All that I know is I'm breathing.

Today was a great day considering I probably wouldn't have thought the same thing a while back. I've been really trying to be healthier and workout a lot more. I worked out yesterday, doing 30 min of cardio, two sets of lat pulls, machines that workout both the inner and outer thighs, and sit ups. Today I did 30 min of cardio again, 3 sets of lat pulls, 3 sets of seated rows, 3 sets of each machine working the inner and outer thighs, 100 sit ups, and 40 squats. I love that I can finally see some progress. I can see that I can last a little longer and workout a little bit more each time.

I have big plans for the winter. Aside from taking a class (comparative political systems) online, I am also going to make myself workout every single day. No excuses. I don't have class all day in the winter so I know I have time to do at least a 30 min workout. I am also going to try to eat as clean as possible. It's gonna be hard at first but I'm going to try to help my family make the change too. I'm also gonna do a lot of cleaning and organizing this winter so when I come back to school, my mom can stay on track at home. I'm excited for this healthier lifestyle I'm living. It's not perfect, but it's progress.

Today I will admit I was kind of mad at myself for my eating habits. I woke up somewhat late today (a little after 10) and had a cup of coffee and a glass and a half of water. Then I had a lean cuisine before class. The steam fresh versions are really great! It was only roughly 250-300 calories. Then, in between classes I went to Hale and Hearty and had a turkey avocado sandwich with walnut pesto, which was delicious. After I ate it I looked up the calories and it was 800 calories! I immediately regretted it. Heading to my night class I bought a skim salted caramel mocha from Starbucks with I can guess to be maybe 300-400 calories. All of todays food puts me roughly at what I believe my daily caloric intake should be (1,500) but because I was mad at myself for some of these decisions, the 30 min cardio I did lost me over 200 calories! This made my day better.

Looking back, I never thought the joy I received in my days would be from how many calories I eat and workout, but it is. Any joy you receive is a sign to keep going at it.

A woman walks into a bar. Except it was a metal bar. Like a pole.

Yep. That happened to me today. I didn't think it would hurt as bad as it did but boy does it hurt, and still does. Thankfully, I don't think my nose is broken or anything but the pain is really bad. Here's hoping it gets better from here.

Today at school, FIT Illustration Majors made designs on the side of the building that runs along 7th avenue using chalk. I took plenty of pictures and hope you all enjoy them!

I ate decently healthy today but not as good as yesterday and I did not work out today, aside from walking to and from school. I don't think the next few days will be any better considering Halloween is tomorrow (technically today) and then my birthday weekend! So excited for the festivities!

Always look on the bright side of life

I did not get to watch Ravenswood tonight. Instead I cooked a delicious quinoa dinner. I cooked an entire box of quinoa (will hold me off for awhile), used 2 cans of golden mushroom soup (Campbell's), and 2 cans of water. I also added some sauteed peppers and onions when the quinoa was done cooking. It was my first time making it by myself and I started off rocky, but now that I know what to do, I plan on cooking it very often. One bowl of quinoa, which for me was maybe a cup and a half roughly, filled me up completely. Next time I am certainly going to measure my portion after it cooks so I know I am eating the proper size, but either way its a great alternative to pasta or regular rice and in my opinion, just as tasty. I did really great eating all around today. I started with a bowl of oatmeal and a cup of coffee. For lunch I had a sandwich: multigrain bread, two slices of turkey, two slices of muenster cheese, and honey mustard. And finished my day with my quinoa dinner.

I also did a cardio workout today. I did the elliptical for 30 min, which is all my school allows because of the small number of machines. I decided to choose the interval selection workout today and I actually really enjoyed it. It alternated between 2 min at resistance 1, crossramp 4, and 2 min at resistance 8, crossramp 10. The weight loss selection uses the same resistance levels but does each for 4 min so I found the interval training to be slightly easier. I burned just shy of 300 calories and did over 2.5 miles. I will admit it is discouraging to know that this workout was tough, tiring, and challenging for me towards the end, when a girl two ellipticals away from me was probably at resistance 10 for her entire 30 minutes. I know I'm showing some improvement and I know I shouldn't compare myself to her, but it's frustrating sometimes.

Life is what we make of it so it's time to stay positive!

My delicious quinoa dinner.

Spooky Dangers

This week is such an exciting week! Halloween is two days away, my birthday is three days away, and November means there's not much more left of the semester! Today I'm definitely talking about all things Halloween. This past Saturday I went to a Halloween party dressed as a witch. I wore a plain black Old Navy dress, flats, and a black witch hat with stars. It was my make-shift Halloween costume idea. This Friday I am being a cop, as is my boyfriend. I purchased a woman's cop costume from Spirit Halloween which is a dress that comes with a hat, belt, and handcuffs. I plan on wearing black heels and fishnet stockings. My boyfriend is wearing black dress pants and a white button down shirt. He purchased a small cop kit that comes with a fake badge, sunglasses, handcuffs, and a mustache. We didn't want to spend too much money and my boyfriend dressing as a cop seemed easy and cheap so I followed. I cannot wait to go out on Friday dressed up.

Besides costumes, party decorations and food are always important when planning a Halloween event. I've taken to Pinterest to find some cute ideas for throwing a Halloween party. Another thing I really love is Halloween inspired nail art. They look amazing! I definitely wish I had the funds to get my nails done but since I do not I'm gonna stick to something simple and use oranges and maybe silver. I'll post pictures when they're finished!

Tonight is Ravenswood night and I will definitely post all of the excitement from the show later!

Love this idea! Pizza Bagels with Olive slices!

This is a great idea for a foyer

Lately I prefer decorated pumpkins as opposed to carving. These are great!

Spooky and delicious? Check and check!

I always love a grand staircase and this is great for Halloween!

TV Show Time

Pretty Little Liars was crazy the other night! We know for sure now that Alison is alive. We also know that she told Hanna something important previously. I went back to see what it was that she told Hanna and it was that the four of them combined know more about the night of Ali's disappearance than they think. Hopefully Hanna will remember what Ali said and the for of them can get started on combining their memories and find out what happened. I'm so excited for the rest of this season!

It's Scandal night tonight! I love Kerry Washington and I love Scandal. My mom and I are obsessed with the show. My favorite character is Huck, he's so complex. The story about him and his family was so sad and I hope one day he can be with them again. Last week's episode was so intense with the bomb. I love when the show gets intense. I can't wait for tonight's episode!

Can't I have fun for the rest of my life

Tonight is Pretty Little Liars night and Ravenswood! I am so excited!!! I am a huge PLL fan and was completely shocked by the summer finale. I'm also really upset that Caleb will no longer be on PLL but I'm excited for Ravenswood. It looks so mysterious. This will probably be the highlight of my week.

I'm pretty upset that I have almost no time this week to workout. I may be able to get one day of some workout time in but I'm really trying to workout more. I became really upset last year when I gained 30+ pounds back after quitting Weight Watchers and coming to school. I'm trying to be healthier, which is incredibly hard on a very limited budget, but I'm also finally working out again which honestly feels great. It's been a long time since I've worked out (basically 4 years) and I needed to start up again. So far I've only been running either outside or in the gym, both a little over 2 miles each time. I know it's not a lot but it is for someone who hasn't worked out in a while and I can see myself improving each week. Every once in a while I do sit ups and squats but I need to do it more often. I miss the gym back home that had a lot of weight machines. I feel like I would achieve more there. Well I'm working with what I have and right now I'm feeling pretty good about it. I would love to start taking Yoga classes and Pilates classes but I might have to resort to DVDs for now. I also really have a craving to take a dance class. I haven't danced since I was young but I really want to start up again. Here's to living a healthy, active lifestyle!

Your pretty face and electric soul

I've recently become obsessed with The Great Gatsby. I purchased the soundtrack awhile ago but just recently started listening to it and I also purchased the movie (the 2013 one) and have watched it twice in the past few days. Besides the fact that I am completely engulfed in every line and the amazing work of Baz Luhrmann, I love the era. There's something about the early 20th century that resonates with me. Moulin Rouge, also directed by Baz Luhrmann, is my all time favorite movie. I love how magical they are but at the same time dramatic and sad. To me, that is what life is about. It's being dramatic but magical, feeling every ounce of hope and sadness at the same time. These movies make me appreciate life and how beautiful it can be.

Learning is never over

Today in my english class a student said when he feels frustrated he just looks up at the sky/stars and realizes him and his problems are minuscule compared to other things. This is the only positive thing I've heard all day and the only thing helping me get through the day. I started off the day badly by realizing I completely forgot to take an online quiz that is now closed. I'm praying my teacher responds to my email with an opportunity to either make it up or do something extra instead. I can't believe I made that mistake. While I wait impatiently to hear from her, I have to study for a midterm that I have tonight. I'm so sick of tests and school. When will it all be over??

Halloween Costume Ideas!

I've been spending the last week and a half trying to figure out what to be for Halloween. My birthday is the day after and I'm going to a costume party at a bar. My first costume idea was to be Jessica Rabbit but my boyfriend does not want to be Roger Rabbit. We are trying to find a cute net somewhat cheap costume idea. We went to the party store to get ideas. He was thinking about being a doctor because he has a chemistry lab jacket already so I tried on some nurse costumes and absolutely hated them. I do want to look "sexy" for my boyfriend but I'm trying to avoid looking trashy, so the nurse idea was out. Two options that are still being considered are cops and pirates. Both would be fun. For pirates we can wear jeans and plaid shirts and have an eye patch or a hook or something, so it wouldn't cost too much. If we decide to be cops than I will probably end up buying a costume. I also went on renttherunway.com and loved all of their costume ideas. I'll attach a few pictures of my favorite ones! I'd love to know what any readers think of some costume ideas so please let me know!

This is my boyfriend's favorite choice.

Will you still love me?

Well. It has been a very long time since I've taken part in blogging and I can say it's been somewhat of a hectic time. I'm back in school and busy with school work and planning out where everything is going to lead me. I've been trying to be really proactive with school this semester and I hope it's paying off. Lately I've been trying to get my priorities straight. I've been working out a lot more than I was previously attempting to do, I'm trying to eat right but also on a budget, I'm trying to find a balance between school, work and social life, and I'm also trying to have some down time. I will say though that I am in an incredibly better place mentally and emotionally than I was last year and thinking about that makes me insanely happy. So now since things in my life are really on track now, I want to start vigorously blogging.

So since I'm starting on an awkward day and time, I'm gonna stray from my original schedule to talk about something that I've seen brought up on Facebook. Maria Kang, a "mom of three, business owner, nonprofit founder, creator of The Belly Ball and accidental No Excuse Mom", was basically shammed for posting a picture of herself in a sports bra with her three children with the caption, "What's your excuse?"People made comments that she is a bully and is fat-shaming. In my opinion, I think her photo is motivational. Maybe I only find it motivational because I recently started to aspire to lead a healthier life, or maybe I find it motivational because it shows even when you have a lot on your plate you can still achieve your goals. That's how I interpret it. She's not trying to make people feel ashamed. I used to make excuses for myself all the time. I recently saw another picture that said "if you have time to Facebook, you have time to work out." I agree fully with that statement. I used to have my priorities out of whack and would spend more time on social media sites and Netflix opposed to working towards my goals. I would be upset with the way I looked but wouldn't do anything about it. I think that is what Maria is trying to convey. If you want something, you have to work for it. Nothing comes for free. I'd love feedback on the situation and to get different perspectives!

New York Post

I completely forgot to mention that I was in a photograph in the New York Post which was then on Good Morning America and the Today Show! Loved every minute of this photo shoot! I'm on the far left!

Insane!

Well this has been nothing but long overdue. I can't say the reason I haven't posted is because I've been busy because I have had a lot of free time, I'm just enjoying the laziness of summer break (for the most part). Mainly I've just been working and taking an online course for school which I only have a week left of. I also started doing Insanity! I really need to change, workout more, and lose weight because I am really unhappy with the way I'm looking these days so I've been trying to make healthier eating choices and working out more. I finished one full week of insanity and I was extremely sore after the first couple days but it was worth it. I possess no upper body strength so there was some exercises that I struggled with but I am hoping to be close to a pro at it by the end of the summer. My food posts will be focused on healthy eating from here on out and I will definitely keep updates about my progress with Insanity. My weight at the start of my Insanity journey was approximately 146 pounds. Last August I weighed around 122. It's not so much the number of my weight that bothers me but my pant size does. I went from a size 6 to a size 10 in less than a year after dieting really well to lose all of the weight in the first place. I don't want to stay like this. I am hoping to get as close to 122 pounds as I can by August but I want to be lean and muscular, not just less in pounds.

Okay so let's get back to the weekly schedule and stay on track! It's Manicure Monday! I love everything about the manicure I selected for today. I really like the way the rounded tip is, which I never really liked before. I also really love pastel colors and the patterns. I really need to stop picking at my fingers and ruining them so I can one day have nails like this.

What do you guys think of the rounded tip?
Melissa

You have to hold on to your fantasy

Hello World!

I know it's not hot topic weekend yet but the new Pope was announced! The new Pope is Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina! He is the first Pope from Latin America and he will be known as Pope Francis I.
Now on to updates. I thoroughly enjoyed writing yesterday. Learning about The Maldives and seeing how beautiful it is really inspired me. It was wonderful to see the beauty in the world because sometimes it's easy to forget. As much as I love fashion, I think Travel Tuesdays are becoming my favorite. I went to Macy's Herald Square today and saw Betsey Johnson dressing mannequins! It was really awesome to watch her! She seems like an incredible fun person to know. Only a few minutes after I had gotten there, a really bad car accident happened right behind us. An ambulance was coming down 34th street with sirens and lights on and from what I can tell, a black suv cut the ambulance off and the ambulance hit the front left hand side of the car which made it spin and go up onto the sidewalk where the driver continued to drive on the sidewalk towards people. He made his way back on the street, without his front bumper and with his left front tire hanging off. It was actually really scary to witness. Aside from that, seeing Betsey Johnson was awesome!
Now on to Wearing Wednesday! I'm going to keep today very Betsey Johnson themed. I'm putting together one whole Betsey Johnson outfit that I would wear. Enjoy!
Melissa

Polka Dot Long Sleeve Dress $118.00

Morggann Fuschia Patent Leather $89.98

Back View

Spring Studdin Tote $118.00

Polka Dot Bow Hinge Bangle $35.00

Link Front Necklace (pink) $135.00

Yummy Heart Bracelet $35.98

Multi Heart Charm Necklace $99.98

The Sunny Side of Life

Hello!
Well I have to admit that I did not do those fabulous ab workouts today. I was so busy today with school I just did not have time. But I did eat a little healthier today, although I vow to do better tomorrow. I have a lot of free time tomorrow and I'm going to make sure I use it wisely. On to the rest, today is Travel Tuesday! For this Travel Tuesday, being so close to spring break, I'm going full on beachy! I'm imagining myself traveling to The Maldives! The Maldives are in the Indian Ocean, just across the equator. It is made up of 1,190 islands which are formed around 26 natural ring-like atolls. Each atoll is made of a coral reef encircling the island lagoon. Only 200 of the islands are inhabited and 90 islands are are tourist resorts. The rest are uninhabited or used for agriculture. (Visitmaldives.com) The images I have of these islands just prove how gorgeous it is. What I wouldn't do to be there right now.
I noticed on Instagram that many people participate in Transformation Tuesday. This is my first Tuesday hearing about it and I think it's a really great theme. Every Tuesday, aside from traveling, I'm going to post transformation pictures. I actually think this will be a really great motivator to lose weight also. I've been thinking about setting an actual weight loss goal for a specific time limit. I think it will really motivate me. I also read an article posted on Facebook from Elle magazine about relationship advice and one of them was to work out and eat as if you're single. I actually really agree with that. I have a boyfriend who I love more than anything but I think it could help to have that mindset when it comes to losing weight. Here's to a more lovable future!
Melissa

Base color: mint green
Triangles: Silve and Gold

My best friend Courtney and I when we were Juniors in high school. I was almost 17 years old.

My best friend Jess and I last year at the Rangers VS. Devils game.