Archive for June, 2009
Nia Vardalos Speaks Her Mind
To borrow a phrase from my favorite New Jersey housewife Teresa, I “LOVE LOVE LOVE” Nia Vardalos, star of My Big Fat Greek Wedding (one of my all-time fave movies!).
Her humor, her wit, her beauty … she’s a smart and sassy actor, writer and director, and she has no trouble speaking her mind — making her all the more appealing.
But recently, with the release of her new film, My Life In Ruins, she’s been garnering attention for her newly svelte frame, versus her acting/writing/directing street cred.
Is this a surprise? Of course not; as she notes, it’s the first thing every journalist asks her: “How’d you do it?!”
In this witty piece she wrote for AC360’s blog, called “What’s the Big Fat Deal?”, she explores her transition from “fat” to “thin” and the double standards placed upon women. (more…)
Add comment June 12, 2009
Wise Old Lincoln …
“A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
If you’re like me, you’re probably familiar with that quote from a speech President Lincoln gave on June 16, 1858. (In case you aren’t familiar with it, it basically proclaimed that this country couldn’t succeed with half the nation allowing slavery and the other half not. It was a big-idea speech, no doubt, for the time!)
As most famous quotes, it’s taken on many other meanings, far less literal.
For example, in the past, I’d always applied it more broadly to address friendships, relationships … but now I’m looking at it through the lens of body image.
More specifically, that if our minds and bodies are not in sync, we might forever allude true happiness and self-acceptance; read as: FREEDOM. (more…)
4 comments June 12, 2009
Changing Tastes; Broadened Horizons
My little sister won’t eat her food all mixed on one plate (she prefers multiple plates) though, as my dad tells her “It all mixes in your stomach anyway!”.
My husband doesn’t like “mushy” foods like oatmeal or pudding — yet he eats enough bananas to put Chiquita out of business.
About a half dozen of my friends (mostly male, but some female, too) won’t eat tomatoes in their pure form — but love salsa, tomato sauce, ketchup.
Are these people disordered eaters? No, not at all. They are just particular about what they like. It’s a personal preference, a choice.
Similarly, I have always been drawn to brainy, computer science/engineer guys (I married one!) who are my stark opposite in terms of “right brain/left brain”. He’s the yin to my yang (with me being the more creative, artistic of the two of us). That’s my “personal preference.”
Anyway, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve tried to expand my palate where food is concerned. (more…)
11 comments June 11, 2009
… And We’ve Got a Winner!
Chosen at random by my hubby, the winner of a copy of Dara Chadwick’s new book, You’d Be So Pretty If … , is Yogiclarebear.
Congrats, Yogiclarebear! Please send me an e-mail with your home address and as soon as I get the package, I’ll send your book on its way!
Thanks for reading and come back again — I hope to do more blog-relevant book giveways in the future. Stay tuned for my review, hopefully within the next week or so.
1 comment June 10, 2009
A Life Without Surprises?
Do you know what it’s like to have your wonderful husband fear cooking you dinner because he knows you’re so obsessed with food that if every iota isn’t measured, you’ll freak?
Sadly, I do … because that was me.
Though we usually cooked together, I was usually the one dictating what ingredients we “could” use (only fat-free cheeses in lasagna, only 96% lean beef in burgers … “nothing else!”). I “had” to be in control. (Well, my brain said so, sad but true).
And because of this (unbecoming) controlling nature, my husband feared cooking for me. How sad is that?!
It’s not like he wouldn’t have eaten those versions of foods, but the “this is all I will accept” mentality I had was tough to swallow, and caused many an argument — all because of food or, rather, control about food.
And so one night, when we were newly married and living together, he confessed that he had been wanting to surprise me by making dinner, but feared how I’d react…
Sadly, no surprise there. The truth is, back then, I probably would have freaked, however terrible that sounds now.
That should have been the sole warning I needed that it was high-time to snap out of my disordered eating world.
But as life goes, it wasn’t. Instead, it was just one example of many along the way that led me to believe, “Houston, I have a problem” last summer, when I began blogging and sought therapy.
It makes me sad now to think I’ve squandered almost three years of my life living a life without surprises, without much spontaneity when it could have been more. (more…)
8 comments June 9, 2009
Book Giveaway!
Via Roni’s recent Facebook post, I found this new book about body image (and what we’re teaching our children) that totally piqued my interest, You’d Be So Pretty If … by Dara Chadwick.
SHAPE magazine readers might remember her as a former weight loss columnist. I loved reading her journey, and am naturally intrigued by the topic of her book. You can check out her blog here.
Her publisher has been sweet enough to send me a copy to review, and an extra as a book giveaway for one of my readers.
And after I receive and review the book, Dara will be stopping by for a blog tour!
If you’re interested in winning a copy, please let me know in the comments below by 10 p.m. Eastern time Tuesday. I’ll choose the winner at random, and let you know by Wednesday morning who won. Only one entry per person, please. 
31 comments June 8, 2009
Google Reader = Time Saver
So I’ve been blogging for a year almost, and I JUST set up a blog reader within the past two weeks. I really can’t believe how easy it is to use. All my blogs, in one spot!
Thank you, Google! You just saved me time and unnecessary keystrokes. I get between 500-800 hits a day, and that data helps me a lot, because now I can even see how many people are subscribed to mine (164 as of today). I’m not huge into metrics, but it sure helps to know. And it makes me want to be the best me I can be!
Do you have a blog reader? What platform do you use?
2 comments June 8, 2009
Wanting It
Senior year: I'm on the far left, standing.
I began dancing at age three, and continued through my sophomore year of high school (tap, jazz, ballet, pointe), when I had to stop because I made Varsity cheerleading.
I’d cheered every year since fifth grade, and thought I could continue to do both, even on Varsity.
But the commitment was enormous, and as the season wore on, I needed to make a choice between the two, and in the end, I quit dancing. Fortunately, I’ve never regretted my decision. (My background in dance no doubt helped me make the squad each year).
As one of four sophomores to make the team, we weren’t necessarily guaranteed spots on the squad for the rest of high school. We had to prove ourselves year after year, and there was really no time for much else. We began training the summer before the football season, always went to cheerleading camp, and our season didn’t end til Thanksgiving, or later.
I made the commitment because it was my passion, and I loved it — even during some really tough times, I knew there was no where else I’d rather be than out on the mat with these girls. (more…)
4 comments June 8, 2009
Friday Thought
I really don’t like Dr. Phil, but I was reading Oprah’s magazine, O., at the gym last night and came across this most fabulous quote he used that can be applied to seriously anything in life.
“The difference between a dream and a goal is a timeline.”
How true is that?! We can think about something on end, pro-con-con-pro something to death … but in the end, if we don’t take action, our dreams remain just that: a dream.
Right now, I’m three months in and feeling strong. But three months, while awesome, isn’t necessarily long enough to say I’m out of the woods.
At the end of the summer, it’ll be six months. And so … my goal is to be disordered-eating-free by the end of this summer. (more…)
9 comments June 5, 2009
Master Your Metabolism
I think it goes without saying that I love to read about nutrition, fitness, and overall health.
It’s a hobby, a passion, an interest — for better or for worse.
I kind of have a girl-crush on Jillian Michaels, as do many other bloggers out there, apparently! I love her Shred videos, and am going to start listening to her pod-casts.
I first heard about her new book, Master Your Metabolism, on LovINMyTummy yesterday.
Now I want to read it, myself! (more…)
15 comments June 5, 2009
