Day 11 -- BFL -- I Miss Muscle Media Magazine

What happened to Muscle Media magazine?!! During my last two challenges, I could look to Muscle Media to new ideas, recipes and ways to mix up my work out. One of my favorite articles was ab boot camp. The ab work out in BLF training program really doesn't work for me. I do not know why I would do decsending reps of 12 through 6 for my abs work out. But check out this article from Muscle Media http://musclemedia.com/training/BootCamp.asp!!! The work out in there is not for beginners. I have not sarted it yet, but when I am ready -- BAM! -- this abs boot camp work out is the ticket. It worked beauifully for me before, and I guarantee it will work for you. But seriously, wait until simple exercises like 75 floor crunches and 50 bent-knee leg raises just aren't doing it for you any more. The last thing you want is an injury so early in you Body-for-LIFE transformation. The Muscle Media website has no search engine, so to find articles you must search in Google for the term "muscle media" and then insert the topic you are looking for. Kind of a pain, but the search is worh it if you find an old article like abs boot camp.

Day 8 -- Chosing the Right Meal Plan

I know that Body-for-LIFE can work. Just look at that skinny guy in the photo from my first success. But I also know that it is important to choose an eating plan to meet my transformation goals.

With my first challenge, the variety of Myoplex drinks and bars available now, did not exist. I just purchased a big variety pack of ready-mix Myoplex nutrition shakes. I cooked three meals a day and had three shakes a day, pretty simple plan, and I finished the entire challenge. I later injured my knees, stopped working out completely and put on a bunch of weight.

For my second challenge, I decided that I wanted to bulk up more. EAS now offered a variety of products, including ready-mixed drinks in a lite formula or carb control. I decided to take on the strength and power eating program, and I went for the Myoplex Deluxe drinks along with Phosphagen XP. I started bulking up and did not worry about losing any weight, because I figured it would come off at the end due to the fat burning machine I would become and by cutting calories. However, around week 5 I sustained a hernia injury and that was the end of my weight lifting regime. I had bulked up and become substantially stronger, but I ALSO HAD NOT LOST ANY WEIGHT!

I tried Atkins and South Beach diets to try and loose the weight without working out, but those plans made me feel "wigged out" all the time.

So here I go again, challenge number 3. This time I am drinking the ready-mix Myoplex lite and eating Balance protein bars. I have already lost some weight even in this first week. I am still taking the phosphagen XP because I know how important building muscle is to create my own Body-for-LIFE. I know that loosing weight is very important to my appearance and to my overall health. Once I meet my healthy weight, only then I can pursue a "bulking up" nutrition plan.

After week one, I feel I have chosen the right meal plan for me. We'll see how I feel in week 6. I also feel great under the BFL system, unlike Atkins or South Beach.

Day 2 - Body for Life -- Public Humiliation

WARNING: DUE TO THE DISTURBING GRAPHIC NATURE OF THESE PHOTOS, YOU MAY WANT TO SKIP THIS POSTING. TO AVOID INJURY TO YOUR OPTICAL SENSORS, QUICKLY SCROLL DOWN TO THE NEXT POST. It is very difficult for me to look at these photos. Nevertheless, I am posting my before photos here to track the transformation and give myself motivation to complete the BFL Challenge. Well, I still have pretty skinny ankles!