Chynna - when I first started lifting weights I thought I was doing great starting my routine with 3lbs weights for the UB. And was proud of me. Its not about the poundage that your lifting but about what you can do and still keep your form. Believe me eventually you'll toss the lighter weights aside and it won't even take that long.
I measured myself this morning I was happy (somewhat) that my bodyfat was at 36.5, I know that may seem outrageous to some but for me I was quite happy as I was at 39%. This morning was cardio for me, I'm looking forward to my UB tomorrow. I have my journal with me and vitamins have been taken... and she's off!!
Meliris: Check out Carol B's photo in the transformation gallery over at L&S. She's 61, and looks GREAT! They were posted in September (you'll have to scroll down a ways) to get to it.
Yesterday being Free Day I definitely overdid it and am still feeling the effects (this happens to me once in awhile). I did go out and take a walk downtown but the weather is still so yukky! Can't wait until the days get longer and warmer.
Right now I'm just tossing back the H20...been feeling so dehydrated today! (another effect of overdoing it on Free Day).
Today marks the beginning of C3, W12 for me...I was feeling kind of blah when I woke up this morning but psyched myself into hitting my 10s today...in fact I find that many of my *BEST* workouts are on Mondays after Free Day.
Chynna, I usually stay away from pasta except on Free Day - not only is it highly processed but a 'fist' sized serving of pasta is pretty tiny compared to the Olive Garden-sized servings. I could probably make at least five BFL meals out of one Olive Garden meal (adding a protein and veggies of course). During the week I stick to the unprocessed carbs such as fruit, pumpkin, brown rice, barley, potatoes (white and sweet), etc.
For me, C1 was the 'learning period' - not only learning the workouts but the food as well. For some reason I thought that low-fat granola was on the authorized list (don't ask me where I got that - thought I read it in the book!) so I was munching on Go Lean Crunch during the first four weeks. That along with doing way too much cardio impeded my progress. After the first four weeks I did the following:
* Cut cardio down to the 20 MAS and increased intensity
* Cut out processed carbs (bread, pasta, cereal, etc)
* Used the Progress Reports to write down everything I ate (I was already using them for my LBWOs and UBWOs)
* Did more personal journaling (i.e. looking within myself)
If you look at my C1 progress photos you can see that between W4 and W8 I made much more progress than between baseline and W4.
I agree with Lisa on submitting menus to TJ - she is really a great resource...also checking all the other menus and comments is incredibly helpful as well!
Gotta sign off and get to work - oh this weekend I finally saw "Shrek" on DVD...GREAT film! Definitely a keeper IMO
I basically go by tape measurements (there is a body fat calculator at the L&S site that I use for tape measurements) and I also use the Accu-Measure calipers (got 'em at Netrition for free with a big order!) and go by the sacra...whatever...just above the hip bone. The Hussman site (www.hussman.com/eas) has a Java BF calculator and also some tips on how to get a good 'pinch'.
The best way of measuring bodyfat is through the Pants-o-meter!
The WORST way is by using a scale - even the Tanita 'bodyfat' scale which is not at all accurate and is universally hated by most of the L&S members (I wish it DID work as I own one myself - it's been relegated to a box in the garage and is pulled out every 84 days).
Well, gee, I guess the pasta wasn't good, 'eh? Although, I REALLY only did have a fist size of it and gave the rest to hubby
I do feel better, though, Mrs. Jim, after hearing you too made a mistake eating the wrong thing. I'll head over to L&S and check out the recipes.
Oh, and Mrs. Jim, you said you cut out the bread? That makes sense. Although I saw in the book he was having eggs and toast.
Thanks for the input on the BF calculators. I did download one but when I tried to open it, all I got was strange codes and letters. I'll try one of the others. I like the "pant-o-meter" method
I tell ya, the best motivation for me is hearing what all of you say and looking at some of those pictures out there! Amazing!!!
Now, my copy of BFL is still out on loan (I was going to buy another copy but wouldn't you know it, Barnes & Noble is sold out!). So I'll have to quote Bill P from memory.
Besides I've posted this a number of times at L&S and 3FC but it definitely bears repeating!
ANYWAY, if you read what Bill P wrote in the book about bread, he writes that he is "RELUCTANT" to authorize bread - and is only authorizing 'whole-grain' bread (watch some of those so-called 'whole-wheat' kinds - many of them are just colored to look like whole grain bread - Dateline did a segment on that just last night in fact) so he could include one of his favorite meals - a grilled chicken breast sandwich - in the BFL menu.
So to me, what he's saying here is "you can have bread once in awhile with no ill effects, but don't make it your main carb choice". In my mind, I lump all flour products (including pasta) in the 'bread' category. In addition, to me a 'fist' portion of bread would only be one slice or less. And if I'm gonna have a sandwich I want a WHOLE sandwich. (Sorry, those 'low-cal'/'light' breads don't cut it IMO - I don't think they're whole grain!).
Anyway, that's my two cents on bread/flour products/etc. Except one thing - a portion of brown rice or potatoes will keep you filled up longer than a slice of bread as there is more fiber!
Boy, I feel like I'm really screwing up this first day with the eating thing. I know the Egg Beaters were okay, but that's about it. I'll yank the bread and the pasta. Hmmm...maybe next meal will be an apple and a slice of turkey or something. I know...I'll get it...sigh.
I'm using really small servings of pasta and bread (both whole-wheat) a few times a week during my first challenge. I also use tortillas from the Tortilla Factory that are made with soy flour. But days go by when I don't use any of them. I may cut them out for Challenge 2. And I always have REAL italian bread on Free Day!
I think for many folks it's hard to limit these foods, and that's the main reason they aren't considered optimal. For me the problem is sugar, not starch, and fortunately sugar IS forbidden!
That's my problem with bread - I cannot just eat one piece!!
Especially here in the Bay Area, with our famous San Francisco Sourdough bread. There's a reason that San Francisco is voted the best 'restaurant city' in the US. The food here is just too good in this area!
Like you, I save the bread for Free Day, makes it easier for me (BTW, I don't think of foods as 'forbidden' - I like to think of them as "authorized" and "Free Day only" foods - really if you think about it, there's NOTHING you can't have on BFL - it's just a timing thing!)
Those low-carb, high protein La Tortilla tortillas are a great choice though. I love their taste - they have a kind of 'nutty' hearty taste to them. I actually did use them in C1 but still had the 'betcha can't eat just one' problem with them too! I'm just a bread addict I guess
Boy, I'm with you Mrs Jim. Bread and pasta and popcorn are what got me into so much trouble in the first place and why sugarbusters has worked so well for me. I limit to 2 starchy carbs or less per day, and only use SGWW pastas, brown rice, or whole grain breads, usually the dark German whole kernal rye that comes in thin small slices anyway.
The other bready stuff I've found that is great are Lavash SGWW flatbread. Can make yummy roll-ups with vegies, chick peas, and tuna!
My other starchy carb favorite is Uncle Sams cereal- please tell me that's OK?
Thanks from the 40+'s, glad to know I'm not alone here. Isn't that stomach skin stuff aweful???
Also, great to know I can still play tennis and walk the dog The dog says thank you, too.
Jeez, I feel like quite the youngster here at 39. I know Susanje is a little older (and wiser) than I.
There are quite a few 'over 40s' at L&S as well, the most prominent being Steve L. who looks FAB at 58 or so. I love reading his posts - so well written and so insightful.
Even tho I'm not 40 I still have the stomach skin stuff going on that you mentioned (and I haven't had kids so it's not from that - it's from being 265 pounds). Pam B's before and after pix gives me hope that I WON'T have to think about going 'under the knife' to get a tummy tuck! (not that I was thinking about it seriously).
I'm VERY familiar with Uncle Sam Cereal but I haven't eaten it since pre-BFL. You might want to ask about it at L&S. (Too funny - remembering when Jim was having a midnight munchy attack and the only cereal left was the Uncle Sams - he poured himself a bowl and popped a GIANT spoonful in his mouth - GAAK! Those flaxseeds take some getting used to - he thought there were BUGS in the cereal!)
Anyway, again my 'most used' carbs are currently brown rice, barley, apples, FF/SF yogurt (I use Dannon Light N Fit), blackberries, raspberries, garbanzo beans (chickpeas).
Chynna- Stone Ground Whole Wheat. Much lower Glycemic value than the white stuff or the "enrich" whole wheat flours. If it's enriched, it's because everything good was taken out of it in the processing!
Definitely need to fix the UBWO I did this AM- I played 2 hours of tennis this afternoon after work and was expecting to be sore or tired, but wasn't. Need to work harder!
LMAO about Jim and the Uncle Sam's! That must have been a shock. Hope he didn't eat too much, the next day could have been pretty unpleasant too if he wasn't used to all that flax!
Ate too much yesterday LOL...
