Okay, so I missed something somewhere? Does BFL say somewhere how many grams of protien and carbs you are supposed to have at each meal or in one day?

Knowing that would certainly make meal planning easier!

I don't know if there is any place where is says how many grams... but if you look at the recommended serving size and compare it to the grams of carb it comes out to about that many grams. It's certainly not an exact science and I don't really plan out my meals by the grams of carbs but when I look at buying any new food its a good measurment to look at.

hi nets! and everyone

hope you all had a nice holiday and happy new year

i am ready to start and raring to go on my first BFL 12 weeks! i was planning to start on the 3rd, but.... well, long story short, a couple of circumstances made it smarter for me to wait until this monday.

Jalera~
i spent a couple of weeks before Christmas "practicing". this really helped me figure out what weight to use, etc. vey helpful, and educational! i found out that i can lift heavier than i would have guessed. i'm glad to have these few practice workouts out of the way so i don't feel like i'm still playing around once i have officially started. i am truly excited about this, and a little nervous.

i am planning to stay fairly low carb, rather than eating from the plan in the book. i have been doing protein power for a month or so, but i might return to a phase 1.5 of south beach, just so i can get some of those good carbs in. i seem to do well when i allow 1 or maximum 2 servings of good carbs per day. (i.e. oatmeal or fruit)

nets,
i have a question for you: when you get to the end of a set, but have not reached failure, what do you do? more reps? increase weight and repeat the set? or just mark it down for next time?
as i said i found out during practice that i could go heavier than i had thought. so i did not reach failure the first couple of times. i'd love to know what you suggest! thanks in advance.

although i'm not reliable enough to head up a group, i would absolutely love it if we had a busy BFL thread, daily or weekly or whatever. anyone else interested in that?
i'll also be putting up a journal here real soon. all of you please stop by and talk to me, K?

The best thing to do is to note the weights that you are using and if you get to the point when you're not at failure take the weights up. The first few workouts will be tough until you figure out the best weights for you. When I first started I had some of the weights to high and some too low. It took at least two workouts of each routine to figure out the right weights.

As you become stronger you'll then take up those weights again. It's just a matter of being aware when you're not hitting that "10" anymore.

Kiks

Hello Jelera - I'm starting BFL on Sunday so we can be newibies together!

I'm doing my own carb cycling diet but using BFL for the exercise programme, though I shall be striving to eat the smaller 6 meals per day because when I do that I have absolutely no PMT or cravings

I shall be exercising at home as I am a full time working Mum who also tutors in "spare" time

I intend to do my HIIT on a rebounder with an exercise vid before work and do my weights with hand weights and a bench after work. I am also adding in some other moderate exercise too such as walking and dance videos as I struggle to lose body fat!

Good Luck!

thank you kiks!

Maddy and Jalera ~
looks like we might have ourselves a little bunch of BFL beginners here, (well, 3's a bunch, right?)
i'll be starting monday jan 10th officially.
and we have great people like kiks to help us out ~ thanks for being there with the advice kiks!

i am excited. i am NERVOUS! what if i don't see results?? i really really love weight training. but i have had weight loss failures in the past that haunt me. but i have to try.
this sounds more like a journal entry now. i've gotta get that thing started!

I think 3 is a bunch.

3 is definately a bunch!

It'll be nice to compare results with other women. My friend who started me on BFL is a man so sometimes I've really strugged because it's hard to compare my results with his!

Either way... success is feeling better. And, believe me, I feel 100% better than I did before I started BFL.

Kiks

Official BFL calorie ratios are 40% from protein, 40% from carbs and 20% from fat. Many people choose to do low-glycemic or lower carb versions, though I found that I needed the carbs while on BFL.

Happy tweaking,

Friday

The last time I did 9 weeks of BFL I didn't lose a pound. I lost a clothing size, which I gladly took. I'm hoping for both this time and to stick with exercising.

Beth

I am currently reading the book. I just got it from the library.

WARNING! MALE ENTERING THE THREAD!!

I bought the BFL book a couple years ago with the intent to do it, but found I couldn't get myself to stick with it, I think it may have had to do with the 3 days of excruciating pain after each weightlifting workout. I was probably doing it wrong or just overdoing the weights, or just being a wimp, but it stopped me from sticking with it. If I can't find the book tomorrow, I'll have to run down to the library (if we have one) and see if they have it.

I'm really trying to keep my goals and everything straight in my head, between starting to LC and deciding on how/what to exercise. I know BFL says you shouldn't look at a numeric weight loss goal, but having started my LCing two weeks ago at 304.5 lbs, I HAVE to make weight loss a goal as well. I want to lose fat and build a good amount of muscle mass, so I know something like this is how I have to go. It's all just so.... well anyways I had a couple questions, in addition to my mindless blattering.

1.) How important/necessary are the supplements? Probably something everyone asks, but obviously supplements mean more money. Is it really needed or just another way for EAS to make more money?

2.) Is going LC over the BFL menu going to limit some of my success? I am doing South Beach for my WOE. I looked at the Week 1 menu on the BFL Web site and it is anything but LC. While I'm not sure how well I can mix LC and BFL, I'm thinking SBD would be a good one to do it with since I don't count fat or carbs, I just make sure I'm only eating good ones.

3.) Is free weights the only way to do BFL? I own a Bowflex and wondered how well I could work that into BFL. The first time I tried BFL I went with free weights, but made the mistake of going with plate dumbells instead of different size dumbells for each weight. I'm sure the fixed weights are more expensive, but they are alot easier to transition from weight to weight with.

4.) How safe is BFL going to be starting out for someone of my size? I've seen alot of the before and after pictures for BFL. Some of the changes are down right shocking in the difference seen, but looking at the various ones, I look at the after shots and marvel, but then look at the before shots and think, "Wow I remember being that small." How disturbing is THAT? Does anyone know, are is anyone here someone who started at my size and made it down to those chisled forms in everyone's After pictures? I just need to know it's been done before I guess.

Thanks for any information, sorry to have run on for so long. Time for sleep I think.

Hey AZ!

glad you could join us... always good to have a male perspective!

Here's my .02 on your questions:


The only supplement that I use is Whey protein. I will sometimes grab a protein shake after a tennis workout. I also use the protein powder on my cereal in the morning to get the protein in.
I don't think it's necessary to use the supplements, I feel that it is much better to get it through food and not a pill or powder. I do keep some protein bars on hand in case I am on the run or travelling.

I'm not as familiar with SBD menu.. and I do BFL "by the book" with their menu recommendations. There are a few others on there that used to do BFL lo-carb. I don't know that it will hurt you... but you may find that you lose some energy during lifting that the carbs help out. All i can say is to try it with the SBD. YOu may find that you need to take your carbs up slightly to keep your energy up during lifting.
I don't have a problem with the carbs on bfl.. it is MUCH healthier eating than what I used to eat before and much fewer carbs. We all need to tweak programs so tweak away!

P.S. I don't count fat or carbs or calories on bfl and I've continued to lose. I simply get my six meals a day with the correct portion size. I'm down almost 40 pounds and have significantly changed the shape of my body (more muscles).

I do all my workouts on my Bowflex. It works fine for me with no problems. As a guy you might find that you will max out the weight resistance on the bowfex. I'm not to worried about is since I'm a long way away from that point but it is a thought. I think you'll be fine with the Bowflex. I love mine!

My friend who got me started on BFL was around 325 when he started. He didn't ease into it - he jumped in. He has told me stories that the workouts were tough... the cardio was hard... and that sometimes he wanted to just give up. He's not at the chiseled "hard body" in the after photos, but at 210 that's 110 lbs lighter. He's healtheir and he's still working on it.

BFL isn't the quick fix program. I"ve been doing it for a year now, my friend for two. But I love the changes in my body and feel healthier and in the best shape of my life.

I truly beleive that if you dedicate yourself to it that it will be sucessful for you. I am a beleiver of this program. Good luck! And keep on stopping by here or my journal if you want to chat more.

Kiks

Wow, thanks Kiks. You don't realize how much your answers really helped. When I reread the book, I'm going to see what the food makeup is like, as you say it may be alot less carbs than I was eating.

Also, it's good to know that someone my size can start out full force. I was getting worried when I saw all the success stories of guys overweight at 240 or maybe even 260, and found myself saying, "Damn, I'd take that." Knowing your friend has been doing it from 325 to 210 shows me it can be done.

It's also good to hear someone doing this on their Bowflex as I was concerned about having to buy freeweights. My Bowflex has one expansion pack on it so it maxs out around 300 right now. I don't forsee maxxing that too soon, but I look forward to the day I do.

Thanks for the feedback, it's much appreciated.

Well I'm still rereading the book, but looking at the suggested foods list on the BFL Web site the only variation from SBD Phase II is the larger selection of carbs, but the carbs you are allowed to add back into SBD at Phase II are listed so I am going to try and stick with those, but, in the end, once I've finished reading and have everything set to go, (food in the house and weights determined for workouts) I'm going to go strictly on the BFL plan for the 12 weeks and see how far I can get.

It looks like the two will integrate well, but for now I will go with BFL over SBD if they differ on something.

Best to go "by the book" to start with and then once that's successful see if I can tweak it any better for me.