General Diet Plans and Questions - Body for Life #50 !!!!

Welcome to NUMBER FIFTY!!! Wowee. since we started here about a year ago, that averages about a thread a week but some weeks less (in the beginning) and lately a lot more! Thank you all for being here!!!

Basic Body for Life Information

Must Have: Body for Life book by Bill Phillips

BFL eating program in a nutshell (see book for more details): six meals a day 2-3 hours apart consisting of balanced (or close to balanced) protein/carb using fist (carbs) palm (protein) method of measurement. 2 meals a day add green veggies. 8-10 glasses of water per day.

Because of the six meal requirement, some people find it convenient to have Meal Replacement Drinks on hand. This is not a requirement but a convenience.

Meal Replacement Shakes. Look for good ratios of protein to carb and low sugar (Myoplex by EAS and Met Rx not anything like Slimfast) or use Protein Powder and add carbs such as fruit.

Vitamins: suggest multivitamin

Supplements: l-glutamine for faster muscle recovery and immune system (this is not required but almost standard fare on BFL)

Essential Oils: Recommended. Udos is the most recommended.

Workout schedule (see book for more details): 45-60 minutes intense weight trainining 3 times a week working lower and upper body on different days. 20 minutes intense cardio 3 x a week (see the BFL book)

Free Day: One day a week no workout and eat any thing you please, as much as you please.

Rest: 12 weeks of program with one day of rest each week and then one week of rest between each 12 weeks.

Mental requirements: commitment and dedication

Results: AMAZING!!!

Short quick post: I was reading Shape magazine - May 2002 and in one of the success stories, the woman's goal was to lose 80 pounds. Well, after 50 lbs it seemed like nothing she did would budge any more weight off. she was very frustrated that she couldn't lose anymore and a friend suggested eating 5-6 small meals a day. She writes, "Once I started eating more often, my weight loss restarted."

:D

I am so used to eating 5-6 meals a day I go crazy when it's late afternoon and I've only eaten 2-3 times! :lol:

Susan - WHAT?? YOU read Shape? :p

You must have been at your doctor's office or something!

As far as magazines, I really like Energy. I know a lot of folks at L&S put down Muscle Media but occasionally there's good stuff in there too...and I started picking up Oxygen (once you get past the 'special articles' for Hydroxycut there's some good stuff there - and they do gear towards competition which I find interesting). M&F Hers is okay too!

Ever since Miami, I've been into that 'surf look' big time. I just got the cutest pair of wahini surf shorts today that I had ordered from a surf shop in Hawaii - amazing - I am in the smallest size now...when ALL the fat finally leaves my butt these will be very loose on me! Right now they are comfy - I love wearing surf shorts to the gym...it's a nice splash of color :cool: especially compared to what everyone else is wearing!

Jim and I are going to have to go on a 'shopping trip' to Santa Cruz real soon I think...tonight his band is playing a gig at a restaurant/bar near Pacific Bell Park called The Curve. They started early - at 6 pm - to get all those baseball fans after the game. Wish I could have gone but I hate to be up past 9:00. Looks like they'll be getting some afternoon gigs during the summer though and they're talking Reno and Vegas as well.

Well, Sparky is asking for attention and I'm starving - gotta make my dinner - it's a low-carb day :( so I just get chicken and veggies...I would LOVE a sweet potato! Oh well, in a day or two I guess...let's hear from the rest of y'all!

I did really work my butt off on hitting those tens....and it seemed to have worked......I am looking forward to starting my next challenge.....but I may have to modify it.........it seems my upper back....well I am experiencing pain......not really hurtful...more of a nuisance pain......so getting it checked out because I don't want it to turn into something worse......

I have been going way back to catch up on posts.........everyone is doing soooooo well.....I am happy to see that.......cause we are all in this together.......

I won't be able to get on this thing as much as I use to......my job is changing......I was busy before.......but my territory has changed now I will have to start travelling as well.......no rest for the wicked I guess......

I will pop in every chance I get......though


Mel no pictures....I know I know......but......I have to work up the gumtion......you see I did not take a before photo.......I do have one taken at Christmas......by my daughter.......fully clothed......but.........unless it is a sneak attack I have a really hard time letting people take pictures of me......so I am going to have to work on that.......allowing someone to take my picture......soon as I do........you guys will be the first to see......:)

well I am off to bed....night all

When I started BFL last year I subscribed to everything. I do like Muscle and Fitness for Her (Joe Weider publications) and they have a lot of hydroxy cut ads as well. I like some of the illustrations of exercises in Shape and I always like a good success story. This month they have inner thigh exercises and they illustrate a raised hip adductor press. I saw a woman who was in great shape doing this in the gym about a month ago and I thought she was a tad crazy (except her killer muscular legs caused me to pause before deciding that). I had NO idea what she was doing until I saw it in Shape. They also have these little cards that I typically pull out and paste in a book that I keep with different exercises (all the magazines seem to have something different). Anyway, I like to read everything I can get my hands on. :) Keep what I like and trash the rest.

Question: what does the rowing machine do? I haven't been on one in years but I was wondering if this would be easier than an elliptical the day after a LBWO. Maybe not. just wondering.

Kelster: would love to see pix!!!

Today's Workout

I had my morning walk. Came back and waited about a half hour before having my pregym MRP. then off to the gym.

Today I did my killer leg routine but in the middle I did my ABS (45 reps of 3 different exercises...regular crunch, reverse crunch, side crunch) and 4 minutes of HIIT before going back to killer leg press to finish off the day. In the past year I read twice, once in a scientific approach to body building book (I think that is the actal name of it) and once in a muscle head magazine, that if you do some HIIT (they don't call it that. they call it intense interval cardio training) for 4-7 minutes you send oxygen to your muscles and burn off lactic acid to get more strength for the last part of the exercise. Well I've done HIIT now and again after weight training (no more than 6 minutes but typically 4-5) but today I did 5 minutes (30 mins of rest for one minute of all out effort) after 3/4 of my leg routine and all my ab routine was completed. I think it did help with the leg press. I definitely lifted more weight and went longer than I did on Sunday with the same routine only without the HIIT. I don't know. maybe it's all in my head. :lol:

Anyhoo, I think that I am ready to move up in weights in all of my leg routine except calves. I do standing calf raises and also do the calf bar on the leg press. They are the only thing that REALLY hurts now though I ache everywhere else.

time for studying!
Susan

Sounds like you are doing GREAT!!

The magazines I like are Energy (of course;) ), Muscle and Fitness Hers, Oxygen, and Muscle and Fitness. Occasionally I will get a few others.

Keep on pressing on towards those goals! With a support team like this, you can't lose!

Hugs,

Pam

Wow! I love it when L&S folks visit our little place here at 3FC (although that sounds a bit redundant since most if not all of us hang out at both places). Especially Pam! (BTW, Pam - I'm doing great - back on track now after my Miami 'free week' - starting on Monday I'm going to start at the beginning of the menus and do another 8 weeks of Camp Pam B eating!!!)

Susan - Hope I didn't sound too, well, you know...about Shape Magazine. I actually subscribed to it for years, but aside from the success stories (that was my favorite part too!) I wasn't getting much out of it. Besides, I promised Jim a couple years back that I would cut down on the magazines. I was getting a ton of 'em and my problem is I don't throw them away for eons. Last summer I was cleaning out the garage and found a box with some Cosmopolitan magazines dating back from 1978! (I think there was a good story or something in there I was saving).

I think all the mags except for Energy have those Hydroxycut ads - the diff with Oxygen is that they don't CALL them ads (the others all have disclaimers) since Oxygen is owned by the same company...but I'm starting to really enjoy Oxygen more because of the focus on competing. Of course Energy is my favorite not only because of Pam being in it ;) but I appreciated that Gretchen asked us at L&S for input on making it a better read!

I'll need to pick up Muscle & Fitness at Safeway one of these days...

Today I was soooo thrilled - I hit a high point on my leg press squats - 540 pounds! Before that I was able to do 12 back squats at 150 plus the bar!! I love being strong and getting stronger!!! (I generally don't do cardio on leg day).

Gotta go meet hubby for lunch - see ya later!

hey everyone! Guess what? Today I noticed, in the mirror of my supermarket where I was buying chicken and fresh veggies (and yams after hearing MrsJim talk about them a couple of days ago), that I look LEANER. Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!! I felt so good I almost took a Free Day :lol:

Only half kidding. As I've been saying, I only do a Free Meal this challenge and sometimes it's not very off-program.

I have been DYING for an icecream cone the past few days and also started to eye the bread in the supermarket (okay I'm not gonna start a bread thread but it's starting to look good :lol: ) but some part of me is feeling some deprivation so I think BP is right that we need to do our Free Thing to stay lean and strong so I think I might have to plan a half Free Day or something. Poor me.

:D
Thanks for listening,
Susan

Susan - I know EXACTLY how you feel...I am so accustomed to looking forward to and taking my Free Day that cutting back or moving to another day or having two free meals a week just doesn't cut it for me. There was a post on L&S today that summed it all up http://216.97.116.55/cgi-bin/BBS/leanandstrongf.pl?read=277978#277978 as far as I'm concerned anyway. Anytime I take a 'free meal' or 'two free meals on different days' week, I screw up totally by eating too much anyway. So I've settled for a "Free Half Day" rather than a "Free Day" at this point. Usually it turns out being a meal and a snack - some weeks I might have a burrito with chicken, whole beans, rice and salsa on a whole wheat or spinach tortilla. A couple of weeks ago, I had a salad I made at the Draeger's Salad bar and fresh sourdough bread - so yummy! I don't know if you figured this out but processed or not, I am a bread addict - that's why I don't include it in my diet during the week...

Pretty soon I'm going to have to cut out all the free stuff before the competition. AACK! That is gonna be tough - this is why I've decided to go see for myself how the whole thing works. There are two contests coming up within a week of each other here in my area - May 4th in San Francisco and May 11th in Hayward. Both not exactly convenient to me unless I can get Jim to drive me - my 21-year-old BMW is no longer freeway worthy unless I have some major engine work done...I'll probably end up selling it to our neighbor eventually if he's still interested. He wants to fix it for his girlfriend to use - we just want to wait until the truck's paid off before we take on another loan!

So here's what's on the schedule in my area for the foreseeable future, contest-wise..

June 8 - Vacaville (a LONG drive for me...but doable if planned in advance...)

July 27 - Santa Rosa (see above)

September 14 - San Francisco (better for me due to location and gives me more time to prepare)

I'm aiming for Vacaville as the first scheduled contest...I'll know for sure by June whether I'll be ready. I'm still trying to decide if I want to go Figure or Bodybuilding...definitely not Fitness - I'm NOT a dancer!

I'm going to go play with Sparky and get ready to feed him so he'll sleep. Maybe this weekend we can FINALLY start looking for a girlfriend for him - another kitty he can play with and snuggle with (I hope). I'm being told by co-workers that they should be used to each other after four days - another told me two weeks. The shorter the better - I say! Our place is itty bitty. I'm hoping our new kitty will be just like Sparky in not really being interesting in going outside - and I also hope she's not vocal like Sparky is! Later y'all!

If you do the Sept 14th in San Francisco, do you mind if I attend? My pre-finals weekends are booked and I'll be away all summer so I can't go to the other ones, but I would LOVE to be there to cheer you on in September!!!!

:)

Susan!!! Of COURSE you can be there!!! I'll keep you - and everyone else - posted here and at L&S.

Well, I have to clean up our cat hair-filled apartment. With all the cathair floating around I'm surprised Sparky isn't BALD. Right now I have the front door open with the screen door shut and he's watching the action at the bird feeder...of course when the vacumn cleaner (eater of noisy kitties) comes out he'll be bailing!

This morning was GRAND, simply GRAND. Did some HIIT cardio and back/biceps early this morning. I had a terrific riding lesson today - after months of threats, Dee Dee finally had us ride without stirrups - walk, posting trot, and seated trot. It was SO wonderful!!! Two of the others in my class were in pain within two minutes but it really felt good to me...using those inner thigh and calf muscles that I've been working. I was SO GLAD that I've been emphasizing squats, lunges, and deadlifts because I could feel all those muscles come into play. Since it is HOT outside I was wearing my white riding tights and a blue crop top - yes that means my midriff was showing!!! Which meant that I had to make sure my tummy was pulled in. Dee Dee said I did great (her nickname for me now is "Muscles" - wonder why??). And I gotta admit I felt really cute! :p

Anyway, off I go to clean house (ugh). Jim needs to get some exercise so I'm kicking him out with his bike...I know, I know, he should be helping me clean but I get a lot done when he's not in the way! Later all!

First week of challenge 3.5 (or whatever) almost complete. Eventually I'll probably just count by years!

This week my husband Brian and I tried something that we heard Steve L. on Lean & Strong does -- a free dinner through the following lunch (we did 6:30 Friday night through around 2 on Saturday). I really liked it -- satisfying but somehow easier to control than a whole free day.

Sounds like all of you are doing great. Mrs. Jim -- if you end up doing the Vacaville competition, I'd love to come cheer you on.

Have a great week everyone!

Carrie

Mornin everyone - hope everyone is doing well.

MrsJim - I think I know what the Bodybuilding and the Fitness categories are in competition - but what is Figure? Just curious. I also saw your thread on L&S about gloves. I haven't worn any since I started and that may explain how my hands look. I just never thought of it. What are the benefits of wearing them besides preventing callouses? Would they help me to grip the weights that tear off my shoulders for angled calf raises?

I would love to be able to see a competition. One poster mentioned how motivated and pumped it made her feel to be around all those fit people. Maybe I'll look around up here and see if they hold any in the great white north!

I know what you mean about your muscles being transferred for other uses. I felt exactly that at my Tai Chi class this past week. It's amazing how much lower and higher I can perform my moves. I can really feel those abs and quads kicking in to help out. It felt great!

Yesterday it was 83 degrees here...and probably the same today so we're supposed to be going to Half Moon Bay today (depending on traffic - the rest of San Mateo usually wants to do the same thing and it can get really backed up). Oh well, if it is we can always go on the levee bike path!

Carrie - I actually think that Steve does his Free stuff this way - a free dinner on Friday night, then a free breakfast the next day. I could be wrong though. Personally I like doing it in a regular day rather than spreading it out - otherwise I end up eating WAY too much...but that's just me.

TH - I do believe that gloves not only prevent callouses but also help with gripping the weight. I like the wrist-wrap type because I feel I get a bit more stability. I will probably end up getting the same ones as before, even though they lasted me only like 5 months. But hey, I've been really workin' it, right? :lol:

The difference between 'bodybuilding' and 'figure' competitions - well, first off let's get 'fitness' out of the way. Fitness comps are the ones they always seem to show on ESPN and Fox Sports - with the dance competitions. There is JUST NO WAY I can do those aerobics type moves! A dancer I ain't. The NPC guidelines for figure comps read as follows: NPC WOMEN’S FIGURE COMPETITION GUIDELINES

When judging a figure competition the judges shall assess the athleticism of the physique. This is not a bodybuilding contest. A SMALL DEGREE OF MUSCULARITY WITH SEPARATION IS DESIRED, WITH NO VISIBLE STRIATIONS. The muscle tone should appear firm and round with a small amount of body fat over the muscle, and no excessive leanness. The figure competitions provide alternatives for athletic women who (a) Train. (b) Do not wish to gain muscle size and vascularity and (c) do not have a strong gymnastic / dance background. All fitness and figure competitors must be over 18 years of age on the day of the contest.

When I check out the May contest (whichever one I end up going to - the 4th May or the 11th May contest) I am going to look VERY carefully at the contestants. After eight more weeks of CPB eating (with NO free days :( ) I might very well be more of the bodybuilding physique...but we'll see...

Anyway! Time to get in the shower and eat some eggwhites...later gals!

Free Day

I noticed yesterday that I ate some bread (like MrsJim I'm a bread addict so I NEVER eat bread on clean days) and that I felt that nothing was satisfying me and I felt hungry. Definitely a sign that I need FREE DAY. I also read Body Building books and magazines about burning out and one sign is feeling lethargic and hungry even though you're eating. I think that is why Bill P builds Free Day into BFL. I do find the whole day a bit much but I've taken hardly any. It's not going to help if I go backwards. So today is a clean day but I am definitely thinking free day tomorrow.

Other Uses for Muscles

Definitely helps on a bike!!! My motorcycle is lowered about as far as a bike could be lowered. I'm 5'2 and Harley Davidson put short shocks on the back, lowered the forks in the front, put on a different seat and there is next to no suspension on my bike (YOW). I can put my feet on the ground and to some it might look like a small bike but STILL it's a big, heavy bike to me. When I have to quickly manuveur it, it is very very helpful to muscle the thing around. I doubt I'll ever be able to pick it up should I drop it but thankfully I've never dropped this bike (knock on chrome) and past experience tells me that if a woman rider goes down, there are always a dozen people who stop immediately (in the east I hit sand a few times in the spring and once on a long trip I was fatigued and just lost my footing). Last year I had to practically lift the front end off the ground to avoid an oncoming car that was illegally passing another car while I was in a turn. Scary but my BFL muscles did the trick.

Good to have. :lol:
susan

I spent all week looking forward to today, planning my first eat-whatever-I want day since last July. I couldn't sleep thinking about it. I woke up late for me, had a few fights with my 11 yr old, 2 cups of coffee, 2 pieces of toast (whole grain rye, but,yes, BREAD) with natural peanut butter, another fight with son, and now I have such a stomach ache, that's probably it for the day. Kind of like a birthday spent doing laundry and mowing the lawn.

I'm still waiting for that fat-burning swoosh- I'm getting stonger and stronger, added about 5 pounds more to back, arms, and chest routines, and 25 more to lower body (lying leg press up to 550!) but the ab fat just won't budge despite 100% clean eating and lots of water. I really don't want to go on a comp diet, I know I'd never be able to stick to it without a comp goal, and that's just not in the picture! I know, it's only C2W2 just done, but I'd like to see some results too.

Susanje- you certainly have dramatic uses for your muscles! Mine are handy for carrying 2 40 lb bags of dog food to the car, or lugging a full laundry basket up and down the stairs :). Very exciting.

Thunderheart- The gloves really help with grip and making it a whole lot less painful. I wouldn't even try some things like flat back deadlifts, without them. Also they protect the backs of your hands if you are a klutz like me and tend to clunk yourself with plates or dumbells. BTW, just where in the frozen north do you live? Hubby lived in MooseJaw and Moosinee(sp?) for a year. Are you that far north? We were in Thunder Bay last summer for a few days.

OK- time to dream of eating all the stuff I'd planned for today. And do more laundry.

mel

hi all

been away for the weekend at a church camp, and was sick as a dog on Thursday and spent friday packing etc, so I've been out of action for ages, but back today although I'm starting a new seasonal job today and its going to be pretty intense for the next two months, getting to the gym is going to be a major event - but I'm still determined to do it.

have to run and buy groceries now, scared to even see how many messages I've missed at L&S but might venture over there later.

I will have a look at that glove thread - I have been wondering about them as I am getting calouses already.

better go - talk later
Carly

Hi everyone!

Well, I didn't make it til today for Free Day. I ate a clean meal 1 and meal 2 and then I didn't eat all day (I was at school and studying). So I decided, on the way home, to get a big juicy hamburger at a place in Berkeley called Barneys that has the BEST burgers and fries. They have spicy curly fries with ranch dressing and I indulged.

Then coming home it was too late for DQ and I knew I HAD to have an icecream because it is what I've been craving so I stopped at the supermarket and got a pint of vanilla icecream, hershey's syrup and whipped cream and made an ice cream sundae at home.

Definitely cured me. While it tasted good initially (but never as good as I think it's going to taste), I felt sick halfway through. I was craving THIS? yick.

Today I am back to clean eating! Feeling much better now, thank you. :)

It's funny how this Free Meal/Day works! Cures what ails you and gets you back to what cures you! :lol:

susan

Hi ladies! I can't believe that this happened. I went to develop my roll of film yesterday. I sat nervously as I was a little early for the 1 hour developing. I kept thinking that they are going to think that I am so strange with pictures of me in my underwear. Anyway they DID NOT TURN OUT!!!!. My husband took the pictures so the only thing I can think of is the cap must have been on the lense because there is no negative that even remotely resembles me standing. I was soooo disappointed - I really wanted something to compare my final shots to. I still intend on taking them but now I will have to rely more on the tape measurements! We gotta get a digital camera!

On the upside, I bought a pair of gloves yesterday. I used them today for UBWO and I really like them. Besides the pratical benefits they made me feel like a real bodybuilder!

They were talking about 4 weeks sprints on L&S and I wondered if people still took the 1 week off in between. With summer coming up - we do alot of camping (tenting) and I was wondering if I may need to consider something like this. Any ideas? I may post the same question at L&S at some point for some hints. Might be other tenters there that manage to stay on program even in the bush!

Mel - You have a PM

Hope everyone is well!

Thunderheart:

I am NYC born and raised so I am not a camper (I think I'm camping if I'm in a hotel without room service! :lol: ) but I would imagine it would be a natural food regiment for camping unless you have an RV with electricity to use a blender. So you would need to plan 5 or 6 BFL meals. You probably do want to ask on L&S because the sampling is large.

I'm going to get a pair of gloves after listening to you ladies! You don't get callouses from powerblocks but I want a pair anyway!
:lol:

I'll strut around the gym in them. Just because. :)

I'm sorry about your pictures! :?:

I love my digital camera. It has a delay feature so I take all my own pictures. I like having that kind of control. Maybe you can find a non-pose before picture.

Susan

Good morning all on this windy day...if I was Mary Poppins I could have flown to the moon with all this wind we're having!

It actually started up yesterday in the morning. Jim and I were getting all fired up in front of the TV watching the news, when we started seeing the wind blow...and heard the weather report. We kinda looked at each other and said, well, Half Moon Bay ain't happening for us today... :s: I could have kicked myself for not going with Jim on Saturday (and cleaning on Sunday) but hey, I was motiviated to CLEAN and that doesn't happen often enough for me!

So we had a big ol' Free Day blowout. Man...I am SO BLOATED right now... :( as a result...

Kind of makes it easier to stay on my comp diet today...I will have to decide on a date and cut out Free Days eight weeks in advance...

Plus I wanna look my best and STRONGEST for the L&S gathering in Raleigh come early July!

I actually bought gloves yesterday - some Harbinger Ultimate Pros, not the wrist-wrap ones though...and tried out some PowerBlocks. If/when I do get them I'll probably get the 5-60# set that you can expand. The guy at the Omni store said that the PowerBlocks have been VERY popular!

Today is TAX DAY. Maybe that's another reason my tummy's upset?!? :lol: Gotta love it...

Thunderheart - what a BUMMER! DO look into getting a digital camera - the price is going down all the time. I got Jim a point-and-shoot last year for around $179 at www.half.com - then spent $24 on rechargeable batteries and $10 on an AC adapter cord. Digital cameras eat through batteries like no tomorrow so buying rechargeable batteries is a GREAT investment.

I think the sprints thing is just to break up the 12 week routine a bit. I'm sure they don't take a week off after every sprint though!

I'm celebrating C2 by doing everything RIGHT this time. I feel much better to begin with, with warmer weather and longer days. My only fluctuation from the book is to lift weights six times per week - less parts per session but more moves per part. Since I'm fairly experienced with weights (but was never disciplined in my practice) I prefer this approach. I'm also making a conscious effort to eat more fruits and vegetables so more of my carbs are from fruit. I make a soup from broth and vegetables that I mush up with my wand blender, and add a big bowl to at least one meal.

My other addition is a daily walking program (not HIT!) outside and I'll be adding some hiking. I have a strong spiritual need to be outdoors. No plans to start a riding program though...maybe next year!

I have many specific goals written down for this challenge, and I've included rewards at each three week point for sticking with it. One is a heart rate monitor, something I've always wanted.

It's so inspiring to hear how well everyone is doing, each at her own point on the "transformation spectrum."

MRS.JIM enjoyed your pictures and descriptions of Miami. I'll definitely go there after C4! I plan to spend at least part of the year in FLA after I retire, and start my second career as a personal trainer/massage therapist/yoga teacher. Any thoughts on where to look online for some of those beach clothes?

SUSANJE I finally looked at your page and saw the great results you posted. And now you're on that path again. Congratulations!

I'm looking forward to the Kentucky Derby in a few weeks, I never watch one without tears in my eyes. Last year I was REALLY in tears because my Triple Crown hopeful Point Given ran fifth! But he was so beatiful doing it...

Beach clothes: here's some great sites:

www.venusswimwear.com

www.ujena.com

I love wahini surf shorts and bought some cute ones from www.hawaiisurfwear.com

I've never been to a Derby but been watching the Triple Crown races since 1973 on TV. Watching Secretariat's Belmont Stakes STILL brings tears to my eyes!!!

at the race that day. My father had seen the last Triple Crown winner back in the fifties and when it was clear the Red Bombshell was going to do it in 1973, I had to be there. My father watched the race from his hospital bed. I screamed so much that I lost my voice on the way home.

I loved Point Given because he looked so much like Secretariat.

If you haven't read Horse Heaven by Jane Smiley, I think you'd love it. She's a "horsegirl" too.

Carly,

I know what you mean about a major event. I'm doing a trial this week so the MAJOR EVENT theme is here this week. I'm trying to make self promises to attack the gym on Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun (my "lesser" days of schedule). I'm turning into a (long) weekend warrior. The gym on Mon/Tues/Weds is out so I have to remember to do something at home. Usually it's elliptical on Monday and UBWO on Tuesday. Wednesday is the day I don't work out but walk in the morning and eat clean.

Lisa:

Good to see you! congrats on a successful start to C2. My switch in this challenge is legs 3x a week with abs on 2 of the LBWO and a half UBWO on the other one and a full UBWO on another one (I have to get more structured on UBWO) and cardio twice (since I'm walking and doing yoga and doing semi-HIIT on some weight days). A little weird but I'm still changing things up to figure out what works best for me. I really LOVE LBWO so I thought I would increase it since it's so enjoyable to me. I'm still figuring out the deal with UBWO.

As I said, I have a full trial this week (real judge, real jury) so I have to go to work and tonight go to school (trial is tomorrow).

Susan

MEL thus far no fat-burning swoosh for me either! And the fat over my belly wasn't "the first on" it was the LAST on! I always had a fairly flat stomach until I turned 40. But it WILL go eventually.

THUNDERHEART I'm a tenter but I've never done it since practicing BFL. I car camp, as opposed to carrying everything in a pack. Sometimes I have the luxury of ice and a cooler, sometimes not. I have a friend who uses a food dehydrator extensively (he makes stuff like salmon and two vegetables, and dries it) but I haven't gone that road. I think my solution would be whole foods, packets of tuna, good quality jerky, and of course dairy if I could keep it cold. I'd also carry bars and protein powder for emergencies. I can't imagine staying 100% on track but I also get way more exercise when I camp. Maybe some better suggestions at L&S.

I don't mean to get in the middle of things here but I have a question. I was going to do BFL and decided I'm just not in the right place mentally for it right now, although I am incoporating more healthy habits into my life. I must say though, I respect all of you for your willpower and determination on this program!

Now for my question. I bought a big box of the Myoplex Lite shakes (variety 42 pack) and I am really not fond of them. Even though I won't be following BFL, I'd still use them if I liked em but they just aren't tastey to me. Do any of you have any idea where I might sell them or somesuch? I don't expect to get all of my money back (especially since the box is now 4 packets short) but even if I could get half of what I spent back, that'd be great because we're not in a very good place financially at the moment :-( Any thoughts?

Hope that was an alright question to ask here..

Thanks,
Christine

depending on what you paid I'd be thrilled to take the remaining ones off your hands. Here's my e-mail: lisa.hendricks@uconn.edu

Confession time: I am in Week 6 of my first BFL challenge, but up until this past Saturday I was *not* doing BFL eating, though I followed the exercise faithfully. I have been following all the threads here during that time; you're a lovely group! :)

Why? Fear of carbs! Some history: I am a 41 year old SAHM of 4 (3-17). Most of my life I was either way underweight (at 10 I weighed 45 pounds!) or ate whatever I wanted without any consequences. All that changed around age 36. I had a tough pregnancy at 38, and while I didn't gain horribly, I never really got back into regular exercise after that.

So last October, at 138 (I am 5' 2 1/2") I started the Zone diet. This worked well for awhile; I lost 10 pounds in 2 months. After that---nothing. Plus I was hungry ALL the time. I then tried cutting my carbs (not to Atkins levels, but prob around 50-60 grams a day), and eliminating sugar and refined flour (sorta Sugarbusters). Lost 3 more pounds, still felt great.

So when I decided to do BFL to get in shape, I was really scared that bumping up the carbs (even the good ones) would pile the weight back on. Plus, I knew I'd miss my almonds and almond butter <g>.

Anyway, I don't feel like such a fraud now <g> and will unlurk and join in more.

Laura

Wow! I feel ever so much better today than I did yesterday - had a MAJOR free day hangover most of Monday. :p

Been superbusy here at work so didn't have time to post until now.

Laura - WELCOME! I know exactly how you feel about fear when first starting the program. With me it wasn't carbs since prior to BFL I was a vegetarian...but rather it was getting rid of all those old 'diet tapes' in my brain. Like "Stop eating 2-3 hours before bedtime" or "All fat is bad fat" or "the more cardio, the better for weightloss". I started my first challenge pretty darn close to a year ago - my goodness - it will be a year this coming Monday! - and getting rid of those old fears (along with overcoming the urge to step on the freaking scale every week) was like a catharsis to me!

Oh, one more thing - make sure to stop in at www.leanandstrong.com - most of us gals hang out there as well - if you haven't already done so. The Transformation Gallery there is QUITE motivating to say the least!

I was surfing around bodybuilding sites a couple days ago and finally found a photo of who I would want to look like if at all possible - Marla Duncan (who is also a horsewoman in addition to being a fitness babe). There's a picture at this website http://www.naturalmuscle.net/nm1100/marla.htm where she looks the way I envision myself - MUSCULAR legs and arms (if you click on the link, it's the photo of her in a blue outfit, not the swimsuit one). As motivation, I've put the photo on my PC desktops (both at home and work).

Well...back to work! Will post more later...

Mrs.Jim- I am still trying to get rid of my "scale obsession"! Maybe tonight I will throw it up on the top shelf of my closet, and not take it out again til the end of Week 12.

I've been semi-lurking at leanandstrong for awhile now too (I post as "LLS" there). Meliris (who I know from another forum) pointed me there and has also been a nice source of info for me. She's also the one who finally got me to realize that the reason I was crashing every night by 9 was my lack of carbs.

I agree with lhendricks about "Horse Heaven". I love Jane Smiley's books and this was one of my favorites. My DD9 rides every week and we will be buying some of our own when we build our next house.

Laura

HI LAURA!!! nice to see you here. Enjoyed our chat the other night.

I wish I could say I was being a good role model, but since Sunday I'm more of a roll model.:lol: Can't seem to shake free day mentality, even tho my workouts have been awesome, new highs on everything. Maybe it's all those bad carbs! But my pants have gotten tight overnight again, so it's got to stop!

MrsJim- Agree totally on Marla Duncan, but I'm beginning to realize that anyone who looks like that has had implants. Since I'm so surgery phobic, even apart from the health questions, just never gonna happen for me! I know quite a few women with implants, and it seems to be a re-occuring topic at l&s, but I'd just be too scared.

Susanje- Hope you can come up for air this week. I had a great image of you strutting around in your weight gloves. My hands are pretty bruised and shredded even with gloves, I can't imagine lifting without them, even with powerblocks. I'm such a klutz, sometime I think I should wear a hard hat, too. Those overhead tricep extensions get just a little dangerous.

Anyone else find it difficult to focus in C2? Seems like I got through C1 on adreneline, the excitement of finishing what I started, lots of body changes (even tho I only "lost" 3 pounds), but other than lower body fat (which ain't happenin' the way I've eaten the last 3 days) and heavier weights, I just don't have any goals. Oh well, just rambling, thanks for reading. Feel free to kick my upside the head if you feel like it. I felt like Lisa, I was doing everything right, then wham! nothing.

Hope everybody else is pumped and eating clean,

mel

Mel - I just had to laugh...because I'm NEVER getting implants. My boobs are plenty big already! :lol:

I really like Marla's arms and legs are formed, since I have big legs/arms as well I imagine mine would look like that when I get to my final goal!

Gotta eat - see ya!