Guys - this is a topic I now know a lot about. Since childhood I struggled with weight, even though I was very active and for years even hit the gym. Still, I never managed to somehow get rid of unwanted fat around my waist no matter how much I excercised. Well, the key was that I just did not know enough about nutrition and how the human body works to learn what happens when I put food in my mouth.

In January 2004, after my trip to Cali w/ a 40" waist, and a Body fat percentage of 27%, I knew I had to do something. Colombian women are very hot, and have bodies that put shame to their US conterparts. I set out on the BODY FOR LIFE program by Bill Phillips - it is not a quick fix, lose weight in 30 days gimmick - no, it is a program designed to tell you the truth about nutrition, and...you guessed it - EXERCISE! You cannot have one w/o the other. This program is designed to educate you in nutrition and how to properly excercise and the importance of water intake as well was a combination of both cardio and stregth training exercises.

let's face it, after years of fad diets and weight training routines that did not maximize my fat loss goals - I knew that I was just not properly combining all levels into one.

Anyway, It is now 7/04/2004 - and after years of battling with weight and diets - I now am a fit 32" waist w/ a Body fat percentage of 12 @ 200LBS. I still am aiming for 8% BF, but this is a lifestyle as I said, not a 30 day quick fix.

I recommend all of you to try it..

www.bodyforlife.com - go out and buy the book.

Batman
Did you buy one of the BF monitor/scales for
checking your body fat or do you have it checked
at your fitness facility?

Straightedge - I actually purchased a pair of Bodyfat Calipers from GNC. Calipers are the best method for checking your Body Fat as they measure in mm how much actual fat is under your skin. I do not trust any scales that measure BF, because they just zig-zag everyday - and will eventually piss you off.

The BF Fat calipers are about 10 bucks at any GNC or sports store.

You can aslo have you BF% cheked at your local GYM - which you should sign up for during the BFL program anyway. Meausring BF should be done on a bi-weekly basis, along with your actual body weight to TRULY know how well you are doing.

Also, there is a GREAT forum dedicated to people on the BFL program. They are a great crew to give you good tips and support. It is also free to join.

www.bflforum.com

Doing this program changed my life. I like walking the streets or the malls, and have girls look at me..and shit this is in US I'm talking about. I can hardly wait to see how the latinas in Colombia are going to respond to my new physique. <g>
Let me know if I can answer some more questions for you...now get out there and do it!

OK, Batman, let's hear some more about the program. If you check out the Atkins thread, you'll find plenty of info on what that's about. I'm not one to buy the company line, so let's hear some more about what you did to lose all that weight (and you can't get away with "just exercise" 'cause there's got to be more to it than that).

eat a high fiber high protein diet ,try to eat only whole foods, 5-6 times a day. do 30-45 min cardio everydayand 30-45 min weights everyday and you cant go wrong

Batman thanks for this info.
I am gonna check it out

Right now I am a 32/33 waist and would like it 32 loose
i am about 5 foot 6 1/2" and weigh in around 163.
looking to be at 145

If you follow the directions you will be ripped there is no doubt about that, My weight has always fluxuated because I dont have the discipline that is required for this type of program there is ALOT of cooking and cleaning required and a pretty strict workout regimine required and if you lose the weight and go back to your bad habbits you will gain everything back and then some ,your body will need alot more calories and if you dont continue to work out hard and eat right you will be worse off then when you started. It is truly a lifestyle change.

Congrats batman you are fortunate that you have the discipline required for a program like this.

Ok - let me give this a shot (warning: long post):

The BFL program is not a miracle 48 hr diet or lose 30 lbs in 3 weeks gimmick as I mentioned. It IS A LIFESTYLE CHANGE! You have to work - no kidding. I wish I can sit here and tell you that I lost all of this bodyfat weight and gained muscle by sitting on my living room recliner with a beer in one hand and a sugary carb in the other - You cannot achieve fitness and cardiovascular health that way - no one is that lucky.

Wombat - let me tell you a bit about Atkins (Yes, I tried that diet too) - Carbs are not the enemy, but you do have to watch them. They are your body's preferred source of energy. Their function; fuel your body. Sure, take this away, and you will eventually lose weight, but I cannot see how this can ever be a long-term solution that will change your eating habits and keep you fit - FOR LIFE! This is why many people who go on this diet, like I did, often become lethargic. You will also notice that people who lose weight in this diet are merely just a thinner, but flabbier and most likely even weaker version of their old self. That is because no consideration was given to "shape" your body to give you that healthy firm look by doing exercise and just plain eating good food -frequently.

On the other hand, Atkins - or the popular low carb lifestyle as we know it - gives the message that it's ok to eat mass quantities of fat and protein, so long as we have little carbs - and we will lose weight - wrong! To lose a pound of fat you have to burn 3500 calories..if you are eating more than what you burn - there is now way fat loss is happening. You will have to either consume less calories or burn more - definitely not binge on fried chicken, eggs and bacon all day long!

My final concern about Atkins or low carb/no carb diets is that it's almost impossible to sustain that lifestyle. I mean, do you really want to go the rest of your life w/o a bagel? Pasta? Rice? Pizza? I love good carbs such as fruits, veggies, whole grains, wheat breads, yams etc...does that make me weak? - no, it just makes me human!


Remember: the BFL program does not say you cannot ever eat a slice of pizza on this program or have a scoop of your favorite Ice Cream - fact is, every Sunday I went to eat 2 slices of Pizza, spanish food - yum, even 1 Krispy Kreme doughnut..lost weight..how? simple, I learned that I can definitely live w/ a plan that allows for a cheat day every 7 days - it's actually encouraged so that you trick your metabolism and it helped me stick with nutritious eating the other 6 days.


If you have specific questions, please post. I love talking about diet and exercise whereas before, I avoided the subject like hookers w/ dicks walking the streets of Costa Rica!

Batman

Batman,
The key for anyone is the willingness to commit
to a healthy lifestyle and that they're doing it
for themself and no one else. I'm not big on the
debate of one diet vs another. Choose a plan and
then stick with it.
For myself I'm going to be 55 in a couple of weeks.
I'm 5-6, 130lbs, 30/31W with very low body fat and
I've been at this weight for 20+ years.
I spend 1hr a night 5 days a week in the gym.
My eating habits are probably just the opposite
of the majority of people.
I eat a huge breakfast , 2-3 snacks during the
morning and then a huge lunch and that's it for
the day. I eat whatever I have a craving for
and that's what works for me.
Anyone who's been overweight and able to beat it
long term has my sincere admiration/respect and
is to be congratulated.

straightedge...that is great - you are right; discipline and dedication will help you reach your goals. You also need to be congratulated for hitting the gym 5x a week - at your age, you have more discipline than most people my age of 29 have.

I'm glad that at your age you certainly take care of yourself - however; even at a very low BF% you can still improve your physique by adding some muscle - yes, you read that right - at your age of 55 - IT IS POSSIBLE to shape your body and pack on some muscle. They are not just there to impress ladies - no - they actually DO have a purpose in our bodies. For example: having a six pack set of abs will support your lower back.

All muscles have a reason to exist - and I hope that your routine in the GYM has weight training at least 3x a week.

One thing I do find very concerning is that you say you eat a Big breakfast, 3 snacks and Lunch - If I understood you correctly, and assuming you eat lunch around 1:00pm - you are going w/o any food in your body for at least 16 hours if you eat breakfast at 6:00 am the next day.

16 hours is a very long time to deprive your body of fuel or nutrients - any fitness expert and doctor will tell you that. As a matter of fact, most personal trainers and sports medics, will tell you that when you exersice regularly like you are doing 5x a week, you need to watch what you eat even MORE! Also, feed your body frequently smaller meals in intervals of 3 hours!Since you've been doing this for 20+ years - I hope you will be open to reviewing this a bit further - consult a doctor and personal trainer at the gym and you will se what I mean.

Why don't you try eating 1 snack between breakfast and lunch (apple perhaps) then another snack after lunch (orange, yogurt etc) and a small dinner? I hope you are drinking lots of water a day too!

I am not a doctor - so please consult one to cater to your specific needs as well as a personal trainer - however, I am certain that they will agree that you should eat smaller, more frequent meals.

Congrats, and I hope when I am 55, I still continue to live a healthy lifestyle that will help me live longer for more trips to Colombia, Brazil and Peru for some hot latinas!

Batman,
My MD who is an avid jogger knows my lifestyle.
Last month when I went in for my annual physical he jokingly commented after seeing the results of my bloodwork that if all his patients were as fit as I was that he'd probably be out of work.
My hour at the gym consist of 30-35 mins cardio (3.5 mi) with the rest resistance training.
I've got a bad rotator cuff so I don't use the
free weights to much anymore.
I would classify my physique as well toned with a
V shape vs the A.
I also spend about $50/mo on my vitamin supplements.

Straightedge, regardless of if your in great shape or not, batman's comments are absolutely correct from a nutrition and biology point of view. Metobolic functioning, blood sugar, and muscle mass will be adversely affected anytime you go extended periods without eating. Your apparently doing great with your workouts--keep it up (no pun intended!) and give it some thought...

-dm