GottaLoveMom

Melissa Nicole Ocampo was born and raised in Long Island , NY . She studied Media and Communications at SUNY Old Westbury, and has worked in Sports Broadcasting since 2012.  Melissa is the Founder of Social Beehive NY , a Social Media Marketing and Beauty Pageant Consulting Agency.  Melissa advocates for the awareness of Domestic and Dating Violence and the rights and welfare of the victims and survivors. How did you decide to join the beauty pageant? I grew up watching pageants and, in 2007, decided to compete in one. From there , I was hooked. How did you prepare for your most recent competition - swimsuit, talent, formal wear competition? I competed in the Miss New York USA pageant. From past experience, I knew that the USA/ Universe system is based solely on appearance, so I focused my preparation on working out.  Out of all the pageants I've competed, t he Miss USA system is by far my favorite production to be a part of. However, ...

Tofu, also known as bean curd, is an excellent source of calcium and protein. The great thing about tofu is that it absorbs all the flavors of the seasoning you use to cook it. Mustard greens resemble that of a cabbage or kale, but with a distinct horseradish-mustard flavor. I'm a Trader Joe's fan so I buy most of the ingredients at TJ's.

Day 3 of the Team SELF’s New Year’s Challenge is a combination of isometric exercise and body weight exercises. This strength workout is all about holding a position and resting in between sets and moves, therefore, engaging the muscles you’re working on while you’re staying still for 20 seconds. It doesn’t sound like there’s a lot of flexing of muscles but once you tried it, you’ll understand. The first time I heard the word “isometric” was almost 3 years ago, I was turning 50 and I just tried Beachbody’s P90x3.                  “Isometrix: A strong foundation is essential for overall fitness, so Isometrix combines isometric contraction with instability to make your core rock solid. Isometric contractions occur when the muscle neither shortens nor lengthens and the joint angle does not change, building static strength.” Did that make sense to you?

Are you ready for a happier, healthier and stronger you? Eating healthy foods and exercising regularly are challenges we all face. Having the motivation to consistently find the time, and to balance exercise and healthy eating with other life style activities are not easy tasks to undertake. The New Year is usually the popular time to start. There are plenty of fitness challenges you can join, but the first thing you have to do is to decide and the commit. Aside from signing up for the the 16 week IsaBody Challenge, I incorporate the workout and meal suggestions from SELF.com.    This month's challenge is the   " January New Year's Fitness Challenge " #NewYearsChallenge Preparation is key to set yourself up for the best challenge possible. 1)  Nutrition: Healthy Eating     Nutrition is important to fitness. To be healthy, nothing is more crucial than healthy eating. It's not an easy task to choose foods that provide quality nutrients, vitam...

Happy 2017! I want to take some time to thank you for reading. 2016 graced us with abundant blessings. True, that there were a few detours and unanswered wishes, but one was always present. LOVE. I stated reading (again) Neal Donald Walsch’s “Conversations with God” and in the book, he wrote that “Love is the energy which expands, opens up, sends out, stays, reveals, shares, heals.” He also wrote that we “have been taught to live in fear, told about the survival of the fittest and the victory of the strongest and the success of the cleverest but little is said about the glory of the most loving.” Because of LOVE, I am able to “ focus on the good ” – a phrase which serves as a reminder in my happy simple life.