I've been doing BFL for about 4-5 weeks now, and I just can't fit all the meals into my schedule. It just doesn't work. I like the exercise plans, but I really need a 3 meal a day schedule...is this ok, or will it foil my plans?

i'm a newbie at this but the eating of meals has to do with blood sugar etc...
I eat a protein bar in the car and I have one for my second lunch, they're portable and easy to eat on the go. I've had to eat them on the way to school at night because I can't eat dinner until later. I've also read people will put the powder of a protein drink in an empty water bottle and then fill it up when its time and you can shake it up.
I think the planning is key. Nat seems to cook ahead for the mock mcmuffins.
Thats my advice

Hi Sephy

Can it be done? I'm sure it can. Will you get the same results? Probably not.

The idea behind the 6 meals is to be constantly supplying your body with protein so that it can go about the business of muscle growth and repair without having to resort to canabalizing your other muscles for the amino acids it needs.

What problem are you running into specifically? Time contraints or lack of hunger/no desire to eat? If it's the latter you can counter act this by making sure your meals are smaller and just enough food to get you through 3 hours. If it's a schedule that doesnt permit for 6 sit down meals have you given any thought to protein shakes? Some of them are palatable enough that you can premake them in tupperware and shake before drinking.

Liz mentioned planning ahead - it's a big part of getting the meals in. Having prepackaged foods you can grab on the run can make all the difference in the world. And if you arent overly worried about hidden carbs then the 'LC' bars would make for a good alternative.

Btw, Sephy, it is OK to have that last meal late in the day - as in right before bed. This is what I had to do at the beginning as I was not hungry enough for 6 meals. All that changed about 2 weeks into the program - I had to increase the size of my meals and had no problem with meal 6. Currently, I am eating 7 a day

Nat

Part of the problem is due(actually the majority) is due to my class schedule. I get up at about 8am each day, shower, and rush out of the house. I'd love to get protein bars and eat them then, but they're kind of expensive, and a college student's budget lacks
I am going to get some whey protein and make shakes. They way it ends up is that I skip meals because I just can't fit them in, and I hit the gym about 6:30 every day, so from 4:30-8:30 no meals are eaten, since Bill recommends 1 hour after cardio not to eat.
Also Nat, I think I'm gonna take another peek at your journal to see how you work the low carb with meals, I don't know whether to do it portion wise(like 2 proteins instead of a carb/protein mix?). Also, whether I could eat the fat I can on normal LCs...
Agh!

Sephy, I think the shakes will help - get that first meal in when you wake up at 8 a.m. and try to get something (protein & some carbs) every 2 hours thereafter - as your schedule permits of course.

I've found that on my cardio days I tend to eat a little less - on purpose - a la zig zag method of fat loss, but I make sure I have sufficient protein for the following day's lifting session.

As for the fat/carb/potein ratio, you CAN keep your fat up while doing this AND see results. The key is to get sufficient protein. I tend to play around with the carb/fat ratio - on days the carbs are higher the fat is lower and vise versa. If carbs are low (below 50g) and fat is too low (below 80g) I get hungry and end up miserable - it's a bit of a balancing act. This is where freeday comes in handy - try to use it as a typical LC day (60-70% fat) so the old bod doesn't get confused.

Best of luck
Nat

I might try it again. Thanks Nat. Though on my free day that usually means go carb crazy