Week 4 is when the strength fairy appears! Muscles you didn’t know you have start staring back at you in the mirror and confidence you lost years ago arises in your belly.
LIIFT 4 – Week 4 Review
Week 4 was an interesting one for me. Started out great, but Thursday morning I woke up with a migraine that left me nauseous and in bed all day. To be honest, I can’t remember why I didn’t work out on Friday, other than I was still resting a bit from Thursday. So, I broke my cardinal rule of “no double-up days” and did a double on Saturday. I wanted to get a workout in with my husband, we shoot for one a week, and the way his schedule worked out this week, we had to move legs to Saturday.
I will probably say this every week, the BEST thing about this program is the flexibility. Oh, and that it is only four days a week, so the workouts fit into your life and crazy schedule, not the other way around!
Because of how I felt later in the week, I can say that my meal plan was not great. I’ve also been dealing with some stomach issues (discomfort, IBS, no appetite) so it’s been hard for me to get all the food in that I need daily. But, I do recommend staying on top of your macros as much as possible and making great things like Crustless Quiche that can last all week!
Workouts that Work
This program continues to surprise me. For starters, it is flying by! I can’t believe we’re already half way done and more so, I cannot believe the strength I’m gaining. I usually gain muscle pretty quickly and not always in a lean way. But there is something about the way this program is designed with focused, heavy lifting, followed by HIIT that gives such amazing balance. Not to mention, I feel strong, not bulky.
Day 13 – Chest and Triceps Circuit
In week 4, we’re back to quad sets for this workout. I will admit, I’m still trying to figure out the ideal weight for some moves. What makes it interesting is that our trainer, Joel, doesn’t put us through the same workout, ever. This program is truly 32 unique workouts. So, while I lifted more in a certain move last week, I may not have been able to do quite as much this week. That’s a total mental struggle for me!
Day 14 – Back & Biceps 50/50
Oh my mini coach was in full force today! First, I have no idea what he was doing at the :23 mark….I guess he just wanted to see what his tongue looked like? Then at :51, I wish you could hear him, but he’s watching the video and of course the gals are only wearing sports bras. So, he told me I should take off my shirt. LOL! Oh, I love this kid.
Day 15 – Shoulders Intervals
So, this was the beginning of my double day. And I’m so serious, you don’t want to double up these workouts. Here’s why. You need to be able to give 100% in every workout to get the max results. Did I sell myself short by doing two workouts this day? You bet. When I weighted the options, to me, it was better to do them both in one day (8 hours apart) vs. not doing one of them at all. That’s the only way to rationalize it for me. It worked. I worked hard in both workouts. But, I also know it took my body longer to recover, and for that, I may not have gained everything I could have at the end of the week.
You need to do what’s best for you. But always weigh your options.
Day 16 – Legs HIIT
Yes, I’m saying day 16 and yes you know that is a fib, but this was the 16th workout. And, I like to keep things in order. 🙂 As I was mentioning, my husband and I try to do at least one workout together each week. For the most part that has been our Friday workouts. We had to move this workout to Saturday night, and it was probably 8:30pm or later when we finished. But we got it in!
Ready for More!
So, as we launch into week 5, I’m ready to be sore, to see continued progress and get everything possible out of each and every workout!
If you’d like to see more about weeks 1 – 3, check out the articles here!
If you’d like more info on LIIFT4, feel free to email me anytime at fitactivelifecoach@gmail.com.
xo, Tiff
Erin Homs says
Tiffany says