Day 3: Chest/Triceps/Cardios

Hi Dollies,

Well I wasn’t able to post today’s workout last night, but here it is. The cool thing is that I can tell you about it now. Today’s work out was awesome because my little triceps were trembling. I love when my muscles shake. Although, I did realize I need to be more careful as to with which exercises they tremble. Here was my plan for today:

So what happened today was that instead of following my plan I decided to do the chest part, then for the triceps I went backwards. I did the Dips first, then the Decline, and finishing up with the Skull Crusher. If you don’t know what the skull crusher is you can check out this video.

SKULL CRUSHER VIDEO

Basically though, it’s where you lay down on a bench and push up a barbell so your arms are extended. Then you bend your arms so the barbell either comes straight in front of your forehead or just in front of your head. This then works your triceps. Here is a pic:

Well by the time I got to this exercise I had pushed my triceps with 6 other sets of other resistance exercises. When my arms extended straight up they would shake so much! At first I was like “yeaaaaah!”, but then I realized that this was probably not the safest place to have my muscles fail me. Since I could just drop that bar on my chest or head. Note taken: think through your plan! I will stick to my plan and keep the dips to the last. It is better to fail on a dip machine than while performing a skull crusher. Not really into making the exercise a literal one! If you know what I mean!

Much hugs and kisses dollies. Keep up the hard work and don’t give up.

xoxo, 

Bianca

Day 2: Legs/Abs

Evening Dollies!!!

It is a bit late here, but I wanted to keep my workouts constant with you guys! I am really concerned with my abs and my legs. Due to the fact that I did loose a lot of weight, those are my troublesome areas. I really do not like them. In the workout plan I was doing I just did not feel they were being paid much attention to.

In this workout I created for myself I decided to give 2 of my 5 weight training days to legs and abs. I do not do cardio on these days because I am doing 30 minutes of legs and 30 minutes of ab work. Usually my legs are pretty worn by the end of the weight training that doing the elliptical or spinning isn’t very productive. Hopefully it begins to show in my body, the extra time I am giving to these areas.

 

On another note. Today was awesome. I began my workout with a 10 minute warm-up on the spin bike. Then proceeded with my weights. Ending the workout with a 25 minutes on the elliptical. You know what has been great though?! Is that I began reading while doing my elliptical and that is helping so much more now. I used to be able to push through it with just music, but lately that wasn’t working. I was hesitant about reading while on the elliptical because I had tried it before and just didn’t like it. This time though I have  my book on the nook app and it is so cool! The time just goes by so much quicker!

*Whisper*: Although I do get wrapped up in the book and forget to push myself. I found the trick to that though. I chose a program on the elliptical machine that pushes me with high resistance.

Nite nite dollies.

xoxo, 

Bianca

 

Day 1: Back/Cardio

Morning Dollies,

This is just a quick entry. Just wanted to share the work out I created for myself. For the last few weeks I have been really lacking energy and will power to go to the gym and I think it was because the program I was following was not making me feel successful.

I’ve decided to create my own program and see how it goes. So here is my workout plan for today. I will try to post a comment or later on to let you know how it went! Have an awesome Monday dollies!

xoxo, 

Bianca

Bodybuilding.com: Finding your plan

Hello Dollies,

I am super excited to share with you one of the websites that has helped me so much to not only loose weight, but tone up. I discovered this website perhaps about a year and a half ago. I was starting to get into weight lifting and was looking for a place to learn how to do the exercises properly. http://www.bodybuilding.com popped up and since then I have been hooked.

I mostly used this website to guide my way through weights. I was pretty confident on my cardio routine and did not use it for that. Now what is super awesome about this website, is that they give you full written out plans that any beginner can start using. In this entry I will show you how to find a plan.

1. You launch the wesbite: www.bodybuilding.com  It will take you to something similar to this:
   
   
2. You will want to go to your left hand side and click the FIND A PLAN link.
   
   
3. Once you click there it will take you to a page that looks like this:
   
   
4. Then it will be three steps…Click your gender (Female for me), what is your goal (muscle building for me), and Age (20-39 for me).

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. The website will then take you to a list of plans. Then it is up to you to find one that either fits your time or your interest.        My very first plan was the one from Jamie Easton 12 Week Tone and Define Program:

 

 

 

Now as mentioned before the AWESOME thing about this website is that it gives you the program ALL LAID out for you. Day by Day, week after week. Until the end of the program. This is how Day ONE looks for the 12 week program.

 

The next awesomeness is that this website tells you and teaches you how to do EVERY Single movement. So for example lets say I have no idea what the Freehand Jump Squat is. Then I would click on it and go to the Full Details page. Not only will they give me a video that shows me how to do the exercise:

 

They also give you pictures of how you should start and end each rep.

 

They ALSO give you a written description along with a body highlighting the muscles you should be focusing on during the exercise.

 

Then they provide you with alternatives in case you don’t feel like you can accomplish this exercise and need something different!

 

An to top it off they provide an option to print out the exercises! =O I mean isn’t that just COOL!

On the next entry I will look more into the detail of the exercise pages. On this entry I really just wanted to introduce you to the awesomeness of this website and encourage you to use it! This website has been my exercise bible. It is what I rely on. The great thing is that if I view the videos on my android I can download them directly to my phone which is SWEEEEEEEEEETTTTTTTTT!!!!! *giggles* I LOVE that part.

Please do check them out! What I mentioned is one little part of all they have to offer. They also have fat loss focused plans. I hope you guys give them a REAL try and then follow their plans. Once you get more comfy with them you can start creating your own. Which is what I am doing this week. =)

Happy weight loss my dollies. 

xoxo,

Bianca

Let Go: Fast Food

Hello Dollies,

 “Hunger and food cravings are triggered by the motivation and reward centers of your brain. Have a healthy day!” -Bob Greene

In this entry I want to deal with the necessary detachment of fast food. By fast food I mean all those big names: McDonalds, Burger King, Carl’s Jr, Jack in the Box, Wendy’s, (ANY hamburger fast food), any pizza such as Little Caesar’s, Domino’s, Pizza Hut, any pizza sold to you. I mean there is so much I can list. You are all smart to know what I am talking about. Those street corner bacon wrapped hot dogs, those deep fried churros, those pasta bowls, chinese fast food, anything that you can get under 10 minutes and do not see the creation of. That is what I am talking about.

Now this is very important because I know for me it was easy to let go of that fast food since I was in another country, but when I came back I think I had a hard battle as well. I had not tasted a proper Big Mac, pizza, churro, tamale, hot dog, taco (mexican and american). I mean for a long time I had been looking to coming back and fill myself with all the food I had missed, but I couldn’t I was done with it.

The thing here though is that as an overweight person you have to be ready to say I am done. I am done being fat, I am done not being able to go up a flight of stairs, I am done not being able to fit into clothes I want. Loosing the weight will not be possible if you keep eating that food. Those fast food chains have NOTHING to offer. NOTHING. I mean I can make a fight for a proper tamale or a dish I have never tasted that has bread in it. Yet, fast food chains have NOTHING to offer YOU.

How I see it now, is how my friend described it to me when I was asking if it was ok to have one burger, or one donut, or one slice of pizza. He said: “There is nothing new about that. You have tasted hundreds of burgers, pizzas, donuts, and all the other crap. There is nothing new about it. The only thing that you have is the memory that it is good, but its not.”

Now I didn’t buy into that right away. I didn’t eat it because I couldn’t, but inside I was like “I haven’t had it in such a long time. I deserve this!!” So one day I had a really bad day. I mean really bad. I went out and pigged out. McDonalds was my choice with a Big Mac.

Honestly that burger was not tasty at all. The soda gave me so much gas. I was burping forever and I felt so bloated. The only thing that I liked was the fries and thats because of the salt. ( I kinda like it too much). Other than that. My memory of what that burger tasted like was really not what that burger tasted like. Once I had started eating healthy, my taste buds changed.

That is what people have to learn and its a long lesson to learn, but it is the truth. Once you stop eating all that crap you will realize how there is no taste to it. There is no health benefit to it either. The only thing making us going back to those fast food chains is our brains. Our brains telling us that that burger is the best thing ever. Or that donut tastes so delicious. I also pigged out on Krispy Kremes and it was just a disappointment. It didn’t taste good either. Which is a BIG thing for me since I am a sugar junkie.

None of the food I pigged out on lived up to my memory. That day was all I needed to make my brain click with what my friend had said. I no longer crave it when I drive by or when I am sitting at a restaurant. The great thing is that taste buds can be rehabilitated and so can the brain. The brain takes a little longer, but its doable.

For 2 years I have not eaten: Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Carl’s Jr, Jack in the Box, Burger King, Taco Bell, and any other fast food. (McDonalds and Krispy Kremes I did once and not again.)

Exemption: I do want to note that pizza has been my weakest point. I have eaten that. Not from a big chain though, but I have. It’s usually homemade, but it does not pass beyond a ½ of slice. It is still the one food that is very hard for me to stop craving, but its getting better. Last night I had to wrap up left over pizza and I just took one itsy bitsy piece of the topping and I was done. I didn’t enjoy. Which is AWESOME because that is what I want. I want my brain not to enjoy it, then I will no longer crave it.

Final note: You want to loose weight? Then you have to let of of the fast food addiction. There is not but’s or if’s here.

xoxo,

Bianca

Review 2: Body Basix Whey Protein Isolate Powder (Chocolate)

Annyong-ha-seyo Dollies!

How are you all doing today? I hope you are doing awesome and your journey is going positively in the way you want. Here I am with another entry on protein shakes.

This one is from Body Basix. It is a whey protein isolate in chocolate flavor. Many things interested me when I saw this protein shake.

The facts:

• 90 calories
• 0 grams of fat
• 0 grams of sugar
• 1 gram of carbs
• 20 grams of protein
• It is an isolate.

So with all those great nutrition facts I decided to give it a shot. =(  It was not the best couple of weeks for me. It was just a typical no taste protein shake.

The taste:

• Watery: It is a watery drink. I tried the 8oz…watery. So then I tried only 6 oz and it got a little thicker, but not a lot. Still very watery.
• Flavor: I didn’t really taste the chocolate. I mean I guess there was like a hint of it, but yeah. Lol.
• Breathe for some air: This is definitely one of those shakes that I had to breathe in deeply in order to gulp the whole 6-8oz in one drink. It was something I did not want to be tasting over and over again.
• Artificial Sweetener: I actually did not taste that fake sugar taste, I was happy with that.

My recommendation:

2.5 dollies out of 5.

This is a great shake for the mere fact that it is very well put together when it comes to the things your body needs. It is one of the lowest calorie protein shakes I have found, with a very good amount of protein. It is also an isolate. The bad thing is that in order to accomplish all those things, taste had to take a hit. If you are able to just enjoy any kind of protein shake and are trying to keep track of your calories, this is the shake for you. I would have chosen this shake at the beginning of my journey because I know it would of helped me loose the weight and built up my muscle. Now that I am not at the same size before I have the flexibility with my calorie intake. Also, I am one of those people that if I don’t like the taste it is very hard to drink it every day. It was really an effort.

So I recommend it those that are really trying to loose the weight and are willing to take up that challenge of doing whatever is necessary which includes having a shake with not much taste.

I did not try it in a smoothie, but I am sure that the powder would just disappear. It is not strong enough to change the taste of a regular smoothie. So that would be away to cover it up.

Kks dollies..hopefully that helped out! See ya next time.

xoxo,

Bianca

Review 1: Designer Whey Protein Powder

Hola muñequitas,

I want to start off this supplement review section on a good note so we will be looking at my favorite brand of whey protein, so far. Designer Whey in Luscious Strawberry.

Designer Whey was the first protein powder shake that I honestly enjoyed drinking with 8oz of water. I began drinking protein shakes in South Korea, but never have I been able to actually enjoy them until I found this one.

What is important? For me it is very important that the calorie count is low, it is low in fat, low in sugar, and a good amount of protein. Those are the top four things I focus on. Especially the calorie number since I am still trying to loose more weight and calorie intake is an important part of my lifestyle.

The facts:

• Calories: 100 calories <— awesome because the calorie count can get pretty high in the shakes.
• Fat: 2 grams
• Sugars: 2 grams
• Protein 18 grams
• No artificial sweetners <—for me this is also important because I do not like the taste they give. If you do not like what you are drinking it is harder to do it every single day.

The taste:

• Thick: It is not nasty thick, but it is definitely thicker than the usual watery protein shakes. I enjoy this. I feel like I am drinking a smoothie instead of water with powder.
• Luscious: It is definitely smooth and luscious. It just tastes like a smoothie, it is appealing to my taste buds and it just runs so smoothly. It is definitely not a drink that I have to hold my nose and try to gulp it down all in one drink. I can take my time and enjoy it.
• Flavor: I love strawberries and this hits the spot. I mean as close as a powder drink can get. It doesn’t taste like some weird rendition of strawberry, but the actual flavor. Kind of reminds me of the strawberry milk.
• Smoothie: I have had it as a smoothie with a banana and milk. Omgeee it was so good!!! Definitely if you have the time try and have it as a smoothie. It is just perfect!

My recommendation:

5 dollies out of 5. 

I recommend this protein shake to anyone who just does not like the watery, hold your nose, swallow in one gulp, protein shakes. Especially because you do not need to go home and make it into a smoothie to get that great smooth taste. It honestly just tastes good with water. That is really what I am looking at the end of the day for. After my workout I can not go home and make a smoothie with my powder. Also it is more useful if you drink it right after working out. So all I have available to me is water.

The only thing is that I do wish it had a bit more protein. There are others with more protein, but then that would also add to the calorie count.

This is is an overall good product and I push you to give it a try. It is low calorie, low sugar, low fat, and not too bad on the protein amount. To back up all that, it has a great taste.

I hope you give it a shot and let me know what you think!

Thank you dollies.

xoxo,

Bianca

P.S.: I am currently trying the French Vanilla one and that one is not bad either. Not a favorite, but not bad.

Getting Started with Supplements

Hello my Dollies!!!

I hope you are all having an awesome Labor Day Weekend. Mine was pretty sweet. The only bad thing is getting back into the groove of things -_-. Anywhoos. I have been focusing a bit on food, but also wanted to start dealing with fitness and supplements that helped me.

I feel I have so many things to share with you and wish I could just write all day and catch you up to where I am now, but unfortunately that is not possible. Hopefully the information helps though!

I will be starting with supplements today. I like trying different things because to be honest, most of the supplements out there are not that delicious. I am always trying to find that protein shake that is tasty to drink or that bar that will fill you up, but isn’t as hard as a rock. Most of my entries will be just reviews of the products, focus on the nutrition labels, and ways you can drink/eat them.

My main goal is to help you cut down some of the research time. I know it was very annoying sometimes for me to spend 20-30 minutes trying to choose what whey protein to buy. Now that I have more experience my time at the store has gotten shorter. Hopefully this will help you cut down some of that research time. Especially since these will be unbiased reviews, with not financial gain to me.

Kks dollies. I will be tagging all my supplements in the “supplement” category. Under that category you should be able to find subsections of whey protein, protein bars, etc.

 

xoxo,

Bianca