Fascinating Friday Links #35 + Hunger Monster

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Alison @ Daily Moves and Grooves

Hiya!

(HIGH-ya, not hi-YAH! Although, I am a ninja, so I guess the latter would be appropriate too.)

I really wanted to have Amanda’s oatmeal cookie dough smoothie this morning, but since our AP Calc class is having a celebratory breakfast party today (seriously, that class is just about food from here on out), I decided to have the smoothie for dinner last night. Satisfied the craving. 🙂

Using Amanda’s no-fail recipe with added spinach, ⅓ c. oats instead of ¼ c., and peanut butter instead of almond butter. With Greek yogurt on the side for dipping, of course.

*Adding this at 5:30 in the morning: Apparently, as filling as this smoothie was, I guess it was not calorically sufficient for me, considering I just woke up STARVING at 5 AM. That hasn’t happened in a long time! (Don’t fret—I’m not revisiting any old habits. I just wanted the smoothie last night, and I’m paying the price for such a light dinner.)

The typical snack. Plus another spoonful of peanut butter after I finished this. The hunger monster attacked me.

{Alright, back to sleep…hopefully}*

Oh and here are this week’s moves!

Monday: 5 min. stair master + 3 rounds of: 10 pistol squats each leg, 15 bulgarian split squats each leg, 1 min. wall sit, 25 hamstring ball roll-ins + 8 minute ab tabata

Tuesday: Ballet

Wednesday: 5 min. row + arm workout (that involved TRX tricep extensions➔ soreness!) + 8 minute ab tabata

Thursday: Modern {dance}

Friday: Dance company auditions for next year. Current company members do not have to re-audition, but we still have to go to lead my example! So sad that this is the last one for seniors though… *Tear*

My mom cancelled my gym membership this week, so I have one more month left to attend. It works out well because dance will be ending by the beginning of next month too, so after that, I can truly just focus on REST!

Anyway, onto the link love. Enjoy this week’s Fascinating Friday Links!

Health and Fitness

[Stress could be the culprit] Is Stress Sabotaging Your Health and Fitness Goals? via Your Trainer Paige

[Because there is nutrition advice EVERYWHERE] Why Registered Dieticians Are The Best Source of Nutrition Advice via Chelsea’s Healthy Kitchen

[I need these] 3 Running Mantras That Work Every Time via Greatist

[But if you don’t want to run…] 5 Metabolic Interval Conditioning Workouts (Without Even Stepping On the Treadmill!) via Your Trainer Paige

[Awesome tips] How to Stick With Your Workouts: Tips From Consistent Exercisers via Carrots n Cake

[Plants don’t get enough credit for their protein content] What’s The Deal With Protein? via The Real Life RD

[Move and groove] HIIT the Hill Workout via Fitnessista + TRX Circuit Workout via Peanut Butter Fingers + 12 Minute Interval Workout with an Equalizer via Purely Twins

Food for Thought

[Ask yourself] 20 Questions That Will Free Your Mind From Negativity via Marc and Angel Hack Life

[Important to remember these things] Building Self-Confidence via My Food N Fitness Diaries

[Interesting] White Privilege via Snack Therapy

[Honest] Truth About Pregnancy Exercise via Tiny Blue Lines

[I’ve been on both sides of this] Now We’re Questioning Encouragement? via Olive to Run

[I don’t have a furry friend, but these are awesome] 8 Lessons I’ve Learned From My Dog via Better with Sprinkles

Mother’s Day

15 Healthy Mother’s Day Recipes via Chocolate Covered Katie

10 Easy Brunch Recipes for Mother’s Day via Greatist

Gift Guide via Peanut Butter Fingers

Food for Belly

[Mhmm] Super Easy Coconut French Toast Bake via Pinch of Yum

[So many flavors!] Roasted Spring Vegetable Cobb Salad with Honey Herb Vinaigrette via Iowa Girl Eats

[I’ll take both pans…] Peanut Butter Butterscotch Skillet Cookies via Bake Your Day

[Clouds of sweet delight] Fluffy Lemon Cupcakes with Whipped Coconut Cream via How Sweet It Is

[Summah] Blueberry Lemonade via Damn Delicious

Miscellaneous Fun

[Is this real life?] Kids Absolute Crush Salsa Routine via Huffington Post

[THIS is real life] 10 Signs You’re An Exceptional Procrastinator via Thought Catalog

Happy Friday, everyone!

So tell me:

Do you ever just want a smoothie for dinner?

What is the strangest thing you’ve had for dinner recently?

Current exercise?

Favorite links?

Prom-posal + Fascinating Friday Links #29

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Alison @ Daily Moves and Grooves

Hello!

So I got a little excited on social media yesterday (Instagram + Twitter) because I got asked to prom, which means I’m not a loner! 😉

The run-down: One of my best friends, Michael, has this school project that he’s been working on (he did not make it just to ask me to prom). It’s a cool light box that he engineered himself, and it plays light patterns and effects according to the beat of whatever music you connect to it. I had known about this project prior to the “promposal”, and I thought it was really cool and impressive!

So he brought his project to AP Calculus yesterday, and some people that aren’t usually in our class were stopping by, but I just thought people wanted to see his project. We turned off the lights to see his little light show, and at the end, it was supposed to say “ALISON PROM?” but the bottom section of lights weren’t working, so I didn’t notice the words. I was seriously SO clueless. All my friends knew what it was supposed to say, but they couldn’t say anything of course. So Michael fixed the glitch, and the light show happened again, but this time the letters were clear. Even then, I nearly missed it because my brain was not processing life at that point in the morning. I finally realized that the guy was asking me to prom for crying out loud, and I said yes!

That was a confusing story. Basically, he’s a genius, I’m clueless, and I’m so excited to be going to prom with my best friend! Here’s the full video (thanks to my friends Daliza and Alexia for filing and editing this! I didn’t even realize they were filming it…I’m such a lost sheep).

Thanks again, Michael! ‘Twas incredible.

Okay link love time. Enjoy this week’s Fascinating Friday Links!

Health & Fitness

[For those with pesky allergies (in the words of Amanda)] Nut Butter Alternatives for Nut Allergies via Chelsea’s Healthy Kitchen

[May help you catch some Zzz’s] Best and Worst Foods for Sleep via Cooking Light

[Fuel the tank properly] Rev Your Metabolism via Kath Eats and The Real Life RD

[For endurance] Foods to Maximize Your Race Regime via Olive to Run

[Carbs are friendly!] We Should Stop Shunning Carbs via The Real Life RD

[Motivation] Triple Threat Workout and Workout Motivation via Fitnessista

[Bodyweight workouts galore] 10 Benefits of Bodyweight Exercises + HIIT Bedroom Workout via Purely Twins +Lucky 7’s Bodyweight Workout via Blonde Ponytail + 10 Minute No Equipment Workout via Your Trainer Paige + 15-Minute Intense Interval Workout via The Body Department

Food for Thought

[Absolutely love this] I’m Okay With Not Being Perfect via The Story of a Girl

[Don’t let these hold you back] 20 Self-Confidence Traps Holding Smart People Back via Marc and Angel

[For everyone] 10 Things to Remember When You Feel Lost and Alone via Marc and Angel

Food for Belly

[Cauliflower never looked so delicious] Cauliflower Crust Calzones via Yeah…Imma Eat That

[SPRING] Limesicle Pudding via GI 365 + Strawberry Lemonade Scones via Peas and Crayons

[Simple] Honey Coconut Whole Wheat Waffles via Back to Her Roots

[Favorites in one bite] Chunky Monkey Bites via Running with Spoons

[I mean…] Healthy Samoas via Chocolate Covered Katie

[Paleo, but still looks fabulous!] Maple Almond Cinnamon Caramel Glazed Donuts via Peachy Palate

Miscellaneous Fun

[SO accurate] 20 Disney Characters That Would Be Perfect for Reality TV via BuzzFeed

[For run-lovers] All About Running: A Story via Olive to Run

[Budget and kid-friendly] $14, 40 Minutes, 4 Make-Ahead Toddler Snacks via Fitnessista

[Small plates and bowls can be better] Food Photography Tip 2 via Edible Perspective

[Love these fonts!] Fun with Free Fonts! via Peas and Crayons

So tell me:

If you were asked to prom, how so?

What are you doing this weekend?

Favorite links from this list?

Crossing Things Off the List

Posted on August 15, 2013 by Alison @ Daily Moves and Grooves

Good morning!

For any Catholics out there, Happy Feast of the Assumption! “Who is this that comes forth like the dawn, as beautiful as the moon, as resplendent as the sun?” –Song 6:10

Yesterday felt like quite a productive day! I made a to-do list on the Reminders app on my iPhone (love that app) to map out my general duties for the day. If I don’t make a list, I end up pondering things I could/should/would do and often end up getting distracted…with blogs.

Although I still did spend quite a bit (…a lot) of time looking at blogs anyway (procrastination is the death of me), my list kept me on track for the most part. There’s just something about checking off another task on your list. With school sneaking up on me, I feel like there is so much more to do all the time!

It’s really not necessary for me to put breakfast, lunch, and dinner on there. But more things checked off = greater sense of accomplishment.

Moves

My mom and I went to the gym together last night for the first time in about three weeks! We tried a new gym (for a free first-time trial) that is a lot cheaper than our previous one, but we’re still weighing the pros and cons of each gym before we make any commitment. We decided that the ability to get in a good workout, convenience, and price are our main priorities. Either way, we both got our sweat on!

While mom did the Zumba class, I explored the main area of the gym. I started with 20 minutes on the elliptical and then hit the weights for a leg workout! (Click on the links to see demos of the exercises)

3 rounds of each superset:

15 single leg deadlifts (each leg) + 20 surfer jumps

15 Bulgarian split squats (each leg) + 20 jump lunges

30 second one-leg weighted bridge (each leg) + 10 pushup burpees with tuck jump

My legs were trembling! I probably took longer breaks than a superset entails…eh, it’s ok. As always, thanks be to God for the gift of exercise anyhow!

Then I wandered around dabbling with machines that I usually don’t use while I waited for my mom–the stair master, assisted pull-up machine, rowing machine, and some others.

During this time, I learned two things:

1) I have to look at my feet while using the stair master. Otherwise, I step too far and my shoes get stuck in the hinges. Rockin’.

2) Rowing is legit.

I’m not sure what I’ll do today. I guess it depends on whether we join this new gym or not!

Breakfast

The temperatures are dropping slowly but surely in many states it seems, and New York is no different! Thus, hot oatmeal feels much more appropriate than when I ate it in 80 degree Florida heat. Weather doesn’t keep me from my oats. 😉