General Diet Plans and Questions - Body for Life NUMBER 20!!!!

Hi everyone!!!

I can't believe we are at number 20!!! Thank you all for supporting this thread!

A BIG congrats to MrsJim finishing up her second challenge. I started BFL before she did but here she is finishing her second challenge (I was waylayed during the summer). I am SO SO SO inspired by you MrsJim!!!!

I am doing okay. Exercise is getting better every day and I'm enjoying low carb. I am having a love affair with Carbolite products (almost all protein and eggwhites). All of their products are SO Good. Even if you are following strict BFL you can use them and add carbs. They're sweetened with Splenda and they have a swiss mocha cappucino that is great to sprinkle in vanilla shakes in the morning. Add a dash or more of real coffee and some cinnamon for a morning delight! Most low carbers say to lay off the coffee but I'm with Bill Philips that the effect is negligable. Still I try to keep it to one cup straight up and then added into my first shake of the day. I have been using Lean Body for my first shake (yum) with the carbolite cappuccino mix and coffee. It's like dessert first thing!

I also enjoy low carb Jy-Lo strawberry topping and for snacking I like Pumpkorn.

All of these things are available through netrition.com. and are compatible with Lowcarb or straight up BFL. Click on the netrition link over at L&S.

well back to my school project due tomorrow!
Happy Number Twenty!
Susan

To all my BFL buddies: I love you all, but I am going to take a break. I have been very depressed over my body and diet. I had a binge yesterday--couldn't take the low-carb anymore. I will still be checking in here everyday, and lurking. I want to see Mrs. Jim's pictures, so I'll still be lurking at L&S, too. I'm just in a super funk, and need to stop worrying about what is going in my mouth and how I am moving my body. I have been so obsessed that I can't think of much else. After hurting my lower body, I will probably just jog and walk for a while until I'm sure that I am back up to par.

You have all been wonderful and I am greatful for all the wonderful health tips that I have gotten.

Talk to you soon!

Shelley - keep checking in here and at L&S. Don't be a stranger! :)

That was one of the reasons I don't want to go low-carb. 40/40/20 is plenty low carb for me. I feel great and don't have a desire to overeat save on Free Day.

I was hoping that we could take pix this weekend...but Jim left his digital camera at work! And now with the heightened security since Sept 11th he can't go into the mailroom on the weekends w/o prior authorization...darn it! I really wanted to get pix with the horses since it's going to be so gorgeous this weekend. Today it was 90 degrees here and just lovely.

I posted on L&S about my last C2 LBWO which was today. Here are my high weights:

Barbell Squats - 6 reps at 150 pounds + bar
Leg Press - 12 reps @270
Barbell lunges - 6 reps @140 + bar
Good Mornings - 12 reps @ 90 + bar
Lying Calf Press - 6 reps @410 lbs (on Leg Press)
Sled Calf Raise - 12 reps @270

I really wanted to hit the legs superhard this challenge. They have gone down quite a bit but I still have a ways to go (30 pounds of fat doesn't leave easily!).

This week, I (gulp) took my beautiful new DKNY Size 6 jeans, threw 'em in the warm water wash then in the cotton dryer cycle. I figured, well, if they shrink too much I can always fit into them during C3. Guess what - they STILL fit! So as far as I'm concerned that makes me a genuine size 6 (in fact, they are a bit loose - not skintight...) Jim keeps patting my butt and saying how proud he is of me. Whatta guy! Now all I have to do is get HIS butt into the gym. One of these days...

Aw....Mrs Jim...I wanted some pix!!! Soon, I hope!

Shelley, I know I went through **** last summer plagued with health problems and frustrated over my workouts (and inability to) and lack of weight loss. :( It was so difficult to live with.

I know that you're having trouble with low carb but before you give it up completely, I do suggest checking out carbolite products and also doing six meals (palm/fist) a day. Although it is not recommended to do a free day, the carbolite choc bars once a week should be okay.

If not, hang in there and what is best for you will make itself known the way it did for me. Stick around! Even if you just lurk!

Sunday will be my FIRST power workout since July. I am finally feeling well enough to go back to BFL intense workouts (I've been doing things slowly to keep up the pace). I am off from school in the coming week so I am very excited about doing a full week of BFL workouts and then keeping it up! It's been a long climb back, but I'm getting there!

Hope everyone is doing okey dokey.

Susan

Susanje - so glad to hear you're feeling better and getting back to full workouts. I know how frustating it is to have physical limitations / health problems that make it hard to exercise. (I have arthritis in my spine that effects my left hip and hamstring when it flares up - there are days I can barely get out of bed, and walking the dog seems an insurmountable task, much less doing a LBWO!) My mind wants to work out, but my body is saying "no way!" But I am determined not to let it stop me.

Shelley - I'll miss you!! I am wishing you all the best and hope you come back real soon. And good luck with the puppy!

MrsJim! - Congratulations on all your accomplishments! Putting the jeans in the dryer is the true test of whether they really fit, right? You should be very proud of yourself - you're doing great!

Chris - welcome! Your website is great. I think you will like this board; lots of good people and good motivation too.

I had my hair done this morning and my hairdresser noticed some changes since I saw him last. He said, "Well, you're grayer but you're thinner!" (Gotta love the guy...)

I'm wearing a pair of jeans that I haven't had on for 2 years and I can actually breathe! I'm at the end of week 10 of my 1st challenge and looking forward to challenge #2. My goals for this challenge were to increase my energy, get back into my size 12s, and stick to the program 6 days each week. So far I've met all my goals; challenge 2 will be all about muscle gain and fat loss!

Marci

I'm really excited about my bodyfat measurement - down to 17.8% according to the Hussman site java calculator!!! :)

My waist/hip measurements only went down a half-inch or so = hips to 37.5" (from 38" at end of C1); waist to 26.5" from 26.25".

I'm *Really* jazzed about being a size 6 - and plan to get down to a size 4 by January, no matter how nutsy it sounds to my sister!

I've been lifting some heavy, heavy weights in C2 - going to continue to do that for C3 but also plan to really kick out the jams for cardio. Camp Pam B begins for me on 22 October!!! Yee haw!

PS. Look out for PIX by Wednesday!

Mrs. J.-I found a used Smith Machine at Play it Again Sports for $200.00, and my DH says I can buy it!!! I am going over there today to make sure that the bench is included (the salesman says it is.) I'm so excited!! I don't know what brand it is, but it looks good! It also has the pull down bar for back and arms. I'll let you know if I buy it, because I'll need some tips for exercises!

Even though I won't be following the BFL program, I will be working out with weights.

WOW Mrs. Jim

Congratulations as you head into the home stretch! I went to the Racing Museum in Saratoga Springs N.Y. last summer and saw film clips of some of the greatest Thoroughbreds of all time winning their races. It made up for watching Point Given come in fifth in the Derby...anyway, you're a champion.

I got my shipment today from Vitaglo. I couldn't resist tasting one of my Designer Protein bars. YUM. Thanks for the tip Susanje! If you check out a website for a business called Lo Carb Connoisseur they have a ton of reviews for locarb products you might enjoy. Do a search in Google, they have a wierd URL.

I've done three practice MAS sessions and the process is easier than it sounds. NOT physically but the timing. Does anyone use a stop watch?

Hey everyone -

Jim had today off from work to go bike riding but came in to get his camera so maybe we'll get pix done tonight!

As far as keeping time for the 20 MAS, I just go by the timer on the treadmill. If I was going to do my cardio outdoors, I would probably use my heart rate monitor, since it has a timer you can set - so it would beep every 60 seconds to let me know it's time to bring the intensity up/down.

This morning I slept in until 5:30 am, since it's Free Week for me. I'm pretty much sticking to plan as far as eating, however I might treat myself to a frozen yogurt or something tonight (betcha I just settle for a Myo Lite though).

Back to work gals!!!

...now all I have to do is get Jim to download them into the PC and they're done!

I just read something really great that I wanted to share with y'all. One of the regulars on L&S, Jeremy, has a free newsletter that I just subscribed to, since I find his posts so informative. He wrote a really great article in it about motivation during the holidays. Here it is:

==MOTIVATION==

--"The Holiday Seasons" by Jeremy Likness, CFT

The time for candy, cake, and big feasts is drawing near. This month, many
families in the United States will celebrate Halloween by wandering through
their neighborhoods and stocking up on candy. Thanksgiving is famous for its
large feasts, and Christmas means cookies and eggnog. So it's time to hang
fitness in the closet, until we can pull back off the rack with a New Year's
Resolution, right? Wrong!

Last year, to prove a point, I dropped from 10% body fat to 7% body fat during
the holidays. I did this is demonstrate not only the fact that you do NOT have
to gain weight during the holidays, but that you can lose fat AND enjoy your
holiday treats.

I helped my son eat his Halloween candy. I had an enormous Thanksgiving Day
feast. I even ate the chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter blossoms, and fudge
cookies that my mother brought from Florida, while washing them down with
eggnog.

My mentor, David Greenwalt of "The Power Store" writes in his book, "The Leanness Lifestyle" that many people suffer from the
either/or syndrome. He couldn't be more correct. "Either I eat EVERYTHING
throughout the holidays, OR I suffer and don't eat at all." What about some
gray area in between?

The trick is to balance your holiday eating engagements with proper nutrition
and activity. No one feels like going on a nice, long jog after a Thanksgiving
"feast", but what about the morning after? And what about those left-overs -
there is nothing wrong with turkey breast! Cookies? Eat 'em that day, then save
them for your next "splurge meal", throw 'em out, or, better yet, give them away
to someone else who doesn't care!

Halloween candy was easy - I saved it for my "splurge meal" - the one of two to
three meals I allow myself each week to eat anything that I want to. Thanksgiving
also fell under that category. What I paid close attention to, however, was
making sure to balance the hefty feasts with leaner, lighter meals. The day
AFTER Thanksgiving, I might have had a turkey breast sandwich, then several
meals with chicken, tuna, or other lean proteins, and a piece of fruit with
some nice, leafy green vegetables. By eating "light" the day after, and "heavy"
the day before, I allowed my AVERAGE calories to remain "sane".

I took the same approach with Christmas. Cookies and eggnog were typically
timed to coincide with heavy resistance training workouts - sometimes they
served as a "post-workout shake". Again, if I found myself getting carried away,
I would have another "light" day to balance things out, and maybe even go on
an extra-long walk or run.

My final word for the holidays is this: you don't HAVE to eat EVERYTHING! Who
made the rule that you have to leave these "feasts" feeling STUFFED? I certainly
don't, and I'm happy for that. Sure, sample everything, but be reasonable. Since
there are typically a million dishes on the table, a few spoonfuls of each
should suffice. Enjoy a little bit of everything - show everyone around you that
you can enjoy your holidays and stay fit at the same time - but also prove to
them that you DON'T need that second or third plate! Why not enjoy the first
plate, then push it aside and rest comfortably until the pumpkin pie and coffee
comes around?

Enjoy the holidays, but don't let them get the best of you!

I think this applies not only to those of us on BFL, but to anyone who is struggling with their weight. We all know that the holidays are the BIG time to pack on the bodyfat. Just the combination of cold weather (bring out those heavy sweaters!) and all the cookies, cakes, etc. can really do a number on me. Who doesn't feel totally miserable come January with all that extra lard on their butt, thighs, and tummy?

For me, THIS holiday is going to be different. I'm not going to stuff myself until I get sick, then shovel in some more. I am going to stay COMMITTED to making myself a better person both inside AND out. Anybody care to join me?

What kind of HRM do you have? As usual, after reading about ten different brands I can't make up my mind.

I've been enjoying Jeremy's posts at L&S. Can anyone register for his newsletter, or do you have to be engaged in a challenge?

Hope you're enjoying your week off.

Last night after carefully preparing my Myoplex I dropped the glass. There was Myoplex everywhere. It took me nearly an hour to wash the floor, the dishes, the cabinet doors, etc. Hopefully exploding MRD episode will only happen once...

LH - I have a Polar Accurex HRM. BIG TIP - I bought mine on eBay for about 50% of what I would have paid retail, it was only slightly used!

Polar is the 'gold standard' of heart rate monitors.

Jeremy's newsletter is fantastic - he is a CFT (Certified Fitness Trainer) and does sell his services on his website - but you can register for his newsletter for free with no obligation. I can't post his web address here but just go to his profile on Lean & Strong and his site addy is right there.

I haven't dropped any Myo Lite yet, but your story reminds me of a funny thing that happened to me when I was on Optifast 11 years ago. I was at a picnic and put my Optifast powder in a shaker with a diet pop and shook it. Duh! You can imagine the explosion...plus it was a hot day. I was sticky sticky sticky for the rest of the picnic (no, I didn't bring a bathing suit, I still weighed well over 250 pounds since it was just my first week on the program). :lol:

Hopefully tonight I will get Jim to download the pix off his digital camera. He got a bit impatient and only took three photos - front, back, and a 'jeans shot'. Never interrupt a guy when he's watching Clint Eastwood (even if he's seen the movie 10,000 times)!

Mrs.Jim thanks for the info. I just made my first post to L&S today.

I didn't mention that I had to take a shower after the Myoplex escapade since I was in my skivies when it happened. The few sips I had were delicious, strawberry cream with banana s/f pudding.

Check out the Transformation Gallery in L&S...Sorry about the shadows...like I said, never interrupt a man during a Clint Eastwood flick!

Here's a jeans pic for ya...

Mrs. J-You look fantastic! Your jeans look loose, too!!

Got my Smith machine and love it! It's a cheapie (I thought it was used, but it was $100.00 off.) The only thing is, the bar doesn't go low enough to do deadlifts. Now I need to get some heavier weights. It also has the thing to do leg curls on, a row bar, and an overhead bar for back exercises.

See ya!

But I know that many of you are lurking about here and on L&S...

So here's what I've done for my next 12 week Challenge (beginning 22 October!):

I've made up a calendar (actually I just printed up some calendar pages from Outlook) and gotten some 'star' stickers - Pam B does this - at the end of each day she gives herself a different colored "star" for working out intensity, eating clean, staying positive, and the other one just slips my mind right now... :?: Each evening I am going to give myself a little 'ceremony' and award myself! I'm aiming to have all 84 days filled with stars!

I've had Jeremy at L&S make up a 12-week fat-loss nutrition program for me. He's sent me a rough draft of it and I just have to finish reviewing it - it's basically the BFL program but he has my choices listed for each day. And of course I get my free days or free meals - some weeks I get a whole free day, other weeks two free meals. I'll let you know how this goes... just felt I needed a little expert guidance and I really enjoy his posts.

My goal for C3 is to get down to 14% BF or below. Jeremy thinks I can do it, even though it's the holidays (see the quote from his newsletter above in one of my previous posts). I am so jazzed by all the support I'm getting! Woo hoo!

I have emailed Pam B to see if she can give me a little 'virtual training'. I'm getting the idea she's been doing this for other people on the L&S board, but until I hear from her I'm browsing through my back issues of Muscle Media, Energy, and Arnold's book to find good exercises. BTW, did ya see the new Muscle Media this month - there was a really good mini-article on the Subway diet and its drawbacks...

Well, time for Meal #3 (okay, even tho it's my Free Week, I'm pretty much staying on BFL eating except for a few 'treats'). See ya! :cool:

Mrs. J-You are truly amazing! How you are able to stick to your program is beyond me! I have been having lots of trouble, even though I am doing some workouts with my Smith. My diet has gone to the dogs!! My BIL passed away 2 days ago, and I think I am using that as an excuse to eat what I want! I will get back on the bandwagon when I feel like I can handle it. In the meantime, I am enjoying my Smith!

Mrs Jim:

Why doesn't Erik give Pam her own board? It could be the Camp Pam B board! I know I would be interested in that as soon as I revitalize my basic BFL workout.

Hi everyone,

Shelley, how much room does the smith take up? where did you find it?

Hope everyone is doing well!!!!!!!!

I thought I was having trouble with medication this past week..feeling very bad and thinking the meds aren't working. This felt HORRIBLE to me as it's been such a struggle. Sorta good news: This morning I started TOM for the first time since May. It's good news because after that long an absence the symptoms will be severe so it's not a real "not feeling well". Sorta bad because I feel horrible and craved chocolate all day yestereday. I usually limit myself to half a carbolite chocolate bar a week but yesterday I had a whole one rather than go off my eating plan. It worked to keep me honest and today Tom had arrived. I hope the bloating and cramping subsides soon (have had for a WEEK now) but I'm glad to know what it is and that it will be over soon!

Susan

SJ-The Smith doesn't take up much room at all. It's a cheapie, I really wish I could have gotten a better one, but it does the job! I got it at Play it Again Sports for $200.00. It takes up about 4 feet of space. I really like it, because I can even watch TV while I'm doing my squats!

Hope eating that whole Carbolite bar doesn't give you the runs!!:lol:

I posted what should have been a new message as a new topic titled "sorry to hear you aren't feeling well." Oh well it's Friday afternoon. Sorry!

at least you know the reason!

I feel better just from applying parts of BFL (eating six times each day, getting the 20 minutes of cardio.) Tonight I'm going to write all of my work outs into my day book to plan for any rough spots. The only potential difficulties I can see are the days from December 22-31. My husband is moving to North Carolina and we'll be in motels or with relatives during that time. I'm going to try to work out a routine I can do without a bench for that brief period. Any suggestions for following the plan away from home? probably no gym or refrigerator. Well it's all about dealing with challenges!

Mrs. Jim your new pictures are stunning. I hope it won't offend you if say that the first thing I noticed was your beaming smile filled with confidence and triumph. But all your hard work shows!

here's the link I mentioned to a site that reviews many locarb products. Very interesting!

http://www.lowcarbluxury.com/suggestions.html

That is a great link! Thanks! I love her product reviews. :D

Shelley: those kinds of things don't bother my GI system. I did eat it slowly too which I think helps (the whole bar in about 2 hours). :D I kept taking 2 pieces at a time out of the freezer.

Amazing how fast the time goes by!

Boy, did you all get busy on me or what? I know it's been pretty slow here - not just this thread but the whole board. Must be the upcoming holidays?? A lot of people tend to just give up between October and December. But rest assured I will be here, and I am so fired up about my third Challenge!

Took the week off - not a binge-fest like my Free Week in July, when Jim and I went to Yosemite for three nights and we just ate everything in sight (at least it seemed that way!). I'd say I'm eating clean at least 87% of the time, usually having 'free day food' at night if at all. Like tonight, we went out for burritos, made with chicken, whole beans, rice, and salsa, which I don't think is the worst thing in the world! I'm still amazed at how quickly I'm satisfied with much smaller amounts of food than before. But I do realize (after looking at Jeremy's menu) that my portion sizes have been way too big, and I want fat loss so I am really going to measure - Palm means PALM, not as big as my whole hand, darn it (I have that problem with chicken - of course it shrinks when cooking anyway) and a fist-sized serving of rice for me is about 1/2 to 3/4 cup (did a water displacement test). And I'm REALLY going to eat more veggies this time too!

Susanje - sounds like you're doing pretty well on the low-carb thing! See y'all later!

Hi,

I am new to this forum and I could use some help. I am currently doing Weight Watchers but not seeing much progress. I have read about Body For Life and think it will work for me, if I can just get started. Do you have any tips on how to make it through those first few weeks. I've tried once before and I made it through 1 week, lost 8 lbs, got to my free day, went back to all my old habits. So I need some tips on how to make it through those first few weeks. Thanks so much!

Here are my personal tips on how to be successful at BFL. I'm sure that the others would add their own tips to this:

1) PLAN AHEAD. You can download the "Eating-for-LIFE" and "Training-for-LIFE" daily progress report forms on the www.bodyforlife.com website for free. When I first started BFL (and I still do this once in awhile to make sure I'm eating clean) those eating progress reports really helped me stay clean...the night before each day, I would PLAN AHEAD what I was going to eat each day - and what time I was going to eat each meal. Trust me, it really helps - same with the workouts. When you go to do your LBWO/UBWO you should ALWAYS have your planned workout written down and carry it with you. Don't rely on memory. When you're taking your 1-minute rest between sets, use that time to write down the weight you used and the intensity level you hit - while you still feel the results.

2) TAKE PROGRESS PHOTOS AND MEASUREMENTS - AND GET RID OF THE #($^&* SCALE!! Before beginning take a couple of photos (front & back) and take your measurements - keep them in a safe place (I have an Excel spreadsheet that I made up with my measurements on it). The scale is a BIG issue for people here who are used to getting on it every single week or even every day. Get over that - trust the Pants-o-Meter (as Steve on Lean & Strong calls it) because the scale will lie to you, and if you let it, it will really mess you up! Right now I weigh 151 1/2 pounds at 5'4" - and I'm wearing size 6 jeans...if that doesn't prove that the scale lies, I don't know what does!

3) Start keeping a journal - not only a journal of your progress (eating and workouts) but keep a separate one to write down your hopes, your dreams, your goals and aspirations. A lot of us tend to use food as a reaction to emotions. Next time you want to eat something that isn't clean or on your menu, grab a pen and your journal book and write down what you're feeling!

4) SUPPORT, SUPPORT, SUPPORT!!! We have a really great BFL thread here (check the forum archives for the other 19 threads and some great info). Many of us (in fact, probably all of us) also lurk and/or post at www.leanandstrong.com. That is a great place to go. Just lurk for awhile, it is really fast-paced but you soon get used to it. The people there are friendly and INCREDIBLY helpful and supportive. Tall Jen (TJ) posts a daily menu thread during the work-week that I highly recommend -- you can post your daily menu and she'll critique it, offering helpful tips. If you have a question you need to get answered ASAP about exercise or eating, you can usually get an answer very quickly there as well!

Nice to meet you, see ya soon! I've gotta go to my nephew's soccer game now...

Thanks for the reply! I'm going to go do all of the above things. I can see that planning is probably the best thing I can do right now. Thanks!

and it went much better, meaning I feel like a dishrag! I'm going to meet with my personal trainer in the next ten days to have her review my form with the weights, and get my body fat % checked.

Mrs. Jim I was interested that you are planning to train two body parts per session, I used to do that and was able to get more intense workouts. Please let us know how it goes.

Susanje you're going great guns. I'll be interested to hear the ultimate results of your low carb experiment.

I'm just concerned about getting into a new groove, since my timing will be different. I still don't have exercises picked out yet but I can do that this weekend anyway.

Oh by the way - for KDN or any other newcomers - I DO encourage you to "Stick by the book" on your first Challenge! A great place to find out exactly HOW BFL works (since Bill P didn't really get into great detail in the book which is actually a GOOD thing IMO!) is www.hussman.com/eas - which also has a great Q&A page...

Anyway, I'm basically going to do the routine that Pam B described in her training document in the L&S Training Library. During her 4th Challenge she split her workouts as follows:
Monday - Chest/Triceps; Tuesday: Quads/Hams; Weds - Back/Biceps; Thurs - Shoulders/Abs/Calves; Fri - Chest/Tris; Sat: Quads/Hams; Sun - rest, and so on. (she also did a lot more cardio but I'm going to stick to the 20 MAS 3 days a week, on non-leg days. I overdid cardio for years - and I'm doing fantastic on just that hour a week!

Woo! See ya guys - gotta hit the books!

Hi, everyone!

I've been lurking here since the first BFL thread, and want to thank susanje and Mrs. Jim for their inspiration.

I'm in Challenge 1, week 9, and thought of a couple of things that might help KDN with your new start. It sounds like you're already getting some great advice here, but might want some extra help with free day.

On my first free day, I ate way too much -- portions that made me uncomfortable and not selective enough in my choices. No matter what happens on free day, though, it's important to get excited about a fresh start the next day.

I then got some good advice from the "Eat to Live" thread on www.leanandstrong.com -- a great place to go if controlling the eating is a problem. One idea is that "you can eat ANYTHING on free day, but you don't have to eat EVERYTHING". Keep track of what you crave during the week but don't eat, and then choose those for your free day foods (in moderate portions). That has helped me continue into the next week with better momentum (and results).

Have a great start KDN, and Hi to all you BFLers.

Carrie

I've lost two pounds over the last two weeks just experimenting with some portions of BFL. I was walking at 4 mph 60 minutes 4-5x per week and eating around 1500-1700 calories before without losing an ounce. I know weight loss isn't the real point of BFL but right now it's not a bad thing!

Mrs. Jim thanks for the info. I'll look forward to trying that again in Challenge 2 or 3.

Hi everyone -

Well, here I am at week 12! I can't believe how quickly this challenge went! I need some advice on what to do for my first free week. I think I'll be OK nutrition-wise; free day is finally starting to lose it's thrill for me and I am planning on eating fairly clean with just a few treats or free meals thrown in here and there. But what about workouts? For any of you who've been through a free week - what did you do? What would you do differently?

I bought a "stability ball" to add to my workouts, so I thought I would try to learn how to use it during free week. I also got a Tae-Bo tape - I've never tried Tae-Bo before so I thought I would do that a few times so as not to lose the cardio gains I've made during my challenge. I may even dust off the rollerblades and see if I still know how to skate!

For those of you just starting BFL, or thinking about it, I'd like to say - give it a try! I'm so glad I did. It has really made a difference in my life; not just physically but mentally too. I am getting stronger each day, in every way. I wasn't sure I could do it, now I'm starting to believe I can do anything I put my mind to. And that's a great feeling.

MrsJim - your pictures are GREAT! Way to go!!! Love those biceps! :)

Stay strong everyone!
Marci

I feel the same way you do - the 12 weeks goes pretty quickly!

What I do during my Free Week, is I RELAX. No weight training whatsoever. I did go into the gym three mornings to do some light cardio - not hitting my 10's, but spending 30 minutes on the elliptical - just breaking a light sweat. I do stay eating six meals a day but if there's something I wanted badly enough - McDonald's, a burrito - I'd have it but not go nuts and binge.

Today is actually my last day of Free Week. I am so ready to get back into the gym and into my clean eating! Yee haw!

Here's what Pam B says in her training document on L&S about Free Week (i've quoted this before but it bears repeating!):

IN BETWEEN CHALLENGES
I believe that you need a break every 12 weeks. Not only do your muscles need a break, but you need a mental break from all of the structured eating and planning. I would recommend that you eat everything you are craving, but try not to eat large quantities of it. It can really make you sick. You can set aside one “binge day” if you want, but you don’t wan t your week off to be a “binge week” as it can wreak havoc on your system. I am cautioning from experience here. [blushing]

Marci - thanks also for the complement! I'm eager to see what changes and improvements I make during my third 12 week challenge! Woo!