The Body for Life diet originated with Bill Phillips, the author of the book "Body for Life: 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength." Since its 1999 debut, the program has grown in success, and the book was listed by "USA Today" as one of the top fitness books of all time. The continued success of this plan has been attributed to the core principles behind it. These include a balanced nutrition plan consisting of several small meals a day in combination with a high-intensity weight training and cardiovascular exercise plan over the duration of 12 weeks. The Body for Life diet focuses on the body, mind and soul and guarantees success with consistent effort and dedication.
Clinical Results
The Body for Life diet's success was evidenced in a clinical study published in the "International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism" as reported on the Body for Life website. This 2006 study compared three groups of adult men and women who were overweight or obese. The first group followed the Body for Life plan; the second followed the American Heart Association's recommendations; and the control group followed a typical American sedentary lifestyle. Results after 12 weeks revealed that the Body for Life group lost approximately double the amount of body and stomach fat and had lower bad cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure values in comparison to the other two groups.
Nutrition Plan
The Body for Life diet plan encourages the consumption of five or six meals per day. Meals consist of a portion each of a lean protein food with a portion of an unrefined carbohydrate food. A minimum of two of the daily meals must include a vegetable in addition to daily consumption of 1 tbsp. of oil that is a source of monounsaturated fats. There is no measuring out of portion sizes on this diet plan; rather, a portion of protein should be equal to the size and width of the dieter's hand and a carb portion equivalent to the size of his fist.
High-Protein, Low-Fat Diet
The Body for Life diet plan is to be followed strictly for six days. On the seventh day, a "cheat day," dieters are allowed to eat whatever they desire. Although a variety of foods are permitted on the diet, the focus is on high protein intake, with about half the daily caloric intake coming from protein. Only about a third of the intake comes from fat sources. Healthy, unsaturated fats from oils, fatty fish, nuts and seeds are encouraged over unhealthy saturated founds found in fried foods, candy bars and pastries.
Exercise Plan
The Body for Life diet plan is as much about exercise as it is about nutrition. The program specifies a two-week block period of exercises that alternates weight training with aerobic exercise. Specifically, 45-minute weight training sessions for the upper or lower body are done three days a week, and 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercise are done on alternate days. A rest day is incorporated into every seventh day of exercise. The exercises are of high-intensity, as Phillips believed low-intensity, long-duration exercise burned fewer calories overall than high-intensity, short-duration exercise.
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