Okay guys, this week has probably been the toughest week of the LiveFit program for me yet- I almost quit the program! Want to know why?

Who knew that 10 weeks into LiveFit would be the hardest?! Here are the highlights and lowlights of this week:

Highlights

Mastering the Moves
Week 10 is a repeat of Week 9 of the program, so it gave me a chance to really perfect the moves. Certain exercises, like one-legged squats, underhand cable pulldowns started to make sense to me. I still feel like I have a ways to go with certain exercises (try doing a set of Plyo Kettle-Bell Pushups and get back to me!), but I definitely felt stronger this week than the last.

Shifting My Rest Day Helped
Remember how I mentioned in Week 7 that I started moving around the sequence of the workouts to adapt to my schedule? Well, one of the personal trainers at my gym -yes, the same guy who spotted me in Week 7- suggested that I take my rest day in the middle of the week instead of at the end. I was skeptical, but I tried it out and was pleasantly surprised! Taking a break on the fourth day of the workout really helped my body rest and recover. That said…

Lowlights

My Personal Life and Workout Life Collided
So this past week was super hectic: (i) one of my besties had a baby shower on Saturday in DC, (ii) my future in-laws visited the following Sunday in CT (with lots of delicious (but not-so-nutritious) home-cooked Jamaican food!) and (iii) I had massive amounts of work during the week. I started the Week 10 workouts last Wednesday, but by the time Monday came around I was already exhausted from personal traveling. Then, to top things off, mother nature came a-calling, so I my energy (and mood) was really really low. So you know what happened? I ended up taking 3 rest days this week. Yes, that’s right THREE. So it took me 10 days to finish Week 10. Definitely no bueno.

Feeling Like I’m Moving Backwards
With everything going on this week and the 3 additional rest days I’d taken, I was really starting to feel discouraged. I even contemplated not finishing LiveFit! You might think that’s crazy given that I’m SO close to finishing, but there’s a part of me that feels like not finishing this program strong is almost worse than not finishing it at all! The pressures of work and personal obligations were beginning to make me feel like working out was another time-suck, another task, instead of something that was for me. So how did I overcome this feeling? Well, I can’t say that I have completely yet. All I could do this week was tell myself: Just get to the gym today and see how you feel. And thankfully that carried me through! It took me 10 days to finish this week, but hey, I finished it! So this week I forced myself to remember that exercise and being healthy is not about being perfect, it’s about pushing yourself to do more than you thought you could.

Well bye bye Week 10! I will NOT miss you! Stay tuned for my second to last LiveFit review! -CFC

***How do you stay motivated to workout when you’re under stress?***

]]> http://chicfitchef.com/2013/05/24/review-of-jamie-easons-12-week-livefit-trainer-week-10/feed/ 2 chicfitchef jamie-trainer-marketing http://chicfitchef.com/2013/05/17/review-of-jamie-easons-livefit-12-week-trainer-week-9/ http://chicfitchef.com/2013/05/17/review-of-jamie-easons-livefit-12-week-trainer-week-9/#comments Fri, 17 May 2013 15:59:36 +0000 ChicFitChef http://chicfitchef.com/?p=6537 Continue reading →]]>

I’m in my last 4 weeks of the LiveFit trainer! Phase 3 has begun and let me tell you- it’s been NO JOKE!! Not only have the weight training routines changed, cardio has definitely been stepped up a notch! Here’s how it’s going for me:

Highlights

Jumping Rope & Cardio/Weight Supersets
One of the best things about Week 9 was the introduction of new and dynamic kinds of cardio. I was getting kind of bored with the elliptical machine, especially given my Shaun-T workout roots. I wanted something to get my heart rate way UP! and this week definitely brought the pain. On my Legs day, there were a lot of superset pairings of heavy weight moves with cardio moves- eg. Leg Press & Jump Rope, Leg Extensions/Side-to-Side Hops. I definitely think I freaked some people out at the gym because I was running for the weights section to the cardio room between each set, but my heart rate was soaring! And I felt like I was channeling Rocky Balboa when I was jumping rope in the gym- all I needed was a headband, a ratty gym sweater and “Eye of the Tiger” playing to complete the look!

My Upper Body Is Coming Strong!
My arms are now a force to be reckoned with. My shoulders are also getting stronger and more defined too: you know that shoulder pain you get from carrying your purse around all weekend? Yeah, gone. And my wedding dress is strapless, so I’m excited about showing off my arm definition on the big day. #winning! This week there were a lot of push-ups, arm raises, Arnold presses and bicep curls combined with cardio (burpees, jumping rope, mountain climbers, etc.) I’ve now become that person who leaves a puddle of sweat in the corner of the gym. #lovingit #getsomesweatsome So my upper body is catching up to my lower!

Lowlights

My Diet Could Be Better
I think I would be seeing way more definition/results if I was on a stricter diet. I’m still enjoying a bit of alcohol here and there (wine, anyone?) and still eating some cheat foods (I (re)discovered Sun Chips :-/ ). Also haven’t been eating 5 times a day because my work schedule has been a bit crazed: less time always means more snacking and hasty, not so great food choices. I know that my body doesn’t change all that drastically without a really reined in food regimen, so while I’m seeing changes in definition, I haven’t really lost any weight at this point (I’m at the weight I started at in Phase 1). My wedding dress arrives soon and then fittings will begin, so maybe that will be the kick in the butt that I need? To be continued…

Time STILL Ain’t On My Side & Neither is the Treadmill
The workouts are still SUPER long. I try to get to the gym by no later than 7:30am and I don’t typically leave until around 9am. That’s a long time to be in the gym and still something that’s tough for me- especially when work flares up and I have a bunch of things to get done in the morning or late at night. The hardest part about adjusting to Week 9 was the fact that, in addition to the dynamic cardio I described (burpees, jump rope, etc.) Jamie has us doing 30minutes of sprints (30 secs sprinting, 30 secs recovering for 30minutes) on the treadmill at the end of the workout! I did this for 2 days straight and was having trouble walking on the third day of Week 9- my ankles were killing me! I will likely be switching up the cardio to something just as effective but more “joint-friendly” for Week 10.

Well that’s all for now! Can’t believe I only have 3 weeks left in this journey- stay tuned!!

-CFC

Week 8 marks the last week in Phase 2! Read about the highs and lows of this week after the jump!

Highlights

I’m Lifting Heavier & Seeing The “Guns”
As planned in Week 7, I decided to use Week 8 to really max out on my weights. The reps for this week were pretty low (8 reps per set was the target), so I decided to really go for it! I squatted 55lbs, used 90lbs on the leg press machine! I maxed out my chest muscles on bench press and used the cable row machine to lift heavy (60lbs) to work my back. I was definitely feeling sore everyday (is that weird?) but also felt really accomplished. If you look back at my Week 1 review I initially set a goal of lifting 20lbs- now I’m at 60lbs?! Muscle up!

Mastering the Schedule

The workouts are still long (1.5hrs on a typical cardio&weights day) but I think I’ve finally mastered rotating the workouts in a way that’s more conducive to my busy work schedule. I did my Leg workouts on Wednesday and Friday (these are the no cardio days) and did the other workouts (Arms&Abs, Back&Rear Delts, Shoulders, Chest&Abs) Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. My rest day was Sunday- and believe me, I was ready for it!

More Energy

It may partially be the pre-workout drink I’m trying out or maybe it’s my body getting more accustomed to the workouts, but I wasn’t feeling the fatigue I felt during my Repeat Week and Week 7. It’s been good to see that my body is starting to adjust and get back into the LiveFit flow (though of course that’s all going to change with Phase 3).

Lowlights

Heavier Weight Means more Soreness
My “soreness cycle” tracked 24-36hrs from the day I trained a specific muscle group. So when I trained Legs on Wednesday, by Friday (maybe even late Thursday night) my quads, glutes and hamstrings were talking to me! This meant that I was perpetually sore all of Week 8 (albeit in different muscles). Kind of sucks to be sore all week. I also find that my soreness especially kicks in at night, making it a little tougher for me to sleep. Any suggestions on how to deal with soreness? How do you let your muscles recover while still sticking to your workout schedule?

Uneven Strength in My Arms
I recently noticed that on certain arm exercises, my right side is stronger than my left and vice versa. So I would get to maybe 6 reps on my right side and be exhausted but still have energy to go for it on my left side! I’ve read that when this is the case you should move down to a weight where both sides can complete the set evenly; you don’t want one muscle to continue to be stronger than the other. Instead of dropping down in weight, I just stopped at the number of reps that my weaker arm could do. I’m hoping that, eventually, the strength on both sides will even out.

Bored with Cardio
The cardio for this week was 30minutes at a moderate intensity on the elliptical machine. Given my experience and love with dynamic, high intensity cardio, I definitely got a bit bored with the same old same on the elliptical machine. I can’t wait for Week 9 when Phase 3 starts and the high intensity cardio/plyometrics get worked in! #fatburncity #pow

Stay tuned to read my Week 9 Review as I get close to the end of this LiveFit journey! -CFC

Doing tuck jumps in this would definitely cause a scene…

I just stumbled across a very interesting post on Well+Good this morning about “fashion-forward” sports bras. Especially as a woman who is a bit top-heavy, I always vacillate about whether my sports bras can be both fashionable and functional. I mean, I love looking cute at the gym, but I also need support! Here are my quick thoughts on some of the sports bras featured on Well+Good- check them out & then tell me, what matters in your sports bra: fashion, function or both?

1. Barre Bra by Prima Studio

This bra is for high impact workouts and is made with moisture wicking fabric. I’m suspicious of any sports bras that have a criss-cross v-neck cut- what about when you’re doing plyometrics?

2. So Low Workout Bra

This So Low bra looks super cute- but it’s padded! Do you wear padded sports bras? I don’t get the point of padding the bra you’re working out in…open to comments! I’d love this bra to wear as an everyday (without the padding) but for working out, the padding makes it just so-so.

3. CW-X Tempo Support Bra

Now here is a bra that’s more my speed! Loving the colors but also that my girls would be completely covered in this one- so no worries about peek-a-boob moments at the gym! My one critique- not in love with the zipper/buttons on the front. I had a bra with this same detailing and it gave me uni-boob!

4. Nike Victory Sports Bra

I could definitely get down with this bra, though I think that this may be on the less fashionable end of the spectrum. Check out the rest of the bras here! -CFC

** What do you think? How much does fashion matter in your sports bra? **

Guess who’s back to living that LiveFit life? I know it’s been a long time coming, but I’m back in the gym and onto Week 7 of LiveFit, as promised! Michele Obama arms, here I come! Wanna hear how it’s been for me?

Repeat Week
Well in the spirit of full disclosure let me say: I did not just jump back into Week 7. I went back and did Week 6 over again! I felt like I needed at least one week of LiveFit where I was just getting accustomed to being back in the gym and lifting heavy weights. During T25, I was at home working out, so I wanted to give myself a long runway to readjust.

Why Is It So Easy To Lose Muscle Mass/Tone?
My repeat of Week 6 was also good for getting the -ahem- lead out. By my second day of lifting I was sore all over like it was Week 1 all over again! Walking and sitting down both had to be taken slow lol- isn’t it crazy how easy it is to lose muscle mass/tone and how hard it is to get it back? My lats, and glutes were dying by midweek and the amount of weight I was lifting had definitely gone down. I will admit, I was feeling a bit discouraged by the fall in numbers but didn’t want to wreck my form by lifting weight that my body couldn’t handle. I will get back to where I was! By the last day of my repeat week the soreness started to subside and my confidence returned. Then it was onward and upward  to week 7!

Here are the highlights and the lowlights of this week:

Highlights:

Making 6 Days/Week Work For Me
So one of my main complaints about Phase 2 (which is Weeks 5-8 of the LiveFit Program) was that the workouts are now 6 days a week. Maybe it was the time away from the program, but I had an epiphany just as I started Week 7- why not make this schedule work for me? I sat down with the Week 7 schedule and mapped it out- it’s 6 days/week but that actually translates to 4 days of weights and cardio and 2 days of weight only leg workouts. The workouts where I have to do BOTH weights and cardio can get pretty long- 1 hr and 15 mins to  1 hr and 30mins so it’s tough for me to do those workouts during the workweek. So I moved around two of the four cardio days to my weekends and moved the other two cardio days to Monday and Friday (with some flexibility for my work schedule). If I know I’m going to have an early meeting at work or a busy day, I’ll move my Legs workout to that morning so that I can get in and out as quickly as possible. So while 6days/wk is still a challenge, I’m learning how to make the workouts fit into my schedule better!

Baby Got Back Squats
So I mentioned in previous reviews that I love love love squats! I know it’s a weird thing to love, but it’s the one move that really shows me how strong my legs (and glutes) are! Plus, I’m kind of secretly hoping that these squats will help keep my booty looking the way I like; after all, I am getting into a wedding dress in August! So I’ve started squatting slightly heavier weight. I’m at 50lbs now and hoping to move up to 55 or 60 in Week 8. I noticed that when I upped the weight, my inner thighs were also particularly sore (which made walking and sitting down even more painful this week!). Plus this week saw the introduction of “Narrow Stance Squats” which are a little bit tougher than your traditional squat. Can’t wait to see my results!

Scream: New Pre-Workout Drink
So the folks at Bodybuilding.com were kind enough to send me a free bottle of “Scream Pre-workout Ignition Mix”. To be clear, Scream isn’t a supplement -it’s not a protein shake or food replacement drink- but it does provide increased energy for workouts! You can learn more about it here. I started using it in my Repeat Week; I want to use it for a few more weeks before I give you my review (and a surprise!) So stay tuned!

Lowlights:

The Importance of Workout Gloves
So I’m starting to develop callouses on my hands guys. This is NOT cool. At. All. It’s never happened to me lifting lighter weight, but now that the weight is getting heavier, I’m definitely noticing some chafing on my hands. Imagine my dismay when I found my hands developing callouses on them!! Right now I have two small ones right where my right middle finger and ring finger meet my palm and another one in the same place on my left middle finger. This is no bueno folks! If you’re planning on hitting the weights hardcore but still want to keep those soft femme hands, I suggest investing in some workout gloves. Don’t make my mistake!

New Gym, New Onlookers
So here’s the good news: a NYSC opened up in the building right next door to my apartment! This, my friends, was an absolute game-changer. I now roll out of bed, put on my gym clothes, sometimes brush my teeth and mosie on over to the building next door to work out. Time spent: 8 minutes. #winning The bad news? New onlookers confused by my presence in the weights section. Here’s how the convo went with one of the new personal trainers during my Repeat Week:

Trainer: “Hi there.”
Me: “Hello.” <lifts 50lb barbell off rack>
Trainer: “Is this your first time in the gym?”
Me: “No.” <begins to lift bar over head>
Trainer: “I see you’re doing curls. I think that weight may be too heavy.”
Me: “Actually I’m doing squats. Not curls.” <struggles to get barbell on shoulders>
Trainer: “Oh, okay. Well let me spot you.”
Me: “Okay…” <eyeroll>

Okay, so the truth is, I did need someone to spot me. While I can squat 50lbs, my upper body isn’t there (yet!) and I was having trouble getting the bar to rest on my upper back so that I could start the squat movement. So I was annoyed by the interaction, but also couldn’t deny that I needed the help! Maybe it just hurt my ego? (What’s the female version of machismo?) :-p #thethrillsofnewgyms

New Moves Make Me Feel Like A Newbie

So Week 7 brought with it a few new moves that made me feel like I was a newbie all over again. I already mentioned Narrow Stance Squats, but there was also Reverse Crunches, One Leg Barbell Squats, Reverse Flyes and many more. I know that I’ll master these moves soon too, but it always sucks to feel like you’re starting out at square one. I’ll sometimes go on bodybuilding.com just to check out the videos of the movements to make sure I’m getting the form right. If there’s one thing that fitness teaches you, it’s that there’s always more to learn!

Well that’s all for now! Glad you’re back in this LiveFit game with me! Thanks for keeping me motivated and be sure to tune in for my Week 8 review! -CFC

Related articles

• ChicFitChef Interviews Jamie Eason on Bodybuilding.com!
• Review of Jaime Eason’s LiveFit 12-Week Trainer (Week 6/Halftime & Big News!!)

If you’re following ChicFitChef.com on Facebook then you already know that I’m featured in the promotional video for a new program being launched by Beachbody & Shaun-T! The program is supposed to become available this summer so stay tuned!! #summerstartsnow

Check out the promo (and see me at minute 4:30)! -CFC

Image from bodybuilding.com

Jamie Eason was kind enough to do an interview with ChicFitChef!! I was lucky enough to ask her a few questions about her pregnancy (congrats Jamie!) and also got some of the questions you guys asked on the CFC Facebook page answered!

Check out the post here on Bodybuilding.com!!

And be on the lookout for more of my posts as a BB.com Contributing Writer!

-CFC

Related articles

• Review of Jaime Eason’s LiveFit 12-Week Trainer (Week 6/Halftime & Big News!!) (chicfitchef.com)

And the winner of the Asylum DVD set is…kronickbeatz (commenter 04/09/13 12:39pm)!

On why he wants to enter the Asylum, kronickbeatz wrote:

“I would like to get a copy of asylum pt 1 and 2 because I want to be fit not only for myself but for my wife and kids. Me and my wife are getting married in august this year so this will help us to be in the best shape ever for our big day. I am on my second round of insanity and because im from london in the Uk im finding it difficult to find asylum part 2, iv checked all sites and amazon only sells part 1 which is very sad.. good luck guys”

Congratulations kronickbeatz!! Please email chicfitchef@gmail.com to claim your prize by Thursday, April 18th at 12midnight (otherwise another winner will be chosen!)

Stay tuned for more giveaways & for my upcoming Week 7 LiveFit review!

-CFC

The beautiful bride!

1. Tell us about yourself!

I am a professional, Caribbean-American woman who just 6 months ago, married my best friend and THE love of my life! I also recently turned the big 3-0, which I had been dreading since I turned 20, however, I am finally learning to embrace the aging process, LOL! So far, I must admit that marriage and my 30s have been good to me because I am truly happy! At 30, I am in the absolute BEST shape of my life and I owe it all to my fitness lifestyle, which includes a reasonable diet and daily gym regimen. I am a true gym rat…and proud of it!

2. Have you always been a fit person or did you commit to fitness later on in life?

For most of my life, I have always tried to maintain some type of exercise regimen, but it wasn’t until two and a half years ago, that I decided to enhance my workout schedule and completely eliminate my bad eating habits.

Spring 2008

3. What were your eating/health habits before your weight loss?

My weight gain was slow and gradual throughout most of my 20s. I always believed that I was conscious of my eating habits, but truthfully, nothing was ever off limits. First off, I never ate breakfast, which would cause me to over-eat throughout the day, and at night. I did not portion my meals and I snacked constantly on things like potato chips, cookies, etc… I also ate inordinate amounts of candy everyday. Between the snacks and the larger portions, once I was able to cut those things down (and incorporate additional exercise) my weight loss came naturally.

Spring 2009

4. What motivated you to lose the weight?

For my husband’s (then boyfriend’s) 30th birthday, I decided to surprise him with a trip to Mexico. I had purchased the trip package in mid-June and I was determined to be beach ready by September of that same year. On July 1, 2010, I committed myself to a complete diet and exercise overhaul. By late September, I had dropped 20 pounds! I was so proud of myself because not only did I feel lighter and more youthful, but I was way more confident about my appearance.

5. In total you’ve actually lost 40 lbs through diet and exercise!! That’s a lot of weight to lose- did you set out to lose that much? How did you do it (eg. small steps, big steps, goal setting, drastic measures, etc.)?

In the beginning, I had not set any specific weight loss goals for myself. I just knew that I was unhappy at my current size and needed to lose weight- period. I was very strict about what I ate and I completely cut out sweets and other unnecessary indulgences. I portioned all of my food and I drank a TON of water. I started working out 5 days a week, instead of 3 and my workouts solely consisted of cardio: 30 minutes of high intensity running and twenty minutes on the stepper. In that sense, I was very extreme, but it was something that I was ready to endure because I was sick of feeling the way I did. I was unhappy.

6. Did you change your diet/exercise regimen to get ready for the your wedding day? If so, in what ways?

A year before our wedding, I was down 30 pounds. I wasn’t pressed to lose any additional weight, but I definitely wanted to tone specific areas of my body. In the months before our wedding, I started incorporating sit-ups to my fitness regimen and I also began eating small meals every two hours. By the time of my wedding, I had lost an additional 10 pounds (unintentionally), totaling my weight loss to around 40 pounds.

February 2013

7. How did friends and family influence your journey towards being healthier & losing weight? Were there any people who were supportive/un-supportive?

All of my friends and family have been extremely supportive during my weight loss journey. One of my closest friends decided to lose weight with me. Everyday, we would discuss our eating habits, daily fitness progress and gym routines. We lost the weight together and even today, we continue to obsess over fitness!

8. Yay for fitness friends! So what do you do now to continue to stay fit and healthy?

Today, I continue to maintain a 5-day-a-week workout schedule: 40 minutes of high intensity running (about 4.6 miles/day), 20 minutes on the elliptical and 10 minutes of abs. While I am not nearly as strict with my eating habits, I only indulge in sweets and other junk food on the weekends and during Friday date nights with my husband. During the week, I still continue to eat small meals every 2 hours.

9. What’s the BEST thing about being 40 lbs lighter?!!

The BEST thing, by far, is being able to feel good in my clothing! I never feel bloated or too fat to wear anything! Now, I wear clothes that I would NEVER have considered wearing 40 pounds ago.

10. What advice do you have for someone who is reading this and trying to lose weight?

I encourage everyone to keep realistic goals for yourself and to also stay determined and dedicated to your fitness goals.

11. Anything else you want to add?

I LOVE everything fitness! Thank you for lending me the opportunity to share my weight loss journey.

Am I the only one who can see that confidence? Congrats girl!

(CHECK OUT ANOTHER INTERVIEW!!)

What would my #summerstartsnow series be without a helpful DVD giveaway? If you started Asylum Pts. 1 &2 right now, you’d be in RIDICULOUS shape by June- right in time for your bikini/muscle tee! Here’s how to enter:

DO THESE 2 THINGS BY APRIL 15TH:

1. Comment to this post saying why you want to enter the Asylum!!

2. Like CFC on Twitter (here) and on Facebook (here)!

If you’re not sure if Asylum is right for you, check out my reviews of Asylum Pt. 1 to see what you’d be in for! I haven’t done Asylum Pt 2 yet but maybe the winner can fill me in on their experience?

Entries to the giveaway will close on the 15th so don’t delay!

Good luck guys!
CFC