Miranda Kerr Walks The Runway Five Months Pregnant!

Radar online reports:

The Victoria’s Secret model, along with Bundchen, sashayed down the catwalk in the latest looks from Balenciaga at the Paris Fashion Week sping/summer 2011 show. Thankfully, her houndstooth look was paired with flat loafers rather than sky-high heels.

It is sad that the media believes this is amazing. In every day life women have to work until days before the pregnancy. Some even have to go back days after their pregnancy if they want to get paid. Also, her "5 month pregnant look" is like the "average chick look".

Also, it is against the law to not hire a woman for the sole reason of pregnancy.

Drew Carey: Dieting Saved My Life

Not wanting to fall victim to the heart disease that runs in his family, the Price Is Right host traded his "daily hamburger" for a healthy lifestyle of good nutrition, daily exercise and willpower.

Dropping more then 70 lbs. since November, Carey now weighs in at 182 and is still working towards his goal – weighing 170 lbs. by Oct. 31.

Drew Carey seemed to do weight loss for health and not the fit the Male Celebrity "Brad Pitt" look. I am happy for him. I wish women in Hollywood could lose for health and not just for the " "Movie Starlet" Look.

Vintage Beauties: Mary Lou Retton

Mary Lou Retton made her mark in the 1984 Summer Olympics. She has made the list of vintage beauty because she wasn't afraid to have an athletic body.

Kirstie Alley: "I've Lost Over 50 Pounds!"

US Weekly Reports:

On Thursday, the actress, who's slimming down with new food line Organic Liaison, Tweeted: "I've lost over 50 lbs...and I'm having the time of my of my life...30 more to goooooo"

I love me some Kirstie Alley, but her public weight struggles are tiring. I hope for her health this is her last time.

Girl, 6, thrown off squad over ‘booty’ cheer

The Today Show reports on a 6 year old kicked of a cheerleading team because the mother questioned the point her her daughter make the following cheer: “Our backs ache, our skirts are too tight, we shake our booties from left to right!”


As Kathy Lee points out, “It’s the sexualization of our young females from an earlier and earlier [age]. When do parents lose our rights to raise children according to the values that we think are important?”

I agree on Kathy this way. When we over sexualize children, it makes it all to easy for the weak minded to prey on children. It also makes a young girl think her only commodity in life is her body.

Octo-Mom Nadya Suleman Going On Welfare

Radar Online reports, Nadya Suleman must seek welfare because her reality show fell threw.

I feel society has failed Nadya. With all the shows like "Jon and Kate plus eight" and "The Duggers" we make it seem like having a super large family is the way to financial success. Then we abandon the mental states of those in are society who can't separate reality and fantasy.

If affordable mental health care was offered to Nadya earlier in her life. Maybe she would have had the tools to make better decisions.

First-Ever Plus-Size Show Hits N.Y.C. Fashion Week

People.com reports:

It wasn’t all stick-thin models ruling the runways during New York Fashion Week, as curvy stars like Nikki Blonsky, Gabourey Sidibe, model Emme and KayCee Stroh sat front row yesterday to take in the first-ever plus-size show during fashion’s most high-drama week. “This is a milestone in the plus-size community. We’ve never had anything like this,” Blonsky said at the OneStopPlus.com presentation on Wednesday. “To be in New York City Fashion Week, which I think is the biggest fashion week in the world, to be here is just a huge thing for us.” And plus-size model Emme, couldn’t have agreed more: “You have to join forces to make a statement and to be part of a revolution. It’s monumental in its reach,” Emme told PEOPLE, adding, “I think the big statement that’s going to be made with this fashion show is not only going to be made within the full-figured community but I think it’s going to talk to the bottom line of design houses, designers, and business people involved in fashion,” she said. “Why don’t we make clothes above a size 12? Why don’t we load heavier in sizes 14, 16, and 18 in stores? Just change the buying style and let it be curve-friendly in the line.” –Katherine Kluznik Rentmeester, reporting by Thailan Pham

LeAnn Rimes' Ex: I Was "Content and Satisfied" With Our Marriage

Over at US magazine Dean Sheremet, the ex-husband of Leanne Rimes. Is contradicting himself,

First he says:

"Age had very little to do with why we got divorced," he tells UsMagazine.com exclusively. "I was very content and satisfied. I put myself on hold to funnel all my creative energy into her career and our marriage. I was willing to make the sacrifices necessary to have a successful marriage and further her career. I knew, and know, her better than anyone in this world."

Then he states the following about his new relationship:

"I am happy now," Sheremet tells Us. "Sarah is amazing, and I didn't realize what I was missing and how much of myself was being neglected. I am very fulfilled in my life and work. It's a grounding feeling."

My opinion:

I don't think you can say you are content and satisfied in a marriage and then talk about how you learned to be a appreciated in a new relationship. From the he-said she-said of their drama it seems to me that Leanne was the first to see the marriage wasn't working and just didn't know the mature way to exit the marriage.

Jennifer Hudson: ‘I Lost 20 More Pounds!’

People.com reports:

Since she revealed her amazing body transformation in April, Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson has lost an additional 20 lbs. “I didn’t expect to go as far as I did!”the Weight Watchers spokesperson told PEOPLE in New York City, where she launched the Lose for Good campaign, which teaches families how to prepare healthy low-cost meals in an effort to help fight hunger and obesity. “People are like, ‘Okay Jennifer don’t lose anything else!’”


I am happy for her. Even with this weight loss, she still has lost the weight at slower place then other celebrities. As a Weight Watchers member myself, I totally believe her results because I see them weekly at my local meetings. I have even lost 30 lbs myself with Weight Watchers. I am not a 4-6 like Jennifer yet and I may never be but I am working on me.

Advice from a Princess II

Vintage Beauties: Vanessa Williams

Vanessa Williams was rocking the 80's and the 90's. She had massive beauty appeal to become a Miss America. She had commerical appeal to do music videos.

Breastfeeding for Weightloss?

So, here is an advertisement from NYC's Wic program and the department of health promoting breast feeding. Now, I'm generally in favor of breastfeeding, but I'm also in favor of encouraging women to do what's best for them (if you work in a factory you are less likely to be allowed to take lactation breaks than say an office worker...so you have to know what will ultimately allow you to feed your baby and support the roof over both of your heads). The thing about this ad is that, yes, breastfeeding burns about 500 calories per day and for new moms, sometimes this results in losing the added baby-weight. For others, it results in a ravenous appetite and added body-image anxiety. So, works for some is more appropriate, but making its main selling point weight-loss is questionable, especially coming from WIC. This add is very Jenny Craig/Weight Watchers/Jared of Subway cheesy--with the whole big pants held up, the twirling, etc. I don't get an ironic tone--this is genuinely their intended tone. So, what do you think readers? Will the ad encourage breatfeeding or does it just confuse the issue even more? Any breastfeeding stories you want to share? Let us know in the comments.

Advice from a Princess

Recipe Recommendation

Jenna has a recipe for a healthy-looking and yummy sounding Carrot Cake on her blog. She makes it with whole wheat flour and lots of carrots, nuts and ginger. I haven't tried the recipe, but I intend to around Christmas.

When I was a kid, my mother used to buy a Pepperridge Farms carrot cake whenever she had friends over to play bridge. I remember having to go to bed early those nights, but the next morning I go to have the last piece of the cake (it came in this little box) and I would always eat it out of the container--which felt somewhat naughty and adventurous. I loved that cake. I loved the nuts and the density and the cream cheese frosting.

Any good cake memories you'd care to share in the comments? Although I am trying to loose weight, there's nothing wrong with really enjoying food.

Remember that Smoking Indonesian Baby Boy? Apparently He's Been to Rehab!

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Apparently he's been in a government sponsored (aka Indonesia was really embarrassed by all the world-wide coverage those online clips of a 2 year old smoking) program. The crucial thing is that Indonesia has decided to ratify the The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). You can check out that Convention http://tobaccofreecenter.org/tobacco_treaty.

Indonesian (really all of Southeastern Asia) has incredibly high rates of smoking, limited control of tobacco products to minors and tons of advertising and "promotions" such as bikini/costume clad teen girls giving out "free samples" of certain brands. Its not just the bad old days of American Tobacco advertising ala Don Draper ("Its Toasted"), but even worse...especially since the science behind the ill health-effects of smoking are not in dispute anymore.

Bravo to Indonesia for ratifying the Convention (or at least stating their intention to do so). I just hope that these stories will help other parents in Indonesia to prevent their children from smoking at such a young age and I hope that Baby Aldo's (Aldi?) parents will be able to withstand his temper tantrums to help him quit smoking permanently. He was actually in a clinic for the initial withdrawal and he has a nurse dedicated to follow-up care in his case. All smoking babies should be so lucky...that was a really sad line!

Good: Federal Egg Recall Could Result in Criminal Charges

Checkout this article at a food safety site regarding the egg recall that's ongoing. It looks like there could be criminal charges filed against the egg producers for the ghastly conditions in which these chickens were living. I believe I covered the ballot initiative in California last Fall regarding establishing more humane conditions for chickens on farms. Utilizing the European model where there is more space per chicken is crucial for their comfort and rights as creatures. Currently, I try to eat free range eggs bought from local farms through the Farmer's Market and my food co-op. But, when out and about, I eat eggs or egg products (in baked goods, etc.) that come from these factory farms like everyone else. Eggs need to be safe for consumption and they need to be humanely raised. luckily, both can be achieved through more consistent regulation and ENFORCEMENT. During the Bush years, many organizations had their enforcement capacities cut--the laws may have been on the books, but without boots on the ground we might as well have been living in Mexico or China. Regulation is only as effective as enforcement. So, pressure your congress person to certify that each new regulation is also funded for the enforcement aspect.

Blog Reader: Recommendation of the Week

Checkout this posting on "Half of Me" regarding Jennette need to loose about 50lbs. Five years ago, she lost almost 200lbs, but as the result of developing chronic headache syndrome, she gained 50lbs back. Her doctor wants her to loose that weight and make some other lifestyle adjustments (aka stop using artificial sweetners and caffeine) to help with her chronic headache triggers. Anyway, the post is really good because her epiphany is: Things never happen the same way twice.

That's some deep stuff right there--and its true. I've realized for quite a while, I'm trying to recreate my 40lbs loose that happened the summer after my Freshman year in college. I didn't become "skinny" but I went from fat to ziftig--18/20 to a 14 and at one point about 10 lbs later a 12...briefly. I did it through walking and eating chicken and veggies or salad with some boullioun/tofu in the mix. Not the worst way to loose weight, but maybe not something I can repeat now. Also, it was summer and I lived at home, so I was able to dedicate about two hours a day to exercise (I did get a summer job and I worked about 20 hours a week at a bookstore where I stood or walked about the store during my shifts). Anyway, I've never been able to replicate those results. Jennette lost weight through South Beach and lots of exercise--and in the wake of a scary gallbladder surgery that was made necessary by her obesity. By the way, have I ever recommended her weightloss memoir, Half-Assed? It is one of the funniest and painfully honest weight-loss memoirs I've ever read. I really enjoyed it! So check it out if you want the following things: 1. a funny read; 2. a read with a sure-fired ending, yes, she looses the weight; and 3. honesty.

You Logic isn't Earth Logic

So, there's a gossip piece up at the NY Post regarding this rumor that Ashton Kucher cheated on his wife, Demi Moore. According to dude logic in the post:

The more and more we got wrapped up in the convo between the two, the more and more we noticed how many smoking hot pictures Demi Moore had shared of herself in a bikini via her BlackBerry.

If this isn't proof there is no need to stray, we don't know what is.

So, if a woman is hot, her husband won't cheat on her? I think that's what dude-logic dude is thinking. Here's the thing though: cheating isn't about your partner, its about the cheater. There's a million and one reasons people cheat, but by no means is keeping a "rock hot body" some sort of vaccination against a straying partner. Just ask Elin Woods or Jennifer Aniston. This dude logic is not earth logic, nor is it helpful because it puts the responsibility of the cheating off of the cheater in onto the victim. Cheating occurs because it is something that the cheater wants to do...will seek to justify by any means, but fundamentally is a matter of choice made by the active, not the passive, party. So, I'm not going to link to the post article nor will I post a picture of Demi Moore's "hot body in a bikini" as she has been posting non-stop on twitter to prove why Ashton would never cheat. I don't know, nor do I really care, if Ashton Kucher has cheated, but I do care about these media narratives that hurt women and girls. This is a bad message because it blames the victim and makes romance ingenues nervous about "keeping her man." Pressure pressure pressure--stop that noise. Everyone is responsible for his/her own behavior, full stop.

Fit Sugar's Question is Frickin' Hilarious

Okay, so Fitsugar has a post up asking "Has a doctor ever prescribed Weight Loss for you?" The whole tone of the piece is like walking on egg-shells, especially for a fitness blog. Like this is a deep dark secret people are ashamed to admit to each other or that it is so RARE that to be told to loose weight is like being told you have some rare, but shameful condition. Allegedly, the bloggers at fitsugar are reaching out to the already fitness minded, the people for whom "get your body bikini ready in 14 days" is a serious endeavor...they just need to do some extra crunches or planks before resort season, not say, loose 100 lbs. Fine, sure. But I doubt that that is really their total readership. There might be some fatties like me or even some moderately overweight people who could stand to loose 40lbs. But fundamentally, with 2/3 of adults at least OVERWEIGHT according to BMI (and more importantly, height/weight tables through insurance companies), pretty much 2/3 of adults have been told to loose weight. A friend of mine in college, who generally wore a size eight, but after a summer on a dig in Israel got down to a size six, was told to loose weight (when she was a size eight). She could wear a bikini at either size and look pretty damn good according to my standards, but she was told by her doctor to loose weight because she was at the higher end of her "normal range."

Now, do I have a big problem with doctors telling their patients to loose weight? Yes and No. I have a problem with it when they do it in a vacuum. When they simply say, "loose weight." If instead, they help people find a program, go to a nutritionist, or in some other way give the proper bread-crumbs to a healthier lifestyle, I'm fine with it. But I can't tell you how many people I've known who have been told to loose weight without any other quality information. People, in fact, who start to avoid doctors because they know that they will be told to loose weight and who are afraid that they will ignore their health problems or not seek treatments beyond weight loss for said health problems. So, when a doctor says "loose weight," if they don't have resources at hand or real world suggestions, how helpful is it really? How much harm might it do?

Sincere Question

Do any of our readers wear Dansko Professional Clogs? My sister-in-law is in the nursing profession and she has a pair and loves them, as do soooo many female nurses, doctors and teachers. I once tried on her pair (though she's a couple sizes bigger than me), but since she "over-pronates" --leans to the external sides of her foot when she walks--they felt funny to me, so trying on her well-worn pair wasn't really a good test.

As LisaD can attest, I used to wear heels ALL THE DAMN TIME in college, but since putting on more weight and aging a bit (therefore, getting rid of some fool notions about fashion vs comfort), I've been married to flats. Most of my flats, however, are cute and non-supportive. I have one pair that like that Mary-Jane almost a tennis shoe, but most are Payless or Target flats (which I love), but aren't the best for a long walking day. I'd like to investigate a good pair of clogs to incorporate, but since the really good pairs, the Dansko or LL Bean are about $100, I just wanted to see if any readers have a personal testimony to share regarding their clogs.

So, anybody got some advice/experience with these types of shoes? I'm not talking about the clogs bought at payless, I mean the real deal "professional" grade clogs mean't for women on their feet. Let me know! Thanks

Vintage Beauties: Shirley Temple

Shirley Temple. She gets my salute because when she was a child, she looked like a child. No need to "sex it up" like the new Diseny Starlets.

She drops 100 pounds, gains new world

Emily McCombs at The Frisky discusses how a 100 lb weight loss got her better treatment and that how maintain a weight loss for 6 years causes her to sometimes diss fat people.

Emily makes some great points, but I think her experience is not typical. Just because you fit in department store sizes doesn't mean you stop having problems with people being mean. As a black woman, I know if I lose the remaining 70 lbs to get height/weight chart dimensions. I will still be treated "separate than". Losing weight does rid you of some assumptions, but thinner woman get stuck with different labels such as:

1. Thin people can wear anything.

2. Thin people are not sensitive about their size.

3. Life is easier for thin people.

4. Thin people eat very small portions.

5. Thin people don't have to worry about their health.

6. But thin people don't need to exercise, right?

Happy 9/02/10

So, today is apparently 90210 (9/02/10)--thus I must honor the show that was "totally awesome" during middle school...the original and only 90210!

Photoshop Disasters: Broken Elbow Edition

Seriously, people? Seriously? I do love how Shakesville and Jezebel have been calling out the over-use of photoshop in marketing and media to give us "unreal images." Every image is photoshopped that is put in a glossy magazine, catalogue or high-end website. So, every once and a while we find these totally ridiculous mistakes (like the above dislocated elbow). Her legs look a little funky as well--right below the knee on her left leg--notice that non-knee like curve. Ugh. I understand washing out a pimple, but beyond that I find photoshop abuse to be a social plague.

Christian Hendricks: Not One Designer Will Loan Her a Dress for Emmys

So, all the chattering "best/worst dress" non-experts (yeah, I'm lookin' at you Joan Rivers) were quick to jump on Christina Hendricks for wearing a pretty mediocre dress for the Emmys on Sunday. First, I'd like to say that I like the color of this dress and that CH is a dazzlingly beautiful woman. Personally, I didn't like the feathers on the sleeves, but I didn't kinda like them on the skirt. Regardless of my non-expert opinion, the truth remains that no designer wanted to dress her--what is she, a 12? Ms. Hendricks as become a fashion icon as of late due to her role as the always well put together Joan Harris on Mad Men--where her figure is celebrated and dressed in vintage clothing that was designed specifically for her body-type. So, why wouldn't a designer want to be named when Ryan Seacrest or Kathy Griffin or any of the other red-carpet "personalities" says "so, who dressed you?" Its pretty ridiculous at this point that designers are still only designing for 00, 0, 2, 4, and sometimes 6's. My hope is that Christina Hendricks is able to help an up-and-coming designer get some recognition the next time she's at an event. If the big boys and girls won't play, Christina, make an ingénue's career through your influence.

Biggest Loser Line-Up

If you are a Biggest Loser fan, the line-up for the new season includes:

•Jesse Atkins, 28, law clerk; St. Paul, Minn.
•Montina Cooper, 35, singer/songwriter; Houston, Texas
•Jessica Delfs, 27, bridal consultant; Tucson, Ariz.
•Richard Deroque, 54, pediatric physical therapist; Conway, Ark.
•Alfredo Dinten, 43, futures commodities trader; Staten Island, N.Y.
•Sandy Dolan, 30, stay-at-home mom; Fort Worth, Texas
•Brendan Donovan, 32, special education teacher; Boston, Mass.
•Tina Elliott, 58, retired homemaker; Boring, Ore.
•Sophia Franklin, 28, high school counselor; Germantown, Md.
•Patrick House, 28, sales representative; Vicksburg, Miss.
•Adam Hurtado, 26, nonprofit manager; Santa Ana, Calif.
•Allie Ishcomer, 22, student; Moore, Okla.
•Burgandy Keel, 35, stay-at-home mom; Eagle Mountain, Utah
•Shanna Masten, 38, math teacher; Pima, Ariz.
•Lisa Mosley, 31, sales representative; Norman, Okla.
•Mark Pinkhasovich, 31, bartender and recruiter; East Brunswick, N.J.
•Corey Pinkerton, 27, life coach; Fairbanks, Alaska
•Elizabeth Ruiz, 31, medical assistant; Lawrence, Mass.
•Aaron Thompkins, 29, graphic designer; Kent, Ohio
•Ada Wong, 27, project coordinator for high-tech company; San Francisco, Calif.
•Anna Wright, 39, administrative assistant and songwriter; Atlanta, Ga.

One thing that I think might be interesting this season is the theme is "pay it forward" where the show will go into several neighborhoods and communities struggling with obesity in order to try to find solutions, support systems and try to help to create "cultures of health." I really like that idea and if it somehow gives models for other neighborhoods, where say the perception is that its too dangerous for kids to play outside or for women to take brisk walks--how can a community moblize to change culture of fear into a culture of health through sheer numbers and community pressure? Maybe the Biggest Loser will try to answer some of those questions or maybe it will gloss over the deeper social issues and focus all on the individual (which is a key part, but not the whole of it). It would also be interesting if they looked at structural issues--such as suburban sprawl and how it impedes walking. I would really like more people to realize that suburbia doesn't have to be so car-centric. Let's see what they do?

6'9'' Brazilian Girl: All CBS Has to Say on the Matter is that She Ought to Be A Model

Above you will find CBS's coverage of a 6'9'' fourteen year old girl who lives in Brazil. She suffers from Gigantism which is "abnormally large growth due to an excess of growth hormone during childhood, before the bone growth plates have closed." The CBS reporter glosses over her health problems to fawn over her super-statuesque beauty. She is a beautiful girl, but she needs treatment that her parents can't afford. For comparison, see a report from a Brazilian station (btw, I saw both of these clips on Jezebel).



Although this piece also pays attention to you aspiration to model, it also focuses on her inability to go to school and they interview a doctor on her condition. Very different reporting standards: the American, sensational or "weird story of the week" and the Brazilian one, "health conditions, lack of schooling and lack of treatment options for the poor."

It makes you wonder what other feature stories we see on American "news" that might have a very different tone if the focus wasn't the "entertainment value" of news, but actually...delivering "the news."

Also, I hope that these reports will at least get this girl some healthcare and drugs to stop her out of control growth hormones. Remember, she's only 14, she's still a growing girl.

Aid for Pakistan

I gave ten dollars through text because its easy and I can afford it. If you can afford a $10 donation, I strongly recommend that you give to the Pakistani Flood Relief Program the UN. The other day, I heard that donations are trickling through much slower than the flood waters because of several reasons: 1. Western Nations are in a Recession; 2. the news of the floods came through little by little and got little attention because it was a crisis that gradually hit the news cycle, unlike say an earthquake or the tsunami; and 3. Pakistan/US relations are strained due to the drone attacks and the perception that Pakistan is a terrorist safe-haven. Consider donating $10 through text or go to the Red Cross or Doctor's Without Borders if you would prefer to give through either of those respectable organizations.

Actual Media Quotes Expose Sexism

Check out how all of the quotes these two douchebag characters use are actually references to real world media language, topics and biases. Thank you Onion!

300-lb. Reality Star Sheds Major Weight!

Congratualations to LaToya and Adamme for there finale performance on Dance Your Ass Off. Click here to see the before and after pictures at www.usmagazine.com.