As you may have seen on Facebook or Instagram this weekend, I finished my last workout of LiveFit Trainer!
If you remember way back when I started this program, it was to transition to a strength training focus & have something structured to take my mind off withdrawing from Ironman Cairns. I was curious to see how my body would change with the shift from endurance to strength.
The Workouts
The workouts of LiveFit Trainer are divided into 3 phases, each a month long. Within each phase, there are two groups of workouts, each repeated for 2 weeks. I really enjoyed the variety that went along with that much change! I loved all the strength workouts and absolutely gained muscle throughout the program.
The workouts range from 30-45 minutes in the first phase to 90 minutes (including cardio) for much of the second & third phases. That’s something I was comfortable with, but many people find this a very long time in the gym each day. If you know this going in, you’ll know what you’re getting into.
The picture on the left is at the start of our vacation in Australia in early June. The picture on the right is last Friday. Although I’m not as lean as I’d like to be, you can definitely see the progress in my bicep!
I didn’t follow the program in a normal progression, due to our 2 week vacation + 3 weeks of travel when we returned back to work. Instead, I repeated workouts in the second phase before moving on.
The last phase of the workouts, I admit that I wasn’t nearly as diligent about getting my cardio workouts done. It was crazy at work and I adjusted my goal to getting 3 of the 4 scheduled sessions completed. If I went back to do it again, I would have been more focused fitting everything in, but I’m very happy with how I finished!
The Nutrition
As I mentioned when I started LiveFit Trainer, the nutrition plan outlined by the program didn’t fit my eating habits. For the first 4 weeks, I did a great job adjusting the plan to fit my life and felt like I made some good progress in starting to lean out.
The second 4 weeks, I kept up my clean eating, but didn’t do as good a job with the frequency. I also brought back more beer & wine than I had during that first month.
While on vacation, I planned to let nutrition go & enjoyed every minute. The problem was I never really got back on plan after that was over. Nutrition has always been my weakness and I didn’t tame it during most of the program. If you do LiveFit Trainer & really want to see results, nutrition is a key component you can’t overlook.
Conclusion
So what did I think of the program overall? I really enjoyed it!! It’s something I can see myself repeating again at some point in the future. I really learned to love the gym & am ready to take it to the next level now!
Looking at numbers, I increased where I wanted to increase (like calves & thighs) and decreased where I wanted to decrease (like arms). I measure at rest, not flexed. My weight stayed about the same (within a pound, which is too little to be meaningful).
If you’re looking for a structured program to kick-start your strength training and build muscle, I would highly recommend LiveFit Trainer. Realize that it’s going to take some more time in the gym than you may be used to and decide if that’s something you’re willing to do. And as much as I love food & drinks, be prepared to make some changes there if you really want to see that “transformation”.
********************
Edited to add: Today is also the FEED 10 Bake Sale, hosted by Amanda and with goodies supplied by lots of your favorite foodie bloggers! You can bid on my Molasses Crisps, which are adapted from my grandma’s recipe. Bids are accepted NOW through tomorrow morning (August 7th at 9AM EST) and items start at $15. Better yet, 100% of the donations go to FEED project to help feed children in the US.
Check out all the treats up for auction on the online bake sale page.
********************
Questions for you:
-
How long is too long in the gym for you?
-
Have you done LiveFit Trainer?
-
What was your favorite workout last week?
