Hi there everyone!!! Hope the weather is as GLORIOUS where you are as it is here in the Bay Area!!!

Had a GREAT weekend. How could you not, when the weather is perfect???

I see by the length of the last thread that I have a LOT of catchin' up to do!!! Hope everyone is eating clean and working out with intensity...the great thing about warm/hot weather for me is that I am actually less likely to eat a bunch of crap. Jim and I went to Romano's Macaroni Grill, and I think I ate less than 1/2 my pasta (I did pick the shrimp out first). Not like it went to waste - Jim ate it later for dinner

Gotta jump in the shower...let's hear from y'all! Woo hoo!!

good morning all,

i lunched at Macaroni Grill this weekend as well - stuck to a grilled chicken salad, minus the cheese and dressing. go tika, go tika. I also got in some AWESOME weight training and running this weekend. My legs, shoulders and abs are still feeling it. I thought the posts about the bulking up were interesting. My arms are bigger, due to weight training. The muscle is building up under the fat and to be honest, it ain't all that cute. However, when I flex my arm, I can see the muscle and I know that the muscle I am building will help to burn off the fat. I just got to eat cleaner to help the process.

This is my 5th week into BRx. I am amazed by how I feel with the weight training and also amazed at how much it is helping with my running. In the past, when I lost weight, i was a cardio queen - but did not touch weights. I would run, but could never run a 3 mile session on the treadmill at 6.0 or higher. Now I run less often, but am able to run a 3mile at varying inclines from 1.7 to 4.3 and all of it on 6.0 speed or higher. Muscle is the reason - my body is stronger.

I hopped on the scale and it has finally scooted down a bit. I have to give mad props to everybody here for sticking with it, sharing info, motivation, success, setbacks, the whole 9. When I switched from my own homemade plan to BRx, my scales froze and I wanted to give up and settle for my primary losses. I probably would have thrown in the towel if it wasn't for all of you. Instead I am pushing forward to that 130 goal and that cool racer back exercise top. I wore one this weekend - under my oversized tee-shirt and I felt cool, just knowing it was there. Yes I have issues :-) but it is okay!

Just had to hop on and say I'm in my 7th week of BRx and I am taking on linebacker proportions as well! I am SO strong now and when I flex, those muscles look amazing - problem is the fat is still there too. I know EXACTLY what you mean when you say you long for those primary losses - or something quicker. But like you I am sticking it out despite an almost daily mental game I play with myself over if this is what I should be doing. I am this far gone, I am sticking it out. Hopefully next month when C3 starts I'll be happy with the decision. Anyway, your post is inspiring to me! I think what is happening is what is supposed to be happening, it just sure ain't anything about instant gratification!

Hey Guys!

I'm not even going to pretend I'll be able to catch up. I've been busy and will continue to be this week. Not doing the 13 week nutrition right now. Counting calories seems to make me hungry. Not sure what to try next. I'm still interested in TKD, but haven't seen any plans for that to check it out. Anyone have one they can suggest? Or other good fat-burners? I'm open to suggestions. I need to see some progress.

BRxers, I loved feeling so strong in Cycle 1! Amazing, isn't it! It does take a good outlook to make it through the first 2 cycles when we'd all love to take up premanent residence in Cycle 3!

I'm in a lot of pain right now. My tendonitis-if that's what this really is-keeps getting worse and is spreading. I have serious doubts that this is just tendonitis. I'm taking massive amount of ibuprofen and it helps a little. I feel tired, don't have much energy, probably partly because I just hurt all the time.

I had my first classroom driving lesson Saturday. Four hours, 3 of which were basicly wasted time. All the others were teens. This class is not a good idea for first-time drivers. It really teaches next to nothing.

Applying for more jobs and waiting to hear back. One week until my next paycheck and I have no cash to speak of. Tomorrow when I go to work I have to complain and ask for more hours-again. They are not going to be surprised when I leave for another job.

Have a good day!

Deb

I'm taking this week off from the gym. I've not been recovering from workouts, hurting all the time, and it must be well over 4 months since I was off, so it's time. Gonna do my morning 45 minute dog walks and some cardio and abs, but no lifting. I was starting to dread going to the gym, tho I never missed a weight workout. I want to regain that "I can't wait to there!" feeling.

Food has been abysmal for I don't know how long- I gotta tell you, the 4 free days a week plan doesn't work. Yesterday I had what I'm planning on being my last free day for a while: the Philadelphia Special! Sticky buns for breakfast, can't remember lunch, and cheese fries and a cheese steak for dinner. I feel like a giant sponge today. Drinking gallons of water, and doing basically a CKD diet for a few days. I figure I had enough carbs for the week. My pants still zip, but I'm on pretty shaky ground. I can't figure out why I was able to stay on plan for 22 months and now can't put together more than 3 days in a row.

The sun has finally appeared- first time in the moneth of May! I think we are supposed to have 2 nice days before it starts raining again.

Gotta go back to work,
mel

Deb, Do you feel that BRx has nothing more to offer you?

blaaaaaaaaaaaugh.

Had a bad start today foodwise. Yesterday was freeday and I bough cheerios but forgot about them.. until this morning :...(

I thought I would be able to resist but anxiety and being a bit down drove me right into the box. I managed to not eat the whole thing (maybe 200g?) so Im glad I pulled myself out of it. Went and did cardio tonite outside with DH and had chicken and brown rice for dinner, crisis averted.

Not going to let myself down now!

Tidey

Tidey - with ME, it's Corn Chex as far as wicked cereal goes. In fact I had a bowl yesterday

Mel - sounds to me as though you just need a break. I'm on fire right now, but remember I did have five weeks off from the gym not too long ago...

geez, i would never have thought those were bad cereals. I LOVE cocoa pebbles and fruity pebbles and can eat a whole box if I let myself go. and poor capn crunch is no longer welcome in my house. i just act a fool whenever he comes by to visit :-)

Last time I had breakfast with the Cap'n, my teeth ACHED for 5 minutes (actually it wasn't breakfast, it was a snack - my sister had some in her pantry).

When I was growing up, sugary cereals rarely cast a shadow in our kitchen - Mom bought stuff like Cheerios, Chex, Shredded Wheat, Special K, Corn Flakes. I still like my cereal with Sweet & Low on it - except for Chex which I like plain (just milk). Even Go Lean Crunch, which I used to like pre-BFL, is way too sweet for me now...and you know I prefer the big shredded wheat pillows to the spoon sized ones! I think they taste better.

Jim gets a tad annoyed if I don't keep cereal in the house for him to eat on a whim, but I've found that if it's there, I will take handfuls from time to time. He's been pretty good lately as far as eating goes...at home anyway

The cereal I loved before BFL was Bran Bud with Soy Milk, I loved the sweetness of it... also I loved Raisin Bran and Soy milk... yummy... On Saturday mornings I would eat a huge bowl of it and want to go back to bed! This is before I knew that sugar would spike my insuline and then come crashing down....
Now I just love my oatmeal and CC with light raspberry jello sprinkled on it for sweetness... I still prefer oatmeal to steel cut oats I must say ...

I'm feeling really disappointed in myself I took some pics today and they are exactly the same at the ones I took in March... Now I not only hate the scale I hate the camera!!!!

I'm sorry, Ilene but your last line made me laugh. I do know how you feel. I hate the scale, camera, clothes and mirrors right now. Now real pleased with me, either. Ok, let's kick ourselves into gear and set a goal and a date, and DO IT! Here's mine: my body 6 months ago, but August 1 when I leave for vacation with dh, no kids. I've got my pics that I posted last October. A big difference from my goal bodies of fitness models, but I know for sure I can do it and what I'll look like.

mel

I love BRx and will definitely be doing it again! However, I won't do it again until my tendonitis is better. It is hard to get stronger and see amazing new muscle definition when you can't do much lifitng. That's why I'm looking for something that focuses on fat-burning right now.


Mel, enjoy your rest!

re: cereal...I think I loved most of the ones mentioned when I was a kid. I got away from eating cereals as an adult-even before I began improving my nutrition. Eating steel cut oats for breakfast is the first sereal I've eaten for years! Ilene, I'm just the opposite! I won't eat regular oatmeal unless I'm desperate! I know how you feel about the camera; sometimes it just doesn't co-operate!

Thanks for the encouragement girls!!! Those pics are ALL I've been thinking about since yesterday...

Last night in bed I was going over the things I have done differently over the last few months...

1.. I stopped cardio about a month ago, I realize now that that's NOT a good thing....

2.. I've been eating about. according to fitday, 1600 cals/ day.... I will bring that down a notch to about 1450.... this does NOT include FDs....

3.. FDs will be kept to a minimum... You're absolutely right Mel, 4 FDs/week ... which is the same I've been doing more or less.... is NOT a good thing....

I have 2 Q's:

1. If you are eating about total 1 tablespoon of olive oil/day, or salmon, do you also add Udo's type oil to this?

2. If I am burning on average 800cals/day doing biking/rollerblading HOW oh HOW will I keep that up during the winter months????

Later all...

OH and BTW Mel: You're ON girl..... August 1st is picture day AGAIN ..... Anyone else in for the CHALLENGE???

Later all...

Hmmmm, i am actually afraid of this challenge. i have finally gotten to where the scale doesn't send me running and screaming to McDonald's. I am afraid of photos. I haven't taken any since that photo back in Feb. that let me know I was a walking talking jolly rancher. Also, in the gym, I know I have results in my weight training, but it is so hard to stay motivated because in the mirror I am looking like baby hulk. A photo may freak me out totally.

I have chest and biceps tonight and will be trying new exercises to hit these muscles at different angles. Oh yeah, and I will also try to stay out of old mens laps!