I will definately get the book.

Just a couple of quick questions.... Do you have to eat 6 small meals a day instead of 3? That seems overwhelming to me. The exercise routine you describe shouldnt be a problem for me..... Are the cardio and weights on alternative days or can you combine them to work out 3 or 4 days a week?

Akiwican

Yes you do need to eat 6 small meals per day. The theory is that it will keep your insulin levels level throughout the day.

The trick is to think of all the meals as no more than 250 calories per meal. They are smaller meals/snacks throughout the day.

It takes some work, and it does seem like a lot food, but you will need it as your muscles grow.

Check out Marlaine's and Nat's logs on the food consumption, they keep very detailed journals.

Good luck and have fun!

Hi Akiwican!

The exercise plan goes as follows:

Week 1:
UBWO
cardio
LBWO
cardio
UBWO
cardio
Free

Week 2:
LBWO
cardio
UBWO
cardio
LBWO
cardio
Free

UBWO upper body work out
LBWO lower body work out

You follow this schedule for 12 weeks per challenge.

There are specific muscle groups that you are to target for each and there is a special way in which you do the exercises to maximize the results, and the same goes for the cardio (which is why you only have to do 20mins). Trust me...when you try it you will realize why it works!!

And as Terrie pointed out, the 6 meals are more like mini-meals, not the full blown gut-busters that we had all been used to 3 times a day.

I definitely recommend checking out the website and reading the book. The website is helpful with videos demonstrating how to properly perform the exercises, and also has sheets that can be printed off to track your progress.

Lots of success with your BFLing!!

KC

To KC and also to Terri....

Yes, I will have to do more research on this WOL. I take it the cardio and weights are on alternative days by the schedule you posted KC.

The 6 meals a day will certainly be different. I suppose I still have to stick with the 10 x body weight? Probably add a bit more for exercise too.... so each mini meal will be in the range of 4 - 500 cal. I hope I can do this. I want my workouts to give me great results which I am not getting in cardio only.

Akiwican

Look at the stickies Natrushka has posted at the top of the BFL string and her journal (and her posts!) for lots of insight on how to combine LCing with BFL. Nat just bumped up her calories and carbs with good results, and I believe she is consuming AT LEAST 10X her body weight in calories right now. Nat also recommends 1g of protein per pound of body weight/day also.

this will all become much more clear after you read the book and then look at the work and research Natrushka (and Marlaine, too)has done.

Hi, everyone!

I know, I said I was going to start on 4/1, the one-year anniversary of my decision to go LC. Well, I lied. I was so psyched about getting the move on with BFL I started on 3/18 instead. I'm at the end of Week Three today (tomorrow is Free Day).

I post my workout info and my menus in my regular journal, as I always have; I also have a thread here in this forum, "It's All Nat's Fault," where I posted some of my early questions/comments and where I now put update information (like what machines I use at the athletic club and so on).

These aren't "official" results, but here's what's happened so far:

3/18:
Weight: 178
Bust: 41
Underbust (the "bra band" measurement): 36
Waist: 31.5
Hips: 40
Right thigh: 21
Right calf: 15 5/8
Right bicep: 12.25

End of Week 3, 4/6:
Weight: 173
Bust: 42
Underbust: 34
Waist: 30.5
Hips: 39
Right thigh: 20.25
Right calf: 15
Right bicep: 12

I won't double-post information here, so if you want to read my ramblings/thoughts/comments/questions/etc, check my journal ("The Answer is 42") or the above-mentioned BFL thread. Let me just say that I'm amazed at the results in such a short time (especially when I *know* those first two weeks of 20MAS HIIT were less than stellar in their quality).

Congrats to ALL of us on making this decision!

Thanks, Karen....I'm starting C1W1D1 on Monday and this sure helps keep me psyched!! I'm glad you posted it and I'll read your others too. I just love this "learning from others' experience"...saves me loads of trouble....not to mention how this whole board has kept me on track from the beginning! I can't wait to start BFL and look forward to results (hopefully) as impressive as yours! I can't wait to see your "after" pictures!!

Hey, does Nat have before/after pics posted somewhere? Anyone else?

I went and bought my weights and bench today and they're all set up and waiting! I'll do my dry run and planning tonight and tomorrow. Any last minute advise is welcome!

Thanks you guys....for all the inspiration.

I have been eating about 25 carbs/day and still losing. I assumed that I needed to increase that to about 40/day when I start BFL. Did ya'll increase your carbs when you started? What carb levels are you at now?

Without even *trying* to get them there, my daily carbs now run from 50g-60g less fiber, putting me somewhere around 30-40g. All I did was follow Nat's advice about increasing the amount of fruit and veggies I eat, and it happened pretty much automatically.

I also added some whole grains, which Nat avoids for personal reasons. I find that a quesadilla made with La Tortilla Factory's whole-wheat lowcarb tortilla and anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 cup of shredded Cheddar, with a side of HOT salsa, really hits the spot for either midafternoon or evening. (And there are only 3g ECC in each tortilla--with 9g of fiber!)

I don't know where my carbs are coming in at - my eating has become less, not more, planned than before. I'm still following highly LC guidelines and don't think that my ECC are much over 30 to 40 grams. This is still something that I need to get a handle on. I want to put them into the 50g to 60g range to see what happens.

Teri, if your carbs are 25 effective grams then you should be OK. Trying to do this strenuous a program w/ just the typical <20g Induction Level carbs will result in you feeling tired and weak. Have a look through Karen's Journal for some menu ideas - she's great about listing everything.

Nat

Hi all!

I'm psyched and ready for week 2!

As for carb counts, I am more or less relying on my body to tell me if it needs more energy. I think that <20g is a little low considering all the exercise I have been doing. I haven't consciously upped my carb intake, but I think that I will follow my body signals. Eating 6 times a day helps to spread my energy (fuel) out and I don't have the "highs" and "lows" between meals. I am trying to get enough rest and to not overexert myself. The body knows what it needs and what it can and can't do. I'm not really sure how it got through the running yesterday, but some questions are better left unanswered! My body will tell me when it needs more energy and I will feed it when it asks for it. I think that it will be a gradual build up as I progress with the program. For now I think that I will just be sure to eat good food, take my supplements, and drink my water and concentrate on working those muscles.

All the best in your BFLing everyone!!

Talk to you on C1W2D1!!

KC

Just finished BFL Challenge #1 today. Tomorrow morning first thing, I'll be taking measurements and later in the day I'll be posting my final stats. I'm looking forward to seeing those numbers!

I have been thinking about taking a week off, but I'm completely happy with doing BFL six mornings a week and I'm going to continue, starting tomorrow morning with an UBWO. I feel like I've really gotten everything working well, and I want to continue.

Congratulations to everyone in this thread, for giving yourself the gift of BFL! I KNOW that you are going to get the results and be as thrilled with yourselves as I am with myself!

Marlaine

M, I'm looking forward to seeing your results But please, take some advice and take that week off. If you do not feel the need for it now, chances are you will by week 4. 3 months of intense exercise calls for some time off - failure to do so will probably end in overtraining. If you take a week off now it's voluntary and you can spend the time planning for the next 12 weeks - if you do not then you could find yourself enduring a forced week or two off, hating every second of it!

Nat

Great job Marlaine!!

I am so excited to see your results! What did you find were the most challenging moments? Any major setbacks, or pitfalls we should look out for??

I took my measurements after week 1 and the results are in.

In one week I have lost:

waist: 1"
bust: 1"
hips: .5" (c'mon saddlebags...give it up!!)
lleg: 1"
rleg: 1"
larm: .25"
rarm: .25"
lcalf: .5"
rcalf: .5"
lforearm: 1.5"
rforearm: 1.5"

That is amazing as far as I'm concerned (toot, toot! my own horn). I'm not weighing myself until after a month, or at least not for another couple of weeks. I would rather have a little more positive reinforcement in case the scale doesn't move as much as I would like...

Something's working! Yay!!

All the best everyone!!
KC