Jim: I’m always talking about the mind and how to redefine things to gain a new perspective.  How does Strength for Life and your definition of health differ from the generally accepted definitions?

Shawn:    What you’re talking about Jim too and I think you’re really picking up on is I’m big into distinctions and distinctions offer a new way to see something that you may . . . it’s like to see through something.  A lot of us have this vague idea of fitness or this general or specific yada yada where we know about diets; we know about this.  I like to take and look deeper in there and find the radical distinction; the differentiating point which allows people to really see something for the first time; a fresh perspective.  Is that what you’re talking about when you say I’ve got a way of seeing things?

Jim:    Yeah, absolutely and it is this fresh perspective.  So go into it.  The idea of strength and health – you define that differently than most people do.  I think it’s valuable.

Shawn:    What I do is this – and I looked at this deeply – I believe adamantly that most people in America’s  definition of health is from the  Webster’s Dictionary – which I happen to be looking at right now.  Webster’s Dictionary defines it as the absence of disease or the absence of illness.  It really is that.  We talk about it; we slam down a little Jamba Juice; maybe a little wheatgrass and we hop over to yoga class, but we don’t take it much more seriously than that.

I think health is a wonderful thing, but the idea that I’m going to wait for my doctor to tell me I have to do something before I get really serious about caring about it; before it means as much as it should mean – because if you’ve ever seen somebody lose their health – you’ve been sick.  Even to get the flu, you have this whole understanding of how important health is when you don’t have it.  When you have it, it’s kind of like a bird in the hand “Okay, whatever.  I’ve got my health.  I could be in better shape.”

To me, strength is the new health.  It’s the new definition of health.  I define strength as not just the presence of health, but the abundance of energy, vitality and the capacity to make a contribution in the world.  I believe ultimately our lives are to be in service and it’s what we can do.  People will gain more, be more and do more in the service of others.  So strength is to be more than enough for me; it’s an abundance.  It’s kind of going back to the scarcity abundance mentality of something like The Secret.  I live in scarcity and I say I’m healthy or good enough or I live in abundance and I accept strength which is physical, mental, spiritual, etc.  It’s all strength as abundance on all levels.

Jim:    What are some general food nutrition guidelines that you recommend to live a life of strength?

Shawn:    I’m going to be frank as I tend to be.  I think Body for Life is the first book really to take what was learned through body building.  It’s a little like what we learned by going to the moon – bring the science back.  You go to the edge and you come back.   What we learned is that balanced protein rich meals and frequent feedings work.  We learned them.  We practiced them.  We brought them to the mainstream through Body for Life.  Now ten years later those things are becoming more and more true and more and more accepted.  Every single day you see more protein value; the importance of protein; the satiating factors of protein arising every single day.  Those have become truer.  That said Body for Life called for six small meals a day.  I never could quite do the six meals a day.  How about you?
Jim:    No, I can’t do that.
Shawn:    I struggle with it.  Honestly, I’m a five meal a day guy, but I take it down to the strength level.  I like to go down to the simple.  Let’s be real.  We’re a social society and we structure our days around breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I like to go what I call the three plus two method.  I eat three main meals and as long as those meals are balanced, healthy and I mean having – I start with protein job one.  Every one of those meals should have a good solid source of protein which buffers your carbohydrate release; get some vegetables in there; get some fruits.
Do not skip breakfast.  Breakfast is A Job #1 of food nutrition guidelines.  Please, eat breakfast and then in between there I call it mini-meals.  I don’t like the word “snacks.”  I say they can be a little bit smaller, but still.  You can use your nutrition shakes in between there.  Full Strength is such a meal.  I use Full Strength to start my day as my primary kicker for the day and then as an afternoon meal.  You can have your egg whites and oatmeal which I did for 20 years in the mornings.  Have consistent meals.
One of the other tips I want to give people is to get out of the mindset that every single meal needs to be some sort of diner smorgasbord – all you can eat buffet deal.  Food is a wonderfully enjoyable activity.  We love to eat.  Let’s save our love for eating for the meals that are really truly sociable and where we’re really expressing that love for food.  Don’t make every meal – so I call it repeat performances.  For literally 18 years of my life I had the exact same breakfast 90% of the time.  I love it because I felt great; not because it was so darn delicious.  That’s pretty simple.
I have 10 simple strategies in there, but I like to show you how to end dieting together and some tips there – really that inside out awareness practice.  Basically, my food nutrition guidelines are that I really believe in basic balanced meals; the frequent feedings; the simple approach; lots of water; protein stable carbohydrates; vegetables; healthy fats.

I interviewed Shawn Phillips this week and he explained this idea in such clear and profound ways that it could change the way that you think about strength for the rest of your life. He became famous for having world class abs, and since then he has continued to go deeper into teaching how you can create the body of your dreams, from the inside out. You can listen to a replay of this powerful seminar for a limited time by clicking here.