Staying on track(MondayTalk #9)

I am so glad to have stayed on track this week. Going to college, learning, reading! The only thing missing is the social aspect, but oh well! I may have been sick and not gone to a party but the rest of the week was good!

Last week it was all about C#, this week, I tackled Java. It is a very good thing that the languages are very similar and both are simpler than C++. I enjoy a good object like the next girl, but surely it is easier not to worry about pointers! That darn star sure was annoying.

This week will mark the first end of month of the second term. In two weeks time midterms will start and project will be due! It will be chaos. I am still trying to jam a lot of information now so that I don't need to cram it all in at the very last minute.

I haven't been eating very healthy lately. My mothers, after loosing 30kg(66 pounds, I think), has kind of given up and started buying a lot of processed, unhealthy, cheap foods. We have no more vegetables in the fridge and no more cans of more healthy stuff. That being said, food has become an enemy for me. I skip breakfast and lunch and only eat a bit at night. I don't work out that much anymore just because I know I will lose to much energy. I have to do something soon or else when I start eating again, any progress I have made eating healthy will be out the door and down the street.

I don't have any more confessions to make for now. I am excited for this brand new week to start and to see what new adventures I get to go on. Also, I am up to date with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles so...Booyakasha!

Negative-calorie foods( FactFriday #8)

A negative-calorie food is a food that requires more energy to be digested than it provides. While this concept is popular in dieting guides, there is no scientific evidence to support that any of the foods claimed as negative-calorie foods are such. Personally I think is more a placebo effect but as long as it tastes good and it feels me up with natural whole substances, I don't think what scientific studies show is relevant.

As a negative-calorie beverage, ice water has no calories but requires the body to expend a very small amount of energy to raise the liquid to body temperature. So it will help boost your metabolism. Same goes with hot water with lemon.

Foods that are negative in calories are mostly low-calorie fruits and vegetables such as:

•  celery

•  grapefruit

New semester (MondayTalk #6)

As I anticipated, the break has gone by faster than the school year. I feel excited that this semester I get more into my specialization: economic informatics. This means that I will have a lot more subject for programming, which is AWESOME! I am so glad I don't have to learn silly things that I will not use ever.

This break I haven't done as much as I wanted. I did learn some things for a computer application for the ONG I'm in. This was fun. I love learning useful information that can help me in my future career. For my drivers licence I haven't done anything, I have to squeeze this in as soon as possible. I really want this summer to drive to my friends that don't live in my hometown.

Last week was relaxing, I got to paint and draw and sleep. This might be my most favorite thing to do when I have time. I didn't want the days to end. I felt so good.

Crossfit for home (FitWednesday #5)

What is crossfit? Well, it is a strength and conditioning program with the aim of improving muscular strength, cardio-respiratory endurance, and flexibility. Crossfit programming is decentralized but its general methodology is used by thousands of private affiliated gyms and by many fire departments, law enforcement agencies, and military organizations.

It is an all round good exercise routine. Some of us though, either don't have a gym near by, don't have the time to go or just don't want to show how unfit we actually are(that would be me). That being said, here is a crossfit exercise routine that anyone can do at home a break a sweat!

Staying motivated (MondayTalk #3)

Because I live in Romania and my educational system is different, I don't have finals week. Finals last 3 weeks here and an average Romanian students has about 5 exams. I myself have 7 this year.

It is so hard during this time of the year to stay motivated and study, study, study. Today I have to study for an exam that I will take in 2 days and I did nothing. Granted I have a 10 on my midterm but that is not the point. Instead of lying around all day I should have worked on something, anything productive! But no... I just sat around and watched tv series like Greek and Grimm. I imagined a lot too. I pictured myself in an Ivy League college, doing a project and loving every minute of it.

As it so happens I love doing projects, research, giving presentations, tests/exams not so much. Even the most basic exam for which I over-studied scared the crap out of me. Giving a presentation, not so much. 

But because I cannot pack up and go and should get back to my own world of studying. Before that I am going to leave you with some tips that make me keep going even when the level of boredom hit an alarming level.

1. If you can take it no more, take a nap. 15 minutes of napping will be like a restart for the brain. When you get up, you will be energized and some of the knowledge will have steeped into your mind.
2. Call a friend. Yes, this can be distracting but if you call someone that is motivated then he/she could help you go on with your own studies.
3. Listen to music. I keep some music rolling on a 5% volume at all times. I don't know why but I can work longer if I have music playing in the background.
4. Have something to drink at all times. The thirst might be an illusion that you are hungry and before you know it you are in the kitchen cooking a four star meal and neglecting the fact that the next day you have an exam.
5. Don't stay up all night. It is not worth it (unless you actually have no choice). Your brain needs time to soak in the information and if you don't sleep for at least 5 hours you might get flustered and screw it all up.

Benefits of working out (FactFriday #2)

We all know that working out is good for you body and mind and that it gets you in shape. There are many more benefits of dedicating 30 minutes a day (at least) to doing some exercise and be active. I have listed below the top 5 benefits:

1. Reduces stress levels. Exercise increases concentrations of norepinephrine, a chemical that can moderate the brain’s response to stress. So if you are having trouble at school or even at work, go for a run, do a 15-30 minute quick workout and feel yourself slowly relaxing.
   

Lazy day workout (FitWednesday #2)

We all have those day were working out is the last thing on our mind. We are tired, we are cranky, we are bored or just not feeling it. Those are the most important days TO move. We shouldn't embrace the laziness and let it ruin everything we worked for up until that point. Because some exercise is more important than none, I have made a lazy day workout!

Remember how I was talking about having that one day in which we are just not moving and grooving, and because of that we end up not working out for weeks? Well this workout is simple, quick but still will make you sweat it out.

30 minute workout (FitWednesday #1)

So, as I promised myself, I have started working out again. The feeling is so familiar and it makes me so happy. I think the reason why I get into the state of mind where I don't want to do anything, basically is missing a day of activity(aka sitting on my bum and caching up with TV shows). Last summer I did exercises for 2 straight months, without missing a day. Then I went on holiday, missed a couple days here and there, saw that nothing happened and boom, back to the same old, same old. Laziness, procrastination, getting more and more demotivated. Fast forward start of college, homework, projects and volunteering. All that and no desire to work out.


Well no more! Since finals are coming in less than a month and I will have study time at home, I think that this is the best opportunity to eat right, work out and also study! Because of my past experience and a lot of research, i have compiled a 30 minute workout that will sure enough make anyone break a sweat. It is fun and engaging and it sure makes me want to die.