Hi gang,

Thanks to Nat, I'm fired up and started Challenge 1 yesterday. My main questions have to do with food.

Eggs: BFL recommends the whites only. New knowledge seems to point to the yolks being very good for us. I also have access to farm fresh, free range (my own chickens, so I know what they're eating and what they're given). I hear theses eggs are super high in something we need...Omega 3's I think. To eat yolks, or not...that is the question.

I feel like I need a sample LC BFL menu plan or something. Reading the book even recommends potatoes. Ack! Maybe a sweet one 1-2X a week? Other than steel cut oats and some more berries and nuts, I'm sort of at a loss for what to eat in terms of good carbs. Do I need a ball park figure?

I did buy some whey protein shake mix from NOW vitamins. Looks to be LOADED with amino acids. The Myoplex BLF pushes so hard is crap compared to this stuff and it 1/2 as expensive. This has 12 carbs per serving, 160 cals., 24 g of protein and is sweetened with Stevia. NO artificial anything. 3 servings a day will also give me over 1 g of glutamine. I've also purchased that - thanks, Nat! AFAICS, Myoplex is nothing more than protein, carbs and vitamins. Thanks, but I take a high quality multi.

Any sample menus/ideas for BFL on LC would be really appreciated. I'm very excited about doing it, but I want to do this the right way. And I do structure (and even boring menus) very well. Last night I had chicken breast with steamed (naked) broccoli and some cherry tomatoes. I just wondered if I should have had a portion of a healthy carb in there.

Thanks,
badgoat

Hi badgoat:

I'm officially starting BFL tomorrow even though I unofficially started last week with some trial runs. I'm very excited about it.

I can't really help in the food department b/c my carb intake is more along the lines of BFL since I do the Schwarzbein Principle. But did you check the sticky on the forum that Nat posted on doing BFL LC? It's really helpful. The "egg" issue should only apply if you are doing BFL diet by the book (moderate carb, low sat fat), which you aren't.

BTW, I'm interested in your protein shake b/c I'm looking for a whey protein with stevia that I don't have to purchase on-line. Thanks. I'm going to check it out.

Good luck with your challenge!!!

Wanda

Hi Badgoat:

Me again! Could you kindly tell me which NOW product you got? The ones I found on their website have fructose in them as well as stevia.

Thanks,
Wanda

I'm sticking with Atkins while I do my challenge. Read the sticky at the top of the page that answeres many of the questions about combining BFL with low carb.

For your after workout meal have no fat and high protien/carb. This is where egg whites would be good (I buy the little cartins just to make it easier). The rest of the day eat LC including your whole eggs, higher fat things, and no potatos ect. You can also just save the yolks to make mayo, cheesecakes and so on

Or you can do the BFL menus and ratios. It may be a good idea to choose one or the other though. If you have high carb and high fat, that is very bad. Having a moderate amount of carbs (much more then Atkins induction) with a moderate amount of fat shouldn't be a problem though.

Thanks for the info, ya'll. Here's the Whey Protein I bought. It does have some fructose but it's way down the list of ingredients.

I should have said I'd already read the great stickies posted by Nat. I guess I was just scared to combine carbs at meals as the program suggests. I've just worked out (UBWO) and am eating chicken breast, steamed broccoli and 1/2 large apple. First apple I've had in 3 months!

What a kick-butt workout. I think I'm going to call in dead tomorrow... More glutamine later.

Please feel free to add more tips as you feel led,

badgoat

Bad, I'd only add two suggestions to the excellent ones you've received so far:

1) get a little more glutamine -1g a day is about 1/10th of what you'd want for muscle recovery and repair. You're looking at 10g divided into two doses (one post workout, one at bedtime).

2) don't let the food recommendations in the book confuse you. As Wanda said, the book is aimed at a 40/40/20 breakdown - thats P/C/F. It's LOW FAT, moderate carb and high protein. If you're going to follow the plan that way then of course, use the book food lists. If you're going to stick to LC then you can increase carbs either a) around lifting workouts to get you through them or b) a few each meal over the course of the day. You'll want to use carbs like steel cut oats, yoghurt (plain, active cultures), berries, half and apple, sweet potatoes for case 'b'.

For menu ideas have a look through a few journals of past and current BFLers - LisaF (Dec - April 2002), Me (Nov 01 - May 02), Marlaine (Jan - March 01), Ruth (Jan 01 - March 01). Those dates are for LC version of BFL.

A little tack on suggestion to 2, 2b - post workout, aim for your shake here, and as suggested, avoid fat or fiber. You want a fast emptying protein that will be quickly absorbed - soy or whey fit that bill.

Best of luck!
Nat