Re: Basically Already BFL?

[Guest guest]

Wow. That's a lot of questions. I'm sure I'll miss some, but here are a few

thoughts...

- If what you're doing is working well (sounds like it is) don't mess with

it just to be changing things. Keep doing more of what's working.

- Doing BFL hardcore by the book generates really dramatic results, but it's

not always compatible with running goals. Mixing HIIT intervals in with long

runs is a compromise. The fat burning intervals won't be as intense if

you're tacking them to a longer running session. However, your running speed

will likely improve. So, it's not a bad trade-off. Maybe some runners can

elaborate.

- Yes people really follow the wacky set/rep pattern and it really kicks

ass, but the six heavy isolation sets will likely wreck your legs for

running. Bodybuilding and running are fairly incompatible.

- It's fine to use pull-ups as the second exercise or high-point on back

exercises, or to do several sets of pull-ups with the row as the second

exercise. Technically, for chest, the high-point should be another pushing

movement, not a pull-up. Maybe try some crazy push-up variation with your

chest sets..

- Your glutes are heavily involved in every single squat, lunge, deadlift,

step-up and press. The only lower body moves that don't work your glutes are

calf raises and machine leg extensions.

- Nutrition is everything. It's by far the biggest factor in your results.

Balancing protein and carbs, controlling portions and eating clean will work

wonders. However, in order for your metabolism to stay alive, you can't eat

at a sharp calorie deficit every day from now on. You have to vary your

calorie intake. That's reality and not marketing gimmick. If you eat the

same restricted number of calories indefinitely, pretty soon that's all your

body will burn, no matter what your activity level. If you want a fast

metabolism and continued results, sometimes there has to be a calorie

surplus. That's how your body knows it's ok to burn/waste calories and that

it doesn't need to put the brakes on and save you from the famine. You can

achieve an occasional surplus by deliberately zig-zagging lower and higher

calorie (clean) days, or by taking a free day, or by doing a couple of free

meals or treats a week. Whatever works best for you. Just don't eat

precisely 1400 calories every day from now on. That will stall you.

> Helloooo ladies (Wow, this is a lot longer than I intended - so sorry!)

>

> The summary of my questions, which are further outlined below:

> So, what's the difference of being ON body for life (cheating once a

> week, only 3 sessions of 20min cardio, 2-day weight split) or being

> MOSTLY ON (treating twice a month, adding a long run and sprints in

> addition to one mile+his 20 min cardio, and a 3-day weight split)?

>

>

>

> I heard about BFL on skwigg's site and have been curious about it ever

> since. My library request for the book FINALLY came in yesterday and I

> frantically skipped the motivational goodness (well, good for some

> people) to find the meat and iron of the book (ie: food and exercise).

>

> Turns out I basically am on Body for Life (my friend later laughed

> when she saw me holding the book because she had been meaning to tell

> me I was). Anyways, basically I was wondering how much of a difference

> would I see if I actually got ON it as opposed to MOSTLY ON it. For

> people who were already doing the basics, did you notice a bigger

> difference on BFL or were you losing (fat) and gaining (muscle) at the

> same rate?

>

> Differences:

> -the way I do my cardio, which I'm willing to change part of. I'm

> training for a 5k so each week I do a long run and sprints. The other

> four days I was doing walk/run combo action. I've been curious about

> HIITness, so I'm willing to convert those days to his plan, BUT I need

> to run a mile every day. Will starting my workout with a nice easy

> mile before I do the 20 minutes mean the workout is less effective?

> How much less effective? Will doing my sprints and long run every week

> somehow counteract the rest of the week's cardio? (ie: would that be

> overkill?)

>

> -I do weight lifting on a three day split. I feel like his schedule is

> probably superior to that, and I'm willing to change, but I have a

> question about the exercises. For chest/back I do one exercise each

> (bench press and sitting row) and then I use the assisted pull up

> machine as my second exercise for both, as I really really really want

> to be able to do a pullup Is that okay or should I add another

> exercise? Also, his reps schedule seems a little wacky - is that relly

> the way everyone does it? Really? Also, how can he ignore the butt on

> his little body chart? What does he think he sits on? I probably work

> my bum the hardest out of everything, because I want to really really

> love my bum. Why isn't the bum mentioned? Or is it just assumed you'll

> get a bum workout from everything else?

>

> -Eating: he made me cut down my 1 cup bowl of cereal to a 1/2 cup

> Darn you tiny fists of mine!!! I'm okay with that. But, I'm not super

> okay with the cheat day. I give myself a treat once a week or once

> every two weeks. I'm a super black and white thinker, so it's hard for

> me to not feel like a failure. I've been reading lots about it and

> everyone is on both sides of the issue. The anti-cheaters say cheat

> days are a marketing scheme to make more money, the pro-cheaters say

> that it really does help your metabolism. So, what's the difference of

> being ON body for life (cheating) or being MOSTLY ON (occassionally

> cheating)?

>

>

> I'm 5'3.5 " and started 10 weeks ago at 36-28-38 and 130lbs. Now I'm

> 33-25-36.5 and 119 pounds. I just want to make sure I keep seeing

> results and bring down my body fat (from 23% to somewhere around 18%).

> I also want to run a 5k, possibly a 10k in the future, and do a

> pullup. Will being on BFL improve the intensity or quickness of my

> results? I know that the less you way, the lower your body fat, the

> harder it is to weigh even less or have it even lower - I just want to

> ensure that I don't stall out or hit a plateau.

>

>

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