Author Archives: Julia Rogers

About Julia Rogers

Hi! My name is Julia Rogers. I am from the beautiful Bay Area of Northern California. I recently graduated with a teaching credential and enjoy teaching children of all ages. Prior to that I was a Health Science major doing extensive research in all topics of health and fitness. I also worked in a doctors office where I loved interacting with patients all day. I enjoy exercise, especially hiking, and I love to try new things like healthy cooking. I recently got married and now I spend a lot of time working on my house and garden. I am always looking for ways to save money and be a thirty spender. I love to write and share my experiences. I have dabbled in poetry and creative writing, and was published in my High School paper.

Doing Some Floor Exercises While Watching TV

One of my favorite things to do while I am watching TV is to do some toning exercises. Sometimes on a really packed and tiring day I only have a half hour to get in some exercise. While cardio would be my first option to spend that time, sometimes I am too exhausted. Instead of just sitting in front of the TV, I’ve come up with a small workout routine that focuses on toning. Before beginning a floor workout, it is a good idea to warm-up. I enjoy doing jumping jacks or jogging in place for five minutes. For stomach … Continue reading →

Adjusting Your Health and Fitness Plan

Lately I have been writing about my mid-year goals and the changes I have been making. Since my last blog my schedule has changed and I am going to make some adjustments. For my healthy eating goals I am still going to keep up my current plan of three fruits and three veggies a day. To do this I am going to buy my veggies once or twice a week. Then I will put them in those small reusable containers in the fridge already to go to take to work. For fruit I am going to have some bananas, melon, … Continue reading →

Snacking on Vegetables and Fruits

Recently I mentioned in a blog some of my mid-years goals. One of my goals was to eat three fruits and three vegetables a day. This has been going really well and has helped me to explore new foods. Previously, one of my favorite veggies to snack on was carrots. Whenever I would go to a party, I would load up my plate with carrots before I even look around at the other options. Starting with a healthy choice would make it less likely for me to eat a ton of sweet snacks later. Although I love carrots so much, … Continue reading →

Getting Back Into Trail Running

Today I went for a power hike that turned into a trail run. I started my workout with hiking over half a mile. After power hiking, I jogged for as long as I felt comfortable about fifteen minutes, then eased into some intervals of power hiking and sprinting spurts. Trail running to me is like taking your hike to the next level. You push yourself harder and blast calories faster. However, because of this it is harder on your body. Trail running is a great outdoor workout. If you like to run in your neighborhood and you like nature, trail … Continue reading →

Home Decor Shopping on a Budget

Being a new home owner of less than a year, I have done quite a bit of shopping for our home. When I moved in my husband had a few items, and I l luckily had inherited a lot of furniture from my grandmother. I inherited some essentials such as a kitchen table, a buffet (perfect for our TV, DVD player, etc), and a leather chair. My husband had a couch and I had a bed and some bookcases. To fill in the gaps there were several other items that we needed. To name a few, we needed more lamps, … Continue reading →

Pros and Cons to Elliptical Machines

I am a pretty big of my elliptical machine. I have a NordicTrack, found at most exercise stores and department stores that carry exercise equipment (such as Sears). Although the elliptical machines are one of my favorite workout machines, like with any machine, there are pros and cons. Pros One pro to an elliptical, whether at the gym or at your home, is that it is an indoor workout. Indoor workouts are convenient when the weather outside is less than desirable. Indoor workouts can also be safer. Instead of running outside where you have to deal with terrain, the elliptical … Continue reading →

Hiking Safety

After going hiking today with one of my hiking buddies, I started thinking about hiking safety. There are several things to take into consideration. Sun Safety Sun can damage your skin, even when it is cloudy and you think you won’t get burned. Wearing sunscreen is a must! I recommend keeping a small container of sun screen in your car or hiking backpack. Stores like target sell small, convenient tubes of sunscreen or you can squeeze some into a reusable liquid container. I also like to add a light colored hat and sunglasses when hiking in the summer. Since the … Continue reading →

Planting Tomatoes was a Brilliant Idea!

Can I just say how brilliant it was for my husband and I to plant tomatoes this year? I simply did not see the big picture in the beginning. I thought it was boring waiting for our tomato plants to grow. I kept going outside to water and would think it was a waste of time. We waited what felt like months for the small plants to grow big enough to be transferred from the small little pot to the ground. My attitude completely changed when the tomatoes started to grow. When the tomatoes ripened I was ecstatic. It has … Continue reading →

Fall Weather Equals Major Hiking

I know it may sound crazy, but I prefer fall weather over summer. I especially love to hike and do other outdoor workouts in the fall when the weather is cooler and crisp. Summer hiking tends to be more popular. My favorite hiking spots are far more crowded in the summer months than the fall months, making it hard to even find parking. However, fall hiking is by far my favorite time to hike. I like that it is cooler, less crowded and just a more pleasant way for me to get exercise. When I hike in the summer I … Continue reading →

Two Favorite Cleaning Products

Last year when I got married, I moved into my husband’s house and wow! Cleaning a whole house, instead of just my previous bedroom, kept me really busy. I enjoy having a house and taking care of it, but cleaning it can be a big chore if I don’t stay on top of it. To make cleaning a more speeding process I have found some favorite products to help me do a quick clean. To clean floors I love the Swiffer WetJet! They work great on wood, tile, linoleum, and almost any kind of hard flooring. What is perfect about … Continue reading →