And just like that, phase one is over!
It seems crazy to me that it’s been almost one month since I started this program and over one month since I last ran. Can I let you in on a little secret? I don’t miss my cardio that much. Never thought I’d be typing those words out!
This month I learned a lot. I learned that I won’t blow up like a balloon if I stop running. If anything, I think my body is more toned right now than it was in the last six months of my life with training solely for a race. I haven’t weighed myself throughout this process, but I am more than sure that I weigh more than I did before – and I don’t care! My clothes still fit, my muscles are growing, and there’s not much that the scale can tell me other than a silly number that doesn’t mean much.
Other than that, I learned that weight training makes you really really hungry. It’s a different kind of hungry than running. When I ran, I can honestly say I didn’t get hungry unless I put in a lot of mileage that day (think: long run days). With strength training, my metabolism has been revved up throughout the day, which means a lot of days I am ravenous. Making sure my meals are full of healthy fats and protein has been a lifesaver over the past month as I have been repairing my very sore muscles from my workouts.
Lastly, I learned that weight training make my muscles sore – with a capital S. I have muscles on my body I think I forgot even existed. My shoulders are the weakest part of my body, which is pretty laughable since I am a former swimmer who absolutely NEEDED shoulder muscles to be able to swim fast. I have felt like I have gotten better workouts in the last month than I have in a long time. I’m loving it!
source
Someone asked me last week what size weights I use when I lift on my different days. This number is going to be different for every person due to strengths, weaknesses, and prior background to lifting. Although I hadn’t been lifting for a while, I still did used to regularly strength train – so I am not foreign to it. This first phase was all about building muscle as well, which meant I was using a lower weight with higher repetitions. I can’t really recommend what size weights you should use because, well – we’re different! Our bodies are different, and you have to do what feels right to you and the muscle group you are working on at the moment.
I took another set of measurements yesterday to see what kind of progress I have made during the first four weeks of LiveFit. Obviously four weeks isn’t too long in the grand scheme of things, but it’s fun to see the changes my body has already made!
Phase 1 Progress
| |
2 week progress |
4 week progress |
total progress |
| waist |
-1 inch |
-0 inches |
-1 inch |
| hips |
-1.5 inches |
-0 inches |
-1.5 inches |
| chest |
+0.5 inches |
0 inches |
+0.5 inches |
| shoulders |
+0.5 inches |
+0.5 inches |
+1 inch |
| thighs |
-1 inch |
+0.5 inches |
-0.5 inches |
| bicep |
-0.25 inches |
+0.25 inches |
0 inches |
| calf |
+0.5 inches |
+0 inches |
+0.5 inches |
| neck |
0 inches |
0 inches |
0 inches |
I think that’s quite acceptable for four weeks, wouldn’t you say?
Today I start Phase 2 of LiveFit, and there are a few changes I am supposed to make in phase two as opposed to phase 1. In Phase 2, the intensity of the weights you are lifting should raise – instead of lifting at 65% your maximum effort, you should be lifting 85% of your maximum effort. With that being said, the repetitions lower to 8 per set so you are able to complete each one without burning out. The workouts span over a 6 day split instead of 4-5 days that phase 1 was.
source
Another change is adding cardio back into the mix. With the program, four days of steady cardio for 30 minutes is supposed to happen. Can I be honest with you? I don’t know if I am going to be doing that much of it. Given my current situation, I don’t know what to do. I’m going to be talking to my doctor, but obviously losing weight/a ton of body fat would not benefit me in any way right now. Instead of doing four days of ellipticaling (is that a verb?), I will probably do one and continue to take Charlie for our long afternoon walks. Therefore, I’m still getting in some heart healthy activity, but it won’t be strenuous to my body in any way. I know this will kind of mess up the integrity of the program and skew my results, but I have to do what’s best for me right now.
With all of that being said, I’m excited to start working on Phase two and you know, continue being jacked. The Husband is starting to get afraid of me. I’m sure he’s noticed that half an inch increase in my calves and is shaking in his boots.
And just like that, phase one is over!
It seems crazy to me that it’s been almost one month since I started this program and over one month since I last ran. Can I let you in on a little secret? I don’t miss my cardio that much. Never thought I’d be typing those words out!
This month I learned a lot. I learned that I won’t blow up like a balloon if I stop running. If anything, I think my body is more toned right now than it was in the last six months of my life with training solely for a race. I haven’t weighed myself throughout this process, but I am more than sure that I weigh more than I did before – and I don’t care! My clothes still fit, my muscles are growing, and there’s not much that the scale can tell me other than a silly number that doesn’t mean much.
Other than that, I learned that weight training makes you really really hungry. It’s a different kind of hungry than running. When I ran, I can honestly say I didn’t get hungry unless I put in a lot of mileage that day (think: long run days). With strength training, my metabolism has been revved up throughout the day, which means a lot of days I am ravenous. Making sure my meals are full of healthy fats and protein has been a lifesaver over the past month as I have been repairing my very sore muscles from my workouts.
Lastly, I learned that weight training make my muscles sore – with a capital S. I have muscles on my body I think I forgot even existed. My shoulders are the weakest part of my body, which is pretty laughable since I am a former swimmer who absolutely NEEDED shoulder muscles to be able to swim fast. I have felt like I have gotten better workouts in the last month than I have in a long time. I’m loving it!
source
Someone asked me last week what size weights I use when I lift on my different days. This number is going to be different for every person due to strengths, weaknesses, and prior background to lifting. Although I hadn’t been lifting for a while, I still did used to regularly strength train – so I am not foreign to it. This first phase was all about building muscle as well, which meant I was using a lower weight with higher repetitions. I can’t really recommend what size weights you should use because, well – we’re different! Our bodies are different, and you have to do what feels right to you and the muscle group you are working on at the moment.
I took another set of measurements yesterday to see what kind of progress I have made during the first four weeks of LiveFit. Obviously four weeks isn’t too long in the grand scheme of things, but it’s fun to see the changes my body has already made!
Phase 1 Progress
I think that’s quite acceptable for four weeks, wouldn’t you say?
Today I start Phase 2 of LiveFit, and there are a few changes I am supposed to make in phase two as opposed to phase 1. In Phase 2, the intensity of the weights you are lifting should raise – instead of lifting at 65% your maximum effort, you should be lifting 85% of your maximum effort. With that being said, the repetitions lower to 8 per set so you are able to complete each one without burning out. The workouts span over a 6 day split instead of 4-5 days that phase 1 was.
source
Another change is adding cardio back into the mix. With the program, four days of steady cardio for 30 minutes is supposed to happen. Can I be honest with you? I don’t know if I am going to be doing that much of it. Given my current situation, I don’t know what to do. I’m going to be talking to my doctor, but obviously losing weight/a ton of body fat would not benefit me in any way right now. Instead of doing four days of ellipticaling (is that a verb?), I will probably do one and continue to take Charlie for our long afternoon walks. Therefore, I’m still getting in some heart healthy activity, but it won’t be strenuous to my body in any way. I know this will kind of mess up the integrity of the program and skew my results, but I have to do what’s best for me right now.
With all of that being said, I’m excited to start working on Phase two and you know, continue being jacked. The Husband is starting to get afraid of me. I’m sure he’s noticed that half an inch increase in my calves and is shaking in his boots.