Cardio and Core and MORE

Hey Hot Bodies,
How has your day been? Well, it is late into the evening here and I successfully complete to fantastic work out routines. I feel great! 

Why two work out you ask? 
Hmmm... Simply because I like to work out a bit after I have my dinner. This is usually the time when I slow down and feel sluggish. That was when I used to eat pretty much like my "teen years". However, now I am more mindful of what I cook and what I eat. 

Small portions, fewer salt intake, a balanced plate are ways that I have been using to avoid the dreaded "after dinner sluggishness".  I do have a habit of calorie counting here and there but I try not to make that my main dietary focus. Moderation, timing, and balance are what has been working for me so far.

Anyhow for my earlier workout, I did some cardio at the gym on a treadmill. About time straight and rigorous minutes. It was crazy but I only got winded a bit at about the 6 minute something marker. Which for me is a WIN because usually after the 2-3 minute marker I am already winded and tired. 

I may have to contribute some of my progress to my new pair of running shoes that I purchased last week on eBay. A fresh pair of Underarmour grey running shoes. They were so comfortable and allowed my foot to breathe and move. I have low arches and the insoles that came in them seemed to give just enough support. Of course, that is my opinion from the treadmill perspective. I will have an update when I do my 1-mile run this Wednesday on the outdoor track. 

I would be lying if I said I wasn't dreading this track run but there is "NOTHING TO IT, BUT TO DO IT"! 

So the new kicks helped as well as my supplements... Women's Best Pre-workout Booster. Let me tell you gals after I first took this rather tasty pre-workout; I did not wait the directed allotted minutes before my workout and I ended catching a wicked caffeine headache. I forgot that pre-workouts formulas are mostly made up of CAFFEINE. Duh! LOL 

Which kinda is crazy because I am caffeine sensitive. I know a few other girls friends that are the same as I on this one. So to remedy this issue, when I took the Women's Best Pre-workout Booster this time, I used the recommended one scoop amount, instead of 8 oz of water used about 10 oz, shake then drank it down. I waited for the recommended allotted time of 15 to 30 minutes before my workout. 

And what do ya know, I felt great during and after my workout. No headache from the caffeine boost and I powered through the cardio portion of my workout like a champ. It was awesome!

After the treadmill cardio, I worked on some abs and arms. I love/hate working my abs/core for obvious reasons... the brutal burn and my arms are a constant project for me as I need to gain more upper body strength.
As I powered through those workouts I feel the sweet burn and I know later after when I get home, I get to drink some of my Women's Best BCAA amino supplement. The BCAA amino drink is to nurture my sore muscle by aiding in muscle recovery.

 When I get home I enjoy a steamy, sweet Epson salt bath. 

Girl, let me tell you I really needed that. Idk about you all but I sweat hard at the gym. Plus, I needed to nurse some previously archy muscules. Plus, it's "THAT" time of the month so I am majorly bloated. However, that bath was just what I needed. 

I then prepared my dinner of chicken thigh, white cheddar broccoli rice, and light buttered/peppered Brussel sprouts. It was amazing!

After that, it was time for me to pick out of my homemade weekly workout bag to see what workout routine I would be doing for my weekly youtube channel. Be kind when you comment on the video. Like I mentioned before it is my "TIME" of the month and I am extremely bloated plus I just ate dinner. Either way, this one is a follow-me type of video. So feel free to follow along.

Funny thing is I ended up blindly picking a CORE workout which was great for me. I filmed the workout and am working on the editing now to have it up this Tuesday, which is probably now today! LOL

So make sure you ladies check it out.

All in all, today was a pretty AWESOME day.
Stay Motivated
 xoxoxox 
~Angels😇

Running Shoes:https://www.ebay.com/itm/Under-Armour-3021972-Womens-Training-UA-Charged-Assert-8-Running-Athletic-Shoes/372732534454?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=641546221073&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Supplements Pre-workout & Recovery: https://us.womensbest.com/products/pre-workout-booster?tpos=5
https://us.womensbest.com/products/bcaa?tpos=1

Sleep, wellness, and Fitness

Hello Ladies,

How's your fitness journey coming? Well, I have to say proudly that mine is in FULL EFFECT and I am so excited. I have my schedule set up, I revamped my "Pussy Palace" aka Queendom Room/Home gym. I implemented a dancer pole and I've been doing some outdoor cardio in addition to my routine. 

However, I still have one vice still yet to overcome... I admit I do not get enough sleep as I should. As a matter of fact, I am literally writing this blog because I just got home from work (graveyard shift) and I can't sleep. I tend to have the worst sleeping patterns and mainly because of my work schedule. 

That may have to change. 

Ladies, we NEED our beauty rest...

As a matter of fact, here are some sleep factoids and research.

According to The National Sleep Foundation (NSF), along with a multi-disciplinary expert panel, issued its new recommendations for appropriate sleep durations [WASHINGTON, DC, (February 2, 2015)].

• Younger adults (18-25): Sleep range is 7-9 hours (new age category)
• Adults (26-64): Sleep range did not change and remains 7-9 hours

“This is the first time that any professional organization has developed age-specific recommended sleep durations based on a rigorous, systematic review of the world scientific literature relating sleep duration to health, performance, and safety,” said Charles A. Czeisler, PhD, MD, chairman of the board of the National Sleep Foundation, chief of sleep and circadian disorders at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Baldino Professor of Sleep Medicine at the Harvard Medical School.(https://www.sleepfoundation.org/press-release/national-sleep-foundation-recommends-new-sleep-times)

At my age, I should be getting around 8 to 9 hrs sleep, but it is so difficult. As soon as I get home I have to take off my work clothes, wash my makeup off my face, jump into my pajamas and try to relax my racing mind.

I mean am I the ONLY one that is dog tired by the end of a work night, but comes home and is restless and mind racing? This is such a common occurrence for me that it's like hard to actually break the habit. Crazy right?!

So anyhow, I need to work on this issue, maybe see a specialist. It is said that apart of losing weight is getting a proper nights sleep allowing your body to recharge and repair. 

(Google Stock photos)

Being sleep deprived also raises cortisol levels that make your immune system vulnerable to any viruses around. We all should be wary of hurt we cause our bodies by not getting enough sleep. Your body depends on it. If you can not get the full amount, at least try to get as much as you can. Maybe short an hour or two. 

Sometimes when I lie in bed sleepless and restless. I pop my Power Beats earphones on and Bluetooth some meditation and nature sounds through my Spotify. It many times works when I do not have enough time to try a sleeping aid (Pill). Trust me, it does help out a bunch. 

As a matter of fact... I better get to bed and so should you.

Stay motivated and take care of your lovely self.

xoxox Angels😇

Progress is a process!?!?

Weightloss vs Fatloss

How to eat

Progress is a Process!

So lately in class I've been learning a lot about health, nutrition, and general wellness. And it seems to me obviously, that they go hand in hand.

Ladies we seem to really be confused on what our bodies need. There are so many different body types out there, that it is easy to get confused on what is best for each of us.
Everyone seems to always want instant gratification, its pretty human to think that way right?
However being healthy, proper nutrition, and fat loss not weight loss is a process!

Try to think in terms of how to lose excess body fat, not weight. Obviously your weight will go down with fat loss. However,  it may stay the same if you are gaining muscle; which weighs much more than fat. It is a hard concept to understand if you really don't understand it.

Let me break it down for you:
Tatiana
A woman weighs in at
145lbs
5ft 1in
Pear shaped body type

Her friend
Abby
Weighs in at
145 also
5ft 6in
Athletic body type

Evolution of woman

 Now with those two examples, why would you think the shorter one weighs the same but looks different?

Well let's go ahead and examine their lifestyles.

Well from what I have learned and also struggle to understand is weight loss vs fat loss.

Tatiana is a workaholic, freshmen in college,  with little time to workout between class and work, however her efforts to try to eat well is strained by her limited time being home, to prepare her own meals.

Abby is a fashion designer with a open schedule,  she is about to pick and choose her time at work as well as exercise 4 times a week, and plays community rugby on her weekends.
She is into clean eating and meal preps at home.

Take each ladies lifestyle, and weight, height, and assumed calories in and out.
By comparison Abby has the advantage.

We can assume the with Addy's open schedule, knowledge of body proportions (per her job as a fashion designer),height, and active lifestyle; her fat ratio is low, but her muscle mass is high.

Tatiana can have the same assuming she had more time between school and work to work out or stay active in some way. She may eat better if she had more time at home to prepare her own meals, and if her main goal was fat loss and not weight loss.

One can also assume Tatiana's stress level higher than Abby's, rendering her body capabilities to look and respond to her limited time to exercise.

Putting aside Abby's height, with her prepared meals her daily workout her open schedule and her athletic ability, her fat is lower, her muscle is up and she weighs the same.

You may not start off where you want to be but hard work preparation and a little sacrifice goes a long way. 

When you are stressed, sleep less, work more, and eat poorly it affect your body in the worst way.
Try not to look ahead to where you want to be or where you should be or compare yourself to another person's weight. Instead focus on how to better your health, lose fat, maintain healthy weight for your height and stay active the best way you can.

With time and patience you may start out looking like Christi alley and end up looking like Cameron Diaz or a Monique to a Hallie berry. Either way all woman are beautiful in their own way. So take your time, and work on being a better you inside and out.

With that being said here's a workout of the week for you. Progress and post your process here. Lets motivate each other.

A workout for the week 2x

  BodyByAngels