Archive for FitLizzio’s Bodybuilding.com Experiment

Full Review: 21 Day Clutch {progress pictures}

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So, much to my surprise when I woke up today, it wasn’t Friday. For whatever reason, yesterday felt like a Thursday for me and my week now feels discombobulated.

HAPPY WEDNESDAY

On another note, I’m getting my wisdom teeth out today. TERRIFIED, although I’m sure it won’t be that bad. (right? RIGHT?!) I’ll be sure to fill you all in afterwards (aka, I’ll share my chipmunk cheek photos with you for your viewing pleasure).

21 Day Clutch Review

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Photo Credit: Bodybuilding.com

I finished up the 21 Day Clutch as part of the FitLizzio Experiment! I’m soooo excited to give you all the details about this, so let’s get right to it!

The Program: 21 Day Clutch by Ashley Conrad

Program Length: 21 Days

Intensity: Hard

Workouts per Week: 5

Average Workout Length: 45-60 minutes

Overall Score (1-10): 7

Starting Weight: 152.9

Ending Weight: 149.1

THE WORKOUTS

This program had a mixture of lifting days and cardio days, with 2 rest days each week. The lifting days were full body workouts to be done circuit style. The cardio days were HIIT sessions that lasted anywhere from 15-25 minutes with an ab routine at the end.

Success rate: 99%. I stuck to all of the workouts and didn’t miss a single one. I did my own stretching and foam rolling (instead of what was prescribed), and added a barbell to the body weight squats to make it harder.

Likes:

-The workouts kicked my butt. I always left the gym a sweaty mess!

-You can day anything for 21 days. I liked that this program wasn’t something I had to commit to for a REALLY long time.

-While there was a small amount of steady state cardio that was recommended (but as an option), the cardio days were based around doing sprints on the treadmill. I agree with this philosophy and feel that it is the most effective way to improve your cardiovascular health as well as lose fat.

-I plan peppering both the lifting and HIIT workouts into my regular workout schedule about once per week.

Dislikes:

-The lifting workouts stayed the same throughout the entire program. I would have welcomed a little bit of variety.

DIET

I followed the diet to a T for 7 days, but found that it just wasn’t enough food for me. Ashley recommends 1/2 gram of Carbs per pound of body weight (for me, that’s only 75 grams per day!), 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight (150g=good), and 1/2 gram of fat per pound of body weight (75g=good). While I had intended to follow this plan exactly, it just wasn’t doable for me. I am up at 5:30am and work 12-13 hour days sometimes. I workout, work, train clients, and chase a dog around throughout the day, so I’m very active. 1300 calories per day and such a low amount of carbohydrates wasn’t sufficient. Instead, I stuck to my own macro-nutrient numbers: 150g Protein, 60g Fat, 190g Carbs per day, with slightly less on rest days.

Likes:

-While the first 7 days I followed the exact foods that the 21 Day Clutch called for, by Day 8 I realized that it was also a macro-nutrient based diet, so I could swap out foods for other foods with similar macro-nutrient values: SCORE! Considering that’s also my philosophy when it comes to dieting, I went with that and made the adjustments I mentioned above.

Dislikes:

-Not enough food. I’m 5’7 and it suggested I eat 1300 calories per day. As I mentioned above, this isn’t nearly enough on a day I’m working out.

-The diet seemed like a “quick fix” type of diet, which I do understand. It’s laid out to be a 21 day turnaround, so to see big results that quickly, requires drastic measures. However, I prefer a plan that leads to a sustainable lifestyle and this didn’t seem sustainable to me. It’s also possible to see results without being too crazy about it (see below).

PROGRESS:

At some points throughout the last 21 days, I felt that my body was changing. Other times, I couldn’t tell. I have had several people tell me my upper body is leaning out a lot, so I figured something must be happening and I just continued to trust the process. I took my 2nd set of progress pictures yesterday and was surprised to see the changes:

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It’s funny how seeing yourself every day can skew your view of changes that are happening. I’m definitely happy with the results!

I haven’t decided what my next installment of the FitLizzio Experiment will be, but I’m going to be scouting that out over the next few days. I’ll likely go back to lifting heavy weights for a few weeks (and incorporating the 21 Day Clutch HIIT workouts, too!) before starting my next experiment.

Question of the Day

1. What programs have you done that you like?

2. Checkout the programs on BodyBuilding.com. Anything in particular you’d like me to try next??

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FitLizzio Experiment UPDATE + Weekend Fun

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Hey, HEY!

How’s your Monday treating you?

Mine is quite divine if I may say so! I LOVE productive Mondays because they set the tone for the week.

I trained a client early this morning, got my own workout in, and then got started on work. It’s a busy time for us right now, so I’m being very diligent about keeping lists and calendars to make sure I get everything done on time.

FitLizzio Experiment – Day 20

Guys, I am almost done with the 21 Day Clutch! It’s been a really fun experience and I can’t wait to give you a FULL recap (progress photos and all) this week!

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Remember when I said I didn’t really like the workouts? Well, I’ve been getting more accustomed to them. They’re still not my favorite way to push myself, but I’ve come to enjoy them. I’ll likely continue to do them once per week when I’m finished with the program.

Which brings me to my next thought: Sticking with something. It’s interesting to me how my attitude towards the program has morphed over the last 20 days. I’ve gone from super stoked, to somewhat bored, to seeing results and getting excited, to wondering how to incorporate this way of training into my regular training schedule. Total 180, right?!

It proves that even though something might not SEEM like the right thing, if you stick with it, it might just become something you like. While sometimes that won’t be the case, it is something I will keep in mind going forward.

This is by far my favorite part about doing challenges. I love learning new things and seeing what I’m capable of doing. I love finding out more about myself. It’s amazing how much we don’t know! You always hear that you learn about yourself when you push yourself outside of your comfort zone, but it’s a really hard concept to grasp until you do it. I haven’t pushed myself outside of my comfort zone in far too long when it comes to working out, so this was really fun and motivating.

Look out for a post in the next few days for #allthethings related to the first installment of the FitLizzio Experiment: 21 Day Clutch.

Weekend Fun

This past weekend, my friend Torri and I launched Rockstar Fitness™ Boot Camp! Quest Nutrition was our sponsor and it was SUCH a fun day! Our class went really well and everyone loved it! I can’t wait for next Saturday!

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Special RSF Gift Bags from Quest!

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Rockstar Fitness™ Boot Camp in action!

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Wall balls!

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Our OFFICIAL Mascot: Oscar the Boxer

Our crazy group!

The rest of the weekend wasn’t quite as exciting, but was just what I needed: time with my pup, time with my man, and relaxation.

We went to breakfast at IHOP on Sunday morning (and of course, we brought Oscar).

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We followed that up with coffee, of course, and then decided to hang out by the pool for a bit.

It was a perfect day outside!

Afterwards, we went and saw Spy with Melissa McCarthy and Jason Statham. SO funny! I love MM and both Charlie and I really enjoyed it.

We came home and watched a few episodes of Better Call Saul (we just started it…so far so good!) while we ate dinner, and then I was so exhausted that I headed straight to bed.

THE END.

Question of the Day

1. What do you LOVE about boot camps?

2. What do you HATE about boot camps?

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Memorial Day Weekend + FitLizzio Experiment Update

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Happy Hump Day friends!

This week seems to be flying since most of us had Monday off. It was nice to have a few days without any real responsibilities!

Saturday was spent running errands, working out, and taking Oscar to not one, but TWO different dog parks. He’s one spoiled pup!

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Oscar and his girlfriend Hope.

On Sunday, Charlie joined me for a workout and then we tackled unpacking the rest of our boxes from moving, and getting our apartment a bit more organized. It feels sooooo much nicer now!

Sunday evening, we headed to Charlie’s friends house for a Memorial Day party. He has a few dogs, so we brought Oscar. He had a BLAST running around with the other dogs and picking up people’s scraps of food throughout the night. They had live music in the living room, tons of food, and a good mix of people. We loved the live music, but Oscar was not into it and stuck with us the whole time they were playing.

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Oscar sitting on Charlie’s lap.

Since I’m doing the 21 Day Clutch, my diet is a bit limited. I ate before we went and then ate a hamburger patty with ketchup and mustard while I was there. I waited until I got home to eat the rest of my dinner. (update on the FitLizzio Experiment below).

MONDAY

Monday was technically a day off, but I had a few things on my agenda.

I headed over to an oral surgeon’s office first thing in the morning to have a consultation about getting my wisdom teeth out.(yes, i still have them, hence all the wisdom ;-)). Unfortunately they’ve been bothering me a bit lately, so I’ll be having them removed in about 2 weeks. Eek!!!

After my appointment, I got a quick workout in before training a client at the gym. Once I was done, I headed home to relax with my boys for the rest of the evening.

Fit Lizzio Experiment Day 8

So far the 21 Day Clutch has been going pretty well! I have been sticking to the diet for the most part (had a few minor slip ups), and have stuck to the workout portion 100%. I feel good and am seeing changes, but I do have some initial reactions from my first full week on this.

1. I don’t like this style of working out very much. While the workouts kick my butt, they aren’t “fun” to me like my normal workouts. It’s getting me out of my comfort zone and all, but I definitely DO NOT look forward to them. Oddly enough, I don’t mind the HIIT sessions, but the “lifting” sessions (i use parentheses because it isn’t really lifting. there are some weights involved, but most of it is bodyweight) just aren’t my thing. It’s a LOT of exercises and a LOT of sets and it just gets old quickly. This is why I’m such a big proponent of finding something you like, because I can totally see how hard it would be to stick to this long-term, seeing as I don’t enjoy it very much.

2. The diet is a little too skimpy. I mentioned that I needed to bulk it up a bit for myself, but if someone was doing this without that type of knowledge, I feel it could be a problem. She recommends 1g of Protein per pound of bodyweight, which is fine, but only .5 g of Carbs per pound of bodyweight. For me, that would mean 75g of carbs per day. That is just nowhere near enough. I need at least 150g at a minimum.

3. I do like the HIIT sessions. They last about 25 minutes and go by pretty quickly. I’ll probably incorporate these into my workouts even after the 21 days is over.

Overall, so far I do like this program and I think it’s a good little reset/ass-kicker. However, I’m reallllly excited to get back to my normal heavy lifting. I’ve done a couple of sets of heavy hip thrusts and deadlifts here and there (because I just can’t stay away), but for the most part I haven’t done any heavy lifting. Either way, it’s only 21 days and it’s definitely a good “push” for me to work hard and grind. It’s exactly what I needed right now, so I’m glad I’m doing it.

Hope you all have a great rest of your day!! See you soon!

 

P.S. Rockstar Fitness shirts are done!! WOOHOO!

fitness boot camp

fitness bootcamp Instructor shirts

 

 

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FitLizzio Training Experiment: Day 1

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reebok tank

Hey guys!

I hope you’re all as excited as I am about my new experiment!! If you’re not, I need you to be so I can get through it with some motivation haha!

Yesterday I did Day 1 and I do have some initial thoughts!

The Workout

The workout was INTENSE. It was a “lifting” day. It started with a warm-up on the treadmill that included a sprint progression: 30 seconds walking, 30 seconds jogging, 30 seconds sprint x4.

Once I was warmed up, it was time for the workout. This workout was circuit-style and recommended completing 3-6 rounds with 12-15 reps per exercise.

Here are the exercises:

  • Clean & Press
  • Med Ball Slams
  • DB Reverse Lunges
  • Push-Ups
  • Bench Dips
  • Sprint in Place
  • Bodyweight Squats
  • Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns
  • Med Ball Jumping Jacks
  • Incline Push-Ups
  • DB Bicep Curls
  • Side Lateral Raises
  • One Arm DB Rows

I made it through 4 rounds. The idea is that by the end of the program you can complete 6 rounds, so hopefully I’ll get there! I’m sure I could have pushed my way through 2 more rounds, but my form was starting to slip and I had made it a goal in my head to get to 4. It was plenty for the first day. I was sweating bullets by the end.

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Not sure if you can tell, but my shirt is drenched!

The Food

This is where I may have to make some adjustments and add a little bit to my meals. When I totaled everything for my day’s meals into MyFitnessPal, it came out to just 1380 calories!! I am almost 5’8 and 151 pounds. That is just not enough on a day I’m working out (or even a rest day for that matter). I’ll likely just adjust the amounts at each meal (i.e. instead of 3.5 oz of chicken, I’ll do 5 oz. and instead of 1/2 cup of carbs, I’ll try 3/4). I want to participate in this FULLY, but I’m also not willing to risk my health over it. The plan does call for a good amount of fats, so I’ll probably leave those as is.

I will say, the chia seed protein pancake I had for breakfast (right from the 21 Day Clutch) was SO delicious!

protein pancake

It doesn’t look pretty, but it tasted good!

20 days to go on the FitLizzio Training Experiment….

Question of the Day

1. Have you ever done any of the training programs on Bodybuilding.com? What were your favorites?

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FitLizzio Training Experiment

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bodybuilding.com

So I was sitting at home last night after workout perusing the interwebs.

My new apartment has a HUGE patio (in LA, a big patio is pretty much like having a backyard), and I am determined to make it my playground. I already purchased some rubber flooring I need to put down and I have some light dumbbells ready to go.

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My next purchase is going to be a squat rack, olympic bar, heavier DB’s and plates (just so you know, Charlie). I’ve been scouring over Craigslist and other used outlets to see what I can find.

Anyways, as I was perusing, I was being all introspective and thinking a lot about me, myself, and I.

As I was doing so, I started thinking about my many failures with fat loss, specifically. You see, I LOVE working out. I LOVE weight training, plyometrics, and pretty much any type of high intensity training. It makes me sweat, breathe hard, and feel like a total badass.

But when it comes to eating? I like food. I’m stubborn. I don’t stick to meal plans very well. I make excuses. (That’s the key there, the making excuses.)

You see, I’m comfortable in my skin. This is GREAT (especially considering how I felt just a few years ago), but it’s not great for working towards fat loss. It’s easier for me to just say “eh, whatever” because it’s not a DIRE need for me to lose weight and I do feel good and comfortable with my ed-pills24.

Could I stand to lose a few pounds? Sure. Do I NEED to? Nope. I’m at a healthy weight and I feel good.

HOWEVER, I also see my inner self as something completely different than what I see in the mirror. In my head, my ideal is ripped and shredded. I like veins, I like muscles, I like striations, I like it ALL! Now, I don’t necessarily want to BE that lean, but I would like to be something closer to that extreme than I am currently.

SO, anyways. I have been trying to find the inner determination to stick to something long-term (which for me is macro-nutrient counting) and see what changes I can make. I’ve been doing okay, but haven’t been very consistent. No consistency = little to no results.

I also love new challenges and while in the past I haven’t always stuck with them, I know that I am capable of it. Hell, I gave up all added sugar for 37 days. 37 days without gummy candy is no joke people.

So back to perusing the world wide web….I ended up on Bodybuilding.com because I love looking at the various training plans for inspiration, as well as giving myself ideas for my own training + my clients’ training.

If you didn’t know, there are a TON of free training plans on Bodybuilding.com. They make it fun (choose your gender, choose your goals, choose your intensity, etc.) and this is when the crazy/fun idea hit me:

I’m going to slowly but surely work my way through the training plans and review them each as I go right here on Fit Lizzio Fitness!

Here’s what I’ll be doing:

-Taking before/after pictures & measurements

-Doing the daily workouts

-Following the meal plans

-Taking most of the recommended supplements (if I change or don’t take something, I’ll let you know that)

-Checking in here on the blog throughout each program

For the plans that last longer than 2 months, I’ll cut them short (so that I can get through at least a few by the end of 2015). At the end of each training program, I’ll do a FULL review on the blog highlighting my successes, failures, what I liked/disliked about the program, and my overall thoughts on the program from both the perspective of a user and a personal trainer. These will be FULL disclosure reviews (i.e. I will tell you if they flat out suck, although I don’t anticipate that). I think this will be a fun way to keep me motivated, provide some good content and reviews for others out there, and hopefully yield some results that I’m looking for!

So what do you think…am I crazy??? I actually keep texting my friends asking if I’m crazy (they’ve all responded yes, so I’m not sure what that says about me), but they all think it’s a great idea. Either way, I think it will be a super fun experiment and I’m excited to do this!

If you’d like to follow on this journey (or better yet, JOIN ME), I’m starting with Ashley Conrad’s 21 Day Clutch.

bodybuilding.com

Photo Credit: Bodybuilding.com

I’ll have an initial post about this up on the blog as soon as I start to tell you about Day 1 and my expectations. Don’t worry, regularly scheduled blogging will go on as a normal, with just a few posts each week about this experiment, which I’ve titled: FitLizzio Training Experiment

I’ll also be posting on Instagram (@fitlizzio) using the hashtag: #fitlizzioexperiment

P.S. If you are crazy like me and want to join me, e-mail me at [email protected] so we can help each other through the programs!

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