Hello HColeman and congratulations on making the decision to change.  :-)

To answer your questions:

1.  I don't know much about how to get around your herniated disk so do not have any real advice here.  I will say that adding more cardio does not help you reach your high point.  Being consistant while doing your cardio is where you will need to reach your high point.  Believe it or not 20 minutes does do it but I don't know if using an elliptical or a bike would help you better reach it with your condition.  Hopefully someone who has experienced this can chime in.

2.  You should do all sets/rep (12, 10, 8, 6, 12 -12) within a muslce group.  Here is a link to one of my charts (bodyforlife.com/.../18600.aspx).  I followed it exactly with a 1 min. break between sets and the 2 min break between muscle groups.  Does this help make sense of it?

3.  Girl you can do this.  I weight 209lbs at 5'7".  I didn't lose it all within 12 weeks but I did lose over time and it made a difference.  Like you, I had the pains, especially in my feet first thing and then trying to breath after walking for a while or climbing steps was not fun.  You can click on my profile name to see my transformation.  Also the current 40+ Female Champion Michelle Simpson (Champster09) started at 300 lbs.  I'm sure she'll respond to your post as well.  :-)

The important thing is to plan, plan, plan, and then following it.  What helped me stay on track was being on this site posting on the forum and reading what people had to say.  It really did help.

Best wishes to you as you start the journey to the new you. :-)  

Hi HColeman :o)

I'm beginning my 5th challenge today. I've been doing BFL for about a year & a half off & on. I haven't been perfect, but I've learned alot over that time, and I've gone from wearing size 14 jeans to fitting snugly into size 6 skinny jeans. You have come to the right place for advice & motivation for sure!

I'll do my best to give answers to your questions, but hopefully we can find more knowledgeable folks to share their insights too. OK...

1. Cardio - if your doctor has given the green light for walking, could you possibly use an elliptical? It's very low-impact as far as any jarring of the body. I have used the elliptical for all this time, and I've been very successful with it. If not, then I would swim, and go by the intensity level guide that is in the original BFL book. No matter what the activity, there is a way to change the intensity/effort level. It may take some trial & error with swimming, but it can be done. Perhaps some swimmers can chime in here...

2. Sounds like you're right on with the weight training. Do one muscle group at a time, all sets as laid out in the plan, then on to the next muscle group. I find that sometimes it takes me a bit longer, especially if I'm doing unilateral exercises ( meaning training one arm or leg at a time ).

3. As far as morbidly obese folks, there is a stellar example of one who has really transformed. Her name is Michelle Simpson, and she is on the home page in the Champion box at the top. She's been at BFL for a very long time and has done multiple challenges to meet her goal, eventually becoming the champion for her age group. She frequents this site, giving a ton of great advice & encouragement. In addition, there are many of us here who have done more than one challenge to get where we want to be. You're more than welcome to check out the "Coffee Crew" thread under "getting started". Several of us post there first thing in the morning, either before or after our workout, while we have our coffee. It has helped me tremendously as far as accoutalbility, advice, motivation, etc...

Best of luck with your challenge! Hope I've been at least a little helpful :o)

All the best to you and your fitness journey. You are very wise to have a "prep week" before starting your challenge. I did a similar thing several years ago when I first heard of BFL. I took a full week to read the book cover to cover and another week to mentally prepare myself so I knew what I was getting into. Sharon-Wonder-Woman has some great advice. I just completed a challenge a couple months ago with very good results. You can check my progress pics on my profile. You can do this. Be patient.....it will take time. One of my favourite quotes is "Success is doing the right thing for a long time".

hcoleman on the sciatic problem--one of the former champions had had knee surgery and didn't want to risk running on it so she did walk for longer period.  She still did intervals and I think she walked for 40-45 minutes.  So I would walk longer.  There are quite a few that I have seen post that reach their levels on the bike.  Is it a stationary bike or road bike?  I have actually seen people post about doing it both ways.  On the stationary bike if you can't pedal fast enough to get your levels change the resistant settings and if you just play with it a little wou should be able to reach your levels.  

On the weights you are doing it correctly.  You need the rests.  If they seem too long, you may want to try to up your weights.  When I am really hitting my 8's & 9's half the time I am thinking is that minute already over.  Sometimes with some exercises your time could run a little longer, but pretty much if things go smoothly and you are timing your reps right you should finish at 46-50 minutes.

For inspiration--2009 Champion for Women over 46 weighed 300# when she started.  She is a regular poster on here.  If you see Champster 09 (her name is Michelle), click on her profile and you'll see pictures of her.  Also I believe the woman who won the age group that is right under Michelle's has also lost over 100's# doing BFL.  There are some others on the site.  

I hope this helps you some.

I know it seems like what I said and Sharon said may contradict, but not really.  If you can reach the right intensities of 8's, 9's, & 10's, then 20 minutes is enough.  But if you truly can't reach these proper intensities due to the sciatic nerve on whatever piece of equipment or cardio you do, then go at lower intensities for a longer period of time.  Strive to do the intervals.  If you can reach your proper intensities and then go longer on your cardio, you risk overtraining and burning muscle.  We want to keep the muscle to burn fat, the more muscle we have the more fat we burn.

Ok, I work with me here.  I'm visual.  Give me an example of the instensity cardio workout at the 5,6 and 8 & 9.  Honestly, I don't know when I'm hitting various intensities, and I'm not following the chart in the book.  Shoot, if i'm sweating and breathing hard, for me I hit it another level.  I'm sure I'm off basis with that analogy, so if someone can post their cardio, then I can get a better understanding, and see how I can implement it into my cardio.  

Thanks in advance Veterans!

Here's your visual. :-)

The youtube video is part of a 4-DVD Set you can order on this site including two DVD's with BFL success stories and a DVD on how to do Body-for-LIFE (you should still read the book).  The 4-DVD set cost $9.99.  It's great for motivation and explaining a few things, especially if you are a visual person.  :-)

Here's the link to order:

www.abbottstore.com/.../007160

If you order the 4-DVD set, you do not need to buy the Success Stories 2 video.  It's included in the 4-DVD set.

You can do this.  I want to remind you though of a couple of things.  Make sure you take your before pics up to 2 days before starting the official challenge or no more than 3 days after you start.

Per Diem...this is not an excuse, if you are traveling enough to have per diem then you need to work on controlling what you spend that per diem on.  Most per diem can be used at the super market.  So on the first day of your trip, go to the store and buy some things to put in the mini fridge in the hotel.  LF Cottage cheese, fresh fruits and SF, FF yogurt.  Learn early on that you manage food, it doesn't manage you.

Oh sorry... :o)  I'm known for being a little direct.

I will tell you that it took me quite some time to admit that I was my own problem.  Not my schedules, not my planning, just really bad food choices.   I wish way back in the day someone had been direct with me and actually told me that, but hey, people don't really know how to talk to someone that's obese. 

I didn't become overweight because someone else forced me to eat.  I did it all on my own and I know realize that, even if I didn't in the beginning. 

We pick up food as a sedative for many other things that ails us.  Be patient with yourself but always, always ask yourself before eating any food "will this help me reach my goals?" and "Will I feel better or worse after I've eaten this".  You get a free day for a reason so stick to six days of clean eating.  Keep a food journal.  Do busy work if you become stressed.  Dust, vacuum, clean out closets any thing to keep you moving and out of the kitchen. 

If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to come here to the forum for guidance.  You can do this!! 

Wow, Michelle Simpson!  I feel like you are a celebrity after reading the post here about your accomplishments.  I read your post (along with all the others here) before leaving for my trip this past week (7/20-7/23; and no you weren't hard at all.  Just what I need from everybody!).  The responses helped me focus.  I wasn't perfect, but I continue to think of what needed to be done.  I did indulge, but not over indulge.  Excuse or not, this past week was a test, and I know now this is defintely doable.  If graded, I got a C.  I know now I have to bring my grade up.  

So, today is my "true" day 1.  My husband took my picture (no not ready to post yet) which was a huge step for me to allow him to take the picture.  Even though he see me all the time, seeing me in a before picture is different (do you know what I mean?).  When he asked me "you don't like how you look," and my response was "no." He said, "you got issues."  Funny, he loves me as I am, but I don't.  Don't get me wrong, I love me, but I know now being 42 (knew it for a while) that to be the best me, I have to be healthier...totally.  I've always knew this.  Using my injury as an excuse, will just add on more than the already 13lbs I've gained back.  I know it will take more than 1 challenge to get to where I want to be, and I am up for it!  Thanks all for all the information.

Sharon--Wonder-Woman, thanks so much for this visual of the video.  I understand now, and can now plan my cardio workout out for the week.