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Jamie Eason Live Fit – Phase 3, Week 2

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Week 2

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-easons-livefit-phase-3.html

Living Fit

    This week I was able to perform mountain climbers much better. I have not been able to do burpees, spider crunches, nor ball pull in exercises. Those burpees hurt my knees. Instead of doing spider crunches and ball pull in’s I did planks because it is more low impact yet produces amazing results. I believe as long as you’re keeping your heart rate up, it really doesn’t matter. You have to make this workout work for you and your body, and modify it as you see fit. Don’t get frustrated if you can’t do 15 reps of kettle ball pushups. Do what you can and don’t give up. If your body is fully exhausted after doing 8 reps, then you should lower your weights.

 

Although I am following a program, I am living a lifestyle of working out. So I don’t make my workouts stressful. Instead I make them a challenge and have fun with them. See what you can do, and journal your abilities. That way, you can look back and say, “Last week I was only able to do 8 reps, this week I’m a try to do 12 reps.” As long as you are sweating, you’re burning calories. I did miss a day of sprints due to not feeling well, but hey it happens to the best of us.

 

On two different occasions this week a lady at the gym asked me if I was personal trainer. I just smiled and told them no and referred them to bodybuilding.com.

 

      I find it helpful to keep a journal of my workouts, my mood, and how I am feeling during this whole process. Thursday of this week, I was not in the mood to workout. I went to the gym, but I did not put my all into it and even skipped a few of the exercises. The next day, I worked arms and did the few exercises I skipped on Thursday. We all have days when we just simply aren’t in the mood to workout, and it has nothing to do with not wanting to reach your goals. Take everything in stride. As long as your diet is in order, a missed workout once in a while will not kill you. You can always make it up the next day.

 

 Although I am losing weight slowly, I am losing weight consistently. When I would lose 3-4lbs a week, I could walk pass a bakery and gain 1lb from the smells alone. Now, I can eat a focaccia roll from The Corner Bakery and not gain a single pound. The muscle that I’ve gained on this program has really helped me keep what weight that I have loss off! So far, I’ve loss 9lbs.

 

Epiphany Moment: This is a LIFESTYLE. Don’t sweat it! Do what you can, as hard as you can, stay positive, educate yourself, and stay in-tuned with your body. If you give up now, you will never reach your weight loss goals.

 

 

 

Jamie Eason Live Fit – Phase 3, Week 1

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Phase 3, Week 1

Phase 3, Week 1

Week 1

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-easons-livefit-phase-3.html

Whey You’re Options

I am starting Phase 3, 7lbs lighter than I started Phase 1! Basically I’ve loss 1lb a week steadily. This week the workouts have kicked my butt karate style! I have never worked out like this before. Because I’m doing supersets and active rest I am now taking about two hours to complete the workouts. The sprints on the treadmill are not as bad as I thought they would be, although the last 10 mins are the toughest.  The sprints last a total of 30 mins. You are to sprint 30 seconds on, and 30 seconds off which really ends up being 15 minutes of sprinting, but who wants to run a sprint for that long? I’ve been doing my sprints on the treadmill in the gym at work. This method of sprinting makes time go by super-fast. A little tip about sprinting on the treadmill, never start with your left foot. I’m not going to tell you how I know not to do that, and you’d better not ask!

 I purchased my own jump rope and a pair of non-slip weight lifting gloves from Wal-Mart. FYI… Jump roping is not as fun as an adult! I have to be honest; I’ve been monitoring my caloric intake, but not really being strict about it. I don’t always log every single thing I eat in My Fitness Pal because I always eat and snack clean.

I stopped using Whey Protein by Body Fortress. The Whey protein supplement was making me bloated, and after reading reviews online about how people were experiencing an expanding waistline cause of it, I decided I’d better stop using it! So in Phase 3, I am using a brand called Life’s Basics in Vanilla, which is a plant protein source from hemp, chia seeds, yellow peas, and rice. Many vegetarians use this, but I am going to use it and see how it works for me and my body. I found mine at a local Health Store. Since I’ve started taking the Life’s Basic’s brand, I notice that I have energy, I stay full longer, and I’m not bloated at all.

I am thinking that the reason most people have complained about not losing as much weight, and even gaining belly fat is because, they are using whey protein and they are not paying attention to how their body is reacting to it. Or maybe they are cheating on their diet too much by eating too much processed foods.  I bought some gluten free snacks, and some coconut milk ice-cream to satisfy my cravings. Again, this is a lifestyle not a diet. So don’t deprive yourself, just eat the alternative cleaner version of the foods you love. I find some vegetarian, and vegan snacks to be very well prepared. The ingredients in them read like a recipe!

Epiphany Moment: Listen to your body more than you listen to people’s advice. Be aware of all your protein options.  Use the protein that best supports you and your goals, and most importantly, pay attention to how your body reacts to the supplements.

Jamie Eason Live Fit – Phase 2, Week 4

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Week 4

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-easons-livefit-phase-2.html

Preparing Mentally for Phase 3

                Week 4 of Phase 2 is a continuation of last week. I am lifting heavier weights, and doing more reps. I have gotten much better at doing one legged squats, and lunges. I am also doing the Roman chairs, and reverse crunches with cleaner form. My lower abdominals is the weakest, and most stubborn part of my stomach so I have no choice but to grit teeth and go hard. This is the last week of Phase 2 and I can’t believe the final Phase is almost here.  I’ve already printed the workouts for Phase 3 and looked over them. Now that I have new goals, Phase 3 is going to prepare me for P90X! There is a lot of plyometric type moves performed in Phase 3. I am nervous about looking like an idiot in the gym jump roping, and doing jump squats, but that is another reason I go early in the morning. There are not as many people in the gym early in the morning!

     I have been visualizing myself doing the workouts in Phase 3 and I know I can do it. Every two weeks her workouts change, so I will be doing sprints on the treadmill, and jump roping for two weeks. The last two weeks are where you lean out, and do 30 reps of about 6 exercises as one giant superset for 3 sets. Then finish up with 45 minutes of cardio. I believe I will start carb cycling as well in Phase 3 which is where you eat more carbs on high volume workout days, and less carbs on low volume workout days and rest days. This week I weighed in at 194 pounds. I was hoping to have loss more weight, but I loss 1lb a week while building muscle so I can’t complain. My arms are starting to show my hard work and so is my stomach. I was able to wear a pair of jeans that I wasn’t able to fit prior to starting this program. So far I have loss a total of 7lbs on the Jamie Eason Live Fit program, but I’ve loss even more in inches. I am fitting size 12 jeans tightly but hey, atleast they button! I am nearing the finish line and quality performance is of the essence.

Jamie Eason Live Fit – Phase 2, Week 3

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Week 3

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-easons-livefit-phase-2.html

Re-Focusing My Goals

               The Live Fit program is awesome, and is always challenging me. This week we have upped the ante again by increasing the number of sets, sticking to a calorie range based on the workout and my goal weight, and I am increasing the weight that I am lifting. Since my caloric intake is based on my goal weight, I am only weighing myself weekly just to see what the scale says. However I’m not discouraged if I only lose 1lb or so because that’s 1lb that I will never gain back.

I am starting to appreciate the inches loss over the weight loss. I am noticing that I look smaller, and that my clothes are fitting me better, while the scale is only creeping slowly down toward my goal. I am starting to think that I will probably reach my aesthetic goal before my weight/scale goal. So my focus is not on the scale so much, even though deep down inside I am hoping to lose more weight soon.

I have re-focused my goals. Up to this point my goal has been to get down to 140lbs, and enter a bikini contest sometime next year. The Live Fit program has really helped improved my overall strength and endurance. I am able to perform single leg squats with better form, and jack-knife crunches slightly better. Now that I am more than half way through the program, I am definitely looking ahead, and ready to take my journey to the next level.

After I finish the Live Fit program, I am going to do P90X. So my new goals are to complete the Live Fit program, and then move right into P90X. After the P90X program my goal is to do another fitness program. By the time I complete my goals, I should be ready to get a personal trainer, and start getting ready for my bikini contest. I am not setting any limitations on myself.

 

Epiphany Moment: While sitting in Atlanta traffic I had this epiphany. Many people never reach their goals in life because they set too many limitations on themselves. No matter your dream, no matter how big, visualize yourself doing whatever it is you want to do. Then pray about it. Then research the necessary steps you need to take to accomplish your goal. After you’ve done your homework, get moving towards your dream. Do whatever you have to do to make it happen, and make excuses on behalf of your goal and never against it. Understand that it won’t be easy because there are people around you that don’t want to see you happy. You will have to push through negativity, and convince yourself that you are a champion. Recognize that each accomplishment you’ve made towards your goal is a sign that your dream really is your destiny. Make sure to let no person or circumstance convince you otherwise. Be tough, be confident, and set no limits.

Jamie Eason Live Fit – Phase 2, Week 1

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Phase 2 Before Photo

Phase 2 Before Photo. Camera date is wrong! Today is October 8, 2012.

Phase 2, Week 1

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-easons-livefit-phase-2.html

New Challenges         

I am 5lbs lighter these days, and 2 dress sizes smaller. Phase 2 includes 30 minutes of cardio at medium-intensity 4 days a week, and the workouts increased from 5 days a week to 6 days a week. I’m also lifting heavier weights, but doing less repetitions including doing groups of supersets. A superset is performed when you go back and forth doing the 1st set of Exercises 1, 2, and 3. Then after a 1-2 minute break start the 2nd set of Exercises 1, 2, and 3. Every day except for the day that you work your legs, ends with a 30 minute cardio session, making sure to keep your heart rate in fat burning mode.

 In Phase 2 Jamie Eason has you working your legs and your abdominals twice a week, and the workouts are much more challenging than Phase 1. The Nutrition part of this plan starts to turn into a diet in my opinion because you can’t eat carbohydrates in the evenings. So now my eating is slightly restricted. I am allowed more lean protein and good fats in place of the carbohydrate loss. I don’t eat any carbohydrates after 5pm now, even if they are good carbs. I’m starting to wonder why I was in such a hurry to be in Phase 2!

In Phase 2 I definitely recommend an energy pill or fat burner that will give you the energy you need to get through these workouts. The workouts are tough in my opinion and require focus. In Phase 2, Jamie Eason asks for you to do pull-ups <GASPS!>Thank God my gym has one of those machines where you can do an assisted pull-up. She also has you doing various forms of pushups. Tweak the workouts to work for you, and do what you can, don’t kill yourself. Do what you can safely. If you can’t do a “Donkey Calf Raise” then perform another exercise that you haven’t done for your calf’s.

Since I’ve started this program I’ve been sore every single time I workout. Now that the workouts are six days a week, I really don’t get a lot of time to recover so it is necessary to drink my protein shake immediately after my workouts to assist in faster recovery. The workouts have also increased in time. What used to take me 30 – 40 minutes is now 60 – 90 minutes easy.

Since paying more attention to ingredients, and not solely focusing on nutrition facts I have learned a lot about where the calories are coming from that I am consuming. Preservatives do not break down as fast as clean whole foods which can make a difference in how soon you will see results when trying to lose weight. I am enjoying eating clean and making this my lifestyle going forward.

 Epiphany Moment: I am so glad I did further research on clean eating and took the nutrition part of this program to heart. I have decided that for the rest of my life I am going to work out and eat clean. I really hope anyone who tries this program, who feels they can’t handle the workouts, will at least change their perception on nutrition.