The end of this journey and the begining of a new one!

It's been a long time...

I know I said I would be back at the beginning of the year, but I'm a little late.  I've decided to close this blog.  I feel like I wasn't getting much done on here.  But, the good news is I've decided to start a blog on Tumblr that's strictly Health and Fitness!  I think that was really the direction I wanted to go in in the first place.  Plus, for me, Tumblr is much more simple to work with.  So thank you to everyone (who ever you are) that read and followed my blog for the short time I was on here.  And I hope you'll continue following me on my new blog Weigh of Life!

Love you all!

- Alissa <3

Taking a Break

     So I realized I haven't blogged in about 2 weeks.  I'm really sorry about this!  As most of you know, life doesn't allow you to do things sometimes.  So I've decided to stop blogging for a while.  It's not that I don't want to anymore, it's just that I have a hard time finding things to blog about that I know people will be interested, plus I things going on right now that need my full attention.  I'm hoping to be back blogging by the beginning of next year at the latest.  Thank you for everyone who reads my blogs, and I hope you will continue reading when I continue writing!  Love you guys! <3<3<3

Make Progress!

     Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: - Genesis 18:4

     I decided to take a break last week, as you could probably tell.  But I'm back!

FOOD

     I finally went ahead an tried the miracle rice.  I really didn't care for it.  It has the texture of boba and it's tasteless.  Even when I added seasoning and some olive oil, it still didn't have much flavor.  Who knows, maybe I didn't cook it the way it should have been.  If you decide to try this, I would definitely  keep it within Asian dishes.  I don't think it would work well with any other type of food.  Especially the noodles.  They seem more like a ramen  type noodle.

FITNESS

 

     I decided to search for a fitness article to add this week and I came across this one.  It's a fantastic chunk of very valuable information!  It's called 6 Truths About Exercise That Nobody Wants to Believe.  

 

Success in the gym, as with most things in life, comes down to mastering the basics.

With that in mind, here are six exercise tips, weight lifting basics and training essentials that nobody wants to believe, but everyone should follow.

Take these ideas to heart and you'll reap major benefits. While most people waste time debating the endless stream of supplements, "new" workout programs and diet plans, all you really have to do is focus on these simple concepts and you'll see results.

1. You need to commit for the long term.

Most people work out with a short-term goal in mind. I like looking at health in a different way.

• The goal is not to lose 40 pounds in the next 12 weeks. The goal is to regain your health for the rest of your life.
• The goal is not to bench press 300 pounds. The goal is to be the guy who never misses a workout.
• The goal is not to sacrifice everything to get your fastest time in next month's race. The goal is to be faster next year than you are today. And faster two years from now than you will be next year.

Ignore the short-term results. If you commit to the long-term process, the results will come anyway.

Furthermore, stop acting like living a healthy life is a big deal. You can go to the gym every week. That can be "normal" for you. Not a sacrifice. Not an obligation. Normal.

What's funny is that when you commit to being consistent over the long term, you end up seeing remarkable results in the short term. That's the power of average speed.

2. You need to set a schedule for your training.

Most people never train consistently because they are always wondering when they are going to train next.

They are always wondering:

"Will I be motivated to work out when I get home from work?"

"Will I have enough free time to exercise today?"

"Will I have enough willpower to wake up early and run?"

In other words, most people train when they feel motivated or inspired.

Here's a better idea. Stop treating exercise as something to do when it's convenient and start setting a schedule for yourself to follow. This is what makes the difference between professionals and amateurs.

For example, I train every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6 p.m. I don't have to think about when I'm going to train. I don't sit around and wonder which days I'll feel motivated to lift. I don't hope that I'll have some extra time to work out today. Instead, I put it on the schedule and then organize my life and responsibilities around it (just like you would organize your day around your class or your meeting or your kid's baseball game).

Setting a schedule for your training becomes even more important when life gets crazy. There will always be occasional emergencies that prevent you from working out. It's part of life. The problem is that most people miss one workout and before they know it, they haven't been to the gym in four weeks.

But when you have a schedule for your training, you have a way of pulling yourself back on track as quickly as possible.

Top performers make mistakes just like everyone else. The difference is that they get back on track quicker than most. Miss your workout on Friday because you were traveling for work? Guess what? Your next training session is already scheduled for Monday at 6 p.m. I'll see you there.

Let your schedule govern your actions, not your level of motivation.

3. You need to focus on the best exercises.

Great results come from great focus, not great variety.

Too many people waste time in the gym because they bounce around without any real goal, doing a little bit of this machine and a little bit of that machine. Thankfully, there is a simple rule that will always guide you toward the best exercises: the more an exercise makes you move, the bigger the benefits it will deliver.

This is why the clean and jerk and the snatch are the kingpins of weight lifting. They are the exercises that force your body to move the most (and the quickest). As a result, the people who do these exercises see incredible results.

Here's a short list of the best exercises. In my opinion, at least one of the first five exercises should be included in every workout.

1. Squat


2. Deadlift


3. Bench press


4. Clean and jerk


5. Snatch


6. Sprints


7. Overhead press


8. Good mornings


9. Pull-ups


10. Push-ups

4. You need to start light and train for volume before intensity.

Ask most people if they had a good workout and they'll say things like, "Oh yeah, it was so intense." Or, "I'm going to be so sore tomorrow." Or, "I finished my workout by doing a set to failure."

It's great to push yourself, but the biggest mistake that most people make is not building a foundation of strength. Everyone wants to jump in and max out with a weight that is "hard." That's exactly the wrong way to do it. Your workouts should be easy in the beginning. (See: "How to Start Working Out.")

Training to failure is a good way to wear yourself down, not build yourself up. You should have reps left in you at the end of your workout (and at the end of each set). Take point #5 (below) to heart, and your workouts will get hard enough, fast enough. Trust me.

The phrase that I like to keep in mind is "train for volume before intensity." In other words, I want to build the capacity to do the work before I start testing my limits.

Just to be clear. Volume doesn't have to mean "do sets of 20 reps." (I rarely do more than 10 reps in a single set.) Instead, I like to think of volume over a period of weeks and months.

For example, right now I'm doing a 5 x 5 squat program (five sets of five squats). I started light. The first week, I lifted with a weight that was very easy for me. Then, I slowly added five pounds each week. For weeks, it was still easy. Eventually, when I built up to a weight that was heavy, I had the capacity to handle it because I had already done dozens (if not hundreds) of sets over the previous weeks and months. Focusing on volume now allows you to handle the intensity later on.

5. You need to make slow progress each week.

Most people walk into the gym every week, do the same exercises with the same amount of weight, and wonder why they aren't getting stronger. You'll see people step onto the same treadmill, run two miles like they always do and wonder why they aren't losing weight.

Here's a little story that explains the problem and the solution.

Imagine that you are in a quiet room and someone turns on a loud and noisy fan. At first, it's obvious and irritating. But if you are forced to stay in the room long enough, the fan starts to become part of the background noise. In other words, your body registers the sound at first, but eventually it realizes "Oh, this is the new normal for this environment."

Your body adapts and the noise fades away. Something similar happens when you exercise.

When you start to train, it's like turning on the fan. Something new is happening in the environment, and your body registers the change by getting stronger and leaner. But after a few workouts, your body realizes "this is the new normal." Your body finds a way to adapt to this new environment, just like it did with the noisy fan. As a result, you stop getting stronger and stop losing weight.

What got you here won't get you there. If you want to see different results, you have to do something different. If you want to see progress each week, then you have to progress each week.

This is actually very simple to do. Add five pounds each week. Add an extra set this week. Do the same exercise, but rest for 15 seconds less between sets. These are all ways of changing the stimulus and forcing your body to slowly and methodically get better.

6. You need to record your workouts.

What gets measured, gets managed. If you can't even tell me how many sets and reps you did with a particular weight two weeks ago, how can you guarantee that you're actually getting stronger?

Tracking your progress is simple: get a small notebook and write down your workouts. (I use a little black Moleskin notebook that I bought a bookstore.)

At the top of the page, write the date of your workout. Then, simply write down the exercise you are doing. When you finish a set, record it in your notebook while you're waiting to do the next one.

Recording your training is especially important because it brings all of these points together.

You can look back and see how you're making long-term progress (point #1). You can see on which dates you trained and how often you were on schedule (point #2). You can verify that you did the best exercises each workout (point #3). You can see how you are slowly building up volume and developing a foundation of strength (point #4). And you can prove that you're making slow methodical progress each week (point #5).

What You Should Do Now

Your could spend your entire life mastering these six points, but these are the basics that will make a real difference in your training.

Here are your action steps:

• Set a schedule. When and where, exactly, are you going to train?


• Get a notebook and pen to record your training.


• Focus on the best exercises that make you move a lot.


• Start with a weight that is very light and train for volume before intensity.


• Slowly increase the weight each week.

Happy lifting.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-clear/exercise-tips_b_3805307.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

 

WRITING/LITERATURE

 

     I finally forced my self to finish The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson.  The story it's self was incredible!  I loved every bit of it, the ending however I was a bit disappointed in.  It wasn't so much predictable as it was anti-climactic.  But it went in the direction it had to.  All in all a fantastic read!

     Thanks again to my good friend, Eduardo Loera, for letting me borrow his copy of the book.  Finally after about 4 months or so I can get it back to him! :-)

PIECE OF MIND

     Because of my friend Mo's brilliant talent and success with Etsy, I'm thinking I might open one my self selling homemade candles, bath salts, and things of that nature.  Not 100% sure if I'm going to do it yet, but I really want to depending on how many people might be interested.  Give me some feed back, guys! :-) 

Thanks for reading!  I hope everyone has a fun and safe Labor Day weekend!

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Most photos found through Google search.  I do not own, nor take credit for any of them. (Accept for my personal photos)  If you choose to try/replicate anything I do/suggest on my blog it is your doing.  I can not/will not take any responsibility for injury caused by diet, exercise, cooking, or anything else you choose to try from my blog.  They are suggestions and suggestions only.

 

   

Zero Calorie Noodles!

    "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. - 1 Corinthians 10:31"

     Happy Friday, everyone.  It's here once more.  I keep feeling like these past few weeks have gone by so quickly, but maybe it's just me.  I have some cool stuff to share with you today!

FOOD

 

     If you read my blog last week, I mentioned these meals that are frozen for you so all you have to do is take them home, defrost them, them make them pretty quick.  I called them Magic Meals, but I was WAY off!  Lol  They're called Dream Dinners and you can get more information here. 

     The reason I was so off on the name of that, is because I was getting it confused with this!  Miriacle Noodles.  The no calorie noodle.  YES, NO CALORIE!  How is this possible?  I have no freakin' clue, but who cares?  Zero calorie noodles!!!  I did order a couple packs of these, but I haven't had the chance to try them yet.  I'm actually a little nervious about cooking them.  They have directions and everything, but I'm afraid to have the erge to cook them like normal noodles.  So, hopefully I'll get to try them sometime this week.  

     Still confused and in disbelief?  Everything you need to know is right here. 

FITNESS

     I thought it would be fun to start finding some 30 day fitness challenges.   I want to give you guys something to look forward to and something to get excited about doing everyday.

     The cool thing about these kind of challenges, is that since you're doing it everyday, you tend to see progress quicker.  Not necessarily because you're losing weight any faster, but because you're keeping your eye on the ball for 30 days.  And if you do these challenges along side a good diet, you see even better results FASTER!  So give them a try!  And don't worry if you can't do everything the first time, you'll be able to eventually if you keep it up!   

 WRITING/LITERATURE

   

     I've always wanted to learn calligraphy, but I've never had the patients to learn my self with one of those kits.  So I searched to see if there were classes, and there are.  Most people probably already know this, but I didn't.  So if I'm not the only person in the world that didn't know about calligraphy classes, and would like to learn here's a list of places that offer classes.  Hopefully some of them are near you. :-)

PIECE OF MIND

     Halloween is coming up in a couple months, and you might be looking for some really cool stuff to decorate you home with!  If so, pay a visit to my good and talented friend, Mo Malice's Etsy.  He have some very unique and wonderful things for this years Halloween, and just for your everyday home decor!  Everything he sells is hand made, and he even does costume orders!  So take a look!  You won't be disappointed!  

(If no items are listed, please check back in a day or two.  He's in the process of making and uploading his Halloween-y things!) 

     That's it for today!  Have a good rest of your Friday and weekend! <3<3

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Most photos found through Google search.  I do not own, nor take credit for any of them. (Accept for my personal photos)  If you choose to try/replicate anything I do/suggest on my blog it is your doing.  I can not/will not take any responsibility for injury caused by diet, exercise, cooking, or anything else you choose to try from my blog.  They are suggestions and suggestions only.

  

Scare LA

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. - Palms 1:1

FOOD

I would have taken my own picture, but I forgot! :-(

     So, a good friend of mine is a full time student, so she doesn't have a lot of time to prepare dinner for her and her room mate, so they take advantage of Dream Dinners.  ( I finally figured out what they were really called!)  Some of you might have already known about this, but I had no idea.  And I think it's pretty cool.  It's this place where you go, choose the meals you want from their menu, then they freeze it for you to thaw and prepare later.  Everything is already separated and measured out.  All you need to do is fallow the directions.  Super easy, and super delicious!  My friend gave me a meal that they weren't going to get around to eating.  She gave me Coconut Shrimp with Jasmine Rice.  And let me tell you, it was amazing!  Super good, and easy to prepare food!  So, if you're a person who doesn't have a lot of time, Dream Dinners are pretty perfect for you!

More information here: http://dreamdinners.com/main.php?static=intro_offer_adwords&gclid=CJyVmqHF_bgCFQai4Aod_VcAjA

FITNESS

      I always try to find different, fun ways to exercise outside the gym.  And I can't believe I haven't mentioned this before.  If you really want to get your heart pumping and blood flowing, try a dace class!  Even beginner dance classes give you a great work out!   I'm not talking about Zumba.  I know a lot of people love Zumba and swear by it, but I personally don't like it.  I much rather prefer actual dance classes.

    The best thing about this idea is, you can choose any type of dance you want.  They'll benefit you greatly!  If you're looking for muscle isolation and structure, ballet is defiantly what you're looking for.  But if you're not really into structure, and more want to have fun, go for a Jazz or Hip-hop class!  Dance is also a wonderful tool for your brain.  It's perfect for exercising your memory!  Once a week, or 5 times a week, anything you do that's new to your body is a good thing!  Always try and explore new ways to improve your body.  Not just physically, but mentally as well.

WRITING/LITERATURE

    I'm going to share a monolauge I wrote for a scene study class I use to take.  I was one of those kids that tried to become an actor.  I didn't get far but the experiences I had were wonderful.  I got to work on a few movies and tv shows, and meet a lot of amazing people.  After all that was done and over with, I realized how much I loved acting.  So when I got older I participated in an improv class.  Most of our assignment were to write a monolauge, memorize it, and perform it for the class.  This is what I came up with.  Let me give you a little bit of a background:  This scene is about a young girl who tried to kill her self.  She's not your average suicide victim.  She seems to happy-go-lucky to be in a situation like this.   Now she's in a mental health facility   This scene takes place during a group meeting where the patients are taking turns voicing what they would like to see improved around the facility.

"Me?  Oh, okay.  Umm… Hi.  My name is Cassie Young.  I’m 19 years old.  As you all know I tried to kill myself.  Yeah, didn’t work.  I’ve been here for about 6 months.  And it’s been a great 6 months.  I’ve met a lot of new people.  I made some new friends; kind of.  So, list five things I think could be improved around here?   

1.  Our medication.  Totally killing the taste buds.  So… I was wondering if we could replace them with something that tastes a little better.  Maybe, umm… Like Flintstone Vitamins.  I’m sure everyone would love those.  Just an idea.  Okay. 

 2. These uniforms.  They’re really really ugly.  No offense to the designer.  I know everyone is an artist in their own way, but come on!  Could we at least have a color other then white?  ‘Cause it’s really depressing.  And I don’t like being depressed...  OBVIOUSLY! 

3.  Actually, can I make number 3 a question?  Okay.  What is a lab-otto-me?  …   That’s okay, I’ll just skip to number 4.  Is there anything we can do about the big stain on the wall in the rec room?  ‘Cause it’s kind of gross.  Although it is fun to stair at when there is nothing to do.  When you look at it really closely you can see two bunnies playing leap frog.   

And number 5. … Crap.  I forgot.  I hate that." 

  It's not that great, but I did have a lot of fun writing  and performing it! :D

PIECE OF MIND

 

     It's finally here!!!!  L.A.'s FIRST Halloween convention!  And it's this weekend!  If you live in the Los Angeles area, and are a huge Halloween fan (like my self) you need to go to this!!!  Vendors, classes, COSTUMES, everything you need to get ready for the Halloween season!  It's going to be amazing!  All the information you need you can find here:http://scarela.com/

    

     DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT Queenie's Pocket Full of Pozies booth!  She will be vending both days!  Make sure you stop by and say hi to Queenie and Hideousboi.  They are both amazing people with amazing talent!

Location:

1933 South Broadway

Los Angeles, CA 90007

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Most photos found through Google search.  I do not own, nor take credit for any of them. (Accept for my personal photos)  If you choose to try/replicate anything I do/suggest on my blog it is your doing.  I can not/will not take any responsibility for injury caused by diet, exercise, cooking, or anything else you choose to try from my blog.  They are suggestions and suggestions only.

 

Quick and to the Point

"And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not: " -  1 Samuel 20:14

     I'm going to make this week's post pretty simple and quick, yet useful! :D

 

FOOD

     I was at Sprout's the other day and I came across this little box.  It's called GoPicnic.  It's a gluten-free on the go snack.  These would be great for a road trip, a quick snack at work, or anywhere you need a little pick me up!  The only down side about these is that they are a little high in Carbohydrate.  But as long you don't eat them everyday for every meal, this is a good thing to have in your pantry.

FITNESS

     If you're getting tired of your same old work out, try getting online and finding some fun fitness challenges.  There are tons of them that really kick you butt!  And if you can keep with them, they'll bring you some awesome results!!

WRITING/LITERATURE

 

     So, I just wrote a Halloween poem about a Which!  I don't want to post it quite yet because it's only August 2nd, but keep tuned!  I hope everybody likes it! :-)

PIECE OF MIND

 

     Kindness.  It's a pretty simple concept, and most everyone has this quality.  Especially me.  Now, I'm not saying this to try and brag about my self and say I'm the most kind of them all.  I'm saying it because most of the time my kindness has screwed more times than not.  I'm not saying stop being kind to people, but be careful who you're kind too.  Most people don't appreciate your efforts and take advantage of you!  Personally, I've become a huge push over because I constantly try to help people out who don't give me anything in return.  Moral of the story, guard your kindness like your heart!  Only give it to those who've earned it, appreciate it, and deserve it.  Otherwise, don't waste your time! 


<3<3<3<3

 





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Most photos found through Google search.  I do not own, nor take credit for any of them. (Accept for my personal photos)  If you choose to try/replicate anything I do/suggest on my blog it is your doing.  I can not/will not take any responsibility for injury caused by diet, exercise, cooking, or anything else you choose to try from my blog.  They are suggestions and suggestions only.

Out of Whack, But Back on Track!

"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." -    Romans 10:10


     This week I was completely out of whack, but I wanted to make sure I posted something this week.  I don't want to make a habit out of skipping posts just because I'm not 100%.

 FOOD

     I've been making my husband's lunch to take with him to work recently, and I've been making him lemon herb chicken quite a bit.  My husband is not an easy man to please when it comes to what he eats, but this chicken was really a hit with him.  So I've been making it at least 3 times a week for him, and he loves it!

     Now I've made this with boneless, skinless chicken breast, and bone in thighs.  If you make chicken with the bone in it stays moist and just tastes better, but it does take longer to cook.  So keep that in mind when cooking chicken with the bone in.  And instead of recipe poaching off of Pinterest, ha ha, I actually came up with this recipe all on my own!  I know, shocking!

Butter Herb Chicken 

Ingredients:

Chicken Breast/Thigh

Olive Oil

Garlic Herb Butter

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder

Italian Seasoning

Pre-heat your oven to 350

Cover a cookie sheet with foil, and set aside.  

Pour about 2 tblsp of olive oil (I usually just eyeball it) in medium size pan, and heat on medium heat.

Once the pan is heated, place chicken skin side up.  Season skin with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and italian seasoning.

Once seasoned, flip immediately and season other side.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes

After 5 minutes, flip and place a slice of herb butter on each piece of chicken, then cover and cook for another 5 minutes

After 5 minutes, repeat last step, and cook 3 to 5 minutes checking the chicken periodically.  Make sure not to over cook the outside like I did >__< we still need to put them in the oven

When outside is golden brown, place on cookie sheet and put in the oven for 20 minutes.

 

 

After 20 minutes, check the chicken by slicing the thickest part.  If there's any pink, it's not finished.  Place a couple more slices of the herb butter under the skin (if using chicken with skin, otherwise, place on top) and depending on how pink the chicken is, put back in the oven for 5 to 10 more minutes.

And you're done!  Serve with your favorite steamed veggie, or brown rice, or what ever you think would pare well with it!  Enjoy!

FITNESS

     These last couple weeks I have really been dropping the ball on my fitness.  And let me tell you, I've become a little depressed.  I haven't been able to get to the gym because my back has been giving me a lot of trouble.  And on top of that, I've practically been eating anything I want, which isn't good at all!  So, I'm expecting to gain about 5lbs by next week.  So why am I using my blog as a confessional?  Because I want to make sure everyone can see that even if you stop your progress, or even go backwards like me, it doesn't mean you've failed!  Every journey has it's struggles, and getting fit is a very difficult one.  It's good to keep your self accountable, but it's unhealthy to put your self down and make your self depressed like I have.  Use me as a BAD example!  When I go more than 3 days with out exercise, I already feel like I failed.  But you're only a failure if you give up!  If you fall, get back up, brush your self off, and keep going!  No matter how slow your pace is!

WRITING/LITERATURE

     My aunt recently published her first novel called Moonshine.  Here's a quick summary.

Tossed in a game of treasure, murder and the game between two me to reach the treasure first. Mica, who had dreamed of traveling and meeting new people, found that her dream was far from what she thought it would be. First kidnapped and then falling in to the hunt for the treasure. Her sister not far behind and her father is the designer of the game.

     Check it out, it's a great story!  You can find it here on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Moonshine-ebook/dp/B00DW4RYBY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374789043&sr=1-1&keywords=Moonshine+by+Lillianna+Saenz

PIECE OF MIND

      "Books are the stepping stones to knowlage!"

     Now, as cheesy as that sounds, it's 100% true.  My father always told me, you can learn anything you need to now out of a book.  You don't to spend thousands or even hundreds of thousands for someone to teach you something that you can teach your self practically for free.  

     I do believe I've mentioned my opinion on schooling before.  And like I said then, I'm not against learning, I'm against learning under terms and rules I have to pay for.  Unfortunately, most careers require some kind of degree.  So go to school, do the work they want to see, but learn under your own terms and rules!  Don't let schools take away your right to learn your way. 

<3<3<3<3

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Most photos found through Google search.  I do not own, nor take credit for any of them. (Accept for my personal photos)  If you choose to try/replicate anything I do/suggest on my blog it is your doing.  I can not/will not take any responsibility for injury caused by diet, exercise, cooking, or anything else you choose to try from my blog.  They are suggestions and suggestions only.