AS SOMEONE WHO HAS A MASTER’S DEGREE IN EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY, people tend to come with me with a plethora of health and fitness questions. One of the main reasons people say they cannot keep up with a healthy lifestyle is a lack of time and motivation. I wanted to create a blog to answer those questions and to show people that a healthy lifestyle is easy to achieve.
ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS I ALWAYS SAY IS EXERCISE IS MEDICINE. According to HealthyPeople.gov, only 24.1% of adults get the federally recommended amount of physical activity. Exercise is known to improve the circulation of the immune cells in the blood to help reduce pathogens in the body. The more continuous it becomes, the easier the cells can clear viruses and pathogens in the body. For nutrition, when you have a diet full of processed foods and refined sugars, your body has to do more work to overcome being sick. It has to work to clear the toxins produced by unhealthy foods before getting to a virus attacking your body, and the response is weaker. We must eat foods that work with our body to improve its immunity response and fight infections. By combining regular physical activity and healthy eating, you’re preparing yourself for a robust immune response to any foreign pathogens in your body.
FRESH KITCHEN IS MY MAIN GO-TO for a healthy meal. I get everyone hooked on it when I take them there. I usually order the six bowl, and when salmon is in season there, I get that [as my protein]. You can make any combination you want, so I switch it up depending on my mood.
I LOVE KING OF THE COOP right now for my cheats! My go-to order is the chicken strips with Nashville hot rub. Their chicken and fries are perfectly seasoned. Then I head over to Dough and get one of their big brownies for dessert. My favorite is the peanut butter brownie.
FOR DATE NIGHT, I like to go to the Tampa Improv when my favorite comedians are in town.
7TH AND GROVE HAS BRUNCH on Saturday and Sunday. Their shrimp and grits are to die for.
I LOVE GOING TO the Courtney Campbell Causeway in the mornings to work out on the pedestrian bridge. It is a beautiful view, and you can sometimes see dolphins!
MY FAVORITE PLACE I’VE VISITED IS EGYPT. It was on my bucket list, and I loved learning about ancient Egyptian cultures. I went to the cities of Cairo and Luxor, where I got to see all of the historical sites that you view in history books and on TV. They look even more spectacular in person. It was a trip I will remember vividly.
THE BLUSH BAR [in Seffner] is a great stop for a self-care day. The deluxe facial is catered to your skin type. Then, I am a coffee lover, and Hogg Batch Coffee is one of my favorites. They [roast] the coffee in St. Petersburg and sell it online. I get their Jamaican rum-infused coffee. So good!
WHEN I HAVE VISITORS FROM OUT OF TOWN, I TAKE THEM TO THE RIVERWALK TO START OFF EATING AT ARMATURE WORKS, then walk down on the trail until they get tired. Then [we’ll] catch the Pirate Water Taxi the rest of the way.
I RECENTLY DISCOVERED INTELLIGENT GOURMET. I love their food and the diets they cater to. You can find delicious vegan, vegetarian, paleo, keto and just great healthy food for your nutritional needs. The food there is all-natural and organic, so you feel good about what you’re eating. I love the egg roll in a bowl paired with the green de-bloat juice. They have great desserts too!
