Great Morning! (its better than GOOD!)

I like Dr. Seuss and he says in one of his books ' "Its a great day for up!"  So get up, stand up, and ready up for this challenge!  It is a challenge, but if you want to stay the same you wouldn't be here!

I agree with everything LadyGeorgia says, and I agree with the reading of the 1999 version of the book - its the best.  I just read it again during the second half of my 1st challenge so I haven't gone back to the library to get it. I own BFL Champions and so I was reading it last night out in our screened in Gazebo while my husband played old Robin Trower and Led Zepplin on the laptop!

Here is a good quote from the book: "Its time for change, its time for a new me."  and I liked it.  I am going for an even better me than I have become already.  

I like what LadyGeorgia said and she inspired a team name - how bout BODY INVINCIBLE? because it does make you feel that way - the more you work it, the better you feel, the more you want to work it and the better you feel....and its a cycle that way and then it happens....you start to feel like you can really do this and so much more!

I would add to her comments that water is a high priority. My daughter and I love to play cards and after 2 or 3 times shuffling my thumb joints and wrists would hurt so bad.  Now they never hurt!  We gotta water those joints so they stay running smoothly!  My back stopped hurting every morning (unless I did a workout but that was muscle soreness not arthritis type pain.)

DesertDiva - welcome and like someone else said, just keep coming back here and checking in, you won't believe what a team spirit does to get you motivated!  You will see the same struggles and same triumphs from the group and it really helps.  Make those promises to yourself and keep them. This is part of the package in BFL - keeping promises to yourself and learning not to quit on yourself!  

SuzanneMarie - oh I dread the day my daughter moves out!!! I wanted to boohoo with you!  But now it sounds like you are going to start a new chapter in your life starting with your health and a great vacation ot Europe!  My dream is to go to Israel one day...

Julie - Great job on your first workout!!!  I am looking forward to getting back at it tomorrow!  Its such a good feeling isn't it!  Count every day and every change as a victory in your journal so you can look back and see how far you really came!!  My family went to Niagra and stayed on the Toronto side and it brings back great memories. It was so beautiful.  I read alittle bit about Type 2 diabetes and it sounds like BFL is just what the doctored ordered!  Check this out:  

"People with type 2 diabetes should eat at about the same times each day and try to be consistent with the types of food they choose. This helps to prevent blood sugar from becoming extremely high or low. Meal planning includes choosing healthy foods, eating the right amount of food, and eating meals at the right time. You should work closely with your doctor, nurse, and registered dietitian to learn how much fat, protein, and carbohydrates you need in your diet. Your meal plans should fit your daily lifestyle and habits, and should try to include foods that you like.

Managing your weight and eating a well-balanced diet are important. Some people with type 2 diabetes can stop taking medications after losing weight (although they still have diabetes)."

This must bring great hope to you!!! Thats exactly the kind of lifestyle BFL encourages and so we are all here rooting for you and I will be praying for you also.

Erin - I used the Myoplex Lite Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars and Myoplex Vanilla Whey Protein mix.  I just mix with a little juice or frozen fruit and water and you can freeze and have a bunch ready or just drink it from the blender like I do!   If you use just water, you need to add a carb such as fruit or a piece of whole wheat bread to balance the protein/carb ratio.  When bananas start getting old I just peel them and break them up and put them in the freezer then it doesn't water down my shake so much as ice does.  Or when I use a can of Pineapple I pour the juice into little ziplocks and freeze them.  One of my favorite snacks and is usually my last one of the day is cottage cheese, a TBS of Natural Peanut Butter and sliced apples.  I just dip the apples in the PB then scoop alittle cottage cheese on top.  Very filling and satisfying. 

"Its time for change, its time for a new me."

Hey SuzanneMarie - just saw your post after I posted.  I see you are starting today - good job and great start for both of you kicking us off right - I'm so motivated now!!   Are you actually starting today or tomorrow? Sun is usually free day and Monday is UBWO so whats your plan?  My free day is always Saturday - I just switch Sat and Sunday around.

BTW - my name is Sally.  I always tell little kids - you can call me Miss Sally or Princess Sally.  Either way is okay with me.  haha.

Suzanne & Julie,,, just wanted to say congrats on getting your workouts in today!   Hopefully you're not sore tomorrow, but I know I'm sore every time I start lifting.  

Love the motivation of the group and reading everyones daily posts.  Looking forward to getting started tomorrow.  Still need to take my before pics.

Have a great evening and keep up the awesome work!  

Thank you Oneofthebranches for looking up that diabetes info!  I hadn't come across that little blurb yet, or don't remember it!  Yes, I'm hoping to get off the pills sooner rather than later.  It will ensure that things function for as long as possible (plus i'm only 35 years old, got a lot of life I hope!) instead of relying on the meds to fix the insulin amount.

Maddreamer, I did my pics this morning, with the timer on my camera as suggested (that way only I see them and not hubby!)  hahaha  But it was the motivation I needed!!!!  Yes, I've done well with weight loss this year so far (39 pounds!) but I still felt like I am carrying a large amount of fat, and from my pics, I can see where I'd really like to tone up!!

I've had a few meals in today and is it just my imagination, or am I really feeling better already?!?!?  :)

I loved reading everyone's posts! Since today was the 1st day for me, here's how my 1st day went...

7:15AM- Two whole grain waffles, greek yogurt, black coffee

10:10:45AM- Upper Body Workout

11AM- Myoplex Lite RTD Cookies and Cream

12:30- Turkey sandwich on whole grain bread with lettuce and tomato

3:15PM- Myoplex Bar

5ish- Chicken Breast, Potato, veggie (haven't eaten this yet)

8ish- Protein pudding (haven't eating this yet

I'm also currently getting my lunches set for the next three days, which will be Chicken Pita (whole wheat pita, chicken breast, onion, baby spinach)

I've also been chugging water from my 32oz nalgene bottle

Hi Everyone,

It's so inspiring and modivational to read your posts!  Each post pops up on my smart phone.  I see that  they will be a welcome and steady reminder of what I'm doing and why.  That's a very good thing.

It's been a busy weekend for me, as I'm sure it has for you.  Knowing I'm starting the Program tomorrow morning, I've been having a free day all weekend.  I feel like I've been eating (and drinking) a bunch of junk and you know what, it doesn't feel so good.  However, along with living it up, I have also done everything I can think of to plan and prepare for my first week on Program.

I'm using the Success Journal.  I've established and written  my goals.  I've shopped,  prepared, measured, and packaged my food for much of the week.  I've written my food and exercise  plan for tomorrow.  And last but not least, a friend came over tonight, I sucked up all my courage, and had her take my before pictures.  She just kept telling me that I am beautiful.  How great of a friend is that?!  I downloaded the pictures to my computer and got a good look at myself.  Even though I don't love my shape, I'm smiling and happy in the pictures.  I have a lot to be thankful for, and I am.  I always give the advice to others to treat yourself like you would your best friend.  That's exactly what I plan to do.  I'm going to give myself all the (tough) love, support, encouragement, understanding, patience, and positive energy I would give to my best friend.

One more thing I wand to add...today I made both the golden pancakes and chocolate pudding recipes from the Eating for Life book.  They both turned out great!  They looked just like the pictures and tasted really good!

To those who started today...you guys are an inspiration.  You're on your way.  To those of us starting tomorrow...we're ready, let's do it!  I'm really excited to be part of such a wonderful group of like minded, like goaled success stories!  I vow to do my part.

Its 11pm and I am just finishing up my last cup of coffee with cream and sugar (sniff sniff - I'll miss you my darling) and planning my week and popped in to see whats up.  I can tell you from the first challenge, giving up coffee was the hardest part for me (I hate it black) but it was also an eye opener.  I only got a mild headache the first day and took a tylenol and was fine.  I am a much happier more calm and patient person without the stuff!

Erin, thanks for sharing your first days meals, it looks good and I think it really helps others too.  For everyone else - what do your meals look like? Mine is real similar to yours Erin except I usually have egg whites and veggies with a slice of whole wheat toast with a thin layer of low fat cream cheese for breakfast. The last few weeks my snacks were mostly shakes with fruit blended in.  The bars I use when I am going to bible study since they almost always bring out cookies or something yummy so I just pull out my Myoplex Lite PB and Choc bar and I am happy as can be and no harm done.

Hey Deda - if you don't give yourself all the love and encouragement, then just come here and we'll give it to you!  

Julie, of course one day of good food and water is gonna make you feel better - so just imagine 84 of them lined up (less the 12 free days of course) in a row!!  You truly will feel 100 times better than you do right now.

For those of you gonna wake up sore tomorrow - its a GOOD sore! 

My first small victory - planning day 1 food and exercise is DONE!  Lets do this!!!

Why choose to fail when success is an option? ~ Jillian Michaels

Good morning BLF'ers.   Day 1 for me and I'm feeling better already.  Just knowing that I'm going to eat right.  It was a bad, bad weekend.

So got up this morning and had my 5 year old take my before pics.  Haven't looked at them yet, but I have them.   Had meal 1 and all my other meals are set and planned for the day.   Also have an ubwo planned for this afternoon.

Hope everyone has an awesome day.

Renee

Oneofthebranches - Sunday was my start day.  I like Fridays or Saturdays as a free day - go out to eat with my fella and really enjoy it!

I'm sore this morning.  Oh that first lower body workout...  Ouch.  :)  No running this morning, which stinks because I do like to run every morning on BFL, to keep me from slipping off the wagon and it's such a nice way to start the day...  Oh well, gym tonight.  

I had the BEST dinner last night.  A salad of iceburg, romain, spinach (power food!!), red cabbage, alfalfa sprouts, cucumber and tomato I grew myself, just bursting with flavor.  A little reduced fat blue-cheese (I have this thing with cheese), and drizzled some fat-free vinagrette from Potbelly's.   Topped it off with still warm from the grill chicken.  Yum!

I know I didn't eat everything I should yesterday, but it will take a week or so of lifting before I can really eat the 5 or 6 small meals a day.

I will tell everyone that's never done BFL before - I think I totally changed my metabolism when I did this 2 years ago!  I never ate more than 2 times a day; just not hungry.  But all that working out makes you famished every couple hours.  It got to the point that my husband wouldn't go anywhere with me unless I had packed a good snack, because I got sick-hungry after 2 or 3 hours.  

I now eat much more regularly, haven't worked out, and don't gain weight.  The 5 or 6 small, healthy meals a day are key to this way of life.  You HAVE to eat, and you change your metabolism in the process.  Isn't that something?

Good Morning everyone! Today is my 1st day back to work from maternity leave and my 2nd day on BFL. Since I have two little kids at home, my workouts will be after my work day, so it won't be on an emptry stomach like the program suggests. My BFL book should arrive today and I'm excited to "fill in the gaps" that I don't fully understand on the program.

Is anyone else entering the challenge online?

Also, oneofthebranches, I love the name BODY INVINCIBLE!

Happy Monday everyone.  By the way, I love the name BODY INVINCIBLE also, forgot to write that yesterday.  Thanks OneoftheBranches/Sally  :)

Ooooh, arms are sore today, but not like the very first BFL workouts I did about 11 years ago.  At least some of my strength training so far this year helped with that.  I could at least wash my hair today.  LOL  It was a tough workout, but good.  Couldn't do the last set of 12 reps for some of the moves though, sometimes only 4 reps, sometimes 7.... Increments of 2.5-5 pounds for dumbbells at the local YMCA, and I find I notice a big difference that 2.5 pounds makes on each arm!!!

Did walk/run for cardio this morning.  Whew!!!!  I've been doing walk/runs for a few months now, walk 1-2 minutes, run for 3-4 minutes.  But I didn't realize I was "coasting".  I may have been running before, but it was a sssslow run.  Doing the HIIT's, holy Moses, that was tough, really pushing myself to keep those 9's for 1 minute.  My 10 was pitifully slow but for me it was a 10!  During it I was thinking that when I get a few LBWO's in, I know my legs will be stronger to push more.

Ok, I'll be the first to admit it - I snuck in a weigh-in after 1 day.  Just to see if I at least got rid of some junk-food-water-weight from last week and I did!  Down 4.8 - now first off, let me tell you I was eating everything under the sun and it was loaded with salt, and I was extremely bloated (that time of month).   I don't expect that kind of big weight loss to happen again that quickly.

Erin - good luck back to work!  Are you enjoying it so far?  Good to be out of the house with regular routine again?  Are you signed up for the online challenge?  I couldn't (Canadian)  :)

SuzanneM - That dinner does sound yummy!  Thanks for all the ideas from everyone, that really helps a LOT, I won't get bored eating the same things every day, then that's when I fall off the wagon.  I agree, I was STARVING yesterday, as soon as it was 1.5-2 hours after my last meal, it was like a switch went off.  I had forgotten about that from my first attempt 11 years ago.

Renee - congrats on getting that 1st workout done with!!  Just think, we will never have to go through that "first" one again! haha

Deda - that is SUCH a great outlook - to treat ourselves like we would treat our best friend.  I try to remember that.  It's so easy to point out to others, but harder to put into good use for yourself.  It's like I need someone to smack the back of my head sometimes.  LOL  Maybe that's where you can come in to remind us!!!!!!!  :)

I really appreciate all of you and you taking the time to share your journey doing this!  It's only day 2, but like I said yesterday, I really think I would have put it off if I didn't have that little bit of accountability with you all!  But now that it's "GAME ON", I feel amazing!!!!!!

Julie

Hi Fellow Body Invincible Ladies! (I think we are all ladies on this post?)

Congrats to all of you who made it through Day 1 and Day 2! Knowing that I would be posting tonight helped me get out of bed this morning at 5:20 am! I am switching up the schedule a bit and doing cardio on M,W,F and weight Tu, Th, Sa.

So glad to have both newbies like myself on this thread and seasoned Challengers!  We will all have something unique to add to the process!

I am a vegetarian (I do eat some seafood) and eat mostly a plant-based diet -so the eating might be different for me - is anyone else a vegetarian on this thread?

Thought I would share the reasons I am choosing to do BFL:  Reshape the most important muscle -my brain; Feel strong and empowered; Make friends with my body instead of seeing it as the enemy.

Sending you all good vibes - kill it tomorrow in the gym!

Kristen (Reddgirl)

After reading some of the posts, it seems like a great group to join. I started today and hope to lose the baby weight and then some. I have about 21lbs to lose to reach my goal of 130lbs. I'm a breastfeeding mum so I'll be looking for advice on how to lose weight without affecting my supply.

Good luck to everyone!

Hi Everyone,

I've enjoyed reading all the posts today.  Sounds like everyone is doing well and in a good frame of mind.  Yay!

I am happy to report that my first day went very well.  I just finished my 6th meal which was the protein pudding I made from the Eating for Life cookbook.  I'm planning and tracking in the BFL Success Journal.  I really like it.  It makes what I'm doing feel very intentional and concrete.  Today I hit all my goals...journaling, nutrition, and exercise.  Exercise today was upper body.  I have a tiny bit of weight room tweeking to do next time.  I'm also measuring my food and tracking portions and calories at myfooddiary.com  I need to learn what 1/2 cup of oatmeal or 4 oz of chicken looks like and how many calories are in the foods/meals I'm eating.  I don't think I have a good grasp on portion control  so I'm working on that.  I have read on other forum threads that using the cookbook is not advisable at this point.  To that I say to each their own to use their own best judgement regarding the cookbook or counting calories or whatever works for each of us.  I do plan to try some of the dishes.  I'll let you know how they turn out as we go along.  

Until next time, stay positive!  Stay supportive!  Let us all be successful again tomorrow.  One step at a time gets you where you want to go.

Deda

Hi ladies...I posted on another thread but wanted to introduce myself here as well.  I'm Melissa and I started yesterday as well.  I did BFL back in 2002 with great results and am so excited to start it again...and knowing others are starting the same time helps too!  I also snuck in a weigh-in after the first day...b/c I felt so much less swollen and am down 3.5 pounds (of water, I know), but it's still motivating!  I started at 215 yesteray and my long term goal is 160...which will be pretty lean for me.  Good luck everyone.  Looking forward to getting to know everybody!!  :)