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.