Oh My! You look awesome! Ok, that was a nice little dose of inspiration for me as I start my challenge!

I want to say what an inspiration you all are!!!

I am new here and I have started and quit three BFL challenges...The last one ended when I looked at the before picture that I took of myself . I have been lurking on this thread for a while. I saw MrsJim's post about Pam B 's training plan. I read the story and saw the most recent pictures of Pam Brown and I was floored...then the picture of 2BFit convinced me even more to start and complete a BFL challenge. I have the weights and bench, for the past year they have been used as a clothes hanger for my husband's uniform. Basically I want to tell you guys that ALL of you are a inspiration to me and I want to THANK YOU! I am off to read Bill Philip's book again and start the lifestyle change for real!!!

Iggy

Hello Again!

Since I decided to start this healthy lifestyle change today I just completed my cardio part. I have a question for those of you who have had success on BFL....I have alot of bodyfat that I want to get rid of...I am doing Taebo as my cardio, the tapes are 1 hour since I am doing advanced, is it okay to do this for an hour a day 6 days a week?? Also when is the best time to do weights?? I want to do it after my cardio in the evenings but should I do the weights first thing in the morning?? I am also using Myoplex Lite ...I am mixing 5mg of creatine in the protein powder since I find that when I mix it with juice I tend to break out....citric acid gives me hives. Will I still get the same benefits from the creatine mixed in the Myoplex?? I would appreciate any opinions.....they would be quite helpful.


Thanks

Iggy

Lotsa messages to catch up on...

First off - Sil - Don't take your photo off the thread!!! It's not slowing MY access down any....Check out those biceps! You go girl!!

Shelley - I know I sound like a broken record here - but just look at the transformations on L&S - Sil is right - so many times the outward changes don't show up until just before the end of the 12 weeks...but you're feeling good INSIDE, right?

As far as the slipping on the meals, the best thing you can do is print up a bunch of those "Eating-for-Life" progress reports (in the book and also available as downloads of the www.bodyforlife.com site), sit down, and PLAN your meals for each day. There was a point in my first challenge where I had to do that for a couple of weeks. Each evening, I'd sit down and plan my next day's meals on a progress report sheet. IT WORKS! You can also double-check with Tall Jen (TJ) on her daily Menu Thread at L&S.


Iggy - first off, WELCOME to our thread!!

Did you read Pam B's article in the Training Library at L&S? I'm going to take the liberty of quoting her here as far as cardio goes:

Now, some words from ME regarding cardio. For years - YEARS - I had been spending a minimum of 60 minutes (most of the time 80 minutes or more!!) on the Precor Elliptical at the gym...this was six mornings a week, BTW. I was getting my HR into the 80%+ zone most of the time...also taking Spinning classes once or twice a week...plus bike riding on the weekends (including a lot of hills) and wondering why I wasn't burning fat and my thighs were still big (with FAT, not muscle!). During C1, the most difficult part of BFL for me was sticking to the 20 MAS/HIIT three days a week. But believe me - I have seen the most AWESOME results from reducing my cardio. Short, hard and fast beats out long workouts in the so-called 'fat-burning' zone anytime IMO!!!

The Hussman site has a lot of good info on why short HARD cardio is superior over long moderate cardio for building fat. Just click here http://www.hussman.com/eas/#workouts for that part of the site.

As for me, I had another excellent cardio workout today on the treadmill (love the treadmill now...) then my daily attempt at a pull up. Basically, I hang on the bar, bend my knees and try to pull myself up as far as I can, then just hang as long as possible at that point. I really think I'm going to be able to do at least one full pullup by the end of this challenge (I'm at C2W5 right now).

More work to do! See ya!!!

Many of your questions you ask (about when is the best time to do cardio, weights, etc.) can be answered just by reading the book...I read "Body for Life" (even though sometimes it feels like I've memorized it) often - it's in my book basket (I admit I like to read in the bathtub) along with my Muscle Media magazines!

Also, do read the Hussman site (www.hussman.com/eas). I'd recommend printing it out before reading it - it's a LOT of info.

Check www.Leanandstrong.com's FAQ and message archives for answers to questions about creatine, supplementation, cardio, etc.

Good luck!!!

Sil- You look awesome! Keep up the good work! Your picture is definitely an inspiration!

Thanks for the encouraging words. I'm going to try to white knuckle it out to the end of the 1st challenge. The tops of my arms are hard, the bottoms are getting mushy. Maybe the fat will be going soon. I'm thinking if I switch my workouts after work, it might motivate me more. I want to keep my early morning ones going until the end of this challenge, though.

Mrs.J-I am feeling good inside.

WELCOME IGGY!!!!!

Wow, it's so great to see new people coming onto this site. We all learn from each other so the more the merrier!

If you really want to get inspired and motivated, take a look over at www.leanandstrong.com Check out the Transformation Gallery under Library and Pics. You will be AMAZED! Our very own MrsJim is in there also .
The before/after pics that are shown in Bill's book are pretty drastic but what I love about the pics at L&S is that you can tell that they are the average, everyday people just like us. Some have faster results than others but they are all improving themselves inside and out.

MrsJim has said this numerous times, but before you start your 12 weeks, take your pictures and take your measurements (including arms,thighs and calfs). If you can get your body fat % done by callipers that will also help. Then, weigh yourself and keep all this info in a binder. I would love to say "then throw the scale away" but I still haven't overcome this habit yet

As you lose fat and gain muscle, your scale weight doesn't really mean anything. It doesn't reflect the changes that are occuring. BUT, at the end of your challenge, your scale weight will help you to calculate how much fat loss/muscle gain you have made.

MrsJim's idea of keeping a personal journal including your BFL info, etc is a GREAT idea. I took her advise and started one. I have copies of my before pics,my exercise records and my www.fitday.com personal journal entries. BTW, that is another great site to help you get started in your nutrition. You can see the % of calories, fat, carbs, protein that you eat each day (and more)

Hope this helps to get you newbies started and look forward to seeing you post often.
~~~Sil

THANKS ,EVERYBODY, FOR ALL THE KIND WORDS! ALL OF YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION TO ME!

Dear BFL-ers:

I am reading the BFL book. I have exercised for years, mostly just cardio, and am struggling with about 25 extra pounds. Since I already work out almost every morning (ineffectively), I think the exercise portion of the plan will be quite do-able for me.

However, I have a few questions about the food. The first and most important is: what about those of us who spend the days in an office and cannot access a blender for the shakes? I have tried the myoplex light bars in the past, and I do not like the taste. Has anyone found a good nutrition bar for women? I used to use Met Rx Source One, but it has been discontinued.

I'd also love suggestions on other portable "meals" that the rest of you are using.

Thanks much.

I have the same problem you do - can't use a blender at work, just too darn messy and noisy. Plus the Myo Lite bars do taste like ca-ca...

For awhile I was using MRB's (meal replacement bars) for Meal #4 at work, but there is a TON of sugar in most (if not all) of them. If I were you, I'd only use them in case of an emergency. My two favorites are Worldwide Pure Protein (S'Mores and Blueberry Cheesecake flavors) and MetRx Protein Plus (don't confuse this with the regular MetRx bars since they don't have a whole lotta protein in them). If you use these two protein bars, you will also need to have a carb on the side (for instance, a piece of fruit) since the basis of BFL Eating-for-LIFE consists of six meals a day consisting of a protein and a carb (the list of authorized foods is in the book) plus a minimum of two servings of veggies each day.

Here are some ideas for meals at work other than MRBs (because, believe me, those bars get pretty yukky after awhile!).

Fat Free/Sugar Free Yogurt (such as Dannon Light & Fit) mixed with lowfat cottage cheese (this is mentioned in the book as one of Bill P's favorite quick meals). Pam B (check out the Transformation Gallery on www.leanandstrong.com for her pix - she is AWESOME!!!) suggests mixing this in a blender for a cheesecake-like taste. You could do this at home and tote it to work in a Servin' Saver.

Cottage Cheese and a piece of fruit (that's my usual - I'm having a peach with my CC today). I keep a tub of Knudsen Lowfat Cottage Cheese in the refrigerator at work so it's always there when I need it!

Cook boneless chicken breasts ahead of time, put in a baggie and nuke one when you need it - have it with a piece of fruit, some leftover brown rice, or other authorized carb.

Just a few ideas - check the Lean & Strong site's Cooking Library for a ton of great tips!!!

Thanks for the post, MrsJim.

If any of the BFL-ers would consider posting a day of food eaten, I would find that really helpful.

Thanks again,

citychick

You can also check on www.leanandstrong.com. Tall Jen (TJ) does a daily Menu thread at about 10 a.m. weekdays - it'll give you a better idea of what BFLers are eating out there!

MrsJim's Typical weekday menu:

7:00 a.m. Meal #1 - Myoplex Lite Shake
9:30 - 10 a.m. #2 - Cottage cheese and cut fruit - usually honeydew and cantaloupe
1:00 p.m. - #3 - Grilled chicken and veggie brown rice bowl at local Japanese fast-food place (YUMMM!)
3:30 - 4:00 p.m. - #4 - Cottage cheese and a piece of fruit (lately it's been a peach or nectarine.
6:30 - 7:00 p.m. - #5 - Last night it was catfish fillet with Cous-cous mixed with Rotel tomatoes and mushrooms (gotta get those veggies in!)
9:00 p.m. - #6 - Myo Lite shake right before hitting the hay!

Again, I urge you to check www.leanandstrong.com for more ideas!!! Take care...

citychick - I don't drink the Myoplex shakes too often. When I do, it is primarily for meal #6 shortly before I go to bed. For my 2nd and 4th meal, I mainly do cottage cheese and a piece of fruit, like MrsJim or a meal replacement bar and a piece of fruit. The MRB I am eating is called carb solutions and has only 2grams of carbs. I get them at Sam's. At first they tasted awful to me, but I am used to them now and actually have gotten to where I consider them a treat. Is that sick or what?

My free day is tomorrow and I am ready for it. Have been battling the munchies all week!!! Have continued to stay strong and was encouraged by a comment today about my "baggy pants"!!

Debbie

Got back from my riding lesson awhile ago, and I really REALLY need to shake a tailfeather, get off the Net and start cleaning my pigsty of a house - Jim had to go to the studio and lay down some bass lines with his buddy Shree...and from experience I know how long and incredibly boring that is...plus since we're off to Canada next week I need to get this house CLEAN!

Anyways had another great treadmill workout. I'm shooting to increase my intensity even more - I put in an extra interval - meaning that the fourth time I hit a "9" (at the 18-minute mark) instead of going right to a '10' I go back down to a '6' and do another five minutes (levels 7,8,9,10) then cool down at a 5 for two minutes.

After doing the treadmill I got on the elliptical but took it nice and easy....slow slow slow. Just cooling down and watching the "Today" show (they finally replaced one of the broken TVs at our gym!). Anyways, Blues Traveler was on the show today. If you know that band, you may remember the hefty harmonica-playing front man, John Popper. Well...he's not so hefty anymore! He's lost most of his gut and is looking a lot better! However, looks to me as though working with weights would really make him buff. I think he's just doing high-protein right now but I'm not sure. It was neat to see him looking better though - having all that fat must have been very uncomfortable!


OKAY. NOW I have to clean the house!!! Signing off!

Today is free day, and I am going to try to not go bananas! Weighed and measured, weight is down a little, measurements still the same. My DH says that he can definitely see a difference, even if I can't, so that makes me feel better. Also, I know I don't jiggle as much when I walk. I can feel the tightness in my buns and thighs.

Picked up the new Energy magazine, and really like it. It's full of good information.

Can anyone give me tips on getting all my water in? I can't seem to even finish my 2 liter bottle anymore. I keep it at my desk at work, but it lasts 2 or 3 days. That's not good!! I forget to drink it, since I get so busy.

Gonna go for a relaxing bike ride this morning! See ya!