I am going to start challenge 1 on Sunday and am researching my little heart out. I have 2 questions however.

1 Does anyone have a smoothie recipe that would be legal that I could use instead of the shakes??

2. I also read on another site that if you are quite a bit over weight you should not weight train until you lose alot of the fat??? Is that right???

Thanks

Re #2 - I'm no expert but I really disagree with that idea, which I hear quite a lot. I think it's helpful, important even, to do weight training as a part of fat loss.
Juju of the Skinny Daily had an article about a similar topic recently:Skinny Daily - Waiting to Exercise?

I dunno about the smoothie question. I've never done BFL (at least I assume that's what you're talking about.) I'm sure someone will have a recipe for you, though.

RE#2 - That is so untrue. Lifting while you lose weight helps you to maintain valuable muscle and decrease mostly fat.

RE#1 - I've never done any BFL challenges so I don't know what is and isn't allowed but Tideypoo has a great smoothie recipe - 1/4 cup cottage cheese, 1/4 skim milk and a banana. YUM!

Tiki

I have a recipe for a tofu/fruit smoothie that I can share, tonight after I get home, if you're interested.
Cindy

About #2: here's my personal experience, for what it's worth.

I started weight training as soon as I started losing weight for the last time, at 257 pounds, and lifted as heavy as possible during the year that it took for me to lose the weight. I think it boosted my metabolism, helped my skin, and certainly made me look better as the fat came off. Plus it just makes me FEEL good.

I've heard that before -- about waiting to weight train -- but I'm not sure what the rationale is?

The only logic I can see in waiting on the weights would be that it *could* be discouraging if you're like me and build muscle rapidly. It will offset the weight lost in fat to begin with, and if you depend on your scale to show your progress, you'll get very discouraged very quickly. On the other hand, if you can get past that "number on the scale" issue, I can see no reason not to start lifting. Use measurements or how your clothes fit as better barometers of your success. And there are some people who never even have to deal with it. Lucky ... right.

As a compromise even if you didn't want to go heavy on the weights straight up I would at least do weight bearing exercises using your own bodyweight. So *IF* you don't want to use dumbbells etc make up a routine of squat, lunges, push ups, sit ups, dips and also holding your body off the ground leaning on your elbows. Do each exercise for 30 secs to a minute - as many reps as you can with 1 min rest between sets. Do at least 1 set per exercise, 2 if you are already reasonably fit.

HTH

JC

#2 is probably based on the old wives tale that lifting with excess body fat made you BIG!

This is because of the true fact that you can build up muscle that has a layer of fat under, in the middle or on top of it - or all 3 if your body stores fat in some places! Then working and building muscle would make you look really big until the fat store was depleted allowing the muscle to sit in a more aesthetically pleasing way!

It doesn't really matter in the long term but often lots of people get discouraged cos they just BULK UP if they lift even the littlest weights. They don't continue for long enough to see the real benefits. So go ahead - do the weights and enjoy.

Sorry I can't help with #1!

Here's that smoothie recipe I promised:

Tofu smoothie

1 c. milk
12.3 oz. box Lite Firm tofu
1 c. fresh/frozen fruit
2 T. Splenda (or to taste)

Mix all ingredients well in blender or with stick mixer. Enjoy!

Can be "customized" with many different additions - sometimes I have one with instant coffee and chocolate syrup, sometimes with bananas and chocolate syrup, with blueberries, with strawberries, with pineapple - the options are endless. Just remember to limit your carb additions to 30g or less to balance with the protein. And don't forget to count the carbs in the milk!

Provides one meal of 30g protein, 20-30 g carbs, 2 - 6 g fat, depending on milk used (I like 1%).

UNTRUE!

You could also have a look at Stumptous.com, most of your basic questions willl be answered there (fun to read too!)

Greekgirl