Body for Life PSers--Come on down!

[Haven]

Now we can share all of our BfL progress in this thread!

I''ll start . . .

Start date: Monday, August 10, 2009
End date: Sunday, November 1, 2009
Starting weight: 168.8 lbs (YIKES! I thought I was 160.)
Height: 5''9.5"
Clothing size: US 10 - 12 (I was down to a 6 two summers ago.

)
Goals: 1) Lose 25 lbs of fat 2) Gain at least 5 lbs muscle

Ugh. It''s hard to see the numbers out there in black and white. I was definitely in better shape just last summer, and I''ve been in denial about how much I''ve gained for several months.

I haven''t been weighing myself since I started, but now that I''m nearing the end of Week 3 I already see a bit of a difference. DH has been taking pictures of me in a bikini once a week, but I''m not sure I''m brave enough to share them quite yet.

I''m so excited to have some fellow PSers doing BfL!

 

[Haven]

I''m making the Eating for Life pot roast for dinner tonight. It''s a Crockpot recipe, so I already have it in there and it smells DELICIOUS.

Here''s the info. I''ll come back later to let you know if it tastes as good as it smells.

Servings: 8
Prep time: up to 10 hours

Ingredients
- 3 lb boneless beef bottom round roast, trimmed of all visible fat
- 2 onions, sliced
- 2 Tbsp Hungarian paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup red wine (optional)
- 15 oz low-fat, reduced-sodium beef broth
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 lbs baby carrots
- 2 lbs small new potatoes

Directions
1. Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add roast and brown on all sides, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Place browned roast in Crockpot.
2. Add onion slices to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add paprika, basil, oregano, thyme, and garlic; cook 2 more minutes. Place onion mixture over roast in Crockpot.
3. Add water, wine, broth, black pepper, carrots and potatoes to Crockpot. Cover and cook until tender, about 10 hours on low heat, or 5 hours on high heat.
4. Remove roast from Crockpot and set on cutting board. Use a large spoon to skim fat off cooking broth.
5. Slice roast and place a portion on each plate along with a portion of potatoes and a serving of carrots. Top sliced roast with a couple spoonfuls of broth. Serve and enjoy!

 

[Haven]

Here''s a picture of what the pot roast is supposed to look like. I always like seeing the recipe pictures. Sorry about my sub-par photog skills.

 

[Blackpaw]

That pot roast looks awesome - tell us how it tastes

Im excited to be off to get the book tomorrow, then i can read up and prepare some.

TENTATIVE Start date: Monday, September 7, 2009
End date: Sunday, November 30, 2009
Starting weight: 149 (i think? it seems where i live its impossible to find a scale that''s not dodgy, and i dont really want to buy one)
Height: 5''6
Clothing size: not really sure.
Goals: 1) Lose approx 15 lbs, though id probably be happy with 10. The thing is keeping it off i guess. 2) id like nicer looking arms etc and less tummy for sure

this is good, i think its good to see it up there...

 

[Haven]

Yay for coming over, Blackpaw! I was beginning to worry that I exposed my weight for nothing!

The pot roast is filling my little home with some delicious smells, so here''s hoping it''s delicious.

When you go to the store, check out both the original BfL book, and the new Champions BfL book. I just bought the new one, and I have to say that I like the original better. It''s a bit more to the point, whereas the new one is really wordy and doesn''t lay out the plan as clearly as I believe the original one does. However, that''s just my opinion, but it''s worth sitting down with both of them before you buy.

And of course, you know I love the Eating for Life recipe book. I''ll post the recipes as I try them out to spread the info around.

I have to say, I''m feeling awesome right now. I just printed out my pictures to add to the little binder I made for the program, and I do see a tiny difference already. It''s very exciting!

 

[Kasey3]

Hi Haven

it was very brave of you to expose yourself-I am not sure if I can do the same!!!

I am going to give the plan an official try Monday. i have been working out all summer and I want to keep it up when I start back to work. I think having a plan will help me stay on track.

Your dinner sounds great-how did it taste?

 

[Haven]

The pot roast was AWESOME! I highly recommend it. The one thing I''d change would be to buy a piece of brisket instead of the bottom round, because the pot roast tasted just like brisket in the end, anyway, and brisket''s cheaper.

I''m going to make a lunch recipe tomorrow, I''ll share whatever recipe I try.

Right now my biggest challenge this week is that I''m really craving junk food, and when I say junk food, I mean McDonald''s. It''s gross, I know. But for some reason, I want some fries NOW! I called DH on the way home from a meeting the other day so he could talk me off of the ledge, I was so close to lining up in the drive-thru. I''m keeping it together thus far, though.

DH and I are going to a bodybuilding and figure competition here in Illinois on 9/5, I figure that will be *great* inspiration to keep working hard!

 

[Blackpaw]

Glad your pot roast was delicious Haven

Its awesome that you can see, and more importantly feel, the results already!

Dont have the fries...they''ll make you feel ill i bet...its that oil that they use i think. I crave fried stuff, then when i have them its like i can feel the oil clogging my arteries. That being said i just had a huge dinner and dessert...but i did go for the baked potato rather than fries!!

So i have ack news, i dont think SO is going to do this with me...i can sense his reluctance already. But i want to do it for me, i just want to feel healthier you know...

When i get the book tomorrow i think ill consider starting monday too...no sense wasting time.

Oh and i have one more silly question (and i should just wait for the book)...can i drink tea?

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

I''m here, I found it! Thanks for starting the thread Haven!

I''m feeling kinda cruddy right now. I wasn''t able to go to the gym yesterday because of so much junk in my head, which I hate. But I''ve been fairly diligent otherwise with food and working out, so I just shrug it off. I''m hoping I can go this afternoon, as I''m feeling a little better this morning, so I''m hoping that lasts for the rest of the day.

I''ll come back and post my stats too. Haha Haven I''m like you - I get surprised sometimes at where I actually am. I weighed myself in the gym the other day with FI - I''m 5'' 6" and weigh 150lb, according to that scale. FI''s jaw dropped, haha... not in a bad way, but he just doesn''t believe it. It''s not surprising though to me. I''ve always just been really dense. For the past 6 years, basically since I graduated high school, I''ve never been less than probably 140. I play volleyball in high school and was always "heavy" according to the scales, but never overweight - I mean I think I''m fairly trim, just flabby in spots.

I just "weigh" a lot, haha. Oh well!

I don''t think I just made a whole lot of sense, so I''m sorry.

Anyway, it''s a battle sometimes... I have to not look at weight. Because even 145, where I hung out for a long time, sounds like too much for someone of my height. But if you looked at me, I don''t think most people would guess that much. Anyway, the numbers I pay attention to are the body fat and measurements... which have gotten slightly out of hand. So those are my things to target.

Haven - how do you measure the fat weight lost vs. lean muscle gained? Do you just use the body fat percentage - is it that simple?

 

[Haven]

I just got back from walking the pup and decided to pop in here before I go to the gym for my upper body workout. Upper body workouts are the most frustrating for me because they're long, and my right elbow sometimes acts up and I can't do biceps, so I figured coming in here would give me some inspiration!

Blackpaw--You're right about the fries, thank you for reminding me. I felt so sick after my first cheat meal that I don't want to go through that again.
You can definitely drink tea! I'd use Splenda or something similar in place of sugar, but yes, I believe tea is allowed. And I suppose this isn't the perfect way to do the challenge, but I know there are some things I'm not able to omit completely six days a week, so I still eat them in moderation. (Okay, it's one thing: havarti cheese. I need it.) SO, if tea cutting out tea would make you feel deprived, then don't cut it out, I think you're more likely to cheat if you feel deprived.

luvthem--Don't beat yourself up about one missed day in the gym, there's always tomorrow. I hope everything's okay with you, otherwise.

DH measures my body fat with calipers, so that's how I figure how much fat I've lost vs. muscle gained. It's not an exact science, but it's close enough for me!

As for the weight, all I can say is UGH! This is the heaviest I've been in a long time, since college actually. (I gained a lot of weight my first year in college from all the late-night eating and no longer playing school sports.) At my most fit I was probably around 155 with a lot of muscle, and people were definitely surprised when I told them how much I weighed. I was 135 for a while, but that was when I was all bone and flab and not a lot of muscle, so I looked thin but not fit. DH was shocked when I told him what I weigh now, especially since he weighs 160. I HATE weighing more than him, it's so annoying. He *is* 5'8" so he's shorter than I am, but it's still irritating. He's nice and muscular and trim with his terrible eating habits, I can't help but be jealous.

Anwyay . . .

When I'm done with my workout I'm going to try one of the Eating for Life lunch recipes, I'll post it later.

Thanks so much for joining the thread, it is definitely motivating to know I'm not alone!

 

[Blackpaw]

Have a good workout Haven

Well i did some research last night on ideal weight for my height, and realised i need to lose a little more than i thought! Oh well.

Luvthem I understand what you mean though about not getting caught up with the numbers...measurements are a better way to go i think. And besides i dont have a scale

At my lightest i think ive weighed 135, and i cant imagine going below that - i wonder what id look like?!

Cant wait to hear about lunch Haven

 

[Haven]

Hey everyone!

Okay, so I didn''t make an Eating for Life lunch yesterday because I felt guilty about all the leftovers we have in the fridge, so I ate some leftover pot roast, instead. I''m definitely going to try out some lunches next week though!

I''m really looking forward to my free day tomorrow. I''ve been amping up all of my workouts to keep the intensity levels high, and I am *so* ready for a rest. AND, this weekend is our city''s "Taste of Ourtown" and art fest, so I''m excited to be able to indulge a bit as we walk around and enjoy the art. (I''m also hoping to find a new piece for the house, our city''s art fair has been rated one of the best in the country for years, so I can''t wait to see what we find.)

In other food news, I bought a tin of McCann''s Steel Cut Irish Oats and just made some today, and they are delicious! I read up on the many different types of oatmeal available and decided to try steel cut, as it sounds like the healthiest version. I have a friend who boils the oats for a few minutes at night, takes them off the heat and then leaves them covered all night. She says she wakes up to a big pot of fresh, steamy oatmeal. Sounds good to me!

I''m going to try to bake some homemade wheat bread this week, too. We''ll see how that goes!

I can''t wait to hear about everyone''s plans, if you''re starting BFL on Monday, have a great first workout!

 

[Blackpaw]

That oatmeal looks delish Haven - i love that on a cold winter morning! what do you have it with? its the carbs part right?

I got the book last night and have had a read. Im starting on sunday its official, so i have to prepare...get a gym membership.

I took your advice haven and got the original book, but they didnt have the recipe book, so ill have to get it online i think. i worry that if SO and i dont have enough options for meals we wont stick to it. SO especially gets bored quickly eating the same thing. The book doesnt have heaps of information in terms of the eating...and i like the eating!

Now i have some stupid questions: would a glass of orange juice in the morning be allowed as the carb?
What other brands of meal replacements are the same as that myoplex they talk about? ill want to use them for conveniences sake but i cant find them easily - can you only use that brand? what do i look for in that kind of product? im not very well versed in them...

 

[Blackpaw]

oh and good news - i think SO is back in the program

he''s going to start with me on sunday, and is asking lots of questions...and is drinking lots of coke to make up for the next 12 weeks deprivation

 

[Haven]

Hi Blackpaw!

So, how did it go yesterday? I''m glad you were able to get the book, I think it really helps to have it all right there in front of you.

I really think that having the recipe book this time around is making a huge difference for me, because it really does open up an enormous amount of possibilities for eating. I felt so restricted the first time around because I didn''t want to mess up the challenge by eating the wrong things, but I didn''t have a good idea of what I could eat so I ended up eating chicken and rice most of the time. I wish we lived near each other and we could just share the book! There are a lot of great recipes on the BFL website, but for some reason I''m doing much better having an actual book to work with. It''s worth checking out the site, though.

I think your OJ would be a carb, definitely. Just make sure you find a brand that doesn''t have a lot of sugar added, and I''m sure it''s fine.

I buy my Myoplex ready-to-drink shakes at Target. They''re a bit pricey, around $7 for four of them, so I only drink about three or four a week. They''re great for when I need to run out and don''t have time to make a shake for myself, because you can just grab them and go. Otherwise, I use Optimum chocolate whey protein powder for my shakes. I''m drinking more shakes this time around than last, and I think it''s keeping me more full. The Optimum tastes really good, we have the 100% natural kind, it''s DH''s favorite and I love it. When I add a banana and ice to it, I think it tastes just like a smoothie from Jamba Juice.

As for other brands, I''m not really sure what else is out there. Is there a Vitamin Shoppe or GNC near you? Their salespeople should know what you could use instead of the Myoplex. I have read on bodybuilding forums that the EAS products, which is who creates Myoplex, are some of the best products available, so that''s encouraging at least.

It''s SO great that your DH is going to do the program with you! I think it will make a huge difference. Mine is doing the workouts with me, but only a loose interpretation of the diet. It''s still helpful though, because on the days that I really don''t want to go to the gym he gets me motivated to stick with it.

I recently joined Bill Phillips''s new website, it''s transformation.com. It''s a different program than BFL, it''s 18 weeks and I don''t think it''s as strict as the BFL program. I joined because there are a lot of forums with a lot of info about exercising and stuff, so I thought it would be a good resource. The first "assignment" of the transformation program is to post your before picture, which I did, and that was kind of scary. The strange thing is that in just a day I received a lot of comments from people on the site, you make a little profile and then people just start leaving supporting comments for you. At first I thought it was a bit strange because everyone is a little over-the-top friendly, but I think I''m going to stick with it to keep posting my pictures. It''s pretty motivating to see my before picture up there for all the Internet to see.

Let me know how today goes for you! I''m doing my legs workout with DH at 1.

 

[Haven]

How are you guys doing, luvthem and Kasey? I hope it''s a good Monday for both of you!

 

[Kasey3]

Hi Haven

Today was my first official day on the plan and so far so good! I just did my upper body workout and had my first protein shake, I mixed it with a banana like you do and it tasted pretty good. I bought myself another set of dumb bells (8 lbs) I have 3, & 5 lb but I know i need to increase. This is my second week working with the weights and I can already tell that I am a little stronger! This summer I have been working out in the morning but I am reversing my schedule this week because I start back to work next Tuesday and once that happens I will have to workout in the evening all of the time.

How was your free day?

 

[Blackpaw]

Im afraid im not starting til this coming sunday - hadnt read all the book, or bought any groceries as of saturday, or got a gym pass for that matter. So i have one more week oh indulgence!

I think im going to have to order the shakes etc online. I just hope i like them! otherwise i think im in trouble

Im working on a meal plan for next week so we can actually follow this thing. I think like you said Haven, its going to be a lot of chicken and rice. I''ll have to get the recipe book online methinks.

I have one more stupid question that i cant seem to get an answer on from the book: what''s the stance on salt, and seasonings etc. It would be nice to use something to make the chicken stuff more interesting... But i fear its going to be frowned on

 

[Haven]

Kasey--That's awesome that you can already feel a difference from working with the weights! Isn't it motivating to see or feel differences?

My free day was a lot of fun. We went to Walker Bros. Pancake House for brunch, which is one of my favorite places ever. I ordered eggs, pancakes, bacon, and hash browns with sauteed mushrooms, and a coffee. I didn't eat everything of course, especially since I ordered a meal PLUS the hashbrowns on the side, but tasting a bit of it all was really delicious. And I didn't feel sick afterward, which was an improvement from my last free day.

Then we walked around the local art fair which was really amazing. There were artists from all over the place, which I didn't expect, and the pieces were really incredible. My favorite was a fiber artist who felts the most beautiful scarves and wraps I have ever seen.

Dinner ended up being pretty shameful, though, I must admit. We were supposed to have some family over for dinner, but everyone backed out at the last minute. We couldn't go out anywhere because I was driving a bunch of friends to Ravinia (it's an outdoor concert venue right near our house, we end up running a shuttle service for everyone when they go to see shows because we live so close) but since nobody else was coming for dinner I didn't feel like cooking.

SO, DH ran out and picked up McDonald's.

I must admit, I love McDonald's French fries. LOVE them. And they have the best regular Coke in the world. So, we had McDonald's for dinner, and I did feel kind of ill after eating it, but it was delicious.

And I didn't even feel that guilty about it, since I had eaten so clean all week.

So, that was my free day. It was a MAJOR cheat, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I should admit that I ate a cookie last night, too. I make homemade cookies for DH, I bake about four at a time for him and refrigerate the rest to pop in the oven after dinner so they're always fresh. Well, last night a made a fresh batch and they smelled so darn good and I had changed up the recipe a bit that I wanted to try one, and I ended up eating the entire thing. I felt guilty about that.

That's my long story. Today is a cardio day for me, and I'm going to run and see how it goes. I'll let you know!

Blackpaw--I think it's wise of you to wait until you have everything set up for the challenge, it makes it a lot easier to follow through.

As for seasonings, I think that salt in moderation is fine. At least, I use a bit of salt when I cook *anything* so I've cut back a bit, but I still use it. My favorite is a rotisserie chicken seasoning that I use when I back chicken breasts, it is so good.
A lot of the Eating for Life recipes call for seasonings, so I imagine they're fine!

I can't wait for you to start next week! Which gym are you going to use? We go to Bally's and I'm really happy there. We were going to join a fancy shmancy gym right near our house but decided that it wasn't worth the cost. We spend $20 a month for DH's Bally's membership, and $19 a month for mine--can't beat that!

 

[CaliCushion]

Haven, I''m exactly the same height as you and weigh (give or take water weight) 1 lb less...so we''re pretty much exactly the same. I''m a size 8-10, and extremely hourglass. My waist is 28", but I have very broad shoulders and big arms.

I lost about 10 lbs before my wedding. I lost the weight by regularily interval training (short bursts of running (hills included!)interspersed with a short cool down period) and weight training. I spend 10 minutes on the treadmill interval training, then switch to 10 minutes of weight training, then switch back...for an hour. My diet is (and has always been) pretty good. I don''t drink alcohol often, I try to only eat complex carbs (besides treats), and I only eat lean protein. My trainer has told me that the most weight she thinks I can ever (healthily) lose is 10 more lbs. Even with my restrictive diet and workout schedule, the extra weight doesn''t want to budge. She says that I am muscular(which weighs more than fat) and that my body is just not built in a way that I will ever be super skinny.

I know you have a food program, but here''s my workout schedule that has really helped:

Interval training 2 to 3x a week
1 hour jog/walks 2-3x a week
1 to 2 days off
The interval training is great because I burn so many calories in a short period of time (since my heart rate stays up while I do weight training). If you want any more info on that, let me know!

 

[Kasey3]

Hi Haven

I am glad to hear that your free day was a good one. I know what you mean about the McDs fries and cokes-very hard to resist!

Your cookies sound so yummy right now. I never thought of saving the batter in the fridge and making fresh cookies when needed-very smart. I don''t think one cookie will hurt at all because you have been working out a lot and that is ultimately what will make the biggest changes in your body.

Did you buy anything at the art fair? How did you like the running? I can''t run anymore my knees are shot! I recently tried running on the treadmill and I was OK when doing it, but the next day and days after the pain was horrible. My fav is an aerobics class, but unfortunately my gym does not offer any hi/lo classes at night-so when I return to work I will not be able to go to my classes and I don''t want to work out on the elliptical every time(boring) so I purchased some hi/lo dvds and have been been trying them out for the last two weeks. I think the dvds will be a nice alternative-I just have to stay motivated!

The protein shake was even better today!

Take care

Kasey

 

[Blackpaw]

Thanks for all your advice Haven

i really appreciate it.

Im glad you enjoyed your free day! And dont sweat your cookie, you earned it

Ive decided to order the shakes etc online...i cant get them here so i figure i may as well just go for it.
As for gyms, we live in a small town, and there''s only one! but i think its ok, and its cheap compared to what i paid in australia (though i did love that gym...especially the ''rain shower''

)

Oh and, sigh, i have another dumb question: what the frig can i eat for breakfast when i dont eat eggs? That is, i wont eat anything that tastes like eggs.... SO i have pancakes as an option, but the thought of them every morning does not appeal...and oatmeal, but what could i have protein wise with oatmeal apart from cottage cheese... Can you get a shake mix thing that''s just protein, not the carbs part??

Kasey - yay for your shake! what brand is it?

Haven - have a great cardio session

 

[Haven]

Hi Cali! Thanks for all that information about your exercise program!

That''s so funny that we''re the same height and weight. I *wish* I had an hourglass figure. I''m shaped more like a boy with a large chest, unfortunately. My waist is 29", and my hips aren''t much bigger.

Actually, they are a probably a bit bigger right now, which is why all my size 6 and 8 pants are snug. I''ve always been really athletic, and I have the androgynous body shape to prove it.

As for losing weight, I can definitely stand to lose 20 lbs of fat at this point, so that''s a big goal of mine. I build muscle pretty quickly, so I''m looking to capitalize on that and tone up while I''m at it.

It sounds like you found yourself a nutritionist and trainer in one, that''s awesome! When I was a personal trainer I thought about becoming a nutritionist so I could give my clients the type of advice yours gave to you, but I decided against it since I wasn''t going to stay in the profession long-term. That''s a really great PT to find, because a normal personal trainer isn''t qualified to give you that type of info. You have yourself a great resource there!

I''d love some more info about your interval training, that sounds very interesting. I haven''t reached a plateau in my training yet, but I think in a week or so I''ll need to change things up so that sounds like a great option. Right now I''m pretty sore from my lower body workout yesterday. My husband fit me into his schedule yesterday morning and worked me out, it was BRUTAL!

Thanks for sharing all that great info! I''m really interested in learning more about your interval training.

 

[Haven]

kasey--We didn''t buy anything at the art fair, but boy were we tempted! There was an artist there from Louisiana who creates these very interesting pieces with vibrant paint colors and great textures. They had a very farmhouse-gone-crazy feel to them, and I pretty much fell in love one of his larger piece. It was $4,000 though, and we just didn''t feel comfortable dropping that kind of money on the spot. It was tough to walk away from that piece, it really was.

The running felt really good, but I''ll admit that it was a huge wake-up call for me because I am definitely out of shape compared to a couple years ago. I only ran 1.66 miles in 20 minutes, it was kind of hard to face that, but that''s where I am right now and it''s great motivation to keep pushing myself harder. I have some minor issues with running, too. My right knee hurts every now and then, and I tore my left hamstring a few years ago when I was still doing martial arts, so that hurts a bit too. This is where my muscle specialist husband comes in very handy, I beat myself up at the gym and then he comes home and fixes me.

I think dvds are a great alternative--I did Tae Bo for YEARS when I was in college, and I just started doing it again this year. I love those tapes, even though my karate sensei used to make fun of me for it. They''re fun! Which tapes do you do?

I love my protein shakes, I swear they are so tasty! Then again, I''d probably eat anything with bananas in it.

 

[Haven]

Hey Blackpaw!

Hmm, non-egg breakfast options. That''s tough. I''m going to go through the Eating for Life book and throw out all the non-egg breakfast recipe titles, tell me which ones you''d like to hear more about!
- Golden Pancakes (pancakes with mixed berries)
- Chocolate Oatmeal
- Turkey Bacon Melt
- Vanilla Nut Cereal
- Fortified French Toast (this uses egg substitute but you can''t taste it!)

And yes, you can get shakes that are low-carb and only count for protein, definitely. That will probably be your best bet!

I made shrimp scampi for dinner tonight from the EFL recipe book, and it was really good! It was also the easiest meal I''ve ever made, it was basically shrimp, garlic, white wine, parsley, lemon, olive oil, butter buds, and pasta. DH loved it, and he didn''t believe me that it was from the EFL book, so that must be a good sign. I''m not really a shrimp fan, but you can only eat so much chicken before you need a break.

Man, I talk so much when we''re discussing BFL. Sorry for my inability to be concise when we''re talking about this!

Happy workouts, everyone!

 

[Blackpaw]

OOhh thanks Haven...golden pancakes and vanilla nut cereal sound good? I think i may have to go the protein shake and oatmeal route!

I think its great you can run 1.6miles. Im not a runner so im a bit nervous about the cardio. I like to hike but im a slow burner i guess, i tend to get like a beetroot in the face and start hyperventilating when i run

Everyone enjoy tomoz'' workouts

 

[CaliCushion]

Haven, I must admit I''m a little jealous of your small hips. Dresses fit me really well, but pants that fit my hips are all too large on the waist. I have a large frame (fingers don''t touch around my wrist) with a tiny waist and very wide hips and shoulders. I only look good in tailored clothes that cinch in at the waist or are belted--otherwise, I look like I''m wearing a sack! Needless to say, I spend a lot of time at the tailor.

Anyway, I''ll try to give you all the info my trainer has given me. She''s great!! She recs. that breakfast be the largest meal, followed by lunch, followed by dinner (along with 2 snacks). Breakfast and lunch should contain carbs (which can be simple carbs), fat and lean protein. Dinner should not have any carbs that aren''t complex. Also, she believes that snacks have to have nutritional value. If a snack does not have nutritional value, it is a treat, and you should limit those to a few a week.

I''ll try my best to explain the interval training program that I do. Keep in mind, it varies every workout session and this is just an example. With a trainer, I spend 10 minutes on the treadmill. The first 10 minutes on the treadmill is usually working on speed intervals. I''ve worked up to the speeds I''m at now, but my resting speed is about a 4.0 and I go up to about a 9.5. My trainer will have me do, say, a 1 minute run at an 8.0, followed by a 30 second recovery, a 45 second run at a 9 followed by a 30 second recovery, and then a 30 second run at a 9.5 speed.

The second 10 minutes on the treadmill is about the incline. I start out pretty fast with a small incline, and run up the hill until I can''t run anymore. The lowest speed I bring the treadmill to is a 3.8, and that is at an incline of 15 (maximum). The most important thing to remember while walking with an incline is to not hold on to the handlebars. If you need to, reduce speed. Also, if you have knee or lower back injuries, you may not want to take the incline up so high.

The third 10 minutes on the treadmill is either endurance (meaning longer runs at slower speeds) or a combination of speed and hills.

In between these 10 minute treadmill segments is weight training. We do everything from work with bosu balls to bands to weights. Much of it is pretty fast paced, so I don''t get to cool down completely. A lot of the weight training involves work that targets 2 areas of the body at the same time, such as doing plies while also doing lateral raises.

Let me know if there''s any other questions you have!

 

[Haven]

Hi, everyone! I had a great day today, even though I ended up working out at home, which I haven''t yet done on the program. I decided to stay home and get all the laundry and cleaning done before I went to the gym, and I ended up taking a little nap at 2 that turned into a LONG nap--I didn''t wake up until 4. I don''t know about your gyms, but the Bally''s I go to fills up after 4 so I figured I might as well stay home and try the on-the-go workout in the book. It was actually really good, I have resistance bands and some free weights, which made it pretty easy to adapt everything, and it''s beautiful out today so I just finished working out in our backyard with the pup!

Blackpaw--Hi! How was your day today? I thought of you this morning as I made my egg white omelet because we go through so many eggs I was trying to figure out what I''d eat if I didn''t like them. I *love* eggs though, always have.

I made a blueberry pancake recipe from the BFL website about three weeks ago, that was really good. Have you checked out the recipes on there? There are a lot, so hopefully there are more options for you there! Okay, enough rambling, here are the recipes:

Golden Pancakes

Servings: 2
Prep time: 15 mins

Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked whole-grain oats (non-instant)
- 6 egg whites
- 1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 packets sugar substitute
- 1/2 cup sugar-free maple syrup
- 1/4 cup mixed berries

Directions
1. Lightly coat a nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray; place over medium heat.
2. In a blender, combine oats, egg whites, cottage cheese, vanilla, cinammon and sugar sub. Blend on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
3. Pour batter, about 1/4 cup at a time, onto hot skillet. Cook pancake until bubbly on top and dry around edges, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook other side until golden brown, about 2 more minutes.
4. While pancakes are cooking, microwave maple syrup until warm, about 20 seconds.
5. Place a portion of pancakes on 2 separate plates. Top with warm maple syrup and mixed berries. Serve and enjoy!

Mmmm, that sounds really good, I think I''m going to try that tomorrow morning!

Vanilla Nut Cereal
Servings: 1
Prep time: 5 mins

Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Cream of Wheat cereal (non-instant)
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 scoop (about 24 grams of protein) vanilla protein powder (whey or soy)
- 1/4 tsp ground cinammon
- Sugar substitute, to taste
- 1 tbsp slivered almonds
- 1/4 cup skim milk

Directions
1. In a bowl, combine Cream of Wheat, water, and protein powder. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir, then return to microwave for 30 seconds. Stir again, and microwave for 30 more seconds. Stir again, and microwave for 20 more seconds if needed, to thicken.
2. Sprinkle with cinnamon, sugar sub, and slivered almonds.
3. Pour in milk, serve and enjoy!

I hope you try these and like them! I''ll share any non-egg recipes I come across for my egg-hating BFL buddy!

 

[Haven]

Hey, Cali!

Isn't it funny how we can look the same on paper in terms of numbers, but our bodies probably look very different in reality. (Meaning: you have an awesome shape and I look like a boy.) Seriously, my hips are not to be envied! If they came with a relatively small waist, that would be one thing, but I end up looking like a banana instead of an hourglass because of my waist-to-hip ratio, and that is *not* enviable! I spend quite a bit at the tailor as well, but it's for the opposite problem--everything is too big in my hips, OR I have to buy a larger size so the pants will be long enough, and then they take in the waist and hips. Whenever I'm pants shopping I have to add in an extra $15 to the cost to account for the tailoring. Why is it that they can't offer pants for your shape and for mine, why are they all for someone in between? Irritating!

I've actually had awesome luck with Anthropologie lately, their pants seem to be made really long, you should check them out since you're tall, too. And I find that Ann Taylor's pants seem to be cut for an hourglass shape, while J. Crew seems to be cut more for a straight shape like mine.

Anyway . . .

I think your trainer would approve of the BFL diet, it sounds very similar to what she's recommended. We eat six small meals a day, each with a portion of lean protein and a portion of complex carbohydrates, a portion of veggies with two meals per day, one tbsp of unsaturated fat daily, and 10 glasses of water daily.

Here's a sample day:
Meal 1: 1/2 cup oatmeal, scrambled egg whites
Meal 2: 1/2 cup non-fat cottage cheese mixed with a 1/2 cup non-fat yogurt and sliced, fresh fruit.
Meal 3: Myoplex shake
Meal 4: Grilled chicken breast, green salad, 1 cup brown rice
Meal 5: Myoplex bar
Meal 6: Ground turkey patties on whole-wheat bun with steamed veggies

Your interval training looks very intense! I'm going to ask DH if he will put me through an interval training session, he still has some old PT clients from back in the day so he won't mind.

I'm impressed with your running, my high point on the treadmill yesterday was 8.0 for one minute, and I was totally gassed by the end of 20 minutes. The BFL program has us doing 20 minutes of interval cardio training three times a week, and this is what my treadmill experience looked like yesterday:

Minute/Intensity level/My MPH
1/5/3.5
2/5/4.5
3/6/4.5
4/7/5.5
5/8/6.5
6/9/7.5
7/6/4.5
8/7/5.5
9/8/6.5
10/9/7.5
11/6/4.5
12/7/5.5
13/8/6.5
14/9/7.5
15/6/4.5
16/7/5.5
17/8/6.5
18/9/7.5
19/10/8.5
20/5/3.5

It's kind of embarrassing that I was going to slow for my high points, but I'll get it up there in time. I pretend I'm competing in four different heats in my mind, and each high point is the last minute of each heat, so when I'm getting up there I think "only two more heats after this, I can go faster!" which is silly, but it breaks up the 20 minutes and lets me capitalize on my competitiveness in sports. My legs are *super* sore today and I think it's because DH worked out my legs two days ago, and then I ran instead of using the elliptical yesterday, so changing up my cardio was probably a good shock to my system.

How long have you been doing these interval training workouts? I bet you're seeing amazing results!

 

[Haven]

I know I''m talking too much in this thread, but can you tell how excited I am to have some BFLers to talk to?

Anyway, I wanted to come back and share the super easy yet still yummy meal we just had.

Are you ready? here it is:
Chicken breasts with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli. I know it doesn''t sound exciting, but if you''re a mashed potato freak like I am, you''ll appreciate this recipe.

I baked the chicken at 450 degrees for 25 minutes. All I did before I put it in was to lightly grease the pan, and I covered it with rotisserie seasoning. Seriously, that''s it! The rotisserie seasoning is really good, and it made my kitchen smell divine.

I made the mash by peeling then boiling the potatoes, and then I added a splash of skim milk and 1/4 cup of fat free sour cream. I sprinkled some garlic salt and a lot of fresh pepper in, and mashed the heck out of them. I wasn''t very optimistic about these because I happen to love mashed potatoes more than anything in the world, and *my* mashed potato recipe has a lot more goodies in it, but these were DELICIOUS. I actually ate two portions of them, if we''re being honest, because I kept "tasting" spoonfuls out of the bowl.

And finally, I took a risk and bought one of those bags of frozen broccoli that you can steam in the microwave. We''ve always bought fresh organic veggies, but this was just fine!

Just wanted to share. The chicken and mash could not be easier to make, and it tastes really good.