living fit.

*note: if you are looking for my after photos for the 12 week trainer, see this post!

you guys blow me away with your kindness. the comments i received on my pity party post were so thoughtful. thank you!

i want to take some time today to check in with my fitness. as you may recall, i started a new 12 week fitness program back on august 29th.  oh, wait, what? that was thirteen weeks ago? hmmm…

yeah. i had a few snags along the way.

i took a trip. i got sick. twice. i had GI problems. i was put on a two week exercise restriction.

shit happens.

but each and every time my training was put on the back burner, i made sure to pick right back up where i left off! you know what they say: quitters never win and winners never quit.

the program i chose to follow is jamie eason’s livefit trainer. it is a 12 week exercise, nutrition, and supplementation program available on bodybuilding.com.  the program is designed to transform your body inside and out.

from bodybuilding.com:

The LiveFit trainer is a simple 3-phase program for transforming your body and your life in 12 short weeks. Jamie’s science-based approach combines exercise, nutrition (you have to try her recipes!), and supplementation. Better yet, this isn’t a onetime transformation program, it’s one that Jamie uses herself to maintain the amazing physique she’s had for years.

want to see the amazing physique they are referring to?

[source]

uh, yeah. wouldn’t mind looking like that.

jamie eason is definitely a fitness professional i have always looked up to. her fun, bubbly personality and her strong, solid body really makes her someone for me to admire.

as mentioned above, the program has three phases, each phase being four weeks long.  the best part about the program? it’s FREE. totally, completely, 100% free.

the reason i chose to follow the livefit trainer is because i was looking for a training program that would target ALL areas of my body.  i know how to lift weights (and i LOVE to lift them!) but i don’t necessarily know all the right moves to combine in order to work each and every muscle in my body.  the livefit program is designed to target all different muscle groups—and each area of those muscle groups.  i wanted a no-brainer plan to follow. the livefit program really is a no brainer.  i never have to wander around the gym and wonder what my next move will be. it’s all pre-planned, formulated to form my body into the lean machine i want it to be.

i have had a LOT of questions about the program. i decided that doing a how-to post would be the best way to answer all the Qs that have come in.

let me show you how it works!

so, i am currently in the middle of week eight—right at the tail end of phase two.

i simply click on the day i want—today is day 52—and it takes me to the workout.

it has the workout in detail with links that take you to video demos of each move so there is NEVER any question of how to execute each exercise.  there is a handy printable link at the bottom of the workout—i click it and am taken to the printable page.

i just highlight the area that i want printed and then select “print selection” from my printer menu. this is the part that prints—it’s so small and handy to take to the gym with me.

the workouts change every two weeks, so i never get bored. oh, and i am ALWAYS sore. i know that soreness doesn’t dictate whether you had a good workout or not, but i secretly love it when my muscles are sore.

like i mentioned, the program includes a detailed schedule for exercise, nutrition, and supplementation. i chose to only follow the exercise plan because my nutrition and supplementation were already going great. i eat clean the majority of the time and i was already taking my own custom made cocktail of supplements.

however, when i was about four weeks into the program, i was contacted* by a rep from bodybuilding.com asking me if i wanted to try the supplementation stacks that jamie eason recommends.

free supplements? fine, twist my arm.

i received a multivitamin, natural protein powder, BCAA capsules, and capsules that contain a blend of essential fatty acids.

i have been using these supplements for the past month or so, even when i wasn’t training, and i have to say i am in love with the whole line of items.  the multivitamin and smart blend EFAs are hard to compare to the brands i was taking previously, but i didn’t feel any different when i switched over to this brand.. so i imagine they are doing their job.

the other two items, however, both made a noticeable impact on my life.

the protein powder is incredible. it’s all natural and tastes fantastic. the stats are definitely something to write home about:

85 calories, 18 grams of protein, 1.5 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram fat and ZERO added sugars.

the powder mixes very well into shakes, baked goods, and—surprisingly–oats. i say surprisingly because i usually have bad results when mixing whey protein into hot oats. this brand has no clumping issues whatsoever.

shh…don’t tell my beloved pea protein that i may have a new favorite.

the BCAAs (which stands for branch chain amino acids) work wonders on those sore muscles i mentioned. because i am bad with technical terms, here’s the snippet from the product page:

“BCAA 1000 contains a balance of Branched Chain Amino Acids, which are building blocks of muscle mass and size. Metabolized directly in the muscle, BCAAs, may improve nitrogen retention by sparing other amino acid groups for repair and rebuilding.* The Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s), so named because of their unique branched chemical structure, are essential in that the body cannot make them from other compounds. In recent times, these amino acids have been investigated for their potential anticatabolic (preventing muscle breakdown) and anabolic (muscle building) effects.”

i was using scivation xtend BCAAs before receiving these capsules.  the capsules are convenient because they don’t have to be mixed with water like the scivation (powder) does. i also love that i can throw a few in my purse so if i forget to take them at home, i have them readily available for when i do remember to take them. i forget. a lot.  i will vouch that the BCAAs definitely have helped with the muscle soreness.

SO.. those are the supplements that jamie eason recommends to pair with her livefit trainer, and i definitely see why.  i do feel like they will make a difference in my overall results.

speaking of results.. i was planning to get some progress photos taken to show you guys how things are coming along, but i haven’t had the chance. i will try to snap some this weekend! and, at the very least, i will for sure take photos at the end of the program. i am gearing up for a trip to mexico at the end of january, so i am dedicated.. but chances are i won’t look quite like jamie eason by then. oh well, at least i will be closer to achieving that banging body rather than further away, right??

i am sure that if i followed the livefit nutrition plan i would have even better results, but that is a wagon i am not ready to hop onto just yet. i am too busy enjoying my cookies, remember? however, i do think the nutrition plan that is offered is a good one. it has a lot of similarities to the body for life eating plan, but it is a bit more strict.  there are restrictions on carbs (namely fruit) and also the time of day you can eat. while i know that following the nutrition plan would improve my results, i still think i have made great progress with simply eating clean the majority of the time.  oh, and even if you don’t follow jamie’s meal plan, she does offer a ton of protein-packed, healthy recipes.. i want to give a few of them a try!

hope this post has answered any and all questions you guys had about the livefit trainer. i am no expert, but i am happy to try and answer any questions you might have.

two resources i wanted to make you aware of are jamie eason’s facebook page and the official lifefit trainer facebook group. i spent a lot of time there just reading what others have to say. i find motivation and answers to my training questions!

Q~

1. what does YOUR exercise regimen include these days?

2. have you tried/would you try the livefit trainer?

xo. janetha g.

*i was sent the supplements for free for review. i was not compensated for this post. my review is honestly honest.all images of livefit trainer program taken off bodybuilding.com.