Exactly one year ago today, I decided to start my own healthy living blog.

Crunches for Cupcakes was born!

What an exciting year it’s been.  How can I sum it all up?!?!  Maybe just a few highlights!  Over the past 12 months, I’ve…

• Run 2 half marathons (October 2009 and May 2010)
• Run many shorter races including the Jingle Bell fun run, a St. Patrick’s Day 5K, the BAA 5K, and the Harpoon 5 miler
• Attended the FitBloggin conference
• Visited NYC (for fun and for BlogHer)
• Attended the 2nd Healthy Living Summit in Chicago
• Attended multiple blogger bashes
• ate Vegetarian meals for 5 days in a row
• Planned a blogger meetup
• Went ice skating at Fenway Park
• Vacationed in Mexico
• Quit my job
• Started a new job
• Attended 2 weddings

And I have lots of plans for the next year of blogging…

• Vacationing in Disney World
• Attending 1 wedding
• Running at least 2 Half Marathons
• Redesigning my blog
• Planning a European vacation
• Hosting our 2nd annual “Steinfest” party
• And much more…

Lucini contacted me a few weeks ago and asked if I’d be interested in sampling their products.  Olive oil, sauces, vinaigrettes?  Where do I sign up?!?!

I’ve been a fan of the Mediterranean Diet for some time now.  Lucini‘s products fit perfectly into my eating philosophy.

There’s nothing like a freshly baked loaf of Italian Bread and dipping oil, a mixture of Fig & Walnut Balsamic vinaigrette and Tuscan Basil extra virgin olive oil.

I still have more Lucini products to sample and review.  But in the meantime, feel free to enter Lucini’s contest to win their products for an entire year!

Or in the meantime, just drool over my bread and dipping oil.    Miles certainly did!

I shared the Italian bread with my house guests for the evening.  So I had plenty of room set aside for dinner: chicken, couscous, and salad with cucumbers and feta cheese.

Yum, yum, yum!  A fresh and tasty Italian meal.

It was a simple meal; I won’t be winning Top Chef any time soon.  But I’m really glad Lucini was able to help me enjoy a delicious dinner.

I’m not a true yogi.  I think I’m more like Yogi Bear.  I’d prefer a picnic basket to Child’s Pose any day. 

Last night I was lacking energy and motivation yet still wanted to get a workout in.  One OnDemand search later and I was rolling out my yoga mat for 30 minutes of stretching.

Chair poses are a great lower body workout if you hold them for several breaths.

And a modified chair pose adds an extra stretch while still working your lower body.

Streeeeeetch!

Even though I rarely practice yoga, I often do Down Dog stretches while I’m hanging out and watching TV.  It feels good to get my blood flowing and loosen up my muscles.

I’ve been thinking about practicing yoga once per week.  Even finding a hot yoga studio in the South End, an easy feat because everyone around here is artsy and earthy!  I think it would help me relax, and keep my mind focused on what’s really important rather than sweating the small stuff.

Plus I need an instructor to correct my poses since I’m sure that even though it feels like I’m doing stuff the right way, I need to readjust and properly align.

*How often do you practice yoga?  Do you do yoga at home or do you visit a studio?*

Yoga ended, and I decided to do an ab workout.  I figured that I might as well since I was already lying on my mat.  Easier than standing up right away. 

Oh no, my apartment is a train wreck!

It’s been almost 1 month since BlogHer and the Healthy Living Summit and my table is still covered in samples.  Good thing I dressed in my best cleaning outfit so I could get down to business and get my apartment back to normal.  Yoga gave me just enough energy to get the job done!

“You make me
Feel like
I’m living a Teenage Dream…”

Rock on, Katy Perry!

Maybe it’s not my true Teenage Dream, but I’ve always wanted to be part of a Fantasy Football league.  And now I finally am!  I’ve always enjoyed watching football.  But unless my team (the New England Patriots) or Jared’s team (the Buffalo Bills) were playing, I didn’t pay close attention to the action.

Not anymore…

My Team Mascot!

My team, Corgis Who Bite, is officially ready for the 2010 NFL Fantasy Football Draft.  My friends are holding our draft next Wednesday.  I’m excited to select players from around the NFL and then follow them each week.  I’ll cheer them on and hope that they help me earn lots of points.

But realistically…

I may not win any games.

I may choose my players based on who is hot and who has the nicest uniform.

But damn it, next week I’m going to select my lineup and have FUN.

*Anyone have any Fantasty Football advice for me?*

Since I’m sure there will be lots of football related get togethers, I should probably start making my own healthy tailgate snacks for everyone to enjoy.  An entire football season of Buffalo wings and beer definitely won’t be healthy for any individuals involved.

And just to clarify, my true Teenage Dream (now my Adult Dream) is to hold the chains during a football game.  I’d love to run out onto the field and measure to see if the ball was moved far enough for a new 1st Down!

I felt like I was on a Liquid Diet on Wednesday.

Yogurt for breakfast, a smoothie for lunch, and soup for dinner.

My lunchtime smoothie was very simple, but included healthy and moderately filling ingredients.

• 2 frozen bananas
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 tablespoon of peanut butter

Hold up…

Liquid diet?!?!  No thanks!

Can anyone really subsist on liquids alone?  Yogurt, a smoothie, and soup was not enough for me.

I went out for 2nd dinner at Sonsie!

Everyone at the table shared 2 orders of vegetable spring rolls, Vietnamese dipping sauce, lettuce wraps, and fresh mint!

Here’s the  grilled bronzino with soft polenta, ricotta spinach, fresh artichoke, lemon

The entire table debated over exactly what bronzino was.  I voted that it was pork and someone else said it was similar to a chorizo-like sausage.  Jared was brave enough to place an order, and judging a book by its cover and its very visible scales, bronzino was fish!

I ordered ricotta filled gnocchi with  pan toasted purple eggplant parmesan and fresh basil.  SO so good and I had leftovers the next afternoon.

I know I always say this, but I really do love dining with friends!  Nonstop talking and laughter.

Jared and I split a strawberry tart filled lemon curd and vanilla rhubarb swirl ice cream.  This was too lemony and sour for me so I didn’t eat very much.

Sonsie was a wonderful dining experience.  But maybe it was the good company that made the food taste even better?!?

It’s one of Fall’s biggest trends: The Dressy/Undressy Style!

You’ll find the look everywhere, especially on the pages of a J. Crew catalog.

And there’s a very easy method to capture the Messy Chic look:

• Honor your mood
• Accessorize with the opposite

For example, if you’re feeling more low key and undressy, wear jeans, Chuck Taylors, and a racer back tank top.  Then glam it up by adding a bold statement necklace.  Or wear jeans, casual sandals, and a t-shirt embellished with lots of sequins.  I dressed up my laid back outfit by choosing a sweater with lots of ruffles.

You can easily reverse the look.  Get dressed up in a silk cocktail dress.  But then appear more casual by adding a wrinkled linen scarf and throwing your hair in a messy ponytail.

Sometimes I try on outfits when I’m hanging out around the house and don’t have anything to do.  That way when I want to head out in a hurry, I have a few ideas in mind and I know what works and what doesn’t.  Playing dress-up also helps me discover new combinations that makes my wardrobe feel new and exciting instead of the same old, same old.

Fashion is fun.  Take a few risks and don’t be afraid to wear something that doesn’t quite work.  Maybe you’ll be setting a new trend.  Or maybe you’ll meet a new friend when someone kindly points out that those shoes do NOT work with those pants. 

My dear friend Natalie has the cutest blog, My Favorite Things.

Natalie shares daily musings on life, love, fashion (so many cute Etsy shops), and everything in between.  Her blog is all about her most very favorite things.

And today I was featured as part of her Friday Favorites.  Check out my 5 favorite things!

Most of the time, I get dressed up to go somewhere and leave the house feeling crappy.  I’ll feel like my outfit or hair or makeup just isn’t quite right.

But every now and then I have the rare moment when it all comes together and I feel 100% good about myself.  I feel like a model.

Model moment!  Strike a pose!

*Do you have an outfit that makes you feel super confident?*

This outfit was so easy and simple: A black silk tank top, skinny jeans, and black wedge sandals.

I had to walk 0.5 miles to and from the restaurant and my feet held up surprisingly well.  I guess my wedges were made for walking!

All dressed up for dinner at Anchovies in the South End, and what glamorous meal do I order?!? Pasta and meatballs!  Yum!

Hi, my name is Melissa and I have a confession to make: I start reading a book…then begin reading another book.  Until I’m overwhelmed by my pile of half-read or must-read books.

12 books in all!

If I wasn’t so distracted by TV and blogging (and googling random shit), I’d have the pile read within a few weeks.  I always read before I go to bed, but lately I’ve been waiting until I’m exhausted.  So I only make it through 3 or 4 pages before it’s lights out.

12 books before the end of 2010 is a lofty goal.  But if I can complete 4 items, I’ll feel very accomplished. 

*Do you have any book recommendations?* Add some fuel to the fire and suggest a few other titles for me to read.

*Edited moments after publishing the post*

I decided tonight’s random Google search would be “corgi anime” and I found this awesome photo:

It’s Miles and me!  So cute!  (source)

Breakfast, lunch, and snack time on this rainy Monday…