Oh boy--- sure didn't want to get out of bed and go to the gym!! But I did and I am so glad I did! This is what BFL is about--getting to the point where health is foremost and cry-baby attitudes get to fade away...
I am glad I am doing this Challenge...I want spectacular results (like the pics in the books!), but feel certain I will settle for merely being in MUCH BETTER shape than I was on Jan. 2!
How about you?
Hi Angelcake,
How about your other measurements, like weight (although you could be gaining muscle weight), BMI, and waist circumference? How're your clothes fitting? You should be losing some inches if you're dieting and exercising! I'm sure you're also making gains you can't see (increased strength, speed, endurance, lower blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol). How tall are you? How old? How many calories are you eating a day? You need to create a calorie deficit in order to lose fat. Also, make sure you're doing your cardio in a fasting state, like first thing in the morning. You'll maximize your fat loss results that way. Make sure you're eating clean, getting enough protein, getting enough sleep, and not going nuts on your cheat day. Be persistent. Physique transformation is a marathon, not a sprint. Trust me! I'm on day 84 today, and I still have another 4-12 weeks to go before I look like an "after picture." I think there is also a BFL Help-line you can call. Maybe they can help you figure out what's up...
Hey Bobby,
It feels great being in better shape. When I weighed 205lbs, I would've been thrilled if I could press a magic button and be 168lbs! LOL, but now that I'm there, it isn't good enough. I'm like you, I wanna look like a 6% body fat "after picture!" I'm happy with my progress, but I'm still not satisfied. Just gotta keep plugging away. The road to being ripped is a long one...
Hey Kids! BobbyA asked who is still here and I'm finally chiming in. I've been here but haven't been posting. I'm still on track and regret not participating more in the conversation and camaraderie. It's great to read all of your posts though and see the interaction between all of you.
This is challenge 2 for me, finished C1 on christmas day and started this on Jan 2.
I've been very careful with doing the program and eating clean but I am not seeing those dramatic kind of changes that some people see. I didn't have actual weight to lose so my changes won't be as obvious as those who are going to shrink a lot ... but I do see more muscle than I've had in a while. I used calipers and weighed myself at the beginning of C1 and then weighed myself at the beginning of C2. I weighed exactly the same ( 117-120 on the Bed, Bath and Beyond scale assortment) I ASSUME that I've gained some muscle so I must have lost some fat ... but it's the stubborn fat right on my belly that won't budge. I am fairly convinced that hormones influence that since I didn't use to put any fat on my tummy ...
Now, no matter how careful I am with my eating ( and I've been very careful for years now, so please don't tell me that I'm doing something wrong, I'm not looking for anyone to solve it, there's probably not much I haven't thought of or tried ...)
My personal challenge is to try to be happy with less than perfection. I have to admit that I am a perfectionist. I've used BFL for years now( off and on) and have managed to have nice, low body fat up until 50+ when my tummy got a layer of fat on it no matter what I did. It stinks to be at war with my body, I have a healthy body and although it is good to keep striving to improve it would be good for me to be able to accept my body at any given point. Do any of you know what I mean? I am not going to be able to have a body like a swimsuit model and it is silly for me to have that as my standard. So I've got to find a balance where I continue to feel motivated to go to the gym and where I aim for improvement but I don't feel disappointed with less than perfection. I know that Bill Phillips has that little phrase" progress not perfection"
Anglecakes, as for the calipers, it is supposedly better for us to have someone else use the calipers to measure our body fat. I have to admit that I did it myself this last time ... but if you've got the option of having someone else do it and using that person consistently it's probably better. I think that using that bodpod method of measuring body fat percentage is probably best. I may swing for that at the end of this challenge.
To all of you, your posts are great to read. I hope you don't mind me "lurking" I congratulate all of you on all you've done. Keep up the great work.
OK- here we go, into the final stretch of this challenge! I am feeling the changes in my body...more tone, more strength, but there still is a layer of padding that should be going...BUT, wow- what a diff from only 8 weeks ago! I am not ready for the inside cover of the books, but I sure am ready to get back into the clothes hanging in my closet! In fact, as we speak, I am wearing a shirt that was unwearable on Jan.2! Ya-Hoo!
If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone!
Let's Go!
Glad we still have a group going strong! I am down 10 lbs (half way to goal weight). Starting to see the tone and definition, feel great! Did my AF fitness test on Thursday--waist was down 5 inches from beginning of January and I scored an excellent--so I know we can do this. I don't think I am looking like a money winner this go around--but I am not disappointed at all--the more I think about it, the less I want to win a contest, but just do the best for me! PS- my hubby is down 10 lbs too and our daughter is down 18lbs. Hang in there--WE CAN DO THIS!
It is now March-- kinda cool to think that only a few (?!) weeks ago many of us looked long and hard at ourselves and decided there was a better way to be. If you are anything like me, there probably was the mearest glimmer of the fantasy of looking like one of the people in the books at the end of these weeks...actually I wanted to look like a champion by the end of the first month! However, I do find it meaningful that I am starting to really enjoy how GOOD I am feeling lately and the thoughts of becoming a fitness model are being replaced with the FACT that I am almost 60 and am in pretty damn good shape! That was really the catalyst of this undertaking for me--I started the first of the year, my birthday is Dec. 18, so that gave me the whole year to get in GREAT shape. I took it to heart that this(BFL) would be a great starting point for my physical transformation--and it IS working!
It has only been 8 weeks...think of that- only 8 WEEKS! I am sooo looking forward to how it will be in 8 MONTHS!...but I am focusing on what I can do with this DAY to keep the momentum going. I guess that is the lesson for me--stay in the present!
I read a wonderful piece that was about the process of writing, but I think it applies to us and this Challenge just as well: "Writing a novel is like driving a car at night- you can only see as far as the headlights' beam, but you can make the whole trip that way."
Here's to a good trip!
Well done to everyone still here.
I have had an awful week with my panic attacks, so much so I have completely fallen off the wagon. I have actually lost weight because I have hardly been eating and have done no workouts at all. Overall it is 3 weeks since I stuck to the program properly.
I am starting to feel a little better now so I am carrying on from tomorrow and starting my own new 12 week challenge.
I will still check in with you all and hopefully some of you will be joining me beyond our original 12 weeks!
Lou xxx
Hi there fellow BFL'ers,
It sure seems like we've all gotten away from posting. I posted just about every day on the last challenge and I miss it. It's harder to feel the momentum and the camaraderie without it. I AM still at it though!
However, I was away for a week ... on a cruise nonetheless!
I didn't do the BFL exercise plan at all ... nor did I follow the eating plan. I did NOT "pig out" but I did have a few desserts. ( something I almost never do) My overall assessment of this is that it's okay to do that once in a while. My regular habits are well enough ingrained so I'll just go back to them now. Being away made me really miss my workouts and eating super healthy.
It also makes me want to step it up a bit ... however, there's really no way to do that without changing it to the point where it's bothersome instead of challenging. I always challenge myself to do all the exercises and to hit 9's and 10's often. There have been a few days where I've felt worn down and have chosen to hit only 8's but they're only occasional and much better than skipping exercise.
@ BobbyA; What book did you read the wonderful piece about the process of writing in? I've read a few of that sort and found them helpful in other areas of life so I'd be interested in checking that one out as well. I can tell you some of the ones I've liked if that interests you.
And, like yourself, I look at this as a long term endeavor and find the anticipation of those results more exciting than the short term ones. The short term results aren't as apparent for me because I'm not trying to lose weight, just build and tone muscle. ( actually there is that pesky tummy fat that came to live with me a few years ago and that doesn't want to budge ... but my "research" tells me that it is very likely the result of hormonal changes and has some benefit even though I do NOT like it's presence. I am a perfectionist so it's hard for me to settle for less ... and it's hard to have my body not respond to my efforts the way I expect. Oh well ... I have much to be thankful for and I'll put equal effort into remembering that.
Also, Bobby, I really enjoy reading your posts. I find them encouraging, informative and fun. Thanks for posting so regularly.
@Steve1978: That is great that you've made such obvious progress! Congratulations on a job well done and keep up the great work. You are so right about the road to being ripped being a long one.
I've got to get back to the gym now ... I think I"ll start with the weight training I missed yesterday. I'll do it " 5/25" style so my heartrate gets up and it's somewhat "cardio-ish" ( if you know what I mean)
Looking forward to reading posts from all of you. Keep up the good work. thanks for your honesty everyone.
Patricia
So good to hear from you, Patricia! The crickets were getting pretty loud for awhile here!
The book I referenced is by Anne Lamott (my personal fav!) entitled "Bird By Bird". It is a bit about the writing process, but mostly about the living process. I commute 45 min each way to work (on a bus) and have all that time to read daily, so if you have some suggestions, bring them on! I'm always looking for more material to read.
Sounds like the cruise was handled well by you...seems that I only receive reports of major pig action from friends that have gone on cruises! I guess they didn't have much BFL exposure before leaving!
3 weeks to go in Phase One...thinking about taking 2 weeks off to rest, then starting again on April 9. That would put the ending date just before July 4th. Seems like a long ways away, but I'M STAYING IN THE NOW...so July 4 is just a date out there. Anyone else up for another challenge?
Hello fellow BFL friends, still here feeling strong, not as much progress as I hoped regarding physical appearance but I have not been very good about eating according to plan either, I am not going to beat myself up about it though and I am back on it this week. I will also be starting the challenge over at the end of this one, I was only going to take one week off though, Bobby, maybe I'll join you.
Just had another weighin at work (we have a wellness war going on at the office)--I am down 13 lbs since we started our BFL journey...I am by far outpacing the rest of my team and the team we are trying to beat (losers have to make healthy food for the winners at a party!) I had an early day today--up at 0330..finished my early morning job--had to drive someone to the airport--guess what I did when I got back to the base at 0500--yep, went right to the gym so there was no chance I would be too tired for my normal Friday night workout!!! Love the fact I chose my LBWO vs. a hour nap! Hang in there--2012 will be the best year--JOIN ME!
Oh, BTW, ordered Nutrition for Life (Bill's companion BFL book)--absolutely LOVE the recipes--you have to try the apple pie ala mode shake and the seafood pasta!!!! NOM NOM NOM
We found a used copy--think hubby said he paid 6 bucks for it--then we bought a second and sent it to our daughter (she's on challenge 2)
Stay strong!
Hey Guys!
Well after today we're down to the last two weeks! I want to finish strong. You?
I'd be lying to say that while I've yet to miss a workout, I've had several (perhaps even regular) misses with the diet. I feel guilty because I know it has stunted my progress and ultimately reduced my potential for the final "weigh in" for the challenge. That said, the good news is two things: I still have two weeks to really whip it into shape to finish as strong as I can, and more importantly I have the opportunity to continue learning how to feed my body well for life well beyond the competition.
Are you guys ready to finish strong?
OK- Heading into the final stretch with determination and dedication...Good to hear from some of you still doing this challenge! It does feel a bit more natural to choose healthier foods now...was at a potluck for work and found myself scanning the layout, looking for the veggies and assorted "clean" foods. Oh yea, I noticed the brownies and doughnuts,etc, but felt fairly neutral about their presence...they just aren't on my food list now!
Looking forward to hearing how it is going in these last 2 weeks!
We're ready here in Bham, AL we woke up today with a determination to make it a PERFECT week. Started with our UBWO today after dropping off the twins at school. It went really well, we have made some huge steps from where we started, with weights and with eating habits. we have a trip at the end of the week for Spring Break, headed back home to Phoenix but we've already know what gyms we will be going to, the eating plan might be more of challenge but I am OK with that since we are on vacation. I am certain that we're going to be eating healthy for life now. My wife and I are planning on starting the Challenge again in April this time we're all in with enrolling "officially" taking pictures and measurements. We are already excited about it....beach body, here we come!!!
Good luck to everyone, I am excited to hear about your progress.
Luis