General description
Bill Phillips, a supplement company owner and magazine publisher, wrote Body for Life: 12 Weeks for Mental and Physical Strength in the mid-1990s. Phillips, a longtime bodybuilder who published a bodybuilding magazine and owned a supplement company, wanted to bring a bodybuilding program to the masses.
The eating program recommends eating six small meals a day, consisting of a balance of lean protein and “good” carbohydrates throughout the day. This is done to speed up your metabolism by eating throughout the day and also curbs hunger by never being without food. The exercise part consists of exercising six days a week alternating between high intensity cardio and weight lifting. The focus of his exercise regimen is high intensity, Phillips recommends interval training over long distance running and high intensity short reps for weight training.
Most controversial about this diet are the dramatic before and after photos of the participants who have entered the Phillips weight loss challenge. They show what many believe to be impossible transformations in a supposed 12-week period.
Pros
- Solid plan: at the end of the day, the program recommends a simple philosophy; eat well and exercise. There is no doubt that exercising six days a week and eating a balanced diet of healthy and lean foods will make you slimmer and healthier.
Cons
- False expectations: The real trap of this diet is the false expectations that it could generate in some of its users. My claim is not that the before and after photos are fake, but rather that the people who took them were likely to be in great shape at some point before their life. Muscle memory is a very real thing, and it’s a lot easier for someone who was once in shape to get back in shape than it is for someone who was never fit to get there.
Bottom line
While Phillips has his heart in the right place, he seems to encourage the all-or-nothing mindset for weight loss. Overall though, this is a very robust and sensible approach to weight loss … albeit a bit regimented.