Those are wonderful tips! Thank you for your contribution. Here are a few more.

Training tips:

1) Wear a slimmer under your clothes until you feel more comfortable in gym clothing. You will look thinner and feel more confident.  As you get in shape and lose weight you will eventually not find it necessary.

2) If you think you're too busy to exercise, try this experiment: For one day, schedule a time to work out, and then stick to it. "At the end of the day, ask yourself if you were any less productive than usual.

3) Lay out your gym clothing the night before and run through your mind the exercises you will perform.

4) If you don't like an exercise, start doing it. You're probably avoiding it because you're weak at it.

5) Buy good quality sneakers. Shop for sneakers late in the day. That's when your feet are the largest. Make sure there's a half inch of space in front of your longest toe, and that you can easily wiggle your toes.

6) Keep some EAS drinks and bars in your car in case you get stuck on the road longer than expected.

7) \When training try to wear clothing that shows the muscle’s you’re developing. See it, visualize its growth, and watch the transformation each week.

Best of Luck to everyone!!

Thanks Lorig2727 - great ideas, esp for the sneakers :-)

I've been filling up a 2-cup (500ml) waterbottle with water and a 6-cup (1.5L) plastic bottle so that I know exactly how many cups of water I am drinking each day.

I have a training diary and I fill it out religiously - even on fat day!  Keeps all the info in one place and allows me to ensure that I remember what sort of weight I need for each exercise and my body measurements each month.

I am a freak for Starbucks lattes, frapps etc! SO I add  Chocolate protein powder to my coffee and have a bowl of oatmeal!

Ojibwe, I've tried adding protein powder to cooked oatmeal and the whey curdles (kind of like cottage cheese). I was expecting that adding protein powder to a hot drink would do the same thing? Do you add a full scoop to your coffee? And does it blend smoothly?

It blends completely! I use a full scoop (20 grams protein) of GNC whey. Chocolate or Chocolate Caramel! Delish!

I've heard somewhere that if the water is too hot it will destroy all the protein and other nutrients.  I solved this for my nightly hot chocolate by dissolving in a little tap water, adding 50 - 100ml cold milk (my powder doesn't like milk for some reason and goes lumpy if not dissolved in water first) and then top up with hot water from the kettle.

Thanks all - I love seeing what others are doing :-)

When I get a really strong craving, I talk to my 4yo about what we should have on fat day.  Talking it out seems to give me something tangible to look forward to.

Carry a Ace up your sleeve!

Early on in my challenge I took an Ace of Spades and on one side glued my before picture. On the other side I glued a motivation picture.  I carried that card with me every day. When a craving hit I would take out my Ace in the Hole and spend 1 minute or so looking at the pictures and remembering my goals. Not once did that card fail me.

Here are some hot protein drink recipes: www.associatedcontent.com/.../hot_protein_drink_recipes_for_weight.html

and here are some products (pretty pricey, though): www.dietdirect.com/weight-loss-diet-hot-drinks-14.html

wow i didnt know the protein got all funky! ill keep it cooler next time! thanks!

I decided to start using hungry-girl.com for my free day items. because I've been going overboard on sweets, and it gets harder to get back on track with the BFL mindset afterwards. I also tend to feel ill when trying to eat 'normally'. This site offers healthier, more realistic versions of all your fav's, without extra grease, sugar, etc that will make your body struggle.

I never heard of hungrry-girl.com gotta check it out! When I get really dedicated to eating, I feel crappy having a full cheat day, I usually have a cheat meal including dessert!

I've been limiting fat day to 2pm.  I still do a workout about 4pm otherwise it's too difficult the next day.  We eat a good, sensible dinner and I have a warm protein shake for pre-bed-time meal.

* I have a TV in my sewing room (square babysitter) and when I can sew by myself I pop on a BFL DVD.  Listening to it in the background inspires me.

* I love to lend stuff to people but getting things back has proved challenging.  I now keep an exercise book where I write in the person's name, phone number and what they borrowed.  I only allow a week before I go get it myself.  I still can't afford to purchase another BFL book ($50!!!) since we lent it to someone and never got it back.

* Put up inspiring posters around the place - especially on the fridge, freezer and pantry.

* Ladies - invest in a decent sports bra!

* Keep some small cards handy in your handbag with the bodyforlife website written on it.  I tell everyone I can about the programme and if someone is interested, I give them a card.  You can buy plain business card sized cards from the stationary shops quite cheap.