There are affiliate links throughout this blog post for your convenience, where I can earn a small commission. I never support a product or brand I don't personally use and enjoy, but if you'd like to learn more, you can head to this page on my blog!

​Halloween will be here before you know it, and I was kind of disappointed at how expensive some of Disney's Halloween decor was! So I decided to make some of my own! 

These Mickey Mouse pumpkins were so easy to make and would be a really fun craft project to do with kids (virtual art class, anyone?) if you have children.  

• Pack of multi-size pumpkins (I used this multipack on Amazon)
• Orange acrylic paint (I used a Georgia Clay color)
• Paint brushes (I used these ones)
• Glue (I used ​Gorilla Glue​ but you could easily use any superglue or hot glue).

1. Pop the stems out/off of the smaller pumpkins (in the multipack I got, the stems popped right out). You can remove or just elevate them on the larger ones.
2. Paint all the pumpkins orange if they aren't already. You may need to apply a few coats to make them not look streaky, especially if your pumpkins are white like mine were.
3. Replace the stems on the large pumpkins only once the paint has dried.
4. Place a little glue around the hole where the stems were on the smaller pumpkins - this way, no one will see the hole!
5. Gently press the smaller pumpkins on a diagonal angle by the top of the larger pumpkins to make your Mickey ears. 
6. Let sit for a few minutes, and then you're done!

​

These are so easy to make and the multipack I got provided enough for me to make three of these Mickey pumpkins. Plus there were a few smaller pumpkins leftover so I could add a few with the rest of my Halloween decor!
​

• Disney Kitchen Gadgets to Make Your Home More Magical
• Walt Disney World Reopening Guide
• Fishing Excursions at Walt Disney World

There are affiliate links throughout this blog post for your convenience, where I can earn a small commission. I never support a product or brand I don't personally use and enjoy, but if you'd like to learn more, you can head to this page on my blog!

Like I shared with you all last month, I'm currently working on improving my running pace in a way that is safe and effective for me so I don't flare up old injuries. My current 5K personal record (PR) was 40 minutes, and I really want to cut that down to 30 minutes. A big part of this is going to be eliminating walk breaks (which I still highly recommend for people to try out, especially if you are new to running and/or nursing some old injuries like me; and I'll probably continue to do run/walk/run on longer distances). 
​

To give myself a good baseline for how much I needed to shave off my mile specifically and to hold myself accountable, I signed up for the free and virtual Healthy Selfie 5K Your Way that Healthy West Orange is hosting this month. My goal was to complete this 5K in the 35-37 minute range since this would be my first time completing a 5K without taking any walk breaks, and I knew that when I pushed myself, I could do a 40 minute 5K with the intervals. 

I ended up blowing this goal out of the water! My total time was 33:26, something I was not expecting but will totally take. My pace was about 10:42 minutes/mile, which is not my fastest but I slowed it down a little bit to maintain for the 3.1 miles. Now, I'll shift back to taking it one mile at a time. ​

This way, I'll be able to feel comfortable and confident when running straight through at a pace that's closer to a 9:50 mile (something I know I can do, but need to work up to doing that for 3 miles in a row!). I'm looking forward to picking up my medal this weekend (it's a drive-through set up, but it'll be my first opportunity for a #MedalMonday in months, haha)!

To train for this 5K, here's what I did: 

• Signed up early so I could slowly increase my mileage a half mile at a time
• Spent at least a week at a set distance before increasing mileage
• Listened to my body. If I wasn't feeling 2 miles one day, then I wouldn't do it so I wouldn't hurt myself
• Didn't force myself to go my fastest mile. Longer distance means slowing it down a bit so I could make sure I wasn't burning out in the first mile or so. To do this, check in with yourself every half mile or so: "Is this pace maintainable?" 

 ​
I recommend you do the same, and if you're going virtual, here are a few things you can do to make your runs more interesting: 

• Have a good playlist! Music truly helps. 
• If you're on the treadmill and get bored easily, look into treadmill videos on YouTube to simulate running through a destination, or watch a new show on your fave streaming service. This can help the time (and miles!) go by more quickly. 
• You can also try something like the app Zombies, Run! which puts you in the heart of a zombie apocalypse story.
• Remember: just because a race is virtual doesn't mean the miles don't count! A lot of people don't really like virtual races, but they can be great to use as incentives for training towards a goal. It gives you something to look forward to, even if it is just a medal. 

​

When I haven't been listening to LOONA on my runs, I've been listening to a lot of J-Pop and rock. I'm studying Japanese for a future vacation (once COVID madness is over; if you follow me on Instagram, then you already know that Anthony and I were supposed to honeymoon there back in March but the trip had to be cancelled.

​Listening to Japanese music has really helped me familiarize myself with the sounds as I learn a bit more, even if I don't understand what they're saying. My husband and I have also been catching up on a lot of anime in quarantine, so I thought it would be fun to compile some of my favorite high-energy songs from anime intros and outros to feature in a running playlist (which works great for hitting the weights at the gym, too).

A huge thank you to the following people for sending me a few songs to add so it wasn't just all my faves, but hopefully some general fan-faves as well!

• hrhrosemary (and her daughter!) on WW Connect
• empathmeetsanime on WW Connect
• bliztoise on Instagram
• pzzuto on Instagram

You canlisten to this playlist on Spotify.

​There are affiliate links throughout this blog post for your convenience, where I can earn a small commission. I never support a product or brand I don't personally use and enjoy, but if you'd like to learn more, you can head to this page on my blog!
​

Whether your gym is closed or you don't feel safe going yet if it's re-opened, working out in a COVID-19 world has shifted largely into our backyards and living rooms. My husband Anthony and I have been determined to not lose our progress - trying to lose weight/burn fat and "tone up" for me (you all know how stubborn the last five pounds can be!), trying to gain more muscle for him - and really found all of these pieces of equipment helpful. 
​

Resistance Bands
Getting a set of resistance bands, especially ones that are stackable, are great for both beginners and more experienced fitness enthusiasts. Anthony loves his stackable set because he can get up to 150 lbs of resistance from the bands. This was super helpful before our gym closed due to quarantine so he wouldn't lose his progress! Plus they were great for me since it wasn't just one set resistance, so we could stack them to our needs.

Dumbbells
A set of dumbbells is a must! There's so much you can do with them, for your arms, abs, and even legs. Plus even some heavier ones shouldn't take up too much room in your house. Need more than one set and want something a bit more heavy duty? Check out dumbbell sets with racks! 

Stability Ball
A stability ball is great to include in your home gym since you can use it for so many different workouts. I love my stability ball kit from SoAlpha because in includes some resistance bands and it has a sheet with a bunch of different workouts that you can do with it.
​

Yoga Mat
Not all yoga mats are created equal! You want to make sure you can have a good grip on it without necessarily needing special socks. This yoga mat on Amazon is great for non-slip and comes in a variety of colors.

Yoga Blocks
Yoga blocks are so helpful for at-home practices, especially for beginners (like myself!) still working on deepening certain stretches and improving posture in stretches.  They're usually made from foam so they're not super hard on your wrists.

Yoga Bolster
Sometimes, a yoga practice will call for a pillow. I like to use a special pillow (sometimes called a yoga bolster) for this so that way, I don't have to run and grab the ones I use on the couch or my bed and potentially get them dirty on the floor. It's nice to have a pillow with one intention (especially since a big part of yoga is setting intentions for your practice!).
​

Punching bag
Having a punching bag at your disposal is a great way to work on both self-defense and cardio with some boxing drills. Anthony loves boxing for a good cardio-meets-core and arm workout. I used to use these a lot in my karate days, too, and you can't go wrong with anything by Everlast. You can shop their products on Amazon. 

Stationary bike
I swear by my stationary bike at home. I have it set up in my bedroom facing my television, so if I still need to get a workout in but I'm feeling kind of lazy, I have no excuse: I can just hop on and pedal while my husband and I watch television. I got mine a few years ago, but here's a link to the newer model version of the exact one I have on Amazon.

Treadmill
A treadmill is also something I swear by, especially in the summer (especially living in Florida) when it's too hot to get a run in once the sun comes up. My parents have a treadmill by Nordic Track that really helped me through my half marathon training (and they're the more affordable treadmill brand out there, in my experience). The ones at my gym are by Precor and I really enjoy their treadmills, too (it may not seem like it, but they're not all created equal!). 

Fitness Watch
Having a fitness watch, especially if you're doing a lot of running or other cardio. If you're into running, biking, and swimming, then a Garmin Forerunner 235 will be a fantastic watch that offers a lot of great features, like built-in interval timers. If you need something for the basics but is still a great watch with great features, I'd recommend this one.

I recently treated myself to a Series 5 Apple Watch and love it for the gym since I can track exercises beyond just biking, running, and swimming - including yoga and weight training. Plus, the Apple Watch gets more specific for what type of indoor cardio activity you're doing, so if you're like me and enjoy trying out different pieces of cardio equipment, you  can really get your stats super accurate on the Apple Watch. 
​

Massager
My husband and I got a shiatsu massager like this one as a wedding present and it is one of our favorite things we've ever gotten! We swear by it after a particularly intense gym session. Trust me on this one - treat yourself.

Foam Roller
Foam rollers are great for a few things. Not only is it fantastic for muscle recovery, but also can be a beneficial part of a warm up or cool down routine. It particularly can help with tightness in both your muscles and joints. Similar to foam rollers are stick rollers, for rolling over your muscles after a workout. My mom has a million of these from the various race expos we've been to and she loves them all. This one is her favorite.

Compression Socks
After a great run, I make sure to wear compression socks to help with the blood flow and preventing soreness. I find it really does help! My favorite pairs are my Danish Endurance brand ones from Amazon. They sell sleeves and socks, so if you just need it for your shins you have that option too. They're fairly affordable but still get the job done.
​

​I've seen a play on the "freshmen 15" phrase going around this summer - the "quarantine 19" - but please know that it's a stressful time for everyone right now. Don't punish yourself into working out because you put on some pounds during lockdown. Bake that banana bread because you love it, and then try some of these pieces in your next workout because you love it, too. They're not mutually exclusive! ​
​

There are affiliate links throughout this blog post for your convenience, where I can earn a small commission. I never support a product or brand I don't personally use and enjoy, but if you'd like to learn more, you can head to this page on my blog!
​
After being on Weight Watchers for almost five years now, I have a few go-to snacks that I love to have in the house to help me make sure I succeed. Because let's be real... sometimes, you need something other than roasted broccoli or fresh fruit. Here are some of my absolute favorites that I can't go without, many of which that you can order on Amazon!

Protein bars are one of my absolute must have snacks for on-the-go. They're a lifesaver when you're out at about and need a quick boost of protein to fill you up (but also have a sweets craving) until your next meal, but also want to know exactly how many calories you're consuming and not worry about it.
​

Four protein bar brands you can try that I enjoy, in order of SmartPoints values: 

• Built Bar (SmartPoints typically range from 3-5 per bar)
  • Where to get them: On Built Bar's website. Get 10% off with coupon MagicallyFit
• Quest (SmartPoints typically range from 4-5 per bar)
  • Where to get them: Most grocery stores sell them, or you can get a pack on Amazon
• Pure Protein (SmartPoints typically range from 5-6 per bar)
  • Where to get them: Most grocery stores sell them, or you can get a pack on Amazon
• ONE (SmartPoints typically range from 6-7 per bar)
  • Where to get them: Most grocery stores sell them, or you can get a pack on Amazon

Popcorn is a snack you can have a ton of for a very low amount of calories and SmartPoints. This is great for measuring out a few cups and pouring it into a huge bowl and munching on when you're having a Netflix binge watching session. I personally really like the Angie's BoomChickaPop kind. If you want to level up your popcorn but skip the butter, add some popcorn seasoning to it to help add some flavor but keep the calories low! 

Where to get it: Most grocery stores, or on Amazon

Greek yogurt has been a staple of mine since I started losing weight. Specifically, my favorite is the 80 calorie (2 SmartPoints) Dannon Light & Fit Greek variety. But if you're on myWW Purple or Blue, plain nonfat Greek yogurt is Zero SmartPoints! Add a Zero SP flavoring like Jordan's Skinny Syrups to it for a great 0 SP snack.

Want to make your own yogurt? If you havean InstantPot, check if it has a yogurt setting and then get some ideas from the Instant Pot Yogurt Recipes cookbook!
​

If you don't have an Amazon account but want to try out some of these snacks, you can get a 30 day free trial of Amazon Prime when you get started through this link -- this includes unlimited 2-day shipping for free, plus access to all of the Amazon Prime shows and the ability to borrow Kindle books.