Re: Any words of advice?

[Guest guest]

sounds like you are doing great!!

quick question: what's holding you back? what are your fears of why

you wouldn't stick with it for the last pounds?

when you see yourself not succeeding, what is the scenario that you

are imagining?

felicity

> Good morning everyone!

>

> I don't post a whole lot, but I could use a little boost, so I'm

> posting now!

>

> Briefly about me: 40 yr old mom with a sedentary job. I never had a

> real weight problem (although I've felt like I needed to " lose a

> few " since I was 19) until I started working here 6 years ago. For

> the past 4 years I've been on a " journey to health " - I lost 25-30

> pounds in the first two years, and have maintained that loss. Which

> is great, but what I haven't done is lost the final 15. I've

> improved my eating and exercise habits over those years, and have

> gradually changed my habits over time so that BFL/BFFM is truly my

> lifestyle.

>

> The trouble is, I'm great at maintenance and it is comfortable. But

> I am really struggling to make a dent - any dent - in these final

> pounds. I know the program works, but I don't have a lot of faith

> in my ability to work the program.

>

> Any words of wisdom?

> Neca

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

> sounds like you are doing great!!

> quick question: what's holding you back? what are your fears of why

> you wouldn't stick with it for the last pounds?

> when you see yourself not succeeding, what is the scenario that you

> are imagining?

> felicity

I guess I feel I won't lose these last pounds b/c I haven't managed to

do it over the past 2 years!!

I will say that the last 2 years I have been more focused on the

health aspect of things: triathlons, lifting competitions, marathon

training... So I am very fit, but still overfat!

I want to lose the last pounds and look like the athlete I am. My

doctor says not to worry b/c I am in excellent health and she doesn't

see the big deal.

I am comfortable with my lifestyle, healthy & active. These pounds

don't affect my health, but they continue to have an effect on how I

feel about my body. I know this isn't the " optimum me " , and I want to

give that gift to myself.

And after committing to working this program for 12 weeks, two weeks

into it I'm up half a pound. I hate the scale! (Insert primal scream

here. ;-)

Neca in NC

[Guest guest]

i'd say that if you want " to give that gift to yourself "

your state of mind is ideal

brainstorming on what to do to get those pounds moving -- someone

else hopefully can help you with that

but my interest area is state of mind and you sound fabulous in that

area, to me

felicity

>> sounds like you are doing great!!

>> quick question: what's holding you back? what are your fears of why

>> you wouldn't stick with it for the last pounds?

>> when you see yourself not succeeding, what is the scenario that you

>> are imagining?

>> felicity

>

> I guess I feel I won't lose these last pounds b/c I haven't managed to

> do it over the past 2 years!!

>

> I will say that the last 2 years I have been more focused on the

> health aspect of things: triathlons, lifting competitions, marathon

> training... So I am very fit, but still overfat!

>

> I want to lose the last pounds and look like the athlete I am. My

> doctor says not to worry b/c I am in excellent health and she doesn't

> see the big deal.

>

> I am comfortable with my lifestyle, healthy & active. These pounds

> don't affect my health, but they continue to have an effect on how I

> feel about my body. I know this isn't the " optimum me " , and I want to

> give that gift to myself.

>

> And after committing to working this program for 12 weeks, two weeks

> into it I'm up half a pound. I hate the scale! (Insert primal scream

> here. ;-)

>

> Neca in NC

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Neca, I understand your situation, I would say I was in the same

place, and always teeter on the edge (some days!). I kept losing and

gaining the same 5 lbs, it seems like my body is happy with a

particular weight (my set point). I have done weights consistently

for years, and high intensity cardio too, so I know I am quite strong

and physically fit.

So, here is what I did differently to lose more bodyfat, finally drop

10 lbs, and 2 dress sizes: I wrote out goals I could control and read

them everyday. Believe me, I am a very practical person and sceptical

as well. I figured this was the most hokey thing from BFFM (first

chapter). But I really do think it has made a difference. Repeating

affirmative statements to myself has kept me focused (no more binges,

no guilt when I eat a treat, more self control), and I see myself

differently in the mirror (weird, I know). I am still on my journey,

but I have made huge strides since January. The biggest part for me

is that I always push myself when I do interval cardio, I lift weights

to failure, introduced a lot of variety in my training, and eat clean

more often than not. Nutrition is the biggest part of it, and it is

easy to let treats sneak in or take a larger portion. I don't miss

junk food anymore, and I enjoy healthy foods the most.

The other thing that has really worked for me is to zig zag calories

(nothing complicated). I eat BFL palm/fist portions Sun/Mon/Tues and

Thurs/Fri. This is a calorie defecit of about 700/day. I eat

maintenance on Wed/Sat (extra carb or healthy fat at 5 meals). Over

the course of a week I have a 3500 cal deficit. I find this easy to

do, and I never really feel hungry. I look forward to the high eating

days, but I don't have a full blown cheat day. I have some cheat

meals during the week, but keep within my calorie budget more or less.

>>>>> I guess I feel I won't lose these last pounds b/c I haven't

managed to

> do it over the past 2 years!!

[Guest guest]

> i'd say that if you want " to give that gift to yourself "

> your state of mind is ideal

>

> brainstorming on what to do to get those pounds moving -- someone

> else hopefully can help you with that

> but my interest area is state of mind and you sound fabulous in

that

> area, to me

>

> felicity

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I feel like my head is in the

right place, but not so confident that I can succeed.

Not sure if that makes sense, but I'm certain I'm not the only one who

has felt this way! :-)

Neca

[Guest guest]

> So, here is what I did differently to lose more bodyfat, finally

drop

> 10 lbs, and 2 dress sizes: I wrote out goals I could control and

read

> them everyday.

Yep - I read the same thing in BFFM. I did it, but the past week or

so have slacked on reading, saying, writing them!

> The other thing that has really worked for me is to zig zag

calories

> (nothing complicated). I eat BFL palm/fist portions Sun/Mon/Tues

and

> Thurs/Fri. This is a calorie defecit of about 700/day. I eat

> maintenance on Wed/Sat (extra carb or healthy fat at 5 meals).

Over

> the course of a week I have a 3500 cal deficit. I find this easy

to

> do, and I never really feel hungry. I look forward to the high

eating

> days, but I don't have a full blown cheat day. I have some cheat

> meals during the week, but keep within my calorie budget more or

less.

>

>

I think that is a good idea. My experience with a free day is that

is consistently becomes a free weekend. I have attempted to reduce

that to 2 free meals - I like the idea of having them split up that

way v. having both on the weekend.

I will dust off those goals today! And plan my weekend RIGHT NOW,

so that I have a free meal and then stop!

I have used food for emotional/entertainment purposes for many

years. I have made huge strides in changing that, but enough of

those behaviors are lurking about that I am stuck.

Thanks for reminding me about the basics.

Neca

[Guest guest]

ok so you're head is in the right place

but it's a bit stuck

you do need to be able to believe

i'm quitting caffeine and i did notice a week or so ago that i can't

BELIEVE that i would ever do it

noticing that is half the battle

then not believing that voice is the other half

(i've down to half the amount this week BTW)

that's just a negative voice saying " you can't do it "

if your kid wanted to achieve something would you ever in a million

years tell them they won't succeed?

you sound good talking about dusting off your goals

you go girl!!

and let us know how you do

felicity

>> i'd say that if you want " to give that gift to yourself "

>> your state of mind is ideal

>>

>> brainstorming on what to do to get those pounds moving -- someone

>> else hopefully can help you with that

>> but my interest area is state of mind and you sound fabulous in

> that

>> area, to me

>>

>> felicity

>

> Thanks for the vote of confidence. I feel like my head is in the

> right place, but not so confident that I can succeed.

>

> Not sure if that makes sense, but I'm certain I'm not the only one who

> has felt this way! :-)

>

> Neca

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

or anyone else cycling these days,

I'm interested in learning how to cycle calories/carbs. Id like to

know what a typical maintenance menu is for you, vs. what your

Wed/Sat looks like?

I take it the free day is no longer on the calendar?

Along with your exercise routine? Are they both working together so

that you dont feel tired with the caloric defficiency?

I'm really looking for a better balance.

tx

>

> Neca, I understand your situation, I would say I was in the same

> place, and always teeter on the edge (some days!). I kept losing

and

> gaining the same 5 lbs, it seems like my body is happy with a

> particular weight (my set point). I have done weights

consistently

> for years, and high intensity cardio too, so I know I am quite

strong

> and physically fit.

>

> So, here is what I did differently to lose more bodyfat, finally

drop

> 10 lbs, and 2 dress sizes: I wrote out goals I could control and

read

> them everyday. Believe me, I am a very practical person and

sceptical

> as well. I figured this was the most hokey thing from BFFM (first

> chapter). But I really do think it has made a difference.

Repeating

> affirmative statements to myself has kept me focused (no more

binges,

> no guilt when I eat a treat, more self control), and I see myself

> differently in the mirror (weird, I know). I am still on my

journey,

> but I have made huge strides since January. The biggest part for

me

> is that I always push myself when I do interval cardio, I lift

weights

> to failure, introduced a lot of variety in my training, and eat

clean

> more often than not. Nutrition is the biggest part of it, and it

is

> easy to let treats sneak in or take a larger portion. I don't

miss

> junk food anymore, and I enjoy healthy foods the most.

>

> The other thing that has really worked for me is to zig zag

calories

> (nothing complicated). I eat BFL palm/fist portions Sun/Mon/Tues

and

> Thurs/Fri. This is a calorie defecit of about 700/day. I eat

> maintenance on Wed/Sat (extra carb or healthy fat at 5 meals).

Over

> the course of a week I have a 3500 cal deficit. I find this easy

to

> do, and I never really feel hungry. I look forward to the high

eating

> days, but I don't have a full blown cheat day. I have some cheat

> meals during the week, but keep within my calorie budget more or

less.

>

>

>

> >>>>> I guess I feel I won't lose these last pounds b/c I haven't

> managed to

> > do it over the past 2 years!!

>

[Guest guest]

Hi , I follow BFL guidelines most days to get a sufficient

calorie defecit. I found that 6 days BFL with one free day didnt work

well for me. I felt deprived all week and starving, and would blow it

on free day. Free day was binge day....I would have intense guilt and

feel sick the day after. So I moved to Plan B.

Basically, I eat BFL style Sun/Mon/Tues and Thurs/Fri. I figure my

calorie deficit is about 700-800/day = at least 3500 for the week. I

eat maintenance calories on Wed/Sat. This means an extra 700-800

those days! I try not fill up on junk, I just add a carb or fat

portion to each of my 6 meals.

I still have cheats, but I don't have a whole cheat day. Basically I

look at this as a lifestyle, lifelong eating plan. So if something

comes up where I have food that normally wouldnt fit into the program,

I make it work for me. This is akin to the Cheaters/Bingers article

on Skwigg's website. If I eat a chocolate chip cookie, that is my

carb and I add my protein a few veggies and move on. No big deal.

It is easier to have my cheat meals fall on a Wed or Sun because of

the calorie levels those days. On low cal days, I'm getting about

1350-1500 calories. You can't really have a full blown cheat meals

those days!!

Here is a typical 'low' day:

Coffee with skim milk, fasted cardio (either HIIT or 35 min walk)

M1: 1/2 c cottage cheese + 1/2 cup oat bran + coffee

M2: 1/2 c ff plain yogurt + scoop protein powder

M3: spinach, tomatoes, 2 oz tuna + 1Tbs hummous, 1/3 cup kidney beans

+ balsamic vinegar

M4: 2 oz chicken breast, 6 carrots, plum

M5: giant salad, 1/2 tsp olive oil + vinegar, steam broccoli + 2 oz

chicken/fish + 1/2 c brown rice

M6: 1/2 c cottage cheese, 1-2 Tbs ground flax, sugar free hot cocoa

I drink tons of water, sometimes have green tea in the afternoon.

Here is a typical 'high' day - about 2000-2200 cals:

Coffee with skim milk, fasted cardio (either HIIT or 35 min walk)

M1: 1/2 c cottage cheese + 1/2 cup oat bran + coffee + 1 ww toast + ff

cream cheese

M2: 1/2 c ff plain yogurt + scoop protein powder + apple

M3: spinach, tomatoes, 2 oz tuna + 1Tbs hummous, 1/3 cup kidney beans

+ balsamic vinegar + ww toast with peanut butter

M4: 2 oz chicken breast, 6 carrots, plum + 12 almonds

M5: giant salad, 1/2 tsp olive oil + vinegar, steam broccoli + 2 oz

chicken/fish + 1 c brown rice

M6: 1/2 c cottage cheese, 1-2 Tbs ground flax, sugar free hot cocoa +

1/2 chocolate frozen yogurt (ice cream substitute)

I drink tons of water, sometimes have green tea in the afternoon.

Basically the same meals, but I add in a carb and/or fat.

I do live it up a bit more on Sats. We often go out for breakfast, so

I will eat some french toast, peameal bacon. Because the breakfast is

bigger when I do this, my morning snack is usually just cottage

cheese. It pretty much balances out M1 + M2.

When I eat bigger on Wed & Sat, I feel pretty stuffed. I find the low

days for Thurs and Sun are not a challenge at all because I over fed

the day before! Fri and Mon/Tues are still doable, but sometimes I'm

more hungry so I fill up on extra veggies.

Sat is my rest day, so eating more and just doing regular activities

and going on walks work ok. Wed is a weight day, I usually do it at

lunch time, so eating bigger that day works well.

I do have enough energy on this program. The key on 'low days' is to

fill up on high volume/low cal foods like fresh fruit, oatmeal and

beans, and veggies of course.

I hope this answers your questions.

>>>>

> or anyone else cycling these days,

>

> I'm interested in learning how to cycle calories/carbs. Id like to

> know what a typical maintenance menu is for you, vs. what your

> Wed/Sat looks like?

> I take it the free day is no longer on the calendar?

> Along with your exercise routine? Are they both working together so

> that you dont feel tired with the caloric defficiency?

[Guest guest]

!

Very, very cool- and I thank you so much for sharing that

information. The calories are at my range, so I'm going to try

something similar to your plan because I dont relate to 'free day'

either. Can I also ask, what are your physical stats?

--

>

> Hi , I follow BFL guidelines most days to get a sufficient

> calorie defecit. I found that 6 days BFL with one free day didnt

work

> well for me. I felt deprived all week and starving, and would blow

it

> on free day. Free day was binge day....I would have intense guilt

and

> feel sick the day after. So I moved to Plan B.

>

> Basically, I eat BFL style Sun/Mon/Tues and Thurs/Fri. I figure my

> calorie deficit is about 700-800/day = at least 3500 for the week.

I

> eat maintenance calories on Wed/Sat. This means an extra 700-800

> those days! I try not fill up on junk, I just add a carb or fat

> portion to each of my 6 meals.

>

> I still have cheats, but I don't have a whole cheat day. Basically

I

> look at this as a lifestyle, lifelong eating plan. So if something

> comes up where I have food that normally wouldnt fit into the

program,

> I make it work for me. This is akin to the Cheaters/Bingers

article

> on Skwigg's website. If I eat a chocolate chip cookie, that is my

> carb and I add my protein a few veggies and move on. No big deal.

>

> It is easier to have my cheat meals fall on a Wed or Sun because of

> the calorie levels those days. On low cal days, I'm getting about

> 1350-1500 calories. You can't really have a full blown cheat meals

> those days!!

>

> Here is a typical 'low' day:

> Coffee with skim milk, fasted cardio (either HIIT or 35 min walk)

> M1: 1/2 c cottage cheese + 1/2 cup oat bran + coffee

> M2: 1/2 c ff plain yogurt + scoop protein powder

> M3: spinach, tomatoes, 2 oz tuna + 1Tbs hummous, 1/3 cup kidney

beans

> + balsamic vinegar

> M4: 2 oz chicken breast, 6 carrots, plum

> M5: giant salad, 1/2 tsp olive oil + vinegar, steam broccoli + 2 oz

> chicken/fish + 1/2 c brown rice

> M6: 1/2 c cottage cheese, 1-2 Tbs ground flax, sugar free hot cocoa

> I drink tons of water, sometimes have green tea in the afternoon.

>

> Here is a typical 'high' day - about 2000-2200 cals:

> Coffee with skim milk, fasted cardio (either HIIT or 35 min walk)

> M1: 1/2 c cottage cheese + 1/2 cup oat bran + coffee + 1 ww toast +

ff

> cream cheese

> M2: 1/2 c ff plain yogurt + scoop protein powder + apple

> M3: spinach, tomatoes, 2 oz tuna + 1Tbs hummous, 1/3 cup kidney

beans

> + balsamic vinegar + ww toast with peanut butter

> M4: 2 oz chicken breast, 6 carrots, plum + 12 almonds

> M5: giant salad, 1/2 tsp olive oil + vinegar, steam broccoli + 2 oz

> chicken/fish + 1 c brown rice

> M6: 1/2 c cottage cheese, 1-2 Tbs ground flax, sugar free hot cocoa

+

> 1/2 chocolate frozen yogurt (ice cream substitute)

> I drink tons of water, sometimes have green tea in the afternoon.

>

> Basically the same meals, but I add in a carb and/or fat.

>

> I do live it up a bit more on Sats. We often go out for breakfast,

so

> I will eat some french toast, peameal bacon. Because the breakfast

is

> bigger when I do this, my morning snack is usually just cottage

> cheese. It pretty much balances out M1 + M2.

>

> When I eat bigger on Wed & Sat, I feel pretty stuffed. I find the

low

> days for Thurs and Sun are not a challenge at all because I over

fed

> the day before! Fri and Mon/Tues are still doable, but sometimes

I'm

> more hungry so I fill up on extra veggies.

>

> Sat is my rest day, so eating more and just doing regular

activities

> and going on walks work ok. Wed is a weight day, I usually do it

at

> lunch time, so eating bigger that day works well.

>

> I do have enough energy on this program. The key on 'low days' is

to

> fill up on high volume/low cal foods like fresh fruit, oatmeal and

> beans, and veggies of course.

>

> I hope this answers your questions.

>

>

> >>>>

> > or anyone else cycling these days,

> >

> > I'm interested in learning how to cycle calories/carbs. Id like

to

> > know what a typical maintenance menu is for you, vs. what your

> > Wed/Sat looks like?

> > I take it the free day is no longer on the calendar?

> > Along with your exercise routine? Are they both working together

so

> > that you dont feel tired with the caloric defficiency?

>

[Guest guest]

,

I'm 38 years old, 5'1 " , 116 lbs. I'm somewhere between 15% bf and 18%

bf, I measure myself using different methods. Based on biofitness,

I'm 18%, using a 1-site accumeasure caliper myself, I'm 15%. I still

don't really know if I measure accurately or in the right spot, but I

consistently measure the same way and the same place (I have a beauty

mark). When I started in January, I was 125 lbs and 24% bf using 1-

site measure. Regardless of what bf% is right (probably the higher

one), I can see that I've got the right downward trend with the

caliper measurement.

From challenge 1 which finished near the end of March, I went from 24%

to 17%, 125 lbs to 119 lbs (lost 6 lbs scale weight), lost 10 lbs

fat, gained 4 lbs lean mass. I took a 1 week break, eating mostly

maintenance calories, skipped hiit (just walking that week), and did

full body circuit lighter weights 3X for a 'break'.

I started C2 on April 1st, so I've finished 8 weeks so far. Things

have slowed down, I've gone from 119 lbs to 116 (3 lbs lost), 17% bf

to 15% with the caliper 1-site measure, lost 2 lbs fat and 1 lb lean

(yikes!). I only measure every 2 weeks, and had a moderate gain in

fat and loss of lean over the last 2 weeks. I think I might have to

actually up my calories a bit on the low days, I'm still deciding what

to do.

I'm about to post about my C2 8 week freakout. lol. This is because I

saw a personal trainer today ( a freebie thrown in by my gym renewal),

and he thinks I should eat double the calories I am. Since I have

plateaued, he is encouraging me to eat more. He is not a fan of the

zig zag routine of eating, although the proof is in the pudding for

me. He didnt measure bodyfat, but thought I was around or just under

18% by looking at me.

Anyways, here are the rest of my stats:

Waist: 26.5 " (was 29 " )

Naval: 27.25 " (didnt measure)

Hip: 37 " (was 39 " )

Thigh: 21.5 " (was 23 " )

Calf: 13.5 " (was 14 " )

Chest: 34.5 " (was 35 " )

By the way, I have two young children, a daughter almost 6 and a son

almost 4. It is possible to be a near-middle aged mom and still look

pretty good! ha ha ha

>>> Can I also ask, what are your physical stats?