*I'm an RP athlete, and an ambassador for Renaissance Periodization. At no additional cost to you (just savings!), I receive a small commission if anything is purchased. All comments are 100% my own, and I personally purchase this product on a monthly basis, so I know you're going to love it! For additional information, you can always read additional terms here. 

Hi family and friends! 👋

I'm so excited to announce that I've joined Renaissance Periodization as one of their ambassadors, better known as RP! So many of you have followed my journey and recent success and have asked how I did it. I've pretty much been talking about RP non-stop since, so you can imagine this is truly a dream come true! I think there's so many individuals this system and lifestyle could work for, so I wanted to provide a high-level overview of what the pocket diet app can do incase you've been contemplating trying it too!

A LITTLE ABOUT ME

I think it's so important to hear from a busy wife and toddler mom of two, one that does CrossFit on her lunch break, has a corporate career that keeps her busy and still has success with this program. Am I ripped like a lot of the RP individuals who live and breathe athletics and performance? No. I go to the gym for my own personal sanity, to stay fit, to build strength and better my performance. But I'm also guessing if you're reading this, you're probably more like me. Trying to get a work out in when you can, not sleeping as much as you'd like (because well, toddlers), stress over the meeting to come the following week... life is crazy, and that's why having one tool that adjusts your nutrients/macros based on your fitness goals, schedule, weigh-ins and lifestyle keeps me on track with taking care of myself (so I can take care of everyone else).

There's a million dieting options out there, and I believe as long as you are following their specific guidelines you'll probably be successful. I partnered with RP (Renaissance Periodization), because this is the best plan for me. When I decided to come back to RP from their template days (which are still available and widely used if this works better for you!), I did a few things. I read their latest digital eBook front to back to educate me on their scientific methods and strategies, and sat down and contemplated whether I needed a coach. Because a dedicated coach is expensive, I decided to drill down on the new app they created, as it was targeted as a "diet coach in your pocket." The promotion starting price to use the app was much more affordable, so I decided to try it for six months to see if it was something I could be successful using. My life has changed so much since, so I'm so glad that I did!

THE RP DIET APP

What the app can do:

Plans Your Meals

The RP Diet App tells you the macros for your upcoming week's meals and you get to choose your favorite foods that fit. You can also make meal prep easier with the auto-generated grocery list feature.

(I still eat what I want, and they portion it out appropriately based off my goals.)

Keeps you Accountable with Alerts

There's notifications on what, how much and when to eat based on what you inputed. The app also reminds you to weigh-in so that the app and you can track and review your progress.

(There's reminders for my meals and weigh ins so I never miss a check-in.)

Adapts to Your Life and Goals

Every body is different, and what it needs throughout your specific fitness journey can change. This is why the app will review your progress every week and will give you the option to adjust your diet if you need to.

(You can update if you don't work out for the day, body type changes, decide to move to maintenance early, etc.)

Gives You Total Control

The app guides you, but you actually have complete control- starting with your fitness goal to whether or not you want to tweak you diet based on their weekly recommendations.

(I always have the option to stay on track, or maybe if I was off for the week and want to try that week over again- it's completely up to me!)

The RP Diet App is the simplest most effective way to plan and track your food, so if you're at all interested, I encourage you to give it a try! You can't really tell just how amazing the app is until you test it out for a couple of weeks and see just how capable you are at losing stubborn body fat. I surprised myself and I'm sure you will too! 😀

To read my top seven tips for completing your first fat loss phase (and to view pictures of my success), click here.

HOW TO PURCHASE

I'm excited to provide you the same introductory price that I received when I first joined!

To give it a try, you can use the link below to get your first six months for $9.99 (going back to the regular price of $14.99 after the promotional period).

rp.app/code/jericka

To purchase eBooks, apparel, cookbooks and more on their website, use discount code JERICKA for 10% off at checkout!

If you're already using the app, make sure to add JERICKA in as a referral code to receive upcoming special discounts not available to non-referral code users.

I hope this post was helpful! Feel free to comment below if you have any questions and I'll get back to you as quick as I can. 

Have a wonderful day!

 *I'm an RP athlete, and an ambassador for Renaissance Periodization. At no additional cost to you (just savings!), I receive a small commission if anything is purchased. All comments are 100% my own, and I personally purchase this product on a monthly basis, so I know you're going to love it! For additional information, you can always read additional terms here. 

 *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!

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. 

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

LOOKING INTO FEBRUARY

 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:

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!

 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! 

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!

 Hi family and friends! 👋

I wanted to do a quick share on three of the simple tips I use to try and stay on track with my eating (two actual tips, one more of a splurge tip- all three good!). Although they seem small, these little habits put into a routine of practice do have a direct result on my overall goals. I'm sharing them with you today because it could either help you stay on track with your goals or inspire you to come up with your own.

1. Try to Use a Small Plate

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen me share this recently. RP Strength reposted my post on their page too, so you may have seen it twice!

I generally always use a small plate and/or bowl for my meals. Yes, my food is falling off the sides and doesn't always fit well, but it makes my brain *think* that I'm eating more with a full plate. It's amazing what you can train your mind into thinking! I always feel like I'm having a lot, and 9/10 my food does all fit onto the smaller version. I track my food, but if I didn't, my portion size would be more exact with a small plate vs using a normal size plate, so there's not too many situations where I would need to adjust to a different size.

2. Salad Dressing on Your Fork, Not Your Food

I personally don't use dressing on a salad often, maybe blue cheese with a steak salad once or twice a year. I just prefer a lemon squeeze or avocado if I'm making my burrito bowl with lettuce. However, this could also be incorporated with pizza and other things you use dressing with (which is where I get on board most often!). 

We can still be friends if you don't eat your pizza with a fork too, that's totally okay! 

Steps:

• Dip the fork into the dressing
• Stab the fork into your food
• Eat
• Repeat  

When you're finished, take a look at how much dressing is still in the ramekin. Then think about how all of that could be stuck to a lettuce leaf and consumed if you mixed it in. You still taste the dressing, but consume so much less! I highly encourage you to try this at least once. I bet it becomes one of your favorite tips moving forward as well.

3. Sugar Free Jello and Fat Free Whip

We all have cravings. You're human, and it's going to happen. I look at myself as a very disciplined individual, but even I give in at times. This is completely normal and should be 100% expected. If you're looking for a sweet treat that won't do damage to your bottom line, sugar free Jello and fat free whip is amazing!  

Example:

(Servings per container is 8)

Amount Per Serving:

Calories 10

Protein 1g

Fat 0g

Carbs 0g

What I'm saying here is you could ultimately pig out on the entire bowl and be at 80 calories.. and you're going to feel like you ate a ton at the same time. For those moments and/or days this is truly needed, you're welcome for this one! 

That's it for now! :) 

I hope this post was helpful. The best way to say thank you is to share, comment or pin any of the photos in this post. I appreciate you all so much. Have a wonderful weekend!

Feel free to check out meal posts by clicking here

 *This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you). Read my full disclosure policy here.

I see a lot of people wanting to use casein protein powder as a late night meal option, but they aren't really sure the best way to prepare it. So, I did some research to find out why casein is so beneficial and put together some of the ways I'm seeing people rave about it!

WHAT IS CASEIN?

Casein is a type of protein, most often found in milk and is an essential ingredient in cheese.

WHY DO PEOPLE USE IT AT NIGHT?

Casein is slow digesting, so people often take it before bed to help with recovery and to reduce muscle breakdown while they sleep. A lot of times people view it as a way to gain muscle while you sleep.

I personally like casein because it's light and keeps me full throughout the night. I also use chocolate casein, so it helps with my sweet tooth and cravings. (My favorite casein recipe is listed below.)

CASEIN BENEFITS

• Contributes to Muscle Growth and Retention
• Aids in Recovery after exercise
• Slow Digesting
• Greater Fat Loss
• Reduces Cravings
• Improved Performance
• Contains Essential Amino Acids

WHAT IS THE SIMPLEST WAY TO DIGEST IT?

I've tried many casein recipes, and the simplest/most easiest way to consume casein is to make a shake! 

Depending on my macros, here's how I make mine:

Casein Milkshake

• Casein Protein
• Vanilla Almond Milk
• Peanut Butter (can do a chocolate/peanut butter casein if macros are tight)
• Banana (generally only get a little, but it makes a big difference)
• 100% Cocoa Powder (for a little more chocolate) 
• (Have additional macros available? Try sugar free whip or sugar free chocolate sauce on top!)

I just throw it all in a blender, and wa-la! So simple, and incredibly delicious! I use chocolate casein, so this helps with my sweet tooth (and wanting to eat it ALL) at night.

WHAT ARE THE BEST CASEIN RECIPES?

Below are some of the creative ways I see others preparing casein outside the usual bedtime shake! Most of the casein is a full scoop, and water is just enough for consistency. The rest can really be altered to your macros allotted! Plug it into what you have available for proteins, fat and carbs to see if you can create your perfect combination. I'd love for you to share in the comments below or tag me on @dumbbellsnotblonde if you found the perfect casein recipe match.

Casein Waffle

•     Casein
•     Egg Whites
•     Water
•     Sprinkle Baking Powder
•     Peanut Butter
•     (Have extra macros available? Add sugar free pudding or syrup to the mix!)

Casein Ice Cream

•     Two bananas (cut in chunks/freeze)
•     Blend with 2 1/2 scoops casein
•     Add a little almond milk 
•     (Extra macros available? Add sugar free pudding or syrup to the mix!)

Casein Mug Cake

•     Scoop of casein protein powder
•     Peanut Butter
•     1 whole egg
•     Water
•     Mix without water with a fork, add a little water and continue mixing until it's a sticky texture
•     Microwave for 90 seconds
•     (Have extra macros available? Add fat free whip cream on top!)

Casein Cookies

•     20g Casein
•     2 1/2 Peanut Butter or creamy honey almond butter type spread
•     1 tsp Baking Powder 
•     1.25 tbs Water
•     Mix Casein and Baking Powder first
•     Add Butter
•     Add water and mix
•     Add chocolate chips
•     Roll into balls/press down a bit to make them more cookie like
•     Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes

Casein Pancakes

•     Casein Protein Powder
•     Egg Whites
•     3 tbsp Water
•     Peanut Butter
•     Whisk eggs and water, then add powder and peanut butter. Medium heat on the pan, and flatten them down a bit. Flip when ready. 
•     (Have extra macros available? Add fruit or your favorite fat free whip on top!)

Casein Brownie

•     1 Scoop Chocolate Casein
•     1/2 tsp Baking Powder
•     Add water until brownie batter consistency
•     Microwave 3-5 times in 30 second intervals
•     (Have extra macros? Top with Peanut Butter or your favorite sugar free whip on top!)

Casein Pumpkin Pie

•     Cinammon Bun Casein
•     Canned Pumpkin Cinnamon & Pumpkin Pie Spice 
•     Add water to make like a thick pudding
•     Refrigerate for two hours   
  
•     (Have extra macros? Add a little sugar free whip on top!)

I hope this helps with a general casein understanding and provides some inspiration for your first (or next!) bedtime meal. If you find just the right concoction, please share in the comments below or tag me on Instagram @dumbbellsnotblonde. I'd love to try your creation. :)

If you haven't tried casein just yet, are you going to be adding it into your bedtime routine? I want to know, so make sure to comment!

*This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you). Read my full disclosure policy here. 

Hi friends!

I'm super excited to share this one with you today, as it's one of three recipes that I actually typed and printed for our kitchen. We make it every time someone comes to visit and spends the night at our house. Although not healthy, you'll definitely be thanking me for this one. It's SO GOOD!

THE BEST FRENCH TOAST RECIPE

RECIPE

4 Eggs

1 Cup Whipping Cream

2 Thick Slices of Bread, cut into 3 Strips

Powdered Sugar

Maple Syrup

NOTES

Step 1

Place a little oil in the skillet. Beat eggs, cream and pinch of salt. Dip bread into batter and allow batter to soak in. Fry bread in skillet until brown, turn and fry on the other side.

Step 2

Transfer to cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for about four minutes or until puffed.

Step 3

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup.

TIP: To make it healthier, you can use a low calorie bread and sugar free syrup!

PIN ME FOR LATER

I hope you love this French toast recipe as much as we do! When you try it out, I'd love for you to comment below to tell me what you thought. You can also tag me on Instagram @dumbbellsnotblonde.

The best compliment to say thank you for my post is to comment, share or pin! Thanks again for stopping by! 

View more meals here.

 *This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. This means that I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase through a link. Read my full disclaimer here.

Have you ever wondered what goes into building a home gym?

The answer is ambiguous of course, but if you were like I was a little less than a year ago.. I knew some of the key pieces of equipment I wanted to have initially, but had no idea how the space was going to look and what my initial budget would actually cover. If you're sitting there scratching your head on where to start, I'd love to show you what I did below if you want to pull any ideas or inspiration from my recent experience!

Why I Built a Small Home Gym

I have always wanted a home gym for as long as I can remember! There's just those days that you can't make it across town, you have a sick child or other reasons where it's just nice to jump into the garage and get some movement in. 

Now my dream gym is a full room with weightlifting and cardio equipment, motivational posters, big TV. My list could probably go on and on. However, that's not what I'm working with over here, so for now those dreams will live on Pinterest. 

Let me walk you through my small yet functional home gym, as it's complete (for now). 😉

Assessing The Space

I'm going to be honest, I have a three car garage. We do have space. The left side of our garage is a DeWalt factory. Lol. We have a tool bench, other tables, tools, etc. We also have custom cabinets. That literally takes up a full car area. The middle of the garage is open, right now for the kids to run their bikes around, and where their bikes and wagons live. We also have a two person stroller that also takes up a ton of space. We put them all in the middle, and the kids make a track around them. Custom cabinets line the back of the garage. That leaves us with the right side! We used to have a standup bike rack, which was space saving but wasn't getting a lot of use. We also have ladders and storage on the right side. In such a huge space, this seemed like the best place to add my home gym. We put the bikes in the shed and started measuring.

Like I said, my dream setup against this wall would look something like a Bay Club or Equinox Gym in a smaller version, but I knew I didn't have space for that. So, I had to figure out two things: How to use the least amount of space but still have a fully functional home gym and figure out what equipment to purchase initially.

How to use the least amount of space but still have a fully functional home gym

I initially was looking at something that mounted to the wall. This would allow it to be pushed against the wall at any given time and would allow for both cars to fit in the garage if need be. Makes sense, but it didn't really allow for any progression or growth. If my goal is to do a muscle up, I'm going to eventually hit the wall with my feet if it's that close. My tip for you when accessing your space: make sure to plan for future goals and usage so you don't outgrow your space. For us, it was purchasing something like the wall unit, but could be placed farther from the wall if need be (and ours already is). My husband just got his first muscle up last week, so already we purchased the right equipment for our lifestyle and fitness goals.

Once I chose the space saving half rack, it was time to check the rest of the space to see how it would all fit. We put two horse stall mats right in the center and measured where the half rack would sit, which ended up on the right side and mat. Since it's been less than a year since purchasing it all, that's where we're still at today.

What equipment to purchase initially

Now for the fun stuff! I had a few lists going at first. I started with everything I initially wanted (it's fun to dream, right?), and then reviewed the basic pieces I would need initially. For me, my initial list I ended up purchasing was this:

(I linked these items to give you an idea of what they all are. Some of them I personally own, some I own different brands of.)

- Floor Mats

- Rack 

- Barbell

- Clips

- Initial starting bumper plates

- Storage for weights

- Storage for bar

- Dumbbells 5lb, 10lb, 20lb

- Kettlebell

- Box

- Wall Ball

- Gymnastic Rings

- Dream Item: Echo GHD

I also knew I needed:

- Booty Bands

- Bands

- Gym Chalk

- Hand Grips (I have the orange/black two hole version in size small)

- Squat Pad 

What's nice about all of these items, is that most of them are compact and can be moved around easily. Since they all fit in the space well and can be moved/put away, I don't feel like it's too crowded at all. Of course, I have the middle of the garage to work with if need be, but generally I can do burpees under the rack, and box jumps on the side. I actually feel like the space works out really well. It feels good to have a small space that's still completely functional for fitness.

Is a home gym ever really complete?

If you've ever made a home gym because you're "trying to save money", you'll know that this doesn't work out. Eventually, you have to just stop. There's always something else you "need" for your home gym. In the future I would LOVE a rower, assault bike, additional weight, timer, whiteboard, etc. Like I said, there's always something. However, I'm really enjoying having a space along with the functionality we still have in the garage. So for now, all the cardio will have to be taken outside on the pavement (although I'm currently eyeing this option that would turn my bike into a machine: Sportneer Bike Trainer Stand).

Hopefully this helps if you're looking to build a similar small gym in an area of your own home. I can say that it was totally worth it, and I love that it's open 24/7- no excuses. Feel free to reach out or comment if I can help with any questions! 

*This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. This means that I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase through a link. Read my full disclaimer here.

Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Game Day Bites

Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Game Day Bites Recipe Inspiration

Who doesn't love frozen bananas with peanut butter and chocolate?! I will admit, this is a trio that I could eat every single day. (Chocolate Peanut Butter Casein with a banana thrown in is also my favorite bedtime shake, which is just a healthier liquid version.) Since game day usually requires an abundance of chips and dip, soda, pizza... and really anything else that you eat too much of, I decided to find a healthier alternative that still allowed me to participate in the food festivities. This one didn't disappoint, so I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Game Day Bites Ingredients

• Banana
• nuts'n more toffee crunch
• Chocolate
• Frosting

Ingredients Notes

Recipe Equipment

Pin Me for Later!

Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Game Day Bites

EQUIPMENT

NOTES

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!