The Body for Life program is a comprehensive workout and nutrition program designed to help individuals improve their physiques and their health. The first "Body for Life" book, published in 1999, outlined the program and has spawned several other books including "Eating for Life" and "Champions Body for Life." The Body for Life program revolves around 12 week challenge cycles. Eating properly for your 12 week challenge is a key element to a successful challenge. Each Body for Life meal should contain a protein and a carbohydrate. There are a wide range of options available to make a Body for Life authorized meal.
Quality Sources of Protein
Protein is a key building block for the human body. Protein helps build muscle tissue. Each Body for Life meal should contain a quality source of lean protein. Chicken and turkey breast are both good choices for lean proteins. You can find them ground as well. Fish suggestions include salmon, cod, tilapia, swordfish, tuna, or trout. Beef is allowed on the Body for Life program, with the focus being on lean cuts such as top round or top sirloin. 96 percent lean ground beef is also accepted. As beef does contain more saturated fat than some protein sources, you should limit its use. Game meat including bison, venison, and ostrich are acceptable as well. Egg whites, egg substitute, and cottage cheese are also good sources of protein on the Body for Life program.
Additionally, vegetarian protein sources are acceptable on the Body for Life program including tempeh, seitan, tofu and textured vegetable protein.
Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates are used as the body's source of energy. Body for Life includes a complex carbohydrate portion at each meal. Some suggested sources of complex carbohydrates include root vegetables and hard squashes like white and sweet potatoes. Hard squashes like pumpkin, acorn squash and spaghetti squash are also good sources of complex carbohydrates. Grains like brown rice, barley, wild rice, couscous, bulgur, steel cut and rolled oats are considered excellent choices. Lentils and beans, such as kidney, black or navy beans, provide a good source of carbohydrate and are also rich in fiber. Corn is also suggested. You can also include fat-free milk and low-fat yogurt, which are excellent sources of calcium, in your meal plan. Whole grain bread products including pitas and tortillas are also acceptable, as are whole wheat breads and whole wheat pasta.
Vegetables and Fruits
Vegetables are considered an unlimited food in the Body for Life program. Recommended serving size is at least 2 cups per day. There are hundreds of vegetables from which you can choose. Some examples of foods used in Body for Life meals include broccoli, asparagus, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, peas, Brussels sprouts, artichoke, cabbage, celery, cucumbers, and onions. In the Body for Life program, fruits are counted as a portion of carbohydrate. Some examples of commonly suggested fruits include oranges, berries, strawberries, melon, and apples.
Healthy Fats
Healthy fats help protect your heart, according to the American Heart Association. Additionally, fats help provide a sense of fullness, which can reduce the desire to overeat when you use them in moderation with your Body for Life meals. You can have avocados, seeds and nuts. Cold water fish like salmon, which is a protein source, is also a good source of healthy fat. You can have natural peanut butter, low fat cheese, nuts and olives sparingly to help provide fat in your diet. When cooking, use olive oil, safflower oil, canola oil, and sunflower oil to add fat to a meal.
Water
Drinking water is a key component to the Body for Life nutrition program. Water is a catalyst for various body functions, flushes toxins from the body and helps keep you hydrated. The recommended water intake is 10 glasses per day on the Body for Life program.
Conclusion
There are a wide range of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and proteins not listed in the original Body for Life food list. The goal of the program is eating a wide range of healthy foods.
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