LiveFit Trainer Update

I haven’t written a post on the Livefit trainer in over 2 weeks…

So here we go…

Today is day 48, which will also be my last day of week 7. I am more than half way through phase 2.

The differences between phase 1 and phase 2 is…

Basically, the program progressed by adding cardio into the mix during  phase 2, weeks 5, 6, 7, 8. This cardio consisted of a moderate 30 minute cardio session at a constant pace. Because phase 2 is still considered a building phase the weight I lift has gotten heavier, the reps increased, while the sets decreased. I am normally still resting for 1 minute in between each set, unless it is a superset. Some sets I lift to failure, while other sets are a dropped set.

Lets get that run on…

I am very happy that I am able to run again, however adding running along with the weight training has been very time consuming. If I complete my run on the treadmill, I normally spend between 1.5 – 2 hours in the gym. If I run outside then I am in the gym for 1 – 1.5 hours and then I hit the pavement running. So as you can see, I am in the gym a lot… and I hate the gym.

When I run on a treadmill, I feel like a hamster on a wheel…

To be totally honest, in the last 4 years, I have probably run on the treadmill 5 times each year, when it is a heat wave summer, and too dangerous to run outside. (I will not be one of those crazy runners, running in 110 degrees 90 percent humidity. Trust me I have done that before, and ended up in and out of the doctor’s for 3 months.)

But now, I am running on the treadmill, 1-2 times a week, and I hate it. The only reasons, I put myself through this treadmill running torture is because it saves me time, and I’m sick of the cold. It is the end of March and it has been in the 30s with gusty winds.

Anyway, I have been trying to make my treadmill runs interesting by putting up the incline slightly (1-2), and running at faster speeds, normally 8:30 min mile. I can deal with this because it is only 1-2 times a week. Hopefully, the sun will come out soon and I will be able to forget the treadmill for good.

As for outdoor running and half marathon training…

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I have been doing hill repeats, short easy runs, and some long runs on my weekends. But that is just another reason why the Livefit trainer seems time consuming. Along with trying to complete this trainer to the best of my ability, I am also training for 3 races, but the one I am really focused on is the NIKE WOMEN’S 13.1. This races is scheduled for the last weekend of April. So I have 6 weeks to get some serious running in. (I will write a separate post, and go in more detail about my training plan.) 

Weight training and results…

I will not post my progress pics quite yet. However, I will tell you this… In phase 2, I am lifting heavier because it is a requirement, but also because I am capable of it. I started this program with strong lean runners legs, but no upper body strength what-so-ever. During phase 1, I was lifting 5 lb dumbbells, now I am lifting 15 lb dumbbells. I was lifting a 20 lb bar, now I am lifting 30-40 lb bar. I was deadlifting with a 40 lb bar, now I am with a 60 lb bar. I am not only feeling stronger, but looking stronger too. I am not seeing bulky muscles, but rather a lot of lean muscle definition, which was my ultimate goal.

Abs, I knew you were there, but never saw you before… it is so nice to finally meet you! 

What I am probably most excited about, is that I am finally seeing a flatter stomach which is revealing some abs. This makes me excited, because the weakest part of my body has always been my core. Every expert runner has always told me a stronger core will help improve your running, and that is what I am hoping for.

The whole point of me doing the Livefit Trainer, was to get stronger, so I would improve my running, by being able to run stronger, further, faster. 

When I am out on the running trail, that is exactly how I feel, stronger and faster.

I also trust Jamie Eason. She has a video, that I posted earlier on my blog, about how you should train your abs like any other muscle group – not every day. She also said that while lifting free weights, most of the exercises engage your abs anyway. I have found this to be soooo true! 

Clean Eating…

In phase, 1 I struggled with clean eating, because I was having a hard time packing enough meals for the day.  Now I have this…

MOMS


Above is a picture of my lunch box. I found it at MOM’s Organic Market. I like it because it fits all of my meals for the day, and it keeps everything cold. It is like carrying around a mini fridge.

Calorie Counting

In phase 2, it is required to start calorie counting. I am not very good at this, and I don’t do it all the time. But I am aware of how many calories I need. It is less on days that I lift upper-body. It is more when I lift lower-body, or go on longer runs.

A clean eating tip, that is introduced in phase 2, is measuring all ingredients. Because of this, it is suggested to purchase a kitchen scale.

scale

I really don’t see myself getting to particular about measuring and counting calories, but I will try my best while I am doing the Livefit trainer.  So I purchased this Cuisinart kitchen scale. My food processor is a Cuisinart. I really like this brand. I haven’t used it yet, but I think it is going to be a good thing to have on hand in the kitchen. Plus all fitness models, and fitness competitors have their leanest results when the measure everything. So if you are trying to loose weight, or lean out, it might be a good thing to look into or purchase.

Supplements

In phase 2, it is suggested to take a digestive enzyme, in addition to Protein powder, BCAAs, Glutamine, multivitamin, and fish oil/flax oil . So I purchased…

digestive

(I just bought these yesterday, so I will write a more detailed post about what the are and how they work, so stay tuned. )

So that is an overview of what I have been doing for the last 2 weeks, with the Livefit trainer, and my half marathon training… Stay tuned for shorter but more detailed posts, on long runs, and supplements.

Questions for You…

  1. Do you ever run on the treadmill?
  2. What is your favorite way to run on the treadmill?

© 2013 sweatdaily

Mental Strategies for Runnners

There are several different types of runners…

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While reading, Eat and Run, Scott Jurek compares himself to his hero Chuck Jones and Ron Nicholl. He also discovers bushido, which is a code of honor and morals developed by the Japanese.

Bushido means letting go of the past and future, and focusing on the moment. Do you bushido while running? Or is your mind in constant thought? Do you run better when your mind is empty or do you run better when you are focused on your running?

 When you have been consistently running, or have properly trained for a race, you are physically capable to run the speed and distance you have trained for… But are you mentally strong enough? 

What mental strategies do you have, if any at all?

“The mountain reminded me that races are not run all at once, that the only way to survive an ultra was piece by piece. So I ran Mount Si piece by piece.”

Scott Jurek used a mental strategy in order to run the distance of Mount Si. He broke his ultra into 3 parts. I do this often while running the marathon distance. During my training my two longest runs are 21 milers. My easy runs during the week are 5.2 mile runs. This becomes a mental strategy for me because when I hit mile 21 in my marathon, I am able to tell myself, “Oh Yay! Just hit mile 21, now it is just my 5 mile easy run.”

A lot of runners have tricks like this. When my dad use to run marathons, he use to break the marathon distance into 4 different 10K parts.

Hal Higdon, a marathon coach, states in his marathon training guide, that he wears a rubber band on his wrist, that every odd mile he switches it to the other wrist.

“According to Bushido, the best mind for the battlefield-or the race- is that of emptiness, or an empty mind. “

I use to just let go, and run (bad form and all.)  I wouldn’t really think of anything, my mind was empty. It was my quiet time during my day, my time to myself. But, I wasn’t becoming faster. I wasn’t becoming a better runner, having no goals.

“My craft was running, and as I climb those northwest mountains, I tried to do so with extreme focus. It’s easy to shut your brain off when you’re running long distances, and sometimes it’s necessary, but I stayed plugged in.”

When I decided to change my shoe to Newtons, and really focus on improving my stride. I had to stay focused. During that time, when I was transitioning my stride from a heel striker to a more natural barefoot runner, there were definitely days when I missed the times when I  could just go out there and run., with an empty mind. It was very exhausting physically running, and then mentally thinking about how to run properly, but I had to, I was invested in becoming a better runner.

“In my two months training in Seattle, my endurance improved all by itself. Dusty and all the other tough guys were right about that. Just do the distance and that will usually save you. “

I totally agree, it is as simple as that… practice running the distance, and it will save you.

“I stood in icy rivers to strengthen my mind’s control over my body.”

However, Scott Jurek prepared his mind by standing in icy water. Sometimes running isn’t enough. Sometimes your need more. So in addition to the distance, mentally preparing for your race can take you to a different level of running, maybe even a new PR. Focusing on running while you run, can keep you injury free, and a stronger faster runner.

“I concentrated on running a particular section harder, on picking up speeds downhill while I rested my heart and lungs.”

You would be surprised how the mind can play tricks on you and actually turn a good race into a nightmare. Using mental strategies when you have approached that unbearable distance is just a SMARTER way to run.

There are several different runners, some that empty their minds, others that use their minds just as much as their bodies, but we can all agree on this…

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Questions for You…

  1. Do you just run? Letting your mind empty?
  2. Do you have any good mental strategies? Please share them!

© 2013 sweatdaily

It is a Beautiful Day!

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“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the lion or a gazelle-when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.”

― Christopher McDougall, Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

This morning I woke up, and it was still dark. I grabbed my iPod, Garmin, and put my Newtons on my feet, and met up with L, at our spot. We hit the trail, it wasn’t dark long. Soon enough the sky turned orange, and the sun began to hover over the DC monuments. It is times like those that I am thankful I woke up early. I mean, no extra few minutes of sleep is worth more than seeing the beauty of the sun rise.

The running trail had such a peaceful energy, practically empty. I guess most of the runners decided to sleep in, considering it was day light savings and temps will get as high as 60 degrees this afternoon. Although, it was a chilly 40 degrees this morning, I felt amazing while running, and for the rest of the day.

© 2013 seatdaily

Protein Shake Recipe!

Lets talk about clean eating…

As you all may know, I am currently doing the Livefit trainer by Jamie Eason. Besides the daily weight lifting and cardio sessions, Jamie Eason teaches us how to eat clean. Boy have I learned a lot! For those that are totally clueless, (don’t worry if you are, I was too at one point) she has a meal plan written out, along with grocery list, videos, and recipes… all on bodybuilding.com.

Here is what goes down…

  1. The meals consists of mainly a protein, complex carb, and healthy fat.
  2. Ideally, with in an hour of waking eat your first clean meal, then continue to eat 5-6 small clean meals a day in 3 hour intervals.
  3. Never workout on an empty stomach.
  4. Use measuring tools, such as a scale, to get exact portions.
  5. Use apps, such as fitness pal to record calories. It is important to get at least 1600-2000 calories in order to build muscle, (but it also depends on your size/BMR.)

When reading this reviews on this trainer, a lot of people claimed they were vegetarian and following the meal plan was impossible. But nothing is impossible. If you are vegetarian or vegan, you should be getting the same amount of protein as someone who eats meat. I am not going to label myself as a vegetarian or vegan, but I do cook most of my meals meatless. I will eat eggs and fish, but for those who don’t… Stop thinking that protein is animal flesh, because it doesn’t have to be.  You can sub, animal protein for many things example: beans, or lentils, and there are tons of vegetables that are a great protein source.

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I found these charts on google, while researching protein for you guys!

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Supplements

Along with a multivitamin, BCAA, and fish oil/flaxseed oil, Jamie Eason suggests we drink a protein shake. Research claims that if you drink a protein shake with in 30 minutes to an hour after exercise, you will see more muscle growth/recovery, and less soreness.

I have always been a very big fan of juicing. I will make a green juice a couple times of week and have been simply adding my protein powder to that. I actually started to grow my own kale in my vegetable garden because I use it so often. But right now during these cold months of winter, a lot of produce is not in season at the moment, so I have recently began playing around with different ingredients. I finally came up with this amazing protein shake.

Protein Shake Recipe

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I know it looks like a Starbucks coffee drink, but the reusable travel plastic cups work perfect for protein shakes.

Ingredients

  1. 1 banana, (really good source of potassium, which helps with muscle cramping.)
  2. Cacao powder (good source of antioxidants)
  3. Chocolate protein powder (I use Vega Sport because it is vegan, soy free, and created by an iron man athlete.)vega
  4. Wheat Germ (good source of antioxidants, vitamins, fiber, very good amount of protein, 27g per 115-gram serving.

    Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/2707-facts-health-benefits-wheat-germ/#ixzz2MtlCygsN

  5. Flax seeds (omega 3s)
  6. Coconut Water (good source of potassium, and hydrating)
  7. Spoon full of organic all natural peanut butter (make sure nothing is added. This is an additional source of protein and healthy fat.)

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This protein shake recipe is very high in protein, heathy fats, and potassium. It is also enriched with other vitamins, and omega 3s. I drink this to refuel after my workout, and use this as one of my my meals.

No need to waste calories on Reese’s Peanut Butter cups. It definitely satisfies my chocolate and peanut butter craving.

Question for You

  1. What is your favorite ingredient for a protein shake?
  2. What is your favorite protein powder?

© 2013 sweatdaily

 

 

When do you workout? Morning or Night?

Livefit update…

Today, I completed Day 36 of the Livefit trainer. J and I hit the gym in the morning and today we focused mainly on back, although, we squeezed in some leg exercises too. I also got a little bit of cardio in.

Through this new fitness challenge, the Livefit trainer, I am not only seeing a difference in my fitness level, but I am learning a lot about myself.

Do you workout in the morning or at night?

I have definitely realized that by doing the Livefit trainer, I have my best workout sessions, early in the morning before work. It just feels really good waking up early, getting a great work out/run in, and then have my whole day ahead of me free to do whatever…

I find if I don’t get my morning work out/run in, I end up worrying about it the whole day, desperately wondering when I am going to fit it in. I also feel that if I don’t get a chance to lift and then find time to hit the weights at night, I end up being too tired to lift at my fullest potential. However, I can run or do bikram either in the am or pm.

Running or doing birkam in the morning, before work gives me energy for the rest of the day… it must be all of those endorphins, creating my runner’s high. When I run or do bikram at night, I feel like I relieve the stresses from the day. I find myself winding down, feeling relaxed, but refreshed.

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But when I have the choice to choose morning running/bikram or night, I will always choose morning.

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Getting my workouts in, in the morning also gives me the opportunity to do a double if I want to. Sometimes after work, at night, I feel  like it is necessary to blow off some stress, and although, I already worked out, another sweat session is in order.

Well whether, you run…

do yoga…

lift weights…

whether you are an early bird…

or a night owl…

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Questions for YOU?

  1. Do you workout in the morning or at night?
  2. Do you prefer running in the am or pm?

© 2013 sweatdaily

 

Livefit Trainer, Week 5, Progress Pic

Update of the Livefit trainer…

I wanted to update you on the Livefit trainer. I have just completed week 5. Today is my rest day, which means tomorrow is my first day of week 6. It is hard to believe I am halfway through the trainer.

Phase 2 has begun…

Week 5 is the first week of Phase 2. And let me tell you this week had been super intense! However, Jamie Eason claims that it is just the beginning. Let me explain to you what Phase 2 is all about.

Remember how in Phase 1, there was NO CARDIO… which meant no running. Oh how I missed my runner’s high. Jamie Eason wanted to use Phase 1 as a muscle building phase. She also wanted us to focus on our clean eating diet which meant eating whole clean foods, as 5-6 small meals in three hour intervals.

Well in Phase 2, we are still building muscle. Actually, there are way more work outs. Some work outs are combined with another as a super set. Other work outs have reps up to 20 or 30.  Another thing that has finally been added is 30 minute cardio sessions,which Jamie Eason suggests doing after you weight lift. This means running for me. Yippee! We are also continuing to eat clean, 5-6 small meals a day, in three hour intervals. Drinking tons of water, and taking our supplements. One new thing, Jamie Eason suggest, that I am going to start to do is using the app My Fitness Pal, which will help me keep track of my calories, making sure I get enough.

Week 5 has been intense, because it has been more time consuming, but I haven’t missed a day. Today is my much needed rest day. Tomorrow week 6 begins. I am also starting my half marathon training. In order to fit all this in, and stay on top of everything, I am going to be waking up earlier. I have a feeling there might be some days where I will be doing a double, but I am going to try my hardest to try to avoid this and just get all my work outs done in the morning time, before work.

Phase 2, Week 5

Day 29 – Back/ Cardio

  •  Seated Cable Rows – 3 sets of 8 reps – (40 lbs)
  • End of superset; resume normal sets

Day 30 – Chest/Abs

  •  Superset:

Day 31- Legs

    •  Leg Extensions – 2 warm-up sets with lighter weight for 30 reps – (I used 30 lbs and it was killer. 
    •  Wide Stance Barbell Squat – 2 lighter sets of 15 reps, 2 heavier sets to failure – (First two sets with 50 lbs, Last two sets 70 – 90 lbs)
    •  Leg Press – 4 sets of 8 reps- (90 lbs)
    •  Walking Barbell Lunge –  3 sets of 20 reps, baby steps (30 lbs)

Day 31 – Arms, Abs, Cardio

  • Barbell Curl – 3 sets of 10 reps – ( 1 set 20 lbs. It was too light,  so I went up to 30 lbs. Someone is getting stronger. 🙂 )

Superset:

End of superset; resume normal sets

  •  Hanging Leg Raise (or roman chair) – 3 sets of 10 reps – (body weight) I like roman chair better.
  • 30 minute Cardio session on treadmill. I hate the treadmill, because I would rather be running outside. But I ended up, having a sweaty fast treadmill run, working on speed work.

Day 33 – Shoulder/ Cardio

  • Smith Machine Military Press – 1 warm-up set, 3 sets of 10 reps – (I got up to 30 lbs on this, but I didn’t like it. I have done this one before with just a 30 lb bar with my chair in and incline position, and felt it much more, so I think I will do that for now on.

Superset:

End of superset; resume normal sets

J and I headed to the gym by 7:00 am. We were completely done with this work out by 8:30 am. It felt really good to have it done that early. 

Day 34- Legs

I was up and at the gym by 8:00. I wasn’t able to finish this work out because I had to be at work by 10, so had to leave the gym by 9:00. This was an intense work out and my legs were still really sore from working out earlier during the week. So I am going to finish this work out tomorrow along with completing day 36 which is back and cardio.

Tomorrow is also suppose to be very snowy in my area. So my cardio session might end up being another treadmill session. Oh well, I’ll do what I have to do. Desperately wishing it was spring.

Anyhow, at the end of Phase 1, I snapped a progress pic I wanted to share with you. This is my first progress pic, I took last week at the end of phase 1 beginning of phase 2.

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Trust me, I didn’t have arms or shoulders like that before. This is proof that 4 weeks of lifting weights really can transform your body.

tumblr_mijzdgHfwG1rwkaswo1_500Found this motivational picture on tumblr, and felt it fit this post perfectly. It has been 4 weeks and I have noticed a change in my body, and I feel much stronger. It will be interesting to take another photo when 8 weeks approaches, and then again when 12 approaches.

I wish it was already TOMORROW…

because…

I can’t wait to start week 6. Although I hate the gym, I  have found a new love for weight lofting… so I hope the snow doesn’t close the gym . 😉

P.S. I am now officially starting my half marathon training as well… so I will post my training program tomorrow.

Questions for You?

  1. What races are you training for?
  2. What training program do you follow?

© 2013 sweatdaily

 

 

 

Livefit Day 26

On Thursday, 2/21/13, J and I completed day 26 of the livefit trainer. Day 26 is the last day of Phase 1. We worked shoulders and abs.

The work outs…

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To end phase 1, J and I took two much needed rest days. I also took off 2 days of work because it is my Birthday. For my birthday, my boyfriend and I went snowboarding. I will post about that tomorrow. I also went on my first run after a 4 week break, (because of the no cardio rule in phase 1.) I ran a 10k and it felt amazing – I will be writing a more detailed post about this run tomorrow. I also have an amazing recipe to share with you. So stay tuned.

Anyway, I am are really excited to start Phase 2 tomorrow. I am also excited that my cousin Colleen has decided to try the Livefit Trainer! I am so proud of her, and can’t wait to hear about her experiences.

What did you do this weekend? What are you excited about?? 

© 2013 sweatdaily

 

 

Livefit, Days 23/24/25

The last three days I have completed Days 23, 24, and 25 of the Livefit Trainer. OMG! One more day and I will be done with Phase 1, and moving on to Phase 2, week 5. This is exciting, but things are going to get tricky.

a quick recap of my days…

Phase 1, Week 4, Day 23 

Back and Biceps

Phase 1, Week 4, Day 24

Chest and Triceps

Phase 1, Week 4, Day 25

Legs

So that is what I have been lifting for the last couple of days…

Challenges…

I have come to the conclusion that my weakness is not clean eating, but rather organization and time management. I have been eating very clean, I just need to make sure I am eating enough. So this next phase, Phase 2, I am really going to work on planning my meals on Friday. I thought about Sunday, but Friday is my day off from work, so I will have more time to get these meals planned. I’ll have time to go grocery shopping, make the meals, and divide them up into their proper portions.  I can’t wait to blog about it… so keep your eyes open for more “clean eating” posts!

Also in phase 2, Jamie Eason talks about measuring out your food, and calorie counting. I measure out my food, from time to time, but I never use a kitchen scale. So this will be my next purchase. A kitchen scale is important and helpful to  measure all sorts of things, especially meats, in my case fish. Jamie Eason also suggests the app My Fitness Pal, for calorie counting. I have yet to use this app, but I have a client that is using it and he loves it. People can follow you, so they can see what you are eating. In his case, his personal trainer follows him.

This app will help recored calories. You are able to keep track of what you are eating – Maybe at the moment you are eating way to many carbs, but aren’t really aware of it… this app will make you aware. And because others can follow you, you will be motivated to stay on track. Sometimes people just need that little bit of support. Honestly, I am just not that picky, so I have never even thought about counting calories, but I am excited to try this app. I am really curious to see how many calories I consume on a daily basis. DownloadedFile-1

Rest in between sets is more important then you think…

Another helpful app that Jamie Eason suggest is called the GymBoss Timer. In Phase 1, we were lifting 3 sets of 10-12 reps using a minute to rest in between each set. This app has a basic timer on it that times a one minute rest period. It worked perfect. Resting in between sets is especially important in phase 2 when we will be lifting heavier and incorporating supersets into the mix.

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 “For some exercises, you’ll feel ready to continue after one minute; other exercises might require two. Regardless, the rest period should be long enough to allow you to tackle each set with as much exertion as possible.” – Jamie Eason

Supersets… What is that??

A superset is when you perform an exercise set and immediately after you do a different exercise set with no rest time in between.  You will also be “lifting to failure.” This means that on your last set, instead of lifting to your last rep number, you will continue to lift until your muscle is so tired it can not possibly perform another full rep.

Things are going to get tricky…

In the beginning of the post, I mentioned that I am excited about starting phase 2, but I also revealed that things will get tricky… In phase 2, we will start to throw cardio into the mix, which means RUNNING for me. Because I am a runner, this is super exciting for me… finally I will have my runner’s high back. Yay! However,  things are going to get tricky, because I am also going to start my half marathon training.

Jamie Eason says it is best to lift weights first and then do your cardio. So the easiest thing to do, would be to hit the gym, lift and then go on the treadmill. But I hate the treadmill. When I am on a treadmill I feel like a hamster on a wheel. So the plan is to do my weight lifting and then go for a run outside. This also means I am going to have to wake up earlier. I am going to have to be in the gym no later than 7:30, and then have L meet me outside my gym, so we can start our runs from there. Or we could even meet up in our regular spot, since my gym is up the street from the running trail.

So what will J do?? She has options… We can do our weight lifting together, and then she can stay in the gym and do her cardio, while I go running with L. Or after weight lifting she can come along with L and I on our run.

Another tricky part…  

In phase 2, Jamie Eason, claims that phase 2 is still a building phase. So she only has us doing 30 minutes of cardio… Well there are going to be days when I am just going to have to run longer then that… Sorry I am a long distance runner, training for three races in April.

Ok so that is it for now… Hopefully, I can juggle all of this. As long as I wake up earlier, and plan out everything well… I think I will be good to go.

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Also guys, you can now follow me on Daily Mile!  The above photo is my profile pic. I had to model my new lululemon running outfit and my newton shoes. But if you are a runner and you are not on Daily Mile you must get on it asap. It is an awesome community for endurance athletes, and a great way to track mileage, share it with others, and get the support you need!! I love it!!

I also joined Fitocracy!   This site does not just cater to runners. It is an awesome fitness community that is filled with a very diverse crowd. You will find all sorts of athletes here. It is very easy to track your daily workouts, whatever it may be, including weight lifting. It is also very game like… because the more workouts you track the more points you achieve. You can move up to levels. There are groups you can join, where you can discuss whatever topics your desire. You will find motivation and support here! Join asap and follow me!

I know this post was a long one but…

Things you need to do…

Check out the apps.

  1. MyFitnessPal
  2. GymBoss

Check out the sites… Join and follow me!

  1. Daily Mile
  2. Fitocracy

Other amazing free fitness apps to check out…

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Questions for You…

  1. What is your favorite fitness app?
  2. Are you on dailymile or fitocracy? If so let me know and I will follow you!

© 2013 sweatdaily

Missing my RUNNER’S HIGH.

Tuesday was Mardi Gras. Wednesday was Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Today, is Valentine’s Day. All of these special days falling in one crazy week. I am so thankful today, although it is everyone’s Thursday, it is my Friday. (If that makes since…)

AT THE SALON

This has been a crazy work week for me. I have had a week full of hair color transformations. It is only mid February, but for some reason everyone wants to go lighter. I wasn’t expecting to change my brunettes to blonde bombshells until March or April, but it happened this week, which meant long days, and late nights at the salon.

LIVEFIT UPDATE

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PHASE 1, WEEK 3, DAYS 16,17,18

DAY 16, Monday, 2/11/13,

BACK and BICEPS

  • Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown – 3 sets 10 reps – (30lbs) alternative work out PULL UPS

  • Seated Narrow Grip Cable Rows – 3 sets 10 rep – (30lbs)

  • T-Bar Row – 3 sets 10 reps – (10lb weight, 20lb bar, total 30lbs.

  • Back Extensions – 3 sets 10 reps – (body weight or hold weight with arm across chest) NOTE: This is my new favorite work out for lower back muscles.

  •   Barbell Curl – 3 sets 10 reps – (20lb straight bar) NOTE: I really felt this worked my biceps. They were super sore the next day.
  •  Incline Dumbbell Curl – 3 sets 10 reps – (started first set with 5 lbs just to work on proper for then went up to 10 lbs for the rest of the sets) 
  •  Alternate Hammer Curl – 3 sets 10 reps – (10 lbs)

Tuesday, 2/12/13, REST DAY

The original plan for this day was to hit the gym at night. I am busy all day with an art class and work, so night time is the only time I have to work out. I ended up not being able to get home until 9:00 pm and the gym closes at 11. I decided I didn’t want to be the one closing the gym, so I used this as a rest day and planned to do that day’s work out, Day 17, the next day along with that day’s work out. Double duty. Didn’t want to fall behind.

THE DOUBLE DUTY DAY

DAY 17 & DAY 18, Wednesday, 2/14/13

CHEST, TRICEPS

LEGS

Today, Thursday, 2/14/13 is DAY 19 of LIVEFIT. I will be hitting the gym this afternoon, to work on Shoulders & Abs. I will not be taking any more rest days until the end of phase 1. If for some reason I can’t make it to the gym, I will take a rest day and do double duty the following day. But this is only if for some reason I am desperate and can’t make it to the gym. Jamie Eason does have 2 videos of at home work outs just in case, but I’d rather just try to stick to the program as closely as I can.

SEEING RESULTS

First things First. I am desperately missing my RUNNER’S HIGH! But I also can’t believe how fast Phase 1 is flying on by. Today will be the last day of week 3 and then I am moving right on to week 4. 1 more week and then Phase 2 begins, where you can introduce cardio into the program, and for me running. Yippee!! Can’t wait to experience my runner’s high again. However, I will admit that I have really enjoyed focusing on getting stronger. I think that it is super important, and it gave me the opportunity to focus on eating clean as well. Plus, waiting to run, will just make my runner’s high that much sweeter.

I also wanted to tell you, that I am starting to see some results, and feel them too. I didn’t think I would see much results especially this fast, because I am an athlete already in pretty good shape. But, my arms are starting to take shape, and I have began to see even more definition in my legs and abs. As for feeling results, I am feeling stronger. I also have been really tired lately, but I think that has a lot to do with work and not really the Livefit program. I am pretty sore though, everyday. I am also much more hungry, but I think that is because my growing muscles need fuel and my metabolism is fired up.

CHALLENGES

I have already been eating clean for about 9 months now, but I was having challenges with eating enough calories. I am doing much better about preparing my meals, and packing my food. The two things I need to work on now, is drinking more water, and making more protein shakes. But I am still taking my other supplements.

So that sums up my update with the Livefit program. I can’t wait for Phase 2 to begin, in about a week, because during Phase 2 I will also start my half marathon training.

I found this on tumblr... Now she is hardcore!

I found this on tumblr… Now she is hardcore!

Oh BTW, I updated my about page, so check it out. I also updated my race times. Please follow me on twitter, athlinks, and instagram.

Questions for You

  1. Do you eat clean? What is your favorite eat clean food/meal?
  2. What challenges do you have it your fitness routine?
  3. To my Runner followers: What is the longest amount of time have you gone with out running?

© 2013 sweatdaily

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