thanks for all your help everyone!

my question is sorta about the book vs. board. In the book, he says not to eat for 1 hour after working out. On this board, most of you seem to wait 1 hour after cardio but not after weights, you drink a shake first thing. And you talk about having a shake post weights because of the lack of fiber. But in the book he demonstrates in the sample menus having breakfast burritos, etc post lifting. From what I rememeber he didn't mention anything about avoiding fiber after weight workouts. Where did this idea come from?

I started day one today and immediately following had 2 pixie sticks (dextrose) and then a shake with water, 1 scoop designer whey protein powder and in a panic for carbs had a pack of sugar-free applesauce. Does this sound alright? an hour after this I was starving but the feeling sorta went away after awhile. Should I have 2 scoops of whey protein powder? He talks about portion control but then suggests having an omelet with 4 egg whites and 1 whole egg! But then has another meal with only 1 scoop protein powder or half a cup of cottage cheese. I'm just a little confused still about what is ok to eat.. He only devotes about 10 pages to the diet part of the book and doesn't address most of my questions.

thank you! Sorry to swamp the board with questions!

aww... no one can help me with this one? I'm not sure whether it's better to eat right after I life weights or wait 1 hour.

Sometimes, some of us "tweak" things a little. I think these tweaks come from various sources. For example the Muscle Media website gives some different ideas for abb exercises and HIIT routines. Almost everyone on this board modifies the nutrition plan to stay low carb. So when you see things on the board that are in conflict with the book it is good for you to question them.

Although I understand the theory behind eating pixie stixs, I'd never do that because sugar was my downfall, so I avoid it like the plague. But everyone is different. My wife would have no problem with dextrose but stays away from startchy foods because she is afraid she could not stop after half a yam. So I guess my point is that what tweaks I do might not be right for you, so don't take everything you see people doing here as something that you should do.

My personal opinion is that in the first Challenge you should try to stay as close as possible to what the book says to do. I agree with you that sometimes the book can be confusing too. I guess Bill didn't want to put in too much detail so that people wouldn't be too overwelmed with new information.

I usually try to time my workouts so that I can eat shortly after my workout. Maybe it's just in my head, bit I feel so drained after a workout that I really need the pick-me-up meal ASAP. There are better explanations for why people eat within 45 minutes after working out, but those arn't my reasons for doing it. It just feals good and right to me. I think that Bill's reason for waiting an hour is to maximize fat loss.

Arnie

Arnie,

thanks for answering so many of my questions!
i guess I get caught up in just wanting it to work so bad and using what everybody has already learned so I can make it perfect.. you know what I mean?
I should really just do it normal first like you say and then tweak it later when I am comfortable with the routine!

I've been wondering also if some of those people in the book that entered (and won) the challenge did more than one challenge (as in took longer than 3 months). some of them just look so different it's hard to believe it was done in 12 weeks! And it never specifically states that each challenger made the transformations as shown in the photos in exactly 12 weeks. hmm.. well, it really doesn't matter to me one way or the other.

Thanks for help clearing up some of the fog in my brain!

Sheri