LIIFT4 | Week 5 | Recovery Day 2

PSA :) Did you know naps can restore alertness, enhance performance, and reduce mistakes and accidents? Just 20-30 minutes of downtime can be effective, so feel free to give yourself a little extra shut-eye today. You might be surprised how refreshed you feel when you wake up and you can tell anyone that questions you about it that your personal trainer ordered you too.  :)

Since it’s also the weekend, what’s everyone been doing with their cheat day? Or did you even take one? If you did, share with the group any tips for staying on track with your nutrition and not getting totally derailed by one day off.

I really try to think of food as fuel. It’s your energy source for everything you do. The LIIFT4 Food Lists were designed with the most exercise-beneficial items at the top. Picking most of your foods from the “top ten” can benefit both your workouts and your health.

LIIFT4 | Week 5 | Day 4 | LEGS (LIIFT 50/50)

Look at that—Legs day already. This is Legs – LIIFT 50/50, with 6 lifting moves and 3 HIIT moves, all working the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves, in just 3 sets. I love leg day, because I know every movement is compound, which means I am working multiple muscles at the same time. This means I am burning more calories and getting stronger. Deadlifts are my favorite—there’s no better way to work those glutes!

And deadlifts are a great exercise to talk about form, because even done with slightly poor form can lead to back stress and pain. Watch. Your. Form. Listen to Joel’s cues. And love your results.

LIIFT4 | Week 5 | Day 3 | SHOULDERS (LIIFT Intervals)

wow, that just happened?!?!

Shoulders – LIIFT Intervals. Joel loves shoulders and loves making us WORK them. Today’s workout includes 6 shoulder exercises, 3 HIIT exercises, and 2 core moves, all in 3 sets of work.

I know it can be hard to stay consistent and committed to a program, especially when life can get so hectic. When we are dealing with work, family, and other stresses, we often let our workout fall to the wayside and put ourselves last. It happens.

There’s an easy solution—remember that making yourself a priority means you will be a better employee, partner, parent, and friend. Remember before take off when the flight attendants say "put on your own oxygen mask before helping others?" This is no different!  So don’t skip your workout. Shoulders, here we come. See if you are making a similar face afterwards :)

LIIFT4 | Week 5 | Recovery Day 1

A quick an easy lunch. Still eating proper on a rets day.

Since it’s recovery day, I’ll be doing LIIFT4 ROLL & RECOVER. If you’ve used a foam roller, chances are you love it as much as I do. Never used one? Just keep in mind a few tips I’ve picked up over the years, like avoiding rolling directly onto your lower vertebrae as this might cause discomfort. Also, don’t hold your breath! Instead, take nice, long, deep breaths as you roll to increase blood flow to the working muscles. And slow down. There’s no need to roll so fast. Just let your body feel each roll s-l-o-w-l-y.

Helpful? Let me know.

LIIFT4 | Week 5 | Day 2 | BACK/BICEPS (Circuit)

Today’s Back/Biceps – Circuit includes 10 back and biceps moves, 2 core moves, and no cardio. Ever wonder why your biceps feel so exhausted after these workouts? It’s not just the curls that attack them; it’s also the back work. Every time you perform a pulling motion, your biceps are activated. So if you were looking for ripped arms, you’ve come to the right place.

Need a little motivation? Right before you hit "play", think about that sleeveless shirt you’ve been wanting to wear…now go!

LIIFT4 | Week 5 | Day 1 | CHEST/TRICEPS (LIIFT 50/50)

Welcome to Week 5. Today is Chest/Triceps – LIIFT 50/50. That’s 6 chest and triceps moves in 3 sets followed by 3 HIIT moves for 3 sets. By now, you’ve probably felt (and seen) that LIIFT4 is brutal on triceps. Joel loves to hit this muscle trio, because defined triceps look great on everyone.

By now, your Weight Progression Tracker is filling up with lots of numbers, and I hope lots of INCREASING numbers. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Choosing your weights wisely can be the catalyst for improvement. Are you giving each workout 100%? How about 110%? Challenge yourself to go heavier.

Let’s fire each other up for this week — with me?

LIIFT4 | Week 4 | Recovery Day 3

Tomorrow we begin again, but today is a great day to do some catch-up. Is your kitchen fully stocked for the week ahead? Do you have plenty of healthy snacks and ideas for healthy meals? Have you been drinking enough water?

This is a great time to take new photos of yourself, so you can document your changes so far. And if you’re willing to share those photos with the group, we’d love to congratulate you on your success. Also, don’t forget to take your measurements—and compare them to where you started—because sometimes the results are more than just numbers on the scale and sometimes with longer programs, those non-scale victories are the momentum to keep going strong.

As always, take a few moments to watch the READY FOR LIIFT OFF: Week 5 episode on Beachbody On Demand—Joel will give you a great heads-up on Week 5.

LIIFT4 | Week 4 | Recovery Day 2

For rest day I volunteered at my don't school. Filled both our love tanks up and I helped with PE so I was still moving around.

You’re halfway through, another week closer to our goals. Think back to that week before we started LIIFT4, when we first kicked off this group. Do you remember what goals you had? Think about how far you’ve come since then. It’s a good exercise for today.

One reason I can never skip a day of Shakeology is that its potent mix of ingredients gives my body a huge amount of what I need to tackle LIIFT4—and every other part of my day (even when I’m recovering!). There are so many good things in it that you just don’t normally find at the market and aren't in our daily food anymore (no thanks to genetically modified foods!).

LIIFT4 | Week 4 | Day 4 | LEGS (HIIT)

And here it is, Legs – HIIT. Leave the weights off to the side, and get ready to sculpt your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves with just your body weight. There is a lot of plyometrics in this leg workout, which means even though we are doing HIIT cardio, we are focused on fast-twitch muscle fibers. Those are the same fibers that help you lift heavy weights when you’re doing a more weights-focused leg day.

You know what comes next—2 recovery days. So don’t be afraid to go even harder.

You are OFFICIALLY halfway through the program! Post a pic of you showing off those hard-earned results. I'm so proud of each one of you!!  We are doing it y'all!

LIIFT4 | Week 4 | Day 3 | SHOULDERS (LIIFT Intervals)

This Shoulders – LIIFT Intervals day means 6 weightlifting moves, 3 HIIT moves, and 2 core moves, broken up into 3 sets of work. Get ready for those Swimmers, which are definitely my favorite move.  Wonder if it is because I swam competitively from age 4 to 20? Anyone else like these?

Pay close attention to your body—elbows in the right place, arms at the right angles, and so on. Results come from hard work done right! Wrong form is easier, less effective, and you're more prone to injuries. Nobody has time for injuries!

Even though the Weight Progression Tracker is all about tracking our weights and giving us ideas on when to increase, I also make small notes to myself at the bottom of the page about moves that I still find challenging.  I also have a branch at home from years ago, so I find I've started using it for a few moves so I'll note that on the tracker. 

Do you have a favorite shoulder move? What weights are you using for Swimmers? 

LIIFT4 | Week 4 | Recovery Day 1

Aaaaahh…another recovery day! And like our other recovery days, it’s time to work on flexibility and mobility. Flexibility refers to a muscle’s ability to lengthen, while mobility refers to the movement in and around an actual joint. Both are super-important to keep you moving proficiently, as you get stronger. Remember, Joel’s recovery day routines are a great way to work on both your flexibility and mobility.

And even though it’s a day off from working out, we need to keep up with our daily Shakeology—I’ve posted before about how important it is to have that nutritional foundation, and it’s even truer on recovery days.

LIIFT4 | Week 4 | Day 2 | BACK/BICEPS (LIIFT 50/50)

Before I talk about today’s workout, a few people have posted asking why we lift first and then do cardio and core. Your muscles have maximum energy (glycogen stores) to lift heavy at the beginning of the workout. The idea is that you’ve got max power for those harder moves. Then, you can empty your tank with HIIT cardio, burning lots of calories. As Joel says, you want to finish feeling like you’ve got nothing left.

OK, today it’s Back/Biceps – LIIFT 50/50. 3 blocks of 2 exercises each, alternating between a back move and a bicep move, both for 10 reps each. We then go into our HIIT cardio (hello, Squared Squats, Wide Mountain, and Plyo Lunges) and finish with core.

I know a lot of you are worried that your arms might get too "bulky" from lifting heavier weights. But the reality is that many of you might experience the exact OPPOSITE; gaining muscle may actually give you a leaner, stronger look. So don’t be shy, attack those curls.

LIIFT4 | Week 4 | Day 1 | CHEST/TRICEPS (Circuit)

Back at it: Today’s workout is Chest/Triceps – Circuit, which is 10 moves, in 3 sets, for a nonstop lifting blast. Did you know that the pectoralis major, or the main chest muscle, is a dense fan-shaped muscle that controls most of the movement at the shoulder joint? You use it for throwing a ball, lifting our kids, and even rotating the arm. Let’s work on getting it stronger and more defined. I'm all about that because my kids aren't getting any lighter!!

How’s your form? I’m hoping by now you’ve gotten your form dialed-in, because it’s crucial to muscle growth and overall results. When Joel says to keep those elbows IN during triceps moves, it’s because he wants your triceps to get 100% of the benefit of the effort. Notice how much harder it is when you listen to him.  OUCH!

LIIFT4 | Week 3 | Recovery Day 3

I took the day to layout. 

What is your favorite way to recover? In our fast-paced lives, we are all scheduled to the minute, with a to-do list a mile long. By the way, anyone else love lists?  I make a list to buy more lists. haha

One of my favorite parts of LIIFT4 is that we get 3 days a week to do whatever we want. I've made goal not to fill these days with busy work, but to take care of me. That means a hot bath, a massage, or even reading a great book outside. How do you like to unwind?

Before we head into the new week, what’s the best thing you’ve gotten from being a part of this Challenge Group? How has it helped you? What can I do in the days and weeks ahead to make sure we ALL finish strong?

And don’t forget to watch READY FOR LIIFT OFF: Week 4 to see what Joel has in store.

LIIFT4 | Week 3 | Recovery Day 2

Did you all wake up and immediately think "LIIFT4 RECOVERY DAY"?!

Hey, he said rest, gotta do what I'm told!

I DID!!!  haha Let this sink in—we've made it through 3 weeks of hard workouts. Now it’s time to take credit for your work, sweat, and commitment and spend the day relaxing. Great job!

If you’ve missed some workouts or gotten off track with the nutrition, it’s OK. Take a moment and think about what got you off track and then think about how you'll change / prevent it from happening again. Was it not having enough healthy choices in the house or that box of donuts in the break room at work? I find if it's in my house, I will gravitate towards it even if I'm not really craving it.  Chocolate is the absolute worst for me.  I"m like a drooling dog when I see it.  So, if you're like me, don't buy it! You save money, calories and wasting your workouts by having crappy nutrition.

And the best thing to do is focus on those victories! Share with the group what these "victories" are! And remember, there are none too small.

 

LIIFT4 | Week 3 | Day 4 | LEGS (LIIFT 50/50)

One of my favorite lunches... works with 2B Mindset and container system

Let’s finish the week strong with Legs – LIIFT 50/50. I admit, these are tough moves, but I know they’re helping me build stronger legs, quads, and glutes. Today will feel really intense as it is all focused on the lower body. 6 lifting moves for 3 sets, followed by 3 HIIT moves for 3 sets.

Joel’s going to push us a little harder today because he knows you have 2 recovery days after this. Don't you love to hate him some days???

Drink up! Chug your Beachbody Performance Energize and let’s go! Time to get 'er done!

LIIFT4 | Week 3 | Day 3 | SHOULDERS (LIIFT Intervals)

It’s Shoulders – LIIFT Intervals. This means 2 lifting moves, followed by a HIIT cardio move—that’s 9 moves in total over 3 sets. Make sure you have a good selection of weights. You don’t want to go too heavy on Front Raises and Shoulder Flys.

We’re nearing the end of Week 3, and by now you’ve experienced a lot of the LIIFT4 moves…which one is your favorite? 

LIIFT4 | Week 3 | Recovery Day 1

I love recovery day—and I bet you do too. Did you know that keeping your circulation up actually speeds muscle recovery? It’s what will make tomorrow that much easier. So try to keep your body moving today. Even if you’re busy, try to find time to take a walk or get in a good stretch.  The stretch videos Joel made are only 10 minutes!

How’s everyone doing with their Shakeology? What’s your favorite flavor? Shakeology is more than just a combination of 70 amazing Superfoods! Did you know it is gluten free, soy free, casein free, GMO free and if you chose the vegan flavors, it's also dairy free. And there's nothing magical in it that prevents kids from drinking it.  I don't know any other shakes that can say that because there's additives to cause weight loss that aren't safe for children. Love that I can stand behind and control what I put in my body.

LIIFT4 | Week 3 | Day 2 | BACK/BICEPS (Circuit)

Today is Circuit day focused on Back/Biceps, which means all lifting and no cardio. But that doesn’t mean you won’t be breathing heavy because Joel keeps you on pace with the reps and shorter rest periods so we’ll constantly be lifting. There are 3 blocks of moves with 4 exercises each that require the two muscle groups to work hand in hand. We’ll finish with core moves to flatten our tummy. Who’s ready for Dumbbell Crunches and Bicycle Twists?

If you have a favorite Back/Biceps move, snap a photo of yourself doing it, and share it with us. This is mine!  I've never had this much definition in my arms till this program and we aren't even half way done yet?!?!  (should I have said that???)

LIIFT4 | Week 3 | Day 1 | CHEST/TRICEPS (LIIFT 50/50)

Congrats on getting to the end of Week 2. You’re doing great, and you should take a moment to give yourself a pat on the back.

Once again, we start the week with Chest/Triceps doing the 50/50 format. I think there is something very satisfying about completing all your lifts first before moving on to cardio. By lifting first, you have more energy to go heavier and then you empty your tank with the HIIT that follows.

As Joel always reminds us, throughout LIIFT4, you’re increasing your weights whenever you can. Of course you always want to listen to your body and be safe, but progress comes when you push yourself to do more. But FORM is most important. Listen to Joel’s cues so you stay on pace and make sure to check your form in the mirror.  Anyone else feel like he is their personal trainer?  I love the tips and find myself correcting form all the time. He really is a "super" trainer!