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No Gain November
First things first: Red cups are officially back at Starbucks. THE HOLIDAYS ARE COMING.
Okay, back to business. You have probably heard of No Shave November, when boys confuse laziness for a nation-wide scruffy phenomenon. At first I just laughed and got ready for a month of mustaches. But then I was completely lost when I started hearing of girls participating, forgoing their razors and embracing the stubble for 30 days. 
Leave the scruff for the boys and join me for No Gain November! Obviously these last two months of the year are notorious for a little holiday weight gain (probably why the vast majority of New Year’s Resolutions are to lose weight….). So get a jump start on staying in shape and make the decision to not gain weight this month.
First, here are some rules to keep yourself accountable to reduce your likeliness to cheat!
Obviously you can add your own rules that pertain specifically to you and your “weaknesses.” For me, I’m limiting my peanut butter consumption (it’s really more of an addiction.) I’m also avoiding granola cereal, primarily because I can’t stop at one serving. And lastly I am bypassing all pastry items, cupcakes and scones included. Trust me, it will be worth it when Thanksgiving rolls around and you don’t feel like you need to go on an immediate diet!
A really cool tool I found while searching around the world wide web last night: Map My Run’s personal food and exercise journal. There are similar ones on a bunch of other websites, but I decided to use this one because it looks nice and organized and seemed to have all the nutritional information on the foods I eat!
Most important thing about using a food journal: Be honest. I really think they help because before you take one too many bites ofa chocolate chip muffin, you remind yourself that you have to write this down afterwards and add in the calories/nutritional information. You just might rethink that fluffy bite of fat. On the flip side, you can track how many calories your body is burning each day and record all of your workout information.
Leave the facial hair to the boys and start a new trend. #NoGainNovember
I couldn’t resist!
Commit to be fit this month and Pin This Here: 
;)
An Unusual Walk
Currently my physical activity is limited to walking. And not the freakishly-fast-olympian-style walking. More of a stroll. (This is because any sort of exertion that increases my heart rate and blood flow will cause my cheek to swell which is detrimental to its healing from surgery.) If you know me, you know that I am not a stroller. The whole time we were in New York, my parents kept telling me to “Slow down and enjoy the scenery!” Which is exactly what I’m being forced to do right now. Don’t you love irony!
Surprisingly beautiful for a field full of dead people.
Today’s walk was in a pretty unusual location. A cemetary. My school actually has multiple cemetaries on its premises…not as eerie as it sounds. They are very pretty and peaceful places! It was the coolest weather for a cemetary walk too, warm but overcast and grey. Kind of drizzly…very ominous. I love exercising and staying fit, so I walk (leisurely for now) daily. Usually around campus, but I’ve been getting bored with my same ole’ route so I decided to venture out and find a new place to explore.
Everyone says find an exercise you enjoy. That’s easy for me. Running – duh. But I am also in love with exercise in general, so I understand that not everyone shares the same passion for sweat and soreness that I do. I will say that if you have not tried zumba yet, you ought to. But the EASIEST form of exercise that is enjoyable is simply walking! It’s still an aerobic activity, meaning you have plenty of oxygen and aren’t struggling for breath. Though your heart rate is not increased nearly as much as more intense exercises like running, biking, or swimming, if you walk long enough, you will still burn calories and utilize your leg and core muscles.
Walking a few miles a day and counting calories is how I’ve managed to maintain my pre-surgery weight through nearly 7 weeks without working out. Everyone should be outside enjoying their surroundings anyways! Especially in these gorgeous days of summer. Seriously, this hour in the cemetary certainly beats an hour wasted on the computer or TV.
Fresh Air > Facebook
I brought my camera along on my walk (obviously) and had some fun taking pictures of some wild flowers:
But the second I moved on, continuing along the path, I turned the corner to see a whole FIELD full of flowers!
Note to self: wear flower-field-running shoes next time. ;)
If you’re not an exercise enthusiast, still consider finding a place to walk and enjoy. The fresh air and peacefulness of nature will do your mind some good, and your brain will thank you for the break from cyberspace :)
Hmmm, not sure this cemetary will be so “peaceful” come Halloween….might just have to do a Haunted Workout!
Packing for Dorm Life
Judging by the aisles of puppy folders, Justin Beiber backpacks and 50 cent crayons….it’s Back to School season :)
Supplies for dorm life include a lot more than paper and pencils though! 2 weeks into campus dining, you’ll be ready to stock your dorm with some snacks and healthier alternatives to on-campus dining. Particularly if you’re a health-conscious student (like moi!)
As a student-athlete, I learned pretty quickly that the all-you-can-eat pasta buffet in the dining halls wasn’t going to be practical long-term for my daily fuel. When it comes to nutrition – quality over quantity.
The giant undertaking of packing my entire room into 10 rubbermaid bins has begun. Saturday I will move back to school, in a new upper-classman suite-style residence hall. It’s been no easy task consolidating my favorite clothes and shoes, but one thing that HAS been fun was packing my “grocery” and “kitchen” bins….I love finding healthy alternatives and planning out my meals and snacks to make sure I set myself up for success – and avoiding that Freshman 15. 
No, my suite does not have its own kitchen. I’m confined to a shared bedroom, bathroom, and a connecting shared bedroom. But each residence hall does have a communal kitchen, and I am coming prepared with my coffee pot, blender, pots and pans, baking sheets, and kitchen tools!
The Freshman 15 is not a myth; I’ve seen it happen more than once. Yes, there’s a lot of stress in college, totally different schedules and an all-you-can-eat buffet. But ultimately the choice to eat crappy or healthy is all yours!
Biggest mistake = forgoing nutrients for convenience.
So if you want to avoid falling into these traps, set yourself up for success by stocking up your room with plenty of HEALTHY choices and planning on cooking for yourself at least a couple of times a week.
I use the term “cooking” loosely here to cover anything from sprucing up a basic frozen entree or grabbing a bagged salad to add your own protein and toppings too.
Once I am back on campus I’ll finish stocking my “dorm room pantry” with fresh fruits and veggies. My typical grocery list looks something like this:
Yes this list is lacking major vegetables and common ingredients – that’s because it’s just meant to complement my other meals that I enjoy on campus. I still enjoy about 10 meals per week in the cafeteria, making healthy choices with the options I’m given.
In lieu of this new chapter, I am introducing the new page: Healthy Habits in the home page bar up top! Here is where I will post recipes made on a budget, time crunch and limited kitchen that any college kid can make. As well as healthy options from on-campus dining and other healthy snacks for keeping away the Freshman/Sophomore/Junior/Senior 15 :)
P.S. Strong Like My Coffee is now on Instagram!
Follow here —> Strong Like My Coffee
* * * As of July 29th, a new College Girl’s Grocery Guide 2.0 (apartment-edition) has been created. New school year, new list, right? :) * * *
Pin This Here!
You may also like:
- College Girl’s Meal Plan
- Healthy Study Snacks
- Nutrition 101
- Tips for Healthy Holiday
- Healthy Grocery Swaps
