Tag Archive for fitness

Why Is It So Hard to Change?

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Why is it so hard to change?

IMG_8563This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately.

Mainly because after 2 years of “wanting” something, I finally dug in and started DOING it.

As many of you know, I competed in the NPC Bikini division in 2009. I did 2 competitions and then hopped on a roller coaster of disordered eating and a poor relationship with food shortly after.

It took me over 2 years to pull myself out of that hole and learn to love myself again. I literally defined myself by my weight at that point and just felt like such a failure.

When I finally decided that I needed to love myself and move on, it became easier. I was able to make a change for the better, and although it certainly didn’t happen my-drugs-blog, I pulled myself out of disordered eating and started having a normal relationship with food again.

That was change #1. Even though I had wanted it for 2 years, it wasn’t until I was READY, that I was able to make that change.

Now I sit here today and I’m once again curious about what it was that allowed me to make this change (Operation: Get Lean).

For the last 2 years, having felt that my relationship with food was good and feeling like I had regained control of myself, I decided I wanted to get lean again. I had the best of intentions, but for some reason, could not make it happen. I wasn’t gaining weight or doing anything detrimental, but just simply not allowing myself to eat in a deficit that was needed for fat loss.

So for 2 years, my body stayed relatively the same.

Finally, 6 weeks ago, I was able to turn that corner and start changing. So I’ve spent a lot of time looking into myself and wondering what it was about THIS TIME that was different.

Here’s what I’ve come up with:

–I was truly ready. While I felt I was ready before, I wasn’t. I wanted to be lean, but I wanted to eat whatever I wanted more.

–My life is really hectic lately, and while you may think that would make this harder, it’s made it easier. This is the one thing I feel in control of. It is the one thing that I can do and nobody can stop me.

–I needed to fail. This was a big one. In order to really dig in, I needed to fail. I needed to trip up so many damn times that I finally had enough. I needed to recognize that if I continued half-assing it, I would continue getting the same results.

–I needed someone tough in my corner. I needed someone who would not take anything less than 100%. Because the people that told me I could get away with 80-90%? I took it to heart and didn’t try as hard. But when you have a coach that literally calls you out when you give anything less than your best? When it is someone you trust and respect? Well you better bet you’re going to push yourself as hard as I can. It’s human nature to want to impress those who you look up to.

What this has really shown me is that anything is possible. It truly reminded me that you can fall 2304823 times and STILL get back up and move forward.

I think that is where a lot of people give up. They’ve tried so many times that they’re embarrassed to even admit that they’re trying again. I was in that position too! Hell, I’m a freaking personal trainer that writes a health and fitness blog. And I couldn’t achieve my own fat loss goals? Talk about feeling embarrassed. My life revolves around this stuff and I couldn’t make it work for myself. I GET YOU.

But I wasn’t ready. I WANTED to be ready, but I wasn’t. And if there is anything you can take away from my experience, it’s that you should never stop trying. I know you hear that ALL THE TIME. But it’s true. Because I did fail A LOT. What I didn’t do, was stop trying. I didn’t even believe in myself when I started this 6 weeks ago. The first 2 weeks I literally felt like at any moment, I would sabotage myself. But I put my willpower into play and just kept going. And now? I feel like me again. I believe in myself again. I KNOW what I’m capable of. I’m still not done yet, and there is still plenty of work to do. There will be much harder times, and I know and expect that. I also know that I can get through it all. I’ve gained that confidence through this process. Nobody can stop me.

If any of this resonates with you, know you’re not alone. And in fact, you’re probably in the majority. If you’re sitting there feeling like a failure. Like you’ve given up and don’t want to try anymore, just keep trying. You may not be ready yet, but eventually you WILL be ready. As long as you don’t give up. Fight the urge to quit. Unless your goals and ideals have changed (in which case, you change your course), you must keep going.

If you’re ever in need of support, I have a great group of people in a private Facebook group and we’re constantly sharing our achievements and struggles. If you’d like to be a part of that group, just send me an e-mail at [email protected]

Here’s to YOU. YOU can do this, your goals are within reach, just don’t give up.

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Life is a Bumpy Road

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Good morning!

Hope you’re all having a great start to your day.

How I feel after my workouts.

How I feel after my workouts.

Life Stuff

I’ve always said I’d be truly honest in my posts, and today is no different.

Life is a bumpy road, that’s for sure.

In all honesty, I’ve been in quite a funk lately.

My workouts have been AMAZING

My Operation: Get Lean has been on-par

But other areas of my life have been rough.

I suppose part of it is that I’m in my late 20’s…

and from what I hear..this is what late 20’s people do.

We question life, question ourselves,

question our mission, our direction.

We.question.everything.

  • Is this where I should be living?
  • Is this the job I should be doing?
  • Am I going after my passion?
  • Am I doing enough?
  • Am I doing too much?

And at this point, I still don’t have an answer to any of that.

So I’ve been doing what I KNOW how to do.

Working hard in the gym, and sticking to my personal goals.

Workout Stuff

Okay, enough of the negatives, how about some positives!

-I hit a new PR for DB Push Press: 10 reps w/ 35lb DB’s

IMG_9995-I’ve been working hard on perfecting my deadlift form, and it’s paying off!

IMG_9996-I can see my quads through my pants

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what? you don’t lay on your couch flexing your quads and take photos??

Online Training

I’ve got three awesome people who embarked on a fat loss journey with me this past Monday. They are super stoked and I am too! They’re all tracking their progress, so I’ll be sure to share their results when they finish up the first stage (1 month). (If you’re interested in the next start date, go here)

Food Stuff

I’m going to document an entire day of eats tomorrow since I’ve had many people ask me about it. Stay tuned for that!

My favorite foods this week have been peaches, strawberries, shrimp, and avocado! I also still love my nighttime protein pancake with peanut butter drizzled on top. It’s definitely a great way to end the day!

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Question of the Day

  1. Have you ever felt a bit lost in life? Any tips? Haha
  2. What have you done well this week in regards to fitness?
Posted in fitness, random tagged with , , , , , , ,

Operation: GET LEAN Update #2

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Happy Friday peeps!

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#workmode

I wanted to pop in and give you an update on Operation: GET LEAN!

In my last update, I was feeling really good and like I had finally gotten in the right head-space for this.

I’m happy to say that I feel even more dialed in today than I did then!

STATS:

Starting Weight: 152 lbs

Weight Today: 145.4 lbs

I’ve lost:

  • 1 inch in my waist
  • 0 inches in my bootay (that will be the last to go for sure..)
  • .75 inches in each leg
  • 2 inches in my chest (REALLY?! ugh haha)
  • 1.5 inches on my hips
  • 0.5 inches on each arm

Are these crazy numbers? No. But 5.75 inches in 6 weeks is fine by me. I’m not trying to win a race, I’m just trying to lean out and be healthy. Progress is progress and as long as I’m moving in the right direction, that’s all that matters to me.

What I’m Doing:

I’m lifting 4 days per week, with 1 ab circuit each week.

No cardio. (except for 1 baseball game I play every Sunday and the occasional rollerblading by the beach, which only happens about once every 2-3 weeks)

I think that’s one of the biggest things that makes people’s jaw drop.

“What?? No cardio?? How is that possible?!”

“I have to do cardio everyday!!! How are you doing that?!”

The truth is, quitting daily cardio was the best thing I ever did for ME. It doesn’t mean cardio is BAD by any means. In fact, a little bit of cardio is good for you. And if daily cardio makes you feel good, clears your head, or of course, is part of your training for a race, then by all means DO IT. But daily cardio for the purposes of fat loss is just unnecessary, in my opinion.

I lift heavy (for me) weights, and I go hard in the gym. I’m a sweaty, out of breath MESS after EVERY one of my workouts. I don’t half-ass them. I’m also diligent with eating well and staying within the parameters that will help me achieve fat loss.

The formula is SIMPLE

Executing it is CHALLENGING.

BUT, if you have your eyes set on a goal and are WILLING to put the work in,

Results Happen…

Photos are 8 weeks apart, but I didn't start dieting until 6 weeks ago.

Photos are 8 weeks apart, but I didn’t start dieting until 6 weeks ago.

Question of the Day

  1. How are you doing with your goals?
  2. What do you find to be the hardest part about fat loss?
Posted in goals, motivation, Progress Pictures tagged with , , , , , , , ,

Fit Lizzio Life Update

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As I sit here sipping my coffee, I figured I owe you all an update!

Life has been going pretty well over the past few weeks!

I’ve recently added a job as the personal trainer at a production company to my schedule. As a perk to the employees, they not only have access to a gym, but access to a personal trainer (me) now! It’s an early morning position, so I’m up with the birds, but I’m done before the rest of my work day starts.

I’m still running around with Oscar in tow..

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I’m still working out 4-5 days per week..

My training has been excellent over the last few weeks. While I haven’t been upping the weights as much lately, I’ve been maintaining my strength, which is a win considering I’m dropping body fat. I’ve been putting a lot more focus into the tempo of my lifts and focusing on my form, so I haven’t been trying to hit any PR’s over the last few weeks. It’s hard at times to not just load up the weights as heavy as possible and muscle through, but this is also extremely helpful and essential in my training, so I’m embracing it with open arms.

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I’m still working towards my goal of leaning out/dropping body fat

I didn’t know I had it in me (yes, even I doubt myself sometimes), but I’ve been executing my diet really well and shoving any and all excuses away. I’m down about 7 pounds and several inches (will have a check-in post later this week when I check in with my coach). This was about a week and a half ago. I’m super happy with the results I’m seeing and I feel great!

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I’m still working hard at my many jobs each day!

Since adding another job to the mix, I’m definitely keeping busy! I have to be super efficient in everything I do in order to make time for it all. I know it’s not sustainable in the long run, but for now it’s working for me. I have some plans up my sleeve, but need to do a few things before I execute them fully.

The Blog

I’ll be posting more articles (all related to fitness, motivation, eating/diet, etc.) and how-to videos on the blog moving forward. I’ll still be giving a glimpse into my daily life (about once per week), but it will be peppered in with more informative posts/videos. I really want to make this a resource for people out there and as always, I will be 100% real and honest. I’d like for Fit Lizzio Fitness to be a catalyst for change. To show the world that no matter where you are, what your resources are, or how much time you have in your day, you can still achieve a healthy lifestyle that includes fitness and good food.

Question of the Day

1. What are you kicking ass at lately? (eating more vegetables? being super productive at work?) Leave your answer in the comments!

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Dog Beach Sunday + Operation Get Lean Update

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Most Sundays, I spend my time thinking about the week ahead, planning, prepping, and most often, dreading. Dreading because I start to think of the 23043 things I need to do and I get really overwhelmed. This week, I decided not to let my mind go there. To just enjoy my day, have fun, and not be on someone else’s clock. Don’t get me wrong, I love my clients, I love my work, but it’s also nice to not have any appointments or scheduled events. Yesterday was just that.

Charlie and I got up around 10am (score for sleeping in!) and finally Oscar couldn’t take it anymore and demanded that we get out of bed. Not kidding, he growled at us until we got up. We got dressed and headed straight for coffee. (Priorities)

We decided it was the perfect day to take Oscar to Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach. The weather was great and watching him run around the beach is too much fun. The first 60 seconds after you let him off the leash is just pure crazy joy. He SPRINTS through the sand, weaves through all the people, splashes into the water and frolics around like a deer. It is seriously awesome!!

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After our day at the beach, we headed home and Charlie went to work. I went grocery shopping, started prepping my food, doing laundry, and finally started preparing for the week around 6pm. I think I like this schedule much better than many other Sundays!

Operation Get Lean!

Speaking of prepping food, I owe you guys an update on how my diet is going. I’m happy to say that it is going really well! I’ve got my head in the game and I’m actually really enjoying this process. I’m training my ass off, eating what I need to eat and the results are showing. I won’t say there aren’t times that are tough, because there definitely are! But I’m in such a good mental state and feel so glad that I’m doing this with a healthy relationship with food, unlike the way I dieted years ago (when all or nothing was how I saw dieting). My post-workout carbs on most days have been a McDonalds ice cream cone or cereal and that definitely satisfies any sweet cravings I have.

IMG_9389I’m also eating plenty of food, so while I do feel hungry at times, I feel pretty good for the most part. On the nights I’ve felt really hungry, I’ve had an extra serving or 2 of vegetables, which almost always takes the hunger away. I’m eating enough for my body and in no way starving myself, but some hunger is expected when you’re aiming for fat loss. The other thing I’m doing I like to call “Macro-Sunday”. I basically eat what I want within a set of macro-nutrient parameters so that I can get any cravings I have satisfied. For example, yesterday I made a pizza bagel with a whole wheat bagel, shredded cheddar cheese, and turkey pepperoni. Totally hit the spot!!!

I’ve had many questions about this, so I thought I’d answer here. For those wondering, I’m NOT following an IIFYM plan for the other 6 days of the week. I’m actually using a set meal plan (created by Erik Ledin) and it is because I’m finding that to be easier for me. I also really trust Erik and he isn’t “just another coach”. The dude is smart and knows what he’s doing. I don’t have to think about my food 24/7 or plan every day, which I’m terrible at doing anyways.  I just plan for the week and then eat the food I have prepped. So much easier for me. This isn’t to say that IIFYM isn’t a good thing. In fact, for many, this is much better for them. I just would actually prefer NOT to have endless options each day. It actually makes this process harder for me. Everyone is different and what works for one might not work for another. I start my clients on an IIFYM plan because I do feel that it can be one of the safest ways to diet (when it comes to the mental side of things), but some of them prefer a set meal plan. Anyways, just thought I’d throw that out there. There is no one way to do this, so don’t be afraid to experiment and DON’T feel like a failure if you try one way and it doesn’t work for you.

Here is what I look like 2 weeks in:

IMG_9380Please excuse the fact that I’m wearing socks (haha) as well as the deadlift bruises on my shins!

I’ve lost –

  • 1/2 inch off my waist
  • 1/2 inch off my hips
  • 1/2 inch off my chest (oh yay! cuz those buy zithromax online to get smaller! (rolls eyes))
  • 3.5 lbs

Nothing crazy, but that’s just the way it should be. Slow and steady wins the race! I can’t wait to see what the next 2 weeks bring. I feel like I’m in my groove and I think the next 2 weeks are going to see some really great changes. 😀

On top of this, I hit some new PR’s this week too!

  • Deadlift: 6 reps at 205 lbs
  • Front Squat: 6 reps at 100 lbs
  • DB Push Press: 8 reps at 35 lb DB’s
  • DB One Arm Row: 10 reps at 40 lbs

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Overall, this is definitely going as well as I could have wanted it to and I’m just feeling good.

Question of the Day

1. Have you ever taken your dog to a dog beach?

2. What’s your favorite way to spend your Sunday?

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How I’ve Been Staying on Track

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IMG_8563

Hey people!

Are you pumped for the weekend? If not, it’s time to GET pumped!

Can you tell I have a lot of energy today? Weeeeee.

Anyways, I’ve recently started dieting again. (I hate that word. It seems to make people think you’re starving yourself or being unhealthy. What I mean by dieting is that I’m making a concerted effort to lean out. My goal is to drop some body fat while keeping as much muscle as possible.) If you’ve been a reader for a while, you’ll know I’ve tried and failed at this many times in the past few years, but I don’t give up and I’m back at it again. (more on that below)

The difference this time is my mindset. I’ve taken away all of the excuses, I’ve found my real reason…my “why”, and I’m focused. I’m doing everything I can to stay in this mindset too. It’s really the key to being successful. Being “dialed in”.

On another note, I thought I’d give you a glimpse into some of the things I’ve been eating lately. I’ve been trying some new things and getting creative, so I thought you draculalespectacle like to see it. I’m also eating a whole lot more fat now than ever before, which is kind of fun! This is definitely not all that I’m eating, but just some of the tastier meals.

Here are some of the foods on my menu lately:

-Eggs, egg whites, and cheese WITH coconut oil (don’t knock it til ya try it!)

-Chicken and potatoes with BUTTER (heavenly butter)

-Shrimp & avocado with lemon juice squeezed on top! (I cheat and buy 100% pure lemon juice)

-Protein pancakes with Almond Butter

-Greek Yogurt with fruit

My post-workout carbs are anything from sour gummy worms to low-fat ice cream. Sometimes I’m boring and just have fruit and kombucha, but those are 2 of my favorite things, so I’m perfectly happy with them!

How I’ve Been Staying on Track

Staying on track is hard, and it doesn’t come from being compliant (well, it does but hear me out)….it comes from getting in the right mindset first. Being compliant is EASY when your head is in the right place. When you truly WANT to achieve your goals more than you want anything else. In fact, if you don’t want them badly enough, you’re likely to not ever accomplish them. It’s why many of us (myself included) start and stop so many things. Sometimes our goals change, and that’s perfectly okay. Sometimes the goals we choose aren’t REALLY what we want….and we realize that as we start to get into them. But sometimes, we just aren’t set up to succeed. We haven’t prepared ourselves to take on what is necessary to achieve our goals. Sometimes it takes a few set backs to find out what it is that you need to succeed.

So here are some of the things I’ve been doing differently this time around….

-I’m telling everyone around me that I’m dieting. Accountability!

-I’m prepping and planning my food so it’s always ready for me (and I don’t grab the fastest thing I can find)

-I’m drinking lots of water and adding pure lemon juice to it (it gives it a sour kick and I drink more)

-I’m sticking to my rest days even though it’s really hard! I actually have 3 rest days per week right now. It’s totally weird. I’m used to having 1-2. 3 is a lot for me!

-I’m watching videos and reading other blogs to stay motivated

-I’m chatting with friends to help keep me motivated and on track and using the Fit Lizzio Fitness Private FB group (we have a really awesome group there….email me: [email protected] if you want to join us!!)

-I’m not allowing excuses to happen. I have a goal in mind and I know how to get there. I’m not getting in my own way anymore, which I’ve been guilty of in the past.

-But the biggest difference? My mind is in the right place for this. I truly WANT it.

The bottom line is that I’m setting myself up for success. I’m PRE-ensuring that I have my bases covered. I’m NOT being lazy and forgetting/neglecting to prep and plan my food. I’m noticing what outside forces try to derail me and finding ways to combat them. I’m keeping my head IN THE GAME. I’m staying on my path. I know it sounds so simple (and in reality it actually is), but as I said earlier, mindset is everything. If your mind is “in it”, all you have to do is execute. Simple as that.

I also want to point out that failing is not a reason to stop trying. I’ve failed A MILLION times. In many endeavors in life, but especially in sticking to my goals. It can be embarrassing and the more you fail, the harder it is to believe in yourself. People around you also start to doubt you. But what I’m realizing is that failure is normal. It is part of us. We were meant to fail. In fact, I believe it is CRUCIAL to our successes. You MUST fail. Sometimes once or twice…and sometimes 30 times! You know what else we were meant to do? Pick ourselves up and SUCCEED. We were meant to persevere. In fact, our failures build our strengths, so long as you don’t let them ground you.

So that’s exactly what I’m doing. I’m picking myself up. And I’m going to crush my goals like never before.

Who’s with me?

 

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VLOG: Tips to Start Feeling Better Right Away

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Hey guys,

With summer parties and 4th of July celebrations, I thought this was the perfect time to share my tips on how to start feeling better in just a few days! If you like this video and want more like it, please subscribe to my channel, as there will be more to come!

 

Hope you all have a wonderful and safe 4th of July weekend!

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10 Random Things This Week

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Hey guys!

Hope your day is treating you well. I had my wisdom teeth out yesterday, and am actually not in too much pain. I wasn’t sure if I’d be up and about today, but it turns out I’m feeling pretty good. I was feeling a little cabin fever yesterday, even though I was only at home for a few hours. I guess when it feels like I can’t go anywhere, it makes me want to leave!

I thought it’d be fun to share 10 random things this week, so here goes!

1. I had never been put under before until yesterday when I got my wisdom teeth out. I was definitely nervous, but it was super easy. The best part: the videos that were taken of me right after I woke up. Apparently I also Face Timed everyone in my family and they are now wishing they could have recorded those!

2. I made this delicious smoothie this morning since I can’t really eat much solid food. It was SO GOOD. I posted the recipe on my instagram.

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3. I’m going to Big Bear in 2 weeks and I’m SO excited. Here are a few photos from last year. This year we’re going for 5 days instead of 2. I can’t wait to wakeboard, hike, and enjoy the fresh mountain air!

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4. My brother and dad are coming out to visit me for Father’s Day weekend. I love visiting them, but it’s also really nice when they come to visit me! I can’t wait to hang out with them at the beach!

Hanging with my little big bro!!!

5. I decided to take Oscar to the dog park for 15 minutes yesterday before my surgery. It had rained a bit the day before, and Oscar found a puddle of mud to play in.

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Needless to say, I had to take him straight to the pet store to get him a bath after this because there was no WAY I was bringing him into the house. Puppies!

6. I already mapped out my next workout challenge (it’s 30 days this time). I’m going to start it right after I get back from Big Bear. I’ll share it with you guys in the next few weeks!

7. I’ve been using Gnarly Nutrition’s Chiseled Chocolate Grass-Fed Whey and am LOVING it. It tastes delicious and is really good quality. I first got to try it at BLEND Retreat, and the folks at Gnarly were kind enough to send me a full tub of it. I’m definitely going to continue buying this! I can’t wait to start cooking with it as well.

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8. I ate a glazed donut the other day and it was SOOOOO good. Haha. I haven’t had donuts in a while, but it looked good the other day. Since then, I decided that I think I need to eat them more often. #iifym #donutstopme

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9. I saw these two memes in my Facebook feed the other day and had to save them. I love these!

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10. Random picture of Oscar’s cute face…..because puppies.

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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!

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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?

Posted in FitLizzio's Bodybuilding.com Experiment tagged with , , , , , , , ,

BLEND Retreat 2015: Part 2

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If you missed Part 1…

SATURDAY

Saturday morning, we woke up bright and early for a Boot Camp sponsored by Gnarly Nutrition and led by Kindal Boyle of Lifting Revolution. The elevation makes things much harder (I’m used to sea level!), but regardless of that, this workout was TOUGH. We did a partner workout (I partnered with Lindsay the badass) that involved sprints, push-ups, traveling burpees UPHILL, walking lunges UPHILL, one-legged runs, plank jacks, shoulder taps, squats and squat jumps. It was a KILLER workout and I was definitely feeling my workout from Friday throughout the whole thing.

gnarlybootcampPhoto Credit: Lindsay’s List

Upon finishing the boot camp, I chugged a protein shake with Gnarly Nutrition’s Chocolate Protein Powder. I only had water to mix it with and, as always, was nervous it was going to taste like crap. Surprisingly it was delicious! It tasted like a chocolate shake and the ingredient list was an A+ as well! I’ll definitely be trying more of their products in the future!

gnarly nutritionLoved it so much, I had to take a picture 🙂

Next up was BREAKFAST. Breakfast was so, so good. The spread included FlapJacked pancakes, scrambled eggs, chicken sausage, Love Grown cereal and granola, along with bread and a spread of Justin’s nut butter flavors. I put together a little bit of everything, and ate it ALL. That boot camp made me HANGRY. FlapJacked had their new flavor of pancakes: Carrot Spice on hand. They were SO delicious. Definitely buying this flavor when it comes out.

flapjackedWhile we were eating, we had a surprise visitor pop in…it was THE Justin of Justin’s Nut Butter!! He was such a down to earth guy and told us about how he started the company. It was so interesting! Definitely wasn’t expecting that, so it was super cool!

JustinsHe rode his bike to breakfast, which I thought was super cool.

As if I hadn’t had enough exercise, Detour Bar had planned a hike for us in the gorgeous flat irons! I had only known Detour Bars from their old formula, but get this: they’ve started coming out with a new line called Detour Simple bars that are filled with GOOD ingredients, and they’ve cut out most of the junk! I love companies that aren’t afraid to change. I think it shows that they are listening to their customers. Kudos to you Detour!!!

Back to the hike: This was one of the most gorgeous hikes I’ve ever been on! The views were breathtaking, the weather was PERFECT, and I had some good conversations with the folks from Quest (our main sponsor for the weekend), Arctic Zero, and one of my cabin roomies.

chautauqua park

chautauqua hike

After the hike, I was BEAT and promptly took a 2 hour nap. I felt like I had been hit by a bus after all of the workouts I’d done in the past 24 hours! We didn’t have anything planned for the group Saturday evening, so Tedi and one of our other roommates headed to Pearl Street in Boulder and grabbed some dinner. We went home early and again, I crashed out.

SUNDAY

Sunday morning was our last morning. We were up bright and early for some yoga on the grass, sponsored by Bhakti Chai. I was so sore and didn’t really push myself. Instead, I used it as a means to stretching my body out and it felt glorious. That’s what yoga is all about anyways right? We couldn’t have had better weather and it was nice to just sit under the sun and stretch out with my BLENDS.

yoga in boulder

We headed to the dining hall once more for some breakfast. This spread included GoodBelly probiotic drinks, Barbara’s Puffins cereal, egg frittatas, bacon, muffins made with baobest, and chia seed greek yogurt made by The Epic Seed. I didn’t eat quite as much as Saturday and ended up with an egg frittata, chia seed greek yogurt, bacon, and some fruit.

By the time we finished, it was time for us to pack up to go home. Tedi and I had an earlier flight, so we had to miss the closing ceremonies (boo!). Denver airport is no joke, so we didn’t want to risk missing our flight.

Overall, this was one of the best weekends I’ve had in a long time. I met SO many cool people, new blogger friends, amazing companies, and enjoyed a weekend in the mountains with great weather, views, and a breath of fresh air.

I’ll definitely be back next year, I just wish it was sooner!

Thanks again to the wonderful sponsors and a SPECIAL thank you to Janetha, Lauren, and Lindsay for putting together such an amazing retreat. You guys are amazing! I’m so glad I met all of you and I’ll see you next year!

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