Whole foods is actually the best way to go. The only reason I use whey protein powder is for the convenience but yes you can have a very succesful challenge with only whole foods. All the best in your challenge.

***Update;  Real food only, lost a total of 3.4 pounds by end of week 2.  Total weight loss using no supplements at all is now at 9.4 pounds in 2 weeks.

Certainly doesn't seem to be preventing weight loss, and is far more filling and satisfying to me than drinking shakes.

Great job Going Strong, keep it up!!!!

I just  finished my 3rd week and weighed in this morning at 258.5 lbs.  I lost another 3.5lbs this week for a total 12.5 lbs so far without any supplements!!!!  I'm definately going to enjoy my free day today and start week 4 tomorrow.  12.5 down, 37.5 to go!!!!  

Thanks for this thread -- I just started the BFL challenge today and am also doing it without supplements.  Good luck and I look forward to "seeing" your continued success!

This is a great thread!  I am glad to see others who are not adding the supplements.  I take a Salmon oil pill every morning, and that is it.  I have found that Juicing is another great way of getting all the great vitamins in multiple fruits and veggies.  I try to do one juice with Kale,Spinach, Carrots, and an Apple, two or three times a week, along with the regular meals.  I am not doing any supplements.  Honestly i cannot afford it.  Hope you have great success!  Thanks everyone for the positive info!

Hi Going Strong!

I also have celiac disease and am super sensitive to dairy - they tend to go hand in hand. I found this really great protein powder - sweetened with stevia and a list of ingredients that don't exceed a dozen. It's made from egg whites.. it's from MRM and it tastes uber yummy! You can find it on Amazon.com

PS: Feel free to hit me up for support through this. Having celiac disease sucks and it affects your whole body, as you know. My metabolism is really bad from it and if i get the slightest of tainted food in my system, the second I start working out I break out in DH blisters :-/ frustrating.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Supplements freak me out (no offense, EAS). I occasionally use protein powder but prefer soy/other natural-type protein powders, as whey is sometimes bothersome with my mild lactose intolerance.

I don't think it's hard to do this on whole foods. I did my first BFL challenge nearly 10 years ago and only used a soy protein in fruit smoothies, and I had a very successful challenge. I also need a lot of fiber in my diet, and there is no substitute for real fruit!

A typical day's menu for me:

1) breakfast burrito w/ egg substitute/egg whites and whole wheat tortilla (and sometimes soyrizo to change it up)

2) cottage cheese & piece of fruit

3) turkey taco salad w/ beans

4) hard-boiled egg & fruit

5) fish/chicken/etc, brown rice/whole wheat pasta/other whole grain & broth-based homemade vegetable soup w/ TONS of veg ("green soup" is a fave)

6) greek yogurt w/ berries (technically yogurt is a carb, but greek yogurt is so high in protein & low in sugar I count it as a protein)

emily

Week 4 is in the books and I weighed in this morning at 255.5 lbs. and will be enjoying my free day today!!! That's 3 lbs for this week and 15.5 lbs at the end of week 4 and NO SUPPLEMENTS!!  Thank God for the free day!!!!!  Without the free day I don't think I could of made it thru these 4 weeks, the exercising is the EASY part. Not only is it nice to be able to eat the foods that you been craving, but  I truly believe that by the end of your free day it makes you want to dive back in and work even harder on Monday!!! This is a GREAT program!!!

I like your menu you posted Emily. You make it look so easy!  I know it is when I put my mind to it and just hard boil a week's worth of eggs, thaw some meat from the freezer, have cottage cheese, yogurt and produce handy.  Boom.  In the morning, throw most of that in your lunch bag.

@pperk: Thanks for this post! It was very helpful and concise!

Are bananas not on the okay list with BFL?

Want2Live,

Bananas are an authorized food on BFL just as well as "ANY" other fruit or veggie is.  Some people on this forum will tell you to avoid or cut down fruit which makes "NO" sense to me.  After all, why would you eliminate or cut back on a food that is unprocessed, low in calories, high in fiber/vitamins/minerals/antioxidants?????

Alot of  fruit (apples, bananas, oranges, pears, peaches) is already portioned for you as well.  As long as you keep the other fruits (strawberries, grapes, cantalope, etc.) to strict portion sizes (palm size) there is "NO" reason to reduce or cut back on fruit as part of BFL or "ANY" nutrition plan.  

I eat fruit as my carb for 3 of my meals a day and have had "EXCELLENT" results thus far. I've lost 17.5 lbs thru 5 weeks.  Best of luck to you on your 12 week journey!!!!!    

Whole food are important, vital and necessary.  That doesn't, however, mean you can't or shouldn't use supplements.  I disagree with those who think 6 whole food meals is best.  Good quality supplements and it must be good quality will enhance results, quicken weight loss and well... supplement, which is kinda the point. 

The problem is that people are afraid of that which they don't understand.  You don't want to be a human pharmacy, but by supplementing with things that make sense for  you and your goals, you are greatly increasing your success rate.  At very least take creatine and get a good quality whey.  If you are lactose intolerant, then get whey isolate, which has virtually no lactose.  Soy is basically poison so I can't see how soy would trump whey. 

Fruit...

That's highly debated here.  You can have fruit, but fruit is not in the same categories as veggies and it's a mistake to lump them together.  Bananas are technically authorized, but remember that for most people,women especially, that means 1/2 a banana.  That's one fruit especially that is not naturally perfectly portioned.  Personally I prefer berres because they give more nutrient / calorie bang for your buck, but I'm kinda hardcore. 

That all being said, you can absolutely do this without supplements.  I'm just not sure if I'd want to. 

so what do you ladies eat with fruits for your protein? I love my fruit but it is considered a carb. do you mix it in your protein shake? or alone with cottage cheese? any other ideas?