Tag Archive for workouts

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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Random Updates

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Hey guys!

It’s been a while, so how about some random updates!

-I’m still going strong with my quest to lean out. I sort of feel like I’m on auto-pilot. I think it helps that I really like the food I’m eating and I’m not deprived at all. My post-workout meal includes carbs of my choice, so I’ve been getting creative when I can! For example, this was today’s post workout carb=

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It was soooooo good.

-I’ve been taking the time at least once per week to rollerblade at the beach with Oscar. He’s finally got the hang of it (and doesn’t just try to bite my feet the whole time) and LOVES running down the boardwalk with me.

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-My before-bed protein pancake with peanut butter makes me happy. It’s Quest PB Protein + almond milk, mixed together and cooked on a pan (so simple). Then I add drizzly peanut butter on top. It’s so filling and soooo good.

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-I’m trying to plan my fall travel. So far I have a few days in AZ planned, and looking into a trip to NYC and Chicago as well!

-Workouts lately have been soooo good. I’ve been really pushing myself lately and even got a PR on deadlifts today: 6 reps at 205lbs! I’m feeling really strong and I think part of that is due to fueling myself better (timing my carbs and fats better throughout the day).

IMG_9319Post-workout pump!

 

Other than that, life has been pretty normal! I wish I had something more exciting to say, but I don’t!

I’ll be back later this week with my first progress pics since starting this (eek!) and will also have a workout or two to share.

Question of the Day:

1. What are your travel plans for the rest of the year?

2. I’ve never been to NYC (i know!)….where should I stay and what should I see?

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How I’ve Been Staying on Track

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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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Why Lifting Weights Rocks + Leg Workout

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Wednesday already?!

I’m not complaining, but this week is kind of flying by! I also have Friday off of work, save for a few personal training clients, so I’m definitely excited about the weekend! Summer is just the best!

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Since taking a week off from the gym, I’ve been getting in some really awesome workouts! I thought I’d share my leg workout from yesterday. It was a KILLER. I even posted a video on Instagram mid-workout. For anyone that thinks weight lifting doesn’t have cardiovascular benefits, think again! I was sweating and breathing hard the entire workout!

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As you all know, I’m a big believer in lifting heavy weights (which is totally relative to what is heavy for each individual person). Lifting weights and working towards getting stronger WILL change your body composition. If you’re eating in a deficit, you WILL start to lean out and the beauty of it all is that as you put on more muscle, your resting metabolism increases, which means you’ll burn more calories throughout the day even when you’re just sitting around. Bret Contreras put up a great Facebook post the other day that sums it up pretty well. Smart guy!

This point really, really, really needs to be driven home. All of my clients who stay the same weight and gain a lot of…

Posted by Bret Contreras (Fitness Page) on Thursday, June 25, 2015

Okay, on to the workout:

LEG DAY

-Hip Thrusts (4 sets of 5 reps): 255#, 275#, 275#, 255#

-Deadlifts (3 sets of 12 reps):  135#

-DB Bulgarian Squats (3 sets of 12 reps): 15# DB’s

-45 Hypers (1 set of 20 reps & 1 set of 15 reps):  25# plate

-Lateral Band Walks w/ Squat (2 sets of 20 per leg): I used a light band

-Kettle Bell Swings (3 sets of 15 reps): 20kg KB

Question of the Day:

1. What’s your favorite way to sweat?

2. Any fun plans for the 4th?

Posted in motivation, Workout tagged with , , , , , , , ,

Switching Gears

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Hey people!

I’m not sure why, but I had a realllllllly hard time saying goodbye to the weekend yesterday. I worked most of Saturday, so that may have added to it, but I definitely feel like I could have used a 3 day weekend!

I’m heading to Big Bear next week, so I won’t complain. A whole week in the mountains is going to be amazing!

Switching Gears

Thank you all for the emails and comments I received on this post. It was a fun experiment and I’m excited to do more in the future!

With that said, for the time being, I’m going to switch back to heavy lifting for a few months. Not only do I love it, but I’ve been really itching to do a powerlifting competition lately! I’d like to start training more for that and sign up for one later in the year. I thought about doing a local one next month (and still might, just to get my feet wet), but being that I just got my wisdom teeth out (and my workouts have been mellow since Wednesday), and that I’ll be in the mountains next week, I’d really only have about 18 days to prepare. At the same time, it’s not sanctioned, so I still may do it just to get some practice!

Workouts for the Week

This is tentative, but here’s what I have planned for this week

Monday: Kettle Bell Conditioning (workout below) + Upper Body Push

Tuesday: Legs (focus: squats & hip thrusts)

Wednesday: Upper Body Pull + Sprints

Thursday: Legs (focus: deadlifts)

Friday: Upper Body

Saturday: OFF

Sunday: Legs

If you’re looking for something quick to change up your workouts or to add some conditioning into your current program, try this:

Kettle Bell Conditioning: Perform Circuit Style for 5 Rounds

  • 10 KB Cleans
  • 10 KB Snatches
  • 15 KB Swings

Question of the Day

1. What’s your favorite way to train? For power? strength? aesthetics?

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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?

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

BLEND Retreat 2015: Part 1

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gnarly nutrition

xenical orlistatHey friends (new and old)!

I just got back from BLEND Retreat and OMG, it was such a blast! Can we do it again next weekend?

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If you’re not familiar, here is what BLEND Retreat is (from their website):

The BLEND Retreat (named so because we wanted to combine “blogger” with “friend”) is a relaxed, laid-back retreat for healthy living, food and fitness bloggers from across the world. Instead of focusing on seminars and speakers, the focus will be on friendship and having a weekend away to get to know one another in real life.

That description sums it up perfectly! I made tons of new friends, did some fun workouts, was introduced to some new companies, was RE-introduced to some companies that have morphed over the years into healthier products, and had an overall amazing time in the mountains.

I have TONS of pictures, so get ready for it….

Friday morning, my friend Tedi & I got up at the crack of dawn (3:45am to be exact) to catch a 5:50am flight to Denver. I spent 15 hours moving on Thursday, so I pretty much felt like a wet noodle. Oh well!

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We arrived in Denver around 9:30am and we were STARVING. Since check-in wasn’t until about 2:30pm, we decided to go to Downtown Denver for some breakfast. We ate at Snooze and it was SO good.

snooze breakfastIt was also awesome to NOT pay LA prices for food. Our breakfast was $18 for both of us! Score!(In LA, it would have been $30).

downtown denver

After we ate, we walked around a bit and then decided to head up to Boulder. We hopped in the Uber and had an interesting conversation with our driver. He was from Nepal and was telling us all about the devastation there, about his family that still lives there, and the stuff the media doesn’t tell you. It was very interesting hearing a different perspective of everything.

We arrived in Chautauqua Park (where the retreat was being held) around 12:30pm and it was raining. In Boulder, apparently it rains on and off a lot but as quickly as it’s pouring, it can be sunny and blue skies just moments later. Pretty cool!

We ended up just hanging out on the camp grounds for a bit before it was time to check in. If you ever have the chance to go to Chautauqua, I highly recommend it! It was such a gorgeous spot with hiking trails within walking distance, a general store (with cute little xenical orlistat, food, coffee, and toiletries), a dining hall that was open all day, and lots of cute little cabins!

Around 2:30pm, it was time to check in. We walked through the expo a bit and got to try free samples and meet the ambassadors from the various companies.

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General Mills was there (the lovely Tina of Carrots n Cake was representing) and had a full on make-your-own trail mix bar! So cool! I am pretty sure I put a little of everything in mine. I couldn’t resist!

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After walking through the expo, talking to the various companies, and meeting other bloggers, I decided I needed to get a workout in. I was tired from moving and traveling and new a workout would give me a much-needed energy boost.

I ended up grabbing the yoga mat that we were given upon check-in and finding a spot on the grass to do a quick workout. I pulled a workout from Rockstar Fitness™ Tour Edition and it totally kicked my butt! I wanted to quit about 3/4 of the way in but decided that if I’m telling other people to do these workouts, I better finish them myself ha!

rockstar fitness Post-Workout Death Face

I showered up and then it was time for cocktail hour, dinner and dessert! The spread was AMAZING! Appetizers with Sizzlefish salmon and 34 Degrees crackers, WaNu cocktails, Arctic Zero dessert and more!

sizzlefishPhoto Credit: Lindsay’s List

WANUPhoto Credit: Lindsay’s List

arcticzeroPhoto Credit: Lindsay’s List

After dessert, we headed back to our cabin and just crashed. It was such a fun first day, but I think Saturday may have even been better….

Stay tuned for Part 2!

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20 Minute Sweatfest! {workout inside}

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Hey guys!

I’m so glad the weekend is almost here! I’m getting over a little cold, and I want to just chill out and watch movies. Remember the good old days when you were sick and it meant that you were automatically excused of all responsibilities? Oh how I wish that were still the case! As an adult, being sick just means you feel like shit as you go through your normal daily tasks. Boo.

Today I was feeling a bit on the mend and decided to see how a workout would feel. Working out when I’m getting over being sick is a 50/50 risk I take. Sometimes I feel like it kicks me out of the sickness for good….other times it just makes me feel worse. I’m happy to say that I think I’m feeling better after this one! Fingers Crossed.

For this workout, you need a barbell, a kettle bell (or a dumbbell would work too), and a medicine ball. I used a regular 45 lb bar, a 12kg Kettle Bell and a 16 pound medicine ball, but use what works for you.

20 min sweat fest

This workout kicks my butt. I do it once per week for conditioning and it never fails!

After:

IMG_7926That’s my sweaty post-workout bathroom selfie inception photo. What do you ya think?

I’m spending the rest of my day getting a bunch of work done, finding some boxes (oh yeah, we’re moving!), and then going to hopefully relax and get the rest of this sickness OUT of my body.

Have a wonderful day peeps!

Question of the Day:

Do you work out when you’re sick?

 

xo,

Lizzy

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