It's late into the month, but last month's thread was getting fairly long so I am starting us up with June. Here is a snippet Suzanne used to explain the program when the original thread started that might be helpful to chicks that don't know what the program is about.

Helpful links:
Chat with Bill Philips on WebMD about the EFL plan
Eating for Life official site which includes sample recipes and program basics. Make sure you read the Q&A.

EFL Basics:
You eat 6 times a day. This is generally small balanced meals including breakfast, lunch, dinner, two snacks (which usually are a meal replacement bar or shake, or a nutrition shake from book recipes) and a healthy dessert. You can enjoy fruits, breads, etc, and it can be adapted to fit a vegetarian lifestyle. You follow the plan 6 days a week, and then you enjoy a free day.

The recipes in the book look heavenly, including Santa Fe Chicken Soup, Balsamic Salmon Salad, Turkey Bacon Quiche, Pumpkin Cheesecake, and many more. If you already have Body for Life, you'll notice that Eating for Life includes more food choices.

Exercise is recommended, as it should be included in ANY weight loss plan. However, you don't have to follow the weight lifting routine recommended in Body for Life, unless that is your goal.


If you have any questions, please ask. Most importantly, read the books - the key to success on any program!

By the way, for those new to the thread - I am currently unable to exercise because of surgery. I was also told not to diet during this time. I'm still following a loose version of EFL while I recuperate. It's a sane plan and way of eating. I'm just not lowering my calories too much, and I'm eating less protein while I'm not lifting. I plan on being released at the first of July and will start over with Challenge 1.

I haven't tried this recipe - but might do it this weekend. I haven't run the numbers in Mastercook yet to see if the ratio is right.

Fool Yourself Cookies Recipe:
1/2 banana, mashed
1 TBSP Peanut Butter
1/3 cup Oatmeal
1 pkg. Swiss Miss No Sugar Added Hot Cocoa
1/4 tsp. Baking Powder (NOT soda)
1/2 scoop protein powder
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes.
Makes 6 cookies, which equals one MEAL (one serving carb/one serving protein).

I wouldn't think you'd have to follow the BFL routines if you aren't happy with them. As long as you are doing a good solid weight routine you will probably see results. He designed the two to go together, but I'm sure there are a ton of ways to modify it to work for you!

If it were me, I'd start strictly weights for the weight training part, and maybe later incorporate Pilates. Then you will have a better idea of what muscle groups you are working and how good of a workout you are getting. As a beginner (like me) I think it would be hard to judge if that was a good workout or not compared to regular weight training.

Well I thought it was the other way around! The EFL book is the same eating plan as on BFL. If you need help getting the hang of it, just ask! In a nutshell, if you keep it lowfat, then all you need to do is balance your carbs and protein as close as possible, and keep the calories within reason. There is no calorie counting, but if you have palm size protein and fist sized carbs at each meal and keep it low fat, plus add 2 veggies a day, you'll be set. I had a hard time at first, then I realized it was a lot simpler than I was letting it be.

Happy reading!

I found a cookbook on Amazon that might be interesting. The Menopause Diet Mini Meal Cookbook. The ideas behind the diet are nothing like EFL/BFL, but the recipes in the book are 40/35/25, very close to EFL, and they are based on mini meals, approximately 250 calories each.

I read the table of contents at Amazon and it looked really interesting. The only thing necessary to modify the recipes would be to lower the fat by 5% and boost the carbs by 5%. I might buy the book. If I do, I'll post back if I like the recipes or not.

20 percent of your daily calories can come from fat. If you eat 1600 calories a day (just for example), 20 percent of that is 320 calories. At 9 calories per gram of fat, that is about 36 grams of fat a day, and 160 grams each of protein and carbs. Not much, but you do have free day once a week. I would imagine you wouldn't add a T of oil more than once per day before you hit your limit with regular foods. There's not much fat in grilled chicken, brown rice, egg whites, etc but it does add up. This isn't a calorie counting program, but I had to lay it out that way to give you the birds eye view.

I honestly didn't measure out the fat when I was cooking/eating. I had a palm sized protein, a fist sized carb, and I cooked with as little fat as I could. Most of the fat that I had was what came naturally in the food I cooked. I cut out the butter, mayo and most of the cheese. I used cooking spray and that butter-cheesy powder on veggies and potatoes. I did snack on almonds, so that added in some fat.

I was interrupted on the program for surgery and right now I'm just eating mini meals of sensible foods and not counting anything while I heal (dr's orders, no diet for 4 weeks) but this time, I promise, said it a million times but never did it, I'm going to use FitDay and SEE exactly what I am eating. I run around like a madman all the time and haven't had the patience to sit down and figure out the program, so I will do it while I'm on medical leave. It's great, because you can see at the end of the day exactly what your percentages were for the day.

Hi Jennifer and Lori - welcome Lori and it sounds as if you have an interesting hobby. I am a kayaker and just got back from floating 60 miles down a river for the past 5 days. I had so much fun.

Well, back home and back to the routine. I am working legs and abs today.

On fat. I don't track nutrients regularly. I just try to follow the fist/palm guidelines. On oil, I don't cook with it. There are two times I add it to food. I use UDOs and I put about a T. on scrambled egg whites, after they are cooked, and I use it along w/ spicy mustard as a salad dressing.

Jennifer, thanks for starting the new thread. How are you feeling?

Hi Ledom, sounds like you had a nice time! I am feeling better. It still hurts if I do too much walking around or lifting, so mostly I just sit around and feel sorry for myself! Just about the exercise. I can't believe how much I miss it. I hope I still feel this gung-ho about it when I get released. I go back to the dr next week and I am hoping for a better idea of when I can diet and exercise again.

For oil - is Udo's just regular flax oil, or does it have other things in it? My mother puts a serving in a small glass of V8 each morning and swears she can't tell it's in there.

Hey Jennifer, sorry it took me a while to get back to you. I have the box UDOs came in here in front of me. It is a blend that contains oils from cold-pressed, certified organic flax, sunflower, sesame seeds, evening primrose oil and the bran of rice and oats. It is pricey and I think the less expensive flax oil probably gets the job done. I actually like the taste of it though. I thought of some more ways I use it. I use it anytime I would normally use butter, I put a little on steamed vegetables and potatoes and also a Tbs. in shakes.

I am struggling to get back w/ the program. Vacation was a real distraction, not only in the food department but also it has played havoc w/ my routines. Yesterday was pretty decadent but I am starting the day off w/ focus and determination. I hope some other posters and lurkers will hop on - I could use the energy of some other folks who are walking the line!

I believe that I will record my food on fitday for a few days in order to get a grip on what I am doing. I also need some new foods. I finally got tired of turkey meatloaf. I have been craving beef lately so will grill some patties of lowfat beef and search my cookbooks for some other things to change my menu up some.

I'm feeling better already. Arms and shoulders worked. A lot of water down the hatch and it is almost time for meal two. I am going to be careful about meal spacing today.

Good for you! I'm glad you are getting back on track. I know I am going to have a hard time getting back in line after I'm released by the doctor. I'm being 'good' but not on a diet, so it will still be hard when the time comes. In the past, I always did good after my first day. That first perfect day is tough, but it is definitely empowering! Hang in there until bedtime and I know tomorrow will be easier for you.

Yes, I would love to hear from lurkers also! Please introduce yourself and let us know something about you. This thread gets a lot of page views but not a lot of posts. We can definitely help each other succeed with more participation. If anybody has questions, please ask!

Does anybody have suggestions on a protein to eat with fruit, other than cottage cheese or cheese sticks? That seems to be the only thing I pair with it and I'd like something new. Something yummy with strawberries or nectarines.