Challenge 1 Day 18

Since I started this challenge, I have been waking up when my husband gets up for work. I do a few quick chores, then exercise. Yesterday, I put dishes away and checked on my son (who was still sleeping) and I saw that he was near the edge of the bed (he sleeps with us, yes, at age 3). I knew he'd fall off if a) I didn't wake him up or b) get into bed with him. Guess which option I chose? I fell back asleep until he woke up, about 45 minutes later. I immediately hopped on the elliptical, but I was really cranky, figuratively kicking myself for slacking. Not that it was really slacking, but I had been really proud of myself for actually getting up and doing it right away for almost 3 weeks. I used my aggression to push myself during my cardio session. So I guess it worked out.

Food was decent. I made some great roasted carrots for lunch.

4 oz apple
3/4 cup nonfat cottage cheese
16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer

1 tbs light mayonnaise
1 tsp mustard
4 oz chicken
10 oz carrots (a lot, I know, but they were really good, sprinkled with sage, garlic salt, and pepper and roasted until tender)

1 tbs light mayonnaise
1 tsp mustard
4 oz chicken
1 low carb tortilla

McDonald's Bacon Ranch Grilled Chicken Salad
1 packet Newman's Own ranch dressing

1 whole wheat mini bagel
1 tsp mustard
4 slices turkey

Calories - 1424
Carbs - 120 (24 fiber)
Protein - 134
Fat - 46
Ratio - 33.4c/37.4p/29.1f

Challenge 1 Day 17

I like the change in my LBWO - the standing calf raises, holding various weights, works much better than seated calf raises. I actually felt it in my legs this time. I think next week I will be bumping my starting weight loads for all my LB exercises.

Food was ok. I didn't eat enough. My dinner was huge, but I didn't eat after that.

4 oz apple
3/4 cup nonfat cottage cheese
16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer

5 oz carrots
6.5 oz tuna
1 tbs light mayonnaise

3 oz ground chicken
1/2 cup brown rice

1 cup egg mates
1 oz onion
2 oz green pepper
3 tsp garlic
2 cups broccoli/cauliflower mix
1 slice double fiber bread
1/2 tbs butter
1 oz mozzarella cheese
16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer

Calories - 1184
Carbs - 101 (19 fiber)
Protein - 107
Fat - 36
Ratio - 34.9c/36.9p/28.3f

Challenge 1 Day 16

Cardio was much better yesterday! I did the whole positive outlook approach, and it really did help me get through those 20 minutes. I felt really great after! I might even say I enjoyed it. Might.

Food was much better yesterday. I was up in calories, and my dinner was fantastic - chicken tortilla pizza! Except for the tortillas getting soggy in the oven (the center, where the toppings were), it was great!

4 oz apple
3/4 cup cottage cheese
16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer

6 oz cantaloupe
3/4 cup cottage cheese

1 low carb tortilla
6.5 oz tuna
1/2 tbs light mayonnaise

2 low carb tortillas
8 oz chicken tenderloins
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1 oz green pepper
1 oz onion
2 servings black olives
3 tsp garlic
2 oz mozzarella

2 oz mozzarella
1 SF pudding cup

Calories - 1688
Carbs - 133 (25 fiber)
Protein - 175
Fat - 46
Ratio - 32.2/42.5/25.4

Another calculation

I found another post with suggestions for protein/fat needs. This one suggests 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, not per pound of lean body mass. That makes more sense to me. Still half a fat gram per pound of body weight. The rest of the calories come from carbs. So:

160 grams of protein per day (160 grams * 4 cal/gram = 640 calories) [35%]
80 grams of fat per day (80 grams * 9 cal/gram = 720 calories) [40%]

1360 calories from protein and fat

1845 calories - 1360 calories = 485 calories from carbs [25%]

4 cal/gram = 122 grams of carbs per day

So, by meal, at 5 per day:

32 grams of protein
16 grams of fat
24 grams of carbs
25c/35p/40f

That's a lot different than my initial calculations. It's all so confusing! I love the math, but deciding what guidelines to follow is a real pain in the ass.

Challenge 1 Day 15

I think I'm ready to add some weight to my bench press load! I'll start that next week. I wish like hell I could take some off the biceps curl, but I won't since I can actually do it. It's just hard!!! Doing BFL makes me realize how wimpy my workouts used to be! I remember, when I was hardcore Atkins, reading the BFL book and thinking, "I could never eat that way - all those carbs!! And that weight lifting! No way!!" I really don't know what made me look into BFFM a few months ago, but that book changed the way I look at food and exercise, and I was able to think I could actually do a BFL challenge. I do love it! I certainly don't have it down perfect, but I am very pleased with my meals, and I love the workout. I to miss certain aspects of Atkins, particularly Linda Sue's recipes. I need to think Atkins on my free day. I think that will help me stay away from the junk. I need to keep reminding myself that it's not Free Day, it's Atkins Day.

Food was pretty good yesterday. I also went through the BFL site and got some great recipes for lunches and breakfast. I'll post reviews as I make them.

4 oz apple
3/4 cup nonfat cottage cheese
16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer

1/2 cup brown rice
3 oz ground chicken

16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs 2% milk
4 slices Oscar Mayer smoked ham
1 slice double fiber wheat bread

3 oz grilled pork ribs
1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 cup butter beans

1/2 cup egg mates
2 oz green pepper
2 oz onion
3 tsp garlic
3 slices Oscar Mayer smoked ham

Calories - 1343
Carbs - 120 (19 fiber)
Protein - 118
Fat - 45
Ratio - 35.3c/34.7p/30f

Week 2 is over!

I weighed in yesterday at 160.5, which is down 5 pounds from my start weight and 2 pounds down from last Monday's gain. Of course, I'm up those 2 pounds today, so at 162.5, my net loss for the first two weeks is 3 pounds. Not horrible, and I am certainly not going to panic yet. It is, however, a bit discouraging. I was in no mood to work out this morning. But I did.

Food was all over the place yesterday. I was starving!!! So I ate. A lot. The only bad thing I ate was 2 packages of Little Debbie peanut butter crunch bars. That's almost 600 calories right there. I also ate pretzels and mozzarella cheese. The rest that I ate is stuff I'd normally eat, just larger quantities. There's no doubt that I need to increase my calories during the week, so I don't pig out on my free day. And damn, why do I insist of frakking things up by eating the candy?? Maybe I should get some frankenchocolate to keep on hand. Or better yet, eat the sugar free pudding I ignored yesterday. That would have been the smarter choice.

Next Sunday, I'll try eating on plan. I have to stop thinking I can eat whatever I want. I need to find healthier alternatives to Little Debbies.

Challenge 1 Day 13

Same old, same old going on here. I worked up a great sweat during cardio. Actually, after is when I really start sweating. I still hate those 1200 seconds I am on the elliptical.

I still need to work on eating more. Too bad every meal can't be like my lunch yesterday - a huge egg white scramble with onions, garlic, green pepper, and sliced ham. It was incredibly filling. But alas, I am too lazy to cook 5-6 times a day.

3/4 cup nonfat cottage cheese
3 oz apple
16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer

3 slices Oscar Mayer smoked ham
1/2 cup egg mates
2 oz onion
2 oz green pepper
3 tsp garlic
1 slice double fiber wheat toast
1/2 pat butter

3 slices Oscar Mayer smoked ham
1 slice double fiber wheat toast
4 oz cucumber
1/2 cup carrots

4 oz top round
1 cup spaghetti squash
1/2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer
3 slices Oscar Mayer smoked ham
3 oz apple

2 oz mozzarella cheese
1 sugar free chocolate mint pudding cup

Calories - 1195
Carbs - 116 (22 fiber)
Protein - 117
Fat - 38
Ratio - 36.4c/36.8p/26.8f

Challenge 1 Day 12

I am definitely changing up my exercises for my calves, beginning next week. My husband showed me how to raise the barbell holder thingy (love my vast knowledge of my equipment???!!) so I can do the standing calf raises with weights, then I'll end with a set of reverse calf raises.

Food was better, in terms of calories, but my ratio wasn't spot on. Still, I consider it an acceptable range.

1 cup nonfat cottage cheese
5 oz apple
16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer

2 slices double fiber wheat bread
4 slices Oscar Mayer smoked ham
16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer

3 slices Oscar Mayer smoked ham
1 slice double fiber wheat bread
4 oz cucumber

7 oz ground chicken
1/2 cup brown rice
8 oz broccoli
1 oz onion

4 oz ground chicken
1/2 cup brown rice
1 oz onion

Calories - 1630
Carbs - 168 (33 fiber)
Protein - 147
Fat - 54
Ratio - 38.4/33.7/27.9

Challenge 1 Day 11

As I was shopping yesterday, I decided to get my required EAS product out of the way. While I would much prefer not to eat anything so overly processed, I can understand why the BFL folks require that we consume at least one during a challenge. They are, after all, putting up the $200,000+ that is rewarded each year.

My poison of choice was a Myoplex Chocolate Chocolate Chip meal replacement bar, at $1.97. I bought a Diet Coke to go with it because I was sure I would need to lube the esophagus to get the bar down. The outside layer of chocolate was nice and sweet and 100% edible. The inner layer was very chewy, and not really in a good way. It was a cross between a cake and a brick, leaning heavily the brick side. Overall, it certainly wasn't as bad as some *coughAtkinscough* bars I've eaten, but it definitely reinforced my loathing of frankenfoods. Give me something natural (or minimally processed) any day. If I can make it myself and can pronounce and understand the ingredients, I'm likely to eat it.

And that is why I like nutrition programs like Body For Life and Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle, and even Atkins - there really isn't the need to buy lots of "specialty" foods. Aside from the single purchase I made yesterday, the BFL Challenge doesn't require me to buy four weeks worth of meals (to get a fifth week free!!!) or keep me fat by hoodwinking me into thinking "it's fat free, so I can eat all I want" like Snackwell did with their line of fat free baked goods back in the day. Of course, there are tons of product out there, and I suppose they have their place, but it took me a long time to learn that just because I can eat something, doesn't mean I should eat it. I understand why companies jump on certain bandwagons and roll out new foods, but it drives me nuts when they try to take advantage of consumers. During the Great Low Carb Craze of 2003, Russell Stover began producing low carb versions of their candies. The red packages screamed "2 NET CARBS!!!" People ate them up, literally! They also spend a lot more time in the bathroom, because the sugar alcohols used to replace sugar can cause severe gastric distress. In layman's terms, that means they give you the runs. But that's not even my beef with Russell Stover and others who jumped on the low carb opportunity. Prior to getting the low carb candy in my area, I had been buying the sugar free version. When the shiny red packages came out, they cost more than the green sugar free bags. After careful inspection, there was virtually no difference in the ingredients between the low carb and sugar free versions. But people saw the "low carb" on the front of the bag and that's all companies needed to make the sale. Shameful, in my opinion.

But I digress. My point is, for some hypocritical reason, I don't like "diet" frankenfoods. But when I'm off plan, I'll sure as heck eat the processed crap. Surely, that is one of my big problems. I can enjoy the natural stuff when I'm on a plan like BFL/BFFM, but as soon as I stop, I seem to forget my anti-frankenfood stance. I need to work on making this way of eating a way of life. When this challenge is over, I'm taking about 2 weeks off to enjoy Thanksgiving with my inlaws, then I'm starting another challenge. But in between challenges, I'm going to make a deal with myself. If I can get through the vacation with the inlaws (where I'll have little control over the menu), I'll reward myself with something for my health, such as a new set of dumbbell weights, or some weight lifting gloves. Or heck, maybe I'll take some sort of fitness class. But I want to reward myself for being healthy with something for being healthy.

And now, on to yesterday's menu. It was better, in terms of calories, but my ratio was off.

4.5 oz apple
1 cup nonfat cottage cheese

1 Myoplex chocolate chocolate chip bar

4 oz carrots
1 low carb tortilla
3 oz ground turkey
1/2 tbs light mayonnaise

2 slices double fiber wheat bread
3 slices Oscar Mayer smoked ham

3 tsp garlic
1 oz green pepper
1 oz onion
1 large egg
1/2 cup egg mates
3 slices Oscar Mayer smoked ham
1 tbs light cream cheese

1/2 cup nonfat cottage cheese

Calories - 1483
Carbs - 139 (26 fiber)
Protein - 152
Fat - 32
Ratio - 35.9c/39.5p/24.6f

The math geek in me is awake.

There won't be any real post here. I just wanted to throw out some random calculations on various aspects of nutrition and exercise for my own reference and entertainment.

First, target heart rate for cardio. According to this article, here are the numb3rs:

220-32=188
188*0.6=113
188*0.85=160

I need to be working out at 113 to 160 beats per minute. I take my pulse immediately after the end of my 20 minute cardio hell, and I'm in that range. I need to check it at the beginning, when I'm only at intensity level 5 and see if it's at least 113. The last level 6 to level 10 cycle is rough, and I can't take my pulse while I'm in that zone. The pulse meter on my elliptical sucks.

Ok, on to the next random numb3rs, fat and protein needs. I don't have any hard resource for these, other than a woman on Lowcarbfriends who posted them. She works with a trainer, and I know I've seen these numbers in other places. Since I used up all my energy on the elliptical this morning, I am much to lazy to go hunt down a "legitimate" resource. Anyway, her coach advises:

1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass
1/2 gram of fat per pound of lean body mass

So, with 100 pounds of lean body mass, I need about 100 grams of protein and 50 grams of fat per day. If I keep my carbs equal to protein (as I would in a 40/40/20 split), I get:

100 carb grams * (4 cal/gram) = 400 calories from carbs
100 protein grams * (4 cal/gram) = 400 calories from protein
50 fat grams * (9 cal/gram) = 450 calories from fat

That gives me 1250 calories per day.

Haha. I don't like this method. And actually, it's not right anyway, because carbohydrates are supposed to make up the difference in your calorie requirements, so they'd be higher than BFFM/BFL plans.

Sparkpeople recommends that I eat 1200-1550 calories, 163-236 grams of carbs, 32-56 grams of fat, and 60-127 grams of protein. My BFFM/BFL ranges are 1600-1800 calories, 160-185 grams of carbs, 180-185 grams of protein, and 35-45 grams of fat. It's amazing to me, as an Atkid, that I've become so "afraid" of fats that I'm not even hitting my lower limit most days. My other ranges are great. I need to eat more fat!

Challenge 1 Day 10

I really struggled with my UBWO. The last two body parts were extremely wobbly. I wonder if I need to do my biceps last, instead of third, because those are the hardest, and it makes my arms feel like jelly for the rest of the session. I also need to be quicker in adding plates to the bars - it took almost an entire hour today because I was spending too much time adding and removing weights. An additional set of weights and dumbbell bars is probably a good idea.

Again, food was meh. I am still having trouble getting enough calories. This weekend, I think I will go through my cookbooks and bookmarks and make note of some good BFFM/BFL recipes. It would probably be in my best interest to print them out and put them in a binder. This will make meal planning easier, which makes budgeting easier. I can't believe how often the price of cottage cheese keeps going up! I swear, every time I start a different nutrition plan, the prices of what I need skyrockets. I am so growing a garden next year. We don't really have any farmers markets here, at least not on the beach. There are some across the bridge, but traffic is so horrible with all the slow tourists. And across the state line, there's a great meat processor. We used to get about $1000 worth of meat there, and it would last 7-8 months. We need to do that again, instead of paying outrageous beach prices.

1/2 cup nonfat cottage cheese
1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein powder (YUCK-O in cottage cheese)
1 tsp Splenda
1 slice double fiber wheat bred
16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer

3/4 cup nonfat cottage cheese
2.5 oz apple

16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer
3/4 cup nonfat cottage cheese
2.5 oz apple
4 oz carrots

3 oz carrots

10 oz tilapia (it was a late dinner)
1 tbs light mayonnaise
3 tsp garlic
2 oz onion
2/3 cup peas
2/3 cup green beans

5 oz carrots
1 serving Canadian bacon (I actually had enough Canadian bacon to balance the protein with the carbs from the carrots, but when I offered my husband a slice, he ate all of it, so I only got in 1 actual serving)

Calories - 1301
Carbs - 133 (27 fiber)
Protein - 143
Fat - 27
Ratio - 39.3c/42.4p/18.3f

Challenge 1 Day 9

Cardio was brutal again today, and I love it! I worked up such a sweat, and it felt really, really great!!!!

I recalculated my per meal needs, based on 5 meals a day instead of 6. I just can't get 6 meals a day in right now. Most of the time, I get sidetracked and forget to eat. So, here's what I need to start aiming for, per meal:

320-360 calories
32-37 grams of carbs
32-37 grams of protein
7-9 grams of fat

I think my math is right. I just did it quickly.

Today's food was decent, maybe a bit high on the protein side.

2.5 oz apple
4 oz top round
16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer

shanny cakes
16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer

1 low carb tortilla
1/2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
3 tsp garlic
1 oz onion
1 oz green pepper
1/2 cup egg mates
1 slice American cheese

6 oz ground turkey
8 oz broccoli

3 oz ground turkey
1/2 tbs light mayonnaise
2 slices double fiber wheat bread

Calories - 1541
Carbs - 98 (29 fiber)
Protein - 160
Fat - 63
Ratio - 24.5c/40.1p/35.5f



I think I messed up the shanny cakes. I made them into muffins, but I don't think I baked them long enough. They were bitter and eggy and soggy. Maybe I'll stick to making pancakes with them.

Challenge 1 Day 8

Yesterday was weird. I did my LBWO, and using weights on my chest when doing crunches really makes a difference. Worse than crunches though is my second ab exercise. I call it a reverse crunch, but I don't think that's what it is. I hold my legs straight out and lift them up, about 45 degrees, then bring them down until they almost touch the floor. I can really feel it in the lower ab region, but I have no idea what the actual exercise is called. It burns, and it's a bitch to get through. My calf exercises need work. The seated calf raises with dumbbells just aren't cutting it. Standing calf raises are great! Beginning next week, I will probably change the calf exercises around a bit. I got some suggestions from a woman in our challenge group, so I will look into those.

Food was kind of meh. Toward the end of the day, I was so frustrated with other stuff that I didn't want to eat. So, I only ate 4 meals, and my calories were way under. I definitely need to recalculate my per meal needs, based on 5 meals instead of 6 per day. My calories yesterday were too low for even low calorie.

1 cup nonfat cottage cheese
2 oz apple
16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer

1 cup nonfat cottage cheese
2 oz apple
16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer

4 oz chicken
3 tsp garlic
1/2 cup pinto beans
1/2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
(sautée the garlic and warm everything up, sprinkle with taco seasoning - YUM!!!)
2 oz carrots

1 oz carrots
4 oz chicken
3 tsp garlic
1 oz onion
1/2 cup pinto beans
1/2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Calories - 1168
Carbs - 111 (21 fiber)
Protein - 118
Fat - 26
Ratio - 38.7c/41p/20.3f

Week 1 is over!

I think last week was great! I got up every day when my husband left for work. I worked out first thing instead of dicking around until afternoon, resenting the fact that exercise loomed ahead. I drank 10 cups of water each day, spreading out through the morning and afternoon, rather than trying to cram it in my exercise window.

Two big things I noticed last week are my overall attitude and the time I spent with my son. I was in a much better mood last week than I had been in previous weeks. As a result, I think, I spent more time playing games with my kid. We actually have a nightly game time now. I guess, because I'm not distracted by exercise all day, I have better structure in my daily life. It's easier to enjoy time with my son when I don't have the anticipation of another workout. I really like this. It makes me feel like less of a crappy mom.

Something I plan to do weekly is go back and look at my goals for this challenge, to see how I'm doing. So far, so good, I'd say. My goal of weighing no more than once a week is a bit messed up because I did hop on the scale this morning, just to see how yesterday's free day affected me. Now that I know that I can't have a free day, I will be staying off the scale, except for Sundays.

I know both BFL and BFF advocate a day off plan to sort of shake your body up and keep it guessing. Free days aren't intended to be a "gorge yourself with all you can eat" event, I know. I'd intended to eat pretty clean, then enjoy one or two snacks I wouldn't normally have. That's how my free day started out. I had a normal breakfast, then I got hungry, really hungry! I had BFL style meal a little earlier than normal. Then another at the regularly scheduled time. Then I lost it. I had some pork rinds and some cheese - certainly not horrible things to eat, especially considering I'm still an Atkid at heart and try to eat Atkins style if I can't be on plan.

Dinner is what messed me up. I made meatballs (perfectly fine) and used some Barilla Plus spaghetti and sweet pepper sauce. It was delicious!!! And I couldn't eat that much of it. After a week of eating small meals, my body just couldn't handle a large one. I felt icky. But an hour after dinner, I was hungry again. So I had some more spaghetti. Icky again.

Then the kicker. As I was preparing to make jalapeno poppers, I saw my son's bowl of M&Ms. The angel on my right shoulder said, "No, don't eat that kid's candy!!" The devil on my left said, "It's your free day. Eat the candy!" Damn that devil.

Great tip for cheese lovers!

I saw this on the front page of the BFL site:

Zap full-fat cheese on high for a couple minutes in the microwave to drop about half the fat content. You’ll get a pool of fat on top you can simply pour off.

As someone who doesn't like low fat cheese, I can't wait to try this!

Week 1 Stats

I've decided not to measure every week, because I just suck at it. It's so hard for me to get accurate measurements, so I will probably just measure at the end of every fourth week. I will, however, hop on the scale every Sunday morning.

I am down 5 pounds this week! It's amazing what happens when you stop eating junk food. Of course, losses like this won't happen every week. I wouldn't be surprised if it's only 1 pound a week from here on out. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if the weight came off in bunches, with a couple weeks or more between changes on the scale. That's fine with me. I'm looking at the big picture.

Challenge 1 Day 6

Well, I completed my first week and I feel pretty good. Cardio continues to get "easier" in terms of determining my intensity level. I've been taking my pulse immediately after and it's been up pretty high. I don't remember my resting heart rate, so I really can't say what percentage I'm in, but it's definitely higher than it use to be when I did cardio.

Food was pretty good today. I wanted some of my son's M&Ms but I resisted. Tomorrow is free day. That's what got me through today. Not that I'll be having M&Ms - I'll be sticking to the WOE as much as possible, except for dinner and my evening snack.

2.5 oz apple
3/4 cup nonfat cottage cheese
16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer

3/4 cup cottage cheese
2 oz apple

1 low carb tortilla
1/2 cup egg mates
1 slice American cheese
3 tsp garlic
2 oz onion
2 oz green pepper
2 oz chicken
16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer

7 oz green pepper
2 oz onion
4 oz ground chicken
1/2 cup pinto beans

2.5 cups butter lettuce
4 oz chicken
1 tbs Greek vinaigrette dressing

Calories - 1343
Carbs - 117 (24 fiber)
Protein - 133
Fat - 38
Ratio - 34.9c/39.8p/25.3f

Challenge 1 Day 5

Imagine my pleasure when I awoke to an upper body that was 99.95% not sore!!! Surprisingly, I was able to get through my UBWO with ease. Well, not ease because it's not supposed to be easy, but I pushed myself and really think I did well. Actually, I feel great! I feel stronger and thinner, even though it's not even been a week. I'm sure I won't see any drastic changes on the scale or the measuring tape, but my attitude is sky high about this right now.

More surprisingly, I've gotten my butt out of bed every morning when my husband got up for work. I used to do this before my son came along. I always got up and made my husband's lunch. After about the 5th month of pregnancy, I stopped. Our son is now 3 years old, so I've had a lot of late starts to my morning. Anyway, I still don't make lunch, but I get up early so I can work out while my son is sleeping. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! All but one day this week, he's woken up before my workout. The other day, he woke up half way through it. Fortunately, he "works out" along with me, using his golf club as a barbell. Sometimes he plays with my 3 lb dumbbells, and he uses my old Gazelle Edge while I'm on the elliptical. So hopefully, while I develop healthy exercise habits, he will too.

Food was pretty good yesterday. I actually got 5 meals in. It's hard sometimes, because I never know when my husband will be getting home from work. One thing I usually insist on is that we eat together, so sometimes that 4th meal is pretty late on the schedule. I could eat on schedule, but it's really more important to me to spend that time at the dinner table with my guys.

I'm still coming in under calories. Maybe I need to recalculate for 5 meals a day. We'll see what happens on the scale on my off day.

3/4 cup nonfat cottage cheese
4 oz apple
16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer

4 oz apple
1 cup nonfat cottage cheese

4 oz chicken
1 low carb tortilla
1 tbs light mayonnaise
4 oz carrots
16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer

3 oz cubed steak
2.5 cups butter lettuce
1 tbs Greek vinaigrette dressing

4 oz cubed steak
4 oz carrots

Calories - 1203
Carbs - 103 (20 fiber)
Protein - 126
Fat - 29
Ratio - 35.1c/42.9p/22f

Shanny Cakes

Here's a recipe I've had before (not since starting BFL) that makes a good "pancake" substitution. I first found it on Lowcarbfriends.com

4 egg whites (about 1/4 cup of egg substitute, maybe a tad more)
1/4 C nonfat cottage cheese (or nonfat yogurt)
1/2 C oats
four packets (2 tbs) of Splenda (or 1/8 cup sugar free syrup, such as DaVinci or Torani)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Blend in a blender until cottage cheese is smooth. Cook on a Pam-sprayed skillet like pancakes and enjoy! You can also make these into muffins by pouring batter halfway into cups of a muffin tin and baking at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Top these with some fat free butter spray and Walden Farms Zero Calorie Pancake Syrup and you're good to go! The whole recipe makes one serving, which has approximately

214 calories
23 carbs
24 protein
1 fat

Challenge 1 Day 4

Cardio was much better. I feel like I hit my high point and worked at the appropriate intensity levels. The ache in my arms from Monday's UBWO was fading, and I actually felt pretty good.

Food was a little on the bad side. By all means, I ate nothing bad, but my ratio goals weren't even close. It was a relatively high fat day, and I only ate four meals. Dinner was pretty big, so I just went to bed without another meal.

3/4 cup nonfat cottage cheese
3.5 oz apple
1 hard boiled egg
16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer

3/4 cup nonfat cottage cheese
2 oz apple
1 slice American cheese

4 oz chicken
1 low carb tortilla
1tbs light mayonnaise
4 oz carrots

6 oz lean ground beef
1 oz onion
2 tbs sour cream
1 cup peas
1 cup green beans
16 oz coffee w/ 2 tbs creamer

Calories - 1531
Carbs - 108 (24 fiber)
Protein - 122
Fat - 66
Ratio - 28.5c/32.2p/39.4f

Challenge 1 Day 3

My arms were killing me yesterday, from Monday's UBWO. Yesterday's LBWO hasn't left me crippled and moaning in agony. I'm not sure I really pushed myself enough, so I'm adding weight to the load for a few exercises.

Food wasn't the best yesterday. It was great until dinner, when I overdid the protein. But hey, Bambi is delicious!

1 cup nonfat cottage cheese
2 oz apple
1 bard boiled egg

2 oz apple
1 tbs peanut butter
4 oz chicken
1 low carb tortilla

3.5 oz tilapia
0.5 tbs light mayonnaise
6 oz cucumber
4 oz carrots
1 oz onion

4 oz chicken
1 low carb tortilla

2 cups peas
8 oz venison

Calories - 1591
Carbs - 117 (34 fiber)
Protein - 198
Fat - 35
Ratio - 29.7c/50.4p/19.9f

I alternate between no appetite and extreme hunger. When I first started BFFM in June, it took about a week to get my body used to eating on a schedule. I hope that familiarity kicks in soon.

Revised Strength Training Plan

I've adjusted my weights for strength training. I'll re-evaluate every two weeks to determine whether my start weight load needs to be increased.

Upper Body Workout

lying dumbbell row - 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 10
bent over barbell row - 10

barbell bench press - 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 15
dumbbell fly - 7.5

dumbbell press - 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 10
lateral raise - 5

barbell curl - 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 15
hammer curl - 5

seated triceps extension - 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 10
lying triceps extension - 5

Lower Body Workout

leg extension - 15, 17.5, 20, 22..5, 20
wide leg with dumbbell squat - 5

lying leg curl - 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 15
straight leg dead lift - 10

dumbbell calf raise on ball - 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 10
standing calf raise

crunch on ball - 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 10
reverse crunch

Challenge 1 Day 2

Yesterday was decent. I hated the cardio. I don't know why. When I first bought the elliptical, I loved it, and didn't mind doing 45 minutes a day on it. But 20 minutes killed me. Maybe because it was much more intense than my longer sessions. I got a headache immediately, which really made it hard to get through the session. I feel like I hit my high point, but I'm not sure. The headache did slow me down. Hopefully, tomorrow will be better.

Food was a bit lacking. I just wasn't really hungry, and I went to bed early, so I only got 4 meals in.

3.5 oz apple
3/4 cup nonfat cottage cheese
1 hard boiled egg

3/4 cup nonfat cottage cheese
2 slices double fiber wheat toast

3/4 cup egg mates
2 oz onion
2 oz green pepper
1 slice American cheese
1 low carb tortilla

6 oz baked tipalia
1 tbs light mayonnaise
2 oz onion
2 cups green beans

Calories - 1073
Carbs - 119 (31 fiber)
Protein - 121
Fat - 31
Ratio - 40.7c/41.5p/17.8f

Challenge 1 Day 1

Well, I am off to a great start! I got up early yesterday and started my workout first thing in the morning. My upper body workout required some tweaking, since I really overestimated myself in one area and underestimated in another. After I do my lower body tomorrow, I'll post my revised strength training routine. Overall, I am very pleased with my efforts. My shoulders and biceps are not very happy with me today, but I think we'll be alright. The hot tub helped a bit.

Food-wise, I'm doing as well as I can. I think I'm going to have to adopt the "tapering" method Tom Venuto talks about in BFFM. I tend to not get much fat in the morning, and more in the evening with dinner. It all balances it, for the day, I think. My carbs and protein have been pretty balanced by meal. It sure is hard to get 5-6 meals in each day. Sometimes I just don't feel like having a full "meal" and just want to snack on carrot sticks or something. But I can't skip the protein. I'm sure I'll figure something out as I go along.

Yesterday's meals:

3 oz apple
3/4 cup nonfat cottage cheese
1 hard boiled egg
2 cups coffee w/ non dairy creamer

1/2 cup egg mates
1 slice double fiber wheat toast
2 oz round steak
2 oz onion
2 oz green pepper
1 tbs garlic
2 cups coffee w/ non dairy creamer

5 oz carrots
3 oz cucumber
1/2 cup nonfat cottage cheese

1/3 cup brown rice
2 oz ground chicken
8 oz broccoli

1/3 cup brown rice
2 oz ground chicken

1 low carb tortilla
1 can tuna
1 tbs light mayonnaise

Calories - 1447
Carbs - 132 (28 fiber)
Protein - 147
Fat - 37
Ratio - 36.5c/40.6p/22.9f

That's pretty close to my 40/40/20 goal. I suppose I could have another 150-200 calories, but for now, I won't sweat it.

Now, if I could only sleep...

Before Stats

I took my before pictures today. No, I am not posting them here. If there are any significant changes between them and the after pictures, I will post them. I will, however, post my measurements. For the record, I am 5' 1.75" and my start weight is 165.5 pounds. All measurements are in inches:

Neck - 14.5
Chest - 43.25
Rib Circumference - 36.5
Waist - 39.75
Belly - 43.75
Hips - 43
Thighs - 24 (R), 24.25 (L)
Calves - 14.75 (R&L)
Biceps (flexed) - 12.5 (R), 12.75 (L)
Triceps (gotta measure those batwings!!) - 14 (R&L)
Forearm - 11 (R&L)
Wrists - 6 (R&L)

I'll get my body fat percentage and lean body mass tonight, after I'm well hydrated, on my not so accurate Tanita scale.

EDIT: I'm sure it's wildly inaccurate but my body fat is 39% and my lean body mass is 101 pounds. My BMI is 30.2.

Strive for consistency, not perfection!

This is the 10th of BFL's Nutrition Tips and it is really something I needed to see as I prepare for my first challenge. I am about 15 pounds above my "low" of the year, and it would be easy for me to say that one of my goals for this challenge is to lose those 15 pounds. I don't really know how realistic that is. Sure, it's 12 weeks and I could technically and safely lose up to 24 pounds in that time period. What I'd really like to do, though, is set myself up for a lifetime of proper nutrition and exercise.

There's a PDF file on the BFL site that asks challengers to write down five goals for the 12 weeks. I think I will do that here, with focus on developing a mindset for the future.

1. Strive for consistency, not perfection! Again, I think this tip is so vital. I'm not going to say that I will follow the plan perfectly for all 12 weeks. Instead, I will acknowledge that this challenge, since it is my first, is a learning experience, and I can make mistakes along the way. As long as I learn from them and improve, I've met this goal.

2. Make BFL a part of my life. I'd love to do a second challenge when this one is finished. Then another, and another, until it becomes natural. Being a stay at home parent makes this easier, in terms of preparation and finding the time to exercise, so I'd like to develop a pattern that will allow me to continue this way of life after I return to work.

3. Weigh no more than once a week. I have a horrible scale addiction. I will not be a slave to the scale this time around. As an indicator, I will use the tape measure and, more importantly, how I feel.

4. Learn to like oatmeal. From everything I've read, oatmeal is a staple for many BFLers. I have never cared for the stuff. I'd like to find some that I can choke down by the end of the challenge, so I can have another alternative for morning meals.

5. Make exciting meals. It's easier just to eat plain ground turkey or chicken, with a boring side of carbs and veggies, but really, who wants to eat like that forever? I intend to try out some recipes from the BLF site (and others, of course) and discover new spices and combinations. Anything I really like, I'll be sure to post here!

So there you have it - 5 goals for the next 12 weeks, and none of them say I'll lose "x amount of weight" by the end. Good for me!

Workout Plan

I made my list of exercises that I'll be doing in this first challenge. I'm not sure of the weights that I'll be using to start off. We'll see how my first set goes, and I'll adjust from there. [EDIT: I have figured out the weights I will start with - yes, I am a weenie.] I want to make sure my form is right for lifting. Cardio will be on the elliptical. For now, I will use speed as my intensity, and as my body adjusts, I'll increase my resistance. Here's the weight lifting plan:

Upper Body Workout

lying dumbbell row - 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 5
bent over barbell row - 10

barbell bench press - 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 5
dumbbell fly - 5

dumbbell press - 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 5
lateral raise - 3

barbell curl - 15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 15
hammer curl - 5

lying triceps extension - 3, 5, 7.5, 10, 3
seated triceps extension - 3

Lower Body Workout

leg extension - 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 10
wide leg with dumbbell squat - 5

lying leg curl - 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 10
straight leg dead lift - 10

dumbbell calf raise on ball - 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 5
standing calf raise

crunch on ball
reverse crunch

Workout Music

I think I've settled on two playlists for my BFL workouts for this challenge.

Cardio
Venus - Bananarama
You're The Best - Joe Esposito (Karate Kid soundtrack)
Winner Takes It All - Sammy Hagar (Over the Top soundtrack)
No Easy Way Out - Robbert Tepper (Rocky IV soundtrack)
Invincible - Pat Benatar
Rhythm From A Red Car - Hardline

Weights
(Don't Fear) The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
Miss Murder - AFI
House Of Fire - Alice Cooper
Someone Like You - Bang Tango
A Little Less Conversation - Elvis Presley
Don't Treat Me Bad - Firehouse
Twisted Transistor - Korn
Kiss Me Deadly - Lita Ford
Lost In The Shadows - Lou Gramm (Lost Boys soundtrack)
Ride The Wind - Poison
Easy Come Easy Go - Winger
She's A Beauty - The Tubes

Just for motivation

This is what I looked like after losing 50 pounds in 2003, before I got pregnant with my son.

Various Resources

Food and/or Exercise Tracking

Fitday
Spark People
Daily Plate

Nutrition Databases

Calorie King
USDA Nutrient Database
Nutrition Data

Exercise Demonstrations

Weight Training, Exercise, & Kinesiology
Women's Weight Training
About.com's Online Workout Center
Intense Workout
BFL Training Demos
Tom Venuto BFFM
Hussman Fitness
Fitness Online

Message Boards

Muscle Matters at LowCarbFriends
Discuss Bodybuilding
Body for LIFE Tracker
Body For Lifers
Body For Life Forum
BFL Buddy Boards

Exercise for BFL

I really like the format for weight training BFL offers. It's different than the standard 3 sets of 12 reps. You don't have to kill yourself with cardio. Here's the breakdown, straight from the BFL Starter Guide. I think "Intensity Level" is subjective, and more a perceived level of exertion.

Cardio

• Warm up the first 2 minutes at Intensity Level 5
• Minutes 2-3 move from Intensity Level 5 to 6
• Minutes 4-5, 6-10 and 11-14 work your way from Intensity Level 6 to Level 9, maintain for one minute.
• Minutes 15-19 work your way from Intensity Level 6 to Level 10 (High Point at Level 10), maintain for one minute.

Weight Training

• Weight train intensely, three times per week on alternating days with aerobic exercise three times per week. Make sure to hit your "high points" during your workout.
• Alternate training the major muscles of the upper and lower body.
• Perform two exercises for each major muscle group of the upper body.
• Select one exercise and conduct five sets with it, starting with a set of 12 reps, then increasing the weight and doing 10 reps, adding more weight and doing 8 reps, adding more weight for 6 reps. Then reduce the weight and do 12 reps. Immediately perform another set of 12 reps for that muscle group using the second selected exercise.
• For each muscle group, rest for one minute between the first four sets. Then complete the final two sets with no rest in between, wait two minutes before moving on to your next muscle group, complete this pattern five times for the upper body training experience and four times for the lower body training experience.
• Always plan your training before hand.
• Record all your weightlifting exercised in a journal indicating the exercise selected and weight lifted.
  

If you can read a magazine while on the treadmill, you’re nowhere near your High Point.

If you can speak to the person next to you, you still have a way to go.

If you haven't reached 80% of your maximum heart rate (220 minus your age and multiplied by 0.8), take it up a notch.

When you feel a burning sensation in your legs and arms, you may be at level 9.

When you reach the point where you can't take another step or lift another rep, you've reached level 10. Hold on for another 60 seconds and finish with an easy cool down.


So, exercise for a two week cycle looks like this:

Upper Body (chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps, back)
Cardio
Lower Body (quads, hamstrings, calves, abs)
Cardio
Upper Body (chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps, back)
Cardio
Rest
Lower Body (quads, hamstrings, calves, abs)
Cardio
Upper Body (chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps, back)
Cardio
Lower Body (quads, hamstrings, calves, abs)
Cardio
Rest

The exercise guide BFL offers is kind of limited in terms of variety, but it's a good start.

Calculating Caloric Needs

The math geek in me loves the way Tom Venuto (BFFM author) calculates caloric needs. There's no reason to drop very low - just 20% below your basal metabolic rate to start. Your BMR is the number of calories you need to survive if you're completely bedridden. There are some complex formulas to use, but a good guideline is your weight x 15. That gives you your maintenance level calories. For weight loss, the suggestion is your weight x 12. So, at 165 pounds, I require (165 x 15) 2475 calories per day just to lie in bed and (165 x 12) 1980 calories for weight loss. I'm not sure what the rate of loss is - maybe 0.5 to 1 pound per week. Of course, accounting for activity level will make a difference in the number of calories we can consume. But for starters, the information above is a good guide.

I complied some resources and created an Excel document that can be used to track measurements, food, and exercise for a 12 week challenge. Included in the document is a BRM calculator I found online. I'm not 100% certain, but I think I found it in a BFL Yahoo Group, so I can't give proper credit. . The BMR calculator also breaks down how many grams of carbohydrates, protein, and fat needed per day and meal. Based on this calculator, I need 2337.5 calories to maintain my current weight, with moderate exercise. The suggested number of calories for weight loss is 1870. That works out to 187 grams of carbohydrates, 187 grams of protein, and 41.56 grams of fat per day. At 6 meals per day, that's 31.17 grams of carbohydrates, 31.17 grams of protein, and 6.93 grams of fat per meal.

So, let's figure the numbers for a 40/40/20 ratio for low carbers. And let's round the numbers because even I'm not enough keep to eat a tenth of a calorie or gram!! So, let's say I need 2300 calories per day to maintain. The suggested 20% reduction in calories gives me 460 fewer calories per day - that makes 1840 - for weight loss. Of those, 40% (736 calories) will come from carbohydrates, 40% (736 calories) will come from protein, and 20% (368 calories) will come from fat. One gram of carbohydrates has 4 calories. One gram of protein also has 4 calories. One gram of fat has 9 calories. So, let's keep breaking down. The 736 carbohydrate calories per day works out to 184 grams of carbohydrates. Divide that by 6 meals and that gives me approximately 31 grams of carbohydrates per meal. Protein numbers will be the same. For fat, I need about 41 grams of fat per day, or 6.8 grams per meal. Wow, I guess the BMR calculator is developed on a 40/40/20 ratio! Sweet!!

But let's say I want to give myself a range of calories and give myself a 30% caloric deficit. With a BMR of 2300, 690 calories is 30%, so 1610 calories per day for weight loss. Crunch the numbers and I get 644 calories from carbs, 644 calories from protein, and 322 calories from fat. That's 161 grams of carbs, 161 grams of protein, and 35 grams of fat per day. By meal, 27 grams of carbs, 27 grams of protein, and 6 grams of fat.

So, now I have a range to aim for:
1610 - 1840 calories per day
27 - 31 grams of carbs and protein, 6 - 7 grams of fat per meal

On free days, 2300 calories, with 38 grams of carbs and protein, 8.5 grams of fat per meal.

I'm sure I made this much more complicated than it really is, but I love numbers!!

BFL/BFFM Nutrition

The food aspects of BFL and BFFM are pretty similar. BFL advocates 6 small meals per day, and BFFM suggests 5 for women, 6 for men. So, I'm going to stick with 5-6 meals per day, about 3-3.5 hours apart. Water is a big part of both: 10 8-ounce cups for BFL, 8 8-ounce cups for BFFM. So, let's shoot for 80 ounces of pure water per day.

Here are the BFL guidelines for meal planning:

• Protein. Choose a portion of lean protein, such as chicken breast, ground turkey, fish or steak. (Size of an open palm)
• Carbohydrates. Choose a portion of complex carbohydrates, such as a small baked potato, sweet potato, a ½ cup of brown rice or a slice of whole-wheat bread. (Size of a clenched fist)
• Vegetables. Add a portion of vegetables to at least two meals each day.
• Essential fats. Consume one tablespoon of unsaturated oil daily or three portions of salmon per week.

BFFM is a little more complex. It depends on the ratio of carbohydrates, protein, and fat you're going for. For most people, BFFM suggests 50-55% carbohydrate/30% protein/15-20% fat for each meal. For low carbers, BFFM guidelines are 40% carbohydrate/40% protein/20% fat. Since I am a low carber, I will try to stick to the latter. So the breakdown for meals for "regular" people is:

Meals 1 & 2

• lean protein
• starchy carb
• simple carb (dairy or fruit)

Meals 3-5

• lean protein
• starchy carb
• fibrous carb

Meal 6

• lean protein
• starchy carb (small)
• fibrous carb
• essential fat

For low carbers, the meal plan is as follows:

Meals 1 &2

• lean protein
• starchy carb (large)

Meal 3

• lean protein
• starchy carb (small or none)
• fibrous carb

Meals 4 & 5

• lean protein
• fibrous carb
• essential fat

Meal 6

• lean protein
• fibrous carb

The food lists for BFL and BFFM are very similar, with focus on protein, healthy fats, and good carbs.

Proteins

• Chicken breast
• Turkey breast
• Lean ground turkey
• Swordfish
• Orange roughy
• Haddock
• Salmon
• Tuna
• Crab
• Lobster
• Shrimp
• Top round steak
• Top sirloin steak
• Lean ground beef
• Buffalo
• Lean ham
• Egg whites or substitutes
• Trout
• Low-fat cottage cheese
• Wild-game meat

Carbohydrates (Complex Carbs)

• Baked potato
• Sweet potato
• Yams
• Squash
• Pumpkin
• Steamed brown rice
• Steamed wild rice
• Pasta
• Oatmeal
• Barley
• Beans
• Kidney beans
• Corn
• Strawberries
• Melon
• Apple
• Orange
• Fat-free yogurt
• Whole-wheat bread
• High-fiber cereal
• Whole-wheat tortilla
• Whole grains

Vegetables (Fibrous Carbs)

• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Lettuce
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Green beans
• Green peppers
• Mushrooms
• Spinach
• Tomato
• Peas
• Brussels sprouts
• Artichoke
• Cabbage
• Celery
• Zucchini
• Cucumber
• Onion

Vegetarian Proteins

• Tempeh
• Seitan
• Tofu
• Texturized vegetable
• protein
• Soy foods
• Veggie burgers

Fats

• Avocado
• Sunflower seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Cold-water fish
• Natural peanut butter
• Low-fat cheese
• Low-fat salad dressing
• Low-sodium nuts
• Olives and olive oil
• Canola oil
• Sunflower oil
• Flax seed oil

One day a week, BFLers get a "free" day - no exercise and eat "whatever" you want. BFFMers can adopt this "free" day as well, or eat within guidelines, but with maintenance level calories. I'll be taking a "free" day on Sundays.

BFL Challenge begins August 13, 2007

I am officially registered for the last round of Body For Life's 2007 Challenge. I lost 35 pounds this year doing low carb and Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. Unfortunately, I gained 10 pounds while I was going back and forth between North Carolina and New York for my summer travels. There is just enough time between now and our trip back to New York for Thanksgiving to get in a BFL Challange. I will actually be doing the BFFM nutrition program and the BFL exercise program. They are both pretty much the same, but BFL workouts are more intense, I think. I have my elliptical and my weight bench with enough weights to get me through this challenge, and maybe one more, depending on how much muscle I build. I also have resistance bands, a jump rope, and a stability ball. That's plenty for quite a while.

I don't know what my weight is right now, but last check on my MIL's scale in the middle of the day with clothing on was 165. I will weigh and take measurements on Day 1. I started the year at 191 pounds. I have pictures of myself in a full bathing suit from last August (at 195, my absolute heaviest) but I need to take some on Day 1 for the official paperwork. I need to wear something more revealing, because I want a brutally honest picture. So, I guess I'll go for the bikini shot. I doubt I will post it online until after the challenge, when I have an "after" shot to ease the pain.

The best part of this challenge is that I'm not doing it alone! I've found some other women from the Babycenter boards who are interested in doing it, as well. It's so much easier to stick to something when there's support.

Good luck to me, and all the others in this challenge!