My Specific Workout Routine!

Attention Ladies! This is for you! Working out. It's a commitment. Sometimes daunting, almost always tiring, and hard to get into, but once you're in it, you'll be on the high rise to getting fit.

I've been to the new Lifetime Fitness gym here in Austin a few times. Two of those times, I've been approached by a couple different women ranging from ages (approx) 25-40 years old. They all have asked me the same thing: What do you do to stay fit?

My answer: Oh, I come here... & work out? I was a little confused, but after a few minutes of chatting, I realized they wanted a little more information than that. They wanted a routine of my workout each time I go to the gym. So, I've decided to share it with y'all. Here it is.

Sidenote: I'm no Kerri Walsh, Michael Phelps, or Shawn Johnson with olympic muscles and a rear-end made of titanium. However, I must always be in shape and the minute something starts slacking or my reps start getting harder and harder to complete, I'm back in the gym full-force. So here we go. 

Noemi's Lifetime Workout: How To Get A Nice ... Body

Warming up:

• Stretches (touch your toes, criss-cross applesauce and knees to the ground, calf muscle stretch, one leg behind you & the other leg bent in front of you into half splits, the actual splits, hamstring stretch)
• Side-stitch stretches (I like to use these to stretch before I get side-stitches. Definitely helps)
• Jog in place 2 minutes

The Workout: (3 reps of this list)

• 25 jumping jacks
• 30 burpees
• 25 High-knees to elbow skip in place (touch your knee to your elbow and hop on the foot once in-between switching legs)
• 15 Booty Bounces (legs shoulder width apart and squat, step back and squat, return to legs width apart and squat= 1 time) *funny name, I know; but that's what I call it.
• 1 minute plank while touching your knee to your elbow; alternating legs
• 10 push-ups
• 15 sit-ups
• 5 hand-stand push-ups IF you are feeling up to it. I've been working on this for the longest time and am just now getting the hang of it, so if you can't get into a handstand, I recommend practicing up against a wall first. :) 

Cool down: 

• Lay on back, bend one leg and fold over straight leg for quad/butt stretch- repeat on both sides
• Criss-cross applesauce and push knees to the floor as far as they can go
• Fold over and touch your toes while sitting down
• Go into the splits and touch you toes from side to side
• Then, lay on your stomach for a minute or two. Trust me, this will feel great. haha.

These are difficult, but remember any of the elements can be altered to fit your needs and your skill level! Some of you may be able to do this with no burn at all, so challenge yourself and 'up' the times/reps you do it. Trust me, time after time, I'm sore. This works!

P.S. Make sure you have some really good music playing with this workout. Try some Cascada... If you're not in for the techno type music, get your body pumping with a good beat and a lot of water. You're going to need it!

Best wishes on your future workouts y'all. Don't overwork yourself, and also don't be lazy! Find the median!!

XOXO

P.S. Here's some picture inspiration for y'all.

Tragedy turned Miracle. Car Accident Updates.

As most of you know, my mom and sister where involved in a two-lane, high-speed, head-on collision here in Goodyear, Arizona.  First of all, I would like to say that they are doing 'ok'; in pain, bruised, scraped, unable to walk fluidly (my mom is having the most difficulty with this) and swollen, but they are alive, and I am we are ALL more than thankful for their return home from the hospital. My mom had a horrible day today and I hope that the intense pain she is in will cease soon and this accident can be a distant remembrance of the past.

I would never wish 'bad' on the man who is responsible for my family's pain... However, I am more than disgusted with him... He not only caused this horrific accident that could've left my mother and sister in a state which we all can assume, but he was also under the influence with a 2.49% bal (blood alcohol level)... Way above the legal limit- nevertheless to say, he was operating a vehicle.  I've decided to post a few pictures of our vehicle... The aftermath makes my body ache.

The vehicle they were driving saved their lives- top in its safety & crash ratings... Yes, the Mercedes is totaled, and my family is deeply saddened that this has occurred, but all-in-all, we are truly grateful to hold one another, talk to one another, and comfort one another.

You wouldn't believe all of the thoughts running through my mind as I sat on the SWA Flight from Austin to Phoenix. A drunken man? Head-on collision? My mom? My sister? How could this happen? Are they OK?

After the collision occurred, my mom and sister were rushed immediately by ambulance to the Trauma Center here in Phoenix. The driver of the vehicle (an illegal immigrant, may I add) that caused the accident was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit by Helicopter.  

Destroyed...

To those of you who get behind the wheel with even the slightest amount of alcohol in your system, please rethink that. The pain and suffering that was caused due to a careless mistake is avoidable if you think about the consequences of your actions.  The outcome of this accident could have been very different, and to think that this happened to my family just opened my eyes... This can happen to me, you, anyone. It isn't uncommon. 

This was a tragedy that turned into a miracle. Someone was watching over us, and this November, and always, I am more than truly grateful to have my family in my life. 

Please, I see the pain both my sister and mother are in, and I'd like to say just one last thing... 

Is a moment of 'bliss', drunkenness, 'happiness' and stupidity worth a lifetime of regret?  Please don't drink and drive...

It's just not worth it.

I wanted to thank all of you who have reached out to us and prayed for their safety and well-being. My boyfriend, Ryan, has been a tremendous support system for me all the way from Austin, and I couldn't be more grateful for such an amazing man.  

Dear friends and family, we are so blessed to have received the amount of love and prayer for the recovery of my mom and sister. Thank you so much! I know my mom wishes she could personally let every one of you know how she is and thank you all for your kindness, but her current condition doesn't allot for that quite yet.  

I hope this message finds you all in good health. We will keep you updated with their recovery. 

Noemi

#xoxo

No-bake Truffles Recipe!

Who said YOU can't eat cake for breakfast? This is for you guys; the sweet-tooths! The recipe for no-bake, cake balls, truffles, modge balls, whatever you want to call it. It's here. For you! 

Many of the sites you'll find out there have this recipe without milk... Problem with that: It's too sticky. The milk helps to break down that "cake batter sticky texture".  Ryan thinks my 'altered' recipe (below) is brilliant! 

Looks amazing, right?

Here's what you'll need: 

The cake truffle:

• 1 cup of yellow cake batter
• 1 tablespoon of Vanilla Extract
• 1 stick of butter (half a cup)
• Pinch of salt (and I mean pinch)
• 1½ cups of flour
• ½ cup of flour
• 4 tablespoons of milk
• 3 tablespoons of Sprinkles
• Parchment Paper 

The coating:

• 4 tablespoons of yellow cake mix
• Almond Bark (Vanilla Bark, White Wilton Candy Melts, it's all the same thing)
• Sprinkles
• Parchment Paper

Here's how to do it: 

Melt your butter and pour in ½ a cup of sugar into the bowl. Mix it all up. Well. 

Mix in your cup of yellow cake mix, 1½ cups of flour, pinch of salt, tablespoon of Vanilla Extract, and milk. Mix it all up.

*You have no idea how difficult it was to get that vanilla extract picture. Didn't want to 'over-pour' the vanilla and end up with too much, but also wanted an awesome picture. Indulge in it guys. My hard work for show. haha.

Take your Sprinkles and throw them into the dough mix. Combine.

Roll the dough into 1-inch bite sized balls... and freeze for 15 minutes on parchment paper.

While those are 'freezing', make the coating! 

For this, all you need to do is melt 8 cubes of almond bark in a bowl in 30 second increments until fully melted. Then add in 4 tablespoons of yellow cake mix! Coat the truffles using a fork, add some Sprinkles on top, & put them back onto the parchment paper and stick them in the refrigerator until ready to serve!

Why not eat some 'cake' for breakfast?

#cakeforbreakfast #noemi #xoxo

Enjoy!

DIY Glitter Pumpkin Candle Holder!

It's a DIY ladies under $5! What can you do with those tea lights for this Holiday Season? Purchase a $30 Scentsy holder? I think not! You can make your own Glitter Pumpkin Candle Holder for a fraction of the cost. I'm excited to share with you how!

Things you'll need: 

• 1 styrofoam pumpkin
• Fine glitter (I used gold fine glitter with specs of green and orange)
• Elmers clear liquid glue
• Knife or blade 
• Pen (there is a Sharpie in the picture but I ended up using a ballpoint pen)
• Tea light candle with metal or plastic surrounding the actual candle

* Everything was bought at Hobby Lobby 

Here is how you do it!

Start off by removing the "stem" from the styrofoam pumpkin. Usually these just twist off.

Tip your tea light upside down and trace around the circle. You'll be cutting on this line so make sure it's visible. 

Take your knife or blade and carefully carve on the line you just drew. Scrape out the inside as well so everything is level. You don't want a lopsided tea light spilling the wax into the pumpkin. 

Also, you want to continuously check the depth of the hole you're making so it's not too deep.  You want the top of the tea light to sit leveled with the top of the pumpkin. 

Checkin' the fit of the tea light! 

& look at all of that snow!

... 

(not)

Take your Elmers Glue and coat each individual panel with glue, spread it with your finger and coat the surface with glitter... generously!

* I prefer to use my fingers to spread the glue so I can be sure that the glue has been spread evenly on each individual panel of the pumpkin. For those of you who don't like to get your nails "glue-y", you can use a bristled paint brush. 

Go back over any "rough" spots that don't have enough glitter and then let it dry! (without the tea light inside). 

Once it's finished, put your tea light in, cook up some Pumpkin Pancakes with your significant other, turn off the lights, sip on a Pumpkin Spice Latte (OK, you get it), and light the candle! 

I hope you enjoyed this DIY Tutorial! PIN this to your Pinterest account ladies! You'll definitely want this one saved! 

#Noemi

Country Crack!! ... HUH?

Great name, right? It's not what you think.

...

Unless you thought it was a dip??

...

The kind you eat.

.... Oh man. 

Anyways, this delicious, spicy-kick dip is to die for. My man absolutely loves it. In fact, we nearly finished this dip in one sitting. haha. Let's get straight to the dip. Literally.  

RECIPE FOR COUNTRY CRACK

Here is your cast:
- 1 cup of Mayo
- 1 cup of Sour Cream
- 1 Fresh Ripe Tomato
- 1 cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese (not pictured)
- 6 or 7 slivers (slices) of a Jalapino.
- 3 green onions
- 1/2 of a can of hot Rotel
- 2 cans of Mexicorn or any Southwestern Style Corn

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Drain liquid from cans BEFORE pouring into main bowl. You don't want water country crack. Unless you do?

hah.

Pour two cans of the corn into a bowl.

Add in half of a can of Hot Rotel.

Chop up about three green onions and add it to the mixture.

Chop up one ripe tomato.

Throw it into the same bowl.

I don't know why I added jalapinos because the Rotel makes it spicy enough, but Ryan and I both wanted that extra kick; SO, I added about 6 slices of a jalapino.

Dumb, right? Oh well. Chop 'em up and add them in.

Add in your 1 cup of sour cream.

Add in your one cup of Mayo Ayo! Okay, there's no Ayo after Mayo. It just rhymed. Mayonnaise.

Mix it up, add in a cup of shredded cheddar cheese and you have yourself one amazing dip!! Pair this with Baby-Back Ribs or Steak and Mashed Potatoes & he will love you forever ;) He'll love you anyways. haha. At least mine does...

...

Anyways. Eat the dip with Mission Tortilla Rounds. That's our favorite! 

And that's Country Crack for ya. 

Enjoy!

#noemihermling

xoxo