Nicole Richie: Eating Disorder Rumors Were "Insulting"

Nicole Richie's shrinking frame has been the subject of much debate over the past few years. But the mother of two, 28, is speaking out now, slamming rumors that she ever had an eating disorder.
"I felt it was a little unfair to say someone has an eating disorder when they don't," she says. "It's extremely insulting and irresponsible."

Adds Richie, "An eating disorder is serious and it's a disease."


I feel Nicole Richie is splitting hairs. She may not have had text book anorexia, but she has some disordered eating. Cause just like Kirstie Alley and Valerie Bertinelli, Nicole Richie spent time on the "cocaine diet". Click here to read the Larry King transcript where she discusses her drug use.

Vintage Beauties: Ann-Margret

Vintage Body Snarking?

Is it just me, or is this vintage photo of Sophia Loren with Jane Mansfield just screaming: "bitch, please?"

Vintage Beauties: Lena Horne & Eartha Kitt

Lena Horne

Eartha Kitt

I have added some photos of Eartha Kitt and Lena Horne. Even though Thealogian has great intensions and will be featuring Dorthy Dandridge in a future post. She like others first think of White Women when thinking of Vintage Beauty.

Also with the limited parts for black actresses Lena Horne and Earth Kitt also had to pursue singing to stay in the entertainement business.

Vintage Beauties

I'm going to start a new series "Vintage Beauties" to remind readers that our present view of beauty and ideal body-type is not timeless, let alone universal. If readers can direct me to images of vintage women of color, that would be great. Vintage Beauties will post every Friday.

Lisa's 7 Week Jump Start: Week 5 Results

After five weeks of Jump Start, I am down another 1 lbs. For a total of 8 lbs. This is how I did it this week.

1. Resiting free donuts.

2. Turning around my sabotage thinking.

3. Having a protein snack on Tuesday night, my late night, so I wasn't so starved I had to go to McDonald's.

4. Walked some extra step while running errands.

Also, this 1 lbs help me reach another bigger milestone of losing 10% of my starting Weight watchers weight.

Goals Update

So, ate a lot of salad, worked out Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday. I shed about 2lbs.

This week:
Monday, out due to stomach bug
Tuesday, gym
Wednesday, teach class
Thursday, gym
Friday, yoga class (its supposed to snow up to 10 inches, so yoga may be replaced with pilates since I can do that at home)
Saturday, pilates

I might need to go gluten free for a while again or accept that I have celiac even though my blood test say's I don't. My stomach seems far more sensitive when I ingest gluten (wheat) that when I abstain and I have heard from other gluten-adverse people that the celiac test is only accurate with biopsy, not blood panel alone. Sooooo...

I think I'll focus on my legs at the gym today, I hope I get an elliptical. I got to go to the gym early (due to non-flex week) at 3:30 p.m. and it was REALLY hard to get an elliptical. One thing I did notice was that I probably need to challenge myself in terms of the arm weights. My colleagues, who are all going to the gym for the first time in quite a while, were all complaining about how much their arms hurt last week and mine seemed fine. Also, when I did do free-weights, the 5lbs hand-weights seemed like they weighed 3lbs--that's good, that's strength, but I'll need to move up to 8lbs pretty soon.

Onion Video: It Would Be Funnier if This Video Weren't So Close to Reality

New Law Requires Women To Name Baby, Paint Nursery Before Getting Abortion

Personal Accountablity

Taking a queue from Sherri Shepherd. I am asking soon to be mistresses to but on there "big girl panties". It has been recently reported that Bill Gates was getting to cozy for a married man with women not his wife at Sundance.

All the women claiming they were done wrong by:

Shaquille O'Neal
Tiger Woods
John Edwards
Bill Clinton


In my opinion, they should take some responsibility for their actions. All these women involved with these men willing enter relationships/arrangements with men who were publicly and legally married at the time. Therefore, these women should have deducted the following facts about these men:

1. The man has the ability to lie.
2. The man will not honor promises.
3. The man will have to divide his time between you and his wife.
4. The man knows how to cheat.
5. If the relationship goes public you are the one getting thrown under the bus.

Lisa's 7 Week Jump Start: Sabotage

Heading into the 5th week of my Jump start and being just 2 lbs away from losing 10% of my overall start weight of 269. I sabatoge myself with the following:

1. 12 chips Ahoy cookies
2. McDonalds Breakfast
3. Whole milk
4. 18 Ritzs crackers
5. No workouts.

I vow to turn it around tomorrow. With one workout and a salad.

Gavage

Jezebel has an excellent post up (read/watch the clips HERE) on "gavage" or the forced feeding of young girls while having their feet tortured in Mauritania. In Mauritania it is said that the size of a woman is the size a husband will have for her in his heart. Female obesity is encouraged, much like a bank-account (and famines were/are common in West Africa, so this practice doest come out of an ecological as well as social reality).

Encouraging women to become stick thin or zaftig harms women and girls. Period. If you watch the video where the little girl is crying while her mother hurts her feet so she'll eat the
milk/millet/butter porriage they use to plump up, you may want to cry. So be warned.

I have to echo Tracie's sentiment: "Why must appealing to men always be such a heavy burden on women?"

Lisa's 7 Week Jump Start: Week 4 Results

After four weeks of Jump Start, I am down another 2.8 lbs. For a total of 7 lbs.This is how I did it this week.

1. No diet soda.
2. When I went to McDonald's I didn't get the Angus meal for 32 points. But got a McDouble and a McChicken for 20 points
3. Got some extra sleep.
4. Went to Trader Joe's and got some salad fixings. I spent 30 dollars but I got 6 salads out of that. The comparable salads at Penn Station are $9.25 each.


Also, this 2.8 lbs help me reach a bigger milestone of losing 25 lbs.

Goals Update

My co-blogger gave me a gentle reminder to update the blog on progress. This weekend has been wack-a-doodle, but putting that aside, here was my stated goals:

Goals Jan. 4th-10th
Exercise at Gym Mon-Thurs; Pilates or Yoga Friday and Sat or Sun.
Eat pre-packed breakfast/lunch
Meditate 5-10 minutes per day

I worked out at the gym Monday and Thursday (Wednesday, I got a last minute class to teach, so I'll now try to aim for Mon, Tues & Thursday gym dates). Friday, I went shopping, which equals activity points, but no sweat-generating exercise. Sat & Sun, I was at Starbucks all weekend working on a syllabus for a class I'll teach online this next summer (due this week). Monday, I went to a peace march, which was at least 1.5-1.6 mile walk at a good pace (it was for the MLK celebration event in my city and we followed the first loop of the 5k I did this summer, so that's how I gauged the distance).

Eating: I ate pre-packaged meals all week (mostly smoked salmon sandwiches with laughing cow on a 100 calorie multi-grain bun) and tomato soup. I also had healthy snacks.

Meditation: totally didn't even take a deep breath for patience. This is definitely a learning edge :)

Goals for Jan. 18-24th
Exercise at Gym Mon, Tues, Thurs. & Friday (non-flex schedule); pole-walk or pilates Sat.
Eat turkey-chilli for lunch
meditate for five minutes 3 times per week (more doable than daily?)
Do some sort of ab workout for toning post-cardio at gym (it can be at home or prior to gym in office).

Thanks for the reminder to keep me on track, LisaD!!!

Heidi Montag: My Surgeries Aren't an Addiction

Heidi Montag is quoted at saying the following when discussing the controversy about her recent cosmetic surgeries:

"I'm in a different industry," she said, "and I have to do things that are going to make me happy at the end of the day."

I'm living in my skin, and I look in the mirror and it's my career and my life, and you only have one. So, I want to take advantage of everything and be the best me, in and out, every way."

Heidi Montag is just an example of the Hollywood machine distorting another starlets reality. I feel sorry for her. I am just glad she didn't end up like Tara Reid and other celebrites with bad plastic surgery. Yet, if Heidi keeps at it she will end up like them.

Let Go of Negative Thinking to Lose Weight

Tracy Rose at Suite101.com wrote about Practice Positive Self Talk:Let Go of Negative Thinking to Lose Weight . The highlights of the article are:

1.How you think about yourself directly relates to how you feel about yourself.
2. Overweight people tend to think negatively about themselves.
3. Negative comments from family and friends stick with them for a long time if they go unchecked.
4. Comments made about your weight and body as a child can effect how you feel about yourself as an adult.
5. Challenge your negative thoughts to find out if they come from a real place.

A Better Me! By Tammie Temple in the January 2010 issue of Guidepost also talks about how positive think can be a turning point in your weight loss journey.

Lisa's 7 Week Jump Start: Week 3 Results

After three weeks of Jump Start, I am down another 0.8 lbs. For a total of 4.2 lbs.
This is how I did it this week.

1. Maintained the increase of exercise from last week. So 13 WW activity points.

2. Ate less food by choosing more filling foods, like Spinach, so I wasn't as hungry.

3. I also got more sleep this week.

Here is a tip that was shared at the this weeks WW meeting that gave me something to think about. She said if you have recently upped your exercise and your body feel sore then you are in the process of increasing muscle. Muscle is created by tearing and repairing tissue. She said your body needs fluid and blood to do this. So that exercise may be delayed on showing up on the scale due to the fluid retention for muscle repair.

10 Ways to Beat Bloat

10 Ways to Beat by Nicole DeCoursy Mead lists 10 things you can do to reduce your belly bloat. They are:

1. Pick Potassium-Rich Foods

2. Beware of habits that cause you to swallow excess air — like chewing gum

3. Cut Starches like bread and pasta before bed time, because they may cause you to retain water.

4. The bubbles in carbonated drinks will make your belly pooch out

5. Some people have difficulty digesting artificial sweeteners, which can cause gas

6. calcium and magnesium in your diet before your period can reduce bloat.

7. To help evacuate gas,try massaging your abdomen in the direction of your GI tract

8. Nibble on Parsley

9. Pop a Probiotic, these "good bacteria" can keep you regular and bloat-free

10. Fight constipation by walking for at least 15 to 20 minutes each day

video: Biggest Loser Winner Gains 175 Pounds Back

Video: Biggest Loser Winner Gains 175 Pounds Back

When Erik Chopin shed more than 200 pounds to become the winner of 2006's Biggest Loser, he was eager to start his new life. Unfortunately, his new life included gaining nearly every pound back.

So when the husband and father of three -- who cites procrastination and overeating as some of the reasons for his weight gain -- was featured on a Biggest Loser "Where Are They Now?" special that aired in November, he decided to give himself a second chance.

I actually think this man is typical of the average dieter.

1. When you lose wieght purely for the money. It is hard to maintain a reason to keep it off once you got the money.
2. Not learning how to eat. The Biggest Loser Ranch is really a bubble. So it would be very hard to go home and cook meals if you home lifestyle is based on eating out.
3. Exercising 6 hours a day is not often possible in the real world. So if the only reason you stayed thin required 6 hours of exerise then you would gain in the real world.

Also all the people who seemed to being the best in the reunion show at maintaining the weight went into exercise related fields where they had to exercise daily for their job.

Workout Video Review Part 2

Leslie Sansone: Walk Away the Pounds - Fat Burning Miles

This weekend I did the second two workouts. The "Walk and Jog" and "Walk and Kick". Both of these workouts are a combination of walking and moderate/high intensity aerobic activity.

The "Walk and Kick" was an intro to kick boxing for beginner. In the 33 minute video you got about 8 minutes of kick boxing. I thought this was a great way to try kick boxing with out taking it to the next level before my fitness ability got there.

The "Walk and Jog" was mostly walking with about 3 intervals of light jogging in place. This was a very easy jog. It was really there to increase the heart rate without going crazy and having the heart attack.

At 247.4 lbs both these workout left me with the need to take a shower after just 33 minutes.

Both workouts are equivalent of walking two and half miles if you were in a track setting.

Elizabeth Gilbert on Human Creativity

What to Expect from a Boot Camp Fitness Program

What to Expect from a Boot Camp Fitness Program by Caitlin Moscatello gives tips on what to expect and look for in a boot camp. Here are the highlights:

1. Boot camp maybe for you if you have recently been cutting corners in your workout.

2. Do your research on the boot camp before signing up.

3. Find a boot camp with people who fit your style.

4. Check to see if there are any starting requirements—like being able to run a 10-minute mile or do a certain number of push-ups in a minute, and what level classes are offered.

5. See if you can pay for one trial case before committing to a package if you are on the fence about this issue. Note: Boot camps run for 4 weeks or more on average.

Here are my personal tips
1. Boot camps are for the season exerciser not the recent coach potato.

2. Totally know your physical limit. Don't let the excitement of the boot camp make you injury yourself.

3. check with your doctor before starting something intense like this.

Caregiver Weight Gain

Many women end up being the care giver role. The stress of can cause havoc on the health and weight of the care giver. Here are some quotes on the subject:

Weight gain can be a problem for caregivers. Some female caregivers are prone to weight gain. A major study finds that women who care for alzheimer patients tend to gain weight, but only if they are unable to control their anger. Women caregivers who find effective ways to control their anger do not gain weight.

Caregivers may find that they are gaining weight due to emotional overeating. Or, caregivers may not eat due to not enough time or no appetite.

TIP: Being healthy is very important. It will give you more energy during the day. If weight gain is a problem, consult your physician.

Therefore, I would like to remind everyone that you have to remember to take care of you if not you will not be strong enough to take care of others.

I Bought Fava Beans, Now What?

I pretty much want to make every recipe I found HERE using Fava Beans. Any experienced Fava Bean advocates reading wanna give me some tips or another recipe? Pass it on!

21-Day Vegan Kick Start Diet

Free is nice and over at The Physicians Committee for Responsible Eating, they're offering a 21-day vegan kick-start diet for those interested in adopting a vegan diet. This is "diet" as in what you eat more than "dieting," so don't be put off by the title, but do note that a big selling point for this program is that people tend to lose weight when adopting a Vegan diet without counting calories. They offer meal plans with linked recipes, grocery lists, etc.

I remember when back in the day friends try to adopt a "vegetarian" diet as Freshmen in college, they often ended up eating mostly french fries and salads. Vegetarianism and most definitely Veganism isn't easy to adopt without some guidance because we do need vital nutrients to survive (see B12), but a program like the KickStart (at the beginning of the year, worked out by medical professionals, etc.) is a great way to try to eat this ethical diet.

I'm not a vegetarian or vegan--I'm trying to be a more ethical eater which will hopefully involve cutting out factory-farmed meat/dairy over the next few years--but I'm not quite there yet. I do like to eat vegetarian and vegan meals regularly. This is for full disclosure.

So dear readers, have any of you tried to become vegan/vegetarian through a program or with the help of a mentor?

Lisa's 7 Week Jump Start: Week 2 Results

After two weeks of Jump Start, I am down another 2.2 lbs. For a total of 3.4 lbs.

This is how I did it this week.

1. Increasing exercise. I went from 8 WW activity points to 14 WW activity points.
2. Making better choices at restaurants. Not clearing my plate at the diner. I was OK letting left over fries go in the trash.

Book Recomendations for Running

Health Series: Fat Burning Exercises for Energy & Weight Loss by Jane Wake is a book that includes a Walk to Run Program. It is a 6 week program. If you do the Core and Strength Exercise in the book also it will help you build the muscles you will need for effective running.

I did this program when I was 240 lbs. I had to stop at weeks because the increasing running activies was causing trouble for my knees and I had to go back to walking.


How to start running with 10 easy steps from Time to Run is for the complete non -runner. These tips include warnings like:

• Don't run two days in a row for the first two months. Give your muscles and tendons a chance to adapt to running.
• Walk before you run! For the first four weeks you should have a 5-15 minute warm-up walk before breaking into a trot, followed by a warm-down stroll.
• Run for time, not distance.
• Be patient! Don't be in a hurry to enter road races, etc., no matter how much your friends pressurise you. Wait until you can run at least 30 minutes without resting before lining up for that first 5km fun run.

Intermediate Running For Weight Loss: Running Program is from Womens Health but suggests you be a 30 minute at a time runner before attempting.

The Biggest Loser

I've been pretty tough on The Biggest Loser in the past--the extreme weight-loss techniques don't seem very safe, especially when dealing with 526lbs people. But, I've never watched a full episode--well, until last night.

There were some really inspiring moments--there was also brutality and way too much puking in the "last chance work-out." So, I'm going to try to watch this season to see what all the hubbub is about, with my ever critical eye intact.

Some in the FA movement might regard watching weightloss as spectacle as the ultimate act of self-loathing, but I think that shows like the Biggest Loser have more to offer. For one thing, although under constant doctor's supervision, the contestants do show that very fat people can do extremely challenging physical acts.

I don't run on the treadmill myself, but on the elliptical I feel safe enough to go as fast as a run while protecting my knees. Lately, I've been dabbling with the idea that I could actually try to do some running--and idea that never occurred to me in the past, greatly inspired by Jeannette Fulda's story of going from a nearly 400lbs woman to a runner. If she can do it, significantly heavier than me, then perhaps I can. Now, of course, she wasn't running day one, but neither were most of the contestants on the BL I saw last night.

There are tons of valid criticisms of the BL (and I'll voice several as I watch this season), but there are things to be lauded as well. So stay tuned...

Calorie Counts on Cardio Machines

Calorie Counts on Cardio Machines by Liz Neporent discusses what you need to look for to determine the accuracy of the calorie count you get from carido machies. Here are the highlights:

1. The calorie counter on any device is, at best, an estimation of your work output.

2. At the minimum, the machine's information panel must allow you to enter your weight, since the bigger you are, the more calories you burn -- no matter what you're doing. If the machine doesn't ask you to enter your weight, the information is useless.

3. Even if the machine factors in weight, it still can't account for variations in muscularity and cardiovascular efficiency between people of similar weight.

4. None of those machines factors in individual fitness levels and the specificity of the exercise.

5. The numbers that you see apply only to you, and only for that particular piece of exercise equipment. You can use the readout to compare workouts on that machine, but don't try and correlate the information you receive from two different types of equipment.

6.Use a heart-rate monitor for a more accurate feedback.

Well, Thank Goodness For That!

So, apparently BeautifulPeople.com has deleted 5,000 memberships because said "beautiful people" gained weight over the holiday season. Check the article HERE, but I'm not linking to beautiful people.

Site founder Robert Hintze actually said:

"Letting fatties roam the site is a direct threat to our business model and the very concept for which BeautifulPeople.com was founded."

Well, he's honest!

US Healthcare Costs Almost Literally off the Charts!

This chart is from Daily Kos. Echidne has an excellent post (she's an economist) discussing why we pay so much more for a significantly lower percentage of our population being covered, but here's my succinct breakdown: our system costs more because we have a for-profit consumer model verses a public utility model. That's it--and we need to change it. This healthcare bill is only the beginning in the reform movement. We can and we must eventually adopt a more progressive healthcare system or else our consumer power and the stability of the middle class will be wrecked for the 21st Century. I'm still advocating for a single-payer system. Paying twice as much for less is just STUPID.

Exercise & Obstacles

For some, there are serious obstacles to exercise--physical disability, over-extended work/care-taking schedules, economic barriers to safe exercise spaces, etc.

For many, the obstacles are in our minds and barrier thinking discourages trying new things or trying to approach fitness in a non-chore way.

And still, even when we've overcome these big picture obstacles, there's the little things that have to be worked through in order to develop good exercise and fitness habits.

Yesterday, I was at the gym at the university I work at (a great bonus offered by working in Higher Education is the opportunity to take advantages of the facilities, including fitness and cultural). Anyway, of course everyone is devoted to working out January 4th--those New Year's Resolutions are fresh, its super cold outside, so running/walking outside is a no-go, its a Monday and of course, everyone's wallet is significantly lighter after the holidays, so you might as well do a free/almost free activity like work out. So, the gym was packed and there was only one elliptical machine free (a few treadmills, yes, but I loooooove ellipticals--I know that this is a controversial stance to take, but I stand by it). Now, in the past, I knew that this particular elliptical gets crummy TV-reception, but HGTV does come through, somewhat obscured by snow, but better than anything else, so instead of Gilmore Girls or the News, I committed to a Renovation Show and 30 minutes.

Well, this elliptical was incredibly loose--shaking, noisy and frankly embarrassing for the big-girl to be on a machine that made a ruckus. I stuck with it for 22 minutes or so, until the next elliptical over became available; then I was on that for 3 minutes, until I accidentally cleared out the work out when trying to up the resistance, so then once I finally had it all set up, I set it for another 15 or so. I ended up on that elliptical for 18 more minutes. So, all in all, 43 minutes on two elliptical machines, calories and miles gone unknown because the math got wonky (also, I wasn't able to enter my weight and age on the second elliptical because its input was confusing, so the calorie count wouldn't have been accurate anyway).

Now, I'm familiar with this gym and ellipticals in general, but this odd mechanical blip got me thinking about people new to gym environments. For someone easily embarrassed, like say my mother, the loudness and the shakiness of the first elliptical would have been reason enough to get off, perhaps try a treadmill or bike, but not another elliptical. Now, certainly any piece of gym equipment can be faulty (and by the way, after my workout, I brought a gym attendant over to check it out, even offering to get on and show how it wasn't working and it's now being attended to, so do your part and keep your gym in working order).

Embarrassment and limited experience with gym equipment (especially the strength training machines on which improper form can result in injury) are obstacles for many people new to gyms or those trying to get into shape after a long period of inactivity.

Now, these little obstacles aren't really valid excuses for giving up--and perhaps someone using a shaky elliptical as an excuse not to exercise at all really isn't committed to the long-term requirements, but they are part of the puzzle.

There are some gyms that specialize in the elderly, some that specialize in women-only environments--what about a fatties only gym as a starter gym to get people familiar with the equipment in a non-spandex, non-full make-up context? Or how about two hours a week reserved for new participants to learn the ropes with less pressure and less perfection around to compare oneself to? Is this too hand-holdy or do you think this is a good idea? Let us know in the comments.

Oh, by the way, in addition to the elliptical, I did arm exercises--which is weird because today my arms aren't killing me which they usually are after I concentrate on them--I used hand-weights (3lbs and then I doubled them to 6lbs per hand when 3lbs wasn't doing it), did the chest-press (10 lbs--3 sets of 8), incline-press (10 lbs 3 of 8) and the tricep press (50 lbs 3 sets of 12).

Support in Weight Loss Efforts

Many people say a lack of emotional support causes them to struggle in weight loss efforts. Well, I use to feel that way until I reframed what support means to me. For example,

Old way of thinking: My husband doesn't want to exercise with me he must want me to be fat.
New way of thinking: Husbands allows me 20 minutes in front of his precious couch to do a workout video is a tremendous sacrifice in his mind for my weight loss.

Old way of thinking: Friend comments on me returning for seconds. She just wants to put me down.
New way of thinking: Friend is just mirroring back the concerns I have expressed to her about my weight.

Therefore, in 2010 I will focus on the good intentions of those around me in my weight loss journey versus expecting them to bend over backwards and change their habits to help me lose weight.

Workout Video Review Part 1

Leslie Sansone: Walk Away the Pounds - Fat Burning Miles

I just did the first two workouts. The Power Mile and Walk Strong. Both of these workouts are a combination of strength training and walking.

The Walk Strong Kicked my butt. It was intervals 3 minutes strength training, then 3 minutes power walking for 33 minutes. I totally need a shower after doing both workouts together for a total of 53 minutes of working out.

Taco Bell's "Drive Thru-Diet": I call bull#@!%

So, with the New Year comes the marketing blitz regarding weight-loss. An individual thinks, "I'm going to shed some weight"...30 seconds later, cue the company that wants you to use their products/foods/systems/etc. to do it.

After the success of Jared and the Subway diet (which involved him WALKING TO SUBWAY, key point) more fast food chains would try to get on the band-wagon. Enter, Taco Bell and the "Drive Thru Diet"--the name itself, where you drive thru to conveniently get your Fresco menu choices, is an indicator that this is a ploy to lure the new dieter to buy into their brand with little actual lifestyle changes. Now I don't know if Christine was approached by Taco Bell or more probably she used Taco Bell's Fresco menu in part (along with exercise and home-cooked nutritious foods) to lose weight and then market herself to Taco Bell to get a promotion deal, if so, well played Christine--it worked for Jared. BUT, this is not a "diet" that will work for most, nor should it.

#1 diets are bad, lifestyle changes are what it fundamentally takes to achieve a weight and other measures of health that you deem best for you.
#2 fast-food culture has been a primary cause of the break-down of a healthy food culture in America (and by fast-food, I also include overly processed food found in grocery stores). So, the solution to our horrible American diet isn't more fast food.
#3 the drive-thru name erases the need for increased movement in our lives, exercise is key to many health measure improvements or sustainability. Drive-thru culture kills.

Now, that all said, being an anti-fast food fundamentalist isn't very realistic in our current world. The fresco menu is a good thing when you are on the road. I haven't tried any Fresco items, any recommendations? My current go-to fast-food when you have to is Wendy's Chili and diet coke. What do you do, dear readers, when there is no alternative to fast food?

10 tips for Setting Successful Weight-loss Goals

MayoClinic.com provide the following list

1. Personalize your goals. Set goals that are within your capabilities and take into account your limitations.
2. Aim for realistic weight-loss goals. Healthy weight loss occurs slowly and steadily. Aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week.
3. Focus on the process. Make your goals "process goals,"
4. Think short term and long term. Short-term goals keep you engaged on a daily basis, but long-term goals motivate you over the long haul.
5. Write it down. When planning your goals, write everything down and go through all the details.
6. Start small. It's helpful to plan a series of small goals that build on each other instead of one big, all-encompassing goal.
7. Pick a date. Timing is crucial, often making the difference between success and failure. Choose a definite start date and don't put that date off for anything. Be sure to account for life circumstances that might hamper your efforts, such as work or school demands or relationship problems. You may need to resolve some issues before starting.
8. Plan for setbacks. Setbacks are a natural part of behavior change. Everyone who successfully makes changes in his or her life has experienced setbacks. Identifying potential roadblocks and brainstorming specific strategies to overcome them can help you stay on course.
9. Evaluate your progress. Review your goals each week.
10. Reassess and adjust your goals as needed. Be willing to change your goals as you progress in your weight-loss plan. I used many of the suggestions for my 7 Week Jump start
    

Example:

• I set my weight loss goal at 10 lbs in 7 weeks. I only have 8.8 lbs and 6 weeks left to accomplishment.
• I chose these time frame to start because I will not have grad school to interfere with my cooking and exercise.
• I didn't chose to lose 14 lbs in 7 weeks because rarely do I lose 2 lbs in a week.
• I write my weekly point averages and set weekly goals.
• This jump start is a mini goal on my journey to lose a 100 lbs. I started this journey on 9/3/08 with WW. I am 19.2 lbs down with 80.8 lbs go

Why it costs more to be a woman

Why it costs more to be a woman is an article by MP Dunleavey over at MSN Money

From beauty products:

For example, Barbasol Soothing Aloe shaving cream, 11 ounces, sells for $1.69. Barbasol Pure Silk shaving cream for women, 9.5 ounces, sells for $2.49.

As a Barbasol rep explained, "80% of women like to shave in the shower," so the product needs a rust-resistant aluminum-bottom can. The company also adds more fragrance. These things cost more.


To mortages:

A 2006 study (.pdf download) by the Consumer Federation of America indicated that women were 32% more likely than men of similar income to carry subprime mortgages. Those subprime interest rates topped 7.66% when the average prime mortgage rate was 5.87%. On a $100,000 loan, that's nearly $120 a month more -- about $43,000 more over 30 years. Women were 41% more likely to end up with high-cost subprime loans, at rates above 9.66%.


The article was very interesting. I think the quickest thing to do is check out the labels when at the store to stop some of the beauty product scams. Yet, we need to be talking the the legislatures about the mortgages scams.