Tag: fitness

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Fabulous living

The Importance of Hobbies

Hello all!

Happy Wednesday and happy first week of April! 

I hope you had a peaceful and joyful Easter if you celebrate. It was wonderful to have my family together, even if it was for a short weekend.

Easter always gets me excited for the start of spring, even if it was slightly earlier this year. From the pastel colors to the blooming flowers and the sunshine, there are so many things to love about this time of year.

A joyous Easter weekend filled with lots of traditions.

Even though we had a mild winter, I’m ready for spring and summer. The new season also means the return of some of my favorite hobbies, which brings us to today’s post…the importance of hobbies. I firmly believe that having hobbies or interests outside of work and family and friends are vital for a life of balance and joy. I’ve tried out different hobbies through the years and as an adult found things that truly interest me and bring me joy.

Growing up, I was involved with different activities and interests. I did theater all through middle school and high school. I was involved in National Honor Society, Student Government and other clubs. In college, I had jobs on campus and was a part of different clubs and organizations too, which kept me busy between classes. I was always on the go; I didn’t have a ton of hobbies. I didn’t play a lot of sports growing up and although I was involved with groups and organizations, I didn’t have a ton of extra interests. I always enjoyed reading, journaling and watching movies or catching up on tv shows, and helping my mom in the kitchen, but It wasn’t until end of college that I wanted to develop consistent hobbies that could be a balance outside of work.

Once I started working full time, I realized I didn’t have homework, or other responsibilities to keep me busy like I was used to my whole life, so it was time to find some interests outside of work and family.

Here’s some of the hobbies I’ve picked up and stuck to in the recent years:

Reading

I have always loved reading. English was my favorite class in school, I loved going to the library as a child and to this day, I make weekly trips to my local branch. I love getting lost in the stories, being transported to other worlds and learning about different people or places. I didn’t read as much in college, due to other books I was reading for classes, but once I graduated, my time for reading opened up. I tend to go through a book a week, depending on the length and I make weekly stops to my library to pick up or return books. I love browsing the shelves for new books, but I always have a long “To Be Read” list of recommended books from blogs, friends, and family. I have even started to download a book on my phone, so I always have a book with me, but I tend to stick with a book I can hold as opposed to a digital book. I spend so much time on screens every day, it’s nice to put it down and focus on something else. Last year, I read over 50 books and I hope to exceed that goal this year. I tend to read first thing in the morning and right before bed at night as a way to ease in and out of the day, but that doesn’t always happen. I always tell myself, as long as you read something, even if it’s just a page, that counts. Reading has been such a relaxing and soothing outlet for me to unwind and forget about the everyday stressors. 

One of my latest favorite reads….American Royals by Katharine McGee

Cooking/Baking

Growing up, I loved helping my mom in the kitchen baking and cooking. I enjoyed baking in high school and college, but it wasn’t until I graduated college that I wanted to take my cooking skills to the next level. I started to cook one meal a week to work on my skills in the kitchen and to learn new recipes. Although, I took a hiatus with trying new meals in the kitchen due to a busy schedule, I’m back on track for trying new meals. I have enjoyed learning family recipes and researching new things to try. I’m getting more comfortable in the kitchen using different tools and ingredients and it’s been fun to have my family benefit from my new meals. The best part is that I’m building up my own cookbook for when I am on my own. Here’s how I plan out my recipes. I also have tried different baked goods recipes along the way too. From cookies, to cakes, and all things in between, it’s been fun to replicate some of my favorite desserts.

I’ve truly loved learning new recipes and getting comfortable in the kitchen.

Working Out/Running

In college, I started working out as a way to keep me busy and to stay active and fit. I wanted to continue that healthy lifestyle while I was working, so I found a gym and started going five days a week. I learned different skills and techniques in the gym, and I love the stress reliever it provides and that it helps me maintain a healthy lifestyle. I consider working out a hobby, it brings me joy and it’s something I’m passionate about. Last year, I wanted to challenge myself and start to run, I’ve talked about my running journey here and have truly found a love for running. I consider running one of my newest hobbies. I love the sense of accomplishment after a run, I love how I can clear my mind, and I love to see how far I can go. I do need to improve my speed, but that’s something that takes time and I’m okay with.

One of my latest runs and recent records

Gardening

This was a new hobby I picked up last summer and hopefully can continue it this year. I always wanted to grow a garden and finally gave it a try last year. It took lots of patience and tending, and plenty of trial and error, but I was thrilled with the end result, even if it wasn’t as plentiful as I hope. I learned a great deal about growing and harvesting and I can confirm that homegrown veggies taste way better than store bought. I loved seeing my hard work pay off and I loved that I could use my veggies in recipes. Plus, it was great to spend more time outdoors by tending and checking on my garden.

The fruits of my labor

Piano

This is my latest hobby, which has been one of the more challenging hobbies. I took piano lessons when I was younger but didn’t keep up with them. We have a piano in our home that was sitting idle, and I decided I wanted to try to pick up the hobby again. I have been slowly teaching myself through an app, Simply Piano, and it’s been an interesting learning experience. I have found that like anything, you have to be disciplined with it. For me, that means practicing every day, even if it’s only for ten minutes a day or on the go in the app. I spend more time practicing on my days off but try to get it in every day. Some days, I am on a roll and loving the lessons, other days, I hit a plateau and get stuck on the lesson. But I am slowly learning the instrument once again. Another personal challenge I’ve faced is that my dog hates it when I play and will cry or howl the entire time, which can cause stress and be a distraction. I will try and practice when he is outside, but it doesn’t always shake out that way. This has been one of the more challenging hobbies I have tried, but I am slowly learning it. My favorite part has been learning to play my favorite songs. 

A recent accomplishment

Those are some of the hobbies I’m currently trying to incorporate into my day-to-day life. I don’t know if I will keep up with them for the rest of my life, but for now, they bring me joy and purpose and balance outside of work, family and friends. They are little ways I can take care of myself and don’t take up too much of my time. I think that’s the important thing about hobbies, they don’t have to be super expensive or any everyday thing. They can be simple way to take care of yourself and do something for me. Another thing that I have learned about hobbies is that it’s all about making time for them. You may think “I don’t have time for a hobby or to try something new”, but I promise you that if you really care about it and want to do it, you will find the time. I always seem to find a minute here or there to read a few pages of a book instead of scrolling through Instagram mindlessly, it’s all about how you structure and use your time. 

I hope this gives you some inspiration about finding a new hobby or re-learning an old one. Don’t be afraid to try something new or put yourself first, it may surprise you, how a little change could make a big effect.

Tell me: what are some hobbies you have picked up or are enjoying? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy hobby-ing!

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

Running My First 5K

Happy Wednesday! Depending on when you are reading this, I am either on my way back from my family vacation or I am already back to life, work and reality. It was so good to get away with my family and make memories, especially before everyone heads back to school.  We had such a great summer with everyone being home and I’m sad to see my siblings head back to school. Thankfully for me, there’s no summer vacation when you are working, so the summer fun doesn’t stop here. There’s still plenty of time to enjoy the warm weather and activities.

Now onto, today’s post!

One of my New Year’s Resolutions was to run a 5K and I crossed that off my bucket list on August 5th. 

Getting ready to race!

To give you a little background, I have never enjoyed running, so I didn’t do it as a form of exercise growing up or as an adult. I preferred weight training, walks, the elliptical, or bike to get my cardio in. However, I was always amazed at people who loved running, ran miles a day and competed and I always gave them major credit for their dedication and drive. 

At the start of the year when I was creating my yearly goals, I wanted to find a way to challenge myself physically and mentally and decided running was something I could do to set a goal and see the end results. It was also something new I had never tried before, and I was excited for the challenge.

I am by no means an expert at running or training for long distance running, however, this is what worked for me and how I trained for my first (spoiler alert-not last) 5K.

My boyfriend has run for years and ran competitively in grade school, high school and college, so I asked him for some advice ahead of my training. 

Here’s what he recommended for training for a race; give yourself plenty of time to train, incorporate a rest or walk day after a run day, build up your mileage as you go (you want to be able to run more miles than just what the race is intended for), and even if you aren’t feeling it and your time is bad, still get your run in. 

I started my training in the winter by running at the gym when I would go to lift and workout. I started small by running half a mile or so and just to get my body used to running. 

Some of my early runs

As the seasons changed from winter to spring, I started to run outdoors and for longer distances as it got warmer. I started running a mile and then upped my mileage every few weeks until I was running over three miles before my race. I started to run on a treadmill at the gym (which I was not a fan of- I don’t like being stagnant), I also did a majority of my running in my yard which is a mix of pavement and grass and then I did some running on just pavement.

Some of my early runs at the start of the summer.

Training for my race wasn’t always fun or easy, there were days where I was slower since I did a heavier lift at the gym or I was tired or I wasn’t in the right state of mind, but since April I ran two or three times a week and on the tough days, I would always tell myself, at least I ran, even if my time wasn’t where I wanted it to be at. 

While I ran, I would often listen to a podcast, music, or even an audiobook. I found that helped keep me focused or maybe distracted when I was struggling to finish. 

One of the podcasts I would listen to on runs.

The more I ran, the more I was surprised with how I had come to enjoy the run. At the beginning, it would be a challenge sometimes to finish a mile, but towards the end, I was exceeding three miles and I would keep going. I loved the way I would feel at the end of the run. I felt stronger with each mile I finished, and I loved the feelings of endorphins released at the end. I kept track of all my runs and got excited to see my times change as my miles increased. It was also a great reminder to see how far I had come.

One of my runs.

Through my training, I decided to upgrade my sneakers. I had been running on the same sneakers I had for years that were getting worn out, so I upgraded my kicks this year to a pair of New Balance. I have been loving them for my training. 

My new running sneakers

Some of my favorite runs while I was training were when I was at the beach and running on just pavement and not around my yard.

More training

When it came time for finding a 5K, I chose a local festival that had a community 5K in the morning before the festivities got underway. My goal for the day was to just finish it and have fun.

Getting ready to race!

I was nervous on race day, since it was my first time competing and I later learned they had the largest crowd for the race, over 200 people competing. Based on advice other runners gave me, I decided to forgo music or podcasts and just run and I’m so glad I did, it put me in a different mindset, and I believe it ultimately made me faster in the end. 

 My whole family came out to support me and cheer me on and my boyfriend ran with me too. I finished the race with my best time ever. 

My official race time!

I had such a good experience, and I definitely got the runner’s bug. While this was my first race, it certainly won’t be my last. I loved the journey to get to where I am today and now, I want to continue to do better with my and challenge myself to longer runs. 

Finishing my first 5K!

Stay tuned for my next 5K! I’m so glad I stuck to my goal of competing and through this process, I discovered a new hobby.  I’m proud to officially call myself a runner!

Categories
Fabulous living

2023 New Year’s Resolutions Check In

Hello everyone!

Happy Wednesday and Happy August! It’s hard to believe we are into August. This summer has been packed full of work, crossing things off my summer bucket list, seeing friends, traveling to new places and still finding time to enjoy the lazy days of summer. It has been the best two months and I’m looking forward to what this next month brings.

Sweet summer mornings

As we make our way through the year, I wanted to do a New Year’s resolution check-in. 

I always think it’s a good idea to hold ourselves accountable to our goals and resolutions and check in to see how we are doing with things we set our mind’s to. Here’s a look at my post from the beginning of the year.

My motto for 2023 is “Embrace Change” and although there hasn’t been too much major changes that has happened to me this past year, I have been doing my best to be flexible, open to change and embrace it. It hasn’t always been easy, but I’m doing my best to be open to new ideas and opportunities.

Here’s a look at my resolutions for this year:

Eat healthier and Run a 5K– I am really proud of this 2023 goal. During the spring, I started to train for my 5K and I’m running it this weekend! I’m both excited and nervous to compete, I’m not doing it to win it all, rather to say I did it. I started running twice, sometimes three times a week and have upped my mileage every week.

One of recent runs.

I also started to eat healthier in the spring and summer. I have been making healthier meals, snacking less and making smarter food choices and being mindful of what I’m putting in my body. Overall, I have felt so much better. I have more energy, I am sleeping better, overall, I feel healthier. This has been a resolution that I am very proud of. Even after I complete my 5K, I still plan on running since I have enjoyed this newfound hobby.

An example of a new summer meal.

Take advantage of local parks and spots– I have done a pretty good job of this one, but there is still room for improvement. I have found some new places around the region to hike and walk in my own backyard rather than traveling distances to go hiking. I have taken advantage of more places in the spring, summer and fall, but I still want to do more in the winter, it’s all about bundling up for the walks. 

A new place to go hiking
A familiar place to go hiking.

Plan to do more things on days off– This is one area that I have done pretty well with, but I still want to make sure I’m taking full advantage of my vacation days and weekends. I try to make sure my weekends are balanced between work and relaxing, but sometimes, the balance isn’t always there. The same goes with vacation days, sometimes I have certain things planned but other times, I don’t take advantage of them to the fullest. This is something that I still have time to work on this year.

Seeing Ed Sheeran and heading to a new park to go hiking was a day off well spent.

Continue to grow in my Profession-This is one that I will always be working on every day. I have been a part of a few big projects during the first half of this year that have challenged me and helped me grow, but I am always looking for ways to get better and challenge myself. I try to get creative with my job and find different things to bring to the table and I think I do a pretty good job at it, but I know the only way we grow is if we challenge ourselves.

One adventure was heading to Canada for a work trip.

Those were my four main goals and resolutions for the year. Overall, I think I have done a good job of accomplishing them so far this year, but in good news, I have several months to continue to work on these goals.

Tell me, with several months to go, how are you doing with your 2023 Resolutions? Have you accomplished? Are you pleased with where you are at? Let me know in the comments below! See you Friday for another edition of Friday Favorites!

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Fitness Let's Look

Let’s Look and Apple Fitness Review

Hello All!

Happy Wednesday! I hope your weeks are going well. It’s starting to feel more and more like springtime which I can’t get enough of. I hope you and your family had a wonderful Easter!

I had the best Easter with family, savoring traditions and having fun!

I have an extra-long post for you today!

First, I’m linking up with Erika and Shay for their monthly “Let’s Look”, every month, they choose different topics to discuss, last month we talked about about favorite Amazon purchases and in February we shared about our medicine cabinets and today’s topic is pet peeves. 

I’m sure if I thought about it for hours, I could give you a list of pet peeves, but to save both your and my sanity, here’s a few of my pet peeves.

I’m a neat-freak, so I can’t stand messes. If there’s clutter, I try to clean it up, a load of laundry in the dryer? I fold it. (Whether it’s a 10 pm or 6 am). Dishes sitting in the sink? I clean them. I love the feeling of going to bed or leaving the house in order, so I always try to have everything picked up and tidied up. It sometimes drives the people in my life crazy, when I spend time suggesting they tidy up a space, I’m a work in progress, so I’m trying to let go of things being tidy and organized all the time.

Another pet peeve I have is I hate wasting, whether it’s food or items or time. It pains me to throw away food that I don’t eat. I always try to eat leftovers and use things I have in my fridge or freezer or pantry instead of buying food when I have things at home. I also hate wasting items, I like to use samples that I get or I will use cosmetics until the last drop. And time, i hate wasting time and not being productive.

My last big pet peeve is low batteries on phones or low gas in cars. I get stressed with gas gets below a quarter tank or when my phone battery hits 40%, I always like to be prepared with full tanks of gas or a full battery.

I’m sure I can think of plenty of more pet peeves, but those are some of my top pet peeves.

For part two of today’s post, I’m reviewing Apple Fitness. I got a new phone back in January and when I got it, I got three months free with Apple Fitness. I was excited to try it and have used it a lot over the past three months.

Some of my favorite features include the dozens of different workouts, intensity levels and lengths of workouts. There’s a mix of at-home workouts videos and guided workouts on a treadmill, bike, or elliptical.

I tried yoga, strength and conditioning, core, stretching, walking and running, just to name a few. Some workouts were 10-minute yoga sessions which were perfect for a quick stretch and other core workouts were 45 minutes that got you sweating. 

I loved the variety of workouts and the different instructors; some were upbeat and fast paced and others were more calming and chill. There were always new classes to try and I loved that you could see how you were doing to try and close your rings.

I used the guided walks the most, you could choose from a variety of people from singers to activists, actors, or political figures and they would narrate while you walked. They would share personal stories, their favorite songs and life lessons. I “went on a walk” with Prince William, Dolly Parton and Gabrielle Union to name a few. I learned a lot from them while getting a good walk in. 

Apple Fitness is $9.99 a month which in my opinion isn’t a horrible option for access to hundreds of at home workouts and guided workouts. However, I belong to a gym that I go to every day, so I was using Apple Fitness in addition to what I was doing at the gym. Ultimately, I decided to not renew my Apple Fitness subscription. I really enjoyed it and found it super helpful and useful, but I wasn’t using it enough to pay $10 when I was already going to a gym. If I decide to not to a gym and just rely on home workouts, then I will definitely be renewing my Apple Fitness Subscrpition.

Whew, that was a long one. Major props if you made it through the whole post, but I had a lot on my mind. I have two questions to pose to you today!

1) What are your biggest pet peeves?

2) Are you and Apple Fitness fan? Have you tried it? Are you more into hitting the gym or doing an at-home workout? Let me know in the comments below!

Have a wonderful rest of your week! See you here on Friday!

Categories
Currently

Currently #33

Hello all! 

September flew by, from the end of summer to the beginning of fall, it’s been a busy month. It’s time for another Currently, a glimpse into life over the past few weeks. 

What I’ve been up to: This month has been filled with saying goodbye to summer and hello to fall! I started the month with some end of season baseball games and ended the month with the start of fall walks and drinks. I created my fall bucket list where you can check out here. It makes me excited for the new season and the new adventures it brings. 

Saying goodbye to summer by enjoying some summer walks
And baseball games
My first Cleveland Guardians game happened this month!

What I’m wearing: I’ve started to bring out the leggings and jeans for the fall and winter season, but they have been paired with short sleeve tops. In addition to bringing out the pants, I’ve also been pairing shorts with long sleeve tops for days that may start out cool and turn hot or vice versa.

A fun transitional outfit. My new top from Old Navy paired with leggings.

What I’m reading: I’ve been on a roll with good books as summer winded down. I read the Perfect Couple which was a new to me book. I really loved the mystery aspect and the description of Nantucket. As we make our way into October, I’m looking forward to lighting more candles and cozying up with a blanket and reading more. Any fall books I should dive into?

A new favorite author!

What I’m watching: Fall TV is back! I’m excited to catch up on some of my favorite shows that are either back or will be coming back soon. I’m a big fan of Grey’s Anatomy and that returns next week (!!), I’m excited to see what this season has to offer and some of the changes that are expected to come along with it too! I’ve also been making my way through Sweet Magnolia’s. I didn’t watch too much tv or movies in the summer since I try to be outside as much as possible. We’ve had a few rainy days and evenings, so I’ve been watching some older movies. I watched When Harry Met Sally and it was the best way to spend an afternoon. 

A new favorite show!

What I’m loving: I’ve been enjoying spending lots of quality time with friends. Over the past month, I’ve gotten dinner or caught up via facetime with all my local friends and some of my out of town friends. It was so good to get some quality conversations and time with my friends. Whether it was a local dinner, traveling half way to see a friend or a facetime from hundreds of miles away, spending time with friends is so important and something I’ve been loving over the past few weeks. I’ve also been enjoying baking and fall walks!

I made snicker doodles for the first time. yum!

What Inspires me: As the temperatures drop, I’ve been loving lots of cooking and baking. Here’s some of the recent things I’ve made.

I’ve made homemade pizza this month
A new chicken salad with chicken, celery, grapes and pecans.
Homemade banana muffins
Cherry tomato chicken and pasta

What I accomplished: This past month, I’ve spent lots of time outside, time with friends and time with my favorite hobbies. From reading to walks and time with my family. It’s been a great month.

The sweetest treat after dinner with friends.

Goals from last month: I got a lot in from wrapping up summer and starting some fall fun and crossing things off my fall bucket list. Plus, I got in a few day trips, including Cleveland, with a day to the zoo and a baseball game.

Goals for this month: This month I look forward continue to enjoy fall, from leaves to walks, and football. I can’t wait to try some new fall recipes, especially with apples and fall veggies. I’m also working towards some new fitness goals, by eating healthier and working out more.

Enjoying a sushi spread while soaking up the last bit of warm weather.

That’s just a look at life right now. Tell me, what are some of your highlights from the past month!

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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Fitness

Fit Bit Versa Lite Review

Hey everyone! Happy Wednesday! I hope you had a great weekend and start for your week. Last week, I shared that I had to bite the bullet and buy a new fit bit. I got my first one three and a half years ago, I wrote a blog post about my experience with the Alta HR here. Their life expectancy is a year so I was more than happy that it lasted this long.

I decided to go with the Fit Bit Vera Lite Edition. I knew what I wanted with a the fit bit, I wanted something that would track my steps, calories burned, exercise, sleep, and receive notifications. 

I have been happy with how the Versa Lite has worked out so far. The battery is long lasting, I typically charge it when I’m relaxing and I don’t need to wear it to track my fitness or steps. 

The alarm clock on it super helpful for when I’m sleeping, I still have an alarm on my phone, but having an alarm right on your wrist works great.

The bigger screen face is one of my favorite parts, when I get a call or text I can read them full message and not just a preview, like my old one. I love how my phone and my watch can sync up. I can see more notifications on my watch such as remidners or calendar. 

The exercise feature is my absolute favorite, but it’s something I need to always remind myself about. The fit bit tracks your exercise, whether it’s a work out, walk, run, bike, or training. But, the key is remembering to start the work out so it tracks it. 

I have found my fit bit to be very accurate when it comes to logging my steps and heart rate. 

I’m a competitive person, therefore, I always try to hit 10,000 steps a day, it was much easier in college when I was walking to and from my dorm to campus, but this summer I have been trying to get in a morning work out and a walk in, sometimes both happen, other times it’s one or another, my fit bit helps holds me accountable to my fitness goals. 

I’ve always been a fan of fit bit and their products and I have been happy with my new Versa Lite so far. What are your favorite fitness products and if you have the Versa Lite, what are your favorite features? 

Enjoy the warm weather this week and spend some time outside!

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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!

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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.