Hey everyone! I have another guest post for you all to enjoy…ya know, while I’m living it up at the beach. Or as much as you can live it up without a beloved margarita. 😉 This is a guest post from Melinh, the blogger behind Sweet and Sweat.

1. Give a brief description of your blog.

Hello everyone! I’m Melinh and I blog over at sweetandsweat.com. I like to think of it as a semi-vegetarian’s attempt to eat healthy during college (and hopefully beyond)! I’m currently training for a half marathon, hence the sweat part in the website, and I have a serious addiction to anything sweet! Mmm pinkberry…

2. What does blogging do for you? Why do you enjoy it?

I think blogging is extremely cathartic. It lets me release anything I’m feeling, sometimes stress, sadness, but mostly hunger. What can I say; I’m a hungry college girl! I love blogging because it really lets me share my thoughts/beliefs/food to the whole world. I’ve met some amazing people through it and I love reading blogs too!

3. What is your favorite food? Nutritional value does not matter, so choose anything!

Oh my this is a hard question! My favorite food has to be either cereal or mangos. I’m going to go with mangos. I love getting my hands messy and scraping the skin with my teeth. Plus I love having a favorite food that isn’t expensive so I can eat it whenever I’m craving it.

4. What is your favorite type of workout? Why do you love it?

I really love running. Besides blogging, I find running liberating. It puts me in a state of relaxation that no other workout has put me through (besides the last 5 minutes of a yoga class). But I also love running because I never thought I would be able to do it again. When I was 14 I was part of my high school’s cross country team and loved it. During the middle of the season I had severe pneumonia which triggered some hidden asthma in my lungs. I felt weak, slow and pretty gross after I recovered from pneumonia because asthma was a whole obstacle I had to deal with. So, I hid behind asthma as my excuse for not exercising for four years. It wasn’t until I was 18 when I started to slowly bring back running into my life and I haven’t looked back!

5. What is a current goal you are working towards?

Training for a half marathon! I’m so thrilled to run the SF Half in July and I’ve loved training for it. Besides the races I competed while in cross country, this is my first real race. I’m excited…and so nervous!

6. What is something important that you have overcome, are working towards overcoming, or hope to overcome one day?

I’ve had some serious insecurities about my body. Last year, I thought that because I was vegetarian, I was eating healthy. Wrong! I was eating chips every day, bowls of cereal (3-4), just all around bad stuff that I thought was healthy because they were vegetarian. I do not think cereal or chips are horrible foods, but the amount I was eating every day was pretty bad. I looked at pictures of myself and realized I gained a good 10-15 pounds, and I’m only 5’2” so it was pretty noticeable, especially in my face.

I knew that these eating habits had to change. I started to eat more healthy foods and snacked on apples or other fruit rather than a whole canister of Pringles. I guess my obstacle was to actually realize that something had to change. I kept on denying my unhealthy habits and just thought the weight would fall off on its own. Actually making the change towards a healthier lifestyle was pretty hard. Chips are soo yummy but I learned that so are carrots and hummus!

7. What is your favorite inspirational quote?

“It doesn’t matter what country someone’s from or what they look like…each person deserves to be treated like a person.” Jemaine, Flight of the Conchords. Any quote from Jemaine is a winning one.

8. What are some things on your "Bucket List"?

In no particular order….: Go to Antarctica and play with the penguins (or are there polar bears?); Run the Princess Marathon; adopt a beagle; eat at a place Man vs. Food has eaten at; and go vegan for a week. I kind of want to do a Man vs. Food challenge first, though!

9. What is something you know now that you wish you knew 5-10 years ago?

I would tell my 15 year old self to not stress about getting into college so much. “Enjoy high school and life” is probably would I recommend to her. Also, “Don’t get hung up over high school boys” would’ve helped!

10. Name one crazy, random fact about you.

When I was little, I used to wake up early to eat the salt off of goldfish. I also chewed on boxes. I swear, I don’t do that anymore! But I still have an appetite!

11. If you won the lottery, what would be your first big purchase?

This is going to sound cliché, but I would buy my parents a new car. My dad is retired and my mother is about to retire and they want to travel the U.S of A. A new car would help, I think. Oh and I would totally buy myself a plane ticket to Spain, grab a bite of paella, and then fly home.

12. List 5 of your favorite things.

1. My dogs.

2. Vaseline. It’s just so practical!

3. Forks, because I will never get used to chopsticks. Ever.

4. Chocolate. No need for an explanation of why this is one of my favorite things!

5. Last but not least, sunsets. Ahhh!

Question from Tina…If you won the lottery, what would be your first big purchase? Mine would without a doubt be a new house!!! I love our house, but I would not be opposed to a newer one. After that would be TRAVELING!

Tags: guest post