[nymmy]

So here are my meals for the last few days, including today's plan. I am doing the BFL challenge (my own) and I am not taking any supplements, drinking any shakes or using any protein powder etc.

Monday
m1- 1 egg, 3 egg whites, 1/4 cup of green onion/red pepper, and 1/2 banana
m2- 1/2 cup ww penne, 1 cup chili (homemade), 3/4 cup green beans (after gym meal)
m3- 3 oz chick breast, 2 cups salad plus asorted salad vegs (tomatoe, green onions, a few slices cucmber etc), 1/2 a red peppers grilled, 1/2 red onion grilled, 2 tbsp fat and sugar free dressing
m4-1 cup chili, handful of organic corn tortilla chips baked.
m5- 2 oz chicken, 1/2 baked sweet potato, 1/2 cup green beans
m5- 2 oz chicken, rest of sweet potato

Tuesday
m1- 1 egg, 3 egg whites, 1/2 orange
m2- 1/2 cup ww penne, 1 cup chili (homemade), 3/4 cup green beans (after gym meal)
m3- 3.5 oz salmon, 2 cups broccoli
m4- 3 oz round steak, smear of mustard, 3/4 slice of whole wheat bead
m5- 3 chicken legs grilled, 1 large corn on cob, 1 pat butter (that was fun measuring that out)
m6- I rose apple, 1/4 cup peanuts

Wenesday-
m1- 1 egg, 3 egg whites, 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/4 cup FF milk
m2- 1/2 cup ww penne, 1 cup chili (homemade), 3/4 cup green beans, 1.5 cups romaine, 1/4 cup cottage cheese (after gym meal)
m3- 2 oz steak, 1 slice ww bread, mustard
m4- 1 apple, 2 hardboiled egg whites
m5- 3 meatballs (homemade.. clean), 1 cup roasted orange cauliflower, 1/2 a potato
m6 no clue yet

Im working on a yogurt cheese/ cottage cheese cheesecake I can eat with fruit for a meal at night or something. I cannot eat cottage cheese on its own, or with yogurt. Its disgusting! But I like it on hot thigns, especially tomato dishes

[WaterRat]

Well, I'm no expert, but it sounds good to me. In fact, parts of it sound delicious! It's more beef than I eat, but that's a personal choice.

As for the cottage cheese, there's a couple things I've found. I just got LF instead of FF (they were out), and it's better imho, and not a lot more calories. Then I usuallly add a small spoonful of my DH's full fat yogurt to mine which seems to improve both the texture and the flavor (again only a few calories). And I eat it close to room temperature with fruit mixed in - blueberries and raspberries today. Also you can blend it so it has no lumps at all.

[3fcuser1058250]

I agree with Pat that's a beautiful menu ... Good luck on your challenge keep us posted on your progress...

[nymmy]

aww thank you! I was concerned that there was too much.. I dunno ..food I guess. I see a lot of menus that have smaller snack type meals, but I am trying to keep each meal around 250-300 calories.

Im also planning on doing 4 not clean meals a week (10% of my eating plan.. 42 meals a week.. 4 not clean meals ) instead of a free day.

I'm also trying to keep my bread/grain products to 2 servings a day. Im trying to get my startchy type carbs from sweet potatos. squash etc instead.

Im really honestly not sure how to calculate protien grams (I log certain foods into my calorie tracker to find out.) and how to balance the fats/carbs/protien ratios yet, but Im learning!

[3fcuser1058250]

Vanessa have you tried www.fitday.com... They figure the protein, carb and fat ratio for you... and it's free

[3fcuser1058250]

Is this your first challenge?

[nymmy]

I use ***********, I like the format. I think fitday is kinda weird.. I guess because I am not used to it. I think its more that I want to make sure my meals are balanced, and it gives me the grams of carbs of protien and everything, but how does that work when you are trying to do 40/30/30?

Yep, its my first challenge, although I spent a month reading the books, visiting websites, being a nuisance on email groups etc first heh.

[3fcuser1058250]

It's all trial and error to get that 40/30/30 IMO...

[Misti in Seattle]

I agree... it looks GREAT! What is orange cauliflower?

[sportmom]

Newbie, did the site star-out the name of the site you use, or did you do that for some reason?

Misti - GREAT new photo of you - your face is really showing your progress!! Amazing!

[nymmy]

weird! Yes, the site starred that out.. I use s.park.people

[Meg]

The site that's **** out was added to 3FC's censor last year when they bombed us with spam. The mods went nuts trying to catch all the posts from new members who signed up just to promote the site (which is against our rules). So it's censored in an effort to prevent further spamming.

[nymmy]

wow.. that sucks that they did that.. hrmm.. makes me rethink using thier site..

[Mel]

You are doing great! I have a few picky comments about your meals if you are doing BFL by the book.
1) What is in your chili? If it has a lot of beans in it, it probably already has a good protein/carb ratio and you shouldn't add another carb portion (like the ww penne or tortilla chips.) If you want more bulk, try eating it over broccoli or salad, kind of like a taco salad without the taco

2) Peanuts really aren't a good protein source by themselves. They certainly aren't considered "lean protein".

Other than that, your food looks terrific, and if it's working, don't worry about it. Most of us who started with BFL or similar programs found that really cleaning up the nutrition is vital for the stubborn last few pounds.

I'd also be careful about taking your free meals sprinkled throughout the week. I don't think it works real well that way. Be careful that you don't get into a binge day free-for-all. Some of us gave ourselves more problems with the free DAY concept than we had to start with.

I know you said you aren't using any supplements, but glutamine really helps with muscle soreness, and some studies show that it boosts your immune system.

Doing great

Mel

[sportmom]

Yeah, thanks Meg for that background, I will definitely not race to check out that site knowing that.

Mel, raising my hand for that free-day creating more problems than I had to begin with example. Me, in a nutshell. I practically needed a 12 step program for my free days, it was awful!