"I Didn't Eat the Pizza" (12/1/08)

There comes a time in every Miss Illinois’ life when she must forgo the pizza. By this, I mean the inevitable period when Miss America competition looms too closely in the future for 300 calories to be frittered away on just any protein or carb. As a woman who dearly loves this saucy complex of cheese and toppings, it was quite a feat for me to “just say no” to the free pizza offered at one of my appearances. I assure you this trend will certainly cease after January 24th – but – until then, I’ve vowed to a life of “clean eating” to be swimsuit ready!

Staci Boyer, of Motiv8n U Personal Training, has shown me the benefits of eating clean and why choosing lean proteins, green veggies, and complex carbs will help my body to optimally function. As I kick up my workout routine and dance practice in these last weeks, it’s so important to be giving my body the fuel it needs to perform instead of slowing it down with artery clogging pizza. I feel great on this plan and am loving the results!

Thanksgiving was a truly memorable one as I got to spend my morning with thousands of my closest friends in downtown Chicago’s McDonald’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! Jessica Durante and I rode in a horse drawn carriage down State Street and learned the secrets of a nationally televised parade! Volunteers held up signs that alerted us we were entering the “TV Zone” and the droves of people lining the street turned into a dozen or so cameras on the left and risers of people on the right. If we wanted to wave at the cameras – we had to ignore the people and vice versa! I had friends across the country emailing and texting me to tell me they saw us on TV and were surprised at the amount of time they talked about the program! Amalia and my parents even admitted to waving back at the TV – I love it! It was definitely one of my favorite appearances.

I bundled up on Saturday for St. Charles’ nighttime parade where every float or car was decorated with hundreds of Christmas lights. Jess, Jason, Don and I sang Christmas carols to keep warm and there may or may not be video evidence for Jason to use as blackmail someday…Should this ever surface, it will be clear why I am a dancer. The city of St. Charles (and the home of Miss Illinois) was a wonderful host and I was honored to be a part of such a wonderful tradition!

I hope you all had a blessed holiday and fruitful Black Friday!