I've recently started Body for Life ( BFL ) and have posted several questions so that effect. After finding out that there are others who have questions and others who have the answers, I'm attempting a thread to keep all these questions in one place.
Today was my first lower body work out. it's odd to see how strong certain muscle groups are compared to others. Kicked my butt..but that's the point. The abs stuff was the hardest.
For breakfast I ate a cup of brown rice mixed w/ 1/4 cup egg beater. Not bad. I've been trying various combinations.
I recently tried cottage cheese for the first time. It's wierd..it's the consistency. Has anyone tried putting anything in it? I don't mind it, but not sure if I can eat a half cup in one sitting just plain.
I also bought some natural hummus, which w/ some whole wheat crackers should help on the plan b stuff at work angle.
Even though I'm just starting out, I'll help anyone I can, even if it's just encouragement!!
Today my computer-time mission is sorting about an 1800 cal BFL style diet. I suppose that's going to involve a trip to the grocer ($$) which I really shouldn't do until the end of the week.
It's cooler here so I wouldn't mind cooking. Maybe I'll make some protein pancakes.
IMHO ff cottage cheese goes with everything. I use it instead of salad dressing.
Oh there are plenty of recipes for protein pancakes. I'll try to remember while I'm surfing later to put some more here. In the interim, here's what I did this morning.
1 cup egg white
3 cups oatmeal
1 scoop plain whey protein powder
it was kind of thick for the blender so I added a dash of water. Then wiped a nonstick pan with olive oil and cooked them until dry ... on both sides. It made 4 big ones that I cut into quarters to stash in the fridge.
DH had peanutbutter on his at lunch. Um ... a bit of jam, a bowl of fruit, cheese, a slice of cold meat ....
Cottage cheese and chunky salsa
Cottage cheese and sugar free jello-( don't mix it with water- just use the powder)
Cottage cheese and yogurt( watch your carbs- sometimes those little containers are loaded with 'em)
cottage cheese and strawberries with a bit of splenda
cottage cheese and Ms Dash seasoning( any of them)
I have a Sam's membership and they sell cottage cheese (4%) in five pound
containers. I eat one a week.
This morning I did my lower body work out. I woke up at 6:00 to do it, and I actually woke up quickly. For breakfast I had 1/4 c. egg whites and 1 c. brown rice, later in the morning i had a EAS nutrition shake, and then for 'lunch' I had some rye crackers and hummus....
This is kind of off the topic, but my boss does Atkins. When I tried to go low carb I got very sick from it, vomiting and what not... I have hypoglycemia, and if I don't eat carbohydrates, it seems to get worse. She says that by ridding myself of carbs, my blood sugars should regulate..any opinions on this? I know I could never go w/ out carrots or potatoes or rice....I think that in terms of carbs, it's choosing complex carbohydrate vrs. simple ones ( i.e. crap). When did carbohydrates become so vilified?
That's one reason I really like BFL, the plan understands that carbohydrates are an important part of anyone's diet... I know that people have had wild success w/ low carb woe, but I'm not one of them. Anything that brings such a violent reaction to my body is not worth it.
Thanks for the hints w/ the cottage cheese. I'm also wondering how cinnamon would taste, or a little bit of the powder used for sugar free pudding mixes... the possibilities seem endless... those protein pancakes seem darn tastey as well...can egg beaters be used instead of egg whites in the recipe?
The protein pancakes are good. you can cook them up and eat cold or reheated. I like to thin mine with water and make crepe-like pancakes. (I like Ilene's 1/3 of each recipe). Cottage cheese is good mixed with either sweet or savory. I like to add just a teaspoon full of yogurt (plain or vanilla)and stir it in. Improves the texture a lot. My favorite add-ins are berries, but pineapple also works. For savory, it's really good with peas and finely chopped sweet onions (really!). You can combine protein pancakes with cottage cheese, yogurt and berries to make a more calorie friend blintz. (Make the pancake thin, roll, and top with cc, yogurt and berries - enjoy!)
Carbs became villified at a time when low-fat was on it's way out and a new diet fad was needed by the world! I agree w/you, cutting out the simple carbs for the complex seems to me to be all that's needed. If you have any med conditions w/blood sugar, I wouldn't take advice from your boss, only your doctor. And unless you never want to eat those food groups again, what's the point of starting that. I've never been able to get into cottage chz either - it's the consistency for me, too. But I like yogurt and I buy Hilshire Farms turkey breast, so there are other choices.
I add 1/2 cup pumpkin puree and 2 tbs ground flax and lots of cinnamon to my protein pancakes, and cut the oatmeal to 1/4c (with 4 egg whites). Add a little water or the blender motor dies quickly After it's cooked, I top it with a sprinkle of blueberries, strawberries or diced apple.
I love those protein pancakes, I use 1/4 cup cottage cheese and 1/4 cup oatmeal and 4 egg whites. I like to add a handful of walnuts just as the mix is finishing blending and usually serve mine with sugar free syrup or 1/2 cup frozen blueberries.