Tag: apple watch

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #89

Hello All!

Happy Friday! I hope you are having a great day as we gear up for what’s hopefully a spring-like weekend. I’m seeing more and more signs of warmer weather which makes me extra giddy for April and May and everything that comes with it.

I have some exciting weekend plans with friends that I’m looking forward to and a fun date night, in other words, let the weekend begin!

Before we get to the fun, I want to share some of the things I’m loving this week as I link up with with  Erika and Andrea for another edition of Friday Favorites.

Simplified Launch Day-It was launch week over at Simplified. They had their cover reveal last week and they launched their new products on Wednesday. I am in love with their patterns for the new season. I always go for their yearly planner, so I won’t be purchasing mine until the fall. I am a weekly girl through and through and I love how they are going to have a coil as opposed to a bound one. The hardest part is going to be choosing a pattern. Here’s some of the ones I have my eyes on. 

New Leggings– I mentioned last week that I did some browsing at Old Navy and picked up a few items on the clearance rack. One of the things I picked up were these light pink workout leggings. Whenever I head to the gym, I prefer leggings due to shorts, even in the summertime. I also like leggings that have slim pockets in them, so I can put my phone in them when I am out on a run. These leggings checked all the boxes for me. The best part? The can be mixed and matched with tops, and they were on sale! 

Chocolate Covered Orange Sticks- Continuing with my Trader Joe’s haul from last week, I picked up chocolate covered orange sticks to try and they are the perfect treat at the end of the day. I have been enjoying a few of them at night to satisfy my sweet tooth. I love anything covered in chocolate and these are the perfect mix of sweetness without it being too overpowering. I’ll be on the hunt the next time I’m at a Trader Joe’s for any other flavors.

New Apple Watch Band– I’m an Apple watch lover and recently got a new band for my watch from Amazon. I typically wear the same band every day, unless I have a special occasion and I want to dress up my wrist. I got a new lighter blue band which is perfect for spring. It’s also a thinner band too, which I really like since it looks more feminine and not as bulky. It’s always fun to switch things up when you wear them all the time and Amazon always has such a good selection when it comes to inexpensive Apple Watch bands.

Bridgerton New Trailer– The new trailer for season three of Bridgerton dropped this week. I have loved the first two seasons and I can’t wait for season three. From the casting, to the setting and storylines, Bridgerton is the perfect show to escape with. The first set of episodes drops on May 16 and the second set drops on June 13. I can’t wait to learn more about Penelope and her love life this season.

There you have it, keeping it short and sweet this Friday morning (or afternoon) depending on when you are reading. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and are doing something enjoyable and fun!

See you back here on Wednesday!

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #58

Happy Friday friends! We made it through the first full week of September. How was your week? Productive? Relaxing? Getting adjusted into a new routine? No matter how your week went, I hope it is ending on a high note and you have something fun planned for the weekend. If you are a football fan, then I’m sure you are gearing up for a big weekend as the NFL season officially begins! I’m hoping to catch some of the game this weekend.

As we say hello to the weekend, here’s some things that I’ve been loving as I link up with Erika and Andrea for another edition of Friday Favorites!

Cuticle Lotion– I love doing my nails and through the years, I have tried different brands and tools and colors while giving myself my own at-home manicures and pedicures. I have been using this cuticle lotion by Burt’s Bees and have really been loving it. I use a cuticle oil when I don’t have any polish on, and I have been using this lotion on my cuticles as well. Typically, I will change my nail color once a week and on the days when I don’t have any polish on, I will put on the oil in the morning and the lotion at night (or whenever I have time through the day). I like that the lotion isn’t too thick or heavy and I have found that it has strengthened my cuticles. I have used it with polish on but prefer to use it without polish. I only have been using the travel/ sample size and it’s been working well. After I finish the sample size, I will see about investing in the full size, I’ll keep you posted.

Hair Drying Bow– Another beauty product for you this week, I shower at night and try to have my hair fully or mostly dry before bed. I got this hair drying bow and I have been using almost every day. I like how it absorbs the water in my hair after I’m done washing it. There are also essential oils infused in the wrap which leaves my hair smelling good too. Plus, it doubles has a headband which holds my hair back if I’m doing things before bed like reading or watching tv. I think I got this one from Marshall’s or T.J. Maxx, but I have seen ones similar at those stores and Target and Walmart. It’s a fun beauty accessory that has a purpose.

Rice Cakes– I know I am late to the game with this snack item, but I recently discovered Rice Cakes and I have really enjoyed them as a lunch snack. They aren’t super flavorful, so I typically add a spread on top. Since I have been eating them at lunch when I am home, I have been spreading some peanut butter and my homemade strawberry jam on top. It’s the perfect mix of sweet and salty and low calorie too! I know people eat them for breakfast a lot or even as a snack. Since I am new to the rice cake group, tell me, if you are a fan, what do you eat them with? What’s your go-to spread and flavor? I’m open to trying everything!

An easy go-to lunch or snack!

Ear Bud Cleaning Kit– Whether you have Air Pods, Wireless headphones or even regular ear buds, a cleaning kit is a huge help. I got this ear bud cleaning kit a few months back and it has all the tools to clean out headphones, earpieces, even smart watches. There are so many different brushes, fine toothpicks, and other items to really give your headsets a good cleaning. I wear an earpiece for work every day and use some of these tools to clean them out. I have done a thorough cleaning of my Apple Watch and its band and used some of the tools as well. If you use headphones daily, I highly recommend getting a little tool kit to keep things clean. 

A must need for headphones or earbuds!

Sunday Scroll– I mentioned before how I have really been enjoying following some of my favorite bloggers and writers on Substack. It’s a writing platform that has brought me so much joy to read posts from some of my favorite people! Emily Ley recently launched a Sunday Scroll series where she shares some of her favorite books, links, articles, and favorite things. You can learn more here. It only takes a few minutes to read, but it’s been fun to learn new things and find new items. Definitely a light read/ scroll during the weekend.

This week has been a fun one with lots of fun favorites too! I hope you have a great weekend! See you back here on Wednesday!

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #23


Happy Friday friends! I hope you all had a wonderful week. This was a busy, but good week, so I was very happy when the weekend arrived. 

As the colder temperatures settle in, I have been spending more time indoors. I still have been trying to get outdoors for fresh air and exercise, but it can get tricky. This week’s Friday Favorites is a mix of indoor and outdoor fun. Here’s a few things I’m loving this week as I link up with  Erika and Andrea.

Winter Walks– I took advantage of the mild weather last week and got in a two mile walk on a day off. Thankfully, the wind wasn’t too horrible and I bundled up, but it was so good to get in a nice long walk, have good conversations and get an extra workout in. I’m hoping to make it a habit on days with mild winter weather. 

Just Feed Me– I really enjoyed taking up cooking and trying new recipes last year, but have been slipping due to busy schedules. I got Just Feed Me by Jessie James Decker for Christmas and have been loving looking for new recipes to try. I made Jessie’s Chicken Noodle Soup last week and it was so good. I made a big batch with plenty of leftovers for lunches. I’m looking forward to trying more recipes this winter and in the spring and summer too. 

Warm soup for a cold day.

Knives Out: Glass Onion-After seeing lots of previews for Knives Out Glass Onion, I couldn’t wait to watch it. I enjoyed the first movie and really enjoyed the second. I liked the ensemble cast, the surprise cameos and most of all, the mystery of “Who Done It”. There was lots of twists and turns and right when you thought you figured it all out, there was another curveball. 10/10 recommend watching it for your next movie night on Netflix.

The People We Hate at the Wedding– Another movie, but a different genre I enjoyed watching was “The People We Hate at the Wedding”, you can find this on Amazon Prime and it’s the perfect rom-com. This movie follows two siblings and their mother who travel to England for their half-sister’s wedding. There’s a few bumps to get to the big day, but it’s filled with lots of family drama, laughs, love, and the movie wraps with a happy ending. 

Apple Devices Charging Station-I got a new charging station for Christmas and it’s been one of my new favorite things. First, I love that you can charge your phone, watch and airpods (if you have them) all in one spot. My cords would constantly be getting tangled and it’s much more convenient to have everything charging in the area. I also love the white color (it matches my room and is very sleek). Lastly, I appreciate how it doubles as a stand for my phone too. This has been a practical and fun Christmas gift.

That’s just a look into a few things I’m loving this week. I Hope you have a wonderful, winter weekend. See you on Wednesday!

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Fitness

Just Get Moving

Hi everyone!

Happy Wednesday! I hope you are having a great week so far!

I always try to keep things fun and relevant here and mix topics up so there’s something for everyone. 

Today, I’m talking about fitness and working out. Everyone’s fitness journey is different and I’m by no means an expert on fitness or working out or health and nutrition. This is just my views on working out and my fitness journey, so if these tips work for you, great, if they don’t, then maybe you have tips you can share with me.

A bit of background, I started working out consistently in college, I would go five days a week and it would be a mix of weekends and weekdays before classes. I typically did cardio and then free weights or some weight machines.

A look at my workouts in college.

After graduating college, I got into a new gym routine by going five days a week (weekdays) and then trying to move and do something active on the weekends. 

During the weekdays, I typically do strength training and a full body workout at the gym for 45 minutes to an hour.  I do a mix of free weights, core workout and some cardio too.

An example of my workouts now.

My apple watch is a huge help by holding me accountable for moving every day. I’ve talked about my Apple watch in this post here. There’s no better feeling than closing your rings, especially when you are on a streak. Every day, I aim to stand for 12 hours (I typically exceed that), workout for 30 minutes a day (again, I typically hit between 45-60 minutes) and then burn 590 calories a day (I typically hit 600 daily). 

A look at some of my Apple Watch stats. This is from a day I filled in on a morning shift (hence being up for 22 hours)

Another example of my Apple Watch stats. I got a lot of walks in this day.

Besides going to the gym five days a week, I try to get in a long walk or two during the week, these often happen on my weekend (Thursday and Friday) or during the weekend. It’s easy to get in a long walk in the summer and fall, but tricker in the winter. Even when it’s cold, I remind myself, I will feel better after getting some movement in.

Taking walks is always a great stress reliever.
No matter the season, walks are always a good idea

On weekends, I don’t always have time for a long workout or walk, so any movement is good movement for me. I will sometimes do stretching or yoga, or a quick walk, just to get my body moving. On busier days, my goals shift from getting a long or intense workout to just moving and being active or even just closing my rings on my apple watch, haha!

Your fitness journey doesn’t have to be spending two hours in a gym every day or running five miles. I am not a runner; I wish I was but I’m not. But if you want to go on a three-mile walk, I’m game! 

Nothing better than getting in some movement.

Working out doesn’t have to be a competition or a race, what matters is doing what works best for you and feeling good about moving. When I’m feeling overwhelmed or stressed, taking walk to clear my mind or lifting at the gym to start the day, always makes me feel better and it helps me reset. 

Another great day with a long walk and good workout.

It can be hard to get motivated to workout especially when the weather is changing, but even if you carve out a few minutes to do something to move and for you, you may be surprised how good you feel.

Like I said at the beginning, I’m not a health or fitness expert, so I’m just sharing what works for me. I hope this post encourages you to step out of your comfort zone and move a bit today too!

Have a great week!

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Fabulous living

Five Favorite Things

Hello hello! Happy Wednesday! I hope you are week’s are going well. I don’t know about you, but I’m SO ready for spring. We had a 70 degree Sunday last week and it was absolutely beautiful. I got out for a walk with no snow on the ground and got to soak up some sunshine. Even that taste of sunshine has me craving spring even more.

I always love my routines and rhythms, but I always like to try new things. Today I’m sharing five things I’ve been loving. They are a mix of products, snacks, make up, and fun things. 

  • Simplified Wellness Journal (one of my New Year’s resolutions this year was to focus more on my well-being and health and wellness. In addition to working out, I’m putting more emphasis on eating right, getting enough sleep and making sure I’m more well-rounded for my physical and mental health). The Simplified journal helps keep everything organized and help you track your workouts, how much water you drink, what you are eating and how you are taking care of yourself. If you are looking to put wellness first, this is a great resource, but you can easily keep track of your fitness and health goals in a regular notebook or journal.
I use my Wellness Journal every day
And a look at the inside
  • For makeup lovers: Since I wear a lot of makeup for my job, I stick with what I know and what works for me. However, I do like to change it up and try new things. I got this lipstick from Covergirl at Target and I love the dark pink color, It’s long lasting and I love how it goes on.
My new favorite color

  • For snacks: I always like to try different snacks and trail mixes. I saw this smores bark from Target and thought it looked fun and tasty and boy was I correct. I love anything with chocolate and the crunch of the graham crackers, the only problem is you want to be careful not to eat them all in one sitting. Haha!
A tasty favorite!!!
  • For technology lovers: Last week I did a post about my Apple Watch and what I loved about it. Since I wear it all the time even at work I purchased a few bands to switch out for dressier occasions. I bought a gold and a silver band that really dresses up the watch.
A look at the gold watch band.

A look at the silver band.
  • For shoe lovers: I love a good heel and since I wear them all the day, I love a sturdy heel too. I have been searching for years for a blue heel. I wear a lot of blue, from dresses, to pants and skirts. I have been searching for a blue heel for years and I finally found a pair at DSW. Here they are! They are very comfortable, sturdy and affordable. They also have them in different colors if you want to change out the colors.

That’s just a few things I’m loving right now. Definitely a mix of fun things and affordable too. What are some things you are loving right now?

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Fabulous living

Apple Watch Review

Hey guys!

Happy Wednesday! I’ve held off on this post for a while but I’m excited to share it with you today. 

I always love reading people’s different reviews of products. Whenever, I’m on the fence about buying a product reading someone’s review always gives me the push or pull into getting a product. I’ve always been a HUGE fan of fitness trackers, especially Fit Bit. You can read my past Fit Bit reviews here and here.

For Christmas I got an Apple Watch and while it took a little bit of getting used and trying it out, I’m excited to share my review with you today!

My new Apple Watch SE.

A few notes, this post is not sponsored at all, this is just my own thoughts and opinions on Apple Watch.

For starters, I got the Apple Watch SE. 

It took a little bit of getting used to compared to my Fit Bit Versa Lite (the set-up, the notifications and the look) but once I did , I automatically fell in love with it.

For my job, I’m always on my phone, so having my calls, texts, emails, and social media all synced to my watch is huge!

I love that I can see who’s calling or texting me from my watch without picking up my phone.  The Fit Bit Versa Lite had these features too, but I like how on the Apple Watch you can read the full text message and not just the preview compared to the Fit Bit Versa Lite. You can also respond to texts through Siri or microphone or by writing a message out. I typically don’t respond to too many texts unless it’s a one-word or short response that I can quickly type or speak using Siri.

With the Fit Bit Versa Lite you can see when someone is calling you, but on the Apple Watch SE you can answer calls from it as well. I also like how you can get way more notifications from different apps. I can see when I get notifications from social media, to emails, calendars and emails.

I am always using my Apple Watch to set timers or alarms. I also use Siri a lot more on my Apple Watch compared to my phone. I also can get a quick check of the weather without going on my phone. Major wins for me!

Besides work, I really enjoy working out. I try to workout at least five days a week if not more. I use my Apple Watch to track my work out sessions, track how many calories I’ve burned, see how many steps I’ve gotten and see how long I’ve stood. There’s different programs you can start tracking when you workout from yoga to walking, running or lifting weights. Closing my rings is always a highlight of my day. 

If you have been following for a while, you know how I have started to incorporate mindfulness and meditation in my daily routines. One of the apps on my Apple Watch tracks Mindfulness, another favorite! I practice Mindfulness at the start and end of every day.

Now that I have raved about the Apple Watch, here’s a few things that I have noticed that I don’t love about it. 

The battery goes faster on the Apple Watch compared to the Fit Bit Versa Lite. If I start the day with 80 percent by the end of a 12 hour day, it’s around 30 percent. It makes sense since I’m using it constantly and since I sleep with It on at night, but it still go faster than the Fit Bit. I typically charge it when I’m showering at night or when I’m sitting down or doing my hair in the morning.

You also need a specific charger and charger block for the Apple Watch, so that’s something else you should be aware of.

The other thing that makes it questionable is the price, or more accurately is it worth it? In my opinion …yes! Since I use it for multiple reasons, all day every day. It’s definitely worth it. But if you are on the fence about investing, I would suggest maybe starting with a Fit Bit and working you way up to an Apple Watch, just a suggestion. 

The pros outweigh the cons but A LOT! Overall, I am thrilled with my Apple Watch and I use it all day, every day! In next week’s post, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite accessories. Until then, if you have an Apple Watch, what are your thoughts on it? Let me know!

Categories
Fitness

Fit Bit Review

Calling all work out enthusiasts!! This post is for you! Today, I am reviewing my Fit Bit, I got it for Christmas about 6 months ago and have been loving it, so I thought I would take some time to tell you what I love about my Fit Bit and how I use it.

***Please note, this post is not sponsored by Fit Bit and all opinions are my own.  😊 ***

I am always on the go and try to be active for as much as possible. For years, I had always used the Health app on my iPhone in order to track my exercise, but I didn’t like how I always had to have my phone on me to track my steps, calories, and movement. For example, when I would go on runs, I didn’t like having to hold a phone just to track my steps and miles.

A look at the Health app from my phone.

I got the Fit Bit Ulta HR for Christmas and have been very pleased with it. The fit bit tells me the day and time and tracks my steps, miles walked, heart rate, calories burned and active minutes. It is a bit pricey but it is worth it, especially if you love to be active.

Loving my fit bit!!

I personally aim for 10,000 steps, 30 active minutes, 5 miles and burning 2,000 calories a day. Some days I EXCEED my goals, other days I only meet SOME of my goals, and most days I JUST MEET my goals, it depends on my agenda. The Fit Bit has an app that works on your phone where it tracks all these features along with your food and water intake as well as steps per hour and exercise. I use the app every day and find it very helpful. I also love that I can take a run without my phone and still have all my steps logged and synced with my phone. The Fit Bit also tracks your sleep when you wear it at night. The battery is long lasting, I can go a few days without charging it but I try to charge it every night.

I use this app all the time, one of my most used phone apps.

I got my Fit Bit at Target where they have many other styles and series of Fit Bits, but the things I was most focused on were features on the Ulta HR. I like how it is small and slender and not too bulky.

I wear my Fit Bit with every outfit.

If you are a workout enthusiast, always on the go, or love to be active, I would definitely recommend getting a Fit Bit either this style or another one that better suits your needs. If you are not a fitness Guru, I would strongly suggest using the Health app on your phone, I used it for almost four years and got a lot of use out of it until I decided to upgrade it to a Fit Bit with their free app.

If you are on the fence about getting a Fit Bit or just sticking to the Health or workout app, I hope this provides you with some guidance. I have been very pleased with my Fit Bit, if you have a Fit Bit or fitness watch (i.e. Apple Watch) and love it, let me know why.

Get out and enjoy the beautiful weather!