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*This post may contain affiliate links. This means that I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you make a purchase through a link. Read my disclaimer here.
Hi friends! 👋
Happy New Year! I wanted to jump in and switch gears to give a quick recap on my first month going LIVE, what's been going on over here, my favorite January purchase (that I've bought multiple times!) and then wrap up with what to expect for next month.
HAPPY ONE MONTH TO DUMBBELLSNOTBLONDE!
I can't believe it, but dumbbellsnotblonde has now been up and running for a FULL month! What started as an idea for a place to help encourage and inspire others with their own health and fitness journeys, is now something I'm constantly thinking of new ideas for.. as there's so much more I want to share with you all! Don't forget to hit the subscribe button on the main page to follow along (it's always easy to unsubscribe at anytime). I'd love to have you!
I've had 2,881 views so far on my blog, with even more followers on multiple social platforms! You guys are seriously blowing me away with all the love!
Instagram Followers 845
Pinterest Followers 46 (and 4.6k monthly views!)
Twitter Followers 32
Facebook Followers 38
If you're one of the people who is already following along, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUPPORTING ME! I want to know what YOU want to see moving forward, so feel free to send me a message on any platform with your ideas and suggestions! 😄
PERSONAL UPDATE
First things first, I received some great news on January 6th that my kidney disease (that I acquired via pregnancy) is now totally back to normal! I realize that this doesn't happen for everyone, and I feel extremely grateful that it reversed for me. Let me know in the comments if this is something you want a deep dive on, as it's a horrible outcome with a very positive ending. I want to encourage people who may be in the same boat to not give up hope, and some tips of what I did immediately and from that point on to do my best to help with recovery.
If you've been following me for sometime, you'll know that I have my husband's birthday on the second week of every new year, meaning that I never set a "diet/lifestyle" type goal on January 1st. Honestly, it's somewhat a blessing in disguise, as my goal is to consistently do what I always do (so there really shouldn't be anything "new"). Although, I'd love to participate in one of Renaissance Periodization's Transformation Challenges one year which always start on the 1st! We did a very simple date night at a new restaurant, followed by cake and presents with Grandma and the kids at home.
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| Happy Birthday to my handsome husband |
I started Power Abs 2.0 last week, so I will be continuing that for another few weeks, so the first two weeks next month. Keep a look out for the results in February! I'm also having fun having my kids tag along on these (we do them in the evening together), so that's been really fun for us as well. I love that I'm leading by example when it comes to healthy fun habits. Thankfully it's only 10 minutes, because they make it through about the first two.
If you're curious about the program and the different offerings available, you can click here to view them all under my links & product recommendations. My full review of the programs can be found here. It's yours once you buy it, so don't worry about any subscription charges or hidden fees. You can do the program as many times as you'd like (and we all do)!
MY NEW FAVORITE PURCHASE
I just realized that I've purchased these leggings multiple times over the years, so I wanted to share them with you! They are super soft, affordable and versatile. They are literally the first thing I grab to wear while at home or running errands (and have even worn them to the gym a time or two!). I literally just got my latest shipment Monday so I have a pair for every day of the week. (Don't judge me.) 😂
What started as an "I don't want to pay a lot of money if I'm going to lose weight" legging, I've now owned multiple pairs as I continue to go down in size. I've also purchased them in crop and full length (I'm 5'2 for reference). I prefer the longer length, so that's all I'm personally purchasing today.
Bonus, they are less than $15. Yes, you heard that right! Super soft, versatile (with different color and cut options) for less than your lunch out. A serious no brainer! Buy a couple pairs of these VIV Collection leggings right now and thank me later. 👊
LOOKING INTO FEBRUARY
February is another busy month for this family of four! January is my husband's birthday (and his love language is gifts), but then we turn around and celebrate my sweet baby girl's birthday the first half of February! I can't believe my baby (who told me last night while going to bed that "she wasn't a baby anymore, she's a big girl"), is turning THREE! She's grown so much even in this past month, and I couldn't be prouder of the sweet and sassy little lady she's becoming. She's asked for a Blue's Clues party, so I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot of Blue and Magenta (those are the main characters in Blue's Clues) coming up here soon.
I will also be sharing what's on my plate for the Superbowl and Valentine's Day in February, so make sure to subscribe come back and visit!
The best compliment is to comment, shop, share and/or pin my posts. Thanks in advance for helping my little website grow.
With love and gratitude,
*This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate, if you purchase a product through one of them, I will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). I only ever endorse products that I have personally used and benefited from personally, so I know you'll love the product(s).
Please read my full affiliate disclosure under terms of use for more information.
What it Looks Like When You're the Only One in Your Household Tracking Macros
Friday, January 22, 2021
One of the questions I received quite a few times after my success is, what does it look like if I'm the only one eating macros in my household? And honestly, it's a great question to ask!
Doing this for quite a while now as the only one in my household, I can tell you that it's different, but 100% doable! Yes, I don't eat the exact same thing as my family. Yes, it takes a little bit of extra prep (since I work from home and don't do standard meal prepping). However I love it, and think this way of flexible dieting could definitely work for you too. Let's dig in!
What are Macros?
Macros is short for macronutrients. In a nutshell, it's broken down to tracking how you're consuming three things: protein, carbs and fat. Most people utilize this way of lifestyle in order to achieve a specific goal, such as gaining more muscle, losing fat or even maintaining a certain weight. People also use this way of eating to hit specific fitness goals, such as a bodybuilding competition or new personal record in the gym. I initially started tracking macros to lose fat and perform better with movements in the gym.
Why are they so important?
Macros are important because it's where you get most your energy from. It also helps you to understand exactly where those calories are coming from, as not all calories are created equal. Although they can help assist in meeting your goals, they can also help with the quality of your diet, as most tend to choose food quality versus calorie content while following this type of lifestyle. For me, I didn't realize until I started tracking how small of protein portions I was eating, and how much fat I was actually consuming per meal. My body needed so much more of one, and so much less of the other.. and I had no idea.
How does this change family mealtime?
In my experience, I've found that it changes everything for me, but not my family. Instead of preparing one course, I have the kids eating one thing and myself eating the other (and we'll get to my husband in a second).
Basically, it's a lot harder to calculate and track a casserole portion, or really anything shared. Since tracking macros, I tend to do something similar to what my family is eating, but not the same. An example is family pizza night. No way my numbers aren't going to be way out of whack eating a greasy, full of cheese (and amazing good!) pizza! So, they get the good stuff, and I make myself my version of pizza. A lot of times we'll eat together, but completely separate meals. My kids are also young (two and five at the time of writing this), so they're just happy for food at the table while Mickey Mouse is on in the background. 😂
What happened at my house!
I started dabbling into this way of eating quite a while ago, one small half of a pinky toe in. I would do it for one meal, maybe the second. I would start a fat loss phase, and then venture a lot on the weekends. Honestly, it was me just getting comfortable with the portions, what foods I should consume, etc. Even though I wanted to lose the weight, I wasn't disciplined enough to go through fully until last Summer when I completed a fat loss 85 day phase at 100% compliance.
At first, my husband was probably like, whatever. After all, I've done this before. I wouldn't blame him for thinking it was another ambitious attempt in his wife's book. It wasn't until I really started to make the changes and consistently work on achieving the end goal that he started to notice. He's competitive, so what happened in my house... is that he decided to firm up and lose a little bit of weight too! Although a totally different process from what I was doing, he was able to lose 10+ pounds (and gain his ego back). Lol. He looked good before, but now looks and feels good, and performs a ton better in the gym. Not that he bragged about finishing first in the workout today. 😉
So what I'm saying is, even if you're the only one doing it, people start to notice. You may start and your spouse jumps in. However, they may not, and that's totally okay. Bottom line, at the end of the day, you have to do this for YOU!
I'll leave you with one of my favorite reminders:
It takes four weeks for you to notice a change
It takes 8 weeks for your friends to notice.
It takes 12 weeks for the rest of the world to notice a change.
It takes one day to decide that you are enough.
Is day that day?
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments!
*This post may contain affiliate links. This means that I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you make a purchase through a link. Read my disclaimer here.
Hi friends! 👋
I get asked a lot what programs I use, what products I recommend for a cut, what did I buy in my new gym, etc., so I wanted to put together a quick list of links and recommendations below:
RP Diet App
I use (and have had great success!) with the RP Diet App. In a nutshell, it adjusts your macros based on your fitness goals, schedule, weigh-ins, lifestyle and more. I can't recommend it enough, and know if you're serious about your fitness goals and/or weight loss, you'll love it too!
Benefits of the app:
- Plans Your Meals
- Keeps You Alert and Accountable
- Adapts to your Life and Goals
- Gives You Overall Control
Use my discount code JERICKA to save yourself some money!
Click here to join: rp.app/code/JERICKA
Bonus: You can also use my code for an eBook or new tank too! :)
*Purchasing Power Abs (50% OFF!)
I love the Power Abs programming! All are 30 days, require 0 equipment and can be done anywhere. They're also yours once you purchase (not subscription based), so you can do them again and again, or try different levels. Descriptions on each are listed below! If you're stuck deciding, I recommend Power Abs to start. You can't go wrong with any of them though!
Think push-ups on a couch, the most basic ab program for beginners
The Food Scale I Use (Amazon)
The Pocket Food Scale I Use (Amazon)
The Updated Version of the Home Scale I Use (Amazon)
The Crockpot I Use (Amazon)
The Energy Drinks I Drink (Amazon)
The Sparkling Water I Drink (Amazon)
The Meal Prep Containers I Use (Amazon)
The Casein I Use (Amazon)
The Whey Protein I Use (Amazon)
The Cinnamon Bun Seasoning I Use (Amazon)
The Donut Seasoning I Use (Amazon)
The Italian Seasoning I Use (Amazon)
Rogue Fitness is where most of my items are from:
Tone, strengthen and define your legs
A great addition to any of the Power Abs programs!
Get ready to take your abs to a whole new level with Patch!
Tighten, strengthen and define your legs using a band!
High intensity FULL BODY program, in just 10 minutes a day!
Build strength and muscle, in just 10 minutes a day!
NEW! Low Impact PHIIT (Full body, no jumping)
NEW! Super PHIIT
NEW! Moms Bundle PowerAbs for Moms, PHIIT Mom and PowerAbs in the Kitchen
NEW! Best Sellers Bundle PowerAbs, PHIIT, PowerGlutes
NEW! Strength Builder Bundle PHIIT Strength, Summer PowerArms and PowerGlutes Plus
NEW! 21Strong 21 strong workouts (10 minute working on specific body part, one minute rest, followed by 10 minute high-intensity burn)
Click here to purchase: https://powerabs.shop/Jericka
Are you energetic, positive, driven and committed?
Click here to sign up to be a Power Abs Ambassador. Let them know Jericka sent you!
*My Personal Fat Loss Diet Phase and Maintenance Must Have's
The Food Scale I Use (Amazon)
The Pocket Food Scale I Use (Amazon)
The Updated Version of the Home Scale I Use (Amazon)
The Crockpot I Use (Amazon)
The Energy Drinks I Drink (Amazon)
The Sparkling Water I Drink (Amazon)
The Meal Prep Containers I Use (Amazon)
The Casein I Use (Amazon)
The Whey Protein I Use (Amazon)
The Cinnamon Bun Seasoning I Use (Amazon)
The Donut Seasoning I Use (Amazon)
The Italian Seasoning I Use (Amazon)
*Products I Have in My Home Gym
Stainless Steel Bella Bar (Rogue Fitness)
Half Rack (Rogue Fitness)
Dumbbells (Rogue Fitness)
Games Box (Rogue Fitness)
Echo GHD (Rogue Fitness)
Bumper Plates (Rogue Fitness)
Barbell Collars (Magnetic Clips) (Rogue Fitness)
Olympic Plates 10 lbs & 5 lbs (Rogue Fitness)
Items I also purchased from Amazon:
Squat Pad (Amazon)
Gym Chalk (Amazon)
Exercise Posters (Amazon)
Hand Grips (Amazon)
Gym Bag (Amazon)
Air Pods Pro (Amazon)
Theragun Elite (Amazon)
Wall Ball (Amazon)
Connect on Facebook
Connect on Instagram
Connect on Pinterest
Connect on Twitter
Join My Women's Accountability Group! (Not program specific, all are welcome!)
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions on any of the products I use and recommend above. I'd love to help!
*Disclaimer
This page contains several affiliate advertising programs. This means that if you click and make a purchase through certain links on this site, at no additional cost to you, I may make a commission from that purchase. As always, all opinions are my own. Content remains the single most important aspect of this site, and affiliates are not given preferential treatment.
This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Squat Pad (Amazon)
Gym Chalk (Amazon)
Exercise Posters (Amazon)
Hand Grips (Amazon)
Gym Bag (Amazon)
Air Pods Pro (Amazon)
Theragun Elite (Amazon)
Wall Ball (Amazon)
Skip to a Specific Blog Post
Connect with me to Never Miss a Discussion
Connect on Facebook
Connect on Instagram
Connect on Pinterest
Connect on Twitter
Join My Women's Accountability Group! (Not program specific, all are welcome!)
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions on any of the products I use and recommend above. I'd love to help!
*Disclaimer
This page contains several affiliate advertising programs. This means that if you click and make a purchase through certain links on this site, at no additional cost to you, I may make a commission from that purchase. As always, all opinions are my own. Content remains the single most important aspect of this site, and affiliates are not given preferential treatment.
This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
The BEST Appetizer to Bring or Serve for Holiday Party Entertaining, That You Can Eat Too While Dieting! (Fat Loss Diet Phase/Maintenance Phase)
Saturday, January 16, 2021
When I sat down to begin my fat loss phase of dieting, I knew I was picking a hard time of the year. I saw that it went through Halloween, Thanksgiving and a majority of Christmas. The fact of the matter was, that I was ready!
It all started with me laying on the bed and my five year old asking if I had a boy or a girl in my belly. 😳 Now, I didn't realize at this time that our nanny was pregnant, and she shared that she had a baby in her belly. He left this piece out. And honestly, my tummy didn't look super flabby in my laying down position (isn't that the position that always makes us look just a tad bit better?), but the fact that he thought I looked like I had a baby was all it took. I started my weight loss that following Monday and went 100%. And I didn't find out about her pregnancy until I was a week or two in.
Thinking about the holidays (and just normal life in general), I truly had to come up with a plan around these celebrations to make sure it didn't knock me off track. That's when I came across a very simple (and easy way to adjust macros) appetizer that I'm going to share with you!
How I Made My Cranberry & Cheese Bites
I'm a little crazy with my compliance on fat loss, so if you are too, you'll appreciate my diligence here.
I brought my food scale, cranberry sauce in a can, crescent rolls and chunk of brie cheese over to my Mom's house to prepare. I wasn't just having cranberry & cheese bites on Thanksgiving, so I had to figure out my macros and the amount I could have for my carbs/fats/protein for each meal. I took the max of those numbers with the rolls, cheese and sauce and created my bites based off what I was allotted. (The rest of my meal was mainly protein from turkey and a small bit of mashed potatoes, which I filled in around the bites for those wondering.)
If you're following, I broke down how much of the roll, cranberry sauce and cheese based off my macros, not a recipe. Because this appetizer is so easy, it's super flexible and can be altered pretty much any way with these three ingredients and still taste amazing!
Here's All You Need
- Low Calorie Crescent Rolls
- Brie
- Cranberry Sauce
375 degrees for 15 minutes
These little prepped treats to myself were just what I needed to indulge but stay on
track. Whether you're celebrating a birthday, Easter, Christmas or just
want something different over the weekend, I hope you try this one too!
Cheers to your next event with this amazing (and incredibly easy)
appetizer!
This site participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an
affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn
fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Featured This Evening on Renaissance Periodization's RP Strength's MAIN Instagram Page!
Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Hi Friends and Family,
I wanted to pop in and post... because I JUST SAW THAT I'M ON RENAISSANCE PERIODIZATION'S RP STRENGTH'S MAIN INSTAGRAM PAGE! AHHH!! What a dream!
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| Courtesy of Renaissance Periodization's RP Strength Instagram App |
It takes hard work, dedication, support, strength, and perseverance to do a full out 85 day cut 100%, and I feel honored to be one of the people placed on their site to say..
I DID IT!
Again, thank you all for supporting me throughout this journey. I can't wait for you to feel this good, and I'm ready to support you right back! 🙌
Ready for your turn?
rp.app/code/JERICKA (or code JERICKA on RP's website) will save you money on your upcoming RP journey!
I can't wait to see how much success you have too!
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| www.dumbbellsnotblonde.com |
It's no secret (especially if you're viewing my Instagram), that my absolute favorite post workout meal is Greek Yogurt. I look forward to it every single day! It started as the only meal that had the most protein/carbs/fats, and quickly became my go-to in order to keep myself on track. Bonus, I come home and go straight back to work, so this one is easy to make without any meal prep!
How I Make My Yogurt Bowl
I of course start with adding the yogurt to my bowl. Easy! Then I sprinkle my seasonings, usually Cinnabon Roll Seasoning (sometimes Chocolate Donut). 😋 Then goes on the honey, then Honey Oat Granola, followed by all the fruit toppings.
From here I really switch it up. Sometimes I'll do an English Muffin (with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray and Cinnabon Roll Seasoning), sometimes I do this on half of a pita bread slice. Sometimes I pair it all with salty almonds. It really depends on the day and what I have in the kitchen.
What I Love About Greek Yogurt for my Post Workout Meal
- Easy to make without meal prep
- Easy for any macros
- High protein
- Allows for many different types of carb pairings
Go ahead and give this one a try and let me know what you think in the comments!
The Best (and Easiest!) Place To Eat Out While Dieting (Fat Loss Diet or Maintenance Phase)
Friday, January 8, 2021
I remember being in the middle of my fat loss diet phase when my manager let me know that lunch for our end of the year meeting was on them. Hooray! Except, what could I eat? I was so diligent at home, and I was so nervous to branch out into the restaurant world in fear that I would go over. Remember, nothing was getting in my way of 100%. I sat and thought about what I would normally eat when splurging, and that an In and Out Burger and fries wasn't going to end well for me.. no matter what way I sliced and diced it. Ugh!
One of the places I have always loved (but haven't visited for sometime) is Chipotle! And while I've been known to pack a ton of goodness within their already oversized tortilla, they also have a healthier burrito bowl option available. Now, here's where my mom skills came into play (and they can come into play for you too)!
I ordered a burrito bowl IN A KIDS CONTAINER! Why? Because then I was able to take it back home, count my perfect portions for each and eat at 100%! I'd be lying if I didn't say that I was so incredibly excited about this new found freedom and didn't order it a few more times. I may actually have it again today. 😉
Let me break this down further for you if compartmentalizing your food is new (as it was for me).
This is What it Looks Like:
Here's Exactly What You Need To Do:
Ask for a burrito bowl in a kids container- that's it!
With my macros, I knew I couldn't eat all of the container most likely in one sitting (and my company was paying up to $20), so I asked for extra chicken and two sides of guacamole.
I was right! I ended up using the chicken for three meals (a homemade bowl below that I made twice, and then the rest on a homemade pizza instead of my usual chicken).
Here's What it Looks Like Put Together:
And that's it! Again, I'm all about super simple and easy.. and I feel like this option is just that! Also, now that I've had it a few times (that I will admit to), I can also now eyeball how much rice and beans I can have. This comes in handy if I wanted to go out to Chipotle and not break out my pocket scale.
Hopefully this helps if you're going out during your own weight loss, fat loss or dieting cut phase. Let me know if you end up trying it yourself!
What I Eat and Drink Before I Workout (on a Fat Loss Diet Cut or Maintenance Phase)
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
11:30 a.m. PST hits the clock, and I'm off my video conference and heading into the kitchen to make my pre WOD (or pre workout) shake and snack! Having a whey protein shake (versus a standard pre workout mix) and some sugary carbs used to be really foreign to me, but I've actually really grown to love the combo. If sugary carbs is new to you before a workout, enjoy!
Lets dive into what I have before I workout, along with some other ideas I've seen in the gym below.
Here's What I Have Most Days for My Pre-Workout
- 0.5 oz Whey Protein Powder
- 0.7 oz Marshmallows
Yep, that's it! Pretty simple! I switch up the whey protein powder flavor to keep things interesting, but marshmallows is definitely my go-to for carbs. It gives me just enough of a sugar rush to curve my cravings and help me perform optimally in the gym. 👐
Other Ideas to Have as Workout Carbs:
- Gummy Bears
- Skittles
- Jelly Beans
- Gatorade
- Juice
- Coconut Water
When Do I Consume My Pre-Workout Meal and Shake?
You'll notice that the time you're supposed to consume these two are right when you start your workout. For me, I usually eat/drink most of it in the car on the way to the gym. I have a 15 minute drive, and always start with the marshmallows first (you already knew that, didn't you)? Many days, I'll add some water in when I get to the gym so that I can have it on the way back. I also always add ice!
What's your go-to pre workout carbs? Do you find that they help you with new personal records? Share with us all below!
Featured This Morning on Renaissance Periodization's RP Transformations Instagram Page!
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
Good morning family and friends,
I just wanted to pop in really quick and share... that I'm featured this morning on Renaissance Periodization's RP Tranformations Instagram page!!! AHHH!!!
I can't believe it! I've worked so incredibly hard to get to where I am right now, that I'm humbled to be on a page with so many others who share similar success. I'm seriously on cloud nine!
Here's the full post if you want to read it:
Thank you to those who have supported my journey and continue to support me. You all mean the world to me!
Ready for your turn?
rp.app/code/JERICKA (or code JERICKA on RP's website) will save you money on your upcoming RP journey!
I can't wait to see how much success you have too!
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