Good Morning Everyone,

I just wanted to wish EVERYONE a fantastic first day on the challenge.  Smile, try your best, and BELIEVE in yourself!

Welcome to all the 8-9-10 starters!

Bryan

Hi All,

My wife and I started on 8/8.  We are going to do this together.  I am tried of being fat and plan on losing 60 lbs and getting in to the best shape of my life over the next 12 weeks.  I am looking forward to making this journey with all of you.

I love the following section from the Body for LIfe book.

" So, if you developed a pattern of not honoring self-promises, this is a great time to change.  If you can't honor, trust, and depend on your own word, well.... that may be the root of a lot of challenges in your life-a lot more than you realize."  -Bill Phillips

Shannon

Hi all, wondering if it would be ok if i join in on this Starting on the 11th.  Gotta wait until payday to p/u some better clean eats?

A little about myself.  I am 32 years old and am pretty dissapointed in myself.  Over the last year i have managed to put on the 40+ pounds (back up to 245lbs) that it took me over a year to get rid of.  I used to be really dedicated to going to the gym before work (5am) and quit drinking.  However since that time, I have become lazy and starting drinking again.  I know what it is going to take to get myself back into shape, the problem will be the will power to quit drinking and smoking again, and get myself back to the gym.  

I am doing this for three people myself, my 3 year old son (don't want him to grow up like daddy has, time to be a good role model), and also for my wife who i hope will be supportive of me and maybe join me in this adventure at some point.  I have seel the best and the worst of me over the past three years, and right now i am closing back in on the worst.  I want to stop it before I get that far again.

So I hope you don't mind if i join in a couple of days late, i will be hear to support all of you, and i know you will do the same for me.  Thanks and see I'll be talking to you all soon.

Lee

llpirta - I read your thread and it was an ispiration. I hope you all do well in your final week.

I know exactly where your coming from Lee I lost 20 last fall and I've lost on other occasions and I always seem to get to a point where I THINK I can go back to my old habits that I am CURED or something.  This is my first BFL challenge and that's what I want to change more than anything.  I want to prove to myself that I can complete the 12 week challenge and change my mind set that I'm magically cured of being fat.    Welcome aboard!

Hi Everyone!

I am starting challenge #2 today.  I completed my first one on May 23rd this year and have put off this second one for no good reason!  That ends today!  I have not been eating clean this whole time - not by a long shot - and I can feel pounds starting to creep back on.  I'm NOT ok with this!  

I've heard the 2nd challenge is more mentally challengin than the first (not to mention physically) and it is. .. success at something I have struggled with all my life (weight loss) is a little mind boggeling.  But that's ok, I love the BFL lifestyle, not every minute of it (hitting 10s and trying to maintain some energy during week 6) but the payoff is incredible!  

I have been re-motivated by the fact that I am now 6 months away from going on the first real family vacation with my daughter and knowing I will need more energy to keep up with her!  Also, I want to enjoy the vacation and not be self conscious when we're on the beach!

Best wishes to everyone who starts today!  I will be posting often - hoping daily - for my own accountability.

Happy first day of a new you to everyone!

Did everyone take their pictures? I know it may be embarrassing and you may not want to share them with others but it is a great way to see your progress. It's hard to see the changes in your body when you see yourself everyday. :) I am taking my photos tonight and all my measurements, then at four weeks I will do it again and see what changes I have accomplished.

So someone asked what our biggest challenge will be. For me I think it will be getting up early in the morning to go to the gym but I know once I get into a rountine it wont be a problem. I use to go everyday at 6am. I know if I go in the morning I will have no excuses in the evening.

How is everyone doing on their first day?

Creating a new me,

Lynn

Yeah phily, isn't that annoying.  When i went from 260 down to 210ish, i said i would never let myself get back up there, sure enough I did.  And I will be the first to admit it was because i got lazy.

I may actually get started tomorrow, i really want to get this going and get back to my old habits.  For me, i think that the hardest part will be breaking my current habits, ie the beer.  I may allow myself one or two on the free days, but that may just lead me back down the road.  The eating won't be a problem as i know that i actually feel alot better when i eat six times a day.  Getting up at 5 to work out will be tough the first few days but no biggie!

Lynn, haven't taken recent pics but i will probably do that tonight as well.

Here is to all of us following through!

An observation....I started eating 6 small meals a week ago and stopped drinking diet soda. Instead I have a 64 oz container of water at my desk that I drink before I leave work. Not drinking the soda was not as hard as I thought but I did have a few headaches last week but nothing that advil couldn't help. I wanted to get familiar with the plan before committing to 12 weeks.  I did notice how much energy I have. I feel more focused at work. And I was just looking in the mirror and noticed my skin had a more healthy glow. I think it's from eating clean and drinking more water. I am curious how everyone else feels after their first week of eating clean and drinking more water. How is you energy levels and what changes  were noticed?

Lynn

I am a divorced, single mom, 53, with two teens, aged 15 and almost 18.  I put on weight after the divorce (a divorce which seemed to drag on forever, and not in a good way) and feel as though my lonely nights were my undoing..... used food and wine as my drug, instead of getting up off that couch and opening myself up to the world!  Instead, I shut down.  Well, things are about to change.

Although I am in a great relationship, that hasn't been enough to motivate me to take control of my own body and life as I should.  But now I see my brother's wife is dying of cancer, after struggling with chemotherapy very bravely for three years.  She has about two weeks to go, and still she is not giving up, she is amazing everyone, even the doctors.  It makes me realize how short life can be, and how unfair it would be for me NOT to take full advantage of a healthy happy life, one which has been stolen from her.

I also want to be a better role model for my kids, and show them the winner's way to living a full and complete life.  To enjoy the journey.

On a lighter note, I did complete this program some 10 or 11 years ago, and loved it then.  I am 53 now, and know I can do it again!  

Pam

Hello!  I am 36 and I need to loose 10 - 15 lbs and really tone up.  My biggest weakness is food.  I love food, but not the right kinds!  Luckily I do not like desserts or candy, but Cherry Coke is my downfall.  This program is going to be hard for me because I get headaches from artificial sweetners which they call for in just about every recipe.  I have been doing the workout since last week and I love the program, I'm just worried about what will happen since I can't follow the eating guide to the tee.  I'm going to try using the Truvia (Stevia plant) and see if that gives me headaches.  That's as close to Splenda as I can find.  

Okay guys, were all in this together so let's keep each other positive and motivated!

Congrats everyone on your first day today!! I am so glad I found this forum because I know it will help to know that others are doing the program, too.  Today is my birthday and I think this is and will be the best birthday present I can give myself.  This is also the most positive I've been about my workout and eating habits in many years.  Instead of wondering when I will fail at this, I am getting pumped by picturing what I will look like afterward.  Yeah, I think I'll post my before and after pics to the site :).  One Question though: I've been reading many different places that it is not recommended to do more cardio, but I love to go out dancing on the weekends and sometimes that means hours of "cardio" so I am wondering if that is still ok??  I used to be a runner until an injury that put me on my butt for two years in physical therapy, so I can't run for long.  Anybody have any other cardio ideas besides walking or running for the 20 minute cardio solution? Something more fun perhaps?  

Schmit - Don't stop dancing!  If it is something you enjoy, by all means you should continue.  I think what is meant by not doing extra cardio is not doing more HIIT cardio.  I love to hate the eliptical, low impact on joints but you can most definately hit your 10s and an ipod full of good music can make it more enjoyable.  Personally cardio is not my favorite but finishing a hard HIIT workout is really satisfying!  Good Luck!!!

Hey guys, Day 1 of the challenge is done! Only 83 more days to go. Good luck everyone!