Most of the recipes in theEating for Lifebook include
some type of meat, such as chicken, beef, turkey, or
fish.
In addition, the weightlifting program advocated
inBody for LifeandEating for Lifemay be daunting
for the inexperienced beginner. With little regard for a
person’s cardiovascular fitness level, weightlifting
experience, or propensity for injuries, Phillips advo-
cates readers to begin exercising six days a week, even
if they have been couch potatoes in the past. This ‘‘all-
or-nothing’’ approach may be difficult for people to
achieve or maintain over the suggested 12 weeks
required for a Body for Life challenge, and someone
who experiences an injury that prevents exercise may
find it difficult to maintain their dieting motivation.Risks
The protein intake suggested by Eating for Life,
although not technically dangerous for most individu-
als, may be too much for the body to use on a daily
basis. According to sports nutritionists, extra protein is
broken down, the excess nitrogen is simply excreted in
the urine, the carbon skeleton is used/stored as energy.
For some people, however, the amount of daily protein
recommended by a plan such as Eating for Life may be
a problem. People with preexisting kidney or liver dis-
ease, such as cirrhosis or fatty liver, should not attempt
a popular diet plan such as Eating for Life without
checking with their health care providers first.
In addition, dieters may need to be conscious of
consuming enough fruits and vegetables while Eating
for Life. Phillips encourages dieters to eat only two
servings of vegetables daily, however, as of 2007 the
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) urges people
eating about 2,000 calories a day to consume at least
4.5 cups of fruits and vegetables with their daily meals.
Dieters may find it difficult to eat enough fruit and
vegetable servings to satisfy the USDA recommenda-
tions while on the Eating for Life nutrition plan, espe-
cially since counts fruit servings as carbohydrates on
the plan, thereby limiting them to one per meal.Research and general acceptance
Although there is no scientific data to point to
Eating for Life’s effectiveness, Phillips provides anec-
dotal stories and dramatic before-and-after photos of
people who have successfully lost weight using Body
for Life and the accompanying Eating for Life plan.
Some nutritionists have also suggested that
although the small meals and suggestions to exerciseare important components of weight loss, in general
the diet may be overly restrictive, making it difficult
for dieters to maintain any losses long-term.Resources
BOOKS
Phillips, Bill.Body for Life: 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical
Strength.HarperCollins, 1999.
Phillips, Bill.Body for Life Success Journal.HarperCollins,
2002.
Phillips, Bill.Eating for Life: Your Guide to Great Health,
Fat Loss and Increased Energy!High Point Media, 2003.
ORGANIZATIONS
American Dietetic Association. 120 South Riverside Plaza,
Suite 2000, Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995. (800) 877-
1600.<http://www.eatright.org>
EAS/Abbott Laboratories. 100 Abbott Park Road, Abbott
Park, Illinois 60064-3500. (847) 937-6100.<http://
http://www.eas.com>
Eating for Life.<http://www.eatingforlife.com>
Body for Life.<http://www.bodyforlife.com>Amy L. SuttonQUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR
DOCTOR What are the potential benefits for a person of
my age, sex, and lifestyle in adopting the Eating
for Life plan?
What are the potential health risks, if any, for me
as an individual?
Are there any health concerns associated with
the protein intake recommended in Eating for
Life?
Is it advisable for me to take the meal
replacements or supplements recommended in
Eating for Life?
Do I need to worry about vitamin, mineral, or
nutrient deficiencies if I eat according to the
Eating for Life plan?
Do I need to take precautions before starting the
strength and cardiovascular conditioning
recommended by Eating for Life?
Have you had any patients who have used the
Body for Life or Eating for Life plan? What were
their results and did they maintain weight loss
over the long term?Eating for Life