Hey All,

I'm checking back in after a week (I'm almost at the halfway mark).  Thanks again Faithful Renee for the kick in the butt.  I started carrying a gallon of water to work and I've had a better week.  My cardio was strong today and I haven't been snacking (woo-hoo) at all.  I did switch to another brand of protein bars last week, and I feel like maybe they were part of my problem too.  I'm back on Myoplex Lite and not even tempted to snack.  I have been a little tired this week, but not hitting the gym or sticking with my eating plan b/c of it, never even entered my mind.  I WILL finish the last half strong!  I am down another pound (9 total).  I'm excited to work hard so I can enjoy that Week 8 Miracle... and the weeks that follow.  I have my eyes on the prize... well all of them (Size 2, more muscular, increased energy, faster running, great Week 12 photos).  :)  I think I'm going to really limit my cheat this week to a cheat snack.  I'm determined to do the best I can do!  

runninggrl-You CAN do this...just keep the focus on your goals and you can make it happen! On the free day, and I'm not saying to do this, but I take only a free meal per week and then eat clean for the rest of the day. I've found that if I pig out, I feel like crap the next day...

Have you seen the Ladies Success Document? It's on BFLMike's page  mikeharris.org  Great inspiration!!

Have a great rest of your week! :)

Hello folks,

I'm Scott. My wife and I are doing our first body for life challenge. We will be ending week 4 with Saturdays cardio. We took our before pictures and will be taking one month pictures on Saturday. I love the mental discipline. I love upper body work out day. We have special challenges that we are trying to work through. I think the most important thing is to keep a good attitude and find ways to make it work. I am hopeful that the one month pictures will let my wife see the differences I can see in her. I am a skinny guy with a bunch of internal fat. My belly is totally shrinking which is awesome because my weight is just about the same thus I must be putting on muscle mass like a fiend. I never used creatine when I was younger and used to work out. I think the betagen might be helping a lot. Not sure, but am very pleased thus far.

It's funny, but I look at upper body work out days as an opportunity. In this whole 12 weeks course, I only get 18 upper body work outs so I have to use each and every lift to its maximum advantage. The same goes for lower body work outs. Now we get 36 "fun" cardio days, and I'm sorry, but I can't spin cardio...

It's cardio....

I have a valuable new skill.  I can now eat cottage cheese without gagging. It's taken a lot of focus, but I can do it. (wife still doesn't have this special power, she does cottage cheese pancakes or mixes it with yogurt). Anyways, I look forward to saying hi and meeting you all. Best of luck! :)

Scott-Congrats to you and your wife for starting the challenge together! It's always great to have someone to partner up with for support and encouragement!  Betagen is da Bomb! Love it!

I like your attitude about the 18 workouts, that is exactly true about each! So kick it hard!! :)

Best wishes to both of you! :)

This program is amazing! I just completed my first challenge. I didn't know there was a place  for newbies to connect. I am not even sure I am replying to this message right!

My husband lost 25 lbs and still going strong. I lost 12 lbs, I went from 30% to 20% body fat, and lost a total of 15 3/4 in. I feel young again and stronger than I have ever been. I never ran in my life and a few weeks ago I completed my first 5k with my family and now on Sunday for my 39th birthday I am running my first 10k with my 19 year old daughter! Hi everyone. These posts that you all send in help so much. It is great to hear the struggles and the encouragement. It helped to know I wasn't alone. Week 10 is when I saw the most results but not much before than. Hope to hear from you all!

DANA!!!! Congrats on finishing your challenge!!! You and your husband have done a fabulous job! And to run in a 5K! Then a 10K on your bday! WOW!!! Awesome Awesome Awesome!!!

Happy Early Birthday!! :)  Keep up the great work! :)

Dana, Happy Early Birthday to you, and like DebbieMO says, congrats as well!!!  You have done wonderfully! Woop!!

Scott & Wife :o) Congratulations to you also! You two are 1/3 of the way there! I understand about the cottage cheese too. It's been in the last couple of months that I've been able to eat it. Someone told me about Friendship brand no-salt-added cottage cheese, so I tried it, and it's easier to get it down. Also, I was told about this web page dedicated to cottage cheese: www.stumptuous.com/the-cottage-cheese-page There are several ideas for how to incorporate it into one's diet. I have come to like it mixed into whole wheat pasta & marinara sauce. It adds a nice creaminess & I like it as a stand-in for the ground meat. Keep up the great work guys!

Greets! Salutations!

I'm Jacque Dee, I introduced myself on my own before seeing this post. But, I definitely want to meet everyone and build relationships so when those tough time come I have some fellow journey-ers with me (new and old).

So for a short intro on me I did post something under the subject "Day 1-April 26th"

I'm super excited to start and day by day gearing up, cleaning up, to shape up!

In my previous post, kiefer3615 suggested to get my husband to do it - and he's in! So we both are super-excited to be doing this, you may not see him on here. He's not to techy or into blogging, forums etc.

One question before we get started: where are the proper (body) places to take measurements for both man and women?? SO we can accurately track progress?

Thanks BFL and teammates!!

"It's game time!!!

All,

I am excited about my start! I will start as soon as my book gets here. I'm working on getting the foods I need and cleaning out my home. I'm making space for exercising, etc. I wish my husband was on board. The supplements turned him off. I'm hoping when he sees me changing, he will jump on board!

Thanks DebMO!  I will check out the Ladies Success Document tonight.  I agree about the pigging out and feeling like crap.  I feel like it takes me back a step if I each too much one day.  Thanks for the inspiration.

Hi, I am a 34 year old mother of 2 that finally said, enough is enough.  I woke up one day and realize that I am getting old, things are starting to hurt, I don't look the same anymore and either I am going to get old and fat or age gracefully.  I just did not have the energy until I bought the Body for LIfe book.  I am on fire now.  I am completing my 1st week and can't wait for time to go by quick and see the results.  I am so exited to have a guide like BFL.  This will change the rest of my life.  

Misaza - I am a mother of 2 also, and feel like this was the plan that finally made me put my health and fitness at the top of the priority list.  At times I want this process to move quick too so I can see my goals reached, but don't forget to enjoy the journey.  As a mom, you don't get to enjoy "the moment" too often.  Now in Week 6 I look forward to my gym days (I used to hate strength training) and try to enjoy every second that I'm there working toward this goal.  Great job on Week 1 - it only gets better!  It will change your life!  Congrats on deciding to age gracefully!

Hello! I'm a chick newbie. I have been doing the menu plan for BFL for 2 weeks and have lost 4 lbs. I feel fabulous with no cravings and I've just starting to increase my exercise. I really want to start the weight lifting plan next week. Here's my question--I have osteoarthritis in both my knees and I cannot do the leg lunges, squats, etc. for leg work. I do belong to my local Y and I have starting some water aerobics classes there which gives me a good cardio workout without the stress on my joints. I can do the upper body weight lifting and ab work, but not the lower body workouts. Any suggestions for lower body workouts that don't put stress on joints? Would hard lap swimming with a body board and using only legs do this? I'd like to lose about 75 lbs. scale weight. I am currently a size 20, 47 year old female, 5' 10" tall and 240 lbs. I am using the nutrition shakes/powder and eating for life recipes and love them. Any suggestions for workouts?

Mom 47

Hi,

I am in my 40's also 42 to be exact. I had terrible problems with my knees and was equally concerned with how I would do on this program. I have 6 children they are 6, 9, 18, 22, 23 & 26. My 22 year old is a girl and when she was about 6 months old I tripped on a sidewalk while carrying her in my arms and fell. I took all the weight on my knees because I used my hands to protect her. Over the years as the pounds packed on my knees had more and more problems. Sometimes they would swell and get hot and I truly don't remember a day I was pain free in the last 21 1/2 years. I like you am (not for long very overweight). I joined a gym 7 weeks ago this Monday. I knew I wanted to do the body for life program and had been contemplating it for over two years (I have had the book that long and read it many times). I started slowly the first 4 weeks I learned to eat better and started doing simple things in the gym. I lost some weight and thought I really can do this. 3 weeks ago I decide to go for it but, like you can't do lunges yet (but, I will). I use the program to the letter and replace the lunges with exercise machine for the various leg muscles. I am happy to report 7 weeks ago I weighed in at 262 pounds I am now down to 245 and my knee pain has all but vanished and I thinking maybe lunges are doable in the near future. When I started I bought the Body for Life Journal and use it daily. I figure I will have to do at least 3 back to back challenges to reach my goal but I am in it for the long haul. I have already bought two more journals so I can just keep going. Do what is comfortable for you and remember as you build the strength in your hamstrings and quads it will take the stress off your knees and lessen if not eliminate your pain.

Theresa

Hello all! I just finished 11 weeks of the BFL program, but I didn't give it my all. I did the workouts, which were great for me. I have been sedentary for a while. The food part was harder. I did it as part of a program I undertook through my chiropractor. I lost 11 lb and a few inches here and there. On Monday, though, I am going to start fresh and really do it right. I am excited and more confident than when I started 11 weeks ago.