Tag: health

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Currently

Currently #53

Hello All! Happy Wednesday! I hope you are all having a great week. Whether it has been a long week or its flying by, I hope this post is a nice midweek pick-me-up. We have been experiencing gorgeous weather over the past few days, it has been in the 80’s and I am here for it, especially in May.

My currently post is a bit earlier this month, due to a special post next week. 

Here’s a look into my life lately.

What I’ve Been Up To:

Since my last Currently post at the end of April, I hit a new running distance of six and a half miles.

Then I conquered my May goal of running 7 miles! I was especially proud of how much I have built up my stamina and I look forward to continuing to do so. 

I have also been enjoying the warm weather and we have been savoring lots of outside time, including eating meals outdoors. At the tail end of April, we ate dinner outside for three nights in a row and it was beautiful, less cleanup, more time outside and lots of fresh air and sunshine. 

Grilling outdoors makes me happy!

My boyfriend and I spent some time detailing cars this month which was hard work but definitely worth it.

I also got to enjoy my first baseball game of the season, the weather was absolutely perfect!

My mom and I celebrated Mother’s Day with a build your own bouquet which was so fun!

I have been enjoying lots of walks with friends outdoors too!

Lots of time outdoors

I made my way to the beach for grilling and to watch the sunset.

First sunset of the season

I made my way to Cleveland for a quick trip and had a delicious meal in Little Italy.

A night out in the city
Followed by a delicious meal!

What I’m Wearing:

In the cooler days of spring, this has been my spring uniform, leggings, slip on sneakers, and a neutral top.

I also got a fresh cut for summer

What I’m Reading:

Lessons in Chemistry– is all about a chemist who hosts a cooking show in the 1960’s. I loved the combination of science and cooking and how they were intertwined throughout the book. The romance between Calvin and Elizabeth made my heart soar, but my favorite part was the importance of women working in a male dominated field in the 1960’s.

Tom Lake- this was a harder one to get into but I’m glad I read it. It’s all about a woman who shares the story about a man she loved before her husband with her grown daughter. The book goes back and forth between the past and present. The theme of the book is all about the lives that parents have before their children. I found the book to be a bit slow at times, but after it was recommended to me by friends and I read about it online I am glad I read it.

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston and it’s all about a young woman who falls in love with a man after they both end up in the same apartment, the catch? They are from different times, she’s seven years ahead of him. How does this relationship work and will they find each other in the future? You will have to read to find out. I loved the description, the setting, the characters and all the details about food which is a huge part of the book. Definitely a fun read!

The Women in Me by Britney Spears is a memoir by Britney herself. I’m glad I read it after it getting recommended to me and after hearing about it when it came out. I have never been a huge Britney Spears fan, but I did learn a lot about the pop singer. I thought she was very open and vulnerable in her writing and sharing of her story. I thought she shed a lot of light on different headlines, and it was interesting to get her perspective on things. However, I wish more things were explained and gaps were filled. Overall, I thought it was an interesting read and I did enjoy talking to my friends who had read it too. I would recommend this for a girl’s book club read if everyone is interested in the topic. 

Outlive– by Peter Attia was a book recommended by Shay Shull and it’s all about longevity from all different aspects of your life. The author focuses on fitness, nutrition, emotional health, mental health, sleep, and how they are all connected. There is a heavy science component to the book but it’s very easy to understand. I really appreciated how the author connects all these different aspects of your life and how you can make small changes for a longer and healthier life. It’s one of the best health and wellness books I have read in a long time.

What I’m Watching:

A lot of my weekly series wrapped up this month, from the Masked Singer to Grey’s Anatomy. 

I have watched a few series based on books I read like Dear Edward and Lessons in Chemistry which I enjoyed both.

I think both books and series could be consumed on their own, but it was nice to visually see the stories I enjoyed so much.

I also started watching the new season of Bridgerton and have been loving this season.

What I’m Cooking: It’s been a busy month in the kitchen filled with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. 

Air Fryer peanut Butter cookies-I started the month out by trying a recipe for air fryer peanut butter cookies. They turned out okay, but I think I will stick to my traditional peanut butter cookies in the oven.

Bacon Chopped Salad- This was super easy to assemble and was so healthy. I know I will be making this again in the summer. Make a salad with all your favorite vegetables, add in grilled chicken, corn, avocado, and chopped bacon and you are in for a flavorful and healthy meal. 

Homemade Chipotle Bowls- This was a super easy to prep and healthy meal. This was my own take on Chipotle’s bowls- just cook rice and your favorite protein and add your favorite veggies and toppings. I personally love corn, black beans, avocados, sour cream, and cheese.

Chicken Caesar Salad Pasta Bowls- Another easy bowl recipe. Cook your favorite pasta with grilled chicken and a caesar salad and combine for a hearty and tasty meal.

Shrimp Fried Rice

Shrimp Fried Rice came from Jessie James Decker’s cook book. I love how this dish was so easy and fast to make in one pan, plus it was filling. The best part was that there was no leftovers.

What Inspires Me:

The sunshine and spring weather!! Here’s a look at some of my favorite moments.

Plus who can resist ice cream?!
Fresh flowers and planting has made me smile!
Grilling by the water
A surf and turf for dinner

What I Accomplished: 

This was a busy month with end of school year fun, people moving home, graduations and celebrating birthdays and holidays.

My puppies enjoyed lots of sunshine!
And time indoors relaxing!

Goals from Last Month: In the midst of all the craziness I did my best to really be present and soak up the season I am in.

Perfect day for a walk this week…blue skies and not a cloud in sight
We got to view the Northern Lights this past month from our home which was such a cool experience.
It was beautiful at night!

Goals for this Month: Summer is officially here and that means it will soon be time for my summer bucket list. I’ll be sharing that soon with you all. 

So many signs of spring!
I also enjoyed some trips to the zoo!

That’s a look into life lately and what I’ve been up to this week. I hope you are having a fantastic week so far. See you back here on Friday!

Categories
Fitness

Incorporating Movement Every Day

Hello all and (I can’t believe I’m saying this…) Happy November!

This year has flown by, I feel like I was just making my New Year’s Resolutions and now I am starting to my list of people to buy for Christmas.  I hope you had a fun and festive Halloween yesterday and if you are like me, chances are, you may be recovering from a bit of a sugar high with all the sweet treats and candy. Even though I am an adult, it was still fun to celebrate!

A look at some of the candy from yesterday!

Here’s how I enjoyed the holiday leading up to the day and the actual day.

I carved a pumpkin!
Roasted pumpkin seeds
Watched The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown
And enjoyed Halloween treats!

The colder weather has set in and it’s not going away anytime soon. Because our warm weather is so limited here, I try to spend as much time as I can outdoors in the warmer months. But even on the chillier days, I try to bundle up on chillier days to get in some fresh air and movement outdoors even in the wind, cold and snow. 

Trying to make the most even on the cold days!

I have made fitness a priority over the past several years. Although it has evolved and changed in different seasons of life, I always try to incorporate movement every day.

If you are an Apple watch user, like me, I always try to close my rings and my streak has been going on for over two years! Some days I go above and beyond by closing my rings and other days, I just hit my 30 minutes of exercise and just barely close them.

A typical day of stats for me!

Ever since college, I have made an effort to work out and get movement in daily and that’s done in a variety of ways. I definitely get more movement and exercise in warmer months since I can be outdoors more. There are some days in the summer that I will hit the gym, go for a run and even take an evening walk or hike. I love those days when I can get in lots of movement. There are also days in the fall and winter when I just get in a walk or just do yoga and stretching for 30 minutes and that’s okay too. The bottom line is that I’m still moving my body and getting some form of exercise in.

My fitness journey began in college, I would head to the gym five days a week. This typically looked like three weekdays and then the weekend. I would do some cardio and weights throughout the week to get my heart rate going and to stay in shape. You can read about my college fitness journey here.

Some of my early days in the gym

After graduation, I moved home and started working full time and I knew I still wanted to make fitness a priority.  I found a gym and continued to go to workout Monday through Friday every morning at 6:45 a.m. which is what I do to this day. My workouts typically last between 45 minutes and an hour. These workouts are a mix of stretching, cardio, free weights and strength and conditioning. I love how I feel when I leave the gym and have the whole day ahead of me.

A look at a daily workout

This past year I made it a New Year’s Resolution to take up running and run a 5K. You can read about my training here. Starting in the spring, I would run two days a week after a workout. I started small by running a mile and then worked my way to where I am today which is four and a half miles. I have been loving this new hobby and new form of exercise. 

A very good run!

Through the spring and summer on my days off, I typically get in two workouts (I head to the gym and then go for a run). I feel accomplished and productive and there’s no better release of endorphins than to get in two workouts before 9:00 a.m.

Some days my workouts look like this.

Not all days, whether they be days off or working days, look like this. On busier days when I know I won’t be able to get in a workout or run in, I try to at least get in a short walk outside or do some yoga and stretching at night when I am watching a show when I’m winding  down to get some movement in.

In the late fall and winter when I know an outdoor run isn’t always possible, I spend more time indoors doing yoga and stretching. 

Some days I just get in a walk.

For me personally, it’s not always about burning hundreds of calories or how much I sweat, it’s about getting in some form of movement and exercise daily and that’s what is important. 

As the weather gets colder and you spend more time indoors, I hope this encourages you to still get some movement every day for a healthy lifestyle, whether it’s a full workout, a short walk or even yoga. 

Tell me: what are some of your favorite ways to get your movement in every day? 

Let me know in the comments below!

Have a great start to November!

Categories
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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Let's Get Cooking

Let’s Get Cooking: Summer Drinks

Hi everyone! I hope you are having an enjoyable week.

As we make our way through July, my blog series about summer tastes and must haves continues.

Last week, I showed you how to make a super easy pasta salad that an be used for big gatherings or pre-made lunches. To check out my Pizza Pasta Salad check out my last post.

This week we are talking summer drinks.I drink water 99% of the time. I always have it with me whether I’m at my desk, on the go, or at home. In the summer, I do like to change up my drink choices for something a bit more fruity and fun.

Here’s my recipe for Sunrise Juice!

This drink can be served at any meal and just like the pizza pasta salad, you can tailor the portion to your liking. 


Here’s what you need:

-Orange juice

-Sprite or 7 Up

-Pineapple Juice 

-Lime Juice 

-Strawberries to garnish
You can serve this with alcohol but I prefer to drink it just with the juices.

Directions:

  1. In a large glass or cup, mix equal parts or orange juice, sprite or 7 Up (whichever you prefer), pineapple juice and a squirt of lime juice. 
  2. Stir it together and add ice.
  3. Add strawberries to garnish and to your mixture for an extra fruity pop.
    And there you have it, an easy and refreshing summer drink.

You can change out different fruit juices to your liking, but the orange and pineapple go very well together, and the lime juice and soda adds an extra kick.

Another shot of the drink


I like to enjoy this by the pool, when I’m reading or hanging out with friends.

This drink is fairly healthy, sweet and refreshing for the summer.

As we are talking about food and drinks for the summer, what your go-to’s for summer tastes?

Let me know in the comments below! Next week we will be talking about summer travel must haves. I can’t wait to be back here, same time, same place on Wednesday, until then, have a great week!

Categories
Fabulous living

What I’m Thankful For

Hey guys…happy Wednesday! We are slowly but surely making our way through November. These past few weeks have been filled with work, catching up on reading, going on fall drives and cozing up with warm drinks and lots of baking…all my favorite things!

As we get closer and closer to Thanksgiving I want to take some time share what I’m thankful for. I do this kind of post every year and while the list stays the same it’s always a good reminder and it puts things in perspective of what’s important.

I could spend all day working on this list, from my loving family, supportive families, a great job, food on the table, my faith etc, but I wanted to highlight a few specific things I’m thankful for this year. 

-Covid-19 vaccine.

After being in this pandemic for almost two years, I was so thankful I was able to get my vaccine as an extra layer of protection against the virus.

Such a milestone this year.

-Seeing friends

Thanks to vaccines, I’ve been able to see more friends this year, from high school and college. Weekly coffee dates are back, traveling for day trips were a big hit this summer and being able to be in one of my best friend’s weddings this summer was the cherry on top.

Seeing friends in person has been huge!

-Growing in my job

I’m so thankful I was able to learn and grow in my role at work. I’ve seen a change in myself with how I tell stories and in my confidence. I am always looking for ways to grow and I’m so lucky to have so many wonderful mentors and co-workers to help me grow and learn every day.

I’ve grown a lot in front of and behind the camera.

-My Health

It goes without saying but I’m so thankful I’ve been able to stay healthy amid the pandemic. In these trying times I’m so grateful for my good health and for the good health of my loved ones too, from family to friends, co-workers and neighbors, these past few years have taught me what’s important in life. 

I’m so grateful for my health

-My Support System

From my incredible family to my friends, my co-workers and relatives, there have been so many times this year that I’ve been reminded of how lucky I am. Whether it’s my family moving around dinner times to accommodate an early morning wake-up, my friends who listen to me when I need to talk or take me on an adventure when I need to clear my mind, or my co-workers who help me grow in my job. Not a day goes by when I’m not thankful for all the incredible people in my life.

I wouldn’t be here without my family!

I do these kinds of posts every year to remind me how lucky I am and how grateful I am for all my blessings. I have so much to be thankful for in my life.

I hope you and your families have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Categories
Fabulous living

What I’m Thankful For #3

Hi everyone! Happy Tuesday!

Wow, what a weekend. I went into the city on Friday night which was so much fun! I will have a full recap of a tradition that I have carried out the last several years next Tuesday to kick off the month of December. Also, just a little blog update, there will be no look of the day on Thursday, it’s Thanksgiving and I am going to be spending the day with family and disconnecting for the day.

In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday and as part of my college series I’m going to do a bit of a reflection post for everything that I am thankful for this last semester of college. I have done this for the past few years. Here’s mine from my first year and here’s mine from last year. I always think it’s important to reflect on all the blessings that I have in my life especially as I begin a new chapter soon. Let’s begin:

–My incredible and supportive family.

I don’t know where I would be without my family. They are my biggest supporters. I know I can count on them for advice, laughs, love, and through the good times and bad. Some of my favorite memories are made at home with my parents, brothers, and dogs. 

Love my boys

-My consistent friends who are always there when I need them

I am so lucky I have great friends both at home and at school. The biggest thing that I have learned this past semester is that it’s never to late to make friends. Always be open to meeting new people because you never know if they will become one of your closest friends. I’m so thankful to have good friends that support me, take me as I am, and I can be myself with. I am also thankful to have them to push me out of my comfort zone, want to try new things with, and always just have a good conversation with. I’m so grateful for all the friends that I have made in college and for the ones who have become like family to me. 

High school bestie
College bestie

-My unwavering faith

I wouldn’t be here or be able to do half the things if it weren’t for my faith. When I am struggling, I always turn to God for his guidance. One of the biggest things I have learned this past year is that God has a plan for everything even if it doesn’t always make sense in the moment and when you finally surrender yourself to him and let him do his work, then that’s when the big things start to happen. I make time every day for my faith and it is so important that I make it a priority for me. I can truly do all things through God.

-Good Health

I couldn’t be more thankful for good health not only for me but also my family and friends. In a world with so much sickness and suffering I am happy I am healthy and I can do everything I want. I hope this next year brings more research to so many harmful illnesses. 

–Good Education

This is my last year in school and learning, in fact I only have so many classes left. It is so crazy to think in a few weeks, for the first time in my life I won’t be a student any more. I can’t believe it. Although, college can be stressful and challenging especially at this time of year, I am so lucky to be able to go to such a good school that is a perfect fit for me. I have truly come into my own at school. I have gotten involved with my academics and found wonderful mentors in my professors and faculty. Most importantly, I have learned so much out of the classroom too.  

Early morning at school

–Good Job

I am so thankful that I have a good job at school. Although, it is stressful, I have learned so much not only about others but also myself. I can easily say that this has been of the best things that has happened to me in college. I have become more confident in this role and I have made some of my best friends through this job. I have learned so much and I will take everything what I learned and use it through my life. I am going to be deeply sad when I leave this job and friends behind. 

Last year on staff

 –My School

College has been on crazy ride. But I am so grateful for it all. I have made lifelong friends, gotten so involved, taken on leadership roles, joined Honor Societies and made countless memories. I learned so much about myself and the person I want to be. It wasn’t always easy but I’m so happy where I am today. I have a long post about my college experience coming soon so be on the look out for that. 

This Blog

I am also super thankful for all of you who read my blog every week. This has been a passion project that I started during my freshmen year of college when I was looking for something different to do with my free time who would have thought I would still be writing today.  I love sharing parts of my life with you and I am so thankful you are all on this journey with me. This has been such a creative outlet for me through college and I love being able to have this community with all of you.

This last semester and year has been filled with so many blessings, lessons, love, and memories. I have grown so much this year and I am so happy of the person I have become and the person I will be when I graduate in a few weeks. I hope you have a wonderful holiday week celebrating with your family. Be thankful for the time spent with family and friends, it’s truly a special time to be with loved ones.

Categories
Fitness

Favorite Health and Fitness Apps

No matter how long you have been following my blog, fitness and staying healthy is a huge part of my life. Whether it’s eating healthy or working out several times a week, I make my health a priority. One of the ways that I keep my health in order is with the help of fitness trackers and apps. Last year, I did a review of my Fit Bit, you can find that here.Today, I’m sharing my favorite health and fitness apps. 

Fit Bit App

 I’m going to keep this short and sweet, first, you don’t to have a fit bit to have the app, I used the app before I had the watch. This is by far my favorite fitness app. It tracks your steps, miles walked, calories burned, and how active you are. It also sends you all notifications whether it’s calendar reminders or text messages or phone calls, it’s super helpful. The app also allows you to track your food and water intake, your weight, and then one of my favorites, your sleep. Tracking my sleep is super important to me. When you wear your fit bit to bed, it monitors how long you are asleep for, and how much time you spend in light sleep, deep sleep, REM, and are awake. It gives you a sleep score every night too. I always find it interesting to see how rested I am. If these are all priorities for you, then this is a great investment. 

The Fit Bit home page with all your stats
Here’s the sleep tracker

Health (Apple version)

If you are Apple die-hard fans and like to utilize everything with Apple, then this would be the App for you. You can use it with the Apple Watch, like the fit bit app, it tracks your steps, miles walked, sleep and how active you are. You can still utilize this app without having the apple watch, I did the same but found it wasn’t as accurate without having the watch on you. For example, my fit bit is more accurate with my steps and working out because I always have my watch on, however, since I don’t have an apple watch the health app isn’t always up to date. If you are an apple lover or have an apple watch, this is the route for you.

The Health app through Apple

Sleep Cycle

The sleep tracker through Sleep Cycle

This falls into the health section of apps. Like I said, I am always intrigued about measuring my sleep. This app is great for tracking sleep, you just turn it on before you go to bed and make sure it’s near you when you are sleeping. It will track how awake you are and how restless you sleep. It also doubles as an alarm clock too. This app is free and it’s simple to use. If you don’t care as much about the fitness and want to focus more on sleep, this is the app for you. 

These are my favorite apps for health and fitness, I will admit that I use the Fit Bit app the most since it meets all my needs and I utilize everything it offers. What are your favorite health and fitness apps? 

I hope this post encourages you to get out there and be active. Have a fabulous week!

Categories
Fabulous living

What I am Thankful For #2

Hi Everyone!

Wow, November is flying by…I can’t believe we are almost halfway through the month. I hope you have been able to enjoy these days of fall before the holiday rush is in full swing. I’m enjoying the changing of leaves and crisper weather that November brings before the snow settles in.

I know Thanksgiving is still a several days away, but I wanted to share with you what I am thankful for today. Next week I have a fun post for you all so that brings me to the things I’m thankful for.

Let’s begin!!

My Family

I wouldn’t be anywhere without my family. They constantly support me in all I do, I know I can count on them for advice, laughs, love, and support. Some of my favorite memories are made at home with my parents, brothers, and dogs. Family over everything.

Family over Everything

Sibling goals or Squad goals?!

My Friends

I am so lucky I have great friends both at home and at school. Next semester and next year will be a huge adjustment for me as so many of my friends are graduating. I never thought I would have to make new friends during my last few semesters of college. Haha! I’m so thankful to have good friends that support me, take me as I am, and are genuine.

My best friends from Home

Gonna miss this girl when she graduates in a few weeks!

I seriously don’t know where I would be without this girl. We may have met through work but she has become one of my closest friends, and yes, I have no idea what Im going to do once she graduates.

Thankfully, I wills till have these girls by my side once all my friends graduate next May

My Faith

I wouldn’t be here or be able to do half the things if it weren’t for my faith. I make time every day for my faith and it is so important that I make it a priority for me. I can truly do all things through God.

Good Health

I couldn’t be more thankful for good health not only for me but also my family and friends. In a world with so much sickness and suffering I am happy I am healthy and I can do everything I want.

Good Education

The older I get, the more appreciative I am of getting a good education. Although, college can be stressful and challenging I am so lucky to be able to go to such a good school that is a perfect fit for me. I have truly come into my own at school. I am so thankful for all the opportunities that have been presented to me while in school. I only have two more semesters left and I am going to make the most out of them.

Can this campus get any more beautiful???

Good Job

I am so thankful that I have a good job at school. Although, it is stressful, I have learned so much not only about others but also myself. I have become more confident in this role and I have made some of my best friends through this job. It has been one of the best things that has happened to me at college.

Staff Photos round 2

 

This Blog

I am also super thankful for all of you who read my blog every week. I love sharing parts of my life with you and I am so thankful you are all on this journey with me. This has been such a creative outlet for me through college and I love being able to have this community with all of you.

Always working on my blog

That’s just a few of the top things I am thankful for, there are so many more. While you are eating delicious food and catching up with family over Thanksgiving dinner be sure to keep in mind what you are thankful for.  Have the best week!

See you on Thursday!

Categories
Fitness

I Didn’t Work Out for an Entire Summer and Survived

Hello All!

Happy Tuesday!

I hope your week is off to a great start. These past few weeks have been busy but productive. I always feel the first weeks of school are all about getting into a new groove and routine! I think I have established a good routine that will help me this semester!

You may have noticed that I have been quiet about fitness on here for the past few months. I’ll let you in on a little secret…I didn’t work out for the entire summer and I survived. Yes, for the person who tries to workout 5 days a week during the school year, I didn’t hit the gym once and to be honest I was okay with that.

From my pervious posts, you guys know that I had a busy summer between my job and internship, so I wasn’t able to get to the gym as much as I would have wanted to. However, I still took walks at night, swam, and did physical activities outside like playing soccer with my siblings, or running around, so I was still active this summer…just not as much as I would have liked.

I tried to eat healthier in the summer but that isn’t always easy…I like to indulge myself, especially in the summer. Overall, this wasn’t the healthiest summer for me, but a lot of good things happened this summer so it was a good trade off.

I took three months off from the gym, so where does that leave me for this school year? Back in the gym 5 days a week of course! The first day of classes, I was in the gym at 7:00 am. It was so good to get back in the gym and start getting healthier in the gym. Don’t get me wrong, it was hard at first and I had to push myself the first week or so, but it was worth it.

30 minutes of cardio to start my day

This year I plan on changing up my routine in the gym by doing 30 minutes of cardio (either on the bike, treadmill, or elliptical machine), followed by 15 minutes of weight machines, and 15 minutes of  free weights, and then a cool down. I have more time in the morning this semester,  so I’m devoting more time to working out. I plan on using this same routine on the weekends too.

Strengthening my legs with the leg press

Also, I have learned that it can be hard to eat healthy as a college student when you have limited food options. I’ve been trying to incorporate more fruits and salads in my diet daily and less processed foods. We are only a few weeks in, so I’ll let you know how this plan works out.

Have you ever struggled after getting back in the gym after being away for so long? What pushed you to get back?

Categories
Fabulous living

Things I’m Thankful For

With Thanksgiving, this coming week, I’m taking some time to remember what I am thankful for. We all get busy and caught up that we forget what’s truly important. So, here it goes, the things I’m thankful for.

  • My loving family. Both immediate and extended. Always there when I need them most. From texts to care packages. My family knows me best and I couldn’t be more thankful for have them in my life especially this past year.

Family over everything

  •  My supportive friends. The older I have gotten the smaller my circle of friends has gotten. I am beyond thankful to have such good friends who have always been there. My friends from high school are always there to remind me where I have come from. Who else would I text about our favorite TV shows with?!  My friends from college remind me where I’m going. I know I have people in my life to sing Beyonce with, spill tea with, dance and eat the night away at a Semi Formal dances, and have real life talks with.

My favorite chick in college, Shay

Two words. Squad Goals. Spending time with these two is never boring. High school friends last a lifetime.

My first friend in college, Danielle and I have been through it all

  • My dogs. As cliche as it sounds, one of my favorite places to be is at home, on my couch cuddling with my pups. Just being with my dogs relaxes me. Plus, how can you say no to this face?!

One of my favorite parts about coming home.

  • Good Health. I’m thankful I can happy and healthy along with my family. Health is so important especially for all the sickness in our world. I’m thankful I can wake up every morning healthy.
  • My job. I took on a new job this year and although there have been some challenging days, I have great coworkers who I have grown close with over the past few months. I have learned so much about myself through this job and I can’t wait to see where else it takes me.

    New year, new opportunities
  • The country I live in. I thankful for living in a free country. I am so lucky to live in such a wonderful country.

    Land of the Free and Home of the Brave
  • I am thankful for the things that bring me joy. I have interests, hobbies, and activities that make me love life.  I am thankful for all the opportunities that fulfill me.
  • I am thankful for going to a school that I have grown in many ways. I have learned so much in and out of the classroom. I have be given so many opportunities and I could not a picked a better school to attend.
  • My faith. I am so thankful to have a deep rooted faith. When times get tough, I always know God is there. I am thankful for the friends I have made through my faith.
  • I am thankful for people to look up to, whether they are family members, people in the industry I hope to work in one day, authors,bloggers, actors, and anyone else that inspires me. I am thankful to have inspirations in my life.

There are so many things I am thankful for, but these are just a few. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving spent with loved ones. I will be taking Thursday off, but will be back on Tuesday! What are you thankful for this year?