Body For Life...a summary

So as my one reader may already know, I am doing the Body For Life (BFL) Program which is a 12 week challenge of exercise and eating balanced portions of proteins and carbs. I first did this program in April 2005 and it worked like a HOT damn!!(see end picture at left) I hadn't been in that good a shape since high school and felt just INCREDIBLE, STUPENDOUS even. I had energy to burn and felt just damn HOT in my clothes (if I may say so..lol)

Well I manged to keep my new figure thru till that next Spring. I started to slide a bit and put on 10 pounds...no biggie. But by the end of 2006 I was 20lbs up from what I was in the Summer of 2005. YIKES!! What happened there??!! So none of my new cool clothes fit anymore and I was rifling thru my "fat clothes" to find ANYTHING that fit my new ample ass ( I would say "assets" but those never grew an INCH @@)

So I started a new challenge the beginning of January but thought I would put a "Janis spin" on it and change a few things. Eating? eh...the odd chip or cookie here and there no problem. I did keep up my exercise but with the program they recommend doing it BEFORE breakfast which is wonderful for many reasons. First, you get it over with and DONE before you really have enough time to stress about when you are going to fit it in during the day. Second, it burns fat more than the food in your stomach because after sleeping all night things have "moved on". Third, you hate the before and during part of the exercise but OH the sweet AFTER!! You are on a high, especially after the cardio, for hours and it gives you that glow that you hear about in magazines and pay $$ for at the drugstore. Well I did it in the afternoon usually..didn't want to get up early.

So my grand total weight loss after exercising 98% and eating 40%? ZIPPO..NADA..NOTHING BABY!! So I had to really pull up the reins and take control and not go about this half assed any more! (because my ass certainly wasn't HALF!..more like 2 1/2)

So I am now in week 4 of my new CLEAN eating and exercise challenge. I have lost around 7lbs so far and a few inches as well. I know I am losing because my clothes fit looser and chairs aren't creaking as much when I sit down. A nice plus!!

So the way the eating works is I eat 6 meals a day that are equally balanced in Proteins AND Carbs. To give you a visual idea a typical day would go like this:

Meal 1: 1/3c of oatmeal with a scoop of protein powder (a bit of skim milk)

Meal 2: Protein shake with 1/2 a banana and some fresh strawberries in it

Meal 3: Cottage Cheese and non fat yogurt with a cup of veggies

Meal 4: Protein bar

Meal 5: Chicken wrap with red peppers and a green salad

Meal 6: Non fat pudding with a scoop of protein powder and dollop of Nonfat Cool Whip

I do drink coffee with some skim milk in it during the day as well as a diet cola and a tonne of water. Usually the day ends out around 1400-1600 cals. You eat clean like this for 6 days and on the last day (Sunday usually) you have a FREE DAY!! OH GLORIOUS FREE DAY!!! You eat whatever you freakin want. Cake? go for it? Big Mac and FRIES?? Scarf it down!! You will feel as sick as a dog but you truly can eat whatever you want. It gives your metabolism a "kick" and your mental stability gets a boost as well! I live for my free days. I write down during the week things I CRAVED and then eat them on Sunday. lol....you oddly do feel guilty this entire day though...

Exercise is 6 days a week alternating weights and cardio. The cardio is interval training meaning that you start off at an ok pace for a minute and then increase the speed for 4 mins and then drop back down to your starting pace. You go through this cycle 4 times and finish out the last cycle at the FASTEST speed you can possible do without falling ass over tits on the treadmill (or whatever cardio machine you are using). It really pushes your body to it's limits but it is only 20 mins long....YES I said 20 MINUTES!! Weight training maybe takes 30-40 mins and it's over before you know it. I never knew I could have such definition in my abs after being the size of a elephant!! I thought that dream was LONG past but they are starting to come back and it's SOOOO exciting!! My husband has to put up with me checking out my new abs every night before bed in our bedroom mirror....yes that sounds conceited but if you have been where my body has been, it is more of a personal victory than any kind of selfishness.

So I am going to go to bed now and dream of all the ice cream and left over mini eggs I am going to consume tomorrow. OH and I cannot forget...my Grande, Non Fat Caramel Macchiato!! YUMMY!!! Bring on the TUMS!!!