Thread: Body For Life?

My boyfriend and I are going to do this.........anyone else doing it? How's it going?

I've never heard of it. What is it?

bodyforlife.com

I'm 3 weeks in, and was doing great. I got sidetracked by an injured foot last Thursday. I've been on crutches since then, so I can't work out, and I became kind of unsure what to eat, since eating so frequently without working out at all seemed like a bad idea.

I'd lost about 6 pounds, seem to have gained back 2-3 of them. I hope to get back on track soon, though, I'm not giving up! I'm loving the program so far.

He has a great cookbook! It's in binder form also so it's convient. And the recipes are pretty easy.

I read the book when it first came out and I really pondered about doing it but didn't. With my inconsistent time (or lack thereof), I probably wouldn't last very long, but I am still considering. I would be quite interested in hearing how it's coming along. :Ahappy:

Originally Posted by shahla

I've never heard of it. What is it?

From what I can tell, it's a method of fitness/weight loss based on regular, small, healthy meals, 3 days of weight training, and 3 days of cardio per week. You have to plan and record things........I just ordered the book last night, but I'm sure there's more to it ;) I'll let you know the details once I have them sorted!
My boyfriend's into it because it seems to be more based on exercise than diet, and I'm into it because I need to improve my planning skills and I really want a challenge.

I did it, but I found that their recommendations for weightlifting by using "perceived exertion" did not work for me. I ended up building a lot more muscle than I planned, and had to re-work the whole thing with much lighter weights and try to de-bulk.

My goal was to get my body fat percentage down to about 19 or so, and when we calculated my body fat and lean mass after following it for some months, it meant that at 5'10" I'd weigh nearly 190 at my goal. Somehow under my layer of blubber I'd built up a lot of muscle and didn't know as it was hiding lol. So, I don't want to carry near that amount of muscle, your mileage may vary.

how did you calculate your body fat percentage?

I just looked at their meal plan, and you have to eat their bars and shakes every day. This concerns me. I think it is better to eat real food, especially fresh vegetables. Otherwise you get into the mentality that you are going to "do this diet" and then go off it, so it's not really "for life." Unless you replace old eating habits with new eating habits and avoid foods that are triggers for binge eating (for those of us who have that issue), it's just another diet plan. The 10 tips are good, though. Except for the recommendation to consume their product, I can't comment on that. also the 10 glasses of water seems excessive.
It does help you feel full between meals, though. I eat four meals a day instead of six. I cook stuff in advance and carry meals with me, it's the only way I can stay on track with my healthy food plan.

Tip 1: Eat six meals a day
If you’ve been following the typical nutritional advice of cutting back on calories and consuming no more than “three square meals” a day in the hope of shifting your fat-burning efforts into high gear, you may actually be throwing the whole process into reverse. According to scientists at Georgia State University, active folks who skimp on calories and eat infrequently (only three times a day) may be training their bodies to get by on less energy and therefore more readily storing unburned calories as bodyfat. Instead, these researchers and many others advise active people to eat frequently (about every three hours) to accelerate metabolism and maintain steady energy levels throughout the day. We have provided you with a sample seven day meal plan for you to look at.

Tip 2: Combine carbohydrates and protein at every meal
The simple fact is, our bodies work better with a balance of carbohydrates and protein. Not only is protein essential for building healthy muscle and maintaining a strong immune system, it stabilizes insulin levels, which leads to steady energy throughout the day. One more benefit: eating protein has been shown to reduce your appetite. So, avoid high-carbohydrate nutrition plans and instead balance your protein and carbohydrate intake.

Tip 3: Choose “appropriate” portion sizes
USDA statistics show that because of increased portion sizes, the average total daily calorie intake has risen from 1,854 calories to 2,002 calories over the last 20 years. That increase—148 calories per day—theoretically works out to an extra 15 lbs. every year. Portion size is important to weight management. Employ a common sense approach, such as using the palm of your hand or your clenched fist for gauging the portion sizes of food.

Tip 4: Plan meals ahead of time
You may even want to try different recipes and decide what works for you before you begin your training program. Experiment with different seasonings, try a variety of vegetables, and find which microwave settings work best for preheating food. By the time you’re ready to start, you’ll have the supplies you need and the confidence that you know what you’re doing. Then, fix your meals in advance and freeze them. It’s important to shop at least once a week. If you forget, you’ll run out of good food and be tempted to cheat on your diet.

Tip 5: Get containers to store your food
Purchase plastic storage containers, sports bottles, a water jug and a cooler to store and carry your food. Having nutritious meals within reach during a hectic day can keep you on track.

Tip 6: Drink 10 glasses of water every day

It’s especially important to stay well hydrated when following a comprehensive training, nutrition, and supplementation program. Drink at least one glass of water with each of your six meals, and four more throughout the day. If you have an occasional diet soda, coffee or tea, you’ll need to drink an additional glass to compensate for the diuretic effect of these beverages.
Tip 7: Consume Myoplex® within 30 minutes of exercise

Your muscles are primed for nutrients immediately after an intense workout, but within two hours, your body's ability to refuel decreases.Taken within 30 minutes of your workout, the high-quality protein in Myoplex® helps you refuel and build muscle.
Tip 8: Use high-quality supplements

Supplements can help make up for any nutritional deficiencies and enhance performance. When purchasing supplements, look for companies that invest heavily in research to maximize the effectiveness of their products.
Tip 9: Find your “emotional reason” for staying on track

Researchers at George Washington University discovered that people who successfully transform their bodies are set in action by some sort of “emotional trigger” that helps to clarify their reasons for deciding to make change. In the study, researchers found that any event which elicited strong emotions such as alarm, embarrassment, shame and/or fear actually inspired people to transform their bodies for the better. Take a moment to consider your “emotional trigger” and use it to stay committed to your nutrition program.
Tip 10: Strive for consistency, not perfection

You can be sure there will be the occasional meal or snack that’s not on the recommended food list. When you get off track in this way, don’t allow it to slow you down. Enjoy the divergence, recommit to your goal, and get back on track with your next meal.

i swear by the food combining: fat protein and carbs in ALL meals. I cant live anymore without it!

Originally Posted by dunyah

I just looked at their meal plan, and you have to eat their bars and shakes every day. This concerns me.

That would concern me, too, if it were true.


Many of their 'sample menus' include their products, of course, but they don't really have a 'meal plan.' The eating for life plan is 6 small meals daily, each meal consists of one (small) serving of lean protein and one (small) serving of complex carbohydrates. Twice a day you add a vegetable. That's it. (I personally like to eat a lot more vegetables than that, and since they're low in calories and fat I eat as much as I want. but twice a day is a lot more than many people are getting now!)

It is tiresome to cook and eat lean protein that often, so protein shakes and bars certainly help. I use some, but not their brand. If I decided I had a chance of winning big $$$ in the competition I'd probably start incorporating some of their brand into my day (seems only fair) but for now I'm just trying to improve my fitness.

Also, note that this eating plan ASSUMES that you are bodybuilding at some level, not just 'working out' (which can mean a lot of different things to different people). Body for Life is a muscle-building program, not a diet. Anyone who's NOT also following their exercise plan probably shouldn't be eating this much protein. I monitored my nutrient intake at first on Daily Plate to be sure I found a way to eat that wasn't exceeding 30% of calories from protein.

Thanks for clarifying, Lauren.

I've mentioned this on other threads, but I've done this several times but haven't broken the 6 week barrier. Somehow I fall off the wagon after week 6. But I've never felt better than when following this nutrition plan. My body loves it. My brain is still weak. :) I'm short and built wide, so I've always been worried about too much bulk with the weight training - so glad to hear your experience Halima, I've always wondered about that. I will say, I get so freakin tired of cooking meat on this plan. But my body really, really likes it. And I notice a difference the first 6 days every time I start. I feel so much better, and feel lighter. Then I taper off on feeling results for the next couple of weeks. I'm sure if I push past the 6 week barrier, I'd start to see some real progress. From reading lots of testimonials, this seems to be a common plateau point. My husband, sister, and her husband have all tried BFL concepts and have embraced them too. I like Myoplex lite shakes quite a bit, and am grateful to have something that's easy to fix for a meal a day! But you don't have to use their products at all for this concept to work. I'm still hoping to get my habits closer to this eating plan in the coming year, and I still embrace the concept of 3x cardio alternating with 3x strength training, though I've sold my weight set and treadmill and have some dvds I like instead.

eta: ooh, posting at the same time as Lauren, good clarifications!

Can you eat beans for low-fat protein on this plan? I eat a lot of beans and tofu for protein and sometimes eggs. I also eat raw almonds but subtract 1 1/2 tsps. of fat from my daily allowance for each ounce of almonds. Canned tuna packed in water, canned salmon (I make into patties) are also good. I limit the amount of red meat but eat chicken a couple of times a week.

I wonder if the 10 glasses of water on the food for life plan is because of the low fiber content of the meals?

Yes, it really is a body-building plan, as you can see from the before-after pics. I love feeling strong and don't mind being muscley at all, but I don't have expectations of ever being able to drop my body fat enough to actually SEE the muscles! Teaching yoga keeps me stretched out so I don't expect the mucles to get really bulky, and I'm tall and can carry a lot on my frame.

I think if someone wanted to modify the program for weight loss, they'd do lighter weights (perceived exertion peak of 7 rather than 9, maybe, and maybe fewer reps?), more cardio (daily instead of 3X a week, 40 minutes instead of 20 on the days with no weights?) and eat only 4-5 meals rather than 6, with protein in smaller portions or only at 3 of the meals maybe.

Originally Posted by dunyah

Can you eat beans for low-fat protein on this plan? I eat a lot of beans and tofu for protein and sometimes eggs. I also eat raw almonds but subtract 1 1/2 tsps. of fat from my daily allowance for each ounce of almonds. Canned tuna packed in water, canned salmon (I make into patties) are also good. I limit the amount of red meat but eat chicken a couple of times a week.

They don't mention beans at all. I'm not certain, but although beans are a good source of protein, they actually contain more carbs than protein so they might be classified as a carb. Yogurt is classified as a carb and has to be eaten with a protein, so beans may be the same? I'm not sure about nuts, I don't eat many because of the fat content. Salmon is highly recommended 3X a week (in fact, you're supposed to supplement essential oils if you don't eat it) and I'm not sure about tuna but there are several lean fishes on the approved menu.

I wonder if the 10 glasses of water on the food for life plan is because of the low fiber content of the meals?

Good call! I eat raw veggies and hummus along with a protein source almost daily, or raw veggies with cottage cheese dip and a complex carb, because I find I need the fiber. I'm also taking a fiber supplement at the moment. So I think that's part of it.

The other part, though, is that a high-protein diet is very hard on the kidneys and can be dehydrating to the body. Excessive thirst is a sign of ketosis and something to watch for. I wish the Body for Life books and website were a little more cautionary about the dangers of excessive protein.

i don't remember how much water a normal person is actually supposed to drink per day but 10 glasses doesn't seem excessive. back in high altitude sports training, they always told us we had to drink waaaay more (cos sports + altitude = dehydration), i can't remember exactly but i can try to find that info again.
it's just that in our everyday life we're not used to drinking a lot, especially water, what we drink is hardly enough to function properly but normally we should be drinking quite a bit more.

While I haven't done Body for Life, I've followed similar meal/exercise plans and have had great results. I actually feel better when I'm eating this way... in fact, it makes me wonder why I stopped. Basically, my goal is to eat a snack or meal every two to three hours to keep metabolism up, and drink a lot of water. When I was doing this, I had tons of energy, was never hungry (in fact, I felt full a lot... as in, "ugh, I have to eat again!!"). I exercise pretty regularly (cardio and weights) so I didn't really have to change my physical activity level.

Result: lots of energy, no sugar crashes, and I slimmed down the nagging tummy pooch.

... hmmmm... maybe it's time to restart this..

I should also mention that while I did this, I also really tried to follow the 30-30-40 idea for eating (30% of calories from protein, 30% from fat, 40% from carbs). This is really good nutritional advice--you body processes food best in this ratio and it decreases your insulin production, which makes you store fat. There are some good books out there on this subject (with recipes)--one I have is called The Formula but I believe The Zone also follows this.

Originally Posted by theothershimmytwin

how did you calculate your body fat percentage?

We used the skin-fold calipers.

Originally Posted by joanneraks

I've mentioned this on other threads, but I've done this several times but haven't broken the 6 week barrier. Somehow I fall off the wagon after week 6. But I've never felt better than when following this nutrition plan. My body loves it. My brain is still weak. :) I'm short and built wide, so I've always been worried about too much bulk with the weight training - so glad to hear your experience Halima, I've always wondered about that. I will say, I get so freakin tired of cooking meat on this plan. But my body really, really likes it. And I notice a difference the first 6 days every time I start. I feel so much better, and feel lighter. Then I taper off on feeling results for the next couple of weeks. I'm sure if I push past the 6 week barrier, I'd start to see some real progress. From reading lots of testimonials, this seems to be a common plateau point. My husband, sister, and her husband have all tried BFL concepts and have embraced them too. I like Myoplex lite shakes quite a bit, and am grateful to have something that's easy to fix for a meal a day! But you don't have to use their products at all for this concept to work. I'm still hoping to get my habits closer to this eating plan in the coming year, and I still embrace the concept of 3x cardio alternating with 3x strength training, though I've sold my weight set and treadmill and have some dvds I like instead.

eta: ooh, posting at the same time as Lauren, good clarifications!

I was always very lean until the last 8 years or so, even after kids weight was about 135-140. I do have a large frame. I was very surprised to have 'snuck' so much muscle in. Just because I *can* leg press over 400 pounds doesn't mean I should work out with that much.

Originally Posted by aazura

I should also mention that while I did this, I also really tried to follow the 30-30-40 idea for eating (30% of calories from protein, 30% from fat, 40% from carbs). This is really good nutritional advice--you body processes food best in this ratio and it decreases your insulin production, which makes you store fat. There are some good books out there on this subject (with recipes)--one I have is called The Formula but I believe The Zone also follows this.

oh, it works...i used to do the zone diet too. it was hard to calculate all the time, and occassionally you could feel your muscles aching earlier into your exercise routine than normal because of the reduced carbs, but nothing too drastic.

now, i eat small portions and balance the meal as best i can and am in better shape than i have been in a long time. i eat a lot of tofu and beans as well rather than meat and it seems to be the right formula for my body type...

Originally Posted by jengal55

oh, it works...i used to do the zone diet too. it was hard to calculate all the time, and occassionally you could feel your muscles aching earlier into your exercise routine than normal because of the reduced carbs, but nothing too drastic.

Yes, the calculations are a real pain!! Generally when I do this, I find a few recipes that I like and stick to those for breakfast, lunch and snacks. Then I just have to worry about dinner.

Never had the aching muscles. If anything, I had more energy during workouts because my body was using fuel more efficiently. Be sure to eat a snack about 30 minutes prior to working out if you feel you're lacking energy.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

That would concern me, too, if it were true.


Many of their 'sample menus' include their products, of course, but they don't really have a 'meal plan.' The eating for life plan is 6 small meals daily, each meal consists of one (small) serving of lean protein and one (small) serving of complex carbohydrates. Twice a day you add a vegetable. That's it. (I personally like to eat a lot more vegetables than that, and since they're low in calories and fat I eat as much as I want. but twice a day is a lot more than many people are getting now!)

It is tiresome to cook and eat lean protein that often, so protein shakes and bars certainly help. I use some, but not their brand. If I decided I had a chance of winning big $$$ in the competition I'd probably start incorporating some of their brand into my day (seems only fair) but for now I'm just trying to improve my fitness.

Also, note that this eating plan ASSUMES that you are bodybuilding at some level, not just 'working out' (which can mean a lot of different things to different people). Body for Life is a muscle-building program, not a diet. Anyone who's NOT also following their exercise plan probably shouldn't be eating this much protein. I monitored my nutrient intake at first on Daily Plate to be sure I found a way to eat that wasn't exceeding 30% of calories from protein.

Yes, I didn't realize this so thank you for clarifying! While I'm certainly not in ''body building mode'', I would put myself at an intermediate level of fitness so I think I'll adapt this to fit my needs. And I'm so not a bar/shake person so I'll have to come up with a better plan for that one :)

This feedback is so helpful--thanks everyone! I have a lot of fitness and strength-related goals to work towards this year, and I thought this plan sounded good for my specific goals :)

Originally Posted by Razia

This feedback is so helpful--thanks everyone! I have a lot of fitness and strength-related goals to work towards this year, and I thought this plan sounded good for my specific goals :)

Go for it! You can do it!!!..g.:..g.:..g.:

thanks :)

Yay, sounds great!! Gogogo!
I need to think about a workout plan as well..

I'd love to share meal/snack ideas that meet the program guidelines! It's hard to come up with interesting things to eat all the time.

Here are my tricks so far:

1) I cook a bunch of chicken breasts all at once -- pound them with different seasonings (garlic/basil, cilantro/lime, lemon/pepper) and stick them in the broiler. Then I have them to slice on a salad or chop up for a quick pasta dish or put on a sandwich or just eat!

2) I don't like the lumps in cottage cheese, but on a Bhuzzer's suggestion, I whip it with my hand mixer and add some chopped scallions. I eat this as dip with raw veggies (low-fat Triscuits OR pile of hummus for my carb) or I bake a potato in the microwave and add a heap of this on top for a perfect size snack.

Other favorite meals:
-Smoked turkey deli meat on whole wheat bread with mustard, lettuce, tomato
-2 egg whites cooked in a slice of whole wheat bread (eggs in a basket style)
-Whole wheat pasta with zucchini, summer squash and broiled chicken breast
-Spinach salad with chicken breast, whole wheat roll on the side

As you can see, I'm going to get bored with chicken breast soon, I need ideas!!!