Quote:
Originally Posted by VarsityQuidditch
I am really thinking of starting the belly fat cure. Low carb has worked for me in the past, but I always had an issue with eating NO carbs on atkins, and it seemed that I wasn't eating healthily on it. (i know all of the atkins fans will jump on me for saying that, but I'm not saying that Atkins isn't healthy, I'm saying the way I ate in order to stay low carb on atkins wasn't healthy.)
This low carb diet seems more managable, because I can eat good carbs like some lower sugar fruits for some carbs, and veggies and such.
I guess my question is this: can anyone who is on this diet give me a few main pointers, and an overview of how your experience is going on it?
For example: what are your food staples? do you also exercise, and if so, what do you do for exercise? how much weight have you lost on average per week, and what things did you do right on the weeks where you lost the most? Any other tid bits would be fantastic, as well.
Hi VQ,
I have been doing the BFC and I am starting my 7th week. I am down 27.5 pounds. My goal was to lose 75 pounds and I have 47.5 more to go. My body type is an "hour glass" and I have been typed as somewhere between an Endo-Morph and Mesamorph:
What Is Your Body Type? Take Our Test! :
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/becker3.htm
By: Paul Becker
What Is Your Body Type?
Your score is 1.67.
Your body is between an EndoMorph and a Mesomorph. Choose a middle approach between the follow recommendations.
Endomorph: An Endomorph's biggest concern should be the losing of fat and adopting a lifestyle that keeps it off. Strength training should be done to get a better muscle to fat ratio and therefore improve metabolism. Use moderate weights at a fast training pace (very little rest between sets and exercises). You should lower your calorie intake (but not try to starve yourself) and should eat frequent but small meals. Sugars, sweets and junk food should be eliminated from your diet. Engage daily in some activity like brisk walking, biking, etc., and try to increase the amount of time you spend each week.
Mesomorph: Mesomorphs have a naturally fit body but to maintain it or improve it you should exercise and diet correctly for your type. Strength training can be done more often and for longer sessions then would be good for an Ectomorph, but you must still be carefull not to overdo it. You should train with moderate to heavy weighs and at a moderate pace, not resting too long between sets. You will find you gain muscle quite easy (some women and even men might not want to get too bulky, but this won't happen suddenly. When you are happy with your muscle size simply train to maintain it). Stick to a good healthy diet to keep you lean and muscular, and watch for any slow creeping fat gains. Engage in and enjoy aerobic activities, sports, etc. but do not overdo.
So, no matter what diet plan I do, I always include exercise. That being said, I have exercised since "Day 1" of doing the Belly Fat Cure. I cross train and then do aerobics every other day. I average about 30 to 40 minutes a day and an hour on the weekends broken up into two sessions, morning and evening. When I started the program, I could only do 10 minutes of Gilad and now I am up to an hour of Jari Love Ripped, 40 minutes of Hip Hop Abs Cardio and now I am getting into Patrick Goudeau and I am upping the weights. I expect my weightloss will begin to slow as I am into muscle building beginning today. The improvements to my body at this point have been nothing short of phenomenal! Now, that I have more a blue print for training with this revelation that my body type if somewhere between Endo-Meso, I am looking forward to shaking up my workout.
THE DIET/BFC:
I keep my diet simple with BFC. I make sure I have plenty of protein in the house. Be it lean, organic beef or buffalo, chicken, pork or organic cold cuts. I eat only organic meat for health reasons. I eat cheese and eggs as well. My replacement for "cow's milk" has been Almond milk mixed with heavy cream. I love the Almond Breeze brand. I use the "Carb Style" bread by Pepperidge farms when I want "bread" and I use wraps more than bread. There are many good store brands out there. All you have to do is read the package for nutritional information. I use lots of store brand convenience products that my whole family can enjoy. I just "portion" out my serving of whatever product with sugar and carbs in mind. I bought some "Carb Quick" as a replacement for Bisquick. I have not used it yet. Truvia is my holy grail and I make lemonade, limeade and ice tea all the time. For sweets, I love Joseph's Oatmeal cookies. They are really good and very crispy crunchy. I did not eat fast food before the diet, but when I go out to eat, I usually go for grilled and roasted meats, french fries (count out a portion that looks similar to what I eat at home)/baked potato and green salad. I usually opt for Blue Cheese, but if it tastes "sweet"..then I use it sparingly. I CRAVE WATER! Seriously, I cannot get enough of it. I stopped craving pasta years ago and I have not had rice in a long time either. So, my "high starch" choice is usually some form of potato. I have healthy pasta in the cupboards, but when I ask my family "Chili or Spaghetti"; they always opt for Chili. You can buy low carb tomato sauce and if you cannot find it, just get the Ragu No Sugar added and portion a serving correctly.
The BFC is truly a LIFESTYLE. The book offers so many options that you can do it with practically anything in your fridge. The main thing is getting rid of foods that have too much sugar and carbs..I am NEVER hungry and it is truly an effort to eat sometimes and I have to watch myself with that one. This weekend I just had not desire to eat which is BAD! But, I am making more of an effort this week. I have so much energy without all the sugar and carbs, that I have great control over portions and meals. This diet will over time really give you control IF you do it the way it is written. I see so many people trying to subtract and do it from a "net carbs" perspective and then they get mad because they are not losing weight.. Do, the diet as written and you should have success.
Hope this helps!