Fitness

Product Review of AthleisureWear for My Fitness Workout Regimen

Mar 13, 2019

*I received this outfit free of charge for review purposes only. All opinions shared are my own.
*This blog post contains affiliate links. If you click and purchase I will receive a commission.

Athleisurewear

Product Review of Athleisure Wear for My Fitness Workout Regimen

Athleisurewear is my favorite for working out as well as running errands on the weekend. My fitness routine starts with wearing the right athleisure wear to get me through all of my favorite full body workouts. One of my top brands is Fabletics, so when BrandCycle gave me an opportunity to review a Fabletics outfit, I was super excited. I started wearing Fabletics over a year ago after signing up for their VIP membership. Every month, I have $49.95 debited and added to my Fabletics account. Next, I can select an outfit. The outfits offered are at great price points with different styles offered every month. If you are not interested in shopping or don’t want to be charged that month, there is the option to “skip the month” as long as you do so between the 1st and 5th of the month.

Leggings and Sports Bra

I ordered the High-Waisted Mesh Powerhold Legging and the Maeve Reversible Sports Bra. As I am getting further along on my fitness journey, I prefer high waisted leggings. I determine a perfect fit by how much the fabric stretches, compresses and fits in all the right places. These leggings offer a moisture-wicking compression fabric, are chafe-free and SPF 50+, have a waistband pocket for keys, and a high waist that helps to me look slim in all the right places. The reversible sports bra offers the same moisture-wicking fabric, the racerback style offers medium support, and I love the reversible styling if I want to change up my outfit.

Workout in Outfit

The best way to test out the fit of athleisure wear is a workout. Today is a workout day with my resistance band. YouTube is my go-to place for all of my home workouts and today is a Resistance Band Workout.

The outfit is a great color combination that coordinates with any footwear. The fabric stretches perfectly and is lightweight enough to wear throughout every season. It is also flattering in all the right places. My abs are still a work in progress which makes the high waist perfect for this area. The compression fabric of the leggings is very comfortable and creates a perfect fit. I ordered the size S, regular length for my 5’4.5″ frame. A perfect sports bra is one that fits completely snug in the front and back. The size small is a good fit for me with a 32 band and a larger cup size. I would suggest the sports bra for a low to medium impact workout. After my planks with toe taps and bicycle exercises, I found the front band rolled under, otherwise, it stayed in place. The outfit is nice enough to wear for workouts as well as running errands on the weekends.

Get 2 of the best leggings for only $24 when you become a VIP member today!

The Winter Season Slows Down My Fitness Motivation

Feb 20, 2019

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Winter and Workouts

The Winter is draining mentally and physically with the cold unpredictable weather and time change. I swear living on the east coast slows down my fitness motivation. When the weather gets cold, I want to come in and curl up on the sofa with a cup of hot tea. It is so easy to get sidetracked when the time goes back and daylight is shortened. Last week I was unmotivated and broke my workout streak. I think every now and again there is mental burnout so when I get in I just want to sit on the sofa until bedtime. This was exactly what I did last week.

Meal Planning Failed

My meal planning was off as well. Each week I try to plan meals for the weeks and that felt like a job. This usually means I spend more money out on food instead of preparing meals at home. It was a week full of chocolate due to Valentine’s Day. Chocolate is my favorite cheat snack in moderation. This week I went a little overboard.

How to Get Back on Track?

Plan my workout schedule for three times a week
Grocery shop for meal planning this week
Do more protein this week including my whey protein
Increase strength training for this week
Schedule my yoga class

Fitness App BodBot for Home Workouts

Jan 23, 2019

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For the first week of the new year, I decided to try a 7 day free trial using a fitness app, called BodBot.

Fitness

The app allows users to choose workouts based on using a gym or home workouts. Some of the data input includes

setting fitness goals
entering body information such as weight, height, and age
highlight muscles of focus
the app will create a workout schedule or the user can manage their own schedule
the app makes recommendations on workouts based on progression
offers fitness tests
select equipment based on a gym or home(workouts appear with each equipment selection)
exercise preferences
joint history to avoid certain areas
recovery assessments
app preferences
onnect health data

NUTRITION

Users can add food intake, the only issue I had was not all foods are listed. There is no ability to scan the UPC code of packaged food. It counts calories, fat, carbohydrates, and proteins.

I liked the app for providing warm-up and cool down exercises but the actual workouts did not provide enough for burning a significant amount of calories. After the trial, I canceled the subscription. It is a low-cost app per month but it does not provide the workout intensity I need for my fitness regimen. For now I will stick to my free YouTube fitness videos.

You can follow my fitness journey on IG @cocoafitmom and clips of my workouts on Youtube @CocoaMommy.

Wellness Tips – How to on Fitness, Food, and Sleep

Jan 2, 2019

Wellness Tips

Wellness Wednesday tips on how I have used my fitness regimen and food to transform my results. If working out at home, the best suggestion I can make is to create a schedule and stay consistent. There is no magic potion to see results but changing old habits are a must. Food is challenging especially when it comes down to what to eat and how much to eat. My goal was to include foods I should eat and why I eat these foods. I do not focus on completing eliminating foods I love but eating them in moderation or as a treat.

TRX Warm Up

New Year Goals for Physical and Mental Health

Jan 2, 2019

This picture brings such good emotions as it was my first momcation in nine years. As I have stated in previous years, I do not like resolutions but need to focus more on yearly goals. This is a year for a big milestone birthday and I plan to capture taking care of self each month. I realized how I have neglected taking care of self and not until my solo trip to Miami did I realize how necessary it is to have no schedule. My trip was only for a few days but being near the ocean and beach was refreshing. I loved not having an alarm clock set, no plans, no schedules, and most of all no disgruntled kids in the background. Parenting is a full-time job and yes it is absolutely a must to clock out to focus on self.

My goals for this year is to maintain my home workout fitness regimen. I feel it is important to encourage women over 45 to exercise, eat better, and take care of their mental well-being. Another goal is to do more travel solo and with the kids.

In 2018, I committed to scheduling manicures and pedicures. Also, found a new aesthetician for waxing and the best seasonal facials. My pampering goals will include:

monthly massages
manicures and pedicures
facials

I realize my physical health is not just about working out and eating better but also making changes that impact of my overall physical health.

taking multivitamins and supplements
drinking more water
more sleep (scheduling and sticking to a bedtime) – my physician assistant gave me a number of ways to help in this area which I will share on a later post.

Now for my mental health, this is a tough one because every day is so dynamic. The idea of juggling life outside of the home and then life at home as a parent is challenging.

trying yoga at least once a month
disconnecting from social media at the end of my day

I am optimistic for a healthier and happier 2019.

Strength Training – Why I Love Exercises with Weights

Nov 5, 2018

The best part of my fitness regimen is strength training. I love the idea of building muscle with exercises that include a little cardio. My strength training equipment includes dumbbells and kettlebells. The most effective way to continue the build as I am learning is to increase my weights. I am up to 20lb dumbbells and a 25lb kettlebell.

Some of the benefits of building muscle:

Burns fat
Reduces stress
Burns more calories
Circuit training with weights brings results within weeks
Gives me more energy and increases confidence
My clothes have a more comfortable fit

The results improve over time and it helps with maintaining my diet. Each week I try to incorporate weights as much as I can to maintain my muscle mass. One benefit I find with strength training is using my core on every exercise. My core muscles are a lot stronger than when I started 61 weeks ago. You can start off with lower weights and increase over time as you get more comfortable. For my home workouts, I use YouTube. If you have Xfinity cable, you can use voice remote feature to search for YouTube. It is easier to work out from home if you can view from a tv vs. phone, tablet or laptop. It’s free and with consistency, you will start to see results in four weeks.

A Personal Trainer and Trainerize, Mobile Training App

Sep 25, 2018

Training Plan

For six weeks, I had a trainer provide workouts using the Trainerize mobile app on my Android phone. I provided all the equipment I have for my home workouts and she uploaded the workouts 3 times a week for 6 weeks. Trainerize provides each workout with a short video to demonstrate how to do each exercise. In order to track my meal plan, I used My Fitness Pal. My Fitness Pal allows you to set a goal and determines your specific macros to hit the goal. My goal is to build muscle and add more pounds through muscle mass. It calculated my macros as 50% Carbs, 30% Fat, and 20% Protein. My Fitness Pal also links to other apps such as Samsung Health.

Trainerize App

Trainerize, allows you to substitute the specific weekly exercises and provides a list of alternatives. Virtual training is not for everyone but it is definitely an alternative to meeting at a gym with busy weekly schedules. Another advantage of hiring a personal trainer is learning what to eat and why you are eating certain foods.

My Fitness Pal

My Fitness Pal – track calories and macros. Macronutrients are the carbohydrates, protein and fat percentages. This app was extremely useful in tracking each meal and snack. I set my caloric goal and each day it would track all the calories for each food. There are a lot of foods in restaurants, a number of brands, and you can scan the UPC code of the product to include in tracking. It was the best way for me to keep track of all of my meals.

Meal Plan

My trainer suggested I eat 6 meals a day, 2 of the meals included my protein shake and a carb. The other meals included protein, vegetables, and fruit. Drinking water is a must. Also, suggested I take Fenugreek(Whole Foods) to assist with my digestion. I learned the significance of more calories and adding protein at every meal. One cheat meal a week was allowed, limited sugar, no bread, or dairy. I will say dairy-free yogurt is not for me. It was tough not to sneak in my greek yogurt as a snack.

The reality of eating and training is there are cravings for chocolate and salt. I ate the chocolate and salty snack in moderation. The idea of elimination is too restrictive and unrealistic.

My equipment included dumbbells, stability ball, kettlebell, and TRX.

Home Workouts are Effective with Planning Each Week

Mar 21, 2018

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Home Workouts

Each week I mentally plan out my workouts and try to diversify my exercises each week. For those who need a visual reminder, save workout schedule phone calendar or buy a calendar dedicated to your workout schedule. My goal is to workout at least 3-4 times per week. This is week 27 since I started in October. The least expensive piece of equipment is the resistance bands which I found on Amazon. I use dumbbells and kettlebells for strength training. My TRX(total resistance exercise) is also great for strength training. The system is effective for upper and lower body exercises using body weight as resistance. In order to build muscle, I plan to increase the weight of my kettlebell and dumbbells. Also, I want to add a cycling bike to incorporate more cardio, bosu, and punching bag. There are multiple ways to create a home gym if working out at a gym is not feasible.

All of my home workouts are free using YouTube. My favorite trainers on YouTube are BodyfitbyAmy and The Live Fit Girl.

Here is an example of some workouts for the week:

Sunday:

This week I wanted to find targeted exercises for my abs. I try to engage my abs with every exercise throughout my workouts.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday TRX System I purchased my TRX over two years ago, the only thing you need is a door with a sturdy hinge. It is lightweight enough to travel with the system and with the additional strap it is easy to use outdoors.

If I am short on time for the week, I will use my resistance bands for 3 sets of 5 exercises

Food – My Weekly Food Items for Grocery Shopping and Staying on Track

Mar 19, 2018

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Healthy Eating

What foods do I eat? If this is the formula for a fit life, 80% Food and 20% Fitness? Is this true? I agree most of my gains are attributed to what I eat and how I eat. The best results come from me eliminating processed and fried foods. This is not to say I do not eat rich foods but the key is to reduce the portions and have in moderation. I do not believe in cheat meals but I feel it is alright for me to treat myself to foods I enjoy. Last year, I cooked Thanksgiving dinner and most of my side dishes are rich with flavor, butter, sugar, and fat. Dessert included sweet potato pies and chocolate cake which are filled with white refined flour, sugar and butter. How did I survive the holidays? I ate in moderation and packed up leftovers for guests. A Christmas tradition for me is to bake my kids’ favorite homemade cookies. Homemade cookies are delicious but again they are filled with sugar and white refined flour. The best way to stop overindulging is to treat me to a few and give the rest away. My kids come in handy here because they do not last for very long.

How to Stay On Track

I plan my grocery list around what I like to eat that incorporate fruit, veggies, whole grains, and healthy snacks. I notice that my stomach feels a lot better when I eat from these food groups. If I do I eat processed or fried foods I feel so bloated and sluggish. Yes, it is possible to eat out at your favorite restaurants. For example, on my last visit to Cheesecake Factory, I ordered from the light menu. I ordered the Skinnylicious shrimp tacos which were delicious. Tacos with corn tortillas is a better choice than flour tortillas(white refined flour). These were served with avocado(good fat), tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. My palette craves flavor and my once my belly is full I feel satisfied. A few weeks ago I went to the Movie Tavern and the first thing I noticed was the high-calorie entrees. I decided to order a veggie burger that was served with a roasted red pepper, mushrooms and onions, guacamole on a brioche bun. This entree has 880 calories was more than I would usually eat for dinner. Although, it was a veggie burger adding all of the toppings added more calories and serving on a brioche bun. A multigrain bun with the veggie burger and avocado slices would be perfect for me. Last week, I went to Movie Tavern and looked menu and the calorie count. I decided to order the tomato bisque soup(225 calories) and the flautas (370 calories) with water. These items are on the starters menu which was the only selections with less than 500 calories. Both were perfect sizes and filling.

I have found that you really have to retrain your brain to eat the right foods. There was a time when I thought brown rice was not tasty and now it is a weekly staple. The same with baked sweet potatoes, I thought the only way to eat was with brown sugar and butter. Now I have my baked sweet potato with a little cheese and pico de gallo. I use my plant-based spread to replace butter.

Meal Plan – What I Eat?

Breakfast

During Week

Instant Oatmeal w 2% lactose-free milk with walnuts

Weekend

Oatmeal with 2% lactose-free Meal Plan milk with walnuts

Eggs with spinach, pico de gallo, Monterey jack cheese

Whole Wheat pancakes, turkey bacon, cage-free eggs with cheese

Whole Wheat Waffles, turkey sausage, cage-free eggs with cheese

Pancake Puffs, turkey sausage, cage-free eggs with cheese

Burrito- eggs, Monterey jack cheese, turkey sausage or turkey bacon, pico de gallo in a whole-wheat tortilla

Morning Snack- vanilla greek yogurt, natural almonds, fruit, natural peanut butter with granny smith apples, Larabar, green tea

Meal Plan

Lunch

Salad- spinach, tomatoes, cheese, pico de gallo and balsamic vinaigrette

Burrito- brown rice, black beans, cheese, spinach, pico de gallo

Afternoon Snack – greek yogurt, natural almonds, fruit, peanut butter on whole wheat crackers, green tea

Dinner

brown rice, boneless chicken breast/boneless thighs, sauteed spinach or favorite vegetable combination

Baked Salmon or Cod, asparagus, brown rice

Crab Cake, brown rice, broccoli, sauteed spinach

Burrito – whole wheat tortilla, brown rice, spinach, black beans, pico de gallo, cheese

Quesadilla- Whole Wheat tortilla, Monterey jack cheese, spinach, pico de gallo or tomatoes

Tacos- ground turkey, cheese, sour cream, pico de gallo, corn soft or hard tortillas

Salad- spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, crab cake or sauteed shrimp

Use EVOO or Earth Blend (plant-based spread) no butter

No processed or fried foods

Limit white refined flour products

Better Carbs like whole grains

Good Fats like avocado, olive oil

No soda, sugary sports drinks only water

Treat snack – chocolate square (moderation)

Fitness Goals – My Progress in Four Months

Mar 12, 2018

Fitness Progress in Four Months

My fitness journey started in October and I have survived through Thanksgiving and Christmas baking. My fitness regimen is still working out at least 3-4 times a week. All with home workouts using YouTube for my workouts. My equipment still includes resistance bands, kettlebell, dumbbells, and TRX. What I eat is still a priority? 80% food and 20% fitness. All of this is my version of a natural fit. I made significant progress and still working on building stronger abs and increasing my muscle mass. My plank is still a work in progress.

Some things that helped me in the last four months are the following:

Plan meals that include whole grains, veggies, and a lean meat.
Drink water instead of sugary drinks or soda. I try to drink at least 64 oz. It helps both on the inside and outside.
Plan and schedule workouts each week. If I fall short, it’s fine I just plan to do better for the next week.
If I crave sugar, I try to find a smaller version of what I am craving. This means a square of chocolate, not an entire candy bar.
Brown bag lunches, saves money and eliminates the temptation of eating out.
I try to do as many weight-bearing exercises as possible to build muscle mass.
Find easy snacks that you can pack each day. Some of my favorites include green apples, natural peanut butter, whole grain crackers, cheese sticks, and greek yogurt.
Mix up the workout with different equipment or try a new class. Boxing was new and a fun way to add a new form of exercise.
Read labels
If dining out, check the menu for the “light” entrees or low-calorie selections. For some places, choosing an appetizer vs. an entree saves on calories.

I wanted to challenge myself to fit in a two-piece bathing suit. Last, week’s throwback Thursday was to compare a picture that is about twenty-two years ago to now. Motivation to continue with my plan.