How I Improved My Running

Hello Lovelies!

It's been a while since I made a fitness post even though it's probably one of the biggest parts of my life.  I wanted to make a post about something I know very well: running. My next fitness post will probably be about something new I'm starting this year: weightlifting.

To give you all a little background about my running I started running about two years ago.  The first year I was very on-and-off, I was not at all consistent and I didn't run far for long.  My running began more of a walking/jog.  I was out of shape and my doctor told me to start exercising to help my scoliosis and to help my overall health.  So for a long time I did tons of research: what to eat, how to sleep, how running improves health, when to start running, how to start running.

To be honest, the majority of what I found on the internet was complete BS.  To start running, you just have to start.  There is no magic trick.  There is no perfect solution.  Even if you start by walking and jogging, thats a start.

Running is all about endurance.  The more your muscles can endure, the longer you can run.

Okay, so at the start of 2015 I was running a 14 minute mile and I could only run one mile.  Today is the first day of 2016 and I ran three miles at a 9 minute pace.

How did I do this?

Well first, it's all about being consistent.  No matter how hard it is, no matter how much you don't feel like it, you have to run at least three times a week.

Next, you must push yourself.  Part of the reason I was able to reduce my time so drastically and go so much further was because I pushed myself.  It's going to hurt.  You're muscles are going to ache.  Your body will tell you not to.  Do like Nike and just do it.

Finally don't just run.  As much as people enjoy running once they feel the running high, your body will literally yearn to run.  Your body will beg you to run.  Sounds crazy now, but once you start you can never stop.  But as amazing as the feeling is, to be a better runner you have to accompany it with strength and flexibility training.

I hope this helps all of you that plan to start running in the upcoming year.  Running is an amazing hobby and sport.  I love the feeling of being connected to nature, I love the feeling of getting runners high, it is absolutely indescribable.

Happy Running!

xoxo, Ana

New Year, New Me

Hello Lovelies!

As my first post of 2016 I decided to be quite cliche and tell you all my goals for the year.  The past two years I have shared my resolutions and how I want to tackle the year.  Last year I was extremely vague with my goal and made it simple for myself as I didn't know what I wanted to accomplish.  The year prior I made clear cut goals and focused solely on reaching those specific goals but I bashed myself for not meeting them at the end of the year.

This year I have decided to go in between. Set vague but centered goals.  Something that is reachable and won't discourage me yet has an end goal.  So here are my goals for 2016:

1. Become as close to God as possible.

2. Love the people around me, show them my love, and appreciate them for all they're worth.

3. Learn as much as possible.  Never miss an opportunity to learn something new.

4. Experience more and be open to new opportunities.

5. Take care of my body. This year don't lose sight of the end goal: a long, healthy life.

6. Practice gratitude, patience, kindness, forgiveness, and tolerance.

I hope you all can gain a little from my personal goals.  Every day we take the things around us for granted, the people, the opportunities, the experiences, the environment.  I'm the type of person that will go outside just to smell the fresh air, to hear the birds chirp, to see the beauty of nature, to feel the wind blowing in my hair; I encourage all of you to do the same.

Try putting yourself out there.  Don't be afraid to do something new and see what happens.  Most of the time, things turn out better than you ever imagined.

The one lesson I hope to take with me from 2015 is that success can only be reached through failure.  Approach new opportunities with an open, positive mind.  If they don't come out as anticipated try again, make different mistakes, learn something new.

Take the time you have and make the most of it.  Don't take this life for granted.

xoxo, Ana

Ringing in the New Year

Hello Lovelies!

Happy New Year!!!

Just a wonderful little thought I wanted to share on this day with all of you:
"Hard work does not necessarily guarantee success, but no success is possible without hard work." ~Dr T.P. Chia.

I hope this new year is filled with many blessings, productivity, good times, and happy moments.  I hope that we all grow and learn to love completely.  I hope that we all achieve our goals.  I hope that with the grace of God this year will be great!

xoxo, Ana.

Merry Christmas!

Hello Lovelies!

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas filled with blessings and great joy.  Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus, the coming of our savior.  It's always important to keep that reminder that Christ is the reason for the season and we celebrate Him today.

My heart goes out to all those that spent the holidays alone, far away from their families, without a home, without food, etc.  People don't like to address it, but I find it important to keep others on your mind since {as some of you may already know} I've always wanted to do missionary and charity work.

Happy Holidays!

Let me know in the comments below what your favorite memory this past Christmas was.

xoxo, Ana

Christmas Wishlist

Hello Lovelies!

As I stated last year, Christmas is definitely not about the gifts or the material things.  Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and to be with family and give thanks for all the wonderful blessings.  But a part of this celebration is giving gifts.

Although I already know what my present is going to be and it is already under the tree, I wanted to make a list to give others ideas for what to give the girly girl in their lives.  So without further adue, my christmas wishlist:

Pandora $65

~ ring ~

Pandora $65

Last year for Christmas I got a ring that unfortunately began to rust throughout the year and eventually half the ring turned black.   So this year I asked for a new ring to replace the old one, and I decided to invest in a good ring that would last me the rest of my life essentially. I will give you all a sneak peak into what I am receiving this Christmas by showing you all my wonderful new ring.


~ running shoes ~
Running shoes are another item that I need to replace.  My current running shoes have lasted me a year {quite a while for an avid runner}.  They are old and very, very well used.  I love my running shoes and want the same exact ones but they need to be replaced since I am constantly running typically three to four miles a day.

Skechers $65

~ happy planner ~

Pandora $65

This year I really want to focus on my time management and being able to complete many tasks in a day, outside of just doing the minimum in school and going to practice.  With so many exciting things happening this upcoming year, a new planner to organize my thoughts would be a very thoughtful gift.

Pandora $65

Michaels $24 {only $16 with 40% off coupon!!!}

~ stickers ~
To go along with the planner, stickers would be super cute!  If you know anything about the planner community, you know that stickers and sticky notes and accessories are a must for the planner.  It adds a little something to your planner and gives you personalization.

Etsy $2-10

~ clothes ~

Honestly, what girl doesn't want new clothes for the new year? Clothes is an essential and as I do write a fashion blog I find it fitting to include this in my Christmas wishlist.  Since I will be doing lots of traveling {yay!} this upcoming year I will be needing clothes for those trips that are coming up sooner than expected. :D

JCPenny $42

I hope you guys get some inspiration for to ask for this Christmas.  As I stated before, I will definitely not be getting all of this all I am getting is my ring.  Eventually I will need new shoes and a jacket for my trip but those will come in their designated time.  

If you want to leave suggestions below for some things others could ask for this Christmas, don't be afraid to leave a comment.  I personally would've also added a new computer to my list but I know that isn't feasible for most people (not even myself).

Happy Holidays!

xoxo, Ana

Holiday Cookie {FAIL}

Hello Lovelies!

This weekend my little sisters and I decided to make cookies for the family as a surprise and a fun way to get into the holiday spirit.  We researched a new recipe and found an italian cookie dough recipe and decided to make some festive cookies.  To say the least, we made the cookies and they tasted very floury and undercooked.  I wanted to share the process anyway because the pictures came out cute, but I don't plan on making cookies from scratch anytime soon.  

I do want to let you all know that midterms are in two weeks and that's why I have been extremely busy lately.  After midterms there will be more consistent posts as I have some exciting events coming up so watch out for those!

Let me know in the comments below some traditions and fun things your family does during the holidays to celebrate.

xoxo, Ana

Giving Thanks

Hello Lovelies!

I hope you had a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving.  Yesterday, I had a lot of time to think about my life and what I am grateful for.  Although I try to practice gratitude on a daily basis through prayer and journaling, it still brought me great peace to have a day dedicated to physically taking time to give thanks.

Sometimes it is incredibly easy for us to overlook the man amazing and wonderful things God has placed in our paths.  As my priest said yesterday, we must all have an attitude of gratitude and stop taking things for granted.  Today's society seems to value negativity and complaining, especially among the younger audience.  One thing God has taught me and I continue to learn is that complaining gets you nowhere.

It is so important to be thankful and appreciate the little things.  Take the time to appreciate a beautiful sunrise, to tell your mother how much you love her, to do something kind for another person even if you don't get a thank you.

Life is so much more than material things and about what you have.  I believe in doing things for others without getting any physical appreciation because the feeling of giving is so much better.  So be grateful and give back.  Appreciate everything you have and try your best not to envy others because we all have a struggle.

I love all of my wonderful followers and I am incredible grateful for my wonderful blog.  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!

xoxo, Ana

Peek Into My Planner

Hello Lovelies!

DISCLAIMER: THIS POST WAS WRITTEN IN AUGUST AND NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED CONCERNING MY PLANNER SO I WILL STILL POST IT, BUT I DO PLAN ON MAKING ADDITIONS TO MY ORGANIZATION SOON. :D

As you guys know, I am an extremely busy person, especially when it comes to school. A popular topic among bloggers and YouTubers lately has been planners.  For some reason, these little guys have become increasingly popular.  I personally have always loved them.

Before, I had an obsession with making my planner very colorful and full of super-duper-extraordinary-amazing organization skills.  Over the years I have learned that it is absolutely useless to do this.  So now I just use black pen because it's simple and stands out.  This year I am using a planner from the brand Mintgreen that can be found at WalMart.  In terms of organization everyone has something different.

What works for me is using a weekly/monthly planner.  Each section their own tab, the month is the pink tab and the week is the blue tab.  In the month part I list the most important things as well as anything that is scheduled.  For example, doctors appointments, tests, quizzes, and after school activities are listed on this page.  On the side of each month I also have an inspirational quote that lifts my spirits each month.  Then, on the weekly page I strictly use that to write my homework.  As you can see I will write the class then follow with the homework assignment and {unless it is due the following day} I will write the date it is due in parentheses.  Once I have completed a task I just cross it off my list.

Everyone has a different way of organizing themselves.  I used to use sticky notes for every class (I still use sticky notes but only to write extra information), I also use to color code using pens and highlighters, one year I completely disregarded the monthly pages, some people use their phones to write a to-do list.  It is all personal preference.  So explore different options and don't limit yourself until you find what helps you be most productive.

xoxo, Ana

Decision Point

Hey Lovelies!

Lately, I haven't been posting at all.  To be honest, this is a matter of time management and priorities.  I have been extremely focused on school and raiders and myself.  The last day of the first quarter was this past Thursday and all my hard work definitely paid off, I got As and Bs {yay!}.  I'm not going to lie, I have been very much engulfed and focused on trying to better myself that everything else has been put in the back of my mind.

Fashion has not been of main concern for me recently, I wear the same thing consistently and I don't have time (or resources) to make nice outfits or buy new clothes.  Not only that, but my life has been anything but interesting, it consists of three things: school, raiders, and church.  Unfortunately, this has all taken a huge toll on me physically and mentally.  I wish that I had more time and energy to do things that I love such as blogging, but when I come home I have so much work and usually don't have energy to do anything extra.

My goal for the next quarter is to begin incorporating things I enjoy, such as blogging and journaling and fashion, into my daily life.  It won't be easy, it has not been easy at all, and will only get harder, but I know that I can it all.  My goals will be reached and I have found a new sense of motivation to get as far as possible in everything I do in life.

So a quick update on what has been going on recently:
 ~ I got the iPhone 6s!!!
 ~ I got As and Bs.
 ~ SAT is Nov. 7th {so close!}
 ~ Female Raiders got 2nd place at our first comp.

I promise that I will do my best to work harder to get more content out for you guys.  Let me know if there is anything in specific you would like to see in the comments below.

As always, have a wonderful day!

xoxo, Ana

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Hello Lovelies!

I cannot believe this day has come.

Two years ago today, my life completely changed.  Two years ago today I made a commitment to myself.  Two years ago today I created Fun-Sized Fashion.

The amount of pride and dedication I have to my blog is indescribable.  Although life may not always make it easy, I find a way to never desert her, no matter the circumstance.  It has been difficult being a full-time student and having other priorities, but my blog is my safe place where I can express myself freely.  Sharing my life has been a wonderful experience and I thank God for giving me the opportunity to create my own little haven.

My gratitude goes out to all the people that have supported me and continue to support me, even though I may not be consistent due to the ups and downs of life.  Hopefully, with your support I can make so much more of the blog I have and can continue to make consistent content for all of you.

I promise to continue blogging and sharing my life and showing the world how a young girl matures.   I have come such a long way from the fourteen year old young girl I was two years ago.  I have developed my own fashion style, a sense of priorities, and an incredible work ethic, all because of  a simple web site I created.

This blog may not be important to anyone but myself.  This blog may be completely irrelevant.  This blog may seem silly.  This blog is ME and I love it and cherish it so much, words cannot explain. This blog is all my hard work summed up into one small piece of the internet.

I am so happy to celebrate blogging for two years! I cannot wait to see what the future holds in store for Fun-Sized Fashion.

xoxo, Ana