Didn't think I wanted to start a gym log but I've been inspired otherwise now. I read Body for Life about a month ago. I wasn't very interested at the time. I didn't think it was for me because I teach aerobics and thought I would be overdoing it.

I've been reading in several journals how it's working for other people. I picked it up again and spent the last week on a "trial run." Did 2 LBWO's, 1 UBWO, and 2 20 minute cardio solutions and quite frankly, I LOVE IT!

I'm particulary inspired by VictoriaT, Natrushka, mnokat, and yesican. You are awesome ladies! I curtsy in your presence.

I won't be doing it verbatim since I don't have the equipment. Because I teach aerobics, I do have free access to 2 gyms but they don't open until 8a and unfortunately I have to go to work.

MY PLAN:

• Start Challenge 1 on Monday, November 25. I guess you could probably say I really started this week but it was a lot of trial and error to see how this will work for me.
• I will do the cardio solution on Tuesday, Thursdays, and Saturdays and alternate LB and UB weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. In addition, I will teach a Body Sculpt class Tuesday nights, CKB at lunch on Thursdays, and CKB/Sculpt Thursday night, and occasionally teach a cardio and sculpt class on Saturdays.
• I will perform my BFL exercises in the evening after work.
• I will not eat an hour to 2 hours before training.
• I will drink a minimum of 3 liters of water a day.

I'm very excited. Last night I did UB and I'm feeling it a lot today. It's good though, not debilitating. I think this might be the most challenging thing I've done for my body yet.

We have another convert!!!! LMAO

I knew you'd come around to BFL sooner or later Pam! It was just a matter of time!

My god girl, if you are going to be doing all those aerobics classes AND the BFL workouts, you'll be a skinnie minnie by christmas! And watch out world come New Years, as you'll be dazzling them all in your new sheathe dress!

Make sure you are eating enough!!! And that means carbs too (the whole grain variety, especially)!!! You're going to have to up them a bit from what you've been doing to compensate for all of the extra workouts... what is your calorie level at currently? Carbs? Protein? These are going to be important...

How are you going to be with the 6 'mini meals'???

This means that you AND VickiT are going to be starting Monday!!! Yeay!!!

I'm so excited for you!

p.s. today is the end of week 3 for me! 4 week results on turkey day! Stay tuned!

I will stay tuned. Thanks for checking in on me Kate! Always good to have support.

I plan on having 5 mini meals, not 6. I have 2 meds I take that have to be taken at the same time every day and one of them can't be combined with any other food, meds, or supplements. I take my BC first thing with my breakfast along with my other supplements. Then, 3 hours later I take my synthroid medicine. That allows me to eat my next meal at 11:30a. My traditional 3 meals will be a little bigger followed by 2 snacks. It's not ideal but I gotta work with what I have. It's still going to be hard to get 5 in. Old habits die hard but I'm going to change just like everything else.

I will be upping my carbs. I haven't been to anal about counting them lately but I have added complex carbohydrates to each meal according to the Schwarzbein Principle. Been trying to get about 15-25 carbs per meal. I will aim for around 90-100 carbs a day. I'm sure I'll find the level I need to be at again.

I'm still trying to figure out protein. Is it 1 gram for every pound of weight?

I'm ready! I didn't think about Vicki starting too. I'm so excited.

Hiya Pam!
OK now we are the three stooges ready for BFL battle! YEAH YEAH YEAH

Have a great weekend. Ill be starting with you on Monday!

Courtesyin right on back to you
vicki

PS I made a gym log today! You inspired me. Plus, reading Nats has been really cool to see how much more she lifts now than the beginning days.

I officially start BFL today but I was still trying it out last week and my I'm sore! I think I have all the kinks worked out. As you can see below, I completly forgot to rest on the first two sets. This is one of the reasons I tried this out first.

FRIDAY- LBWO

<table border="1" cellspacing="0" size="1"><tr><td>Exercise</td><td>Reps</td><td>Rest</td><td>Weight (lbs)</td><td>Perceived Exertion</td></tr><tr><td>Leg Extensions (machine)</td><td>12</td><td>40</td><td>0</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>10</td><td>50</td><td>0</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>8</td><td>70</td><td>0</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>6</td><td>80</td><td>0</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>12</td><td>70</td><td>0</td><td>10!</td></tr><tr><td>Leg Press</td><td>12</td><td>190</td><td>2</td><td>10!!</td></tr><tr><td>Lying Leg Curls (machine)</td><td>12</td><td>40</td><td>0</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>10</td><td>50</td><td>0</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>8</td><td>70</td><td>0</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>6</td><td>80</td><td>0</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>12</td><td>70</td><td>0</td><td>10!</td></tr><tr><td>Leg Press</td><td>12</td><td>190</td><td>2</td><td>10!!</td></tr><tr><td>Seated Calf Raise</td><td>12</td><td>25</td><td>1</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>10</td><td>45</td><td>1</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>8</td><td>60</td><td>1</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>6</td><td>80</td><td>1</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>12</td><td>80</td><td>0</td><td>10!</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>12</td><td>80</td><td>2</td><td>10!!</td></tr><tr><td>Lower Ab Area (knees pulled in at seated postion></td><td>12</td><td></td><td>0</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>Leg Raise, laying down heels to the sky, buttocks up with muscle</td><td>12</td><td></td><td>0</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>Side Crunch Obliques</td><td>12</td><td></td><td>0</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>Lying Crunch, Heels on bench 90 degree angle</td><td>12</td><td></td><td>0</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>Stomach Vacuums</td><td>4 (20 secs ea.)</td><td></td><td>0</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>Erector Spinae Extensions</td><td>4, ea. side</td><td></td><td></td><td>5</td></tr></table>

Saturday

HIIT- Recumbant Bike (averaged 63 RPMs for each level)
<table border="1"><tr><td>Minute</td><td>Level</td><td>Perceived Exertion</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>5</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>5</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>6</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>7</td><td>8</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>8</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>9</td><td>10</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>6</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>7</td><td>8</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>8</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>9</td><td>10</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>6</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>7</td><td>8</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>8</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>9</td><td>10</td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>6</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>16</td><td>7</td><td>8</td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td>8</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>9</td><td>10</td></tr><tr><td>19</td><td>5</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>20</td><td>5</td><td>5</td></tr></table>

Then I taught a 60 minute Step 2 class. I was whooped!

Here are my stats Pre-BFL. My Body Fat was higher than I thought (although they claim it can be off by 3% by this method). I'm going with it though for comparison's sake.


<table border="1"><tr><td>Flexibility</td><td>3 1/2"</td></tr><tr><td>Body Fat %</td><td>32.5%</td></tr><tr><td>Recovery Heart Rate</td><td>123 bpm</td></tr></table>
Methods used: Flexibility- legs extended reaching between legs; Body Fat- Entered age, weight, and height and wrapped my fingers around a computer to measure electric current; Recovery Heart Rate- Stepped up and down on step 12" high (4 risers each side) at 96 bpms for 3 minutes, sat down immediately and 5 seconds later took my pulse.

Measurements (limbs were averaged between the 2):
Weight= 171 lbs.

<table border="1"><tr><td>Upper Back (around shoulders)</td><td>43.5"</td></tr><tr><td>Upper Arm</td><td>11.38"</td></tr><tr><td>Chest</td><td>41"</td></tr><tr><td>Under chest</td><td>34.5"</td></tr><tr><td>Waist</td><td>33.5"</td></tr><tr><td>Around Belly Button</td><td>34.5"</td><tr><td>Hips</td><td>40.5"</td></tr><tr><td>Upper Thigh</td><td>22.75"</td></tr><tr><td>Calf</td><td>15.38"</td></tr></table>

I will take some before photos tonight but I won't be posting them.

UBWO-
Dumbbell Flyes (lying down)
REPS/WEIGHT/REST/PERCEIVED EXERTION

12/10/1/5
10/12/1/5
8/15/1/6
6/20/1/7
12/20/0/9
Dumbbell Bench Press12/15/2/10

Shoulder Bench Press (machine)

12/30/1/6
10/40/1/8
8/40/1/8
6/50/1/9
12/40/0/9
Dumbbell Bench Press 12/12/2/10

Wide Grip Lat Pulldown (Lats, Upper Back)

12/40/1/5
10/50/1/6
8/70/1/7
6/80/1/9
12/90/0/10
One Armed Dumbbell Rows 12/15/2/9

Tricep Cable Extensions

12/30/1/5
10/40/1/6
8/50/1/7
6/60/1/8
12/50/0/9
Tricep Pulldowns 12/12/2/10

Hammer Curls (biceps)

12/8/1/5
10/10/1/6
8/12/1/7
6/15/1/9
12/15/0/10
Concentration Curls 6/15/0/10 (I'm dying, 10+)
Concentration Curls 8/12/-/9 (2nd attempt, couldn't do more)

I ended up flip flopping triceps and biceps as far as the order was concerned. Somebody was on the machine I wanted for triceps. I could barely finish biceps but feel pretty good about it. I was able to complete in 47 minutes. Very glad I remembered the one minute rests.

Tonight I plan on HIIT with the recumbant bike and I teach a body sculpting class (won't be picking up any great amount of weight). Maybe I will make Tuesday a Weight day instead of a cardio day. Will try next week.

Hey Pam!
YOU GO GIRL!
I think we should write to BFL and tell them that there is a perceived exertion of a 10+

Keep up the great work.

My gym is open on Thursday but I wont have access to things Friday. I think I may go buy a few sets of weights-we shall see. Either that or when I get home from my moms I can work out.

Talk to you soon!!!
Keep it up girl! LOOKIN GOOD

Hiyah Pam Just looking over those exercises and I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in!

You might want to try switching the order of a few of the exercises for a more effective workout. Your chest press should be your primary exercise and the flyes the secondary one; you want the compound exercise done first and the isolating ones as the 'finishing off' exercise. The chest press involves many muscle groups whereas the fly tends to focus on which ever part of the pec you are aiming for (depending on incline / decline / flat positioning).

Same for the leg extensions / leg press. You'll notice the stretch and separation in the quads with the extensions a lot more if you do them after a compound move such at a squat or leg press.

Triceps: try the press downs first followed by the extensions or kickbacks - it'll hurt a lot more the next day

Cheers,
Nat

Yee-haw!!! Nat visited my journal! Thank you so much. I think you're like a celebrity around here.

I was questioning myself on the order. You're right, I'm not feeling it very much today. I do feel a little sore but I thought it would be more. Of course, I may be singing a different tune this afternoon.

I've been lurking in yours. I think I'm up to page 16, just reading a little here and there.

Very true, it can take a good 36 hours before you feel it, truly 'feel it'. Chances are though, that if it was your first workout a la BFL style and you're not feeling it yet, then revamping and doing it again in a day or so will leave you in DOMSville big time

Nat

Question Nat: What does DOMS and MAS stand for? I've got the basic gist but not entirely sure.

The best kind of questions, one's I know the answers to!

DOMS = Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, that pain you feel 12-48 hours after your workout as your muscle go about repairing the microtears you made.

MAS= as part of the 20 MAS, is pure BFL, 20 Minute Aerobic Solution - it's not quite HIIT (high intensity interval training), but it is interval training and it does get higher until you reach the peak, your '10'.

Nat

Hmmm...I guess I've been doing MAS, not HIIT.

Thanks so much. Your gym log makes a lot more sense now. Hee-hee.

OHHHHHH
SO I have some major DOMS from my UBWO yesterday and Ive been eating LC all day and did my HIIT today... hee hee hee

abbreviations abbreviations!!

My arms are SORE SORE SORE.