Living Healthy: Fall Edition

Nekter is one of my favorite spots for healthy and delicious snacks

I feel as the weather gets colder I tend to reach for more comfort food. I find a reason to indulge in that perfect Pumpkin Spice Latte and the extra cookie. There is nothing wrong with enjoying these special treats but the problem begins when they stop being "special" and become a habit. Here are some tips on how to "skinnify" your holidays (yes I made that word up ;p)

1. Limit your lattes to one day
          I love coffee especially lattes but consuming one more than once a week can be very detrimental to my health so I limit it to having one once a week. On the rest of the week I order coffee with a splash of soy milk and I sometimes add a packet of sweetener when I need the extra kick.

2. Make the gym a priority
          I lose all motivation to work out whenever the weather gets cold. I would rather stay in my cosy room with my oversized sweatshirts but during the holidays it is imperative to continue your workout routine. The Tone It Up girls have a variety of workouts that are easy to follow but are still effective. Don't lose your motivation and make it a priority to take care of your healthy.

3. Have fun
          Keep your focus on staying healthy and remember to keep having fun. If your idea of a great workout is dancing then blast some music up and shake it out. Don't take it too seriously just remember to love your body and it will love you back.

-Val

Time to Plan

i L O V E my ban.do agenda

A common trend I've been seeing all around is PLANNING! It seems everyone is on board with planning and for good reason. I have found that when I do not plan my week I can become so flustered and stressed out. I am not the type to plan each day down to the last minute but simply writing down what needs to get done has helped so much. Here are my three tips for staying organized:

1. Plan Weekly
          This is crucial if you want to stay organized and on top of things. Just write down the key         things you need to get done each day and watch how much more productive you will become. As the week goes on and things come up you can write them down but you will not forget the most important things.

2. Color Coordinate
          I am a very visual person and when I designate colors for different activities I am able to determine what needs more attention at first glance. This also prevents your planner from looking like one big jumbled mess.

3. Use Month Calendars for Important Things
          Instead of writing every single thing down in the month layout just write down the key points for each month . There will always be a lot to do for each day and that can make the calendar look cluttered so instead only jot down really important things on the calendar.

Managing Stress

As you know school is in full swing, no longer that joyous and exciting

first week. Professors have gotten over easing the progression for us freshman but have accepted us as college. Schedules are beginning to pack up with midterms around the corner and the struggle to find balance between socializing and studying has begun. I'm not naturally a person who gets stressed out easily so here are a few of my tips to help slow down those gray hairs from growing:

1. RELAX
          Making time to relax under s stressful time can either seem instinctive or like a complete waste of time but one thing is for sure: its necessary! Manage your time so you will have a few hours or maybe even a day to relax. If you have a test coming up resist the urge to put off studying but instead space it out for a few days. This method will give you time to relax and actually learn the material you will be tested on.

2. Do Work Everyday
          Although you should set aside time to relax, you should always do some work. Fridays are my relaxed days meaning when I get home from school I don't let myself do work but in between classes I make sure to get ahead on reading. That goes to say that the weekend should not be "chill days," even if you think you have nothing to do...you do!

3. Take Breaks Between Study Sessions
          Studying for 3 hours straight would make anyone dread studying not to mention study ineffectively. Instead set a goal to study in one hour increments with 15 minute breaks. This will make the time go faster and it lets your brain relax!

Hope these tips helped a bit and make sure you leave your own tips below in the comments.

- Val

Fall Playlist

Its finally fall! To honor my favorite season I've compiled a list of my favorite songs to listen to when the leaves start falling...enjoy!
-Val

1. Give Me Love- Ed Sheeran
2. Dreams- The Cranberries
3. What The Water Gave Me- Florence + The Machine
4. Let Me Go- Haim
5. Red- Taylor Swift
6. White Flag- Dido
7. Small Bump- Ed Sheeran
8. I Was Here- Beyonce
9. I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)- John Mayer
10. Magic- Coldplay
11. Take Care- Drake
12. Omen- Disclosure ft. Sam Smith
13. Show Me Love- Sam Feldt ft. Kimberly Anne
14. #Beautiful- Mariah Carey ft. Miguel 

Run

Lately I've been feeling so stressed and uneasy. I haven't been able to sleep without waking up in the middle of the night and it seems my mind is just consumed by it every second of the day. I've just been so overwhelmed and uneasy.

I always hear people say that exercise is the best mood-booster but I never really experienced it until today. I enjoy working out but I love running, except lately my ankle has been giving me problems so I've been giving it rest. Today I went on my favorite run and I have never felt so good. I finally feel like myself and it was the exact thing I needed to keep my head up.

I'm  writing this post to remind whoever is going through a hard time to make an effort to do the things you love. Everything passes and while this moment is stressful, life is still going and we need to take it in, enjoying every moment. Do something that makes you happy even though you feel you don't have the energy because it is that specific thing that will give you the motivation to keep going.
Keep your head up beautiful friends and don't let your life slip away while you're thinking about things that are hard to change :)

-Val