HIIT run done again this morning, and lbwo last nite.

I think I will work in an extra HIIT tomorrow, and then again do Saturday's scheduled one. Maybe an extra one on Sunday too, I'm on a roll now and really interested in getting a good number for my half way point measurement!

So who's planning to change up their lifting routine after this week? From what I've read, people recommend switching up the lifting routines during the challenge, and the end of week 6 seems a popular time to do so. I'll be spending Sunday free day on coming up with a new ub and lb workouts.

Sportmom, I am thinking of changing too ... Will you lift the same way as BFL meaning 12, 10, 8, 6, 12? UB and LB WOs? ... Just wondering ... I've been doing BFL style but changing the exercises almost every week ...

I'll be changing the exercises, but not the sets/reps.

Off topic rant: Isn't is amazing that people want to complain about their weight/shape, but they don't actually want to do anything to change it? There's a couple people in my office convinced that I'm taking either diet drugs or illict drugs in order to lose weight. No matter how many times I tell them about BFL/HITT/ of WL in general, they kept insisting that I'm taking something. Or I get comments like "I wish I could do that"...I want to scream what's stopping you? Did the sporting goods stores ban you from buying weights? Too broke to buy weight? Is everything in your house is weightless, or could you fill up some milk jugs with water? Heck, I'd be happy to loan out some started weights at this point... Sheesh people get a grip, if I can do it, so can you. Okay, rant over. I'm going to print out my workout log, and e-mail a video of the exercises to these folks. At some point I might have to get out the video camera and make them a workout DVD.

Hi all. I am new to the forum. I am doing a BFL challenge right now. I am actually almost done my 9th week. I love BFL! I have done challenges off and on for the last 2 years. I can't believe how good it makes me feel to workout..I have only submitted once and I fully intend to for this challenge.

I have done other diets in the past and nothing makes me feel like BFL!

I hope it is ok that I started posting on here...

Sherry

Sherry! We'd love to learn from your experiences of your past challenges! Please share!!

Dee - you are too funny! Have patience with the weak, for they are where we once were.

Maybe you could start a walking group at lunch. It sounds like you don't get much of one anymore, but maybe these ladies would be interested in joining you for a walk around your business park even for just 15 minutes to start? I used to bring in WATP videos and on days the conference room wasn't booked, we'd do a 20 min workout in there and then eat lunch at our desks. It was lots of fun.

Ilene, I'm going to stick to the BFL format, I'm just going to change the specific exercises I do. I know some people who are more well versed shake things up every time they work out, but I prefer to write things down and follow a plan each time. So I'll be changing which 2 exercises I do for each body part.

I've got the plan for my co-worker written out, and I even packed up my old pink vinyl weights to bring to her. I'm going to see if I can find a video demo of each exercise and burn it to a dvd for her.

Additionally, I packed up my elastic bands and a jump rope to bring to work for myself. We have a huge empty area in the building where we were renovating before the economy went south, it's just used to storage, so I'm going to use it as a office gym. (Soon I shall make all my co-workers line up and lift...NARF! okay, if you got that joke, you're as odd as I am )

Hopefully my project managers will leave me alone today and I can get my plan set up for the next 6 weeks. And I need to scan some old pictures for Facebook/Class Reunion. Busy day at work...

Almost forgot...welcome Sherry!

Dee, you will be running your own Crossfit gym in your storage space there before you know it!!

Funny about making all that stuff up for someone. You are too nice. I hope she follows it. But you almost have to have the burning drive to seek out the information - that's how you know you've got the motivation to stick with it. However, you can chalk her up as your first PT client!

Looking forward to one more day on plan til I'm ready for my free day. YEA! Strangely enough, I will be starting with SpecialK for breakfast. Strange free meal, but I want it!!! Looks like with the warm weather, dd will have a soccer game so we'll probably just get a linner in at a restaurant and not be able to do too much damage all day.

Ran again this morning. Getting hooked to running with my iPod now, even on non-HIIT days. Gave up the netflix movies for running; the iPod makes the time fly much faster and makes me TONS happier.

Whoops, had to look that one up, and did a dope slap since I've used the word myself. And here I was thinking it was some weird mid-Atlantic thing like calling a sub sandwich a grinder....

Man, I had the best chicken salad for lunch. It's called a sesame orange salad, and usually has orange pieces and roasted red peppers - today's had neither, though still had the citrus based dressing. Oh well, it was good - lots of fresh baby greens, some of which I didn't recognize. This is a locally owned restaurant that opened about 14 months ago and has a Mediterranean based menu - many yummy, reasonably healthy choices (well, except the desserts ). But it's only 2:30 and I'm sooo ready to go home. Got a call that my new desk (ordered in Jan) will be delivered tomorrow. I guess that I'll be moving stuff tonight.

Okay, now my mom wants in on the BFL action. She's planning to have me show her exactly what I've been doing when I go visit in July. Between now and then she's got some health things to take care of, but she's going to start walking again, and I think she's going to inherit my starter weight set. In exchange, I get my brother's old weight set, and new clothes. Mommys are good!

I haven't yet got the 2nd 6 weeks plan developed. I ran, mowed the back yard and then fell asleep in the hammock afterwards. I'm a crispy critter, even with the sunscreen. Good think Mom called and woke me up. At least I fell asleep with the BFL book over my face, so I'm currently only lobster-like from the chest down.

Pat - I've been craving chicken salad all week. I made some up the other day but it's all gone now. It's a cranberry chicken salad:

10 oz chicken (canned or fresh cooked)
2 tbsp mayo (I used the olive oil kind from Kraft)
1/4 c dried cranberries
1/4 c dill pickles
2 tbsp sunflower seed kernels

Basically you just throw it all in a food processor and mix it together. I eat it without bread. And since I have some chicken already cooked, I think I'll go make some now.

Mommy's are good Dixie, I went shopping with mine today, it was fun, she's 81 and in pretty good shape... I never thought much about it till I saw some of my friends parents who actually look ancient compared to my mom, I was shocked... So I feel pretty proud of her...

That chicken salad looks delish Dixie, I'm going to try that very soon...

It's been a good week not perfect but good ...

Dee, what a great photo that would have made - BFL is exhausting - she's out cold!!!! At least that's how I feel these days. I don't know if it's bc my running has increased or what, but I am sooo tired in the evenings these days.

Well, week 6 is done and I'm logging 15.6 lbs down so far. Yeah, we'll round it to 16, esp since an evilly-timed tom is wreaking havoc on my numbers. Oh well, with this timing at least week 12 should be an accurate read. I would be thrilled to get another 16 in the last half to get an even 32 lbs down; maybe the running will help me, otherwise I would thing the drastic changing would slow down in the second half. Not sure.

I'm pretty sure I'll be moving on to challenge 2 after this. Will likely take 1 or 2 weeks off and get on the same cycle with dh and then start again. That one will take me thru July!! Already figuring I will need a third challenge to get where I ultimately want to be, but no need to overwhelm ourselves just yet, huh?

Is anyone thinking they'll keep this up after week 12 with me? The BFL xperts suggest taking at least one week off, acknowledging how hard the program is and the importance of a mental break from the rigidity.

I'm in for the next round too! 20th HS reunion in July, so that's motivating. DH might actually do the next one with me. I think it ticks him off that I don't need him to open jars for me anymore. I'd have to wait until evening to lift, but that would be okay.

I've only lost 5.5 lbs, but I know it looks like a lot more than that. I'm only 5 pounds away from what I thought was my goal, but now I'm going to go further, I think. 145.5 was just the top of the healthy BMI chart, so maybe somewhere between 128-138? I don't know, I'm really focused (okay, obsessed with ) on muscle definition at the moment. So potentially I could keep going and going....

Dee, you know how to do the math with your lean body mass and all that, right? I'm totally sure you do with all the reading that you are doing, but just wanted to ask. For example, if I know that right now I have 120 lbs of lean mass and my goal is 25% bf, I really don't want to weigh any less than like 165 (165 x 75% lean weight = 120 lbs of lean mass that I don't want to lose from where I am now). So I'm always cautious of people in other forums who say they want to weight "110" for example and I always wonder if that means they'll have to lose lean body mass ( a big no-no, right?) to get there. Now granted, Meg & Mel will tell us that while losing, you will lose some lean mass, not just a little muscle, but blood volume, fluids, stuff that you needed more of to support the fat tissue but that your body can flush out now. So yeah, I'm expecting my 120 to go down a bit at some point, but you get the gist, right? So do your math with your Tanita and see if you still agree with that goal. Even if the Tanita's aren't 100% accurate, it's still apples and apples when going with your weight - if anything it will make your goal lower than it should be, but not higher.

I think you are thinking about it perfectly Fran. Basing your goal on bf% and setting the target weight based off of that and accounting for your lean mass ensures that your goal is conistent with maintaining muscle and losing fat. I don't know how many times I've seen people say they want to maintain or build muscle and lose fat, but then choose a target weight that would mean accepting a loss of lean mass which they stated they did not want to do. I like the way you are approaching it.