Body for Life is a health and fitness program developed by Bill Phillips in 1999. The Body-for-Life diet is a concentrated 12-week transformation program that focuses on healthy nutrition in combination with exercise. According to Body for Life information, the diet helps you lose weight and become stronger, leaner, more energetic and healthier.
The Body-for-Life diet involves a balanced nutritional program, a regular exercise and muscle building routine, and various supplements to aid in muscle growth and recovery. To start the program, you photograph yourself at the beginning of the 12 weeks. You take another photo at the end of the 12 weeks to depict your weight loss results. The Body for Life website offers training tips, nutrition articles, sample meal plans, food lists and recipes to get you started and help you plan your exercise and menus. Body for Life is part of a company called EAS Sports Nutrition, which sells the supplements included in the diet.
Nutrition
The Body-for-Life diet focuses on eating five or six small meals throughout the day to sustain your energy levels and keep your blood sugar from rapidly dropping so you don't feel tired and hungry. The meals consist of lean protein, fresh fruits and vegetables. The meals are all low-fat and high-protein combinations, and you also have a morning and an evening snack. Typical protein items include an egg white omelet, chicken salad, grilled salmon and a turkey burger. Fresh fruit is included at least twice daily, along with fresh vegetables with each meal. Snacks, also high-protein and low-fat items, include low-fat cottage cheese, apples, protein shakes and protein bars. You maintain the diet rigidly for six days, after which you get a free day to eat anything you desire. The Body for Life website provides a sample grocery list and sample meals to help you plan your weekly menus.
Exercise
Exercise is half of the Body-for-Life diet. Exercise boosts your metabolism, improves cardiovascular health and fitness. It is recommended you keep an exercise journal with a specific 12-week exercise program design that maps out your workouts. All exercise programs include aerobic exercise combined with resistance training designed to build muscle. The exercise plans rotate between aerobic exercise three days a week and resistance training on alternate days for upper and lower body muscle building. Day seven in the exercise program is a rest day free of any formal exercise.
Supplements
Body for Life recommends using EAS fitness supplements with the diet. These include protein shakes, protein bars, creatine, vitamins and other sport-specific supplements tailored to fit into your particular fitness goals. EAS includes supplement combinations for endurance, muscle building, weight management and body toning.
Considerations
Protein supplementation can cause a calcium loss if ingestion results in excessive amounts of protein daily. This can reduce bone density, according to a study headed by Roichi Itoh, published in 1998 in "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." Diets that include excessive amounts of protein put strain on the kidneys and can have a negative impact on them, according to a publication of the American Kidney Fund in April 2002. Make sure to balance your diet with carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables and not to add excessive amounts of protein.
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