Hi Everyone,

How was your BFL week?
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I had a pretty good week, although I came down with a cold that caused me to miss a cardio workout, but I still got in all my weight workouts.

I'm not really sure if it's just my imagination or not, but I think I've just gone through a little muscle growth spurt. I seem to feel muscles in my chest, arms and shoulders that I've never noticed before. But I'm not sure because the scale and tap measure have not been kind to me this week.

I'm going into week 9, so I'm going to change my routine next week. I may just go back to the routine that I used for weeks 1-4.

Arnie

My sixth week is almost over, only my last HIIT session is still waiting in two hours.

It was a very frustrating week.
I wasn't focussed and missed a HIIT session
I changed the expercises and had problems to find the right weights
Like last week I gained weight after my carb loading day, but it isn't gone like last week. Now I have 2 lbs plus

Now I thinking about changing my diet....

Anyway, in contrary to previous BFL attempts I will stay on track this time!


*I did my last HIIT for this week and this wasn't good either. I haven't eaten enough today and felt weak, but anyhow it was more than the max. I was able to do three weeks ago.
Nevertheless I felt depressed after my training. Last time I hit this kind of wall I gave up aand started to gain weight to an unfortunate new level. This time I don't want to give up. If I don't reach my goals with C1 I will try to reach them during C2. But there are still 6 weeks left and I will keep on experimenting with my diet.

Well that was my first week on BFL.

Made all my workouts, although a couple of them a little late, and my UBWO is still too long (although is still shorter than the trial one I did, hopefully they'll get shorter the more used to it I get - had to dive out between finishing UBWO and having a shower the other day, otherwise I'd have gotten a parking ticket! (outside the gym is free parking until 8am, so I have to be finished by then, or put money in the meter! )

I've done a sort of CKD carb load type thing yesterday night and today, so I'll see what that does for me (if anything!) during my LBWO tomorrow.

I ordered some l-glut because I had major DOMS after trial LBWO but DOMS are getting a lot less painful now, and thanks to the postal service my l-glut wont arrive till Tuesday... just as well I wasn't as desperate as I was when I ordered it!

Hi, all. I'm still on haitus, but I had a good week anyway. No free day, two heller hours, got all my cardio in, missed one ubwo which *might* get done today. Still wrapping up exams and frantically packing to get my arse onboard my ship so I can go to my conference. Saw inch losses, but no poundage. Can't complain, but it's almost getting to be a game now: How low can I get my bf% without dropping below 200? *rolls eyes*

The clothes I'm packing for the trip are a mixture of 12s and 14s on bottom, M and L for tops. Even though I know the reasons, there is just no way on earth that a 200 lb woman should be able to get into the clothes I'm wearing. Lean mass is somewhere between 135 and 140, and I am beginning to see my biceps - COOL!! One downside is though, my thighs are really hard and the fat that's left is so obvious since it's caught between the skin and the really lean muscle. Looks like I have these odd shaped 'pads' inserted under my skin, which I guess is actually pretty accurate!

Anyhow, congrats to all, and I will be back a week from Monday!

Cheers,

Friday

Had a pretty good week, changed my workout around, and man do I feel it!

Missed a HIIT, my gym closes before I get off work on Fridays, and couldn't get up before due to extreme slackness! However, due to a brutal LBWO Thursday, I was having extreme difficulty in moving about anyhow!

Two dinners I slipped up, had pizza one night and nachos another. But...I still managed to maintain a 3500 calorie deficit between Monday through Friday, not counting today. Gonna have a 1000 cal deficit today so I can have a treat or two tomorrow.

Still thinking about trying Glutamine out, I wish there was a way to tell how much muscle breaking down /building is going on. Might redo measurements halfway through. (did em at 4 weeks)

Good luck to everyone on the next week! I will be more strict in my dietary intake and not yield to the evil pizza (does running to the door when the pizza man comes count as HIIT? The pulse does quicken a bit in anticipation of pizza, heh), and will work hard to get in that third HIIT.

I started on a Wednesday so I'm midway through W6 now. Doing good, getting all workouts in. Today I'll do my HIIT during the first 20 minutes of a 20 mile training ride to a friends house for a cookout. I'm allowing myself a free day so I can have a burger and a beer or two. I'll load the bike up and get a ride home so I don't get a BUI. I'm finding that I'm eating closer to 40/20/40. It's just where I end up everday and I feel fine so I'm sticking with it.

Finished C1 today!! 12 weeks and didn't miss a single workout. Wow! I impressed myself. I've actually gained weight. I know that's fluid from the steroids. And we will not discuss the food I've eaten!

I didn't see any major changes but then I didn't make major progress. At least not until this week. Last Friday when I did my cardio, I did 2.3 miles in 20 minutes and was gasping for air, literally. Today, I did 2.9 miles! And my muscles gave out before my lungs. Amazing what you can do when you can breathe.

Decided to go right ahead and start the second challenge on Monday. Maybe now that the breathing problem seems to be conqured, I can make some real progress. Though, just getting up and moving has been a biggie for me.

Hmmm...you know...I can't really say that I haven't made progress. I've stuck to an exercise program, my stamina has increased, I am stronger both physically and mentally. I've gotten good at talking myself through a rough workout, pushing my body harder, sticking to it when I really would rather lay in bed. I stand up a little straighter, I've kept a promise to myself and I've noticed a drop in my stress level. Not bad, not bad at all.

Finished week 3 of C2. Every muscle is my body is either sore or extremely fatigued. Even sitting up vertically to type this is a strain. I got in all my workouts plus 1 Pilates, 1 yoga and 1 stretching class. Also tried out 8 out of 10 new positions from Cosmo. Dh worked out with me (talking about the gym now) and was available to spot me on my UBWOs this week, so I did the regular bench press. Very depressed at the weight I had to resort to - 45,55,60,65,60 - and the last set I only got 11. I know I can feel good about pushing it as hard as I could, but I feel that I should be able to bench more than half my weight.

Been doing better about keeping the calories up. I just allow myself treats when my calories are low or I'm feeling extra hungry rather than take an official free day. Since I'm aiming for 3000 calories I have a lot of wiggle room. Too tired to feel hungry today so may eat dinner as a free meal just to get the calories in. I have gained a few pounds but still look pretty lean, so I think I'll continue to try to bulk for 3 more weeks and then reassess.

Jen

Still having a problem with lack of energy. I have had to DRAG myself to the gym for my workouts this week. Did good while I was there, except for one workout where I felt I could have pushed a little harder. Cardio has been blah. Eating has been blah. Next week I am going to staright BFL style eating. I just can't keep going the way I am. It is not fair to me, my DH, or my DS. I hope to see a HUGE increase in energy & strength. Going to FORCE myself to consume plenty of protein even though it makes me feel ill to do so. I am convinced doing so will help me have energy to workout harder with energy to spare. 3 more weeks until my big vacation. I want to get my eating plan fixed once and for all so I will not be as likely to slip up while I am away. Anyway, it was an okay week- not too shabby, but not great.

*Had my free day today since we were away all day with no time to workout/eat right. Ugh, my belly is really bloated. Why do I bother with free days? I know how terrible they make me feel. *

I started on a Tuesday so I will finish Week 2 tomorrow. I have really tried hard this week but had to go away today so missed my cardio. Free day tomorrow but that means I don't go to the gym, eating stays the same.

Yesterday, my upper body was aching as DOMS sets in two days after workout normally, but my lower body decided it wasn't going to wait two days and started aching the same day. So my whole body was in pain, good pain though!

Had a good BFL week. I've gotten up to 120 lbs. x6 on the leg press, which is truly hilarious considering that it's near impossible for me to lift the weights to put them on the machine, lol. Finally figured out how to do those lateral shoulder raises, and rigged up a device so I can do squats with a ball while holding onto weights jerry rigged with resistance bands (if I attempt squats any other way I fall on my face) . And my attempts at lunges are still a source of amusement for most of the gym. On a positive note, a kind trainer showed me how to do calves with a Smith device so I don't have to shlep the free weights over to the stairs. Upper body is still pitifully weak although my biceps are getting a teeny muscle. Hips are way slimming down, but no movement whatsoever on my thick waist

HIIT is still iffy. I've been doing a lot of cardio--more than BFL recommends--but at a moderate intensity. Once a week I try the 20 MAS, which sometimes ends up being the 15 MAS.

Eating has been very good. I love this six small meals a day routine, since I'm a natural born snacker, lol. Finally got a handle on how many calories to eat and on what to do about free day. Do you all know about Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle? It's an ebook by Tom Venuto. He thinks highly of BFL, except urges some modifications depending on body type, etc. Anyway, he also recommends eating at TDEE-15% for 3 days and then eating at exactly TDEE for a day (rinse and repeat ). So I'm doing that instead of those free for all free days. I'll let you know how it works.

What is TDEE - total calories burned, maybe using the Cyrillic alphabet? I think my pattern lately has been to eat about what I burn for 2-3 days then eat about 500cal extra for a day. Not especially hungry today after my Cheeburger Cheeburger meal last night...

Jen

LOL~ Jen! I so appreciate your sense of humor, gal!

I *think* I recall that TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. But whatever it's calculated to be, it's obviously not mine, or hasn't been communicated to my waistline.

Love from RT, who used to be pear shaped and is now oval, lol.

Had a pretty good BFL week overall.....

Took up the weights on most of my workouts and they seem to be working well. I'm experimenting with some new exercises on my Bowflex so it's a matter of trial and error.

Saturday's are really tough for me to get in that Cardio workout. My first challenge I didn't miss a single workout. Now on challenge two I've missed two of my cardio days on Saturday. I need to invest in a treadmill for my house - no excuses when the darned thing is in my own house!

Looking forward to a better BFL week. I feel like I need to get motivated. I weigh in at the end of this week and I don't expect to see the same level of progress that I saw in my first challenge.

Kiks

I'm starting week 3 on C1. I've had some success and one small failure. I had a great week 1, getting in all WO's in the am before kids got up. Week2 started with a bad bladder infection and I missed day 1. I started on Tuesday instead Monday so didn't get in 3 cardio's this week. (although I DID rake the whole yard which FELT like a great WO..lol) As always, my UB is responding quickly. Shoulders and biceps feel great. As always, my LB is cause for concern. I feel akward when I do lunges and weak when I realize how little weight I need to use to tire my legs. Never the less, I will go forth and prosper! Week 3 starts today. I'm having food issues, but that's a post all on its own.. ..A good week to you all!

Joy