Bill Phillips Eating For Life Plan

Bill Phillips followed his best-selling fitness book "Body for Life" with "Eating For Life," which focuses more on nutrition and diet for an optimal physique. The Eating for Life program offers meal plans and recipes to support the workout and lifestyle regimen advocated by this former bodybuilder. The program shuns the concept of "dieting" and, instead, helps teach you how to make healthy, muscle-supporting food choices as a lifestyle.

Features

Bill Phillips believes your eating plan should provide enjoyment, satisfaction, energy, health and help you achieve your body shape goals. The theme is that you need to choose the right foods in the right amounts and right combinations at the right times. The Eating for Life plan emphasizes eating five to six times per day and having each meal contain a small serving of complex carbohydrates, lean protein, healthy fat and vegetables. Once a week you are permitted a "cheat day" to eat your favorite foods.

Portion Sizes

Phillips focuses on portion size, advocating that all solid food be the size of a deck of cards or a closed fist. This is equal to about 3 to 4 oz. of protein and 1/2 cup of vegetables or grains. You are to eat the equivalent of 1 tbsp. of unsaturated oils daily -- examples include olive oil, flaxseed oil, safflower oil, sunflower seeds, fatty fish and avocados.

Foods to Avoid

Bacon, fried foods, fatty cuts of beef and hot dogs are off limits as they are high in saturated fat and additives. White and sugary carbohydrates, such as cookies, cakes, white rice, white bread, white pasta, crackers and soda are also discouraged. Fats, such as butter, mayonnaise, coconut oil and full-fat dairy, are also high in saturated fat and not included as part of the Eating for Life plan. You can include these foods on your cheat day, but the more you stick to the Eating for Life plan, the better your results.

Benefits

The nutrition advice in Eating for Life is straightforward and balanced. Phillips lays out meal planning in a simple manner and you don't need to count calories. The book offers recipes and the meal plan provides adequate calories and nutrition for most adults.

Drawbacks

The diet plan requires advance planning. If your schedule does not permit three meals and three snacks daily, you may have trouble following Eating for Life. The plan requires significant dedication and you should pair it with exercise to see results.