TEAM CHOCOLATE! (Carol & Samantha)

I don't think anyone reads these anymore, and I know Samantha and I stopped blogging...but I wanted to let everyone know that this biggest loser couples has helped me and Samantha go the distance. We have focused on our weight, and I'm proud to say I didn't make the weight loss that I would have liked by April, but I have gone leaps and bounds...and I can tell my energy level has sky rocketed, I'm eating a lot more healthy, I'm watching what I eat, and I CAN FINALLY RUN A SMALL DISTANCE!! (not miles, but before I couldn't even run a block!)

Samantha and I aren't going to stop now, I'm working on getting a good 25 - 30 pounds off by August 2nd, when BOTH Samantha and I have to participate in two different weddings...both of us being in the wedding parties. This experience has brought Samantha and me closer than ever before, and hopefully soon we'll be living CLOSER together we'll just continue to lose weight. We're not taking out sight down, so if anyone is out there, check out new pics soon from me!!

Oh, and LET'S GO KELLY!! She is my hero, the biggest woman this season...and makes it to finals...A GIRL HAS TO WIN!!! GET ROGER OUT! Not that I don't like him, LET THE FEMALES WIN IT ALL!!!

And to whoever did make it to finals from the online site, congrats. You deserve it. And for everyone else out there: congrats to you too - even losing 5 pounds over the time is a huge accomplishment...even if you didn't lose anything at all, if you made a lifestyle change, even the smallest one, you did something!!

So I know that I haven't blogged in a long time....and that's because my life has just been extremely busy. As I'm sure everyone else's has too. And for anyone who read Samantha's question - someone did respond and say that everyone and their brother got the same deal...no one will know until tomorrow who got voted off, as for me personally (and I always speak for Samantha even though I probably shouldn't ) Brittany needs to go. The girl is looking mighty damn cute and can do it on her own...along with Ali. I mean, bring back someone who NEEDS this!!

Okay, on to me. Well, it is St. Patrick's Day, and I am Irish....and I can tell you I did my fair share of celebrating this weekend. We have this thing called Erin's Express, where it's free to anyone and everyone in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas, and basically there are 15 Irish bars signed up - and they all pool their money and rent those big yellow buses which trek people from bar to bar (basically different parts of the city) so people aren't walking or driving...and when you get to different bars there is Irish music, and people dancing, and of course, discounts on various beers and other such Irish drinks. Well of course, I knew with that right there I was not going to hit the gym this weekend. But lo and behold...while I was out on Saturday having my fun my DVD of the Biggest Loser Cardio Max shows up! (It's a sign I tell ya!). Well I was going to do it Saturday but was having so much fun I skipped out...but on Sunday I was going to MAKE myself do it. I kinda did a quick preview of what the different instructors were doing just by watching the first time, but holy crap...when I did it (and I only did level 1 with Bob since it says that if you're not used to do strenuous exercise - which I'm building myself up on) then you should start with level one for the first two weeks and then do level one and two for the next two weeks, and so on. I didn't think about it, and I customized my workout for the first two sessions, with both Bob and Gillian. I made it through Bob's and half-assed it through Gillian's. I just couldn't do it. And yet...I AM SO HAPPY!!! This work-out DVD is true to what it says. It gives you the maximum cardio workout you could ever get! I LOVE IT! I def. recommend this DVD to anyone and everyone! It's one of the best 9.99 (before shipping, but if you purchase other stuff on Amazon then it's free shipping) you'll ever spend! I've never woken up so sore before...and the best part it, Bob's workout really works the lower body - I swear I was using muscles that I didn't know I had! I like going to the gym, I do, but having this change-up helps a lot. Okay, now that I feel like I'm becoming a commercial for this DVD, (like those head-on commercials...) I'm going to go and relax.

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!! - (they don't have a shamrock, so deal w/ the rainbow)

H  Since the show went over i didn't find out who got voted off?!?!?!  This is crazy i'm freaking out... what happened? 

  So as Carol stated I'm getting a blizzard, but that hasn't stopped me from working it.  However, I have hit that plateau that I'm on with her, i think I've just made a nice beach chair and laid out to tan on that plateau too... I have a nice drink and am just cruising on by.  Like I've said time and time again... I CANNOT DO THE FOOD PART OF A DIET!!!!  I LOVE to exceriseze and i did the Zumba classes yesterday afternoon at work and they were amazing! I loved it!  It was SO much fun, and even though I didn't know what I was doing 1/2 the time As long as you keep moving and having fun it was great!  The best part was that the principal of my school was right there with me... and she remembered my name!  I work in a HUGE school and organization so this is a BIG deal, when i've only worked there 2 weeks, and only met her once in my interview.  Just the brining together the company was cool, but the actual excersize of it was GREAT.  Then last night I shoveled the entire driveway (which is huge when you are shoveling it)  (you can probbaly park 5 mid-size cars in the driveway) and the deck (another car sized area)  then this morning I shoveled it again with my boyfriend and we also started demolition on our basement... we are in the process of rebuilding and adding walls, and a bathroom and a bar and entertainment center to the mix.  So we were tearing down studs, and pulling out lots of nails and what not... it was a lot of pulling and i was sweating.  it was hard!  So i'm keeping busy inside and staying warm.... and getting a lot accomplished at the same time!!!! 

Hope everyone else that is getting this snow is safe and sound and warm!!!!

take care

So I have to say, it's raining like cats and dogs outside, with a side of thunder and lightening. And over at Samantha's neck of the woods, last time I talked to her (last night) it was suppose to snow a blizzard....and my question is: How can I work out in this weather?? I hate walking outside when it's thundering and lightening. I know that there is a slim chance of ever getting struck with lightening, but it's cold, and the weather is nasty and it's flooding everywhere. So, that is my introduction to what I'm about to say: I've hit a plateau. I'm still working out, still teaching, and trying to change my routine up. I'm watching what I put into my mouth, and am forever conscious about what exactly I'm eating.  Yet, I'm not really losing weight at all. Granted, I am a girl and I have those times where you just get moody and you don't feel good and what not, but that isn't every day of every month! And I get frustrated..nd people tell me I'm starting to look good and what not, but if I don't feel it, how can I truly believe it? I feel I can really relate to Brittany (altho I do admit the girl is starting to look fab, so kick her off now please!)...she struggles all the time, but at the same time, it frustrates Gillian b/c I think she gives up on herself. I'm like that too. At times, I just give up on myself. So today, my boyfriend gave me a gift card to Borders a while back, so I went online and got the new Biggest Loser Workout Cardio Max DVD. Before I bought it, I looked at all the different workout DVD's there are, including hopping on the band wagon for Richard Simmons...but when I truly thought about me, I realized what I need is a strenuous work-out that will keep me motivated. And at first I almost bought Richard Simmons, because I remember doing them in high school and with my friends and having a blast and getting a workout, but at the same time, it was almost as if we were making fun of one of our dorm parents (I went to a boarding school) - but not at her, just the fact that there was 80's music and it was Richard Simmons. Could I really do this all the time?? And my answer is No. And that's what gets me, I don't have a lot of money to begin with (loans, and I am a teacher...'nuff said right there)...but I feel that the Biggest Loser Workout would keep me going...for any day that I don't go to the gym ( my membership is almost up anyhow, and after that I will be paying monthly because I will be leaving Philly soon and moving back to NY). I see myself doing the workout on any day I don't hit the gym, and on weekends. Plus, from the reviews, it seems as if it will be intense...and with all three trainers on there (I don't really like Kim, but she has to know something, right?) it will be great to pick and choose what workouts I want to do depending on my mood. Hopefully, I'll hit all three every time...but no one knows there body like the person whose doing it. So all in all, in this rant on a rainy Saturday, I've hit a plateau. And I'm hoping that once this DVD comes, it'll shine some light and get me back to being on top of being motivated and continuing to workout every day and not feel guilty if I don't, or know that I do but need that change. I watch TBL Couples every Tuesday like a religious person reads their bible every week...I love watching the trainers and look at what they do, plus read and sometimes write down all the trainer tips during the commercials (along with getting those every day emails that have those healthy tips to them!). Overall, I look forward to this DVD. If you have it, or know someone that has it, ask them their opinion (or if you have it, yours) - I would love to know what you think of it!

~ Carol (where it's not always Sunny in Philadelphia)

Hey...So I think that Samantha did a great job venting about the episode last night. Haha. I noticed it today and made a comment how she is the blogging queen on here. I was tearing up too - but not so much during this episode as the one when Jen and Maggie got split up. That was my HUGE crying episode....mainly because Samantha is my best friend, and if we did do the show and one of us did get voted out, it would be hard for the other one, but we would still want them to succeed. But when I think about the show, Yes, I do LOVE watching it...and I love the fact that they have biggest loser couples (who are now going to be doing it on their own - hello next week!), but honestly, i couldn't do it in real life. First of all, take off four months from my job? Maybe. I'm a teacher, so if it came down to it...starting in June and then continuing till September or something, okay...maybe. Or if I was a stay at home Mom. But I don't think people truly realize what they do all day. They work out 6-7 hours A DAY. If not more. Yes, they do lose a TON of weight...and they need to for their health...but what happens when you are thrown back in the real world?? Paul was an excellent example! He fell off the wagon. And I do believe that happens a lot. In fact, in Season 3 I think it was, the winner was Eric from New York. He lost a TON of weight....yet he's still working in a deli in NY and after the show was over, he gained back about 65 pounds. I'm sure people who are doing the MPM already figure that once they go back to the real world they need to adjust...but I also feel many people don't. For instance, my brother is huge. Really, really big. As he struggles to lose weight (I think a big part of it is lack of motivation) he has expressed interest in signing up for the Biggest Loser. Yes, it would be great for him, yes he does need to lose the weight...but what happens after???

Okay, as you can tell...this is a continuous rant from Samantha's blog, but the thought always comes to me at the end of the season:what happens after?! There really aren't any updates on the winners or the runners up (you know, the last 4 or so people who come in at the end) after the show ends. It just starts focusing on the following season. They need to change that. I also agree that there should be more women, and a woman should win the biggest loser....or else, have a biggest loser man AND a biggest loser woman win, and split the 250,000 into 125,000 each. We could make suggestions all the live long day, but who knows if it would ever go through...and to have an all women show, that'd be interesting...of course, you could probably tell when hormone central is happening! Lol.  But I'm sure producers think that men wouldn't be interested and they'd lose viewers...there is always an excuse for everything it seems.

Anyway, now I'm rambling, and I hate to say it but it's been a rough week. But tomorrow I get a physical done so I'll be hopping on the scale so it will be interesting to see what the real weight loss it...(I'm sure my scale is fine, but there has always been something about having a doctor's scale that makes me feel like the weight is true when I get on one of those). I'll blog tomorrow with the true updates.

But like Samantha mentioned, I am curious what others think....either your opinion or just a way to distract you or use us and your vocalizing thoughts as a procrastination method

with my one comment i received i TOTALLY agree that there should be an ALL WOMEN biggest looser, I think it would be motivational... and for the producers point of view... maybe more catty....  with all that estrogen it could get crazy!  If that would be a selling point for them....  so be it...  but i like that idea, because it IS unfair to put woman who are 270 even up against guys almost twice that size...  like 400 or so....  its ridiculous... men and woman have different metabolisms and men loose weight easier i believe. 

Also I don't think I added this to my other blog...  I don't think that it was fair of Dan to say "It's obvious we're the stronger team and we're more superior than the black team!" Obviously not A**Hole!!!!  God... I don't think I've liked him from the start, its just his attitude, i don't like him, and i didn't like his mom either.   But oviously the blue team isn't better... ok ,yeah they won  a trip to vegas (the black team could have been just as lucky to pick a card like that next week, or have picked one in the past...)  and they may have won a trip to puerto rico too, but that challenege was obviously too difficult for 3 girls to do against guys!  It is just simple pyshics and they all knew that... but its not who wins the challenges... its who stays and does their best! 

Sorry that just pissed me off and i forgot to vent about that yesterday

so i got 2 more richard simmons dvd's in the mail! I'm so excited, i've gotta hook up the tv in the basement up to the dvd player though because i don't want to excersize in our living room in front of the huge picture window for everyone in the neighborhood to see! 

I'm excited for biggest looser to be on tonight!  Who do you think will get kicked off?  what's gonna happen?  Gotta wait another 1/2 hour!!!

Hope everyone had a good week!

kickboxing was great this week!  I'm signing up for 2 times a week for the spring!  plus my zumba class!  I'm really gonna start kickin it into shape for bikini season... lol not that i'll be wearing one this year....  :/  maybe next year...

don't have much time to write, cleaning and what not, my parents are visiting this weekend, so i gotta clean and what not... but i just want to say that even with my week off from school i have found it very easy to stay busy and not snack all day and get the excersize in.  I got a few dvd's from amazon of richard simmons (don't laugh! ) I think he is fun, and being as overweight as i am its not incredibly hard to do like some workout tapes i've found, and you can speed it up and feel really good because you're better than the people on the video!  I love richard simmons, he makes me feel so good about myself!  so there.... 

i have also been spring cleaning, and re-organizing things, and getting rid of a lot of things we don't need and use....  i moved in with my boyfriend over the summer and am just starting to find my niche.  i found myself climbing up and down from chairs all week up and down from the floor and in and out of cupboards....  so many days i WAS working up a sweat.  Not to mention I was too busy to snack!  I took a break for a healthy lunch and to check my e-mail and what not... and then it was back to work, moving furn iture and everything!  It was a great week and i feel like I got a lot accomplished and excersized in the process! 

I have to go hang some pictures....  but my biggest achievement of the week was i found a deep fryer in the cupboards and i just threw it out, i told my boyfriend we don't need it, its not healthy, and we're not gonna use it anymore!  so that was that!  And i LOVE fried food, so that was a great goal for me! 

Have a good weekend! Stay strong!

So I would love to blog more these days, but it seems as if life has taken a hold of me and I have no time to do anything! As I'm sure I have said before, I'm looking for teaching jobs back in NY so I can move and be closer to my family, but it just takes up all my time. I feel like my life has succumbed to teaching all day (and after school program), gym, shower, dinner, bed. I'm stressed out because my job may be coming to an end which is not my fault, the place I work at might be shutting down because we don't have the right licensing...and it's not even my concern, but yet it is because even if  I get moved to a different school which would happen, I'm may be placed in a different age group, and different hours which is going to basically screw up my little system that I have now. And I'm so concerned about being stressed that I tried to do extra workouts whether at the gym or at home w/ sit-ups. But then I read all about this little thing called coristol, which is suppose to be a belly-fat stresser that makes your stomach bigger. it seems as if every time I'm turning around, there is something in my life that is stressing me out, and I'm having trouble finding a way to control it. I mean, granted my work situation is out of my control, and I can only focus on the future, but I want to focus on the present as well. I'm happy to report though, that through it all I have lost 1.5 pounds, which is really nothing, but it's something when my life is completely stressed out!!

On a brighter note, I've met someone! As Samantha has already found the love of her life and has settled down to play house, I'm trying to enjoy life at 25 and for a while, play the dating game. But this person, Aaron, continually pursued me although the timing hasn't been right for me, and through Sam's encouragement I've gone out on a few dates with him and really like him. But what struck me the other night was, he told me he thought I was just beautiful, andI was telling him how growing up I was so chubby and still am, and don't like my body figure, and he said that I should love me for me, for he thinks I'm beautiful whether I lost 50 pounds or gained it. For the first time, it really made me feel good inside. I quickly realized that Aaron doesn't see me for the person I am on the outside, but rather who I am on the inside. And that's how I should love myself as well. And I'm really starting to. But at the same time, I'm also going to continue working on losing the weight...because as I've said before, the clothes are getting looser, and the sizes are getting smaller.

On yet another separate note, I have no idea if they would shut this sight down, but I highly doubt it seeing how they want to have another season of biggest loser couples...which all in the end, comes down to the biggest loser (without the "couple" part). But it's wonderful when I get the few minutes to post on here! It really does give me encouragement to read other's blogs and remarks to ours.

So I have some questions....

1.  Is this website going to stay up after the biggest looser couples finale?  Because I find that it is very helpful to have people to talk to about my trials and tribulations. 

2. Does anyone know what zumba is?  I believe its an aerobic dance like salsa dancing or something, but if anyone has done it and can tell me something about it that would be great.  They are offereing classes at my school where i work, and i wanted to sign up but i kinda want to know what I'm getting myself into.

I really don't have much more to say.  I'm doing well with kickboxing and my ab workouts and what not.  but its little by little.  i couldn't do it without all of you and expecially my carol peanut partner!!!!  Love you hon!

I have to say, I am one who HATES shopping....especially for clothes. I've always hated it, my brother and Mom have always loved it, and my Dad and I hated it. It was interesting when we would all go to the mall together. Instead of the guys sitting on the bench, it was me and my Dad. All my friends of course LOVE shopping, and I would go along cause I would want to hang out with my friends, but I would never buy anything. It annoyed some of my friends, but others just thought I was trying to save money. Well, this past weekend I knew I needed to go shopping cause I needed a new skirt to go with a pair of shoes my Mom bought me. I wanted to get a new skirt anyhow, since my Mom's birthday is coming up and I'm taking her out to lunch in the city. Well...I am PROUD to say, I SAW RESULTS!! And I don't mean in my weight loss pounds...I mean in my dress size!!

Well I did much better at lunch today.  I brought my lunch, and I realized I had been bringing a lot to lunch just because I didn't know what I would want.  Well I only took a few things, and I ate them all and was still hungry, which kinda felt good. I knew I didn't have to have a hundred things I felt that I HAD to eat and no time to eat it in.  I snacked on an orange later in the day, and drank my water and I was very satisfied.  I also had my kickboxing class tonight and I worked and even if it was tough I didn't stop once.  I may not have done it as intensely but I keep moving even if it was just marching in place, I didn't give up!  So I was very proud of myself there.  I also ate a lean cuisine for dinner, and was very satisfied also!  I love my new job!  It's great, and it keeps me movin and busy.  There are no stairs in my new building, which is kinda disapointing, but at the same time, there is no elevator, so I also don't feel discouraged and mad at myself when I get lazy and take the elevator instead.  It will be an intensly active job.  I'm looking into joining the YMCA.  but we'll see. 

Ok... just one more thing.... YAY JACKIE GOT VOTED OFF!!!!!  I didn't like her from the start.  Just that crude, rude, all for me attitude, and now I think her son won't know what to do, because he isn't being manipulated to do what she tells him to do... he will have to make decisions for himself... which he is old enough to have done all along.... anyways... it shall be interesting....

take care... everyone have a wonderful week... you'll be hearing from me!

Okay, I know I probably haven't posted in about a week, but I have a good excuse: I FELL DOWN A HUGE FREAKIN' HILL!!! Ok, not literally...but last week starting on Wednesday, life decided the trip me up and make me fall down a huge hill, and no matter what I tried to grab on to, nothing seemed to stop me. It's like the first episode of Biggest Loser Couples, where each time had to climb the huge hill to tag the flag before coming back down. I even felt as if I was taking my partner down with me, which wasn't fair to her at all. By Wednesday, I stopped going to the gym for the rest of the week, and although I wasn't eating junk food, I just had no will to do anything exercise wise. I didn't even have the will to really eat anything, which of course as we could see from last week's episode, is not a good thing. Finally, yesterday, I realized that no matter what, it is going to be an uphill battle. And as my Mom likes to say, "life doesn't always go the way you want it to, it isn't always peachy." I realized that Samantha and I are like the purple team: we may lose one another at the camp, but we can always do it on our own, believing in one another. And I guess you could put me as either Jenn or Maggie...I do have Sam to help me, but I'm really doing this on my own.

So last night as I was watching the SuperBowl (YEA GIANTS!! - I am a HUGE Giants fan), I almost thought it was over for Manning as the Patriots scored another touchdown with less than 2 minutes on the clock in the 4th inning. I've seen how Manning reacts in tight situations during the regular season (playoffs are just another story altogether) and I have to admit, I didn't have much hope, but I still had a tiny bit. As Eli got out of the pocket and threw that ball and it was caught...it really helped me to re-gain back some belief in myself that although I'm down, it's time to get up and start back up that hill again! And today, I am proud to say I went to the gym and broke my 45 minute elliptical record of how many calories burned: I hit the over 550 calorie mark!!   Motivation? I got back my Moto-jo (what i nickname my motivation-jo..ya know like mo-jo)

So today I fell off the wagon!  It was rough.  It was my first day at my new job, and I was fully prepared to eat my lunch at the school.  I had brought some low fat crackers, cheese slices, an orange, fat free yogurt, and a 100 cal. pack of cookies.  But instead I paired up with this great girl and we went to this sub shop down the road to grab something to eat.   I got a  chicken finger sub.  It was delicious!  However probably a million and twelve calories. But so now i gotta get back on track.  I have been really good, and I went to the doctor on Friday and she was so happy that I had lost 11 pounds since I had last been there in December.  So that made me happy as well.  My cholesterol test should come back too... lets hope thats lowered too. I can just hope that with kick boxing and biggest looser tomorrow I can get back to sorts with my schedule and really start kicking it up.  My boyfriend and I have talked about getting an eliptical machine which would be great!  I really want to... hopefully this weekend we can make it definite!    

So the question that I'm wondering is...weight loss supplements...are they really worth it?? I know that I've been tryint to head to the gym at least four times a week, and sometimes I just don't get a chance to, because I either have a meeting at work or something comes up after work and I get home late. But I make sure if that is what is going to happen, I'm doing an extra bit of exercise when I get the chance, whether that be doing chair down and up lifts while my students are napping, or taking a extra long walk home, walking those extra few blocks to work instead of catching the bus...or whatever.

Recently I learned that I was born with low muscle tone and IN FACT it does have a huge significance on my metabolism. I was also born with hip displacia...but that has nothing to do with my metabolism, it just means my hips weren't aligned  when I came into the world. But as I had the two surgeries and when I should have been sitting up and crawling, I wasn't. I've always known I had a very low metabolism, and was diagnosed with low muscle tone in my lower body from the time I was a baby, I just never knew the effects it would have on my metabolism. Knowing this, I want to use it as my excuse, but I know I can't. Instead, I try to take a supplement to increase my metabolism and energy and weight loss. I've talked to Samantha whose on Alli, and have done my own research, and the basic result I've read through various doctors is that Alli really only helps you lose an extra 10 pounds a year that you wouldn't normally achieve. I really don't want to take Alli, just because I don't want to wean myself off of it or whatever. So instead, I've increased my protein consumption in the morning and at lunch, and continue to take vitamins (One A Day Weight Smart) as well as Green Tea liquid caplets. In everything I read, including articles from the Biggest Loser, they say that Green Tea Extract is suppose to help boost your metabolism. So we'll see...right now I've lost a good 6 more pounds then when I started. The weight isn't flying off of me, and frankly I'm not surprised because every time I turn around I'm changing something about my diet...and it's all about the baby steps for me: increasing my exercise time at the gym, focusing on what exactly I'm putting in my mouth, etc. But if anyone has any recommendations on some weight loss supplements that actually work that are good for you...I'd love to hear them!! :)

By the way, I was sad that the pink team got voted off...but did anyone else notice that Ali was HOT in the update picture? If she can do it, SO CAN I!!! :)

Last night I bought ice skates!  My boyfriend is a HUGE hockey player, and I've been bugging him to teach me to skate for the past year and 1/2 that we've been dating.  However, in Canada, EVERYONE owns their own skates, and when you go somewhere to skate, they do not have skates to rent.  So we have a pond frozen in the park across the street from us, and we've already gone to test the skates out once last night.  It was great, totally romantic and also very good exercize, especially since I had to keep getting up from falling.  Not to mention its hard work on your legs to balance and go around with a momentum and what not.  I'm gonna keep doing that with him at least 2 times a week probably.  I'm excited!  I have slacked a little this week, but I am excited about this, and stepping it up because of this new challenge for myself

So I do know that this is a long overdue blog, but the days have been going by very fast, and between my job and working out, and what-not I just don't have the time to write out these blogs! So I was talking to Samantha tonight and I was telling her about the basketball challenge. I did it when I went home this weekend to visit my family in NY. I thought at first that it would be great, I have a long driveway and it goes uphill and a basketball court at the end (I kind of have this "K" driveway where on one end it goes straight ahead and the other turns up into a garage). Anyway, I get home to find out that my whole driveway is a sheet of ice!! I shouldn't have been surprised seeing how where I live in NY (or my family anyway) they were in the single digits. So I decided, what the heck, let's try this....so as soon as I step out the back door and onto the steps...WOOP! Out goes my legs and my face is planted in the snow. before I know it, my Mom is opening the door saying  "what are you doing?" and I roll over and start laughing hysterically telling her that I totally just slipped on the ice and fell face first into a huge pile of snow. She thought I was nuts and told me to go back inside before I freeze my butt off. But I was determined. So I stayed out and tried to do this basketball challenge in oh...about 5 degrees weather (It was closer to 0 according to my Mom). At first it was okay, I was being cautious, but then I decided screw the ball, I'll just do the back and forth part. So I start doing it and of course I'm slipping and falling on my butt, but I was determined. And then I got pretty good at it, I found some bare spots, and learned how to ice skate with sneakers on up and down the driveway. But as I was doing it I realized two things: 1) My butt is not as big as I thought, which is good, but not so good for I don't have a lot of padding, and 2) I was not wearing enough lower gear clothing, for I started to feel as if I was getting frostbite right on the toochie. I didn't end up going back and forth 50 times, because I fell a lot, and I kept getting frozen but I tried. And I think that should be what counts.

And while I was home, I got to see the real truth on what's going on with my Dad. And it was hard, because as much as my Mom was telling me the truth, I wasn't seeing it, therefore I wasn't believing it. And I wanted to run and start snacking every time I had to face the reality of what is going on with my family, but yet, I didn't. Instead I focused my energy on something else....either talking to my Mom, or going out for a walk, or doing some crunches. I didn't head straight to the food bin, and I still don't know why. I wanted to...but I think that maybe because I knew I had my Mom and Dad at home, and how they were proud I was working out and eating right, I didn't want to disappoint them. But I know you're probably thinking, what about yourself? And this made me realize, that I don't always think about myself first....and I should. Living here in Philadelphia by myself is hard, because if I have a bad day, it's not like I don't have anyone to talk to, cause I can always call my family or Samantha (Samantha would be the first person I'd call), but yet I would still come home and start snacking. Now, I've stocked my place with healthy foods so that if that does happen, at least I'm snacking on snow peas rather than chips!