Hi
I'm not sure if I'm going to do BFL or a modified version, or just stick to what I'm doing, for the time being. I've got the book and am going thru it, and in theory it sounds great. But in practicality, I can't see myself doing a level 10 on anything .. I'm a softie.

Regardless, I want to buy some things to help my WOs, but still staying within the atkins plans.
I am planning to get glutamine and was hoping someone who has bought it, can give me a shortcut to which brand and store is the one to get? I know from reading the posts that I don't want capsules. A link would be fabulous!

What else would I want, if I want to do a modified BFL (ie not doing that whole level 10 thing )

LF cottage cheese and yogurt?

I already have designer whey protein powder in 2 flavors.

Are steel cut oats the same thing as the regular oatmeal with the guy on the label?

Is that about it? I've read the stickies, but there's no 1 simple list of things to buy.

I would think 100-110 g of protein / day would be enough, with maybe 30-40 g of carbs?

Thanks

I would go ahead and do the level 10 thing. Remember it's your personal level 10, so it shouldn't be overdoing it. You might want to spend a week going to the gym and getting familure with the equipment and what weight levels you can handle. The practice also makes it much more likely you won't try to overdo it or hurt yourself when you first start.

I do a modified version. I do the BFL workouts. I also follow the eating plan in that I do 6 meals a day (or try to, sometimes it's 5) and my after lifting meal is a shake with high protien/carb and little fat. I do Atkins for my eating plan though with carb levels of 30-40. Remember you will need to up your carbs somewhat to be able to keep up with the workouts. Because you are working out so much more it will raise your CCL so you can handle more carbs anyway.

What shake you get depends on how many carbs you want to spend on it, how much protien you need, and just personal taste. You can also get Zoneperfect protien powder or dried egg whites to increase the protien amount of a shake.

I use EAS L-Glutamine powder. It's not that bad. I also choose to use creatine. That one tastes ick. I disguise the flavor with either soy milk or DiVincci syrup mixed in the water. Make sure to continue to take your regular suppliments as well. A good multi vitamin, and potassium/calcium/magnesium. With the increased sweating you may be flushing more potassium out then before and supplimenting could be important.

I use LF cottage cheese, mostly because it is the only "No salt Added" one I can find. For the lifting days I put 1 cup ff yogurt into my shake for a carb boost. I also put my morning dose of creatine and glutamine in there. On non lifting days I'll have 1/2 cup whole milk yogurt just as a treat.

Steel cut oats are not quaker oats. The ones with the guy on the lable are processed to cook fast, which results in it being more quickly absorbed and converted to glucose. Steel cut oats are the kind you boil for4ever

Ladybelle's pretty much covered everything, but I thought I'd include a picture of what steel-cut oats look like. They are less processed than rolled oats.

Oats

Another thought! Even when I did Atkins, I ate LF pressed cottage cheese b/c it was highest in protein. The "pressed" is higher in protein, I find, than the creamy type.

Good luck with your challenge.

Wanda

so EAS is the glutamine to get? WOW it's $$$$, 2.2 lb for $55!

I don't seem to remember mine costing that much, though Iu do remember it being extreamly expencive. I have one that is 200 servings though so it should last 100 days at 2 scoops a day. That's not bad on a per month cost compaired to many suppliments I find.

Here is one other choice. This is the stuff I've been using. I can't vouch for the on-line store though, because I always just buy it locally.

http://www.fitnessfirstusa.com/details.asp?item=7429

Arnie

My shopping list is pretty basic, meat and veggies. We've been getting strawberries and rasberries from the garden all summer. They are soooo good, every morning we get a fresh handfull of berries.

I've also been eating some rolled oats. I thought they were the same as steel-cut. So I'll be looking for real steel-cut oats now.

Arnie

Arnie, they're probably easiest to find in a HFS or the organic section of a grocery store. That's been my experience anyway.

HTH,
WAnda

ok, i guess any reputable company's glutamine is ok. I'll look for steel cut oats too. thanks

I guess other than the meats and veggies, LF dairy and protein powder, that's all I need.

ladybelle, you said "my after lifting meal is a shake with high protien/carb and little fat"

high protein and LF I can do, but what carbs other than fruit do you add? (becuase I read you don't want that right after a workout- I think that's right) -

I think the irish oatmeal as long as it's not instant would be ok. I think it's basicaly steel cut, not sure htough. Like I said, look for something that has to boil on the stove forever and a day

If you can microwave it or cook it in less then 5 mins it's probably processed

oh- the oats is a carb. d'uh. I've only got veggies and fruits on teh brain. and I was thinking, nah, she doesn't put broccoli in the shake.. dumb me.

I was told on here not to use fructose for the carbs. I used to put in strawberries. If you are just looking to raise your carbs a little then strawberries or raspberries would be great.

What I've moved to doing is using fat free yogurt in my after lifting shake. On days I do cardio I can have fat, but I have 0 time :P So I end up doing a shake that day too. The only difference is I'll use a higher fat shake plus dump some flax seed oil in and maybe use soy slender instead of water.

Today was a hectic day and I wa slate eating. I wanted something 'NOW". I ended up using 1/2 cup kiefer, 1/2 cup soy slender, and a splash of DiVincci to mix my creatine/glutamine in. It ended up being so filling though it became meal 1

I've actuly never tried the oats. When I see something that high carb, I'm just not that brave yet I'll work my way up though as the weight moves down!

I did get some keto hot cereal to try this winter though. What in heck possesed me to buy banana flavoured, though? I hate artificial banana :P

I know what you mean! I'm still freakin at going to 30 carbs!
I wish someone would post what they have in the pantry.. complete with brand names. I think the most difficult thing about BFL is that it's an intricate set of things to do, in the right order, and it's hard to sort it out. I know that once I do, it's a breeze to know... it's meal 2, do this, or after WO, do this. But right now, it's overwhelming.

THanks for all the info.

Saltnpeppa,

I'm no expert at this by any means, I've only done one challenge, but I believe you are right in saying there are a lot of intricacies. But I'd just like to say, don't worry about all the intricacies and small refinements right now.

When I began I just started doing the workouts and broke up my meals into 6 meals. If you’re already eating low carb, then you are already eating much more healthy than most people that are beginning BFL.

As you go along you will find adjustments in your eating that will help you. You don't have to have it all figured out right at the beginning. So don't get bogged down in the details. Enjoy the process.

Arnie