That's one of the lessons I think us, as adults, could take from them. Some of them are over 100 pounds overweight yet they embrace the chance to climb a climbing wall and try something new. Sure, they're probably a little uncomfortable in awkward harnesses or more out of breath than others, but they didn't give up. Another thing we could take from them is their power to empower -- instead of nagging or making fun of them for only making it halfway up the wall, all the kids cheer each other on and don't judge. In this job (and probably in your own job) the one thing I have noticed is that people jump to conclusions of those they don't know just by appearances -- she's too skinny, she's too fat, he's too short, he talks funny-- you get my drift -- so instead of making negative assumptions of people when you see them doing something they love or want to do, try to pick out one thing positive or cheer them on...even if you don't know them - it might even make you feel better than if you would have criticized.

These kids are amazing and I know that this wonderful program will continue in the fall, with more kids who are overweight or obese but ready to change. One of the superstar losers (that's loser in a good way) is Auja. She's eleven and quiet as a church mouse, but she has that fire inside to change and she's already lost over 11 pounds! On the climbing wall day, I didn't want to climb until all the kids had their chance, as it was winding down, I got my harness on but wanted a partner to climb with - even though Auja had already tried she wanted to do it again! We had a blast!  

Maybe from my day with the Fit Club, I learned more than they did...but I had a lot of fun doing it!!

For more on Fit Club - www.louieskids.org

Even our own Josh Cascio came out to donate - realizing his donation of 1 unit of blood could save 3 lives! ABC News 4's Chief Photographer, Josh Ambrite and Engineer, Thomas Grafe spent the day at Northwoods Mall making sure all the live shots ran smoothly. The day was a blast!And on a side note....You don't have to wait until our blood drives to give blood, there are donation centers around the lowcountry.  With our economy in the state that it's in, many of us don't have the money to donate but you can always donate your blood or your time.

Another great group that needs your time...Pet Helpers. It has grown so much over the past few years and just got over 15 Chihuahuas taken from a breeder- that's alot of dog food! Not all of us can afford owning a dog, so why not just stop by and take them for walks? Recently, my mom was cleaning out the house and came across tons of old sheets and towels (ones that humans might not want--ha!) but instead of chunking them in the trash...she donated them to Pet Helpers and it helped out the cats and dogs! Like they say one man's trash is another dog's treasure....or something like that!

And if you're more into helping animals through events, stop by Nectar on James Island on Saturday, August 23rd, where we'll be partying for Cosmo...not Cosmopolitan..Cosmo, the dog who was hit by a car and Pet Helpers needs more money to raise for his surgeries -- and if you've ever owned a pet, you know vet bills aren't cheap!

Tomorrow, it's off to Louie's Kids Fit Club to climb the rock wall with the kids from Mitchell Elementary. See you soon!

Focusing on your tush and arms, Nancy gets us going with good music and TONS of squats. Squats are supposed to be the best way to firm up your rear , according to all the fitness magazines out there, and after my first experience with it, I couldn't sit for days! You know that feeling in your thighs as if you just climbed Mount Everest, be prepared for that. I'm not trying to scare you, just letting you know you will be sore after it, but it's a "good" sore--an "accomplishment" sore!

I'm not usually one for classes but I've joined up with a workout partner, Dana B. It's nice to have someone you can attend the classes with and workout in the gym together - it definitely cuts out the gym boredom. I think more women would work out on a more regular basis if they had a partner or friend that met them at the gym. Let me know if you feel the same way!

Speaking of clubs, I have to say I am extremely proud of Louis Yuhasz of the non-profit Louie's Kids and his Fit Club going on at Mitchell Elementary. If you haven't seen Louis on our show, here's a brief synopsis.  Louis' father was obese and had health problems due to his weight. After his death, Louis made it his mission to help obese children get on the path to a healthy lifestyle before it was too late. It was a grassroots effort that has turned into something so much bigger! He's appeared on Rachael Ray and this summer, he's helping children at Mitchell Elementary change their lifestyles by teaching them to eat healthy, work out and by providing emotional support. You can read his blog at http://blog.louieskids.org/ - what an inspirational story!!

I'm always amazed at the people we meet on Lowcountry Live. There are so many folks who are working hard to help others and we try to showcase them as much as possible. We're coming up on our 3rd Anniversary of LCL and we couldn't be happier. Angela and I have been here from the beginning with some special co-hosts/meteorologists along the way. My first co-host, Justin Lock, is now in Philadelphia on a morning show on CN8 - he says he still really enjoys it up there but misses the Lowcountry --especially the surfing! His chocolate lab, Logan, aka "the weather dog," is doing well, however Justin does report that Logan is moving a little slower today. My other former co-host, Brian Goode, is working at The Weather Channel in Atlanta doing radio reports and before I know it, I'll be seeing his cute face on tv too! Thanks to everyone who has made the show so much fun over the last 3 years!

If you ever have a chance to head to Maui, I definitely suggest it...be prepared for a long plane ride from the Lowcountry but once you step off the plane -boy is the trip worth it!  Maui has something for everyone, whether you're an outdoor person or someone who likes to sit by the pool and sip cocktails, there's always something fun to do.

We got the chance to take a helicopter tour of the island, which is the perfect way to see it! Your mouth is continuously open as you are in awe by the breathtaking waterfalls, mountains and beaches. We also ziplined thru the mountains and enjoyed a sunset cruise. The coolest part of Maui were the people - everyone's laid back approach to life was refreshing and I never once encountered a sour person. All of those aspects combined have me crossing my fingers that Darren and I can head there again soon--like five years--I'd guess!  Ha!

But after all the beauty it's back to work! Back to Lowcountry Live on ABC News 4 and back to working out.

Dave Williams and Kristin McFann, the temporary fill-in, held down the fort on the show and we can't thank all the viewers who emailed us with ideas from our Senior Week. What would we do without our great viewers!

As for working out, I have been pretty good while I was away - which is pretty surprising- although I didn't workout as much as I wanted, I still had a chance to squeeze in two good workouts on the honeymoon. I figured all of the hard work with Kristen Corson, my trainer from East Shore, shouldn't go down the drain on chocolate cake- so instead, I enjoyed Maui Gold Pineapples! YUM! If you see them in the local stores, snatch them up - they are so sweet!

But I do have to say that after all the hubbub of a wedding, honeymoon traveling and getting back into the swing of things at work, I am so happy to be back in the Lowcountry....my home sweet home!

I find my strength has increased both inside and out, and what I really learned from this is the amount of stress exercise really DOES release. Any bride considering training before their wedding should at least give it a chance, because it gave me the opportunity to work out all that stress from the little things brides let bother them. Usually when I first start out my session with Kristen, my mind is racing with work stress, wedding stress and daily to-do lists in my head, but fifteen minutes in, all of those issues are gone and it feels great to get my heart pumping and sweat all those worries away.

Last week, Kristen and I did Spinning again and if you haven't tried it - it's a great cardio workout! Wow!!! And the lights are off, so if you're breathing like you just ran a marathon, no one can see you. j/k!

Anyway, I'm off for my final dress fitting. Yes, I'm cutting it close, but I had to because working out changed my body and they had to take off more material from my wedding dress- what an exhilarating feeling. And I must say, the ladies at Jean's Bridals in Mt. Pleasant are so fabulous because no matter what your size, they find that perfect dress for you and will work hard to make sure your vision of your perfect wedding dress comes true. 

I can't thank Kristen and East Shore enough for helping me make this change - A change of better health, a new attitude and overall a happiness! Just think, if I can do it, so can you.

10 days and counting .....

I am still working out two times a week with Kristen, my trainer and the work so far has definitely paid off. As of today, I have lost 13 inches and only about 6 pounds - I am sad that more pounds haven't melted away but the fact that I am 2 dress/shirt sizes smaller is what really matters to me. It's really important to keep up with eating properly, because there are days where you want to eat that piece of cake, but in the end it will only makes me go backward.

The best part of working out with Kristen is that every time we meet, she has a new routine for us - which makes the time fly by as I can get quickly bored and distracted when the workout is the same. Recently, Kristen talked me into Spinning at East Shore on Johnnie Dodds, and it was crazy! The first 10 minutes i wanted to cry and was asking myself, "what in the world?" but after those 10 tough minutes, my adrenalin started pumping and the next 35 minutes went by so quickly and the best part of spinning, is the amount of calories you burn! Wow!!

Kristen is off this week, as she is getting married on Saturday. So the real test for me is getting to the gym on my own and not making excuses for why I shouldn't go -- you know, "I've got to grocery shop" "I have errands to do" etc...if you make working out part of your daily appointments, there's no reason you shouldn't go. I went yesterday to crank out some cardio and found myself sweating just as hard as when Kristen and I are together.

If I have any advice about working out, it's that to achieve your goals it is easier when you have a cheerleader like Kristen in your corner. Good luck with your workouts and Congratulations to My Trainer, Kristen Corson, who will be Kristen Kennedy when I see her next time!

Working out is never easy, or should I say, the process to go work out is never easy. Have you ever noticed when you get ready to go to the gym you make EVERY excuse in the book not to -- such as I need to go to the grocery store, I have to run to the post office, I need to get a root canal -- anything and everything. But once you get there it's actually fun (yes, I said fun) .

On Thursday, I was pretty tired from work but when I saw Trainer Kristen there, things started to look up. She recognizes right away I am a little down, and gets us to work quickly. She likes to keep my heart rate going the whole time - which is great for my body- and she incorporated kickboxing into the work out (what a blast!) I got out my normal stress and worked out at the same time on a heavy bag!

And although we only meet up two hours a week, it's those two hours that are really making a difference. I already notice it in my clothing and my inner stress level that is lower as well. I continue to work out on my own at East Shore on my days off but having Kristen there is great for me!