The Game of Life

An interview by David Kennedy, Editor-in-Chief, Muscle Media Magazine

by David Kennedy/Jeffry S. Life, M.D., Ph.D.

Article in Muscle Media Magazine, November 2002 Issue, Presented on the DrLife.com website with permission. © 2002 Muscle Media, all rights reserved.

The Game of 

Interview by David Kennedy
Photography by Dennis Lane

It's been five years since Jeffry Life, M.D., Ph.D., accepted the Body-for-LIFE Challenge and reduced his body fat from 25% to 8.5%, earning him Champion status in the Prime Time (55+} category. Today, at age 63, Dr. Life is leaner (8% body fat) and more muscular than he's ever been--going to show this isn't something you do for 12 weeks-it really is for LIFE.

MM: Take us back to the beginning, that day in 1998 when you decided to accept the Challenge. What were you thinking? What were your thoughts and feelings? 

Dr. Life: Well, I felt really old. I had aches and pains in my joints and muscles. I got short of breath just climbing one flight of stairs. My clothes were too tight and my stomach was huge. My bad cholesterol level (LDL) was sky high and my good cholesterol level (HDL) was rock bottom. I was a borderline diabetic. My life was in turmoil, out of control, depressing. I followed no nutritional or exercise program. I was a poor role model for my patients and my family. My self-esteem was at an all-time low. I desperately needed to make a major change in my life.

MM: And now, it's been nearly five years since you accepted the Challenge and finished first in your category, yet you look even better today. How have you not only been able to stick with it, but continue to improve? 

Dr. Life: My improvement has come only because I have stuck with my program--no matter what! I have made exercise and nutrition my passion. For me, getting to the gym early and lifting weights five mornings a week has been the key. And I love it! I have a training partner and we do different muscle groups each day-never doing the same routine twice. I have not only been able to maintain my level of fitness with this program, but have actually continued to improve my strength and muscularity over the last five years--a feat I used to think was impossible after the age of 50, let alone 60. 

I do my aerobic exercise when I get home from the office (stationary exercise bike) for 24 or 48 minutes, four to five times a week. I mix low-intensity exercise with very high-intensity exercise in each workout, while listening to music with headphones. The workouts with headphones have opened up a whole new world of songs, musicians and entertainment that I would, otherwise, have never discovered or enjoyed. The music has proven to be a key factor in enabling me to maintain a high level of motivation and consistency with my aerobic training. Believe it or not, I actually look forward to my cardio workouts. Intense aerobic exercise is also one of my secrets for a successful nutrition program. When I skip aerobics, my control over eating takes a big hit and my nutrition goes down the tubes. 

MM: So many people, especially baby boomers, have a hard time keeping with an exercise and nutrition program. Why is that, and what can they do to make the same breakthroughs you have? 

Dr. Life: You're right, many people of all ages just don't give their exercise and nutrition programs a chance. They allow themselves to fall back into their old ways and old habits early in their programs. They also allow their careers, family responsibilities, social obligations and television viewing to take priority over their health and wellness goals. They don't realize that if they were to make regular exercise and good nutrition an essential part of their lives they would be able to handle all their other responsibilities much better and they wouldn't miss the TV at all. 

The best way for people to be successful at achieving a lean, strong, healthy body is to first make up their minds to take control of their lives. Then they need to start a well-designed exercise and nutrition program that they must stick with for 12 weeks, since it takes 12 weeks to break old habits and develop new habits. They can't let anything interfere with their program. It must be their highest priority. At the end of the 12 weeks they will reach a level of fitness they never dreamed possible. They will have new energy levels, a zest for life and a feeling of newfound strength and leanness that most people have never known. This will provide the impetus they need to make this program their lifestyle for the rest of their liv es. 

MM: What was your body fat percentage the day you decided to take the Challenge? 

Dr. Life: At least 25 percent.

MM: What is it today?

Dr. Life: 8 percent.

MM: How do you eat to keep such a low level of body fat? Take us through your eating plan for a typical day. 

Dr. Life: When I first get up in the morning I drink 16 to 20 ounces of water and eat a bowl of grains cooked with 3 to 4 egg whites or protein powder. I add essential fats (omega 3, 6, 9 and medium chain triglycerides) after cooking. This really helps kick my metabolism into high gear before I get to the gym. Three hours later I have a nutrition shake and a piece of fruit. At noon I have a can of Health Valley soup with a serving or two of canned chicken or salmon and salsa or I will order steamed shrimp or chicken and vegetables from our local Chinese restaurant- no sauce and no rice. At 3 p.m. I will have another shake and around 6 p.m. I will have a chicken breast, baked yam, vegetables, fruit and essential fats or some variation on this theme. At 9 p.m. I will eat a protein bar or another low-carb, 200-calorie snack. I try not to eat after that time and I limit my carb intake after the 6 p.m. meal. I drink water throughout the day (around 100 to 120 ounces). 

This is basically how I eat most days with only an occasional mishap. It has taken me a long time to get my eating under control. This has truly been one of my greatest challenges, if not the greatest. It's a battle I will always have to fight-but one I can now win. 

MM: What's your opinion of the extremely low-carbohydrate diets that so many people follow today? Are these plans safe, and will they allow people to achieve the kind of lasting results they're looking for? 

Dr. Life: Carbohydrates are the most important energy source for our brain and exercising muscle and the only food that we can use for anaerobic energy production--the energy we need when we lift weights. Carbohydrates produce energy three times faster than fats and require much less oxygen to do so. In the nutritional world, carbohydrates are called "the master fuel." 

Very low-carbohydrate diets force our bodies to tap into and eat away at our hard-earned muscle for the energy we require. These diets also make recovery from workouts more difficult and cause chronic fatigue, depression, insomnia, poor exercise performance, frequent infections and burnout. 

Given all of this, I guess it's no great surprise that I'm not much of a believer in these very popular ultra-low-carbohydrate diets, especially for people who want to exercise hard, build strength and increase their muscle mass. My advice, therefore, is very simple -- stay away from these diets and make carbohydrates with a low-glycemic index (whole grains, most fruits and vegetables) an important part of your nutritional program. 

MM: As you look back to before your transformation, what specific nutrition mistakes did you make as you attempted to lose unwanted body fat? 

Dr. Life: I followed The American Heart Association recommended diet consisting of very low fat, not much protein and lots of carbs. I would really hit the high-glycemic index carbs like bagels, breads, cookies, baked goods and breakfast cereals very hard. My attitude was that as long as it didn't have fat in it, it was OK. I also ate very few meals each day-usually one or two, occasionally three. I was also big on nighttime eating - consuming a lot of calories after 9 p.m. In other words, I did everything that I now tell everybody, including myself, not to do. 

MM: Today you're a full-time practicing physician. You're going to graduate school for your master's degree in nutrition science. You're studying to be a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Plus, you're a regular columnist for this magazine and run your own Web site, DrLife.com, not to mention balance your family obligations. How in the world do you find the time to exercise? 

Dr. Life: The reason I am able to do all of these things is that I make sure I make the time to exercise. It's the combination of exercise and the right nutrition that gives me the energy, desire and motivation to aggressively pursue these goals. If I didn't exercise and eat right there would be no way I could do all of this, or even want to for that matter. 

MM: What do you say to those people who say baby boomers shouldn't lift weights-that they should stick with low-impact exercise like walking or swimming? 

Dr. Life: I say nonsense! I wrote a feature article for my Web site that explains why I think everybody should lift weights-teens, young adults, baby boomers, senior citizens, nursing home residents, people with degenerative diseases and people with heart disease (under medical supervision)-I mean everybody! Weight lifting is truly the best way to slow or even reverse the aging process and improve existing disease states. It's the easiest way to get the most out of your life in terms of productivity, happiness, wellness and just plain old "feeling good." It can add years to your vitality. And, it is a lot of fun! 

Low-impact exercise is definitely important for cardiovascular health, but when you combine it with a good weight- lifting program you have a truly powerful exercise program that just can't be beat. 

MM: Do you currently take any supplements? If so, what do you take? 

Dr. Life: The main supplements I take include 5 to 10 grams of creatine a day along with HMB, essential fatty acids, protein shakes, multivitamins and minerals, vitamin E, vitamin C, selenium and extra folic acid (to correct my high homocystine level). I have taken these supplements for almost five years and really believe they have played a significant role in helping me get and stay lean, increase my muscle mass and keep healthy. I am always looking for and trying new supplements that have the science to back them up, and I make it a point to discuss these in my Muscle Media column. 

MM: As you look back over the last five years, has your success in transforming your body allowed you to make breakthroughs in other areas of your life? 

Dr. Life: Absolutely! The incredible changes I experienced five years ago and continue to experience in both my body and mind have given me the motivation and incentive to refocus my life and career from a traditional medicine philosophy of treating disease after it is established to that of disease prevention through changes in lifestyle. I have become passionate about the role nutrition and exercise play in wellness, aging and quality of life and continue to pursue every avenue available to me to learn more about all of this. My transformation has given me the opportunity to become a writer for Muscle Media and this has led to my becoming the author of a chapter on exercise and fitness in a popular medical textbook. I have also recently developed my own web site to consolidate all of my writings and convey information to people about how they can change their lives for the better by changing their lifestyle. 

Clearly, none of this would have happened if I hadn't decided to change my life, enter the Body-for-LIFE Challenge, and transform my body (and mind) five years ago. 

MM: What has been the most rewarding aspect of transforming yourself? 

Dr. Life: The changes in my body and mind. In other words going from a fat, aging, tired, poorly motivated, depressed person to one that is lean, strong, muscular, energized, and highly motivated with an incredible zest for life and a love for competing with people half my age. 

MM: What's the greatest compliment you've received as a result of completing the 12-week Program? 

Dr. Life: When my wife told me how great I felt when she touched me and how great I looked! 

MM: What advice would you give to someone who's thinking about accepting the 12-week Challenge but who doesn't quite believe he or she can accomplish what you have? 

Dr. Life: If I can do this in my 60s I truly believe anybody can do it! All it takes is making up your mind to do it, starting the Program, not missing any workouts, and following your nutrition plan exactly. Once you have completed 12 weeks you will find yourself at a new level of fitness and well being that you never knew existed-an amazing state very few people ever experience. This will be the starting point that you will use to launch yourself into a lifetime of healthy eating and exercising that will become an essential part of your life every day-a part that you will really look forward to! 

MM: Do you believe your best moments are behind you or in front of you? 

Dr. Life: By all means, in front of me! Over the next two years I will finish my master's in sports nutrition and exercise science, become a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, complete Dr. Andrew Weil's Fellowship in Integrative Medicine, take my own personal program of fitness, strength development and muscularity to new heights, develop new strategies on achieving and maintaining leanness, and continue to keep all of my Muscle Media readers and my Web site members up to speed with all the new information coming out on performance nutrition, exercise science, motivational strategies and wellness. I will also continue to work on my first book and, with any luck, get it published sometime within the next year or two. 

MM: Any last words of wisdom for our readers? 

Dr. Life: Put your health, wellness and fitness at center stage in your life and all other aspects of your life will reap the benefits.