Saturday, December 3, 2022
Friday, December 2, 2022
Easy Ways to Stay Fit During the Holidays
But you don't have to do traditional workouts to stay active and get your body moving. I think it's harder to find time for traditional workouts during the holiday season because your schedule is fuller and it's cold outside! But I do find that if I put my mind to it, I can stay active by doing little things throughout my day.
My biggest tip on the below actionable items is to wear clothing that you are comfortable enough to move around in. If you are in high heels and a dress, you are obviously not going to want to do most of the things on the list below, especially if it is cold where you live. I find that if I dress with sneakers when out and about running errands, I'm more likely to make more active choices than if I am dressed up too much. This can even apply if you are in an office. Instead of wearing a dress one day, opt for pants and you can even change into sneakers on a lunch break or whatever!
I wanted to share some of the ways that I stay active during the holiday season that are so easy that you might not even think twice about them!
Park Far Away// I don't just do this around the holiday season but I try to do this always. It's a great way to get a few extra steps in (or a lot more depending on the parking lot). I also think it's just considerate to take a far-away parking spot so that leaves spots closer to the store for people like parents with small children! I will admit, that if I'm really dressed up and it's frigid or if I have uncomfortable high heels on for an event, I'm a little more selfish and will park closer, but for the most part, I try to park far away. I guess I should also note that you should use your best judgment regarding your own safety, parking lots can unfortunately be dangerous!
Take the Stairs// If you work in an office building, I'd be willing to bet taking the stairs up and down a few times each day would be SUCH a good workout. I often choose the stairs, I think it's a quick and easy way to spike your heart rate and tone the back of your legs!
Stretch// Are you watching a holiday movie or bingeing the latest Netflix series? Stretch while watching! I do this SO often. I was a gymnast/dancer/cheerleader growing up and so stretching is ingrained in me and I think it's even more important now than when I was 16. It makes me feel SO much better.
Shop In-Store// I personally prefer to shop online, but if you are willing to brave places like the mall or an outdoor shopping center, you can get a ton of steps in that way. I know there are walking groups at our local mall who get together to walk indoors at the mall during the winter months. Heck, if you push a heavy cart around Target for long enough, that's good, too!
Shovel Snow// If you get a lot of snow, this is a serious workout. Growing up in Pittsburgh, I totally understand what a workout this really is. Snow is heavy so it's a bit of cardio and weights at the same time. Bonus points if you have time to shovel your neighbor's pathways, too, it's not only nice but will lengthen your 'workout'. Even just walking in snow is harder, kind of like when you walk on the beach!
Go Ice Skating// In Pittsburgh, there are so many great rinks. I especially love the outdoor rink at PPG Place with a beautiful Christmas tree in the middle. Ice skating is fun and kind of a novelty since I don't do it too often, but it is a great way to get moving and feel festive!
Skip the Moving Walkways// I always skip the moving walkways in airports and opt to walk. Airports can be the best place to get your steps in and I always take advantage of this- hence why I always dress comfortably in airports!
Clean// Vacuum, wipe things down, change the linens, carry things around your house to organize and put away, mop, dust, and restock your pantry. All of these things require movement!
Dance// I LOVE to dance in my kitchen when I'm cleaning up after dinner or cooking or whatever. It's such a good stress reliever and can be so much fun when you put on a great song.
Thursday, December 1, 2022
Lately
On Me:
On My Husband:
Thanksgiving family photo!
Pittsburgh's Beautiul Benedum Center
Thanksgiving Dinner
1 of 2 Thanksgiving tables at my parent's house
Sunbathing as always!
Yummy charcuterie board I made this past Saturday
Happy December!!! Are you all having a nice week? I cannot believe this is the last month of 2022. I saw something the other day that said soon, 2019 is going to be 4 years ago. WHAT?! I definitely think 2020 messed up my sense of time so there's that, but I truly cannot believe that. Henry's gotcha day is coming up in a few weeks and just thinking about timing there, I got him almost 5 years ago and met my husband almost 6 years ago at the end of this month. Time is weird!
I feel like Monday really came in HOT after the long Thanksgiving weekend! Though, I was working a lot of that time so it was a weird feeling to start the week feeling burned out! Anyway, I hope you all snagged some great deals and hopefully I was somewhat helpful in your shopping endeavors! I will say, I am glad to have a breather from all of that, though with the economy how it is and the state of retail with an influx of inventory, I suspect we will be seeing more sales as we get nearer to Christmas. So if you didn't snag anything on sale, keep an eye out, I really think there will be more incentives from retailers to get people to shop.
We were actually supposed to go to Ohio Friday for a baby shower but that had to get moved around so we ended up having the absolute LAZIEST day on Friday. I literally stayed in my pajamas all day long and just worked on my computer basically all day and into the evening. We got takeout and watched a movie and I just cannot remember a time I was that lazy, haha! It felt good!
This week was busy as we had a fun night out on Tuesday! We went out to dinner and then saw Harry Connick Jr. in concert! He did all of his Christmas songs at the Benedum plus some other great ones and it was so much fun. I was beyond thrilled he played 'It Had To Be You' from When Harry Met Sally. He is one of those rare musicians who sounds even better in person. He put on a great show and he really is so talented as were his musicians and the Pittsburgh string players. I often feel like I need something to get myself into the holiday spirit as an adult and this was such a good way to do it! If you have the chance to see him, definitely do it!!
Eating: My husband ordered this olive oil and WOW is it delicious. We only cook with olive oil, and I even bake with olive oil (though I wouldn't bake with this, it's too strong). This one is so flavorful so it is the perfect finishing touch to a dish or as a salad dressing or dip. My husband drizzles olive oil on his Ooni pizzas as a finishing touch and this is perfect for that. This is probably one of the best olive oils I've ever had. It would make a nice gift for the holidays for someone who loves to cook!
Watching: Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer airing details. It's not available to stream anywhere and it's one of my very favorite Christmas movies. I really love all of the Rankin Bass movies. So nostalgic even though I hadn't even been born yet when they came out... 1960s which is also the Samantha Stevens era that I love so much. Anyway, I set up my cable to record it- something I haven't done in ages! You could, of course buy it, but I'm old school/set in my ways and actually *want* to watch it with commercials.
Listening: My Christmas Playlist on repeat!
Loving: I just LOVE these jeans. They are high waisted and so stretchy but flattering at the same time. I haven't loved a pair of jeans as much as these in a long time!
Wanting: I think this is one of the prettiest cocktail dresses I have seen recently and it's just under $250!
Pittsburgh: Ever since we went to France this past summer, my husband only wants to go to La Gourmandine in Pittsburgh because they have the best French pastries and sandwiches. One of the only places in Pittsburgh where you can get a butter, prosciutto, and cornichon sandwich and wow is it good!
Pittsburgh II: The night before Thanksgiving, we had ourselves a fun little date night. We went to Phipps Botanical Garden to see their holiday light display. It was beautiful and fun and festive! We went to Pusadee's Garden for dinner afterward which is one of my favorite restaurants in all of Pittsburgh. The food is just SO good and it has such a chic atmosphere!
Amazon Rec: I got this swag for our light post outside. It was honestly a little more $ than I wanted to spend but I ended up being really pleased with it once it arrived. It has battery powered lights on a timer which is great and looks really full and substantial. You can find more of my Amazon favorites, here!
Smelling: I am a new fan of Noteworthy fragrances. You can take a quiz and they will find 4 scents for your to love! I did it and was amazed at how spot on the quiz results were. I did a sponsored post with the brand on Instagram but thought it was worth sharing here, too, though this is not part of the sponsorship! My code is SYDNEY30 for 30% off! I got the full size of n.841 and it smells incredible and very high end!
Traveling: Off to Savannah soon! Can't wait as I have never been!
Quoting: 'The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.'- William James // See more of my favorites, here.
Wednesday, November 30, 2022
5 of My Current Goals That Are Attainable
During the holiday season, I can get so busy and not take care of myself as well as I do during other portions of the year. Not only is the holiday season filled with wonderful events and visiting with family and friends but for me, it's also the busiest time of year for me for work!
I'm not a 'set goals at new years' gal. Business goals, yes, I have a yearly level goal for certain things but otherwise, I set personal goals year around as my life ebbs and flows. Recently, I've set a few personal goals to care for myself this holiday season both mentally and physically. I've noticed that these small things have really made an impact and are also so easy to do day-to-day. I thought I would share them with you all in case you need some ideas or inspiration!
Drink Hot Water With Lemon daily
This is seriously the easiest thing to do and it's delicious. I love hot tea but this doesn't stain your teeth or have caffeine. It has the same cozy feeling that hot tea does but it tastes so refreshing because of the lemon. It not only brings me some joy but there are a ton of health benefits to doing this, too, if you want to research them on your own! I precut the lemons into small wedges and get the seeds out and all of that so I have slices on hand for a quick cup!
Get Outside Once A Day
Henry kind of forces this goal on me but it is MISERABLE in the cold weather to go outside. I heard this saying a year or two ago 'there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear' and it has always been in the back of my mind. I ended up ordering a few things over the year or two to make going outside more palatable like gloves, hat, etc. As long as I am decently warm on our walks, I'm more likely to stay outside longer. I find that even just 15 minutes is good enough but ultimately strive for 30 minutes. I really notice a difference in my mood if I don't get outside during the day!
Time Myself Doing A Chore
There are some chores that drive me CRAZY. I swear that I wipe down our kitchen counters 5 times a day. In my mind, doing this takes forever, but if you time yourself doing something like this, it's literally 5 minutes. Yes, it takes me 5 minutes to wipe down the kitchen counters and while it drives me nuts, by timing myself doing this and now knowing it is such a quick little task, for some reason it just seems less burdensome!
Declutter
I made a rule for myself to get rid of one item in our house every single day for the rest of the year. I put it in a bag and once it is in that bag, it's done. I'll either donate it or give it to a family/friend who wants it. I am not someone who holds on to things, I love to get rid of stuff and cannot stand clutter. I do a big declutter once or twice a year and it always feels so good but this is a nice way to do a little upkeep and makes me feel so much lighter! This takes literally 2 minutes out of my day.
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
I have to say that I am a good eater. I like basically all foods and truly love fruits and vegetables. I don't think about eating fruits and vegetables much as I always buy them at the store. If you had asked me a few weeks ago if I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, I would say absolutely. I recently read something that was talking about how many adults in the US don't get enough fruits and vegetables in their diet. I then started to really pay attention to my meals and my fruit and vegetable count at each meal. I am not a big breakfast eater so I often skip straight to lunch but for lunch, I often just have an omelet or scrambled eggs, sometimes I sautee vegetables in there but more often, I tend to just eat them plain or with cheese. Sometimes I'll have a sandwich or a wrap, no sides or any exrras. I like something quick and easy to make at home. When eating at home, we almost always have vegetables with dinner. But I did notice, overall, I could definitely increase my fruit and vegetable intake. So I've been really paying attention to both fruits and vegetables and adding as many in as possible! Throughout the day, I'll just eat a small bowl of carrots as a snack or a handful of blueberries if I'm thinking about it. It is not hard and it is delicious! This isn't a diet or anything like that, I have just done my own research and my thoughts are that adding in more fruits and vegetables is a good idea! It is always a good idea to do your own research or consult a doctor! I'm also a big gratitude person and like to think of all of the ways I am grateful every single day. Having access to fruits and vegetables and the means to buy plenty of them for myself and my husband is certainly something I am grateful for!
These are all a work in progress for me but they are easy enough and have made a positive impact on my life!
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