I am trying Wordpress out instead so if you are looking for me my new address is, amazingasset.com
Please read and enjoy!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Almost There & Staying Fit In College
Just three more days of classes and then SPRING BREAK! Even though I am not going anywhere this year, I am still very much looking forward to going home, hanging out with ma (don't have too many friends at home, talking about this is for another post!), relaxing, and NOT doing anything academic, sounds delightful to me!
This morning I went on a great 8.5 mile run, with an average time of 7:45 pace. I do not have a pace watch (want one though) but I did a rough calculation at the end with my complete run lasting 65 minutes. I also banged out four papers today, all due within the next three days- let me tell you, I am feeling fantastically accomplished right now :)
Body image, stressing about weight, eating/exercising habits, are just part of the daily things a person thinks about. If you are someone like me and are recovering from obsessions around these, then these can be all you think about, pretty much over-powering other, more useful thoughts on a daily basis.
As I have discussed, I am a runner, yet I in the peak of disordered eating, I was looking at running as a way to lose weight, not as a mechanism to clear my head, or have allow myself a mental escape. I would force myself to go for runs, and the joy was no longer there, the miles would add up, but I never felt it was enough. If I was not running for a day, I would go to the gym to do the elliptical, strength train, swim, etc, and NEVER took a day off.
Did all of this exercise change my body? Yes, it certainly did- I initially received compliments for awhile, on my slight weight loss or muscles I was gaining in my legs. However, I let it go too far and it allowed me to reach a weight too low for my height, and become incredibly attached to my routine.
So, I am now challenging myself to look at exercise and staying fit in a completely different way! I am still going to exercise to stay in shape, but also because I really enjoy it!
Although many people consider exercising to be boring, challenging, etc, it does have known benefits; such as an elevated mood, better endurance, more energy, just to name a few. I wanted to tell some of my own exercises and fitness tips for any students out there who wants to get in shape, and may not know where to start. Or some new ideas to shake up your current routine! These are some of the things I have been doing lately, which have allowed by body to stay in great shape, and I have such a healthier attitude toward fitness:
1) Go for a run only when I WANT to, not because I feel forced to.
2) Try group exercise classes offered at gyms- I recently went to my first Cardio Kick glass and not only was it a fantastic workout (my arms and back were sore for about three days after!) but it really was a ton of fun and I met some people too!
3) Walk to class as opposed to taking the bus. Unless there torrential rain, or a blizzard, I am going to walk to class. I get in some exercise for the day, and enjoy fresh air after being cooped up in lecture halls all day.
4) Join an Outing Club or something similar at your school, in your town, etc. I went way out of my comfort zone on this one and joined the Outing Club, where I hiked up a mountain, and along the way made some friends and conquered some fears.
5) Instead of meeting friends at the dining halls constantly to catch up, meet them for a walk, or at cafe/eating area, that is farther away so you have to walk to it.
6) Several of the blogs I read daily, the ones on my blog roll, have great work outs, such as at-home with no equipment needed, strength training, cardio, plyometric, and body weight routines and exercises. Check them out! Julie's Workouts, One Fit Foodie, Greek Yogurt and Apple Slices <-- These also offer great ones too!
Does or did anyone else feel the need to reach a certain amount of exercise everyday or most days of the week? Does anyone have anything to add to this list? I would love to hear opinions!
This morning I went on a great 8.5 mile run, with an average time of 7:45 pace. I do not have a pace watch (want one though) but I did a rough calculation at the end with my complete run lasting 65 minutes. I also banged out four papers today, all due within the next three days- let me tell you, I am feeling fantastically accomplished right now :)
Body image, stressing about weight, eating/exercising habits, are just part of the daily things a person thinks about. If you are someone like me and are recovering from obsessions around these, then these can be all you think about, pretty much over-powering other, more useful thoughts on a daily basis.
As I have discussed, I am a runner, yet I in the peak of disordered eating, I was looking at running as a way to lose weight, not as a mechanism to clear my head, or have allow myself a mental escape. I would force myself to go for runs, and the joy was no longer there, the miles would add up, but I never felt it was enough. If I was not running for a day, I would go to the gym to do the elliptical, strength train, swim, etc, and NEVER took a day off.
Did all of this exercise change my body? Yes, it certainly did- I initially received compliments for awhile, on my slight weight loss or muscles I was gaining in my legs. However, I let it go too far and it allowed me to reach a weight too low for my height, and become incredibly attached to my routine.
So, I am now challenging myself to look at exercise and staying fit in a completely different way! I am still going to exercise to stay in shape, but also because I really enjoy it!
Although many people consider exercising to be boring, challenging, etc, it does have known benefits; such as an elevated mood, better endurance, more energy, just to name a few. I wanted to tell some of my own exercises and fitness tips for any students out there who wants to get in shape, and may not know where to start. Or some new ideas to shake up your current routine! These are some of the things I have been doing lately, which have allowed by body to stay in great shape, and I have such a healthier attitude toward fitness:
1) Go for a run only when I WANT to, not because I feel forced to.
2) Try group exercise classes offered at gyms- I recently went to my first Cardio Kick glass and not only was it a fantastic workout (my arms and back were sore for about three days after!) but it really was a ton of fun and I met some people too!
 |
| A Class Last Week |
4) Join an Outing Club or something similar at your school, in your town, etc. I went way out of my comfort zone on this one and joined the Outing Club, where I hiked up a mountain, and along the way made some friends and conquered some fears.
5) Instead of meeting friends at the dining halls constantly to catch up, meet them for a walk, or at cafe/eating area, that is farther away so you have to walk to it.
6) Several of the blogs I read daily, the ones on my blog roll, have great work outs, such as at-home with no equipment needed, strength training, cardio, plyometric, and body weight routines and exercises. Check them out! Julie's Workouts, One Fit Foodie, Greek Yogurt and Apple Slices <-- These also offer great ones too!
Does or did anyone else feel the need to reach a certain amount of exercise everyday or most days of the week? Does anyone have anything to add to this list? I would love to hear opinions!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Being Productive on a Rainy Day
Good evening!
I feel the Sunday night blues creepin in, but I must look at the positives, only 5 days until spring break! I'm not going anywhere special this year, cannot really afford it, but I am still looking forward to spending some quality time with ma back at home.
Despite it being a very raining day here, I managed to get a whole lot done!
I began with trying BIKRAM YOGA for the first time, Lots o' sweatin. Holy HOT! I know there are a number of people out there that have tried this style, or go to it on a regular basis, so I wanted to give it a try also. Not going to lie, it was the longest hour and a half of my life, but I certainly did feel fantastic after! I am one of the most inflexible people you will meet (need to work on this!) so some of the poses were quite challenging, and the instructor kept coming over to help me, woops! My best friend from school joined me on this adventure, and we were glad we did it, but probably won't be returning for some time.
I went grocery shopping after (in my oh-so-sexy/sweaty attire) and picked up some apples, carrots, pretzels, dried fruit, canned soup and Cinnamon Toast Crunch <--favorite cereal ever, and a few packs of gum. I like to keep a few healthy snacks in my room. It really helps to avoid wandering down to the vending machine and purchasing something unhealthy, and I like snacking when I study!
Other oh so fun activities included writing two papers, and completing other various assignments.
Tomorrow morning I will be attending an awesome Cardio Kick class at the campus rec center at 7am and then track practice at 2:30. I have a busy week ahead of me, so bed early tonight!
Question, has anyone tried Bikram Yoga? How did you like it? Have you continued with it?
I feel the Sunday night blues creepin in, but I must look at the positives, only 5 days until spring break! I'm not going anywhere special this year, cannot really afford it, but I am still looking forward to spending some quality time with ma back at home.
Despite it being a very raining day here, I managed to get a whole lot done!
I began with trying BIKRAM YOGA for the first time, Lots o' sweatin. Holy HOT! I know there are a number of people out there that have tried this style, or go to it on a regular basis, so I wanted to give it a try also. Not going to lie, it was the longest hour and a half of my life, but I certainly did feel fantastic after! I am one of the most inflexible people you will meet (need to work on this!) so some of the poses were quite challenging, and the instructor kept coming over to help me, woops! My best friend from school joined me on this adventure, and we were glad we did it, but probably won't be returning for some time.
I went grocery shopping after (in my oh-so-sexy/sweaty attire) and picked up some apples, carrots, pretzels, dried fruit, canned soup and Cinnamon Toast Crunch <--favorite cereal ever, and a few packs of gum. I like to keep a few healthy snacks in my room. It really helps to avoid wandering down to the vending machine and purchasing something unhealthy, and I like snacking when I study!
Other oh so fun activities included writing two papers, and completing other various assignments.
Tomorrow morning I will be attending an awesome Cardio Kick class at the campus rec center at 7am and then track practice at 2:30. I have a busy week ahead of me, so bed early tonight!
Question, has anyone tried Bikram Yoga? How did you like it? Have you continued with it?
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Crazy Saturday!
Today was a umm...interesting day!
Because St. Patrick's Day usually occurs when our school is on spring break, UMASS has developed a tradition of opening the bars uptown at 9am, and yes thousands of students attend! You have to be 21 though, which does keep the crowds somewhat down.
Now, I am really not a big drinker. I think a lot of it stems from wanting to "save" my calories for food, rather than wasting it on alcohol, but usually don't like the way it makes me feel, act, and so on. However, I thrive on routine and order, yet challenge myself to get out of my comfort zone as often as I can, and I took this day to do just that!
At 9 am this morning, I went to a friends house meet up, have St. Patty's day related food
first then head to the bars uptown. I could not bring myself to start drinking until at least 11 am, 9 is just too darn early! Once we arrived in town via bus, it turned out to be a great time! It was nice spending time with people I do not normally hang out with, and to be part of a social event that is oh-so-college :p
Although I do have a few close friends, I much too often prefer spending time on my own. It is comfortable when I can do my own thing, but still know the importance of keeping friendships. I am sick of being the fact that I prefer to spend the majority of my time alone, and hope this changes as I bust of my comfort zone more often!
Did anyone else do anything of interest today? Please share!
Because St. Patrick's Day usually occurs when our school is on spring break, UMASS has developed a tradition of opening the bars uptown at 9am, and yes thousands of students attend! You have to be 21 though, which does keep the crowds somewhat down.
Now, I am really not a big drinker. I think a lot of it stems from wanting to "save" my calories for food, rather than wasting it on alcohol, but usually don't like the way it makes me feel, act, and so on. However, I thrive on routine and order, yet challenge myself to get out of my comfort zone as often as I can, and I took this day to do just that!
 |
| Breakfast Item: Cinnamon rolls with green icing, nom?! |
first then head to the bars uptown. I could not bring myself to start drinking until at least 11 am, 9 is just too darn early! Once we arrived in town via bus, it turned out to be a great time! It was nice spending time with people I do not normally hang out with, and to be part of a social event that is oh-so-college :p
Although I do have a few close friends, I much too often prefer spending time on my own. It is comfortable when I can do my own thing, but still know the importance of keeping friendships. I am sick of being the fact that I prefer to spend the majority of my time alone, and hope this changes as I bust of my comfort zone more often!
Did anyone else do anything of interest today? Please share!
Direction of the Blog
I have so many ideas for this blog, yet am unsure of the exact direction I hope to go in!
Some things that you will be seeing:
1) I will be posting my daily life on occasion, the whole routine, so you can see a typical day of a college student!
2) Although I struggle with disordered eating, I still know how to stay healthy and fit in college. So I will be offering my own personal experiences, tips/tricks for eating in the dining halls and other areas of campus, how to get pumped for exercising and making it part of your routine, and how to enjoy a social life while still maintaining health. This is all while keeping grades up!
3) RA Chronicles- I am a resident adviser living in a first-year hall and have so many stories to tell, it can be alarming at times! My residents never cease to amaze me.
4) Reviews of products I personally I love and use on a daily products, ranging from food, running gear, clothing, among other utilities
5) Race recaps, running tips and other races I plan to compete in this upcoming spring and summer.
6) Training logs- my workouts and track/running workouts I do with my team.
7) My journey toward recovery and how I am making changes to better myself on a daily basis and finally obtain a peace of mind
8) Current Public Health issues, it's my major!
9) At this point I don't think this is going to be a strict "food blog" but I will be photographing and publishing some of my daily eats
10) Recipes that I have personally created, and others I have found that have turned out delicious!
Is there anything else people would like to see? I am a college student that is ready to answer any questions or share any stories that people would like to hear or know about.
Some things that you will be seeing:
1) I will be posting my daily life on occasion, the whole routine, so you can see a typical day of a college student!
2) Although I struggle with disordered eating, I still know how to stay healthy and fit in college. So I will be offering my own personal experiences, tips/tricks for eating in the dining halls and other areas of campus, how to get pumped for exercising and making it part of your routine, and how to enjoy a social life while still maintaining health. This is all while keeping grades up!
3) RA Chronicles- I am a resident adviser living in a first-year hall and have so many stories to tell, it can be alarming at times! My residents never cease to amaze me.
4) Reviews of products I personally I love and use on a daily products, ranging from food, running gear, clothing, among other utilities
5) Race recaps, running tips and other races I plan to compete in this upcoming spring and summer.
6) Training logs- my workouts and track/running workouts I do with my team.
7) My journey toward recovery and how I am making changes to better myself on a daily basis and finally obtain a peace of mind
8) Current Public Health issues, it's my major!
9) At this point I don't think this is going to be a strict "food blog" but I will be photographing and publishing some of my daily eats
10) Recipes that I have personally created, and others I have found that have turned out delicious!
Is there anything else people would like to see? I am a college student that is ready to answer any questions or share any stories that people would like to hear or know about.
My major- Public Health
Hello readers!
I wanted to give a better explanation of my major at school and why I chose to invest in this route. As mentioned in my "about me" page, I have serious interest in all things related to nutrition, fitness, and general well-being. This not only includes the physical aspects, but the mental part as well.
I also discuss in my "about me" page, is the fact that I am recovering from years of obsessive, disordered eating habits that have seriously corrupted my life. I am willing to be public about this because I feel dicussing and sharing it with others is another part of the healing process. If anyone is reading this, I would love to hear if you are struggling with possible eating issues as well! I am going to dedicate another post to how this issue developed and the ways I am working through it.
I am mentioning the disordered eating now because it has a lot to do with my passion for Public Health. As much as I would like to claim I above media influence, it is say to say magazines, shows, pictures, etc, have a lot to do with why I have irrational thoughts concerning eating, fitness and my body. I do understand that these photos are often quite photo shopped, yet there is still some part of me that works toward looking like them. I'm talkin Victoria's Secret models here, just got the bathing suit issue in the mail, curses!
In addition, even health magazines that promote "women power," can be triggering- Shape, Women's Fitness, Self, that have monthly articles claiming the best diet ever, the fastest way to drop pounds, fitness and workout tips to mold your body into something a man would love to see, and so many more.
Public Health is a broad subject and along with focusing on nutrition, I am also studying advertising and how it influences decisions and behaviors we partake in. I am taking a few communication classes right now that have certainly opened my eyes to the power of advertising. On this blog, I plan to bring post articles involving advertising, and other Public Health issues every so often. I hope they will be interesting enough to discuss!
Question for anyone reading this, even if you feel you are above media influence, do you think there is even a small part of you that reads certain articles, sees pictures, etc, that play a role in behaviors you make?
I wanted to give a better explanation of my major at school and why I chose to invest in this route. As mentioned in my "about me" page, I have serious interest in all things related to nutrition, fitness, and general well-being. This not only includes the physical aspects, but the mental part as well.
I also discuss in my "about me" page, is the fact that I am recovering from years of obsessive, disordered eating habits that have seriously corrupted my life. I am willing to be public about this because I feel dicussing and sharing it with others is another part of the healing process. If anyone is reading this, I would love to hear if you are struggling with possible eating issues as well! I am going to dedicate another post to how this issue developed and the ways I am working through it.
I am mentioning the disordered eating now because it has a lot to do with my passion for Public Health. As much as I would like to claim I above media influence, it is say to say magazines, shows, pictures, etc, have a lot to do with why I have irrational thoughts concerning eating, fitness and my body. I do understand that these photos are often quite photo shopped, yet there is still some part of me that works toward looking like them. I'm talkin Victoria's Secret models here, just got the bathing suit issue in the mail, curses!
In addition, even health magazines that promote "women power," can be triggering- Shape, Women's Fitness, Self, that have monthly articles claiming the best diet ever, the fastest way to drop pounds, fitness and workout tips to mold your body into something a man would love to see, and so many more.
Public Health is a broad subject and along with focusing on nutrition, I am also studying advertising and how it influences decisions and behaviors we partake in. I am taking a few communication classes right now that have certainly opened my eyes to the power of advertising. On this blog, I plan to bring post articles involving advertising, and other Public Health issues every so often. I hope they will be interesting enough to discuss!
Question for anyone reading this, even if you feel you are above media influence, do you think there is even a small part of you that reads certain articles, sees pictures, etc, that play a role in behaviors you make?
First Post!
Woo, my first post! This is very exciting as I have been debating starting a blog for a very long time. I have been reading healthy living blogs for quite some time now, and they continue to inspire me each and every day. These blogs have become part of my daily life, as I look forward to reading their posts that offer tips, daily life activities, meals, recipes, exercises, among so many other topics.
I hope to become part of the blogging community by sharing my daily life, which involves balancing classes, my RA job, a varsity sport, other fitness, and a social life, all while battling internal struggles, and making my journey to a full recovery.
Even though I am in college, I am unusual in the fact that I love going to sleep early and getting before the rest of campus does. So you may be wondering why I am writing this post at almost 1 am? Well I am a resident adviser for first-year students, and part of the job requires being "on-duty" until 2 am on weekends. This basically entails making sure no one that is living in the building is hurt, too intoxicated, or in a dangerous situation. And let me tell you, this job has its moments, ones I am looking forward to sharing as this blog gets underway! Get Pumped :)
For example, my co-worker and I found that a resident was growing marijuna in their room. Delightful. I am sure I will come across other wonderful things, the night is still young!
I hope to become part of the blogging community by sharing my daily life, which involves balancing classes, my RA job, a varsity sport, other fitness, and a social life, all while battling internal struggles, and making my journey to a full recovery.
Even though I am in college, I am unusual in the fact that I love going to sleep early and getting before the rest of campus does. So you may be wondering why I am writing this post at almost 1 am? Well I am a resident adviser for first-year students, and part of the job requires being "on-duty" until 2 am on weekends. This basically entails making sure no one that is living in the building is hurt, too intoxicated, or in a dangerous situation. And let me tell you, this job has its moments, ones I am looking forward to sharing as this blog gets underway! Get Pumped :)
For example, my co-worker and I found that a resident was growing marijuna in their room. Delightful. I am sure I will come across other wonderful things, the night is still young!
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