Who would have thought… The gym has become my playground!!

I know I have posted this motivational quote time and time again. tumblr_mijzdgHfwG1rwkaswo1_500

But I had to post it again, because it is the TRUTH! I am actually very shocked I have seen such results this quickly. Maybe it is because I have always had confidence in my body, and didn’t feel like I needed to change much. I went into this trainer, hoping to build strength so I could better myself as a runner, not really thinking about what I would physically change appearance wise.

My upper body has always been skinny and weak. My core was by far the weakest part of my body. People always told me strengthen your core and you will be able to run further and faster. So that is what I did, during this trainer, and now I am running better than ever.

PROGRESS PIC

Anyway, I wanted to post a progress pic. I found a photo of me from 6 months ago wearing the same outfit as I was a couple days ago. week 9 results

6 months ago I had already ran the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler 2012 and The Parkway Classic 10 Miler 2012. I was running 5-6 days a week and I had been training for the Annapolis 10 miler. In the photo above I was at the Annapolis 10 miler expo getting my bib. So I was very athletic, but running my body was not sculpted with muscle.

As you can see in the photo above my upper body was very weak and skinny. My core was weak as well, and my body overall was just not as toned. I had a different shape. If you look at the current photo, taken April 5th, you will see my shoulders are starting to take shape, my arms and chest are much more toned. My core and hip area are showing strength. Overall my body has a more sculpted shape. I feel stronger and my running has improved.

LIVEFIT TRAINER UPDATE…

At the moment, I am currently finishing up week 9 of the livefit trainer! Week 9 is the first week of phase 3. In this phase we are incorporating (all of these are defined by bodybuilding.com.

  • Supersets: performing the first exercise and then immediately do the next exercise. Only then do you take the 2-minute rest in between before repeating again.
  • Triple set: Perform the first exercise, followed immediately by the second exercise, followed immediately by the third exercise. Only then do you take the 2-minute rest in between before repeating again.
  • Active rest: Do the first exercise, and then instead of resting, perform the active-rest movement (for example, jump rope). Immediately repeat the first exercise.

The supersets is something that was introduced in phase 2, but the triple set and active rest is something that is new to phase 3. The superset and triple set is suppose to help you continue to build muscle and maintain the muscle you have. The active rest period gets your heart rate up so you are able to burn fat. I actually really like the active rest part, way better than just resting. Before when it was mandatory to take a minute or two in between sets, I always felt antsy to continue on. I love having active rest periods, but boy does it kick my ass. 

On leg day, some examples of an active rest periods are squat jumps and jumping rope. So I bought this new jump rope, so I would personally have my own at the gym. 529476_10101060508754006_1519705170_n-1

On upper body days, active rest periods consist of ab work/core strengthening, and tons of push ups. The hardest push ups yet are kettle bell push ups.  (photo found on bodybuilding.com)

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My favorite new core strengthening exercise is the Exercise Ball Pull In. (photos found on bodybuilding.com.)

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Anyway, those are my two favorite new exercises, and above are the new terms added to phase 3 of the livefit trainer! Another new thing added is treadmill sprints. This is something that I can tolerate, because it is switching up routine on the treadmill, so it is not as boring.

I never thought I would enjoy weight lifting as much as I have. The work has been hard, but I really do like pushing my body, and challenging myself. I have seen amazing results, in myself, and my running.

Although, I always head outside for my runs. When it comes to weigh lifting… The gym has become my playground!!

Question for You…

  • Where is your playground? examples: pool, the ski slopes, the half pipe, the trail, yoga studio, the gym, tennis court …
  • Do you prefer to work out indoors or outside?

© 2013 sweatdaily

It’s not my first time…

I know I am late telling you guys this news … but better late then never…

Last, Wednesday, March 27th, something very exciting happened!!

I registered for Marine Corps Marathon, and I GOT IN!! YAY!

Let me explain, this is how it all went down….

In 2009, I ran my first Marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon (MCM.)  Registering for the race was smooth sailing. I got online the day of registration, filled out the form, paid, and received my confirmation email.163066_830289276726_3970357_n

In 2010, I ran my second Marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon. I didn’t register for this race on the day it opened. I received an email from them the day after registration had opened. The email claimed that they were 80% filled, so I freaked out and registered as quickly as I could. I got in, and received my confirmation email.

In 2011, I registered for the Chicago Marathon, again registration was a piece of cake. Done and Done.

In 2012, when registration day for MCM came around, I was busy at work highlighting a client. When I was finished I went to the back room, to check the status on MCM, and it was sold out already, filling up in 2 hours and 45 minutes.  So I took a break from marathons that year. Instead, I ran several 10 milers and a Half Marathon. I switched my running shoe to Newtons, a natural barefoot running shoe. I worked on improving my running form, and speed.  I also started this blog.

On Wednesday, March 27th, 2013 registration for MCM rolled around again. I had promised L that I would run this race with her. It will be her first full marathon. She was able to sign up early, because her husband is deceased military. Because it filled up so fast the year before, I knew I had to be on it immediately when registration opened. The only weird thing about the registration is that it opens at noon, when most races open at midnight. This is a problem for me because my first client at work is noon.

Anyway, because I thought my internet would be faster and less unpredictable at home, I decided I would sign up really quickly at noon, and then head into work for my first client by 12:30.

Turns out, the first minute I tried to pull up the website, Active.com, I couldn’t get on. I tried for the next 5 minutes, still nothing. I went to MCM official web page to click register and when directed to Active.com ERROR.

I decided to head into work. When I saw that my first client had swapped spots with her high school daughter I was relieved. Yay! High school girls are very tech savvy. I told her the situation and she immediately wanted to help. She pulled out her iPhone and started registering me.

I highlighted her hair, while she continued to refresh the webpage. Finally we got through the the first registration page. I quickly filled out my information. She submitted it and then again… WEBSITE ERROR, WEBSITE OVERLOAD. While her hair color processed she continued to refresh the page. I shampooed her, and glossed her. Still she continued to refresh the page, finally we got through to the payment page, but again WEBSITE ERROR, WEBSITE OVERLOAD. While she sat with her gloss on, adding shine, and refreshing the color on her ends, I checked the MCM facebook page, to find information. They apologized for the Web Error and said to continue to refresh page until the declare a sell out. So that is what we did. Finally as I was rinsing my client, I heard her yell, “WE DID IT!! YAY!!” My client is a high school cheerleader, so she definitely showed enthusiasm. Ha, it seemed like she was more excited than I was.

I received my confirmation e-mail.

Dear Meghan,
Thank you! You are now registered for the Marine Corps Marathon 2013 – Marathon Registration. Please check the event’s website for updates.

CONGRATULATION, You are in!!

Thank you for registering to participate in the 38th Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday, October 27, 2013. Please note that you are officially registered and this is your confirmation e-mail.

Although, a week has gone by, since MCM registration, a lot of people, whether they got in or not, are still complaining about how complicated the registration process was on Wednesday. To make up for it, Active.com has donated to Wounds of  Warriors.

But honestly, I expected the complications, and I loved every second of it. The complications made registration really exciting, and I appreciate getting in even more. And seeing website overload and errors, on day of registration didn’t shock me not one bit. Some people are annoyed by it, but this makes me happy. It proves that more people are becoming runners. It shows that running is becoming more and more popular. Our country is stepping forward toward healthy. More people are becoming aware of running as a sport, and it’s heart healthy benefits.

Running is no longer for the athlete. Runners now come in all shapes and sizes. Some are fast, some are slow. And that is what the Marine Corps Marathon is all about, hence why it is called, The People’s Marathon. So whichever kind of runner you are, MCM is the race for you.

Although, this will not be my first time running MCM.

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I am beyond EXCITED! Marathon training will start in July.

Questions for You…

  1. Have you had a difficult time getting into a race you really wanted to run?
  2. Do you find running getting more popular where you live?
  3. Are you running a marathon this year?

© 2013 sweatdaily

It is worth the money!

I am definitely a fashionista…

always have been…

So why would that change when I work out?

well it doesn’t…

On a normal day, I work out early-morning before I head into work. On rare days, something will come up or I may have a desire to do a double, so I head to the gym late-night. However, there was a particular day a couple months back when, I had to squeeze my sweat session in, during my break at work. On this day, my co-worker complimented me on my lululemon tank top.

She said, “Wow! You are going to work out in that… It is way to cute to sweat in.” Then when I told her I purchased the tank she so desperately desired from lululemon, she claimed lululemon was way to expensive, and she just couldn’t justify spending that much on a shirt she would be sweaty in.

Running… and why you should invest in the proper gear.

I see people all the time running in a simple t-shirt and shorts. I don’t judge. But I will tell you this, when I was a new runner I too wore a t-shirt and shorts. However, it didn’t take long for me to began to experience chafing, and blisters on my feet. I felt suffocated running in a heavy wet sweaty cotton t, and when my blisters became blood blisters, I knew something had to change. That was the day, I bought a pair of running shorts, a proper sports bra, and even running socks. And wow, what a difference.  So yes, I run in high tech running gear, made from  sweat wicking materials, and these items can be pricey, but I have never been so comfortable running, and they look cute too. 😉

One of the reasons why I love running is because it is such a simple sport. You can run in an old t-shirt and barefoot if you choose to. But for me, I’ve been there, done that, and learned that having proper running clothing/gear is worth every penny.

Although, I am a runner now, that wasn’t always the case…

Growing up, I played tennis. 

Out of all of the sports tennis is by far the most fashionable. It was when I played, and even more so now. Venus and Serena Williams are the ones to thank for this trend. They began designing their own tennis skirts and dresses. They turned heads with their bold fashion choices. They make statements with their daring looks, breaking boundaries beyond the traditional preppy white. At one point, they wore beads in their hair, and you will never not catch them wearing an array of jewelry.  Some people find this distracting. I find it FIERCE – they are fearlessly expressing themselves, while being bold, and challenging traditions, evolving the sport, while influencing others. They even influenced me.

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In high school, when I played varsity tennis, I definitely embraced the fashion side of the sport. My tennis team picked out new team outfits every year. I had a collection of tennis skirts and dresses, even a tennis bag, to transport my rackets, and gear from practice to matches. You may be thinking, damn that girl was spoiled, but I played tennis everyday. 

If you are going to be playing a sport everyday, like I did with tennis, and now do with running, then it is worth it to invest in some high quality clothing and gear. Honestly, it is very important to get the proper gear for any sport you invest time in. For example, although I don’t practice Bikram yoga everyday, I still do it enough, that I have an drawer full of hot yoga shorts and tops. I also have my own mat, bag, and towel. Investing in the proper gear will make you feel more comfortable, and in the end help improve your game.

© 2013 sweatdaily

Livefit trainer, Progress pic…

Hey!! I have some EXCITING NEWS to tell you guys, but I am going to hold off until tomorrow… So stay tuned…

Today, I am going to talk about how I am doing on my livefit trainer…

I have completed day 53 of the Livefit trainer. Two more training days and I will be finished with week 8 and totally done with Phase 2. I am now not only feeling stronger, but starting to see some serious change in my upper body and in my core. (My legs have always been pretty strong because of running.)

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Anyway, this morning, I woke up and headed to the Gold’s gym that I regularly go to, and the power was out, so they were closing until the problem was fixed. My time is precious so I didn’t wait around. One of the perks of living in the Washington, DC area is that there is a Starbucks and Gold’s gym on every block. So I headed down to the next closest Gold’s.

What a different vibe…

This Gold’s was so much darker, and over packed with gym equipment. The benches were old, and so were the weights.

look at these Old School weights…

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Although, everything was older, my work out was still good. That is one of the positive things about lifting free weights. You don’t need to be picky. If the weight  weighs 15 lbs, then the weight weighs 15 lbs, regardless if it is old or new.

Another thing that I loved about this Gold’s was because it was over crowded with equipment, the lifting area was more private, which was really nice. Even though, there were plenty of other people around, I felt like I was the only one in there. This privacy made me very focussed and it seemed peaceful – which is funny, because I was lifting heavy. Never thought weight lifting would be peaceful in anyway, but it was today.

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Along with this new found peace, I am also finding that I am really starting to love weigh lifting.  It isn’t up there with running or yoga yet, but it is close behind them. I have come to the conclusion that I like sports that are simple. For example in running, all you really need is a good pair of shoes, and some runners will argue that you don’t even need that. Weight lifting is similar, in the way, that it is simple and you don’t need a bunch of stuff to see results.

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Anyway, in the end, I am happy I got the opportunity to try the other Golds. They are both by running trails too. This is a plus since I hate the treadmill, and love running outside right after I lift. They are also both near organic grocery stores and Starbucks. So I think I may alternate Gyms depending on my mood. Its good to keep things interesting and switch things up.

Tomorrow, is day 54, in which I am going to hit Legs hard. However, it is also my day off, so I might also squeeze in day 55, if I have time, and then go for a run. We shall see… but I know I am a total fitness junkie, because I am already getting excited about my tomorrow work outs. Hopefully, the weather man is right, and it will get warm this weekend, I really want to run in shorts.

I’m going to leave you with a progress pic…

Livefit trainer, Week 8, day 53

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Questions for You?

  1. What is your favorite body part to work out?
  2. Do you switch up your gyms, or gym routines?
  3. What work outs did you do today?

© 2013 sweatdaily

RUNNING under the sun and then through the snow.

“March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb…”

You may have heard the above quote time and time again. “March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb…” and in most places this is quite true – but not here in DC.

Last night my morning meeting was canceled do to the possibility of a wintery mix. You may be thinking, why… it is the end of March? But here in the DC area, having a disgusting mix of wet rain and snow in early spring is not shocking.

For some of you snow bunnies from up North, you may find my rant about 1 inch of snow annoying. But let me tell ya, I love snow, and would rather have a beautiful light dusting, or actually, bring it on I’ll take a blizzard, over this wet, dirty, already melting wintery mix.

Ever since I became a runner, 5 years ago, I have become very weather sensitive/picky. And every year, I take note, and remember quite vividly what the weather is like in late March through April. Why so obsessed? Because that is when my running season begins. That is when I start running my races, starting with the Cherry Blossom 10 miler, scheduled for the first weekend of April.

I love this race, however out of the five times I have run it, I have only run under the promised canopy of Cherry Blossoms once. Most of the time, we will have a hot week, and the Cherry Blossom will bloom, and then we will have a cold week, where the wind will blow the blossoms away.  So as you can see it is a roller coaster ride… when it comes to the weather around here.

So this is what I am talking about…

Is it spring?

Is it winter?

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Cherry Blossoms covered with wet snow…

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Ok… enough of that… Lets talk about Running…

This last week, I continued with my Livefit trainer, but I have also taken my half marathon training up a notch. Or in other words, I have been doing some serious runs. What do I mean by serious runs? Well, because this spring I am only doing races between 10 and 13.1 miles, my long runs are really not that long. Because I am a marathon runner, I don’t really consider anything below 10 miles a long run.  With that being said, because I am training for the 10 – 13.1 mile races, so far my weekend long runs have been 6, 7, 8 (if that makes since.)

I also want to make a point, that no matter which distance you are running from 5k to 21 miler to ultra marathon, it is important to practice proper form. Even on the shortest runs, you can still have a serious, high quality workout.

Friday, 3/22

L and I went out on our 8 mile run. We ran south side of the MVT. It was a really great run, averaging a 9 min mile. It was cold but sunny. Good weather, happy runner!

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I ran a 4-5 mile loop, and did 5x hill repeats. I was averaging an 8:30 min mile. It was 55-60 degrees. I ran in shorts and a tshirt. It felt amazing. I thought spring was here… what a tease.

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Sunday, 3/24

L and I met up at 7:30 am to get a 4-5 mile run in before work. It felt really nice to wake up early and hit the trail. We ran the north side of MVT. I ran faster than ever, definitely averaged 8:30 min mile, sometimes running faster. Focused on short fast strides.  Stopped to take this quick photo…

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Anyway, I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

Questions for You…

  1. What types of runs did you do this weekend? Fast? Slow? Long? Short? Hills? Flat? Training? Races?
  2. Is it snowing where you are? Is it spring or winter?

© 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?

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