Mastering the Life PLan Contents
Introduction: Taking Control of Your Health

PART ONE

MASTERING THE LIFE PLAN FOR HEALTHY EATING

CHAPTER 1

The Life Plan Philosophy

CHAPTER 2

The Life Plan Diets

CHAPTER 3

My Favorite Foods

Breakfast

Yogurt Breakfast Crunch (Bhd, Fbd, Hhd)

Vegan Breakfast Skillet (Bhd, Fbd, Hhd)

Cottage Cheese and Fruit Salad (Bhd, Fbd, Hhd)

Poached Egg with Smoked Salmon (Bhd, Fbd)

Lunch

Fresh Mushroom Salad (Bhd, Fbd, Hhd)

Open-Faced Veggie Sandwich (Bhd, Fbd, Hhd)

Mazatlan Shrimp with Salsa (Bhd, Fbd, Hhd)

Tomatoes Stuffed with Chicken Salad (Bhd, Fbd, Hhd)

Dinner

Not So Naked Chicken (Bhd, Fbd)

Quinoa Tabbouleh (Bhd, Fbd, Hhd)

Turkey Stir-Fry (Bhd, Fbd)

Tempeh Tagine (Bhd, Fbd, Hhd)

Shake Variations

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake

Berry Banana Shake

Blueberry Vanilla Shake

Strawberry Banana Protein Shake

Chocolate Almond Protein Shake

Chocolate Almond Peanut Butter Shake

Ultimate Breakfast Protein Shake

CHAPTER 4

Supplementing the Life Plan Diets

PART TWO

MASTERING THE LIFE PLAN WORKOUTS

CHAPTER 5

The Life Plan Flexibility, Core, and Balance Workout

Dr. Life’s Pilates Routine

Exercise 1: Hamstring Stretch

Exercise 2: Piriformis Stretch

Exercise 3: Standing Quad Stretch

Exercise 4: Quad Stretch

Exercise 5: Double Leg Circles

Exercise 6: Adductor Stretch

Exercise 7: It Band Stretch

Exercise 8: Full Roll-Up

Exercise 9: Supine Ab Series

Exercise 10: Single Leg Extension for Abs

Exercise 11: Double Leg Extension for Abs

Exercise 12: Back Extensions

Exercise 13: Lunges

Traditional Balance Exercises

Step up Balance

Single Leg Balance

Single Leg Squat

Single Leg Toe Touch

Core/Abdominal Training

Plank

Opposite Arm Leg Reach

Supermans

CHAPTER 6

The Life Plan Resistance-Training Workout

At The Gym Exercise Descriptions

Chest

Dumbbell Bench Chest Press

Machine Chest Press

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

Decline Dumbbell Bench Press

Machine Fly

Upper Back

Lat Pulldown

Seated Row

Pullups

Middle Back

Barbell Row

Dumbbell Row

Shoulders

Overhead Dumbbell Press

Machine Overhead Press

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Reverse Fly

Legs

Barbell Squats

Leg Press

Leg Extensions

Seated Leg Curls

Biceps

Preacher Curl

Dumbbell Curl

Barbell Curl

Machine Curl

Triceps

Triceps Pushdown

Dumbbell Overhead Extension

Weighted Dips

Core

Ab Machine

The Life Plan Resistance Home/Travel Workout

Plank Opposite-Arm-Leg Reach

Abdominal Crunch

Quadruped Opposite-Arm-Leg Reach

Bicycle Crunch

Resistance Band Crunches

Resistance Band One-Arm Flies

Resistance Band Pushups

Resistance Band Lat Pulls

Resistance Band Rear Delt Fly

Resistance Band One-Arm Rear Fly Lateral Raise

Resistance Band Overhead Press

Resistance Band Squats

Resistance Band Lunges

Resistance Band Side Steps

Resistance Band Triceps Extensions

Resistance Band Biceps Curls

CHAPTER 7

The Life Plan Cardio Workout

The Post-Cardio Static Stretch Routine

Neck Stretch

Upper Back Stretch

Shoulder Stretch

Thoracic Spine Stretch

Lower Back Stretch

Hip Flexor Stretch

Quad Stretch

Outer Thigh Stretch

Adductor Stretch

Calf Stretch

CHAPTER 8

Mastering the Life Plan Journal

PART THREE

MASTERING THE LIFE PLAN FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE

CHAPTER 9

Hormone Optimization: The Absolute Truth

CHAPTER 10

The Life Plan and Your Doctor

CHAPTER 11

Getting Better Every Year

Acknowledgments

About Jeffry S. Life, MD, PhD

References

Index

Mastering the Life PLan Introduction: Taking Control of Your Health
In the time since my first book came out in 2010 a lot has changed. I went from being a relatively obscure person—known mostly for being “that old guy in those health ads”—to having a national best-selling book, appearing on television and in print magazines, and even being featured coast to coast in the New York Times as well as the Los Angeles Times in the same week. I’m proud of my program and the scrutiny it has been put under, and I’m even more proud of the thousands of men who have taken the first step toward better health by following it.

Yet at the same time, there are far too many men out there whose overall health has remained unchanged. The vast majority of men are still sitting around watching TV after work, being couch potatoes (or mouse potatoes), and eating poorly and gaining body fat, especially around their bellies. These men still haven’t gotten the message that “end of the day fatigue” is not caused by their job, but by their lack of exercise, poor nutrition, and probable hormone deficiencies, putting them at risk not only for compromising their quality of life, but also for disease.

Meanwhile, the economy here and all around the world has tanked, and though we’re successfully fighting our way out of a terrible recession, the biggest losers have been men. Simply put, our position in the workplace is plummeting. The majority of people who lost their jobs during the economic downturn were men, and women have been more likely to be rehired. For the first time in American history the balance of the workforce has tipped toward women. And sadly, many of the men trained for traditional heavy-lifting jobs in construction, factory work, and warehouses are still on the sidelines.

I know just as well as anyone that when you’re not feeling well and you’ve been hit by any kind of psychological blow, whether your house is upside down or you’ve lost your job, you can’t perform as well as you used to in any aspect of your life. These upsets can cause you to fall into a downward spiral of depression and poor health. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that the biggest complaint that men have when they come to see me is that they’ve lost their energy. Yet one thing I have learned is that as men, we can’t provide for our families unless we start taking care of ourselves.

In order for men to really succeed in today’s tough environment, we have to do better. We need to be high-energy people with a more youthful appearance, and be able to maintain our health and enthusiasm for life as we age. The best way to do this is by staying healthy and fit and lean, and not finding ourselves on the couch, which is a direct path to obesity, poor health, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

The Life Plan is all about recapturing your vital energy and maintaining it as you get older. By mastering my program, you can turn your health around and find that zest for life, whether that means regaining your sexual function or finding your competitive edge in the workplace. You’ll find that your renewed energy permeates every aspect of your life, including your relationship with your significant other and relationships with your kids, your grandkids, and your peers.

When you’re physically taking care of yourself and you have more energy to do the things that you want to do, and to have the relationships you want to have, it naturally improves your mood and makes you more productive. More energy even makes your thinking better, which is becoming more crucial in today’s world. The fact is that the jobs of the future are not physical jobs, they’re thinking jobs, many of which women may be intrinsically better at. The bottom line is that taking care of your body is helping you take care of your ability to think, your ability to maintain focus, and your ability to succeed.
What’s New?
If this is your first introduction to the Life Plan, then welcome! My philosophy, which I live and breathe, is that it’s never too late to reverse disease, improve health, and see lasting change. I hope that you’ll use this book to learn the basics behind the science of my program so that you can begin your own transformation.

Overall, Mastering the Life Plan lets you get ready for my program in smaller, simpler steps. In this new book I’ve outlined exactly what I do every day to stay in great shape. This streamlined version takes much of the Chinese menu approach out of the plan, and instead provides a single, comprehensive diet and exercise program. So if you have been following the program, you can use this book as a way to keep motivated, especially if you are away from home for extended periods of time.

When I wrote The Life Plan, my goal was to give men all the information they would need to turn their health around. What surprised me most was how much the media wanted to talk about the concepts of hormone replacement therapies for men. And as each day goes by, I’m still called for my opinion on this aspect of my program, by other doctors, the media, and regular folks just like you. In this book, I’ll delve much deeper into the controversy of hormone replacement therapies. You’ll have access to the most recent medical studies on the topic, proper dosages, necessary testing, and even more ways to naturally create testosterone, growth hormone, and many of the other necessary hormones on your own. In short, you’ll have everything you need to make an informed decision about your health and to have the tools you need to discuss this with your own physician.

This book will also show you how to work the health-care system to make sure that you are getting the care you need. As with any other wellness plan, you’ll want to talk to your doctor before you start my program. Let him or her understand that you are interested in a healthy lifestyle that is meant to increase metabolism, prevent disease, and reverse aging. Together, you can join the revolution of healthy aging. Inside this book you’ll find a comprehensive list of the medical testing you need at every annual physical, as well as careful instructions on how to get the most out of every doctor visit. This will help you create a wealth of baseline information that you can use to stay vital as you age and limit your exposure to “surprise” illnesses. These “early warning” tests can be used to prevent or delay their onset.

If you’ve already read The Life Plan and enjoyed the success you’ve achieved on the plan, you’ll find that this book makes following the Life Plan even easier. This book includes many more recipes, along with meal plans and shopping lists that any man can manage. Over the past two years I’ve also discovered how easy it is to get the right nutrition through nutrient-rich shakes. I’ve created my own line of shakes that have been specifically formulated to fit the dietary needs of men, and recipes for them are included in these pages. Better still, the shakes are so delicious and easy to prepare that you can make them right at home. You’ll also learn how to flavor them so that they don’t becoming boring. I’ve also included my best tips and tricks for eating out, especially if you are a frequent traveler. Finally, there is a list of the top supplements you should consider taking, depending on your health and your diet.

I’ve also streamlined the exercise program so that you can learn how to exercise exactly the way I do. This book features one full resistance training workout that is based on what I do every day. I’ve focused my new cardiovascular program on spinning. The combination of spinning, my LifeCycle stationary bicycle, and swimming is how I’ve been getting my aerobic workout in over the past year. The balance/flexibility workout is streamlined so that you can get all three of these types of exercise into your day more easily. For each of these three core areas of fitness, I’ve also included brand-new workouts for you to do right at home if you don’t belong to a gym, or when you’re on the road. So there are absolutely no excuses: You can read this book and start exercising today!
How This Book Works
I like to think of this book as a jumpstart to the Life Plan. Once you’ve mastered the Life Plan, you can move on to the more individualized program that I created in my first book. The book you are reading now is meant to get you up to speed and give you all the tools you need to begin to restore your health.

Part One throws you right into my three-level eating program so you can begin to reverse disease, such as obesity, heart disease, or diabetes, or avoid it entirely. This is not your wife’s diet, or your girlfriend’s. These diets were created by me, specifically for men, so don’t worry: You’ll feel satisfied after every meal.

Part Two outlines my unique exercise program, which incorporates every facet of physical fitness, including cardiovascular workouts, resistance training, and balance and stretching exercises based on the Pilates method and martial arts. My Life Plan is different from any other exercise program because it focuses on combining these three core exercise components, what I call the Mighty Three. By doing these types of exercise in combination throughout your week, you will be able to see results quickly, and continue with the program forever. There are dozens of new photographs so that you can follow the directions and watch me complete the exercises, making sure that you are using correct form every time. I’ve also included a method for you to track your progress for the entire Life Plan.

Part Three gives you everything you need in order to follow the Life Plan for the rest of your life. First, you’ll learn about the importance of correcting hormone deficiencies based on the results I’ve seen in my own life and my medical practice, as well as in peer-reviewed, evidence-based scientific studies. Then, you’ll learn how to get the most out of every doctor’s visit so that you won’t be a hostage to the risk-management model of medicine. Instead, you’ll master healthy aging just as if you were in my office.

By following this program, you should start noticing changes in the first two weeks. All it takes is making up your mind to get off the couch. If I can master this type of lifestyle, any man can. So let’s take the first steps together, where you can begin to understand not just what you are going to do for the rest of your life, but why.