Training & Nutrition - Body for Life Updates and Progress Reports

For those interested, I am going to provide periodic updates on the "Body for Life" program that my wife and I are pursuing. Others please disregard.

My wife and I have been in the "Body for Life" program for a week now, and are loving it.

1. I have lost 3 pounds.

2. We have an excellent trainer/weight lifter who is also a registered physical therapist, and is near our age group (we are in our mid 60's, he is in his 40's). This has given my wife a lot of confidence, as she is absolutely scared to death of reinjuring her back and knee and going back into severe pain. He has modified a number of the recommended exercises just to fit her.

3. While I have been lifting for some time, I have never had any instruction in proper techniques, and am learning just a tremendous amount. It has been great, and also, I can see where I have been missing some muscle groups in my previous program. Man, the DOMS after the first workout was a major clue!!

4. We both are finding the 6 meals per day approach to be excellent for our needs. Protein, complex carbo and veggies for each meal, along with lots of water.

5. Our rec center approach does not endorse in any manner using supplements (legalities, I assume), so this has not been a major part of the program. However, they are having a big sale (2 for 1) at our local supermarket on the EAS products, so we bought a little to try. I know, for example, that after teaching all day long with an early lunch, I get terribly hungry on the way home. Having a good bar to eat would be great. Of course, Friday was my last day at school for this year.

6. The cardio has been the easiest, as we have always done excellent cardio. It was just a small step up from what we have always done. Faster walking, for example. I am increasing my biking as school is out, and I have time. I threw in 20 miles yesterday right after school and hope to begin riding daily as of tomorrow (it is freezing outside right now with snow predicted).

EDIT

It cleared up nicely, and we got out for 1.5 hour ride. A bit chilly, but very nice!!

END EDIT

I am doing double the cardio suggested just because we are so used to cardio, and it is no problem for me, and is actually what I am used to doing, except with a little more intensity.

Anyway, just wanted to give you a progress report.

We really needed an organized program, and, despite our best efforts, could not bring it off by ourselves.

We are the oldest couple in the group of about 30 starting this together. I think we are probably doing real well in regards to the weight lifting and cardio.

Glad to hear about your progess. Keep us posted.

Blood Pressure yesterday was 111/66, the lowest in perhaps my entire life since about 18 yo.

When I was on the intense medication last year for Trigeminal Neuralgia, it was running 170-180/120, despite tripled medications.

I am still tkaing low dosage meds for HBP, however, and will continue them until I see if this is a more permanent change.

But, NICE to see proggress (oh, I have also lost 4.5 pounds!!).

Sounds great Denvr... I'm curious about the 6 meals a day... what would a typical menu be for you each day ? I do something similiar, eating about every 2 hours.. a lot of fruit.. light lunch, and average size dinner... not enough to make me over full, but enough to satisfy me.. and I've found that I can maintain my weight pretty well this way

Jeff

what would a typical menu be for you each day ?

Each meal is supposed to be

1. Low fat protein the size of your fist (I have big hands)
2. Whole grain carbo the size of your fist
3. Veggies, as much as you want, but must have with at least 2 meals.

So far, we always have oatmenal (real) with a little fruit and a glass of milk for breakfast.

Snack - 1/2 turkey sandwich on low fat whole wheat bread, veggies

Lunch - I am eating Healthy Choice Frozen dinners, which match the criteria exactly.

PM Snack - one of their (EAS) very delicious energy bars with protein and carbo.

Dinner - last night we each had 1/2 steak with corn on the cob (considered a carbo) and salad with lo cal dressing.

Evening. I had a grilled cheese sandwich (on the George Foreman Grill) - real cheese on low fat whole wheat bread.

Also, I am ecstatic because I did my 1st 30 miler of the season. I know, doesn't seem like much, but after the brain surgery last winter and the illnesses, it is a great step up for me!!! :D

Way to Go!!!! My wife and I are going to start a modified version of the BFL. When she was pregnant she got gestational diabetes. They gave us a setup on what we could and could not eat, so I did it with her for moral support. I lost 12 lbs. in the 4 weeks that she was still pregnant(she did not continue to have the diabetes after the pregnancy) The only problem is the elimination of sugar completely. Gotta have my snickers every now and then.

:beer:

Great going, Denver! Keep us updated, it helps me keep motivated with my weight loss efforts, for real!

Koff

Sounds like a pretty decent meal plan... tasty food... maybe I need to look into something similiar for myself, and my wife. right now my basic mea plan is like this...

around 10am I have a banana

lunch I have 2 nonfat yogurts, an apple, and a diet soda

around 3 or so I have another banana

on my drive home I have an apple

then eat dinner... usually grilled chicken.. maybe some pasta.. sometimes steak, and a vegetable... and some Whole wheat bread

after dinner... maybe some sherbet, or a skinny cow ice cream sandwich.. occasionally some low-fat cheezits....

all the while drinking plenty of water, or Yerba Mate tea

Jeff

Originally posted by SipperPhoto
Sounds like a pretty decent meal plan... tasty food... maybe I need to look into something similiar for myself, and my wife. right now my basic mea plan is like this...

around 10am I have a banana

lunch I have 2 nonfat yogurts, an apple, and a diet soda

around 3 or so I have another banana

on my drive home I have an apple

then eat dinner... usually grilled chicken.. maybe some pasta.. sometimes steak, and a vegetable... and some Whole wheat bread

after dinner... maybe some sherbet, or a skinny cow ice cream sandwich.. occasionally some low-fat cheezits....

all the while drinking plenty of water, or Yerba Mate tea

Jeff

I, and especially my wife, could never survive on that. Oatmeal has an excellent glycemic index, which keeps us going for the am. As I get up between 4:30 am and 5:00 am, we need something of substance. I could not imagine doing a 30 mile bike ride on one banana. My wife is borderline hypoglycemic, and needs to keep nourished at all times.

But, whatever works for you obviously works for you. Each of us is so different!!

Yikes Slipper!

I don't think you could keep anything alive on that! Consider if you are especially cycling, you'll need more energy than that to keep up your energy levels.

When you get the chance, take a look at the food pyramid sometime- you aren't even coming close to the recommended nutritional guidelines, and with the increased exercising, you need even more food than that.

If you get the chance, look around for a nutritionist in your area who can take you through your exercise routine and can recommend some healthier eating habits that keep your taste buds from getting bored.

Unsolicited advice, but I just thought I'd intervene for a min.

Koffee

Koffee,

hehe i've been getting by on that for about the last 4 years.. if I am cycling more.. I throw more food in the tank... Usually weekends, I take off and eat whatever I want... jsut not to extremes... it does help maintain my weight.. I'm 5'10" and fluctuate between 168 and 172...

Overall calories for the day end up being around 1600 or so for the day... I only ride maybe 3 times a week... probably a total of 2-20 mile days, and 1- 40 mile day on the weekend... whatever time permits... I have looked at the nutrition pyramid... I am actually fairly close to the recomended allotment of everything... maybe a little low on the carbs, and fat... but everything else is about where it should be...

Jeff

Congratulations Denver! I could stand to lose a few more pound myself.

The nutrition pyramid sucks, IMHO.

And most nutritionists agree. It was designed to meet the financial needs of food producers, not for good nutrition.

Oh, by the way, as of tonight I have lost 6.5 lbs!!

6/16/03

I have lost 8.5 pounds

Wife finally lost 2.5, she has been putting on muscle, but was discouraged because she had not lost anything yet. Now there is a smile on her face.

Loving the workouts. Still doing about 4 times the cardio.

Eating as prescribed.

Originally posted by DnvrFox
I, and especially my wife, could never survive on that. Oatmeal has an excellent glycemic index, which keeps us going for the am. As I get up between 4:30 am and 5:00 am, we need something of substance. I could not imagine doing a 30 mile bike ride on one banana. My wife is borderline hypoglycemic, and needs to keep nourished at all times.

But, whatever works for you obviously works for you. Each of us is so different!!

I hear ya Denvr... if I know I'm gonna ride.. I stockpile more food in there... your wife sounds liek mine.. if she doesn't eat on a regular basis, she gets headaches and has zero energy... I can pretty much go all day without eating if I'm just doing regular day to day stuff... it's weird... but i've always been like that...

Usually before a ride I eat more though... I did a 45 mile group ride last Saturday... I started with a waffle, a tall glass of orange juice, and a banana before I left the house... at the half way point on the ride we stop for bagels where I had a whole wheat bagel with some peanut butter and some fresh squeezed OJ... as soon as I got off the bike I downed a bottle of gatorade, and had a balance bar... got home took a shower... then had some tomato soup... then an apple... overall I felt pretty good

I guess it is just different for everyone.. I started this "diet" (although I don;t really think of it as a diet) about 4.5 years ago.. I was 5'10" and about 195... thru working out and a lot of cardio.. I got down to about 160 at my lowest.. . i'm currently about 170 +- a couple lbs. which is about where I should be I think.. I am never real low on energy, and feel much much better than I did 4 years ago.. and with getting back into cycling a year or so ago... everyhtng is going good

Jeff

07/09/2003

We continue on the program.

We had a 10 day vacation to California in the middle, but our trainer gave us some "Therabands" - very heavy duty long wide strips of rubber banding used by physical therapists and, using these creatively, we managed to keep on our weight training schedule along with our cardio, and pretty much our food, although there were some times it was not possible.

SO, I have lost 13 pounds to date. Additionally, I must have put on 2-4 pounds of muscle, making, in my estimation, a net weight loss of about 15-17 pounds. We will do body fat measurements at the end of the 12 weeks.

Our initial fee covered 4 weeks of being with a trainer 3 times per week for one joint hour for Nora and me. We paid an additional $318 for another four weeks of the same. Our trainer is the same registered physical therapist we started with.

I continue to grow in strength, and, of course, always do my cardio about 4 times as much as they recommend (I.e., I did a 31 mile bike ride today). In addition, each 1.5 hours weight workout uses about 300-400 calories, I would estimate.

Nora has lost 4 pounds, and she looks like she has put on at least 3 pounds of muscle, for a net of about 7 pounds.

That's it!!

:beer:

Congrats!

It sounds like things are working out great for you! Thanks for the updates!

Koffee

Congrats to you and the wife Dnvr !! I hope in 25 years when I'm your age i'm still kickin' butt, and riding like you :-)

thanks for the inspiration

Jeff

7/22/03

Last night my weight showed a 16 pound loss since the start of the program. I continue to gain muscle, and have definitely increased my biking endurance and capacity.

:thumbup:

Congrats! Keep up with the diary... it's very inspirational!

Koffee

Ok. I'll let you know.

Dnvr,

Congrats on the progress so far in BFL. I've been following the program since 2000 with my own personal up's and downs. I've lost over 100 pounds since Feb of 2000 on BFL. I'd be at my goal weight now if work and other life changes didn't get in the way. Anyhow, I'm on track again and down another 8 pounds since starting back up 2 weeks ago.

I eat the 6 meals per day but sometimes only get 4 or 5 in. Don't kill yourself if you miss a meal or a workout. Don't play catchup, just keep progressing and learning.

I found it helps me a TON to plan everything just like the book recommends. The days I don't write down what I'm planning on eating or accomplishing are the roughest days for me. Just a suggestion ...

Good luck with the program, I'll post here or in another thread as I make more progress on the program and with my cycling regiment.

Sean
http://www.seanwillson.com/

07/30/03

I have lost 19 pounds, or just a bit less than 2.5 lbs per week.

Am now riding daily 25-50 miles.

Continue to lift more and heavier weights.

Have stayed on the eating plan pretty darn good, despite vacations, etc.

Koffee - at this rate, I might even send you a nude photo for your calendar. Right - a nude photo of a fat 63 yo guy. Laughing all the way around the block. I don't think so!! :D

Hey - my bike and I now weigh 19 pounds less. There are a lot of folks who would kill to get that kind of weight reduction on their bike/rider weights.

My wife has lost 6 pounds, and gained a LOT of strength. Very measurable gains. She is so proud.

Great job for both of you! Congratulations! :beer:

Been on the weight loss trek myself... over the last two years it's been about 18 kgs... Now I'm very happy, and have to keep it there. It's a life long life change. But feeling better for it.

Originally posted by AdrianB
Great job for both of you! Congratulations! :beer:

Been on the weight loss trek myself... over the last two years it's been about 18 kgs... Now I'm very happy, and have to keep it there. It's a life long life change. But feeling better for it.

Congrats. It seems like everyone can lose, but the real challenge is keeping it off.

I never had a weight problem as a kid or a young man. It was not until we had some real challenges, frustrations and problems in raising 2 kids with profound disabilities that we turned to food as a crutch.

A little of that has settled down, now, so perhaps we can win this time.

Better than drugs, alcohol or smoking, though.

Well, this is the final report (I think and you can only hope)!

Have finished 12 weeks +

Lost 23 pounds, body fat way down.

Muscles are bigger and better, I am looking pretty good.

Cardio Vascular is way improved. We are at our condo at 9,600 feet altitude. Last night, upon arrival from Denver, we took a walk around a pretty steep loop for a couple of miles, and, for the 1st time in a long time, I was able to go full speed without needing to "ease into it." Waist size dropped 2 inches, old pants are falling off. (Fortunately I saved my old "skinnier" wardrobe, which I am now wearing.)

So, I want to lose 20 more pounds, and think I can do it if I just keep with the new eating habits. I am continuing the weightlifting, as I have always done. Of couse, the CV goes witout saying.

I might even upadte one more time in about another 12 weeks. 'Twill keep me honest!

Congrats on all that! What about the wife? How did she end up doing?

Originally posted by Koffee Brown
Congrats on all that! What about the wife? How did she end up doing?

She lost 12 pounds, learned to lift weights and to go to the gym and, if necessary, stand up to the "big guys" (those muscle guys who never smile and take themselves oh so seriously) by herself, and how to use the machines, etc., has gained a lot in strength and endurance, and her clothes are fitting her again.

Cool! Give the Misses a high five for me and tell her I said congrats and keep strong in the struggle! ;)

Koff

Congrats on finishing your challenge. I'm still trying to get going again in this challenge. I've completed a few but still have ways to go. Congrats to the wife as well, keep up the new lifestyle and keep us posted.

Good going Dnvr, and wife ! Sounds like you are on your way for sure !

Jeff

Nora and I continue with the Body for Life.

I have now lost 30 pounds (weighing 215), and I can state with full objectivity that I am significantly more muscular :D and have a LOT more stamina and energy. For example, I can now do the following routine with the bench press:

145 (pounds) x's 12 reps
1 minute rest
155 x's 10 reps
1 minute rest
165 x's 8 reps
1 minute rest
175 x's 6 reps
2 minute rest
back to 145 x's 12
then immediately to
incline bench pres
145 x's 12

I have not tried for a 1 x's max BP fpr some time, but I think it would be about 230-235 lbs.

Bicycling is now much easier, both from weight loss and intensive training this summer.

Same for Nora - her weight loss is much less and slower, but she has lost, and is doing great on the weights.

I continue most of my workouts in my home gym, but we have also joined a new ($19 per month for one, $28 for two) unlimited visit gym in our area. There are some things I can do there that I can't do at home. No fancy stuff, just a whole lot of really top quality free weights, machines, and cardio stuff such as treadmills, ellipticals, etc. We find the environment more "adult" and better than out local rec center. In fact, most of their membership has emigrated from the rec center. Costs are about the same.

Anyway, just wanted to share for those also following similar pursuits.

Nora enjoys

You'll have to change your nick to 'RippedFox' soon :)

Congratulations to you and your wife.. keep it up!

Originally posted by AdrianB
You'll have to change your nick to 'RippedFox' soon :)

Congratulations to you and your wife.. keep it up!

Pretty soon I will be qualified to run for Governor of California :D

(Recently saw a recent pic of Arnold sans shirt. Man, he was really sagging. I think he needs Body for Life. :rolleyes: )

he's in his 50's now right, or at least late 40's

DnvrFox, I did the program about two years ago, kept it up for about 14 months after that. Be careful with any long rides, you will have to adjust your intake of carbs.
I think its about time I break out the book again.