30 Day Challenge - Day 3

Woohoo, 3 for 3! Every day is an accomplishment so I am happy with how I am doing so far. I fought off having a piece of cake, enjoyed a gluten-free item, and drank a lot of water! Checkout what I ate....

B: Purple power protein shake.
L: Lightly fried chicken sandwich on a sesame seed bun with lettuce and tomato, a side salad with a lot of veggies and red wine vinegar, carrots and celery with lite ranch, and to finish it off a slice of gluten-free banana bread. YUM!
D: Grilled chicken breast with brown rice and black beans, and a tomato, onion, and balsamic vinegar mixture.
S: Post-workout shake.
S: I was still a little hungry before going to bed so I had a few pita chips and hummus.

As you can tell, calorie count is not a big deal for me right now as I have to pick up my metabolism by eating every few hours and since I am burning cals at the gym, my body is requiring more nutrients and protein.

For my workout I did interval training on the treadmill for a little over a mile and finished it off with core exercises for 15 mins. It was a lite workout because I was SO sore from the weight lifting I did for days 1 & 2. Gotta rest your muscles...

Other than tracking my health log I also want to share some insight into my life. My spirit was SO HAPPY all day because I received an invitation into the Phi Mu Soroity! Yah! This is all so new to me, but I have met such INCREDIBLE women, that I know I am in the right place and that my future has so much in store....

The funny thing is, once I got home from our fantastic Bid Day celebration, I was told of some bad news from Venezuela. My Godmother's little girl was rushed to the hospital because her failing liver condition was worsening and causing her to have side-effects. Oh, did I mention she is only 7 months old and was born with a serious list of health complications? It just broke my heart. I broke down in tears because no child should ever deserve to be fighting for her life at such a young age.One moment I was jumping for joy at FAU, but then life hit and I felt a rush of fear knowing that this was a very real situation.

I am asking all my prayer warriors out there to PRAY for my little cousin, Estefania. She is a little fighter with a mean punch because she has continually survived such life-threatening moments for these past 7 months. God has taught us all a lesson and my family and I are trusting in Him to help us get through this. Although I struggled with that all night, this morning I saw this picture on Facebook that another cousin posted of our little fighter....

Estefania at the hospital. I mean how can you not love this little girl with her toys and the ribbon in her hair? Lord, may we all look this happy and this faithful in our times of great trouble...

Be blessed,

Nicole

30 Day Challenge - Day 1 & 2

I am back! I have not blogged since a month or two before Miss Florida because...well....I was SO busy! This past summer was just incredible. I am so glad I get to look back at pictures and remember everything I did before and during Miss Florida. But....now, I am here! It took me awhile to get back to just a good, happy, motivated place. After Miss Florida, I was left with so many questions and thoughts that I just broke-down and hid in my Nicole shell for about 3 weeks. It wasn't all bad, I was just slowly transitioning into what my life is today. I am more motivated than ever to get my life back on track! I am excited to share my thoughts, my highs and lows, and my health tips with my friends for the next 30 days. I hope you gain something from my blog!

One of the TOUGHEST things for me is working out. I mean who really loves working out? Yea...not many. So just getting my booty off the couch is a daily challenge. But with 2 days under my belt, I am getting back into the swing of things. For the past 2 days I have started my workouts on the treadmill. Cardio is my favorite part of working out because although it hurts, I feel myself getting stronger and stronger with every stride in my run. I am staying consistant with a solid mile, but as the days go by I will add interval training, incline, and run a little more each night, until I reach a 5K (3.1 mi). Next was resistance training...which pretty much means weighted squats or lunges (OUCH) and arm exercises. Last is core training. I focus on a 10-15 min core set for lower, upper, and side abdominals. For now I am focusing on the basics....getting my balance back, working on stability, and continuing momentum by not taking many breaks. Oh, did I mention I workout at LA Fitness? SO many gym junkies there, it is easy to be inspired!

Next is my diet...I mean daily food intake! HA! I reeeally need to stop using that word! For the past two days I have focused on cutting sugars, fried foods, and dairy. I do not eat red meat or fish so that cuts out a good amount of options. But I replace those with chicken, turkey, whole grains, LOTS of veggies, and nuts. My food mantra is, "If you know it's not good for you, then don't eat it right now." It's a very common sense approach. Should I have that garlic roll? No, unnecessary carbs. Should I have sugary lemonade? No water with a squeeze of lemon is better. Should I have that slice of pizza? Yes, ok I am guilty...but that was an amazing slice.

The best way to improve your diet is to simply replace bad foods with good foods consistently because eventually your body will stop craving those bad foods. I will be doing this for the next 30 days. But that does not mean I won't cheat because I do not believe in self-deprivation of all food items. If so, after these 30 days I will just run to the dessert/pizza/soda bar and go crazy. NOT GOOD!

Yesterday and Today's meals:
9/10
B: Slice of cinnamon raisin bread with peanut butter, banana, cantaloupe, pineapples, and 1/3 cup of granola.
L: Whole wheat panini sandwich with turkey, tomato, lettuce, herbs, and little Italian dressing with carrots, celery, and light ranch on the side.
S: A slice of pizza... yea, I had a 10 min. break in between a 3 hr class. Next time I will plan better :)
S: Almond and walnut mixture before my workout.
D: Whole wheat pasta, grilled chicken with marinara sauce and a salad with avocados, dried cranberries, walnuts, and light Asian dressing. (Kind of random but I was craving something Asian)
*Clearly I do not pay attention to carbs.

9/11
B: Protein shake
L: Whole wheat wrap with turkey, lettuce, tomato, and pesto with a salad on the side. (Just a bunch of veggies and a little balsamic dressing)
S: Hummus with pita chips
D: Post workout protein shake (So important, I should have done it yesterday) and a half quesadilla with last nights left-over chicken, peppers and onions and a little cheese!

Both days I drank water and almond milk! That's it! As boring as that sounds, I need to let go of the juices and sodas. This weekend I may add some OJ or unsweetened tea but I am just drinking what we have in the fridge until we go shopping!

Have a happy week everyone,

Nicole

I AM BEAUTIFUL

Upon returning from the Miss Florida Orientation, I was encouraged to promote my platform message even more! Having a platform truly distinguishes a Miss America Organization titleholder from other titleholders in various systems because we commit 100% of our time and energy to a very personal cause. As you all know my platform is C.R.O.W.N: Confident Radiant Outstanding Women Now. Please read the following excerpt from my essay explaining more about it...

 Mentoring young women on how to improve their self-esteem and body image so that they may be proud of who they are.

Women, especially young girls are struggling to discover who they are, realize their self-worth, and strengthen their self-esteem because of society’s unrealistic standards and the media’s misleading exemplar of true beauty.  I have personally been challenged in finding who I am and the meaning behind words such as:  body image, confidence, and self-respect.  My experience in searching for these meanings has not been an easy one.  For that reason, I felt led to educate myself on these issues and take the initiative to inspire young girls and women who are struggling in these areas.  C.R.O.W.N is my campaign for young girls and women of my age to embrace who they are, love who they are, and celebrate who they are.  Why?  Because we were all created to be special and beautiful in our own way.

Confidence comes through in the way we walk, the words we speak, and the things we believe.  Most importantly, confidence drives us to discover and affirm what makes us unique and fabulous!  Radiance is when our best qualities, our values, and our true character shine through our smile.  Outstanding young women believe they have the power to accomplish their goals and dreams and will not let anyone or anything stand in their way.  As young women, we need to empower and encourage each other as opposed to competing with each other.  Lastly, now is the time to love ourselves for who we truly are, cherish our quirks and flaws that make us unique, and share these messages of positivity with young girls and women around us.  I strongly feel that mainstream media, magazines, and television offer contradictory messages to young girls. These include a certain standard of beauty, perfection norms/rules, and the overall culture of health and body image.  As a result, young girls feel obligated to fulfill these pressures and expectations.  For that reason, the core of C.R.O.W.N, these messages of truth, must be communicated and exemplified to young girls in our communities.

I have gladly shared my platform to over 175 young girls and boys in the past few months. But I am ready to use social media as a tool to reach a greater audience. For that reason, I am starting the "I Am Beautiful" Project. It is very easy! Take a tube of lipstick, any color and write a positive,encouraging affirming message on your bathroom and/or bedroom mirror!

Here are some examples:

• I Am Beautiful

• I Am Loved

• Be You!

• Beauty Starts On The Inside

• I Believe In Myself

• Be Happy

And the list can go on and on! Be creative! The next step is to share it with the world! Post it on your Facebook wall, post it on my Facebook wall (or tag me), Instagram it and tag me (xonicolevega), or Tweet it and tag me (nicolevega36) with the hashtag #IAMBEAUTIFUL! Whatever you decide...let's start a movement of girls who love themselves and are proud of who they are!

Check-out my mirror at home...

Love, 

Nicole Vega

Miss South Florida Fair 2013

"I am beautiful because....Whether my hair is up or down, whether my make-up is on or off, I follow my heart and love myself for who I am inside. Not for what those around me think I should be or look like. "

CMN: Children's Miracle Network

Many of you have heard me express the partnership the Miss America Organization has with the CMN! It is a heart-warming partnership which continues to promote community involvement and giving back to those who need our help.

Please read below about this incredible organization and how you can help me reach my fundraising goal!

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds for 170 children’s hospitals across North America, which, in turn, use the money where it’s needed the most. Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $4 billion, most of it $1 at a time. These donations have gone to support research and training, purchase equipment, and pay for uncompensated care, all in support of our mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Learn more at CMNHospitals.org. Supporting children’s hospitals is a community effort, and your local contestant (ME!) needs your help. Because funds donated to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals stay in the community, when you donate you’re helping kids near you—maybe even the children in your own life. Help your local contestant reach her fundraising goal by donating to these two wonderful causes.

Over the past four years, I have collected $1,050 for the CMN! All thanks to the help of many of you...so give yourselves a pat on the back! ;) Your help is not limited though. In just a few weeks, I'd like to collect $350 for my state fundraising goal! Can you help?

Click on the link below to be directed to my fundraising page and make a donation!

MISS SOUTH FLORIDA FAIR FUNDRAISING PAGE

Love you all!

Nicole Vega

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style” 

― Maya Angelou

April

What an exciting, busy, overwhelmingly awesome, challenging, and maybe a bit stressful month! ;)
If any month can represent Miss Florida training, it would be April. I am so motivated to make the most of my time as Miss South Florida Fair and to impact as many people and organizations as I can. I am discovering that in the process of doing so, I am uncovering more of who I am and God's plan for my life continues to unfold right in front of me! I feel alive and I never want those feelings to go away.... Therefore if I continue to impact lives as Miss South Florida Fair or even as Miss Florida....I am know that I am fulfilling my life's purpose!

This month I participated in 11 different appearances, all which touched my heart in various ways, and some even moved me to tears. Check them out!

Western Pines Middle School Jam Club
My favorite thing about being Miss SFF: sharing my platform message with  teens! 

Jam Club speaking engagement at Western Pines Middle School There's nothing better than waking up at 6 a.m. to get beautified and prepare speaking notes! Ha! I truly enjoyed this experience because not only was I able to share my platform message, but also discuss how finding your confidence in Christ can improve your self-esteem and body image.
Judging Miss Relay For Life the Acreage Definitely the less glamorous side of appearances because a minor hurricane took over the event! Ha! But, the show continued and it was truly inspirational to see such young boys and girls share their love for family members touched by cancer and how they continued to remain hopeful under tough circumstances.
Sharing my Testimony at Grace Acreage Thank you SO MUCH Pastor Sims for giving me this opportunity! I had never shared my testimony with such a large audience but it challenged me to be open and honest with myself and others. My main message, "Don't ever let that voice that tells you, you can't do something, stop you from believing in God's power in your life."
U-Turn 8th grade "Identity" Seminar I am so excited to be a team leader for U-Turn because I am able to give back to a school that gave me so much growing up! I loved my small group of girls and I can't wait to speak to the 7th graders about how to find and solidify their identity.
Palm Beach State College LW Awards Night Hostess Hosting this event was an honor, as it awarded outstanding students of PBSC in the areas of academics and service. I love giving back to my PBSC family!
SWEEPS Pageant/Contestants Day The Miss Florida Board did a fantastic job of informing us about the coming weeks before the pageant. I loved meeting most of the contestants and I cannot wait for more fun during orientation weekend! It really is a sisterhood of young women trying to make a difference. I am so honored and blessed to be apart of it...
Career Day at Berean Christian School I loved educating young high school girls about the Miss America Organization and how they can get involved in the Teen or Miss program. We laughed, played a game, and hopefully their misconceptions about pageants were changed!
Sweet Corn Fiesta You can now call me the "Corn Shucking" queen! Hahaha! I loved rooting on my dear friend Marianna in her competition and cheering on the professional corn eaters!
YWCA's Tea by the Sea Luncheon Attending this event allowed me to learn more about the YWCA. Check out their mission statement: "YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all." Needless to say, I am looking forward to see how I can contribute more to this organization as Miss South Florida Fair because it aligns perfectly with my beliefs.
Atlantic Ave. Magazine photo shoot Hair, make-up, gorgeous outfits, beautiful titleholders, a beautiful location, yummy Italian food, and a big luxurious yacht all describe how awesome this day was! I cannot wait to see the photos of us in the next issue!
South Florida Fair Volunteer Luncheon I loved catching up with my SFF family and meeting my princess, Kendell. The SFF continues to enrich my life and I could not be more honored to represent this organization!
Special THANK YOUS I'd like to take the time to send a big TY to Consie Morgan for providing me my jewelry for Contestants Day. To learn more about her accessory business, check out her facebook!
TY all so much for my birthday wishes! It feels great to be 22 along with my new short haircut!

Until next time friends!
Love, Nicole

"I said Somebody should do something about that. Then I realized I am somebody." - Lily Tomlin

March

March was a month of personal ups and downs. That's no surprise, as being a titleholder for the Miss America Organization and balancing being a full-time college student is no easy task! No matter what, the challenges I faced have allowed me to continually grow and discover more of who I am and what I am truly capable of. Throughout the month I was reminded of a Thomas Jefferson quote that greatly impacted me, "If you want something you've never had, you must be willing to do something you've never done."

Check-out the events and fundraisers I took part in throughout the month:

Miss/Teen Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale Pageant 
Adell & Janae, the pageant was an absolute success! It was very entertaining and the personal touches made it a unique pageant! Alex, throughout the pageant I had a feeling it was going to be you! You radiate so much confidence and you never gave up on your journey to the crown. That is such a beautiful testament to the person you are on the inside. I am so glad to have been apart of your journey and to call you my friend! (XOXO)

Miss Boca Raton, Alex Cossio

With my beautiful pageant sister, Miss Palm Beach County Brittani Robbins

International Women's Day
This was such an educational event. My mom and I joined some of Palm Beach County's most influential, educated, and wise women in celebrating Rosa Park's 100th birthday. It sounds simple, but cutting a cake in honor of her was an experience I will never forget.

How sweet, my two friends wanted to crown me!

Peggy Adams Walk for the Animals
I am a dog-lover so this event was so exciting to be apart of! I spent the morning with Theresa and hundreds of dogs, how awesome! The moment I arrived, a medium-sized dog came over and licked my entire right leg calf. I started laughing and knew I had "arrived!" From there, I joined the CEO of the Peggy Adams League, Rich Anderson in the pace car to begin the animal walk. Later, I
joined 4 other fabulous judges to judge the pet contestant...which was SO FUN! The dogs were adorable and I kept thinking to myself, "I am so blessed!" After taking pictures with many dogs and kids, Theresa and I called it a day! Thank you Lauren for the opportunity to take part in something so unique and worthwhile.

A few of my favorite dog costumes! That's Marilyn Monroe on the bottom left! Ha!

Women's Chamber of Commerce Giraffe Awards
This was such a fantastic night. The women being honored that night were truly inspiring and accomplished. After eating my giraffe shaped chocolate (oops), I bonded with several women including my dear friend, Maria Vallejo, Provost of Palm Beach State College LW campus. Being apart of this event allowed me to meet successful women of all backgrounds, which in turn, motivated me to continue working hard for my goals.

ASPIRA speaking engagement
Through my friendship with Dr. Vallejo, she encouraged me to get involved with the ASPIRA organization. "The ASPIRA Association, a 501(C)(3) organization, is the only national Hispanic organization dedicated exclusively to developing the educational and leadership capacity of Hispanic
 youth.  Since 1961, ASPIRA has been working at the grass-roots level to provide programs that encourage Hispanic students to stay in school, prepare them to succeed in the educational arena, develop their leadership skills, and to serve their community.  ASPIRA is a very diverse organization working with substantial numbers of Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Central Americans, Mexicans, and Cubans, as well as with African Americans, non-Hispanic whites, and Haitians, among others."
Because of my Venezuelan background attending the "Muchachos and Muchachas Conference" held at Palm Beach State College Lake Worth was very significant to me. It is my priority to invest time into the advancement of the Hispanic community and by sharing my platform C.R.O.W.N. with them, I felt as though I was passing on to them the many lessons I have learned as a young women. 

Miss Florida's fundraiser for The Miracle League
Later that day, Theresa, Miss PBC and I drove to Miami to join Miss Florida 2012, Laura and other local Titleholders for a fundraiser for Laura's platform: The Miracle League. Not only was our time together educational, but we also got to know each other on a different level. We laughed, shared our thoughts about the Miss America Organization, and overall had a fantastic time. I am so grateful for Laura....she is a beautiful (Inside & out) representative for our state and she's just a cool gal ;)

Miss Florida 2012 Laura McKeeman, top 16 at Miss America!

Miss Miss Coral Gables, Brickell, Hialeah Pageant
Wow, what a pageant! Over 18 Teen and Miss contestants competed for these various titles. What an accomplishment for the director Rose Martinez and her team! The talents were very entertaining and the crowd loved cheering for and encouraging the girls on stage. Once again, what a relief it is to just sit back, relax and enjoy the show. ;)

My pageant sisters!

Quantum House fundraiser at Jersey Mike's
"Fueled by the vision, energy and resources of Quantum Foundation, The Junior League of the Palm Beaches and St. Mary’s Medical Center, Quantum House opened its doors in 2001 to serve more than 1300 family members each year. As the only facility of its kind between Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale, Quantum House is proudly celebrating its 10th Anniversary in 2011. Families and their children from every state and more than a dozen countries have found a caring a supportive home at this ten guest suite facility.  Quantum House - where "hope has a home." 
Participating in this fundraiser with Theresa was great because it gave us a chance to educate Jersey Mike's customer that day on this incredible organization. 100% of the proceeds that day went to the Quantum House, woohoo!

Regalia's
David and Carry are without a doubt the pageant kings! We laughed, tried on BEAUTIFUL gowns and they made me feel like a princess. I am so excited to wear my gown on the Miss Florida stage! THANK YOU for your hospitality!

Wearing a gown that Miss America 2012 wore for a photo shot. VERY COOL moment! 

Until next time readers!

Love you all,

Nicole

C.R.O.W.N Thought of the Week

My personal platform: C.R.O.W.N: Confident Radiant Outstanding Women Now

"What if we all followed Maya Angelou’s advice and removed the word normal from our vocabulary? Maybe then, we could focus on seizing every single opportunity to embrace our “crazy” inner dreamer, say adios  to our stuffy inner critic, and live our version of a more amazing life."                                                                                                                   -Terri Wingham

I love this Maya Angelou quote and the challenges posed by writer, Terri Wingham. What if we spent our time leading a more amazing, I can do it, I believe in myself mindset and attitude? How would that change us? I remember a time, when the thought of calling myself "amazing" or thinking I could do "amazing" things sounded crazy and self-centered to me. But now, I use it  as a tool to fuel my passions and aspirations. It's boring to be normal, to not believe in yourself, to not see the potential that we each hold within us, and to not feel alive every single day.

Where do you need to add the word amazing to your life and remove words like, fear, apathy, and disbelief?

Love and blessings,

Nicole Vega