Eating for Life
Definition
Eating for Life refers to a diet and nutrition plan
that recommends eating six small, low-fat meals daily,
popularized in the 2003 bookEating for Life,written
by Bill Phillips.
A person who follows the Eating for Life program
consumes about 40–50%protein,40–50%carbohy-
drates, and small amounts of fat. Meals should be
consumed about two to three hours apart. The program
can be used as a way to lose or maintain weight or to
supplement a fitness or resistance training regimen.Origins
The Eating for Life plan was developed by Bill
Phillips, a bodybuilder, former editor-in-chief of
Muscle Mediamagazine, and former chief executive
officer of EAS, a performance supplement company
owned by Abbott Laboratories.
Prior to publishing Eating for Life in 2003, Phil-
lips authored his first book,Body for Life: 12 Weeks to
Mental and Physical Strength, aNew York Times
bestseller.
The Body-for-Life program began in the mid-
1990s when Phillips first challenged dieters to make
the best body transformation during a 12-week period,
using the exercise and nutrition principles outlined in
his now-defunct fitness magazine,Muscle Media.The
first year of the challenge, Phillips offered his Lambor-
ghini Diablo to the contestant who made the most
radical transformation within 3 months. As of 2007,
individuals and couples still compete for cash prizes
and free exercise equipment in the annual Body-for-
Life Challenge.Description
Phillips, the author ofEating for Life,calls his
program the ‘‘anti-diet,’’ claiming that enjoying food
and eating often are the keys to healthy weight loss
and maintenance. Instead of focusing on the depriva-
tion that typical accompanies weight-loss plan, Eating
for Life claims to help its followers make wise eating
choices that are sustainable over a long period of time.
Phillipsmaintainsthatfood isnot theenemy,butrather,
it’s an essential part of an overall lifestyle choice.
The first 10 chapters ofEating for Lifethat com-
prise Part I describe the extent of the overweight and
obesityepidemic in the United States, identify com-mon obstacles to health and fitness, such as easy access
to fast food and restriction associated with traditional
dieting, deconstruct popular dieting myths, and pre-
pare the reader to begin using the Eating for Life
nutrition plan and recipes.
The second part of the 405-page book includes
photos and instructions for cooking the 150 recipes
included inEating for Life.The book includes recipes
for dinner entrees, desserts, breakfasts, lunches,
snacks, and nutrition shakes, as well as sample meal
plans and a grocery guide. Sample recipes are also
available on Phillips’ Eating for Life website.
The final portion of the book includes motiva-
tional success stories of people who have lost weight
with the Body for Life/Eating for Life diet and exercise
plan, nutrition definitions, and tips for cooking
healthy.KEY TERMS
Aerobic exercise—Moderate intensity exercise,
done over a long duration, that uses oxygen. Aero-
bic exercise strengthens the cardiovascular system
and lungs.
Bodybuilding—Developing muscle size and tone,
usually for competitive exhibition.
Carbohydrate—A source of energy in the diet con-
taining 4 calories per gram, often founds in foods
such as breads, cereals, fruits, vegetables, and milk
and dairy products. There are two kinds of carbo-
hydrates: simple and complex.
Cardiovascular—Involving the heart and blood
vessels.
Fat—A major source of energy in the diet. All food
fats have 9 calories per gram. Fat is found in oils,
nuts, seeds, avocadoes, meats, and high-fat dairy
products, as well as in packaged, processed foods.
Protein—A nutrient that helps build many parts of
the body, including muscle and bone. Protein pro-
vides 4 calories per gram. It is found in foods like
meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, beans,
nuts, and tofu.
Resistance training—Also called strength or weight
training, this type of exercise increases muscle
strength by working the muscles against a weight
or force. Free weights, weight machines, resistance
bands, or a person’s body weight can be used in
resistance training.Eating for Life