Question: I want to do the EAS body of work contest and I just got my instruction booklet. It says I should take three packets of Myoplex a day. That's thirteen boxes of Myoplex in three months which will cost me $519.00 dollars . Do you think it's worth it?

Answer: Myoplex is an excellent meal replacement product (MRP), but personally, I am against taking it three times a day. MRP's are not better than food; whole foods are clearly better than any MRP. MRP's do not have any "magical" muscle-building or fat-burning properties. MRP's are powdered food, nothing more, nothing less. Anyone who tells you otherwise is not being honest. In fact, Bill Phillips himself says, "Many of the people I coach just don't have time to eat six whole-food meals a day. So for them, Myoplex is a solution that makes following the Nutrition for life method much more practical." There you have it right from the horse's mouth: Meal Replacement drinks are for convenience purposes.

I do recommend meal replacement products such as Myoplex for my nutrition clients who don't have time to eat frequently. This may be the only way that the average person can eat the five or six times per day that is necessary to maximize results. However, let me point out that my nutrition program is not a promotional tool for supplements: I do not sell supplements nor do I represent any particular supplement company. If I make the recommendation that a supplement is worth taking, you are getting my 100% honest, unbiased opinion.

My advice is to take MRP's as needed for convenience, but stick to whole foods as much as possible. If you have to take Myoplex just to enter the contest, well I guess you have to take it. Obviously, Bill Phillips' book and contest are primarily for promoting his products; after all he's a businessman and if he doesn't pitch his own products no one else will. As far as the cost that's involved, well, you could look at it this way; eating food for six meals a day isn't cheap either.

From a motivational standpoint, I think his contest is a great idea. Having a rewarding goal that means something to you makes it easier to get in shape because you have something to work towards. I stay in shape all year round, but I've never gotten myself in top, top shape unless I was competing in bodybuilding contests. So, to answer your question, if entering this contest will motivate you to get in the best shape of your life, then yes it's worth it.

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