LiveFit Trainer: Week 4

It's official! I survived Phase 1 of the LiveFit Trainer! So far I have been extremely impressed with the results. It's not easy trying to eat clean and fit in 5 workouts a week but I've been doing it. I've even gone in blizzards and the polar vortex mess or whatever they're calling it this week.

I wasn't the only crazy at the gym!

 

The results for 4 weeks of training have been outstanding. I never expected to see progress this fast and it's not just noticeable to me. Paul is seeing the changes and I just keep lifting more every time I go to the gym. It's almost unbelievable!

 

I've gone up 50 pounds on leg press alone

 

And physically, the changes are visible and show in my measurements too. So here's where I'm at as of the end of Phase 1!

 

Body Part          Start          Phase 1

Neck                 13.5            13.75

Chest                 33               33

Waist                 28               28

Hips                   38               37.5

Biceps               11               10.5

Thigh                 20               22

Calf                   13.5            14.25

Weight             137             134.5

 

 

And that's all for now! As I move into week 5 I will be adding back more cardio with my weight training. Things are about to get more intense as I move into phase two and I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens as I continue to get stronger!

 

 

 

LiveFit Trainer Week 1

Today marks the end of my first week of the LiveFit trainer. Obviously there aren't any huge changes to report but I thought a little update might help with motivation (mine and yours!) as we make our way further into the new year.

I made it through all of the workouts for week 1 with a few modifications. The gym was closed New Year's Eve and New Year's Day (isn't that when they get all their new memberships?!) so I made due with home workouts using bands and body weight exercises for chest and triceps day. I was at Paul's house on back and bicep day so we used his gym, which is fairly limited, and did our best. Leg day and shoulder/ab day both happened at my YMCA and the only thing I had to substitute for was seated calf raises because the Y doesn't have the equipment. And yes, I have been sore from head to toe all week. I love it!

Using my toddler for squats

 

As for the nutrition, I have been doing really well in my own opinion. I cheated with some wine and champagne on New Year's Eve but I saved the calories in my plan so the only damage was the shift in my macros. I had some popcorn and fruit snacks with the kids one day. And I have had Starbucks coffee twice this week but I stuck to a tall and made it a 'skinny' version of my usual order.

A 'skinny' treat

My typical day consists of lots of eggs, chicken, and fish. I get unlimited veggies so Birds Eye Steamfresh bags are my best friend right now. I only get a single serving of starch with each meal so rice cakes and sweet potatoes make up most of my carbs.

As Honest Toddler calls these, Sadness Patties!

I figured I'd be getting bored or sick of this by now but I really don't mind it. I feel more alert and I'm sleeping better (my Fitbit says my sleep efficiency is at 99%). The only thing I really miss is cardio and that will be coming back soon. I may begin to add a few miles warm up pre-lifting in week two. I know I won't get optimal muscle gain but I also have a 5k and 50k that I'm registered for!

I've also improved my overall habits. I upgraded to a 40 oz water bottle to aid with hydration. My Fitbit is motivating me to move more. (I still can't get 5 full lights without cardio!) My grocery bill has actually gone down now that I buy produce, meat, and a small amount of other things and then do an entire week of food prep in a day. Eating out has also become a thing of the past for the most part. The one time I was out for a meal I had a salad with oil and vinegar and then ate my protein and starch when I got home.

40 ounces of awesome!

 

There's really no physical changes to report yet other than being sore. I was up 0.5 pounds when I weighed in today which I expected. Inflammation, better hydration, and being stuffed full of fish and veggies will all add some weight. All in all, I'm excited to keep trying to improve as I go and see what happens over the next few weeks.

 

 

 

How are your goals coming so far this year? Do you have any tips for avoiding temptations?