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Five Minute Friday #3: Making Changes to Fulfill a Purpose

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I have a new companion who comes with me to all my meals, but I’m not really sure I want him there… He kinda weighs me down sometimes, but I can’t let go of him, and I always pay attention to what he has to say.

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See him? Mr. Exercise Physiology. I have an exam for on Tuesday, and I need all information about metabolism to saturate my brain.

Other recent happenings include lots of sandwiches with guac…

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…and Lent! It started this Wednesday, so this week’s Five Minute Friday vlog has to do with making changes in one’s life in order to fulfill a purpose (not just from a Catholic perspective).

link to the video here!

Catholics do have set rules for fasting and abstinence throughout Lent. Here are some infographics if you’re curious!

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Ooo Valentine’s Day is this weekend, isn’t it? Flashback to when I wrote a letter to my future husband on this blog for Valentine’s Day two years ago. “Dear No One” is still my theme song.

Happy weekend!!!

So tell me:

If you participate in Lent, what are you giving up/adding? Giving up: makeup and scrolling Instagram (I can post but that’s it). Adding: Must be at least 5 minutes early to everything if I can help it and a decade of the rosary each day.

If you do not participate in Lent, do you feel called to make any specific changes in your life to meet your goals?

What are you doing for Valentine’s Day/President’s Day/the weekend?

I’ll be celebrating “Galentine’s Day” with Rachel tomorrow night! :) The only way I might choose a guy over Rachel is if he comes up to me with a single rose in his mouth, Coldplay/Tori Kelly tickets, and a box of chocolates jar of peanut butter within the next twenty-four hours.



Three Words for Valentine’s Day Weekend

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“I love you!”

…But not said to a significant other. I was saying that to my family and friends though, which is equally (if not, more) important.

I guess my three words are still “Dear No One“. (P.S. Tori Kelly’s dress on the red carpet for the Grammy’s last night, WHAT!? Gorgeous. Wish she won best new artist, but Meghan Trainor is cool too.)

I’m running short on time since I’ve been studying oodles for my exercise physiology exam, so here are some snapshots of my Valentine’s/President’s Day weekend in three words each!

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another jar down

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not as good

{but still delicious}

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post-work lunch

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childhood friends reunite

{dinner at Orinoco + dessert at Paris Creperie}

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fantastic guava flatbread

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roasted portabella arepa

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“Gram’s apple pie”

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Snape-inspired crepe

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this is inside

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warmth before fashion

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“Galentine’s” date night 

{food bucket list at Gene’s Chinese Flatbread Cafewatched “How To Be Single”}

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lamb cumin noodles

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HAND-PULLED NOODLES

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Alton Brown approves

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pork flatbread afterwards

hit. the. spot.

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muffins are underrated

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my Valentine’s date

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Valentine’s self-gift

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lunch with family!

{Dumpling Cafe}

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soup dumplings ROCK

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wish me luck

I LOVE YOU!

So tell me:

Three things you did this weekend (please feel free to use more than three words)!

Do you find that cashew butter is too mild to put on foods (I can’t taste it with my banana/cinnamon oatmeal!)?

Did you watch the Grammy’s? I actually did not, but of course I kept up with TK.


Five Minute Friday #4: Virtual Breakfast Date

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This week was full of surprises!

Little surprises, good and not-so-fab alike, but they made for a great week overall.

For example, Wednesday was World Cabbage Day, and Timehop decided to tell me about it.

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“It’s finally here”

Also, the temperature totally went from [sub-] zero to a hundred REAL QUICK. Okay not a hundred, but like, 45 degrees, which is quite the jump.

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stalking campus tours

Rachel and I ran into each other on Wednesday morning, realizing that we matched almost exactly— tour sweaters, jeans, brown boots. Surprised, but not actually.

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One of the best surprises of the week was seeing one of my best friends, Emma, (who moved away a few weeks ago) walk through the door. Rachel and I screamed louder than people should at 10 AM.

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Modern dance class on Wednesday was especially fun (we danced to a “Fever” cover by Beyonce, so that in and of itself was amazing).

National Eating Disorders Awareness week is next week(!), and I was so glad to see these flyers up in the dorms.

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Another quasi-surprise that arose was the realization that I have three exams next week. Turn up.

Anyway, I talk more about this week’s happenings (including things like singing in the rain and thoughts about motherhood) in my Five Minute Friday vlog!

link to the video here!

So tell me:

Did you know it was World Cabbage Day on Wednesday?

Did you have any good and/or bad surprises this week?

Any plans for the weekend?


Weekend Confessions

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This weekend…

Confession #1: My best girl friends and I went out for appetizers and cocktails mocktails to celebrate Rachel’s birthday, because we’re still babieeees.IMG_1905

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Confession #2: Yo girls can EAT.

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Confession #3: I cooked some pretty darn tasty chicken and burgers at work, and I really wished I could eat more than just a nibble of them. #occupationalhazard

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Confession #4: I base my decision to get either a sandwich or salad at the food court based on the availability of cornbread. If the salad bar has cornbread, I’m getting salad for the sake of cornbread. I’ll say it one more time: cornbread.

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Confession #5: I’ve been eating more carbs and a little less protein to put my nutrition project’s results to the test. Verdict? Feelin’ great! It could be a mind game, but I feel more energetic. Because carbs give you energy, WHO KNEW!?

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Confession #6: In all honesty, this weekend was a little bit harder on the body image and recovery front than it has been in a long time. I can’t tell if it was from Thursday’s body fat composition test, or if it’s just a stress crutch. Either way, I am keepin’ on and my mind is still in a good place overall, thanks to the amazing community of people in my life (YOU included).

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Confession #7: I bought oatmeal at Au Bon Pain, even though I have oatmeal in my dorm. I went to Mass and a spontaneous breakfast date yesterday morning with Rachel before she went home for some personal business, and I felt the need to buy something to go along with the Perfect Bar (got it from a giveaway on Instagram thanks to my girl, @foodietunes!) and banana that I brought along.

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Confession #8: Whenever I match with people, I feel compelled to take a photo with them.

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leather jackets ayooo

Confession #9: I stood outside in the beautiful weather listening to a song I really liked and pretended I was in some dramatic montage.

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Confession #10: IMO, the best part of the Oscars were when Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe announced together and when BB8 came on stage.

Also, Chris Rock was funny but made me kinda uncomfortable at some points. I guess that was the point, right?

Confession #11: My friends are hawt.

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One more week until spring break!

So tell me:

One confession from your weekend!

If you watched the Oscars, which part was your favorite?

When was the last time you got dressed up and what was it for?


Five Minute Friday #6: I Bet You Didn’t Know…

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Someone make a meme out of this, please.

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WHY DON’T I HAVE A BOYFRIEND!?

We did the VO2max unit in exercise physiology lab last night, and I volunteered as tribute. Getting into that contraption was more exercise than the test itself, because the cycle erg never even increased resistance, so I was at a pretty low VO2 by the end of the test. Oh well. The hardest parts were the initial panic of having my nose plugged and then the fact that my butt was hurting like a !@#$% on that bike.

But it was fun!

In other news, spring break starts today! It was a pretty chill week for me this week, since all my midterms were last week. It was actually pretty hard for me to find motivation to do things since I didn’t have any imminent deadlines or exams this week.

So instead of doing work, I did things like take selfies in the 50 degree weather…

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…had a lot of meal dates and awesome conversations with friends…

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I really love my friends ♥︎ 

…and don’t worry mom and dad, I did do lots of work :D

Today’s Five Minute Friday is lighthearted! If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you probably know a lot about me, but here are some things I bet you didn’t know! (Inspired by Tina’s post)

link to the video here!

Hope you all have a marvelous weekend! Don’t forget to laugh at yourself.

So tell me:

A fun fact about yourself!

Have you ever done a VO2max test?

What are you doing this weekend? Driving home with a couple of my good friends and just chillin’ out with the fam/doing homework/sleeping!


Let Me Brag About My Friends Again

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I’m currently sitting outside on this last day of spring break, and I’m feeling all kinds of emotions.

Sad that spring break is over, overjoyed that the weather has been beautiful, grateful for amazing friends, anxious for the second half of the semester, and excited for what’s to come.

But can I brag about these people in my life who I call my friends (I think they call me their friend too, but who really knows)? These last few days of spring break have been wonderful in every way, but mostly in how down-to-earth, fun, and faithful my friends are. I’ve said this so many times before, but they constantly inspire me to be better and grow closer to God.

Friday

Friday started with some homework, maybe? I don’t remember. Regardless, the important part of the day was Mass and lunch with my friend Katie!

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perfect weather

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We chatted about the very depths of our souls over some bomb salads from Sweetgreen. I forgot to take picture with her, so my type-A-blogger self is sad.

The rest of the day involved Kan-Jam, a trip to the gym (too many heavy squats ➔ sore for DAYS), homework, and early bedtime.

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Saturday

I worked from 10-3 before playing outside in the perfect weather (again). I also stopped by Whole Foods to buy a box of salad greens, Fage Greek yogurt (that was on sale!), fresh strawberries (also on sale) and Nature’s Path mixed berry buckwheat freezer waffles (also on sale #collegebudget). Those four things were my sustenance for the weekend.

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crumbs everywhere on my bed

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Yogurt, nut butter, waffles, berries, and leaves— nothing out of the ordinary for me anyway.

Saturday night brought some fun festivities! My friends and I went out for drinks…

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…and I was the only one in our group under 21, which explains my Shirley Temple pictured above.

*waitress taking orders*

Friend 1: Guinness, please.

Friend 2: I’ll also have a Guinness.

Friend 3: Guinness.

Friend 4: Guinness for me too.

Me: …Can I get a Shirley Temple?

Honestly, that’ll probably be me when I’m 21 anyway.

Nevertheless, ’twas a grand ol’ night, complete with live Irish music and dancing. I’m grateful for my older friends who let me have fun with them despite me being an infant.

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They went to another bar at 11, at which time I actually needed to go home. #NoFakeID

Sunday

That one hour loss, guys. IT GOT ME.

Nothing a good breakfast can’t fix though!

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Better yet— Mass with friends… and more perfect weather!

After Mass, I knew that I had to move and groove outside. It seemed like all of Boston was saying hello to the blue skies!

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I ran into more friends, who were willing to put up with my selfie shenanigans in the middle of their workout.

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We all burpee’d a lot.

Lunch was the rest of my salad greens, Snap Pea Crisps, and an almond butter Perfect Bar.

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I was planning on doing some more studying, but I didn’t need to do any work… So I went back outside :D

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As soon as I whipped out my phone, this squirrel that was stuffing its face stared me down and looked like it was about to kill me.

More frisbee!

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It was also my friend Lauren’s birthday!!!

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four-eyed friends ♥︎ 

The dining halls opened last night (praaaaaise), so a few of us chowed down.

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Then I joined my saintly friends for Back Bay Mobile Soup Kitchen for a little while before coming back to do some work attempt to do work while waiting for RACHEL TO COME HOME!

She was on a mission trip in Guyana for spring break, so I had not talked to her/seen her/contacted her/known every detail of her life for what seemed like FOREVER. She shared her experiences from the mission trip, and I almost cried. God worked through her in such profound and incredible ways.

She also saw a lot of stars :)

Back to the grind today. Sophomore year will come to a close in just six weeks, help.

Hope you all have a kick-butt week! I’m going to need a couple kicks in the butt just to get out of bed.

So tell me:

Something you loved about this weekend.

Something you love about your friends.

Have you ever been “that” person under 21?

Have you ever been on a service or mission trip?


Five Minute Friday #8: Confidence

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This week was more packed than a chipmunk’s mouth before hibernation!!!

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Or my face before hibernation.

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This week…

Lots of time with our noses in the books:

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I got to see my cousin for a hot minute! She was visiting from Canada to check out some colleges in Boston (not Boston University though…*sadness*).

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Fab breakfast and deep conversation with my friend, Lauren:

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An exceptionally delicious wrap with roast beef, pepper jack, roasted vegetables, corn salsa, lettuce, tomato, and honey mustard:

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Dinner with my dear friend Mai and her boyfriend (arguably the cutest couple I’ve ever known):

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Fish tacos that were messy yet delightful:

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there’s fish under there

A free Cyc Fitness class (aka my first spin class ever), compliments of Fit University founder, Sarah Gaines!

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Sarah just became a “Cycologist” (certified spin instructor at Cyc), so she kindly invited me and my friend Cassandra to her first tribe ride!

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didn’t know what we were getting into

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taken aback by the special shoes

Like I said, I had never been to a spin class before, so I didn’t know what to expect…

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…but, uh, Sarah kicked my ass. When that beat dropped and she went double time on the pedaling for two sets of 32 counts—HAHA. How. My quads are totally not adapted to moving that quickly for that length of time. Also, pretty sure I was sweating taco/I could still smell fish taco on my hands.

But the music, lights, and overall atmosphere were amazing, and I left feeling spent and sweaty as ever.

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Thank you so much, Sarah!! You absolutely killed it, and I would definitely come back to #getcyced with you again.

St. Patrick’s Day was fun and festive with our (my friend Kristy and me) first Shamrock Shake ever!

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I love mint. That thing was straight. up. SUGAR. I enjoyed it, but I honestly could not consume more than a quarter of it. ‘Twas a good experience though.

I had a large hunk of cornbread with turkey chili in the dining hall last night. Random, but good news.

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Not so good news: I have three exams next week.

Good news: Five Minute Friday is here again! I’m talking about confidence, inspired by my breakfast convo with Lauren. Specifically, I’d like to know how you guys feel about being “useful” to others and how you feel about compliments.

link to video!

Great news: This Sunday is Palm Sunday and next week is Holy Week!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend ♥︎

So tell me:

Do you find that you need to be “useful” to others in order to be worthy of their time?

How do you handle compliments?

Have you ever tried a spinning class? Do you like spinning?

Have you ever tried a Shamrock Shake? 


Virtual Lunch Date

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If we were having lunch together…

…I would apologize for missing our usual breakfast date this morning. If I had a battery for myself, I was at -5% last night, so I chose sleep over typing this blog post.

….I would tell you that my body is begging for lots of good food today. My body is probz still repairing from this workout that I did on Friday (even just 6 rounds at 20 and 25# did me under) and the strength workout I did yesterday.

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breakfast this morning

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lunch this afternoon

…I would tell you that my brain is extra needy for energy this week with three exams on deck.

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…I would tell you that Saturday was a fun day— St. Joseph’s feast day, lunch with Rachel and her younger sister (which involved a giant biscuit with sausage gravy), and celebrating my friend Megan’s birthday! Someone brought a lot of Girl Scout cookies to the party, so I helped myself to one three (samoa, thin mint, and tagalong— the “trifecta,” as Rachel calls it).

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…I would tell you that spring has sprung!!!

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^^^That was the joke of Snapchat this morning when Boston woke up to this. Remember when it was spring break 8 days ago and we were all warm and happy?

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But now I’m looking outside and it’s sunny and kind of warm and all the snow is melting. Because why not, Mother Nature?

…I would tell you that Friday’s weather was also bizarre. It was cloudy and ominous yet blue and sunny all at the same time. I must have opened and closed my umbrella five times within one walk.

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to be sunny or not to be sunny: a reflection of my soul

…I would tell you that Snapchat notifies me of occasions that I didn’t even know existed.

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I can get on board, I guess. Happiness is good. Happiness is also facilitated by Sundays and apple crisp a la mode.

…I would tell you that I am SO STOKED that it’s Holy Week! There is honestly nothing keeping me going through this hell week of exams like the knowledge that Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter await. *anticipatory happy dance*

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…I would tell you that it was so lovely getting to take a break from studying and catch up with you for half an hour! But exercise phys calls.

…I would ask you:

How is your spring weather so far?

What are you eating for lunch?

Do you find that you’re learning a lot about national/international occasions via social media?

What’s exciting you this week!?



Five Minute Friday #9: What Motivates Me

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It’s Good Friday.

My three exams are finished for this week.

I’m strangely alert and amped up as I type this at 1:30 AM (a bunch of us were out doing a Holy Thursday procession around downtown Boston).

Here’s what got me through this week (and what gets me through every week, for that matter):

link to video here!

I’m definitely missing so much information that I wanted to tell you from this week, buuuuuut I should hit the hay.

*as I get distracted on Facebook*

If you’re celebrating Easter this weekend, I wish you a blessed and joyous one indeed. If not, I wish you a blessed and joyous weekend too!

So tell me:

What motivates you?

What are you doing this weekend? 

Anything in particular for Easter?


Fasting and Feasting

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He is risen!! He is risen indeed!

Happy Easter, friends! ♥︎

Phew, wow, I cannot tell you what’s going on inside of me right now, because you would have to physically shut me up (or pry my fingers from the keyboard in this case). Joy, gratitude, stress, fullness, tiredness.

Last week was a stressful week, but powering through the stress made the Holy Triduum and Easter all the sweeter.

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*Disclaimer: These next few paragraphs include content relating to fasting and restriction. Please take caution ♥︎ Those with mental disorders (including during recovery from eating disorders) are not required to fast from food.

In light of Good Friday (the day we commemorate Jesus’ death), I fasted from Thursday night until Saturday (not a full fast, just less food than usual). Obviously, it was challenging. The point of fasting in the Catholic Church is to feel hunger and weakness as our Lord did in His time of suffering for our sins, and to unite our (minor) sufferings with His.

When I fasted for the first time last year, I was in a more delicate place regarding my relationship with food. I was a lot more worrisome about making sure that I was eating enough but not more than I was supposed to. This year, fasting was 100% sacrifice mode for me. You don’t have to tell me twice to eat enough at this point in my life, so I didn’t have to worry about mixing up restriction with fasting at all.

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Although sacrifice is involved, we’re encouraged to be smart with fasting. I had a three hour class and then a campus tour on Friday, so I made sure I had just enough energy to get through those things. Fasting should not cause you to be utterly incapacitated nor make you feel super lightheaded/nauseated.

The most significant thing I noticed while fasting this year was that it was freeing to feel that hungry yet know that my hunger pangs were volitional not for restriction but for sacrifice. It empowers me to be okay with being very hungry sometimes, because I know the hunger doesn’t have to be connected to the intention of losing weight. Does that make sense?

Anyway, I was planning on doing a quasi-fast on Saturday, but I went out to lunch with my parents and family friends, and this happened:

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I couldn’t be rude and say no to their generosity and kindness….

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I also took— not one— but two naps on Saturday. They were both 20 minutes, so I don’t feel too bad.

The weather cleared up nicely by late afternoon, and I hadn’t moved and grooved in a while, so I did this workout (one of my favorites!) by the river.

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For whatever reason, I think my body produces a HECK of a lot of gas after I eat a big, fatty meal and then work out later that day. ‘Cause my GI tract was hurtin’ from after I worked out until much later that night. (It felt just like this day last summer!) The gas just stays inside of me and it feels like pins and needles are poking me from the inside out.

TMI, but welcome to the blog.

Saturday night involved the coolest Mass of the year—the Easter Vigil! Followed up by a late night Easter celebration, which commenced the FEASTING. It was also fun to wear makeup again :)

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I went to bed at 3 AM, haha. I got 6 hours of sleep that night, and now I’m typing this at midnight the night after. I’m so prudent with my life decisions.

Easter Sunday started with a 30 minute walk to brunch with the family + family friends!

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THIS PLACE. Dreams. Check it:

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apple donut holes for appetizer, because Easter

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cast iron skillet cornbread with honey butter *moment of silence*

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my entree: cornmeal crusted cod + mango salsa slaw sandwich on brioche

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also shared some of my mom’s “Breakfast Club” waffle sandwich (triple decker with fried chicken and fried egg + syrup for dipping)

Heart-stopping on so many levels. It was so wonderful seeing my family again too. Thank you for making the trip up here, Madre and Pop!

Then I went back to the dorm to do some homework (blah) before hanging out with friends from the Catholic Center and eating MORE.

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air saxophones

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WOMEN.

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radiant souls

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tradition ♥︎ 

It looks like it was warm outside, but it wasn’t. We sucked it up #ForThePics.

What a blessed day. I am at a loss for words except “Alleluia!”

The rest of the day involved me rushing to get in an assignment due at 5pm, mobile soup kitchen with my inspirational friends, and late dinner.

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spinach artichoke dip to share (we all burned the roofs of our mouths devouring this)

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arugula salad with golden raisins, candied walnuts, blue cheese, red onions, and Italian herb vinaigrette

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my aunt’s homemade zucchini bread with almond butter

Plus another cookie and more almond butter.

Thank you, family. Thank you, friends. Thank YOU for reading this and supporting me so lovingly. Thank you, Lord for your Death and Resurrection and Love beyond imagination.

Hope you all have a splendid Easter week!

So tell me:

Three things you did this weekend!

The best thing you ate this weekend!

Do you have any insights on fasting/feeling very hungry after having experienced an eating disorder?


Five Minute Friday #10: Personality + Exciting Announcement!

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I definitely start a lot of my posts with small talk. I often like to talk about the weather, for example…

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 …but can we just…I was in shorts and a T-shirt all day yesterday. And WHAT is that next to Sunday and Tuesday?

But all this small talk is really just procrastination for what I really want to say (I have not told any of my friends or family about this, so you know it’s BIG and SCARY):

I’m working on a building a startup fitness company!

Moves and grooves have gradually become a bigger part of my life in the past few months, so this idea has been growing in my noggin for a bit. I believe I am at a very healthy place, mentally and physically, so I feel comfortable and empowered to take this on. Also, since I’ve become a Fit University ambassador, I’ve just had this inexplicable drive to integrate all my knowledge about physical therapy and eating disorders/fitness obsession and apply it to a holistic, supportive environment. I don’t want to divulge too many details since it’s still in the works, but I’ll be sure to share as the process unfolds.

WOW. LIBERATION. EXCITEMENT. Thanks for listening. Business things. Who would have thought?

Anyway, my friends and I have been rollin’ out the Easter celebration this whole week, despite real life things like laundry and falling asleep in class school.

Rachel and I checked off another food bucket list place on Tuesday with Zinneken’s liege waffles for lunch dessert! Instead of going to the storefront, we stopped by the food truck that was closer to us. I cannot tell you how much this food truck has been torturing me with its aroma of sugar-coated waffles for the past month whenever I walked by.

Tuesday was the day.

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nutella + banana for Rachel // Speculoos cookie butter + banana for me

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so beautiful (Rachel AND the waffle)

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We bought our waffles, parked ourselves on a bench, and let all our fellow students watch us devour the crispiest, sweetest, most delightful waffles ever.

Other delicious foods from the d-hall this week:

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two eggs scrambled with veggies, drizzled drenched with sriracha + whole wheat pancake with almond butter and banana + glass o’ milk

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quinoa cake and roasted veggie bulgur + spinach salad with tofu, carrots, tuna, beets, couscous, olive oil, and balsamic

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banana cake + pumpkin bread

Joyous feasting for Easter?😀

I’ve also had lot of amazing conversations with friends this week, which brings me to this week’s Five Minute Friday! This one’s all about personality:

link to the video!

*Note: After filming this, I reflected on my answer for abstainer vs. moderator, and I actually think I’m an abstainer when I’m more stressed, but I’m more of a moderator when things are going pretty smoothly. Is it cheating to say both? 

Hope you all have a grand weekend! Also,

APRIL FOOLS!!!

I am NOT starting a fitness company. I have no plans to do so. Sorry.😀

So tell me:

DID I FOOL YOU? Please say yes. I never fool anyone.

Do you think you’re an abstainer or a moderator?

Introvert or extravert?

Salt or light (if that’s applicable to you)?

Best April Fools story!


You Want To Be Productive But Then…

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Friday was the best April Fools’ Day of my LIFE.

I am truly grateful that all of you are so supportive of my fitness company endeavors.😉

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how I felt about tricking even my DAD about starting a fitness company

This weekend, I had a nice long list of schoolwork and shorter list fun things that I needed/wanted to accomplish, but one thing leads to another, and the list of accomplished fun things inadvertently becomes longer and the list of accomplished schoolwork consequently becomes shorter…

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Friday started off on a productive note with banana oats in an almond butter jar, biomechanics, a campus tour and a workout at the gym.

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fab lunch: kung pao sweet potatoes over spinach + bbq lentil meatball sub

There were definitely some time periods during which I could have been studying when I opted to chat with new and old friends…

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salad with carrots, chicken, beets, and balsamic + some unknown, delicious, cheesy couscous concoction

…but I think some more homework snuck in there before a bunch of my friends and I headed swing dancing!

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we’re so gross and sweaty in this photo FYI; TMI

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too adorable

It’s always fun to move and groove, even if it’s with clammy men who are either exceptionally advanced or exceptionally…not advanced.

My fellow banana (yellow on the outside, white on the inside) friend, Christine, was in town this weekend so I had to hang out with her. On Saturday, I ate wild berry freezer waffles with peanut butter and an apple in 60 seconds before meeting up with Christine for coffee/tea and a bomb pear almond scone that she kindly shared with me.

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Girl talk with Christine is always a fun time! It wasn’t the studying I planned on, but it was 100x better. You should check out her blog for fashion and fitness (especially because fashion is nearly nonexistent here on Moves and Grooves)!

I went to work from 10-1 and then grabbed a freaking weird (but yummy) lunch while studying reading blogs and getting caught up in a political discussion thread on Facebook.

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“seared tuna” salad + roast beef, smoked gouda, veggie, mustard, artichoke herb spread sandwich on whole grain ciabatta + apple

I told you it was a freaking weird lunch. Separately, everything worked well, but I must say that the seared tuna was a little more like a fish version of spam. Not the worst thing?

Then I cranked out some work. Wait no, I went to go pray at church with my friend Kelsey for a bit. The prayer time was much needed. Then actually cranked out some work. Homework intermission was brought to you by Amsterdam Falafel!

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three falafel on the bottom with almost every topping possible

It’s one of the places on the food bucket list that Rachel and I are making our way through. Since Rachel already went to Amsterdam Falafel on her own though, I decided to go there on my own for dinner on Saturday night.

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I ate this in private. I know for a fact that I looked like a caveman eating this. ‘Twas super tasty!

I ended my night with some yoga. My arms and shoulders were BRICKS from whatever I did on Friday (probably the wall walks), so yoga was lovely.

For Sunday morning, I set my alarm for 8:00 and 8:30, the latter for if I wanted to sleep in. I turned off both alarms and slept until 9:20. I knew I needed it, so I was okay with sacrificing that extra hour of work for quality zzz’s.

Breakfast was a leftover whole wheat pancake with peanut butter, banana, and cinnamon.

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Then I went to confession and Mass with Kelsey before heading to lunch to be greeted with the best dining hall meal ever!

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It was “Sargent Choice” day for brunch in the d-halls, which meant that the Sargent Nutrition Center took over the options for the whole dining hall. They offered avocado toast (!!!) with sautéed spinach and a fried egg, so I beelined for that (and topped it with sriracha, of course). Plus a side of garlicky kale and butternut squash.

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And then for my sweet tooth, I had some plain Greek (!!!) yogurt with kiwi, peaches, and blueberries + applesauce tea cake with brown sugar glaze.

I end up eating more when the dining hall offers things that I normally eat at home, because I’m like:

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[source]

My afternoon consisted of a Catholic student group meeting at Harvard and a dorm workout (warmup, foam rolling, and a 20 minute leg circuit workout):

3 rounds of 10 seconds rest, 30 seconds work // Do each exercise twice for each round (once on each leg if applicable)

Then stretch!

I showered, did laundry, did some work, and then went to dinner with some friends, which ended with a good ol’ bowl of {three different kinds of} cereal.

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Afterwards, I called my parents for a quick bit to talk about some study abroad business! I’m going to Dublin, Ireland this fall!

My beautiful study/snapchat procrastination buddies for the night:

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It’s funny because I feel like the three of us talked the whole weekend about how we need to do work, yet we could not get ourselves to be as productive as we wanted to be. C’est la vie.

Hope you all have a productive week!

So tell me:

You want to be productive but then… 

Have you ever been swing dancing? 

Do you freak out when a restaurant/event/dining hall offers a bunch of healthy food that you love?

Things to do in Dublin, Ireland!:)


Nothing Like A Little Friendly Competition

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Everything huuuuurts.

This weekend was packed with good and fun things (at the expense of sleep and my safety at times), which explains why I’m posting this today instead of yesterday. What’s been happenin’!?

Friday

‘Twas a pretty standard day— class, bible study, gym (two rounds of this workout— another one of my faves @Jo), work, “trying” to do homework in my dorm on a Friday night.

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I was actually in a good mood

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they had avocado! *praise hands*

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very much wanted to eat the chicken I cooked at work

Saturday

Are you ever up in the middle of the night and tired enough that you can’t read a book but “on” enough that your brain can’t shut up? That was me this day.

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I must keep telling myself that I am indeed thankful for functioning kidneys.

Saturday was a big day because some folks at the Catholic Center (myself included) participated in a fun, athletic competition called the “St. Sebastian Cup”. My friend Lauren sent me a snapchat of herself that morning making a protein shake with the caption: “Are you scared?”

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I had overnight oats, so no, I was not scared.

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The competition consisted of three games of Ultimate Frisbee…

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copyright Cecilia R. Photography

My team didn’t score a single point in all three games… but we had HEART. Unfortunately, heart doesn’t get you points.

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copyright Cecilia R. Photography

But then there was this banana relay race. We all had to jump across a field and back with a banana between our knees, then run with the banana between partners without using our hands, and finally eat the banana.

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copyright Cecilia R. Photography

EXPERT. But only good enough for second place.

Next came the painful part. We played two games of capture the flag, and I may or may not have been plowed over by one of my teammates when we were both sprinting to tag the same person. It all happened in slow motion, and before I knew it, we were both eating dirt and my right hip was talkin’ to me.

But as any elite athlete would, we carried on with the competition.

Lastly, we had tug o’ war with a thin, slippery nylon strap. Safe? Not at all. Blood was shed. Maybe it helps that St. Sebastian is a martyr? (Too dark?)

Anyway, my team got fourth (aka last), and Rachel’s team got first.

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copyright Cecilia R. Photography

(*cough* stacked team *cough* what?)

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It was a mighty fun time though, and we all went to the dining hall to feast on good food, including some bomb bread pudding.

At night, I attended a Women’s Retreat about being uniquely made. It was a lovely, heartwarming way to end a hard day of “friendly” competition (things got pretty spicy at some points!).

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The lovely ladies running the retreat made us vegan sweet potato chili! I un-veganized it with cheese and sour cream:)

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freshly baked chocolate banana bread ♥︎ 

I did some reading for class back at home afterwards, and I kept falling asleep. Rachel kept waking me up and motivating me to finish my homework like a good friend. But I wanted to sleep.

Sunday

I think it’s safe to say that everyone who participated in the St. Sebastian Cup woke up moaning in pain on Sunday morning. Convo with my girl, Lauren:

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The pain was even worse two days later.

But Sunday was a beautiful day for productivity, Mass, and National Siblings Day!

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banana oatmeal with almond butter for breakfast

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not a cloud in the sky

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finding places to stand and do work outside

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took the siblings out for dinner (Rachel is the “adopted sister”)

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roasted butternut squash, goat cheese, spinach, balsamic pizza

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berry + vanilla creme crepe

And then there was Monday, which was a solid day all around. We had stretch and massage day in dance class, so that was GREAT.

Hope you all have a fantastic week! Play outside and get into some friendly competition (just be careful).

So tell me:

What is your favorite competitive athletic activity?

Is there something that you get very competitive about?

What did you do this weekend? 


Five Minute Friday #12: Fear of Failure

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I woke up in the middle of the night doing sit-ups, I KID YOU NOT.

I think I was dreaming about doing the sit-up test in high school phys ed, and as I was waking up in my hazy state, I felt the need to continue cranking out the reps. Hahaha ew.

I’ve also been going to sleep and waking up pretty early this week — bed at 10:30 ish and wake up at 6:45 naturally. Oh what glory! The early sunrise and blue skies for the second half of this week have been making me so happy.

Other things making me happy this week:

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big breakfasts: two eggs scrambled with veggies + whole wheat french toast with almond butter and banana + glass o’ milk

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impromptu d-hall dinner with the roomie (and her provocative captions…we sleep in our own beds FYI)

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visiting chefs in the d-hall! calamari salad + chicken with veggies and polenta

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ice cream with sprinkles + mini cannoli

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last exercise phys lab with the coolest lab group

My first article on Fit University! It’s basically the story of my journey to fitness and health ➔ “There Was a Time When the Healthy Living Community Was Bad For Me.”

The last thing making me happy(ish) this week: Asking God to be humble me and getting exactly that. Yeesh, ask and you shall receive, am I right??

That last point kinda leads me to this week’s Five Minute Friday, which is about fear of FAILURE. I way cheated this week and made the vlog almost 7 minutes, mostly because my brain is a wee bit slow and I can’t form words quickly enough.

link to the video!

Three day weekend up ahead for us at BU for Marathon Monday/Patriots’ Day! Yeeeeeya. Hope you all have a fun weekend!

So tell me:

Are you afraid of failure? How do you deal with it?

Have you ever woken up doing something really weird?

What’s making you happy right now?

Know anyone running the Boston Marathon!?


Pray, Eat, Move, Groove, Nap, Repeat

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When this happens during spring…

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…you think…

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[source]

…so when this finally becomes real…

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…you GET THE HECK OUTSIDE.

I’m typing this on Monday night, but it feels like a Sunday because we had an extra day off for the Boston Marathon! But the weekend fun definitely kicked off on Friday…

Friday

Class, lunch, bible study…

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tuna salad, artichokes, lettuce, tomato, roasted vegetables, and pesto in a whole wheat wrap

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corn muffin:)

…and some moves and grooves outside with mah girl Christina from @foodietunes and Fit University! We warmed up and started with a 12 minute HIIT workout. 3 rounds of 30 sec work, 10 sec rest:

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12 minutes can take it out of ya

Then we messed around with some yoga-y moves and partner pistol squats!

Instagram Photo

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She also convinced me to have force-fed me a couple bites of her Zinneken’s waffle with chocolate, cookie butter, and whipped cream. Life isn’t fair sometimes.

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It was decadent and amazing

Then I cleaned myself up for dinner with my friend Zoe, followed by my roommate’s fashion show that night!

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She is FIRE. Always so cool to see her rock that runway (← sounds like an ad for a new Target teen clothing line).
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I have never felt more awkward posing for a photo than in this moment. I have a lot to learn from Jordan in terms of effortlessness:

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via Mint Julep Facebook

Saturday

I went to bed way too late for getting up at 6:30 on Saturday. I joined some friends for BU’s Global Day of Service for the morning and early afternoon. We went to the houses of senior citizens to help them with yard work. It was a lovely day to be outside, and we all enjoyed meeting new people, serving, and reflecting on the day!

Afterwards, Rachel and I proceeded to shower and take long, delicious naps. I set my alarm for a 45 minute nap, but 90 minutes later I woke up not knowing anything.

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[source]

“5:45…am? Wait no, it’s sunny outside.”

After grasping a sense of reality, I did some random things before going to dinner with my friend Mai. We had some beautiful convo ♥︎

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that quinoa-stuffed tomato was fantastic

I spent the night in my room by my lonesome, so I watched this Crossfit “Behind the Scenes” movie on Youtube, practiced handstands, did this ab workout, did laundry, and worked on a paper. I really enjoyed the “me time” to recharge (extravert who is secretly an introvert?).

Sunday

Up and at ’em early-ish again for a fabulous girls’ brunch at Sarah’s (one of the Catholic Center missionaries) house!

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THIS WOMAN. Not only a radiant and inspirational woman of God, but a killer chef. She made us a crockpot egg/sausage/bacon/hasbrown casserole, blueberry cream cheese french toast casserole, and roasted potatoes. Whaaaaaaaat. Thank you so much, Sarah! ♥︎

‘Twas a beautiful day again, so a few of us took the 25 minute walk back to campus.

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We went to Mass and lunch before doing some work (TBH, I just folded my laundry from Saturday night and took a 20 minute nap). Then I went on a short run with Zoe before we met up with  Joe for the 1000 REP WORKOUT (← caps for dramatic effect).

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I’d been asking my friends to work out with me for a while now, so I was stoked that they joined me for some moves and grooves outdoors. They made it a fun and funny workout:)

Refueled with milkshakes (milk = protein, so essentially protein shakes).

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The rest of my evening consisted of Back Bay Mobile Soup Kitchen, dinner, a much needed shower, and homework.

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the finish line the day before the race!

Marathon Monday!

Since Boston University is in the heart of Boston (unlike the arch nemesis, Boston College) and the marathon course runs right through campus, we get a day off of school! Some of my best girl friends and I started the holiday with a lovely pancake breakfast in the morning. Rachel was in charge of pancakes, I sautéed the bananas, and Zoe cooked the eggs. Dream team.

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I loved Rachel’s impressionist pancakes.

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one with almond butter, one with peanut butter (and then another with blueberry syrup…and another with more almond butter) + glass o’ milk!

Then we hung out before heading to the Mile 25 marker of the marathon course!

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Atsede Baysa— first place woman!

I can’t get over how fast and resilient these people are. Holy cow.

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I screamed a lot again this year, but not as much as last year. Sparing my vocal cords was a smart decision. But my favorite things to yell at the runners are:

  • “YEAHHHHHH!!!”
  • “COME ON!”
  • “YOU’RE ALMOST THERE!”
  • “YOU GOT THIS.”
  • “DIG DEEEEEEEP!”
  • “KILLIN’ IT!”
  • “KEEP IT UP!”
  • “YEAH CANADA!!!”

My friends reprimanded me for that last one.

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We also got to see one of our friends running in the marathon (he finished in 3:00:05!!!), which was so awesome.

After a couple hours of cheering, I went to eat lunch and take a nap. I felt like I could nap for an eternity, but I got myself up after an hour and went to do some errands, move and groove a little bit outside, and do some work before having dinner with my brother and typing this up.

TL; DR — pray, eat, move, groove, nap, repeat.

Hope you all have a marvelous week! Cheer someone on (including yourself).

So tell me:

Did you get to go outside this weekend?

Have you ever spectated a big race? Are you a big cheerer?

Two things you did this weekend!

How do you feel about naps?



Five Minute Friday #13: The Trait I Value Most in People

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Upside: It has been utterly GORGEOUS this week!

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morning workout with Rachel yesterday // she’s so stretchy

Downside: I could use more sleep. I know this because a) I’m nodding off in lectures more this week than ever before; b) I’ve been kinda out of it from 2-4pm every day (what I call my “dead period”); c) There are times when I want to do something (eat? exercise? talk to someone? dance?), but I have no idea what to do with myself to satisfy that urge.

Answer: SLEEP.

I also need to go on a social media cleanse this weekend, mostly because I need to buckle down and focus academically. On schedule this week: 2 exams, 1 paper due, 1 project due, and 1 lab exam.

Other upside: My family friends + Mom took me out to dinner on Wednesday night at the best Asian food court in Boston.

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Mom: “Alison do you want a taro bubble tea?” // Me: “No…but I know you do.” ← how she gets me to share a bubble tea with her.

REAL BIG UPSIDE: THIS DISNEY ORIGINAL MOVIE MARATHON AT THE END OF MAY. It’ll be one of the best birthday presents a girl could ask for.

Five Minute Friday time! (My brain cannot make this post coherent, I’m sorry.) This week is about the trait I value most in people, inspired by this post!

link to the video!

Hope you all have a rockin’ weekend!

So tell me:

What is the trait you value most in another person?

What is the trait you find most attractive in another person?

Do you have a “dead period” during the day when all you want is a nap?

What are you doing this weekend? Work, spring formal, SafeTalk training for suicide prevention, possibly an a cappella concert, HOMEWORK/STUDYING, Mass, and hopefully catching some extra zzz’s.


Five Minute Friday #14: Fill in the Blanks

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This is going to be the most cop-out post ever—photos, teeny captions, and five minute Friday vlog. Hope you’re all doing well!

Life this past week:IMG_0670

the world is colorful again!

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moving and grooving at the Catholic Center spring formal last Friday

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accidentally patriotic

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Saturday morning — almond butter AND peanut butter

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Boston is pretty sometimes

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one of those #hangry lunches

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embarrassed, but not enough to change anything

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fangirling over my friends’ a cappella skills

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late night food bucket list run with Rachel (“I’d put in the leg work for ice cream” ← love that chick)

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their famous cake batter cookies ‘n’ cream (+ mint oreo, my fave)

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carbs getting their own plate

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bloobs 

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100 burpees as my body slowly shuts down this week

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more beautiful weather

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BREAKFAST

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nourishment

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banana cake on one night

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 and banana bread on another

And here’s this week’s vlog with a little survey and a little catchup.

link to the video!

Hope you all have a lovely weekend! Eat some ice cream for me.

So tell me:

How has your week been?

What would you try at least once?

Best thing you ate this week?

Have you ever gotten a hug/call/affirmation right when you needed it most?


Lately + Swallowing Pride

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I am done with sophomore year of college!!

I guess you could say I’m halfway done with undergrad, but I guess I have one more year of undergrad + 3 more years of grad school…so…still lots of school left.

Needless to say, these past two weeks have been crazy with exams and things, so I haven’t been talking to you guys as much. I apologize! Let’s catch up.

Last Saturday, our dear friend Emma came to visit from Ohio, so we went to breakfast at Tatte!

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I ordered the shakshuka because I’ve always wanted to try shakshuka (from any restaurant), but for whatever reason, I never had the opportunity/the restaurant didn’t have it that day. THIS WAS THE DAY and what a glorious day it was! Shakshuka is a North African spiced tomato-based dish with poached eggs (and feta in this case). Toasted challah on the side. UGH.

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Luckily for Rachel and me, Tatte was on the food bucket list for their nut boxes, which are essentially pecan pies except 100x more fun and delicious. Rachel and I shared their mixed nut box.

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shortbread cookie box with mixed nuts and caramel goo (unofficial term) holding it all together

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Shakira should sing about shakshuka

I miss Emma already!

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Then I went to work and made this one pan chicken that I wish I could eat myself. I always do this to myself— make tantalizing food that I can’t eat.

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I keep forgetting that it’s May. What is this weather!?

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At least we students don’t feel as tortured being inside as we study.

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Lots of good food has been fueling me through the week. A good balance of nutrients + soul food.

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There are no photos of the soul food because sometimes you just need a moment with your warm cookies.

Some solid moves and grooves kept me and my friends sane this finals week. A few friends joined me for a yoga study break on Monday!

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My body has been pretty tired from lack of sleep, being sick, stress, etc., so workouts have been pretty low key. But my favorite workout this week was on Wednesday:

  • lots of lat pulldowns + single arm dumbbell press
  • 20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2 cals on rower // 12 overhead kettlebell swings + 5 burpees over rower

MY LUNGS.

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Last night I took my family out to dinner since my parents just arrived for my brother’s graduation! (And since I had a lot of dining points to use:) ).

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And last but not least, Five Minute Friday! We’re talking about swallowing pride and letting go of control. (p.s. that is a regular jacket hood, not a nun habit)

Have a fantastic weekend, friends! I can’t wait to talk with you guys more since school is over:)

So tell me:

Do you struggle with asking others for help/letting go of control?

Have you ever tried shakshuka?

What is your favorite way you moved this week?

What are you doing this weekend?


The Great and Small Things I Learned {Sophomore Semester II}

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My legs are ombre.

They’re pale on top, medium-shade at the knee, and dark at the bottom. And then I have a sexy ankle sock tan. #aeriereal

Besides my tan lines signaling the start of summer, the end of spring semester also signals the bittersweet time when everyone in college parts and goes their separate ways for a few months (or longer if you’re a senior or if you’re studying abroad like I am).

I am so grateful to be spending this week in Boston with my friends without any studying required of us. Rachel and I have checked off a few food bucket list places, the sun has been shining, and I’ve been SLEEPING. Oh, sweet sleep.

On Monday, Rachel and I walked over to Jugos in the morning for acai bowls (from our bucket list). I felt so Californian and trendy.

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growing their own wheatgrass of course

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“Sao Paolo” for Rachel + “Los Verdes” for me

In my hipster-wannabe pride, it pains me to say that acai bowls do indeed live up to the hype. They were fantastic. BUT I do feel like I could make them at home. They’re pricey, but we were very full for a while after these, and it was lovely to have something so fresh.

We enjoyed a leisurely walk back to campus since it was such a gorgeous day and it wasn’t like we had any studying to do (!!!).

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Monday night involved going to a fancy playground with friends, ungodly amounts of white cheddar popcorn, chocolate pudding eaten with a plastic knife, and Psych.

Solid.

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Tuesday included another bucket list place— Emack & Bolio’s for their cereal cone (basically a rice krispie treat wrapped around the cone). The cereal cone was a cool concept, but Rachel and I agreed that the ice cream was just average. But it was still ice cream, which is delicious, and I thought the cone was good!

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“beantown crunch” with a cocoa pebbles cereal cone for Rachel + maple walnut with a rice krispie cereal cone for me

Followed by hours of girl talk.

Yesterday I helped my brother move out of his apartment, ate lunch with him and my mom, played outside for a bit (perfect weather), and helped cook a dinner at the Catholic Center for the graduating seniors (and they let me join in on the feast!).
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Grateful.

As with all my previous semesters here (I, II, III) at college, I have learned many lessons— some beautiful, some painful, all gifts.

the great and small

Lunch dessert is fabulous.

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I don’t have to go to the gym most days of the week, and I’ll be okay. I can still stay active and do challenging things without a gym.

Working out with friends outside might be one of my favorite things.

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We cannot attach ourselves to people. We can only attach ourselves to God. (via my friend Rachel via our friend Sarah)

Pride is probably my biggest vice and the root of all my internal struggles.

Social media can be pretty toxic for me. I need to take regular breaks from it.

I am an abstainer, not a moderator.

I don’t need to eat as much protein as I thought, and I feel best with a more carb-heavy diet.

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I cannot be complacent with my faith. I need to address my doubts, as little as they may be, and actively seek truth. (appreciate Julia’s honesty on this topic)

It is so painful to see good friends move away, but God has a beautiful plan for each of us and we need to trust Him.

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Walking is such an amazing human mechanism (thanks, biomechanics!).

I hold a lot of tension in my head and neck when I dance.

Electroswing music is a thing, and it. is. ART. (shoutout to my girl Lauren for introducing me to it)

I like plain yogurt better than cottage cheese these days.

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I can track my calories/macros objectively without restricting.

I am definitely an emotional eater.

Boston weather is more mercurial than Donald Trump’s words.

Writing at least one thing for which I am thankful in my planner every day before going to bed was a game-changer for my perspective.

Going without makeup for a while ain’t so bad.

I am at a pretty good place regarding my body image, but I am not immune to hard times and temptations to restrict.

My best friend and I have the same brain sometimes, and it’s freaking weird.

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It is improbable that we’ve had the friends, experiences, and circumstances that we’ve had.

God can show you very clearly that He is near. Sometimes He won’t make it clear though, but that doesn’t mean He’s not near.

Talking out loud to myself is the best form of studying for me. I need to hear it said.

I should be aware of my face in lecture, or else the professor might call me out with a laser pointer in front of my classmates.

I embarrass my friends sometimes/often/always.

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I need to make sure I bring enough snacks to work.

My friends are like my personal trainers, except spiritually. They push me outside of my comfort zone to become a better human.

Cycling is HARD.

VO2max test equipment is really flattering.

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I’m over trying so hard to impress boys. OVER IT.

^^^I will tell myself that I am over it, but still fall into that trap. C’est la vie.

It’s okay if I don’t have all the answers/advice for someone. Being a good listener can be what exactly someone needs.

Tori Kelly continues to slay with her music that describes my life.

Tears are truly a gift from the Holy Spirit.

God continues to show how much He loves us, and it is the most beautiful, amazing, heart-wrenching, humbling thing ever.


I’m linking up with Amanda for Thinking Out Loud today! I’ve missed this party!

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Hope you all have an awesome Thursday ♥︎

So tell me:

If you are a college student: Lesson(s) you learned this semester/year.

If you are not a college student: Lesson(s) you learned since the beginning of 2016.

Have you ever tried/do you like acai bowls? 


Summer Job + Recent Eats and Moves

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I’ve had some pretty sick tan lines for the past few weeks, and I’m proud of them in an odd way.

There are two different shirt styles printed on my back though. Like, mostly a racerback tan line, but also a faint bathing suit tan line. It’s a good thing I’ll be working in business casual clothes and scrubs all summer.

Speaking of which…

Yesterday I started my job at a rehabilitation hospital!

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It’s called HELP (Health Experience Learning Program), specifically designed for college students studying to be health professionals. We’ll be exposed to various health professions through classroom and clinical learning experience, and I could not be more excited!

I felt like a nervous child on her first day of school going into it yesterday, but as the orientation went on, I felt more comfortable and made some friends (I hope)!


I haven’t done a classic show-and-tell of my eats, moves, and grooves recently. I don’t know about you guys, but these are some of my favorite kinds of posts (ex: Kath’s “Lately” posts) because I like a nosy quick and dirty rundown of someone’s food and fitness.

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Gina’s oatmeal cookie dough cereal with blueberries and bananas

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avocado, smoked salmon, roasted red pepper, artichoke, spinach in a Flatout wrap

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whole wheat toast: one with avocado, egg, sriracha + one with pepperjack cheese and egg

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overnight oat green smoothie

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spinach, tomato, chorizo, cheddar, avocado egg white omelette for Pop — I was so wishing that I made this for myself though

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Italian chicken, mozzarella, basil, balsamic toasted sandwich

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salad at a local Mexican restaurant (eaten with corn tortillas taco style) with the family

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summer watermelon

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dried figs with plain Greek yogurt!

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my new favorite pasta dish inspired by Fr. Barnes: whole wheat spaghetti tossed with olive oil, marinated artichokes, mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes, spinach, Italian herbs, minced garlic, and lots of black pepper, topped with chicken/shrimp. WOWZA

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leftover oatmeal dried fruit cookies from Christmas (thank God for freezers)1

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overnight oats in a peanut butter jar on my first day of work

Moves and grooves these days have been really…organic. My workouts are chosen and done on a day-by-day basis, depending on what else I’m doing, how I’m feeling, and the weather. Honestly, this go-with-the-flow attitude allows me to have the most fun working out.

Last week involved a lot of rest and light hikes at Fiona’s summer house, but there were some other great workouts sprinkled in there!

Last Monday I knew I wanted to go outdoors for a workout. I also really wanted to use this wall, so I put on my creative cap (which I don’t have with me more often than not) and did this doozy of a workout:

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.jsI broke that dumbbell at the very end of the workout because I dropped it on the ground in my exhaustion. At least it was 25 years old and had a good life.

On Friday, I did Tina’s At-Home Chipper Workout outside also. For the squats and lunges, I used my makeshift sandbag (a canvas bag filled with a bunch of random free weights ~26 lbs.). The burpees and pushups were the hardest!

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Also, I know how I should do hollow rocks, but I feel like I am a useless, cranky banana when I do them.

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Sunday’s workout involved these:

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The stairs may be going up, but it kinda feels like hell.

3 rounds:

  • STAIRS UP
  • 5 pistol squats
  • 10 pushups
  • 15 v-ups
  • 20 tricep dips
  • STAIRS DOWN
  • 5 pistol squats
  • 10 pushups
  • 15 v-ups
  • 20 tricep dips

And then up the stairs uno màs.

My body still felt like a stone from Friday’s workout, so I let myself take decent breaks in between rounds.

those DAM stairs are always killer. nice to be back home for the summer 🌞 #fituniversity @gofitu

A video posted by Alison (@alison_grooves) on May 22, 2016 at 9:54am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.jsI also took a 1 hour walk on Saturday night in the drizzly dark while jamming out to music. Pretty sure all my neighbors thought I was an angsty teen.

Lastly, this yoga video saved my body from the tension and antsy-ness of sitting in orientation all day yesterday.

Hope you guys have a lovely day!

So tell me:

College students: What are you up to this summer?

What was your favorite summer job you ever had?

Do you like these kinds of posts?

Best way you moved this week!

Best dish you cooked this week.


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