LiveFit Trainer: FAIL WEEK!

This past week was a complete failure. I only got in two workouts, a back day and a leg day. My diet was awful and my motivation was MIA. Paul and I both had minor but irritating colds. Paul's son had a much worse version of our illness. My oldest had it too and then my youngest started throwing up. To top it off things at work were hectic which left me feeling mentally drained at the end of each day. I ended up gaining back a pound or so and I just feel fluffy and unfit. In the end it's all just excuses but those added up to a lost week.

Sick baby fall asleep in her breakfast

So now it's time to get back on track. I'm starting week 5 over again and getting my diet back on track. Paul and I are also racing running a 5k on Saturday so I have more reason to stick to eating healthy, hydrating, and getting back to my workouts. We won't be racing hard but it should be enjoyable to stick together and run for fun for once. If you have been around for awhile then you probably remember the mine race that I have done the past several years. I really wish I had a GoPro so I could show you all the full experience of running a 5k underground!

One of only two workouts last week

 

Here's to second chances and the ability to turn around a bad day or week. As the saying goes, it's not about perfection. It's about progress!

The DL on DOMS

Who hasn't seen a marathoner walking backwards down the stairs? Or gingerly lowered themselves to the toilet after leg day? Maybe you pride yourself on your DOMS (aka Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) after a hard workout. You may even believe it's a necessary evil for growth and progress. I'm here to tell you that's absolutely untrue.

I've recently been having this argument with Paul. I've been doing leg days twice a week because I really want a squat booty for the pool this summer (and it might help my running, too). The thing is Paul is usually wrecked after leg day. He's gently hoisting himself off the couch by arm power alone while I prance up the stairs and laugh at his pain. So this last leg day Paul appointed himself sadistic coach.

The 'I am going to puke, pass out, or die' face

I went up 20 pounds on leg extensions. I used him as a human squat rack (the Y doesn't have them) so I could squat 40 pounds heavier than I had been without a rack. I doubled the weight I was using for lunges. I PR'ed my leg press and calf raises. All the while Paul pushed me to go harder, squat lower, add more weight. I was CERTAIN that I would be walking like a cowboy the next day. I was wrong.

This discovery caused me to dig deeper into the science behind DOMS and post-exercise soreness. I found an article in the Journal of Experimental Biology where I learned just how wrong 'No Pain, No Gain' is. According to the authors the study was designed to 'test the hypothesis that symptomatic (i.e. detectable) damage is a necessary precursor for muscle remodeling'. In short, they wanted to see if muscle growth can happen without being sore.

PR!

Two groups of college students were tested. The first group was given three weeks of 'training' where they slowly ramped up their exercise. The second group was thrown in with the first on the fourth week with no ramp up. They just had to keep up as best they could. The second group showed higher levels of creatine kinase (an enzyme that is released when muscle is damaged through exercise, injury, etc.) and expressed more soreness and exertion than the first group. So, if more muscle damage means more growth, then the second group should have shown more gains right? Wrong.

Muscle gain and strength increases were equal across both groups. This study went as far as blood work and muscle biopsy to verify these findings! And it wasn't the only study that had similar findings and results. So my takeaway from all of this is that, if you know you're working hard and you're still seeing gains, then a lack of soreness the day after exercise doesn't mean you won't progress. It just means you can get off the toilet and climb the stairs without calling Life Alert! And I call that a win!

Live Fit Trainer: Week 3

This week was the first week of the program that I lifted 5 days per week. I also went from 3 sets of 12 reps to 3 sets of 10 reps, which meant going heavier. My extra day consists of a second leg day and I think I'm starting to see some results. So needless to say I am a pretty happy girl this week!

Pretty sure that's a bicep beginning to show

My weight still hasn't changed and I don't want to take new measurements until the end of Phase 1. But what has changed is the weight I'm lifting. Some examples:

Leg Curl:

Week 1 - 50 pounds

Week 3 - 80 pounds

Leg Press:

Week 1 - 112 pounds

Week 2 - 160 pounds

Bicep Curls:

Week 1 - 10 pounds

Week 3 - 20 pounds

So overall, I am thrilled. I know the first few months of a strict program I will see big gains because of neurological changes. Your brain begins to tell your muscles to recruit more fibers for each movement and you make more neuron connections. It really has nothing to do with actually getting stronger but it's the precursor to building the body you want.

Shoulders are beginning to get some definition

I'm also experimenting more with ways to make lean protein and veggies exciting. Thankfully Paul is an amazing cook. Here's one of his recent creations for us:

Spicy Baked Cauliflower (and Tilapia)

Ingredients:

1 Head cauliflower
4 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
5 Cloves garlic, diced or pressed
Chili powder to taste
Paprika to taste
McCormick Fiesta Lime seasoning to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375* F
2. Cut the cauliflower into small florets and spread in 9x11 baking dish
3. Cover with melted coconut oil, garlic, chili powder, paprika, and fiesta lime seasoning
4. Bake for 30-40 minutes until cauliflower is no longer crunchy

And there you have it. My week 3 progress and a recipe! How are you holding out on your 2014 goals?