Breathe Beautifully

Breakfast:

Half Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

Cup of Peppermint Tea w/ 1tbsp of Tea 

Lunch:

4oz of Grilled Chicken

1/2 cup of Brown Rice

1/2 cup of Peas 

1 Cup of Cranberry Juice 

Snack: 

1oz of pretzels

Banana 

Dinner: 

Turkey on Wheat Bread

Provolone Cheese 

Lettuce

1tbsp of Honey Mustard

Fiber One Brownie 

Intake?

1300 Calories 

Burned? 

Rest Day! 

Comments? 

Overall good day! 

(Source: breathebeautifully)

When I first decided to join the tumblr community I knew I wanted to hopefully bring something valuable to the site. I was on another site previously blogging about health, happiness, and life well being. I was amazed at the amount of praise people were giving me. I had stacks of messages in my inbox, comments on my blogs like crazy, and was told that I changed lives. I thought to myself, me? I have the power to change someone’s life? Through my own personal discovery I realized other people know what it’s like to go through what I did.

So I joined the tumblr community! I soon realized that I was now in a giant pool of fish that all have something in common with me, fitness. I needed to realize what exactly separated me from them. I realized that my words have power, they always have. Whether I wrote them in a blog or spoke them to a friend, I always had the power to inspire someone to go beyond their expectations. So I decided to blog articles and spread a message of life well being.

The title of url is breathebeautifully. This to me explains that each breath you breathe is valuable and beautiful at the same time. We need to accept our individuality and be a happy person. How to be happy is a different definition for each and every one of you. 

This blog supports exercise for fun and in moderation. This blog supports healthy eating and the challenges that come along with that. This blog supports acceptance in a world that challenges people to be perfect. This blog supports hope to the well being of those that suffer from depression, eating disorders, self harm, and more. This is a positive blog.

I know I’ve inspired many and that I haven’t disappointed you. I want to continue on inspiring each and every one of you to fight to be that person you want to be.

I don’t think I tell you all enough. You’re amazing. You are all truly angels in my life. I love that you take the time to read my blogs and message me. I know sometimes I don’t get back to you right away, which I apologize for. But thank you for always supporting me in everything I have done. I support each and every one of you no matter what your decision is. I know you have the best of intentions for yourselves.

I’m always here if you ever need someone to talk to. Thank you to the 800+ followers I have, you’ve all inspired me.

At the beginning of this I told myself, “Let’s Inspire Others Marissa.” In the end I believe I did.

xoxo

Marissa

Breathebeautifully

In a past blog I mentioned how in my journey, I found the power of the word “no”. Simple two letter word with so much power. In any situation you are in control when you say no. Having control makes you powerful.

But in relation to weight loss, saying no is very hard to do. It doesn’t make you a powerless person, just someone who hasn’t realized it’s full potential.

In my opinion there are three types of craver’s, Figure out which one you can best relate to so that you can see how much more work you need. Remember to be honest and it’s okay!

1. The Master Craver: you don’t deprived yourself of your favorites but you know to limit them. You eat when you are hungry and stop eating when you are full.
2. Inconsistent Craver: you try your best to eat healthy regularly but overeat in pressured areas.
3. Crazy Craver: you have no control with your diet and have a hard time with portion sizes and ignore when you are full.

My 8 Steps to Control

1. Treat yourself: Don’t take your favorite food completely out of your life. By doing so you are going to crave it more and overeat when you get a hold of it. Allow your number one favorite food once a week in a portioned size.

2. Avoid problem areas: If you know you always want a snack after school but your hunger isn’t up for it, don’t walk into the kitchen. Avoid going to the kitchen if your bored or considering food and you don’t need it.

3. Feed yourself: As a recovered person I’ve learned, don’t starve yourself. You will become weak and grab everything in sight. Instead have a timed, scheduled food eating times. Every 2-4 hours is best.

4. Pace yourself: Eat slowly. It takes 12-25 minutes for your body to tell you it’s full. Enjoy your food and eat to live.

5. Listen to your taste buds: Sure you can be a chocoholic. But you may end up eating the whole bar just because it’s your favorite. Stop just eating the food and start enjoying it. You may be satisfied with half of a chocolate bar.

6. Patience: You may see fresh baked cookies on the counter. But walk away and ask yourself if you can have it with control. Don’t binge because it’s there.

7. Banish negativity: “I ate two oreos. I am weak and I have blown my diet. I might as well keep going”. Instead say to yourself, “It’s no big deal. It won’t make me fat. I can stop at two cookies and feel good about myself.”

8. Start small: Give yourself time. Make those mistakes, go ahead and fail. But promise yourself that you will get back up and learn.

Good luck! The power is in your hands.

xoxo

Marissa

Breathebeautifully

(Source: breathebeautifully)

How to Be More Confident is something everyone wants to know. Everyone has insecurities, even if you exude confidence in most areas. Learning how to be more confident sounds difficult, but it can be done. I know that sometimes it’s difficult to build yourself up, but if you take things one step at a time, you can get there. It takes patience and determination, but anyone can learn how to be more confident, how to build self esteem, and how to believe in themselves.

1. BE CREATIVE

One of the best ways to learn how to be more confident is to be creative. Start a new project or an endeavor that encourages creativity. It can be something simple, like learning how to sew, or something really big, like painting a mural or writing a book. When you complete it successfully, it will fill you with confidence. You’ll feel accomplished, because you started something really big and finished it.

2. FOCUS ON YOUR ATTRIBUTES

Everyone has strengths, talents, and attributes. You might be a gifted poet, a great listener, or really good at organization. No matter how big or small, your strengths are important. Focusing on those rather than what you see as your faults makes a huge difference. If you cook delicious food, take beautiful pictures, have a great knowledge of history, or love animals, focus on that. Write down all the things you do well – and as you see that list grow, you’ll feel so much better about yourself.

3. SPEND TIME WITH GOOD PEOPLE

Another way to teach yourself how to be more confident is to spend time around good people, the people who love you for you. Hang out with your family members. Go out with your friends. These people love you, they see all the good in you, and I bet it shows. As you spend more time with you, it will become easier to see yourself through their eyes.

4. BE A RISK TAKER

Taking risks can be hard – it’s kind of scary. However, being willing to do something risky can make you feel empowered. I don’t mean indulging in dangerous behavior or anything. However, by doing something you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t had the courage to try, you can really inspire yourself – and others. Don’t let your fears hold you in one place. Overcome them and your confidence will grow.

5. DO UNTO OTHERS

One of the best ways to learn how to be more confident is to do nice things for other people. Volunteering your time will enrich your life. You can volunteer at a soup kitchen, hospital, or homeless shelter, organize a charitable or philanthropic event, or even help people you know who may be down on your luck in some way. Doing good for others will help you see what a great person you are.

6. SMILE MORE

I’m sure you’ve heard that it takes way more muscles to frown than to smile, right? It’s also true that when you smile, it boosts your confidence. To quote another cliché, smile and the whole world smiles back at you. When you exude good feelings, people respond to that. Knowing that you can inspire good in others is an even better confidence boost.

7. BE ACTIVE

Exercise can actually help you learn how to be more confident, as well. Simply having more energy does wonders. Even if you just start taking walks around the block or walking your dog in the park, it will help.

Learning how to be more confident does take time, and it can be a hard journey. Confidence isn’t something you can gain or build overnight. You have to surround yourself with positive people and actions in order to teach yourself how to be more confident. The end results are so worth it, though. You’ll feel so much better about yourself.

Love,
Marissa

(Source: breathebeautifully)

(Source: breathebeautifully)

Today my family and I went out to dinner for Easter. Up until now, I have never taken notice of what has truly happened to us. We are known as “the greatest country on earth.” But yet, what do we have to show for that? America is like any other country on earth and has their flaws. But whatever happened to what we were, what we had?

The idea of family dinners has diminished. Instead families are no longer eating dinner, so their children learn no structure. They grow up to think that dinner can be a whole box of mac and cheese, and a piece of cake. Or you have those families that just get take out or give tv dinners. Go ahead, eat in your room. Or even better, let’s eat in front of the television. What has happened to providing a nutritious meal and sitting together for 30 minutes a day as a family?

Why cook a meal, when I can go through the drive through? There is not enough time in the day to pack a lunch. So go ahead and get some McDonald’s. I don’t feel like cooking tonight for the family, let me order some pizza and have it delivered.

Seriously, you want me to walk to the mailbox? Forget that, I’m going to drive. Walk to my friends house down the street? That’s crazy, I’ll drive. America is lazy and if you haven’t noticed what has happened to us, I’m not sure your being aware of your surroundings.

Convenience doesn’t always equal acceptable. I cannot believe how many overweight people I saw today in that restaurant. If I could estimate I would say about 40-50 people were OBESE. I know people can have health problems that cause to gain weight, but not in this case. Is this how we Americans are presenting ourselves? This is how we are raising the future members of society.

Don’t work for things in life, steal them, take them, or just sit on your ass and have them handed to you. Forget actually caring about your health. Taking the initiative to cook a meal and shop for healthy alternatives is too much work. Screw walking places, this is America we have cars.

NO.

This is what America should be. People who appreciate everything that they have. You should be thankful to have a job and to be able to actually show that you earned something. Do you think people in other countries can honestly say that they can provide for their families. You should be thankful that you have the options to treat your body right and live a long healthy life. Why would you want to sacrifice your life because of your lazy attitude and the overload of convenience of America? Don’t you want to grow old one day? Don’t you want to have children or run around with your grandchildren? You should be thankful that you can walk. The gift to run around the block. The feeling of being safe, where you won’t get robbed of your things or get shot because your in a war zone. Take that walk, be thankful for your legs.

Do not let the convenience of America ruin you. Defeat those who think convenience is the answer, because it is not. Those who work hard for things, get everything in the end. This is not meant to offend anyone, but to be an eye opener.

(Source: breathebeautifully)