Tag Archives: healthy living

Well HELLO! Let’s catch up!

Posted on by

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Literally WHO IS THIS!?

I figure there is no better time to [finally] blog again than when I am home sick with COVID. *womp womp* Is this what it takes for me to get my blogging act together??

Yes, actually, it definitely is.

I am very grateful to say that I have only been moderately sick with flu / bad cold symptoms this week. Started with a mild cold, then to a high fever, lots of fatigue, and all that traveled down to lower respiratory symptoms, which is where I’m at right now. The pesky (to say the least) virus appears to be making its rounds a little more again where I am. I hope you and yours are staying well ♥︎

Anyway, onto more exciting things. Let’s catch up! At the end you can find a montage of photos and videos of life recently.

Easter

He is Risen! Happy Easter season! And almost May!

I keep telling people that, starting from Easter weekend, it’s like all my weekends are going to be filled with plans after plans all the way until mid-June. And then it feels like the year is pretty much over at that point. It might as well be Christmas already; that’s how quickly it feels like time is flying.

I had the opportunity to spend Easter in Boston with my beloved friends who are still living up there since we all graduated college. All of my closest friends are still the ones I met through the Boston University Catholic Center (and now their new friends who they’ve made since then!). If you are a seasoned reader of this blog, you know I am pretty obsessed with them.

To love Him more and more

This is my petition to Jesus for this year especially. It’s simple and it has always been my petition, I guess. But more explicitly now, I desire to love Jesus more and more deeply, truly, and completely from all those small and perhaps imperceptible places of reservation in my heart. I am a slow work in progress, but He is helping me a lot.

What a pitiful state of humanity to need so much help just to love Jesus who has Loved us to death, but thankfully, He doesn’t mind us asking for the help.

Work

Can you believe I’ve been working as a doctor of physical therapy for 1.5 years already!? Neither can I.

I am still working at an outpatient orthopedic clinic, helping people with things you’d expect: neck, low back, shoulder, elbow, hand, hip, knee, ankle, post-op rehab, concussion (a fave of mine to treat!), headaches, vestibular dysfunction, balance/gait dysfunction… The list goes on. I’m learning a heck of a lot, and I hope to continue becoming the best clinician that I can be.

Training

Well this week training has been a big wash due to having COVID and not really loving the feeling my trachea gets when I try to do any sort of physical activity. Just these past couple of days I have been able to do some lower intensity KB things with lots of rest in between sets. I am grateful for that.

Otherwise, I am still training with kettlebells at home, though I recently joined my high school friend’s gym that he owns to start picking up the barbell again and to use other pieces of cardio and conditioning equipment that I don’t have at home. I am indebted to KBs and all my friends who have taught me how to use them, because they certainly have made me stronger and faster in ways that 6+ years of working out on my own could hardly do.

What am I training for? As cliché as it sounds, I really am training for life and work. My struggles and successes with strength and aerobic training (mostly strength though…aerobic I need to work on) help me to truly understand what I am asking of my patients and to give them the best cues for motor learning. It also makes my actual physical job easier!

I train 3-4 times per week for 15-60 minutes, depending on how much time I have. Making it work!

I would do another Spartan race perhaps… (I did a Spartan Beast (15 miles!) back in October and I am just now realizing that I never mentioned it on this blog! It was a grind but it was so fun.)

Eats

Check out the video below for a peek at some of the things I’ve been eating. I would no longer call myself a “healthy living blogger” based on the merit of my nutrition, but I would call myself a “healthy living blogger” by virtue of how much I don’t overanalyze my food anymore. I think it’s relatively nutritious, but ask a registered dietitian. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Oh, I do still love peanut butter and banana though. And dried figs with Greek yogurt. Some things don’t change.

————————

Here is the little spring montage covering life as of late. I created this because my media storage on WordPress is nearly full. I used to embed my Instagram posts on here to spice things up with media, but I decided to make my Insta private because creepy accounts/people abound on the interwebs, and it’s not worth it to me to keep my profile public, since my goal is not to grow a huge following. Instagram is way too palatable and addicting of a platform (as opposed to WordPress) with all of its algorithms that draw cool people, yes, but alsoooo unwanted eyes, so I’ll just keep the bubble closed.

Hence, a montage here to keep things exciting. Enjoy!

When I am not sick at home and when I am working, life is quite full to the brim. I expect that to be the same moving forward into spring and summer, but with Sunday school being over, I hope to add a couple more posts per month to this ol’ blog (which is 9 years old this year!). No promises, but I’ll try! I still love doing this.

Thank you, as always, for reading.

—————————

So tell me:

What is a highlight of your spring so far?

Have you returned to any activities recently as things have opened up more?

Anything exciting coming up for you in the month of May?

Advertisement

Joyful Exhaustion

Posted on by

So I cried on Sunday night.

Crying is pretty much a weekly occurrence just to let out all the emotions that have built up from the week, which might sound like there’s a problem that I need to fix, but crying is a very normal and therapeutic thing for me. Sometimes I cry by myself, and sometimes my parents kindly let me cry irrelevantly in the middle of our conversation (love you, Madre and Pop).

Needless to say, it’s been a long week. I started developing a very “woe is me” mentality by the end of the weekend, but the more I pray and talk about what I’m feeling with others, the more I realize that I have been given nothing but love through the people and circumstances God has placed in my life.

9 hours of sleep on Sunday night wasn’t a bad thing either.

Besides keeping up with school, here are some other things that have kept me joyfully exhausted lately:

1) Grabbing a cheeseburger with Fr. Barnes (the priest at our Catholic Center) for lunch on Thursday.

2) Gearing up for Holy Week!

3) Making time to spend with friends, even if only at the dining hall. This dining hall dinner involved double the carbs, which meant double the fun.

IMG_7694

seafood and sausage paella, so fancy!

IMG_7695

cheese ravioli

4) Cooking allllll the things at work, which gets so tiring after 5+ hours! I have so much respect for chefs and stay-at-home mothers/fathers. Yeesh.

5) Colby from You Make You (@be.happyhealthyfit) came to Beantown this weekend!! She crashed at my (now roach-free!) place, which meant a lot of quality time together 🙂

Some scenes from our foodie/fit/fun adventures:

Salads + corn bread at the food court on Friday night, followed by some bona fide college comedy.

IMG_7698

We had some study sessions. This one featured a Quest cinnamon roll cereal bar that Colby gave me. It totally brought me back to the cereal bars of my childhood.

IMG_7700

Friends who sweat together…

IMG_7702

 (even though we were both really sore this day)

Nothing some good pho can’t fix! This was my first time at Le’s, and it crushed the game.

IMG_7703

We split an XL bowl of chicken pho…

IMG_7704

…and a pork/shrimp vermicelli bowl, all for a grand total of $20! College wallets rejoice!

IMG_7707

We finished almost all of it.

IMG_7708

But our dessert stomachs were ready for [vegan] ice cream. Colby is sadly allergic to gluten and dairy, so FoMu was a Godsend.

IMG_7709

FoMu serves vegan, coconut milk-based ice cream. I got strawberry (per the server’s recommendation) and “f’oreo” in a waffle cone.

IMG_7711

Verdict? Delicious, rich, and creamy! But you have to be okay with coconut, because you can definitely taste the coconut in all the flavors.

IMG_7713

Colby got peanut butter (made with Teddie’s pb!) and strawberry

Then Colby spotted this gluten-free, vegan ice cream cookie sandwich and, being allergic to dairy/gluten and being deprived of places like FoMu at her school, she said, “when in Boston…”

IMG_7715

So we split it 🙂 (’twas a whopping $7+ though, what the freak!?)

IMG_7714

We took an Uber home because a) very full; b) raining.

Ugh, it was so fun spending the weekend with Colby. She is such a kind and genuine soul, and she has a refreshing presence in the healthy living social media world. I love you and am so honored to have spent this time with you, Colby!

6) This is the opposite of exhaustion, but shoutout to Megan for being the best roommate and always cleaning up our apartment without complaining or really saying anything. I see ya and appreciate you greatly, girl.

IMG_7728

egg in a hole on my Rainforest Cafe plate // Megan: “you have to see the logo if we want to be endorsed”

7) Workout/Bible study on Sunday mornings! This week, we had a great conversation about combatting the fear of living with our own selves.

8) Brunch with my fellow future PT friend, Selena! We went to Tatte on Sunday, and it was glorious.

IMG_7717IMG_7719

I recommended that Selena get the shakshuka, which is what I got last year. She loved it!

IMG_7718

And I got the turkey B.L.A.T (bacon, lettuce, avocado, tomato), which was fan-freaking-tastic. Thick cut applewood bacon, chipotle mayo, toasted and buttered multigrain bread MMM. Finished every last bite!

IMG_7725

Of course, we finished our meals with a pastry from the bakery. She got the creme brûlée croissant (!!!), and I got the pear almond muffin. Both were incredible.

IMG_7716

8) Lots of gross anatomy studying. We already have another exam next week?

9) Giving tours in the snow and the sunshine. This spring weather is sloooooooooooowly but surely coming along.

IMG_7729

10) Keeping up with relationships with friends, family, and God. I often take advantage of one or the other, but I am constantly reminded of how precious these relationships are.

IMG_7731

So my exhaustion is mostly first-world-induced, I know. But fast-paced, privileged lives can be surprisingly threatening to true peace and joy, which can best be found in the silence and simplicity of God’s Love.

Hope you all have a great Tuesday!

So tell me:

Have you felt super busy/exhausted recently?

Have you ever tried vegan ice cream? 

Two things you’re grateful for!

 

 

Meet One of My Closest Blog Friends: Colby Triolo

Posted on by

I don’t know if you’re ready for this.

I am bubbling over with excitement, because today you all get to meet one of my best blog buddies! Allow me to introduce Miss Colby Triolo!

IMG_9805

Technically, I’ve introduced her before a couple times on the blog. I met this cool chick at Blend last summer. We were cabin mates, and we were also two of maybe three people under 20 on the retreat, so we connected on that level. Confession: I stalked her Instagram beforehand and was very intimidated — so many followers, so much success, so many ab muscles— but that was all nonsense on my part, because Colby is one of the most genuine and caring souls I’ve met through the blog world (and life in general)!

Processed with VSCOcam with f2 preset

I also had the privilege of meeting up with her earlier this year for lunch + carrot cake (our true love).

IMG_9803

Colby’s motto is “You Make You,” which is evident through her dynamite Instagram account, blog, Youtube channel, and personal training business. Boom boom, fire power.

Some of my favorite things about Colby:

  • She takes her work seriously, but she doesn’t take herself too seriously.
  • She has a passion for healthy food and fitness, but she doesn’t let fitness take over her life (← READ THIS!)
  • Most importantly, she cares for others and works hard to make sure people know their worth and know that they are capable of not only overcoming setbacks, but also going above and beyond what they could have imagined.

Now why don’t I let Colby tell you about herself!? 🙂

What is your favorite breakfast? 

No question—scones w/ a cappuccino (all hail Lactaid).

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

What is your favorite way to move? 

Call me crazy (you’re crazy -A), but I LOVE stadium workouts. ➔ Like this one!

FullSizeRender_3

*Rocky music*

What is your favorite word (just one!)? Why did you pick that word? 

“Can.”

About a year ago, when I was going through my chronic pain issues, I decided to take the word “cannot” out of my vocabulary. I was constantly being told that I can’t run, I can’t sit without my back perfectly straight, I can’t go away to college, I can’t live ‘normally’, I can’t …

And for over two years I believed these things. However, the day that I removed “cannot” from my mind and replaced it with “can”, I stopped giving pain power, I gained my life back, and I proved that if you want something bad enough—you can achieve it by setting your mind to it.  Anything and everything is yours to take.

 

A photo posted by Colby Triolo • YouMakeYou® (@colbytriolo_youmakeyou) on May 4, 2016 at 2:28pm PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

Tell us about why you started your blog/Instagram account.

On a sad note, I started them in high school when I got a really bad concussion. After my concussion healed, post concussion syndrome set in and all I could do was work out and cook (and clean, yay). That was all my body could handle.  So I decided to put it to good use and start a blog!

FullSizeRender

her pancake towers more appealing than the NYC skyline, honestly

What does your blog mean to you? What can we find on your blog? Has your blog evolved at all?  

I have had many ups and downs with blogging/social media.  There was a point where it was just a place for my mind to go, and then it took over my life, so I removed myself over the past year and now I can say I am back at a nice place of balance.

FullSizeRender_1

are you drooling like I am right now???

My blog is a place for me to go to share my knowledge and interact with you lovely people.  It is also the reason I know this beautiful soul of a person, Alison! (Awww. I can say the same about you! ♥︎ -A)  On my blog, you can find healthy recipes, workouts, and general empowering articles.  I like to think of it as an online community for empowering others to empower themselves!  There is a also a motivational wall where readers can anonymously post their goals/dreams to work towards!

What is one major lesson you’ve learned through blogging/your presence on social media?  

As awesome as social media is and how amazing the relationships you can form are—social media is ~not~ real life.  There is a distinct difference between being behind a computer screen and out enjoying the real world.  In the same sense, it is essential to ~not~ compare yourself to what you see on social media because you are seeing such a small fraction of the real story.

FullSizeRender_4

What is one goal, and how do you plan to achieve it? 

I have this dream of making the words “YouMakeYou”  have an influence on millions of peoples lives.  It saved my life, and it is so simple to integrate into your life that it can make a world of difference. When you realize that the answer is simply changing your mindset and believing in yourself/aligning your actions the right way, what can happen is amazing! I plan to achieve this by taking small steps on my blog and social media daily, and just sharing my knowledge while being true to myself and my story.

FullSizeRender_2

WHAT A WOMAN.

I am honestly honored and #blessed to know you, Colby. Thank you for your refreshing and honest presence in the healthy living social media community. You make the world a happier place.

For more of Colby’s fantastic recipes, killer workout challenges, fun vlogs, and empowering motivation, check out:

Also, head over to her blog to read her interview of me if you want!

Hope you all have a kick-butt day! Make a positive difference in someone’s life, no matter how small.

So tell me:

Are you going to follow Colby!?

What is your one favorite word and why? 

Who are some of your favorite positive influences in the healthy living social media community? 

Movin’ and Groovin’ for 2 Years

Posted on by

This whole blogging thing is pretty awesome.

Drawing inspiration from other bloggers, gaining courage and motivation from readers, venting my emotions and thoughts, pushing past my comfort zone, making new friends beyond the screen, finding healing, growing in my faith…

IMG_4127Unrelated: Does it look like I’m looking down to my left in this photo? Because I’m NOT! It’s so weird that my hood + hair + the lighting makes it look that way! I’m actually looking straight ahead.

In the past, I tried picking up journaling as a hobby a handful of times, but I could never stick to it, because I can only have a dialogue with myself for so long before I get bored.

That’s where the blogging community has filled the space in my journaling aspirations. The best thing about blogging is that other people can read about my thoughts and experiences and draw me out of myself. This online “diary”is  not only about me, but about us as weird and broken human beings who are trying our darn hardest in this world.

Processed with VSCOcam with c1 preset

Today marks exactly two years that I’ve been writing here on Daily Moves and Grooves. I still use a WordPress preset theme, and I don’t have thousands of followers, but I am more than content with where my blog is right now.

Although I will always be an advocate for moves and grooves, I’ve moved a little bit away from the fitness realm of “healthy living.” I’ve learned how to incorporate a little more LIFE into this blog, with a sprinkle of healthy food and fitness. Just as my priorities in life have shifted, the focus of my blog has shifted towards health and fitness for living, not living for health and fitness.

Processed with VSCOcam with g3 preset

To each one of you who has commented, emailed, messaged me, or even texted me— you have truly touched my life, and for that I am so grateful. To each of you who has taken the time to read even one post of mine—I appreciate you.

You guys make me laugh, cry, and constantly re-evaluate my perspective on life. I’m a huge fan of you.

Here’s to many more years of movin’ and groovin’! God bless, y’all. (<— nothing says east coast more than that, right?)

Check out my previous post to see what I’m up to in the Midwest!

Hot Oats on a Hot Day

Posted on by

I ate hot oatmeal for the first time in a while yesterday!

DSC_1469

Part of me feels like hot oatmeal is not appropriate for the summer time, but the other part of me is okay with it because of the gift and privilege of air conditioning. Also, it was a dreary day yesterday, so hot oatmeal seemed cozy.

In case you’re wondering how I make my hot oats, here’s what I did:

Fluffy, Voluminous Banana Oats with Chia and Sunflower Seed Butter

(if I want to be creative with naming, I’ll call these “Ray of Sunshine on a Cloudy Day” Oats)

  • 1/2 cup quick oats
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • half a very ripe banana, sliced
  • dash o’ cinnamon
  • pinch o’ nutmeg
  • splash o’ vanilla extract
  • drizzle of maple syrup
  • 1 egg
  • heavy sprinkle of chia seeds
  • big spoonful of sunflower seed butter
  1. Chuck the oats in a small pot over medium heat. Add the water, milk, and banana.
  2. Once the pot bubble bubbles, toils, and troubles, start stirring. Add spices, vanilla, and maple syrup, and keep stirring until the oats are a little bit thicker than you’d like. It will become more fluid once the egg is added.
  3. Whisk the egg in a small bowl and then turn off the stovetop heat.
  4. Slowly and gradually pour whisked egg into the oatmeal while stirring vigorously (unless you like scrambled eggs in your oatmeal, I won’t judge)
  5. Once the egg is fully incorporated, add the chia seeds.
  6. Pour your fluff-tastic oats into your favorite bowl and use your favorite spoon to lay a generous scoop of sunflower seed butter (or any nut/seed butter) into the warm pillow of oats.
  7. Feel the warmth of the oats like a ray of sunshine and the fluff factor like that of a cloud. Your ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. The end.

_________

In other exciting news, I think I have a super tiny fish bone lodged into the side of my tongue/tonsil/Eustachian tube/all three. We took my uncle out for sushi last night at my favorite Japanese restaurant, and I guess there was a fine little bone in one of my pieces of eel avocado sushi that decided to make itself comfortable in my mouth. It kinda hurts and I don’t know what I’m going to do.

For now, I’m going to try brushing it out/waiting it out. If the pain escalates or the discomfort continues, I might have to go to the doc. That won’t be embarrassing.

“What brings you to the office today?”

“Sushi.”

Do any of you have any suggestions? I’ve heard that eating bread or bananas may help catch the bone to pull it out. I tried the banana, but that didn’t help a bit. I feel like the bone is completely buried.

__________

Lastly, head on over to my dear friend Emily’s blog, Beauty in Christ, if you would like to read my guest post about Healthy Living and Fulfillment. 🙂

Hope you all have a wonderful day! Watch out for fish bones!

So tell me:

Do you eat hot oatmeal even in the summer?

Have you ever gotten something stuck in your throat for a prolonged period of time?