Body for Life diet

Definition

Body for Life is a 12-week diet and rigorous exercise program designed by former competitive bodybuilder Bill Phillips. The program promises those who follow it faithfully that after 12 weeks they will not only have lost about 25 lb (10 kg) if they are overweight, but they have a new shape and more muscular body.
 

Body for Life diet

5–6 meals a day	Foods approved
Lean protein-rich food Portion equal to dieter’s hand	Lean poultry, most fish and seafood, egg whites, low-fat cottage cheese, and lean beef and ham For vegetarians, approved proteins include tempeh, soy, textured vegetable protein, and seitan
Unrefined or whole-grain carbohydrates Portion equal to dieter’s fist	Baked potato, sweet potato, brown and white rice, pasta, whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat tortillas, dried beans, oatmeal, and whole grains such as quinoa. Approved carbohydrates include apples, melon, strawberries, oranges, and com
Vegetable portion (eaten a least two meals)Portion equal to dieter’s fist	Lettuce, tomato, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, peas, bell peppers, celery, and onions. Served plain, without sauce
Water	10 or more glasses daily

Supplement diet with 1 tbsp. daily of oil high in monounsaturated fats (can include unsaturated oils such as canola, olive, safflower, or flaxseed); salmon three times a week; or avocados, natural peanut butter, or a handful of nuts or seeds daily

Origins

Bill Phillips, the originator of the Body for Life program, is a former bodybuilder and was the founder of EAS, a dietary supplement manufacturer. In Body for Life, he has taken some of the principles of bodybuilding and incorporated them into a motivational program that is easily understandable to the general public. In 1996, when Phillips still owned EAS (he has since sold the company), he began the “EAS Grand Spokesperson Challenge.” The following year he changed its name to the Body for Life Challenge. This is a self-improvement competition based on the Body for Life program.

The Body for Life program became widely known with the publication of Body for Life: 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength in 1999. Other books, videos, and a Web site have followed. Phillips claims that in a decade more than 2 million people have successfully changed their bodies and their lives through the Body for Life program.

Description

Body for Life is both a diet and a rigorous exercise program served up with a big helping of motivational psychology. The diet part of the plan is relatively simple and offers some benefits over other plans in that it does not require calorie counting or careful measuring of food.

Diet

The Body for Life diet works this way. For 12 weeks, people eat five or six small meals a day. The meals consist of a portion of lean, protein-rich food, and a portion of unrefined or whole-grain carbohydrates In addition, at least two meals daily must include a vegetable portion, and the diet should be supplemented by one tablespoon daily of oil high in monounsaturated fats A portion is defined as the being equal to the size and thickness of the dieter’s hand (protein) or fist (carbohydrates and vegetables). Dieters estimate portion size rather than measuring.

Approved proteins include lean poultry, most fish and seafood, egg whites, low-fat cottage cheese, and, unlike many diets, lean beef and ham. For vegetarians, approved proteins include tempeh, soy, textured vegetable protein, and seitan. Vegetarians will have a hard time meeting the protein requirements of this diet. Vegans will most likely not be able to.

Approved carbohydrates include baked potato, sweet potato, both brown and white rice, pasta, whole wheat bread, whole wheat tortillas, dried beans, oatmeal, and whole grains such as quinoa. Also included in the approved carbohydrates list are apples, melon, strawberries, oranges, and corn. This is a much less restrictive list of carbohydrates than appears in many diets.

Approved vegetables include lettuce, tomato, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, peas, bell peppers, celery, and onions. All are to be served as plain vegetables without sauce. The daily oil allotment can come from salad dressing.

The fats requirement of this diet can be met with unsaturated oils such as canola, olive, safflower, or flaxseed, but also through eating salmon three times a week or with avocados, natural peanut butter, or a handful of nuts or seeds daily.

In addition to allowed foods, the dieter is required to drink 10 or more glasses of water daily. The diet is to be followed rigorously for six days. On the seventh day, the dieter can eat anything he or she wants. Overall, this diet allows more different foods than many diets, but it is a high protein, low fat diet with about half the calories consumed coming from protein and very few from fats. Generally dietitians recommend a diet that is about 55% carbohydrates, with emphasis on whole-grain carbohydrates, 15–20% protein, and no more than 30% fat. On the positive side, the diet recommends unsaturated fats and restricts sweets, junk food, and empty calories that add few nutrients. One troubling thing about the diet is that Phillips repeatedly recommends dietary supplements made by his former company.

KEY TERMS

Dietary supplement—a product, such as a vitamin, mineral, herb, amino acid, or enzyme, that is intended to be consumed in addition to an individual’s diet with the expectation that it will improve health
Glycogen—A compound made when the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood is too high. Glycogen is stored in the liver and muscles for release when blood glucose levels are too low.
Hormone—a chemical messenger that is produced by one type of cell and travels through the bloodstream to change the metabolism of a different type of cell
Insulin—a hormone made by the pancreas that controls blood glucose (sugar) levels by moving excess glucose into muscle, liver, and other cells for storage.
Pancreas—a gland near the liver and stomach that secretes digestive fluid into the intestine and the hormones insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream
Quinoa—a high-protein grain native to South America (pronounced keen-wah)

Exercise

The exercise portion of Body for Life is more complicated than the food portion. It consists of a two-week block of exercises. Forty-five minute weight-training exercises for either the upper or lower body alternate with a minimum of 20-minute aerobic exercises with every seventh day as a day of rest.

Exercises are to be done at specific levels of exertion using a 10-point rating scale developed by the American College of Sports Medicine. This scale allows the level of difficulty to be personalized to the individual. Most exercises consist of multiple repetitions beginning around level 5, (hard, but with plenty of reserves to continue). They move on to a completely flat effort at level 10 where the individual is putting out the maximal effort possible. These exercises are difficult, and they are intended to be that way. Phillips believes that short bursts of maximal exercise burn more calories than longer exercise periods at lower intensities. Another drawback is that these exercises are best done in a gym with equipment and a supervised environment because of their intensity.

Motivation

Bill Phillips uses strong motivational techniques to help people succeed in the Body for Life Program. The program asks the dieter to determine his or her reasons for wanting to change and then set a goal for that change. Phillips then applies the psychology of competition by encouraging people to become involved in the Body for Life Challenge. This is a contest to see which dieter can improve his or her body the most using the program. Prizes in 2007 were substantial. The grand prize was $50,000, a home gym, and a $5,000 gift certificate for EAS supplement products. Eight category champions receive $20,000, a home gym, and a $2,500 gift certificate for EAS products. The official
Body for Life Web site offers inspiring stories and pictures of former champions and plenty of tips and information on how to succeed.

Function

The theory behind the Body for Life diet is that eating may small meals high in protein during the day helps keep insulin levels steady and boosts metabolism so that the body burns calories at a higher rate. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood glucose (sugar) levels in the body. When blood glucose is too high, cells store the extra glucose as glycogen or fat. In addition, Phillips says that protein suppresses energy and is essential for building muscle mass. The goal of the Body for Life plan is not just to lose weight, but to develop a sculpted body.

Benefits

With increased exercise, a low fat, high protein diet, and reduced portion sizes, Body for Life does help people lose weight rapidly. People do gain muscle and strength through exercise. The main drawback to achieving these benefits is the rigorousness of the program and the difficulty people have staying on it. Eating five or six times a day and finding time to exercise daily requires a major lifestyle change. The committed will see benefits, but this program is definitely not for everyone.

QUESTIONS TO ASK THE DOCTOR

• Are there health risks to me caused by the level of exercise Body for Life requires?
• Is there another diet and exercise program that would meet my needs better?
• Will following this rigorous diet for 12 weeks help me achieve long-term weight loss?
• How much will I have to exercise to maintain my muscle mass and strength after the diet ends?
• Do I really need dietary supplements? Are EAS supplements the best for my needs?
• Would you recommend someone in your family going on this diet?

Precautions

Because of the high level of exercise involved in this program, dieters should talk to their doctor about whether their physical condition will allow them to participate. This is probably not a good program for people with heart or respiratory problems. Children and teens who are still growing, and pregnant women also are unlikely candidates for this program. People with kidney disease should discuss the diet aspect of the program with their doctor since their kidneys may not be able to handle a high protein diet. Anecdotally, the program appears to be most successful with out-of-shape athletes who want to lose weight and get back in shape.

Risks

People who are not used to the level of exercise required by Body for Life are at high risk for develop injuries as a result of the exercise component of the program. In addition, many obesity experts feel that rapid weight loss, that is loss of more than 1–1.5 lb (0.5–7 kg) per week, increases the chance of weight cycling or putting the weight back on once the dieter begins eating a regular diet. Weight cycling is thought to have some harmful cardiovascular effects.

Research and general acceptance

No scholarly research has been done on Body for Life. However, bodybuilders have used the diet and exercise principles behind the program for many years. Nutritionists like the idea of eating many small meals during the day and of using only unsaturated fats. They tend to dislike the high protein content of the diet. The thing nutritionists tend to criticize most strongly, however, is the need for dietary supplements in this program. Body for Life unabashedly pushes dieters to use EAS supplements. Many nutritionists feel that a good, healthy diet should not require protein shakes and other supplements beyond perhaps a multivitamin for certain dieters.