Tag: healthy habits

Categories
Fun Ways to Organize

Forming Healthy Habits and Routines

Hey guys! Happy Wednesday and happy February! There’s always something refreshing about a new month. I felt like this past month really dragged, the hustle and bustle of the holidays are over, I stayed inside while still going out for walks a few days a week, and established some new routines, but I am ready for a new month. 

One of the things I touched on in my last past was getting into some new rhymes and rhythms, and I wanted to share some of them with you today. 

When I thought about what I wanted this year to look like, I wanted less time being distracted by things that didn’t bring me joy or leave me fulfilled. My phrase for this year is to be more intentional and so far I am loving the results I am seeing. For example, I would waste time scrolling on social media and complain I didn’t have enough time to read. Hello, ditch the phone and get a book!

One way that I made sure I had a better routine in place was setting up downtime on my phone. I did a post about the new screen time feature a year or so ago. You can read it here.

I realized when my phone was shut off (minus calls and texts) I got so much done without the distraction of notifications and social media.

My favorite new routine is with my morning. Let me break it down for you. Every weekday (Monday-Friday), I get up at 6:30 a.m. and then head to the gym for an hour. My “downtime” on my phone goes from 8:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. In that hour, I will shower (if I didn’t the night before), wash or put away any dishes that need done, throw a load of laundry in, get changed for the day, do my reading and journaling. I’m currently reading this every day and LOVING. One thing I wanted to do this year was read every day. I don’t have a set amount of books I want to read in the year, but I want to carve time every day to read. Whether it was 15 minutes or an hour. During this of downtime from my phone hour is where I get my reading done and it’s such a game changer. By 9:00 a.m. I feel so accomplished and ready to tackle the rest of my day whether I am working or have the day off. Setting boundaries with my phone helped me so much. I also have time set for each day for social media and once my time is done for the day, I am done. 

Another thing that has always helped me with my routines is to write things down. Even though, I already know what I want to accomplish, I love to be able to see it in front of me and mark it off when I am done. Here’s a look at one of my weekly planner pages.

At the beginning of the week I always write down everything I want to do across the board and what days I want to get them done. 

Lastly, another part of my routine is always leaving the house clean, when I leave for work, I always make sure everything is picked up and put away, things are laid out for the next day and I have my to-do list ready for tomorrow. I go into work with a clear mind and ready to tackle the day. 

That’s just a breakdown of what things have worked well for me as we start on a new month. What are some new routines that really work for you? Let me know below! Have a great week friends!

Categories
Fitness

Healthy Habits for the School Year

This summer, I tried my best to change my eating habits and make healthier choices. I accomplished this by not snacking and only eating three meals a day, drinking lots of water, and being active. You can see my whole post about healthy summer habits here.  Although, I am back to school I am still incorporating these habits in my daily life. I continue to only eat three meals a day and not snack-although, I will indulge on a dessert every once in a while. It’s all about moderation, right?! By having a balanced diet and workout routine, I am feeling more energized and active as well as upbeat. 

 I start my day heading to the gym.  I go on average 5 days a week. I have altered my routine this year. I am doing cardio such as the treadmill or the elliptical for 20 minutes to get my heart rate up and to start up a sweat. Then I do free weights or the machines for 20 minutes. I will do a mixture of arms, abs, and legs. I wanted to focus more on toning and muscle this year and therefore decided to spend more time on weights this year as opposed to just cardio. I do a lot of walking through the day, so I am getting my steps in that way. I aim for 10,000 steps a day and more times than not, I am exceeding that. 

After the gym, I head back to my room and drink a glass of Apple Cider Vinegar mixed with water. I then drink water with lemon throughout the whole day.  

My breakfast consists of some fruit with some healthy carbs. Today, for an example, I had a bowl of cheerios with milk and a banana.  It was balanced and filled me up until I had lunch. 

Breakfast

For lunch, I opted for something substantial and something that will fill me up until dinner. Today, I had a grilled chicken wrap with lettuce, tomato and cucumbers and then carrots and ranch on the side. I try to eat a protein for lunch whether its chicken or turkey or ham and then a side of fruits or vegetables for a side.

Lunch

By the time dinner rolls around, I try to change it up. It is sometimes hard to eat healthy in college, but I try my best to make it work. I opted for an apple pecan salad, since I had a heavier lunch, I wanted something lighter for dinner. I enjoyed these salads for lunch during the summer while I was working and now I enjoy them for dinner at school. They are the perfect serving size and keep you filled up. I will admit, I did indulge on a chocolate truffle that a friend bought for me, but I ate it before I could snap a picture. Haha!

Dinner

Throughout the day I drank water between meals and went through about three large tumblers. Drinking lots of water keeps me replenished and filled and it helps me avoid getting hungry in the mid afternoon. 

I go through about three tumblers of water a day

Now, are there times when I do get hungry and need a midnight snack while I am working late at night? Absolutely. There are also times I choose pasta over a salad or choose a bagel over fruit for breakfast. The bottom line is, it’s all about balancing and making the healthy choices for you. As long as you are happy, content, and healthy. That’s all the matters. 

Categories
Fabulous living

Summer Goals

Hey guys!

I hope your week is off to a great start. It has been so nice to settle into a new routine for the summer months.  Every summer I try to set realistic goals for the summer months. They can be anything from activities, projects, trips, and small tasks. I start out with a basic list as summer begins and will add things if necessary as the months go on. At the end of the summer, I love to look back and see everything I accomplished and all the memories I created.

Summer 2019…you are just beginning…let’s take a look and see what my summer goals are:

Get license renewed

                  -A small but necessary task and I got it done right when I got home! 

Work/Internship

  • Although summer is for relaxing, I plan to work through the summer. I like to stay busy and working through the summer will definitely keep me busy.

Make College photo album 

  • Through my college years, I have been saving photos and organizing them into years. This summer, I want to get them all printed and organized since my time in college is coming to a close.

Celebrate 21

  • I’m really looking forward to celebrating my 21stbirthday this summer. I’m so lucky I get to be home to be with my family, but I’m looking forward to celebrating this milestone with my friends in Pittsburgh!

See friends from college and high school

  • Speaking of friends, I am making seeing my friends both from college and high school this summer, whether it’s coffee dates or day trips, friends are so important and I want to make them a priority this summer.
We didn’t even say goodbye at graduation because we knew we would be seeing each other through the summer

Portfolio (BLS)

  • Another requirement for school that I need to get done before school is back in session for 2019!

Work Study

  • This summer I will be working remotely for a job I hold back at school. There are a few projects that I will be working on that I am excited to get started on.

Read 12-15 books

  • I am an avid reader and I am really looking forward to reading a lot over the summer. I already made a stop to my local library to check out a few books to get a start on summer reading.
First book of the summer…

Download pictures to laptop

  • Again, another task, it won’t take long but I want to make sure I have all my photos from this past year saved to my laptop.

Spend time with family 

  • Since this is my last summer home I want to make sure I soak up as much family time as I can, whether it is family dinners, soccer days, or pool days. I can’t wait to get some quality family time in.
Looking forward to a full summer with the fam!

Day Trips

  • I love taking day trips, whether it is to the city, in the country, or to see family and friends. I’m hoping to spend a few days going to new places this summer. 

Start Healthier habits

  • I have gotten into good routines while I am at school and I want to continue those routines at home, whether it hitting the gym several days a week, eating healthier foods and meals, or just setting time aside to relax. Getting into a good routine is something I’m looking forward to this summer.

Go to a concert

  • I have a concert planned for September with one of my best friends, but I want to try and hit up another summer concert. Anyone with suggestions, please let me know.

Beach days

  • I may live close to the beach, but that doesn’t mean I spend all summer there. Last summer, I went to the beach on the last day I was home. I want to make more of an effort to go to the beach, whether it’s for the sunset, sunrise, or a day in the water.

Family Vacation

  • I have been reflective in the past few months with everything that has been changing and I’m looking forward to getting away with my family for a summer trip. Where and when that will be is still up in there air, but none the less, I’m looking forward to making some memories.

Find a new show to Binge watch

  • Every summer, I always am on the look for new shows to binge watch. I’m currently finishing up Dawson’s Creek-an oldie but a goodie! I’m now on the hunt to find a new show to watch this summer. Any good suggestions?

Take more walks outside

  • In an effort to spend more time outside, I want to take more walks, whether it is at sporting events, at the end of the day after work, or around lunch. I’m looking forward to enjoying the outdoors more.

Weekly facetime calls with friends

  • Back to the friends…can you tell I miss my college friends?!  A few of my friends from school and I have suggested doing weekly facetime calls to keep each other in the loop with what’s going on. It’s a weird feeling going from seeing your BFF’s all the time to going weeks without seeing each other.
You mean I won’t be seeing my friends every day….thank gosh for FaceTime!

Try something new

  • Leaving this one up in the year. I want to try something new and pushed from my comfort zone. We will see what happens and what I try.

Try new recipes 

  • I love to cook and bake. This summer I want to try some new recipes and even come up with a signature dish. I am into salads right now, so I have a feeling I will be making lots of different salad combinations this summer.

Entertain Friends/family

  • I love to host people at my home and I learned it all from my mom. In the summer, we love to have friends and family over and I’m looking forward to doing some entertaining this summer.

Do something spontaneous

  • This goes along with trying something new, even though I love my schedules and routines. I want to be spontaneous and more flexible. I’m hoping to accomplish that this summer.

Be Present

  • After a stressful and busy semester, I want to be present and just live this summer. There will always be things to do and tasks to accomplish, however, I want to make an effort to just be happy where I am at.
Made this my background for my phone to only focus on the positive things in life

That concludes my summer goals. It may seem like a lot, but overall, I think it is a good mix of realistic and mental goals. Overall, I want this summer to be one filled with happiness, love, laughter, friendship, purpose, and maybe even a dance. 

Have a beautiful week! xoxo