Three Years of Movin’ and Groovin’

Posted on August 18, 2016 by Alison @ Daily Moves and Grooves

Popcorn is the most underrated snack of all time.

I’ve been eating Angie’s Boom Chicka Pop (both kettle and sea salt flavors) like it’s the only food in the world these past few weeks.

Go pop a bag for yourself or buy Angie’s (not sponsored) because we are celebrating today!!

Actually we’re celebrating something that happened last week, because I’m apparently terrible at remembering my blog anniversary.

As of August 7th, Daily Moves and Grooves is three years old and counting!

I’m not really feeling a super sentimental post (my brain is pretty fried this week), so here are a bunch of random tidbits regarding the journey of this lil ol’ blog.

Most Used Tags

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Me When I Started The Blog

me1

long hair, don’t care

Me Now

Just kidding, I do care evidently. Do I look older than 12 years old yet?

First Workout Ever Posted

2013 abs

Foods I Used To Eat All The Time But Not Recently

classic school snack

I miss Naturally Nutty!

frozen yogurt 1

I used to have this for dessert every night

edamame

These roasted edamame were CRACK

Yogurt bowls, why did I ever stop?!

peanut butter puffins — still my favorite cereal

homemade French toast

Amanda’s cookie dough oatmeal smoothie with Greek yogurt to dip. I’d still dig it.

soft boiled eggs

But Some Things Don’t Change

dried figs with Greek yogurt

avocado toast with eggs (October 2013)

brussels

brussels sprouts (December 2013)

oats with drippy nut butter (but I haven’t had sunflower seed butter in a long time! also haven’t used the “chalice” in a while – May 2014)

banana baked goods with nut butter (May 2014)

overnight oats in a jar (May 2014)

oatmeal cookie dough cereal (January 2014)

ice cream/soft serve (April 2014)

Regular Posts That Are No Longer Regular

I used to participate in Katie’s “Marvelous in My Monday“, but I stopped that long ago.

MiMM

I haven’t done a “What I Ate Wednesday” in quite a while, but I used to do one every single week.

I used to have a link love post called “Fascinating Friday Links”, but then I went to college and stopped.

fascinating friday links

But I do still “think out loud” with Amanda fairly regularly! 🙂

Thinking-Out-Loud

How My “Day in the Life” Has Changed Through Seasons (My Favorite Kinds of Posts to Read)

Day in the Life of a High School Student

Day in the Life, High School, Take Two

Vacation Day in the Life

Day in the Life of a First Semester College Freshman

Day in the Life of a Second Semester College Freshman

Day in the Life {Last Month of Freshman Year}

Day in the Life During Summer Internship and Domestic Duties

Day in the Life Vlog – Trying to Eat More

Day in the Life of a Ninja

Day in the Life of a First Semester College Sophomore

Day in the Life of a Second Semester College Sophomore

Day in the Life During Summer Job at Rehab Hospital

Cool Things This Blog Has Seen

// First and Only Prom //

// Graduation from High School //

// Starting College //

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// Meeting Lifelong Friends //

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brb I’m gonna go sob

// Epic Vacations //

Colorado 2015

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Blend 2015

spring break 2015

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Florida winter break 2014-2015

Florida with Daliza summer 2014

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Fourth of July in Boston + Tori Kelly Concert 2015

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Portland and Seattle 2015

Stowe, Vermont 2016

Fiona’s summer house 2016

best Caribbean cruise ever 2016

// An Ongoing Recovery Journey //

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// A Perpetual Faith Journey //

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Some of My Favorite Posts

I Used to Have Hips ➔ first time really opening up about my disordered eating experiences

Hey, I Love You ➔ We love you, Katie ♥︎

Reflecting on My Exercise…Again ➔ being honest with myself about my amenorrhea

How To Be a Good Friend in College ➔ so many good memories

Being Extraordinarily Ordinary ➔ my life in a nutshell

I’m Not Her ➔ I need this constant reminder

The Great NYC Food Tour {A Story} ➔ sometimes I like to be creative with my blog posts

Your Story Matters and It’s Beautiful ➔ I promise.

Now that I’ve cried about 4 times while writing this “non-sentimental” anniversary blog post, I’m gonna end it here.

This blog has led me to more people, joys, heartbreaks, and lessons than I could have ever imagined. I thank God for all those who take the time to read and support my wacky (but always honest) writings. Thank you with all my heart.

Consider yourself hugged from behind while you’re peacefully eating your breakfast.

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Here’s to more years of movin’ and groovin’!

Five Minute Friday #16: Fitness is More Than Skills and Numbers

Posted on June 24, 2016 by Alison @ Daily Moves and Grooves

I just watched the US men’s gymnastics Olympic Trials, and I’m still speechless about it.

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I’m convinced that they’re not humans.

I’m also really sore from Wednesday’s workout as I type this, so anything that looks remotely strenuous sends pain waves to my brain.

4 rounds:

10 squat cleans (55-65#)
15 box jumps

3 rounds each:

12 curtsy lunges each leg (55#) ← died.
25 plank jacks

10 deadlifts (135#) ← died again. I don’t think I had deadlifted 135 in my life.
20 jump lunges

Finisher: 5 min AMRAP

16 alternating single arm DB swings (20#)
15 goblet squats (15#)
30 mountain climbers

On the food front, I was obsessed with this lunch salad this week:

mixed greens, chopped Thai basil, mint, and cilantro, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, fish or chicken, peanut sauce

The fresh herbs are…

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^^^This photo is very obnoxious if you don’t understand the reference, I’m sorry. Actually, it’s obnoxious regardless.

Today I have a Five Minute Friday vlog! It’s been a hot minute. This week I’m talking about three lessons I’ve learned at work so far, including the lesson that fitness is more than skills and numbers.

Sure, competitive athletes measure fitness/performance based on race times, weight lifted, and reps accomplished (and I am a proponent of the attitude that what you can do > how you look when it comes to fitness), but let’s take it one step deeper…

link to the video in case it doesn’t work here!

Yes, there are baseline levels of fitness that we measure and need for health, but those little steps to get there are indispensable and worth celebrating!

Happy weekend, friends! I’m going to be hanging out with a couple friends in NYC tomorrow, and I’m STOKED.

So tell me:

What are your thoughts on the “fitness journey”? What does it mean to you?

What is the best thing you ate for lunch this week?

Have you ever had a secretarial job?

What are you doing this weekend?

Weekly Moves and Grooves XXII {Long-Term Progress}

Posted on March 15, 2015 by Alison @ Daily Moves and Grooves

Hi!

Phew, it has been an exhausting but AWESOME spring break! I can’t wait to tell you all about how the rest of our week went tomorrow. (Hint: it involves copious amounts of food.)

Which is one reason we like to move and groove as well 😉

Sunday

gymnastics warmup + Julie’s Can’t Stop Won’t Stop workout

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I remember the very first time I tried Julie’s “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop” circuit workout when she first posted it three years ago, and it would KILL ME. I had to take breaks during the intervals, and I would pause the timer sometimes to catch my breath.

It is still an awesome workout and it makes me a sweaty beast to this day, but I can definitely push myself through the workout more strongly and quickly. Hooray for progress (and eating more to fuel workouts)!

Monday

dynamic warmup + circuit workouts

5 rounds:

8 calorie row
10 pushup burpees
16 kettlebell swings (25#)

5 rounds:

10 overhead press (15#)
15 goblet squats (35#)
20 modified v-ups/v-ups

For warmups nowadays, I’ve been doing lots of planks, sun salutations, and dynamic stretches, rather than straight up cardio machinery. I personally find that it’s more interesting, motivating, and effective to warm up this way!

Tuesday

lots of walking in NYC (approx. 7.5 miles)

Wednesday

more walking in NYC (approx. 7.5 miles again)

Thursday

gymnastics warmup + Lindsay’s Legs on Fire Tabata

The legs on fire tabata is another workout I would do often when I was becoming more interested in fitness a few years ago. I would barely be able to make it through the first two tabata sets before needing to take a longer break. This time around, I still need a break between the third and fourth sets, but I’m definitely feeling a lot more power and speed in my movements.

Friday

lots of walking all around my hometown (approx. 5 miles)

Saturday

25 pushup burpees + 25 burpee tuck jumps + pull-ups + lots of walking in NYC (approx. 7 miles)

I did the two sets of burpees and pull-ups at home before and after our NYC adventure. Although, it would have been cool if I did them in the city, eh?

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Rachel and I are on a bus back to Boston right now! Spring break is coming to a close, but it was absolutely wonderful and we’re ready to see our friends in Boston again. Whether or not we’re ready to get back to the grind is another issue…

Happy Sunday!

So tell me:

What kind of long-term progress have you seen in your fitness journey?

What is your favorite way to warm up?

I’m Okay With That

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Alison @ Daily Moves and Grooves

Hi!

I feel like I’ve been off my blogging groove since there were a million and one things going on last week. Senior scavenger hunt, prom, after prom, graduation, and graduation parties…Phew! I seriously cannot believe that all happened within a week. I haven’t cried yet, but I have to admit that I’m getting pretty sad that everything is over.

Once I start shopping for dorm bedding…that’s when it gets real.

Well this weekend has been all about celebration, which meant a heck of a lot of food! When I think about my mentality towards food and fitness, I’ve made enormous progress between last year and this year, and definitely between two years ago and this year. If I was surrounded by all this food in the midst of my eating disorder, I probably would have locked myself in my room. Maybe not actually, but I would have gone insane trying to avoid it all.

This weekend, I was so happy to think, “I’m okay with that” for so many things {some food- and fitness-related, some weird-Alison-related}.

Partying this Monday morning with the lovely Katie!

Friday

I woke up near noon, and I’m {more than} okay with that. I added more sunflower seed butter on top of my overnight oats, even though there was some on the bottom already. I mean, why not? My moves: a brisk, peaceful four mile walk with mom at the park. Nothing intense, and I’m okay with that.

I still can’t do a dead hang pull up, but I’m okay with that. ‘Cause that’s flippin’ difficult.

But I can do toes to bar now!

I ate delicious fried hors d’oeuvres at Lauren’s graduation party, and I’m okay with that. (There were fried broccoli and cheese bites, whaaaaat??)

I filled my plate with a LOT of food, and I finished nearly everything. I’m okay with that. Maybe not at that moment though, since I immediately started dancing afterwards…bleh.

I busted some moves and grooves in the middle of the dance floor, and I’m {obviously} okay with that. Not sure if others were though. 😉

Saturday

I woke up late again and ate a normal-sized breakfast, even though I knew I had a big graduation luncheon coming up at 1 PM. I’m okay with that because I need nut butter in my life.

I embraced the rich, amazing food at Je’lyn’s lovely graduation party at Morton’s Steakhouse.

I was really okay with the huge, cheesy crouton on this Caesar salad. You would be okay with it too, trust me.

Also okay with that fresh parm. Mmm.

I used a good amount of the mustard mayo that came on the side with these crab cakes, and I’m okay with that. It’s not pictured here, but there was a small gravy boat of the mayo that came later!

I devoured most of this key lime pie {crust was the best part of course}, and I’m okay with that.

Then I hopped on over to Kristi’s graduation party (’tis the season for grad parties)!

I was super full when I got there, but after a couple hours, I ate some chips and a piece of cake. Sugar high? YUP. But I was okay with that. That cake was stellar.

My only moves the whole day was jumping on Kristi’s trampoline, and I’m okay with that. I had a blast!

Even though I ate a lot of crap that day, I knew I never really had a proper dinner, so I ate a midnight snack of veggies, chicken, and an isolated spoonful of almond butter. I’m okay with that.

Sunday

I was somehow hungry for breakfast. Hey, I ♥ breakfast, I’m cool with that!

cookie dough cereal from Fitnessista

I had a nectarine with my cookie dough cereal, just because it was ripe and I wanted it. Summer in a juicy fruit? Heck yeah, I’m okay with that.

I went to Mass by myself since my parents and bro went Saturday night while I was party-hopping. Just thought I’d chuck that in there since it was an important part of my day.

Moves: Lori and Michelle’s 18 min. plank workout done in my room. It never seems to get easier, but I’m okay with that because it gives me something to work on.

In the afternoon we went to hang out with Victoria, her friend Eric, and her family in the city!

Didn’t get a picture with Victoria and/or her family. Whoops.

We had an early dinner at Peking Roast Duck, which was okay with me because I had a wonky, light lunch.

I tried a little bit of everything, and it was all fantastic. Especially the duck.

I had so much meat during that meal, but I’m okay with that. Putting my carnivore teeth to good use.

I had about ⅔ of my order of Moo Shu Chicken. ‘TWAS THE BOMB.

Victoria’s dad had the awesome idea to order everything sans salt, and everything ended up tasting perfect! My fellow Asians tend to use a heavy hand with the salt.

I ate dried figs with Greek yogurt at 11 PM, because I love that stuff, and I’m okay with that.

So yes, I was definitely more than okay with this weekend. Not all my food choices were healthy, but that’s life. Sometimes ya just have to say, “Guatever.” 🙂

Have a wonderful day, everyone!

So tell me:

What is something you’re okay with now, but were not okay with in the past?

What has your exercise looked like recently?

Daily Moves and Grooves

pray. eat. move. groove.

Tag Archives: progress

Three Years of Movin’ and Groovin’

Five Minute Friday #16: Fitness is More Than Skills and Numbers