This question came from the BFL list I’m on and since I spent a long time responding I thought I’d post it here. The question has been edited:

I’d like some advice on how to find a good starting weight for each exercise

I kind of addressed this in my week one notes

Basically your going to have to guess at first. Then you do your workout and see if you hit your tens. If you are real light, or real heavy you’ll figure it out before you reach your 6s, and can adjust. Problem is when you realize your too heavy in your 12s. Now you don’t know if it was because you were lifting too much before.

I have some idea what I can do, so my guesses are pretty good, though it does take me a couple of workouts to get on track. Then I look at my last workout and if my 12s were 10s I up the weight by 5. (5 is my difference between sets.)

In the past, how many reps could you do with a weight before failure and the need to go down? If that number was high – like over 10 – that weight might work as a target for your 8 set. If it was low – like 4 – you’ll probably want to set your 6 lower than that and walk the numbers down.

Also you probably want to make notes during the workout on how you felt under a certain weight. For instance sometimes I feel I could lift more, but my heart is racing on a 12 set. I note that and may go ahead an increase the weight, but take a longer rest before it. [That isn’t official BFL, but it works for me.]

And being sore 3 days later isn’t totally uncommon. I generally just workout again anyway.

The only supplement I currently plan to take is Whey Protien, when do the experts think is the best time to take it and how many times per day?

I’m no expert. I do a meal replacement shake twice a day, but it has been my goal to only do it once a day. I’m not a big breakfast eater and I’m usually in a hurry so a shake works really well for breakfast. I also do one for my last meal, though I’d like to do something like power pancakes, but haven’t gotten them made yet. I’ve also make protein pudding before, but I’m thinking it actually has too little protein in it once you realize the 20g you added is spread between 5 or six bowls.

I was going to put links to the recipes for protein pudding and power pancakes, but the BFL site doesn’t seem to have it recipes section any more. Am I just missing it?