Wii Will Rock You...

...if by "rock" I mean help you lose weight--drum snare please!

Workout Song of the Day: "On to the Next One" by Jay-Z ftg. Swizz Beatz



So, technically I'm supposed to be posting this tomorrow since tomorrow is officially "Fitness Friday" here on my blog...but I've been putting it off long enough. This past Christmas, I finally received something that I asked for like two Christmases ago, and that is a Nintendo Wii. You may oogle at it now:

So, while I couldn't wait to rock out with John, Paul, George, and even Ringo with the new Beatles Rock Band, the main reason why I wanted or, dare I say it, needed the Wii was to lose weight and to get in shape.





Was that a gasp I heard? Yes, I've seen how the typical, chronic gamer looks in the media (nothing like my precious Leo--Shutter Island rules!), and let's just say that they're not exactly the picture of healthy living. But I also had another secret weapon in my arsenal:

I don't even watch the show (I like my reality shows sleazy, not inspirational--The Bad Girls Club rules!), but when I saw the ads for this video game, it was like I had an epiphany. A little voice said: Put down the pulled pork sandwiches and chocolate chip cookies and get this d-- game!

And so I did, and I couldn't be happier/grumpier. To better understand my "bipolarness," let me explain. I'm lazy. By lazy, I mean that I whine if I have to stretch out my arm too far to reach the remote. This new game has me working out almost every day. You choose a trainer (Team Jillian for me, Team Bob for my cousin), and three days out of the week they lead you through a rigorous training session--switching it up to focus on problem areas. On the other days, they encourage you to exercise on your own so that you can log it in your Fitness Calendar. You're competing with other avatars, so the more you do, the more you stand a chance of winning. So instead of relaxing on my non-training days, I go out and walk for almost an hour. Once a week, we also have a physical challenge to complete (which I loathe more than having an eyelash stuck in my eye).

It's not just the exercising that's killing me--I have to change my eating habits too! They give you a recommended number of calories that you should eat each day in order to reach your target weight. Can you believe I'm only allowed 1245 calories a day this week? That's it. I can eat that in a single sitting. But if I go over my recommended cal-intake, I lose points. Which mean that I could lose the game. And I hate losing. More than having an eyelash stuck in my eye.

So, I'm sure this game sounds like pure misery, but check this out: At the end of week 5, I've lost 6 pounds! That's a little over a pound each week. Doesn't sound like a lot, but I would've probably gained that much in about 2 weeks if I continued my sedentary lifestyle. I have 7 more weeks to go, and I'm pushing to lose about 10-15 more pounds.

I think I can hang in there. Hopefully. Fingers crossed. What are you all doing to keep healthy?

I Got Props, Yo!

Workout Song of the Day: "Medicine Ball" by Eminem

I am EXCITED to announce that my blog buddy Melanie, from the Ultra-Fab Two Years and Counting has bestowed upon me the Sunshine Award. Ch-ch-check it out:

I have to say, this award couldn't have come at a better time. I have been just AWFUL about posting lately. I've been swamped with work, school, and my quest to fit in a size 6. But this award has renewed my love for blogging, and while I may not be able to post everyday as I originally planned, I'll try to do so at least twice a week.

Enough with the schmaltz. Here's what to do to accept the award:

• Put the logo within your post or on your sidebar.
• Share the love and pass the award to 12 other bloggers.
• Link the nominees inside of your post.
• Comment on the nominees' blogs to let them know you've just given them props. :)
• Give a shout-out to the person who nominated, and post a link to his/her blog as well.

Without further ado, here are my 12 nominees:

1. Marquita's Marks: Why? Because she's my cousin, damnit! Oh, and she's also a pretty good writer. She frequently combines her love of the lit and music world all while maintaining her wit.

2. Racquel Writes: Why? Because she's like the little sis I never had! And she provides wonderful tips on the writing process AND fashion. You better work!

3. YA Highway: Just how many times have I mentioned this blog on my own site? The ladies over there keep their eyes open on all of the YA dish, from exclusive interviews and book reviews, to advice on how to overcome procrastination. I'm always eager to see what they have to say.

4. Literary Rambles: This blog is what encouraged me to do my own series on agents I'd love to represent me one day. Additionally, she provides useful writing tips every Tuesday. :)

5. Courtney Summers: Not only is she becoming one of my fave authors (Some Girls Are will make you scoff at the antics of the Mean Girls), but she also gives everyone an inside look of the writing life once you get published.

6. Elizabeth Scott: For the same reason why I love Courtney's--she's an incredible YA author who takes time away from writing to inform inspiring writers on the process. Whoa, that was wordy. She also does a great round-up of publishing info from across the web.

7. Readergirlz: The place to go book reviews, author interviews, and other fun and informative tidbits!

8. Pub Rants: Possibly one of my fave agent blogs evah! Literary Agent Kristin Nelson talks about the querying process, as well as all of the work that comes with finally nabbing that agent.

9. Kidlit: Did I say that Pub Rants is my favorite agent blog? Decisions, decisions! I love lit agent Mary Kole's site just as much, and as the title would suggest--her blog focuses on children's lit. Definitely my cup of tea.

10. That Thing I'm Writing: Where do I begin about why I heart this blog? Not only is the author so cool that she goes simply by a letter (V--how awesome is that?), but she also provides remedies for soothing the "querying too soon" itch.

11. The Insanity of Writerhood: Besides the kick-ass title, this blog is authored by Kody Keplinger--an 18-year-old writer who's having her first YA novel published this year (props to The DUFF!). She shares how she juggles college with her newfound career as an author. Not to mention that she's a member of YA Highway AND YA Rebels (check them out on YouTube!).

12. Kate's Sphere of Domesticity: The author of this blog, Kate Hart, has sass for days. I love swinging by to chuckle at something on a day when I'm feeling down. She also shares the same love for YA lit. Are we noticing a trend?

Shwew, there you have it. It was hard narrowing down my nominees to just 12 (Perez Hilton, you were thiiiiiis close), but I think that all of the above are well deserving. Please pay a visit to their blogs--you won't be disappointed! :)

Contest Alert...Again!

Workout Song of the Day: "Carry Out" by Timbaland ftg. Justin Timberlake (or my future baby daddy, as I like to call him)

Because I love you, and because I'm...well, awesome, I have another contest to announce! This one is directly for all of you MG and YA writers out there. Chuck Sambuchino, who writes for the essential, yet entertaining, blog Guide to Literary Agents, is featuring his second "Dear Lucky Agent" contest. Simply email the first 150-200 words of your children's novel, and you could win a chance to have your first 25 pages AND query letter critiqued by Jennifer Laughran of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. You may have heard of her--she only represents a few of the most acclaimed authors in the YA world, including LK Madigan, who has found success with the hit, Flash Burnout.

Click here for more details. I don't know about you, but I'm cleaning up my first few paragraphs. Good luck everyone!