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| Before: October 2012 |
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| After: January 2013 |
My goal at the end of 2012 was to complete Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer by my 27th birthday. COMPLETED!!!!! I was so excited to take "after" pictures, I decided to take them right after my last work out on the plan today. I also took measurements at the beginning -- I trimmed 1.5'' off my waist and more than .5'' off my thighs. I consider those numbers a huge WIN!
Here's a quick overview of the plan:
The LiveFit Trainer plan is a 12 week plan that consists of three phases:
Phase One: Build Muscle
1) Lift heavy 4 times per week the first two weeks
2) Life heavy 5 times per week the next two weeks
3) Stick to the meal plan, no counting calories
4) No cardio
Phase Two: Maintain Muscle and Lose Fat
1) Lift 6 times per week, 4 days of cardio for the first two weeks
2) Lift 6 times per week, 3 days of cardio for the next two weeks
3) Stick to the meal plan, remove carbs from evening meals, start counting calories in week 7
Phase Three: Lean Out
1) Lift 6 times per week, 4 days of sprints for the first week
2) Lift 6 times per week, 4 days of sprints and carb cycling for the second week
3) Lift 5 times per week, 5 days of cardio and carb cycling for the third and fourth week
My goal was to complete the LiveFit Trainer by my 27th birthday, January 8th, 2013. I had been lifting consistently since earlier in the year (starting in February), but felt like I needed a goal to push myself harder to become stronger and more fit. The LiveFit Trainer provides daily work outs and a specific eating plan that make it impossible to just coast. Exactly what I needed!
It wasn't easy. After getting home from work, some days I just didn't want to go to the gym - but I did. I was spending an hour and a half at the gym in Phase 2. It's a commitment. But I did it.
I didn't miss one work out until week 10, when a knee injury forced me to lighten up on the sprints. Even with an injury, though, I was able to stick to the lifting plan and eating plan. Nothing was going to stop me!
Eating Plan:
Jamie has a very specific list of foods to stick to. Plenty of protein, veggies and complex carbs round out the list, and it also includes protein shakes and a few dairy products (cottage cheese, greek yogurt). The turkey meatloaf and various protein bars (recipes are included in the plan) became weekly staples. I also used my crock pot on a weekly basis to cook up huge amounts of chicken. That was a life saver. After coming home from the gym starving, it was so easy to heat up chicken in the microwave for dinner. My husband also got used to eating this way -- and he should be taking "after" pictures himself! He looks great.
Carb cycling the last three weeks, especially over Christmas, was a challenge. But, luckily, with supportive in-laws and parents, I was able to adjust the Christmas meals to fit into the plan. Substituting spinach and vegetables for cheesy potatoes and casseroles was an easy fix, and with meat or chicken as the main course, it wasn't hard to meet my protein needs. Staying away from desserts took will power, but I just kept the main goal in mind. No dessert was worth forfeiting my "after"!
Conclusion:
After 12 weeks, I feel really, really good. My jeans are looser, I've got visible muscle, and I can do push ups and pull ups! I'm very proud of myself for completing the trainer, as it's something I set my mind to and didn't give up. It's the beginning of a new phase of my life, starting with my 27th birthday. I'm going to keep up the weightlifting and keep eating clean, and will start with Phase 1 again to build up more muscle. I've come this far-- now there's no turning back!!!
Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-eason-livefit-trainer.html
