[susanje]

Hi all,

I know I have been MIA but I course through and read the notes. Keeps me inspired. Thank you all for being here and posting.

I'm still having trouble with my cardio between allergies and shin splints. A friend of mine just joined Curves for Women and asked me to go over and see what she does and comment (she is seriously overweight 100+ pounds and has been looking for something that will challenge her without being so hard it defeats her out of the gate. She doesn't feel ready for BFL yet but hopes to work up to it).

CfW is a very small circuit of exercises that combines cardio/light weights that you go around the circuit 3 times in 30 minutes. It's not strenuous enough where you couldn't do your own BFL weight workout in addition if you wanted. I was thinking of joining my friend and using this as my cardio twice a week (and then another form of cardio another day). My rationale is that I wouldn't quit in the middle, I'd commit to the circuit. I'll do my intense weight workouts same as I normally do. I have a free workout scheduled this week so I'll let you know how it goes. I am always looking for creative ways to get that cardio in. Maybe this will keep me interested for a few months.

I am going to be renting a summer cabin on the water for my job back east. Now I have extra motivation to get into shape for the summer.

School and my internship is very stressful. My days are running 12-16 hours long and I'm at it 7 days a week (I'm going to school in a little while). I took half of Thursday off but this week won't even get to do that. I'll be glad when this year is over.

Thank you for being here. I cruise through to check your posts and it keeps me very inspired.

Susan

[thunderheart]

Just registered. I recognize alot of you from the L&S site. I'm just starting my 3rd week tomorrow - I can't believe I have 2 weeks under my belt already. I have been feeling soooo goood. My energy level is waaay up there! I have been very disciplined for the two weeks except for 2 free days - but thats what gets me through the week. I've been working out every morning as soon as I fall out of bed. BFL has really changed my life - I am also diabetic and my blood sugars have never been better! I think the six small meals are keeping them level and in control. I haven't weighed myself since I've started and I feel freed from bondage! I do feel physical changes, and so does hubby . I haven't decided if/when I will weigh myself again.

I can't remember if someone mentioned this site on L&S but I found you and I'm glad. I've had this site on my favourites for a while but when I heard that there were some BFL people here I registered!

I've read a few of your profiles and I'm feeling in good company because most of you are or were at a weight that I am. My highest weight was 330lb and I've been maintaining at about 255 for about 6 months now! I saw Pam Brown's picture on BodyChangers and my eyes popped out of my head. I thought if she can do it - so can I. So here I am 2 weeks later even more inspired by all your profiles as well.

The L&S site is a wealth of information and it humbles me so. It also moves very fast and I noticed that this board is a little more shall we say "sit down and have a cup of tea and stay awhile?" Well I hope I haven't gone on too long - I'm looking forward to meeting you all and sharing that pot of tea!

[Kelster]

thunderheart .......welcome welcome .......I started here first......and this is where I found out about L&S.......Mrs.Jim.......comes here and yes.......she has mentioned this site on L&S.........Quadzilla.......has even made an appearance........S

Do you mind if I ask where in Ontario you are from.....S

And you are absolutely right.......this is slower then L&S for sure........for a while there I was sooooo busy reading and catching up at the end of the day on the other board.......I neglected here........ bad me......

I began BFL in January..........I am starting my 5th week tomrrow....which is Monday........I feel soooooo great.......it is hard to believe..........that it is soooooo easy........not that the workouts are easy.........but the whole concept.......I have gone to dieticians.........and tried diets........and it always seemed so complicated...........now with BFL........that complication is gone........and when I do have a question.........I just ask the experts..........laffs.......

I hope to see more of you hear......

[MrsJim]

I DO remember you from L&S!

You are so right on about 3FC vs. L&S - this is a much slower paced place to hang out...good for me because I tend to get a bit verbose as you have probably seen!

QuadZilla has even popped in a couple of times to check us out!

Well...Jim and I had our belated Valentines' Day dinner tonight and just got back. I had filet mignon and a crabcake. The restaurant we went to is called Kincaid's Bayhouse - it's right on the SF Bay facing the airport, with big picture windows so we could watch the planes landing and taking off. I also had a lemon drop (a vodka lemonade) since it WAS my free meal.

Then we went to Tower Records and hung out for awhile. Hey Susan - if you haven't gotten your copy of Energy try your local Tower Records. They had a BUNCH of 'em.

Tomorrow I start Camp Pam B in earnest. She did my nutrition and training program - I'm still working out with Theresa twice a month but that's mostly to check my form and see a 'live person'.

Anyway, Jim's putting "Rat Race" in the DVD player and we have a fire going...so gotta go...will write more tomorrow since I have the day off!

Take care all!

[Mel]

Hello everyone-and welcome Thunderheart! yes, I recognize you from L&S, too. We are chattier here, but sometimes don't post as often.

I'm sooo glad it's Monday, this was a really wild weekend. My daughter's lacrosse team from Ohio State was in town to play at a tournament at U of Pennsylvania, so I had 57 people for dinner on Saturday night. I had originally planned on taking my free day on Sunday becuase I thought it would be too hard to eat right at a tournament all day long, but that idea didn't fly once I got all the food (which would have fed 120 people) out on the table! Up until now on free days I've stayed pretty much with legal foods, just not followed the portions or timing. Since I've been eating clean since last July, I really didn't want to get back into the craving mode or have food hangovers. However....Saturday night was an allout dessert fest, including a big helping of cheesecake at 11pm . Now I remember why I don't do that anymore! Sunday I packed 4 meals to take to the games, and managed to eat clean all day, then even talked myself into an upper body workout when we got home. Not the best I've ever done, but at least I did it.

Susan- Your schedule and dedication amaze me. I'm glad you get inspiration from reading the posts here, but I think you are the inspiring one! I find it daunting just to get thru the day with a part-time job at this point!

Hi MrsJim- Camp Pam B. also sounds daunting. Keep us posted. I can't imagine trying to get into competition shape. I'll settle for 1 piece bathing suit shape with the high leg cut. No way this tummy skin will ever see the light of day. I know Pam B. and others have had good skin-shrink experience ( I think there was an l&S thread about that yesterday) but they are so much younger than me, I'm not too optimistic. Sounds like you are doing great!

Hello everyone else- gotta go, son is off school today and we need to go buy shoes and jeans. He's growing faster than I'm shrinking.

mel

[susanje]

Welcome Thunderheart!!!!

Mrs Jim: please post on here how you are doing Camp Pam B. I'm curious about the competition level of fitness and nutrition. (not that I'm anywhere near that but curious)

I actually read L&S so much last spring that I neglected my school work and tend to stay off it now. I get so caught up in it. I love love love the people over there and started to think of many as my friends but I was just on there ALL THE TIME and I know that I just didn't do what I needed to do last spring. I'm so flat out this spring, I can't afford to spend much time there. I like it here a lot. Much more manageable. Though I miss the posts and my participation over there.

off to do my CfW workout. We'll see how this goes!

Susan

[MrsJim]

From work anyway!

I still hit the gym by 5:30 am. Actually I'm a sick puppy - I usually ENJOY getting up and working out!!

Anywho. First workout on CPB. She's having me do 30 minutes of HIIT - 10 level 10 intervals "until you feel queasy". Then I did chest and triceps. She thought my routines were really great but she did make some changes - more supersets. I can tell I'm really going to be feeling them tomorrow!

This week is a very low-carb week... (BTW, I just want to stress right here again...that I am aiming for competition shape...and am an experienced BFLer - Stick to the book everyone!!! After the competition, I intend to get back to strict BFL.) NO fruit. Pam told me that she's trying to shock my body this first week, and that she will gradually be adding in more carbs and get some immediate results.

One of the reasons I'm focusing on competition is the tummy thing. I also have a lot of hanging skin, not maybe as much as some people, but remember I was 265 pounds at one time...and I'm not as young as some (will be 40 this year)...my thighs are pretty bumpy too...but I'm finally starting to see some definintion there (the upper bod hasn't been a problem at all!)

I gotta get my Meal #1 in right now...later all!

[susanje]

wowee, mrs jim. are you keeping a diary of your food/workout (on Fitday?) I would love to be a voyeuer and understand everything about what you are doing. You are right that novice BFLers should NOT try this at home. I'm not going to try it either...but I'd love to watch and really start to understand what a competition regiment is like. BTW, Carbolite makes a good no carb pancake mix...just egg whites, protein powder and splenda basically. I was usually it daily when I was low carbing and now I still use it with strawberries once a week or so. If you use a baking spray or a no stick fry pan, it works really well.

STARS QUESTION: MrsJim, didn't you say that Pam B used some kind of Star system and you picked it up? I bought a notebook and some stars today. I want to do something along those lines.

Lisa are you still here? I found an email from you asking about MRPs and I don't know if I answered you....I have some fruity ones left and I think you didn't like those. Anyway, I apologize if I missed answering you...please email me again if you're still interested. Sorry.

Anyway, I went with my friend to CfW and did a workout. It's VERY light compared to BFL workouts but it really seems to work for women who are struggling with other forms of exercise. Most of the women there were very overweight and they were enjoying it and most were working up a sweat. Granted a lot of them are going too fast on the resistance machines but I think they are not in competition yet . I think it's a good safe place for women who might be intimidated by the big gyms.

I don't think it's very strenuous but it would be a good start to an exercise program. I might join to support my friend and use it as cardio a couple of times a week. I noticed there is a full service gym next to it (a private one, not a chain) and I might talk my friend into looking into that one in a couple of months since it's right next door.

I'm off from school but nursing a sick kid and trying (not too successfully) to get homework done. Also have to order some Udos....

Happy PDay,
Susan

[thunderheart]

Please forgive me but I am not that computer savvy. Just so I understand that BFL is always under Diet Plans? What does the number beside it mean? I'm assuming when one thread gets too long you start another?

Just curious if at any point along your challenges you decide that you don't want to become any more "buff" , is there a maintenance regime or do you just quit increasing your weights? I have a long long way to go yet but I was just curious. I definitely intend on eating this way from now on regardless.

Kelster, I live in northern Ontario however you wouldn't know it today (6 celcius)!

MrsJim your valentine dinner sounds heavenly. I'm soooo jealous, even of just where you live!

Well I was up all night with a sick child and to tell you the truth my arms and shoulders are really killin me today - UBWO - I guess I hit those tens. It's taking energy to type today - might sneak in a nap with my little one - she's looking kinda sleepy. Yippee!

Talk to you later.

[MrsJim]

We just watched "Rat Race" this morning FUNNY movie! Very slapstick

Certainly I will post at least my menu on Fitday, with the possible exception of Free Day (er, Free Meal). As for the stars, I was doing that, but as a member of the Quad Squad we have a challenge ongoing and Sarah (one of the other members) made a website for us to do kind of virtual 'stars' (actually smiley faces if you know what I mean).

As far as using the Carbolite stuff - well, Pam gave me a list of foods, and I'm going to stick with it for now...she is going to email me a menu every Saturday, and new workouts every four weeks I presume. The menu also comes with a shopping list saying what and how much I need for the week - I printed it out and took it to Safeway yesterday and it made shopping a breeze!

Thunderheart - the answer to both your questions is YES. After our threads get long - two or three pages...usually Susan (sometimes Sil/2BFIT) starts a new one. Sometimes we go through 2-3 threads a week! Feel free to check the old threads for lots of info. If you need help figuring out how to do that, let me know...and I do love the Bay Area, but rest assured that if you knew how much housing costs here, you wouldn't be QUITE so jealous...I wouldn't live anywhere else though!

[susanje]

I love the shopping list idea! I remember Pam having a list when she was in training....That is so exciting!!!

I bought a notebook today and as I said earlier, a pack of stars. What I did was write down each date and colums next to it with headings of what I'm supposed to do that day UBWO, LBWO, Abs, Cardio, Walk and Callenetics (these are all the things I try to do and I try to walk and do callenetics most days with whatever else I'm doing). The walking is for enjoyment and stretching and the callenetics are for stretching. I notice I suffer a lot more with shin splints when I don't do the Callenetics.

When days get away from me I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing that day and often the next day. So in my notebook I put a check mark under the column heading for what I'm supposed to be doing when, and did 2 weeks worth. When I do that day's task, I will put a star over it. I have different stars for different activities. I also have a column for food with 6 slots and will put a CM for each clean meal and then I get a star (I HOPE!) at the end of the day. For the whole week each column gets a gold star if there are no checkmarks showing and all CM's!!! I am trying to figure out what I get per so many gold stars (I gotta have some kind of tangible thing).

I know this might sound childish but I need to do it. I'm so freaked out ALL the time about not having enough time in the day that I will let my exercise slide in lieu of other things. So this will keep me on track. I also filled in 2 weeks worth of "food" pages so I can write down my food and I put in columns for prot/carb contents in case I'm wondering about my progess. In the meantime I'm going to make up a list of regular BFL foods and what their content is so I can just plug it in. Again, complicating the simplicity of BFL and being anal but I have to discipline myself. I'm just so scattered with all the pressure I'm under in school right now. I'm at the end of my writing requirement and I am nowhere near done. I'm freaking out each day but it's due Mar 31 so hopefully the pressure will ease up a lot then.

well DH should be home soon and I'm off to school....aiyiyi
Thanks for listening.
Susan

[Kelster]

Thunderheart I moved from northern ontario 2 yrs ago.......I lived in Sudbury...........still have family up there.......

Mrs.Jim .......sounds like you have your work cut out for you........but I am sure.........you will do absolutely wonderful.....and believe you me........I am still learning soooo much I wouldn't even dream of trying what you are.....

Susan I wouldn't call it childish........in my mind.....anything that keeps us on track.....and headed to where we want to go........is a GREAT idea ........KEEP IT UP!!




I really thought when I started BFL my biggest challenge would be the eating.......but it has not phased me one bit.......this is sooooooo GREAT.........that free day is the best......and really when I do have that free day..........I don't go all out.......yesterday was the free day.......and I had a coffee........and a couple of cookies......other then that......I was good......G.....

oh and my tummy is going down........I AM SOOOOOOO HAPPY......now only if there was some miracle cure for stretch marks I would be laughin........I had one baby......and you would swear I had the map of the Universe on my stomach..........

Everyone have a great evening.......

[Spin]

Does anyone here follow the Body for Life workout schedule exactly by the book? I find it hard to follow. And also, How bad am I cheating myself by getting my vegs from a can?

[MrsJim]

If this is your first Challenge, I would suggest following the book to the letter. Exactly what part of the training program are you having a problem on? Is it the 20 MAS?

What I did when I first started BFL was make a photocopy of the cardio progress report from the book (actually you can download it for free at the www.bodyforlife.com website), propped it up in front of me, and kept track of the time (I was on the elliptical) and increased or decreased my intensity accordingly.

If it's the weight-training part you're having a problem with, you might want to wear a watch to the gym. Make sure that you're focusing on your form and not using momentum to lift and lower the weight...in fact I would recommend focusing on form and intensity rather than how heavy you're lifting until you're more comfortable.

As far as veggies, stay AWAY from the canned stuff. Most of the nutritients have been leached out of them...and a lot of sodium added...frozen is great though. Just as good as fresh in most cases. Not to mention that fresh and frozen taste a heck of a lot better than canned!

[lhendricks]

I had two bouts of migraine in two weeks, and right now I'm covered with itching red blotches. Full BFL compliance has NOT been possible - the headaches last 24-36 hours and exercise makes them worse, as does fatigue and a variety of foods. I'm still fighting nausea and sometimes I can't face a pile of protein. But I managed four meals yesterday, and did my full workout. SO my short term plan is to try to have four perfect weeks, and officially close out challenge 1 on 3/15.

I've been reading all your posts and will be back soon.