotten, then do what you've always done.  Bill Phillips used to say that when people would ask about tweaks.  It also applies to stopping doing the program once you get the results.  The results come from certain actions so to then change those actions also changes the results.

P90x is a paid program so they get their money up front.  Transformation.com, Bill Phillips' new venture, is becoming a paid site.  Bill will make his money on subscriptions.  There is no other program that offers what this does up front in the way that BFL does so to complain about it is disrespectful.

There are lots of supplements out there, but to say they are the same lacks respect and for that matter, accuracy.  There's a big difference in products. 

The profit should pay for the prize?  They are a business and by definition, are here to produce profits.  The BFL contest is not as popular as it once was so it's just not a money maker for Abbott. 

I don't want EAS to become like McDonald's.  Was it not McDonald's that got many of us here?  You get what you pay for at McDonald's, crap.

I did not say that the supplements are the same. I just said that EAS has a good product but needs to be a little more competitive in the pricing of their product. I am only making the mcdonalds comparison for the sake of the example of making a lot of money on  little profit is better than making little money on a lot of profit, If I can buy a CLA  product that works for alot less than an expensive CLA  Im buying the cheaper one because it will work, maybe not as well but it will work.. It just makes more sense to the way I spend my money.I do apologize for saying my incentive for this challenge went way down.I still have lots of incentive to getting a better body. I want to be in good shape for a family and High school reunion coming up. Prize money or awards is not the incentive it is just Bonus if I win. My reward is looking good for those reunions I dont know why EAS took away the cash reward.I was just thinking that they cant afford that expense anymore and I sincerely hope that is not the case... I do believe that EAS is the ROLLS ROYCE of supplements Its just I cant afford a ROLLS ROYCE. You can get some real good deals on EAS products and I take advantage of those as much as I can

The Hell WithThat! I spend enough hard earned cash on EAS products. Besides a buddy, just told me, MAX MUSCLE has a $25,000 grand prize. See Ya! Thanks for the post Sub88

I never started BFL for the prizes.  Hell, I didnt even KNOW there was a contest til I started reading the book, and then I didnt know it was still continuing.  I am very happy just with the support system here and would hate for that to leave!!!

If the cash prize was the major motivation for doing a 12 week challenge, I would say that abyss has not been crossed. Ya it was a nice thing but if you aren't doing this first and foremost to regain your health and set yourself up for a long and healthy life I don't know what to say.

barbn -

EXACTLY!  It's not just taking away the $, but it's a lack of overall recognition and a scaling way back on the highlighting of 'round winners', the notification process, etc.  It's Bill Phillip's baby and since bought by Abbott, they are not nurturing the potential of this program yet treating it like it's unwanted step child.

"EXACTLY!  It's not just taking away the $, but it's a lack of overall recognition and a scaling way back on the highlighting of 'round winners', the notification process, etc.  It's Bill Phillip's baby and since bought by Abbott, they are not nurturing the potential of this program yet treating it like it's unwanted step child."

My thoughts too.

The Challenge has become an after thought. Its clearly being phased out.

Perhaps Abbott wants to start their own new one in the future.