Boo! I'm Anna Rexia

Every Halloween, women across the country get dressed up, using the holiday as an excuse to flaunt their bodies. It's a fact, not an opinion. Sexy nurses, sexy cops, sexy pirates, mermaids, hula dancers with coconut bras and genies-in-a-bottle. I've even seen an ad for a Sexy Ghostbuster. Really. And yes, I admit, I've jumped on the "Look at me!" bandwagon, wearing a makeshift Britney Spears costume (Superbowl era), complete with a midriff-baring top, microphone, tight silver leggings striped to look like football pants and an athletic sock on my hand. I was 24, I did it, I'm over it.

But I was recently made aware of a costume being sold that is so offensive, so ridiculous and plain non-sensical that I didn't even believe it was true:

Anna Rexia. It's a "sexy" version of an anorexic, complete with a short, black minidress decorated with a skeleton, a choker-style necklace made to look like a tape measure (with a matching tape measure belt), a red heart badge that reads "Anna Rexia" and a headband that I believe is supposed to look like a bone. All for just $42.95.

This is just so, so sad.

As someone who suffered from anorexia in college, I know the terrible hurt and anguish this disease causes. And it is a disease -- in fact, eating disorders kill more people than any other psychiatric disorder. But can you imagine a Halloween costume making fun of, say, cancer? Or Lupus? Sexy meth addict? Then again, the company that makes Anna Rexia also sells a "Sexy Wet Nurse" costume (ew) and a "Sexy Ms. Mental Patient" outfit, including a long-sleeved shirt with vinyl restraints and Velcro tabs "to allow the arms to be crossed in front," white skirt and BELLEVUE cap. So really, nothing is off-limits. And at least they're equal-opportunists -- Anna Rexia comes in a plus size, too.

Of course, I understand that it's Halloween and lots of us like to play make believe, revealing our secret occupational fantasies (doctor, astronaut) or our wit (my man once dressed as a present, gift tag said "To: Women...From: God"). And yeah, it's fun to be outrageous and even risqué. But I just think making fun of anorexia has become so common, with bloggers creating nicknames for skinny celebs or the phrase "She's totally anorexic!" being tossed around like some sort of catty insult...and now this. Not to mention the horribly destructive Pro-Ana sites lurking in the Web. This costume glamorizes eating disorders, too: Note the woman wearing the dress is extremely curvy and attractive -- two things anorexics are most certainly not.

So do you agree with me? Is the costume insulting? Or could it be construed as "cute" or "clever"? And if it's the latter, then is the "Boo"limia girl-and-toilet combo for couples far behind?

PS This article originally appeared on the Huffington Post.

Has anyone used Retin-A for wrinkles?

Hi everyone,

This is kind of off-subject but I'm looking to interview a woman in her 30s, 40s or 50s who has used Retin-A or a similar product to prevent/reduce wrinkles. Can you help? I'm specifically looking to interview someone who experienced a side effect like irritation or an eyebrow wax gone awry. Please feel free to send this to friends and you can reach me at leslie@lrdiairies.com

Thanks so much!
leslie

AM workouts - yeah! Yeah?

Usually I prefer to hit the gym about 5:30, 6 pm. That's optimum Leslie-opens-a-can-of-whoopass-on-the-Stepmill time. I've been eating throughout the day so I've got energy, maybe a a lil' caffeine is still coursing through my veins, and then I can shower and head home for dinner fairly ravenous and just in time for Gossip Girl (lay off.)

But about a week ago I woke from a bad dream at 6am and was all sweaty and gross and didn't want to fall back asleep. I thought, "I can either lie here like a perimenopausal insomniac or I can do something productive with my time."

So I hit the gym.

OK, first of all, am I the only one who had no idea a whole other world exists comprised of people who rise and shine and run and Spin? I mean, I know some women workout before going to work but I thought they were some sort of ultra-dedicated, extra perky minority. No, no. As I pushed my bleary-eyed butt through the door to the locker room, I was shocked to see women who had already worked out, showered and were blowdyring their hair. It was like discovering the 7-1/2 floor in Being John Malkovitch. So much living going on while I had previously tossed and turned in my bed! (I should note that I have nasty sleep problems, which makes popping out of bed early in the morning a bit more appealing for me than the average gal who enjoys her slumber.)

My workout that a.m. was hard...felt a bit like, oh, don't know, pushing a baby jogging stroller uphill with the break on. But afterwards, I left the gym and the parking lot, which was dark and cold when I arrived, was flodded with early morning sunshine. It dawned on me that I had the whole day ahead of me...I felt so full of potential, I practically whipped my gym shoes up in the air and twirled around like Mary Tyler Moore in a Nike commercial.

For the next few days, I set my alarm at 6am (sorry, hubby!) and was back in the house by 8am, so Dan could have the car for the day and I could hit the 'bucks across the street to write. Now, one week later, I find myself actually waking up on my own (Saturday and I saw the clock flash "6:38 am" with no prodding other than my own body. I felt mildly geeky driving to the gym so early on a weekend but guess what? Packed. PACKED! Freaks, all of us.

So, I think this may be it for me. Get my cardio groove on early, work during the day and relax/cuddle/prank call my brother at night. Love it!

And yes, this does mean you can feel free to email me at the butt crack of dawn...you just might get a peppy response ;-)

This is just morally wrong

Hayden -- Cellulite or Bad Light? TMZ wants to know.

Who the F%$ cares? Leave the girl alone!

In other "never good enough" news, Miss England Georgia Horsley (20 years old, and at 5-foot-8 and 126 lbs., a
size four) has been advised t gain some weight if she has true intentions of winning the Miss World pageant.

OK society, so what do you want? Who can win? Tiny actresses fit enough to play high school cheerleaders on a lead show get excoriated if their thighs aren't as smooth as silk, and beauty queens have to go against a naturally athletic shape to beat out other (presumably curvey) women.

Built like a brick shithouse?

Then you're in luck, Psychology Today reports.

"A woman's eye-popping hourglass figure offers drooling men more than just an irresistible image. Shapely hips and thighs hold essential nutrients that nurse brains and could produce smart kids too, say Steven Gaulin of the University of California at Santa Barbara and William Lassek of the University of Pittsburgh."

Now I know why I was always doing those Buns of Steel workout videos in my parents' basement as a kid: I was subconsciously gearing up to push out a little brainiac!

The news comes from a recent Human Behavior and Evolution Society meeting (I wasn't there but I heard the seven-layed taco dip was awesome), where the two researchers above explained that women with low waist-to-hip ratios (ie small waist, round rump and hips) give birth to babies with better cognitive abilities than less curvy mothers.

I think jezebel.com did a hilarious job of summing this up:

"Anyway we have to say this news not only makes us feel sooooo much better about Daniellynn, but the entire next generation of celebrity offspring and really, society at large. Think of the brilliant future play dates to be orchestrated by the respective nannies of Kim Kardashian and the Pussycat Dolls, and J. Lo and 'New York.'"

Jogging - baby steps

This weekend, while visiting my friend Trish in Madison, WI, we played with, cooed at and generally fawned over her little 8-month-old, Maya. The weather was unseasonably gorgeous so we decided to go for a jog – all three of us. Trish had never broken out the baby stroller contraption that lets you run while pushing el bambino, so out it came and out we went. Two six-foot-tall women and a baby, running and generally looking like a very happy lesbian couple.

With Maya firmly strapped in, we set about turning the monstrous three-wheeler and were surprised to see the thing is about as easy to steer as Britney Spears’ career. There were no right or left handlebars to maneuver it, so you had to literally push the tires against the asphalt, as if you were executing a 90-degree right or left turn, just to get the beast to go a few inches to either side.

Also - is it supposed to be so tiring to do this? I've seen women running along, the breeze in their hair, as they push their tot with what appears to be no effort. But even with four arms and four legs, Trish and I felt like we were tackling football dummies or trying to move a tractor forward through molasses. After a quarter-mile, we were winded, red-faced and our arms burned from holding on to the handlebar for dear life. Also, my calves were on fire because I was essentially running a 45-degree angle as I pushed Maya and her 200-lb new toy forward.

Is this norm-- oh my gosh...I JUST saw a woman run by with her baby in a jogging stroller! I swear! I am sitting in Starbucks and she flew past the picture window. Do you hear me? Flew!

Any tips????

Daytime TV: Hazardous to my health

Yesterday I wrote from the comfort of my family room chofa (not just a simple over-stuffed chair, yet not big enough to count as a sofa) because I had a cold and was hopped up on meds, surrounded by crumpled tissues. Blech. For background noise, I turned on the TV and the following ensued:

- I fell asleep.
- I tried working on an essay and instead painted my nails.
- I got sucked in by a rerun of America’s Biggest Loser...and I don't even watch that show!

Then the following shows came on, in seeming rapid-fire succession:

E! Entertainment’s 20 Skinniest Hollywood Stars

Making the Team – Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (I flipped channels and dance try-out shows always catch my eye)

I Wanna Look Like a High School Cheerleader Again

A Jenny Craig commercial

Something about Janet Jackson’s crazy weight loss.

Finally, around 3pm my appetite came back and I shoved a few spoonfuls of peanut butter down my throat. And some grapes. And a sliver of leftover deep dish.

Why am I telling you all of this?

Because as I was writing/watching/surfing, I couldn’t help but be struck by how everything on TV seemed to be about women and our struggles with weight. On the Dallas Cowboys show, the words “She’s one hamburger away from fitting in that outfit” were actually uttered – in front of the woman trying on the costume, as if she weren’t there. The Wanna Look show was sad and absurd: a group of former pom-pom girls-turned-everyday mothers who were dressed up in silly pleated skirts and made to work out to exhaustion, all in the hopes that the public weigh-in at the end of the week would get them a few steps closer to fitting in their pre-pubescent uniforms. One woman was voted off the show because she lost something like 0.001% less weight than another contestant. Ugh.

And of course peppered throughout the day were various commercials for weight loss, low-fat foods, low-carb foods, gyms, upcoming shows on how Ricki Lake lost all that weight and Kate Bosworth is defending her frame after slimming down from her Blue Crush, buffed-up physique.

Just another example of how inundated we are with messages to lose, lose, lose. And yes, of course it’s important to maintain a healthy weight and avoid obesity but must women really subject themselves to the public humiliation of carrying plates of food across a slim beam perched atop a pool, so they can win the “Varsity” challenge and have lunch served to them by the JV team? What does it say that a fantastic dancer with sparkling eyes and a flat stomach and – more importantly – ability, can be kicked off a team for thick thighs? (And by thick, I mean approximately the width of a grande latte.) Why do women constantly have to defend their weights – be they “too small,” “too big,” or “perfect”?

Now I know why I write from a coffee shop. TV can be so depressing.

New anti-anti-anorexia campaign (huh?)

No words are needed - click here (NSFW) and tell me what you think. This is in response to the Italian billboards I told you about last month.

PS I learned about this poster from the MySpace page of past Seventeen Magazine editor Atoosa Rubenstein.

I do believe the underlying message is "Love Your Body" - but is this picture (of a plus-sized model) promoting health, acceptance, and all things positive? Or is it wrong to glamorize any far end of the weight spectrum? Looking forward to a boisterous conversation on this - I'll jump in, too!

Baby food - all mixed up?

By now, many of you have likely heard of Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook, Deceptively Delicious, which teaches parents how to blend pureed veggies into kid-friendly meals like mac n' cheese (cauliflower, anyone?), in order to beef up the nutritional content. (Another example: spinach in brownies!)

Well, now, one major Oprah appearance and a slew of magazine interviews later, there appears to be some controversy regarding the book: Missy Chase Lapine, who wrote a very similar book entitled The Sneaky Chef in April 2007, is saying there are a number of similarities between her book and Seinfeld’s. "There are at least 15 of my recipes that ended up in her book," she is quoted saying in USA Today. Though she admits that it can be very difficult to prove with recipes.

Regardless of what happens, I think it’s an interesting concept – slipping some veggies into your kids’ favorite foods to ensure they get the vitamins they need. Although I do think at some point, there should be an open-and fun!-discussion about the importance of vegetables in the diet. We should start teaching kids at a young age the fried potatoes and ketchup do not a veggie make.

iVillage has a slideshow on iVillage members talking about how they get kids to eat veggies-check it out here.

There’s also a tool for introducing people to great fruits and vegetables, including some lesser-known varieties, that have different benefits such as anti-aging properties, are low-fat, promote athletic endurance and more. Check out the “Best Foods for Your Diet chooser tool.”

Sad ads

Why are women constantly portrayed in advertisements as dead, defenseless, overly sexualized, put down or on the floor?

The National Organization for Women has a fantastic - yet appalling - gallery of advertisements that shows just how poorly women are treated in everyday ads by very prominent companies. I have long been horrified by this Dolce & Gabbana ad in which a woman (extremely thin, of course) appears to be gang-raped by a group of shirtless, oiled-up male models. At NOW, you can see others and even nominate your own.

It's so sad that such ads exist...but just as sad is the fact that many women and men (and children) go through their days totally unaware of how misogynistic billboards, commercials and magazine ads impact thier psyches. If you know of an awful ad, share it here so we can empower ourselves.

Thanks!
Leslie

One in 7 women use drugs like cocaine and speed to lose weight

One in SEVEN?! Really?
Yes, I tend to be a bit naive about things like this. I made it through college without ever smoking a cigarette, let alone exploring any kind of drug scene, and was also voted Runner Up for Most Gullible in high school (or so I was told). But my eyes were opened to this whole snort-to-shed-pounds thing when, while speaking at a Big 10 university this spring, I approached a young woman who was crying in the audience after my presentation. As it turns out, she was a freshman whose friends were all using cocaine in an effort to stay slim, she told me between sobs.

"The week before Spring Break," she recounted, "none of them wanted to eat. they all were like, 'I'm just going to do coke this week so I can look good in my bikini.'"

My jaw literally crashed to the floor.

So I guess I shouldn't be so surprised by this new a study of 2000 women conducted:by the UK Magazine NOW, which shows that one in seven women use drugs like cocaine and speed to lose weight. That is just so messed up.

The study also found:
3 out of 10 admitted to making themselves sick after eating
1 in 10 said they would get a gastric band to control eating
75% opted for "fad" lose-weight-fast crash diets.
26% used laxatives to try to lose weight.
33% said they would give up sex if they could be thin forever.

When will this madness stop?

Thanks to BISJ for the tip.

Inspired by diabetes?

Just wanted to let you all know about a cool global contest going on called the the Inspired by Diabetes Creative Expression Competition -- this might be of interest to any of you who have been impacted by the disease, either personally or through a friend or family member. Check it out: You explain how diabetes has impacted your life via a short essay or poem, a photograph, a drawing or painting, or a piece of original music. Send it in. When you enter the contest, you will receive two "blue circle" diabetes pins, which stand for the global symbol for diabetes. For each set of pins distributed, a dollar will be donated to the International Diabetes Federation's Life for a Child Program, which provides diabetes care for children in developing nations. So you definitely win something instantly by helping kids in need, and if your entry is extraordinarily fabulous, you could win a $$ contribution to charity, a trophy and an all-expense paid trip for you and a guest to attend the global exhibition of all contest entries..

Learn more here. The deadlne for entries is January 31, 2008. I think this would be fun AND cathartic for someone battling Type 1 or 2 Diabetes - kids can enter (in fact, children are especially encouraged!), as can adults of all ages and even healthcare professionals.

PS Elliot Yamin, 29, of American Idol fame is the Global Ambassador of the Inspired by Diabetes Creative Expression Competition. Yamin was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 16. Other famous people with diabetes include Halle Berry, Mary Tyler Moore, tennis star Billie Jean King, Mae West and many more.

Body image quiz - weigh in!

I'm curious, considering it's National Love Your Body Day:

Love your bod!

Celebrate! Today is the 10th annual Love Your Body Day, a special event created by the National Organization for Women to promote healthy body images among women and girls.

Colleges do things like organize healthy sporting events, from rugby matches to fun runs to frisbee, as well as more risque takes on "Love Your Body," like sex toy workshops or discussions on masturbation.

If you're artsy, I encourage you to enter NOW's Love Your Body: 2008 Poster Contest..you could win a bunch of money and at the same time, positively impact thousands of women. Check it out here. The grand prize winning poster will be used as part of a nationwide campaign to "challenge the violent, drug-addicted, starved, surgically-enhanced images of women and to fight against industries that profit from women’s dissatisfaction with their bodies," according the web site. Sounds like a worthwhile cause to me!

Here are some of NOW's Top 10 Ways to Love Your Body:

* Indulge on your own terms. Whether it's fresh veggies from the Farmer's Market, or a pint of Häagen Dazs Vanilla Fudge ice cream -- loving your body is also about loving your taste buds every once in a while.

* Stretch your mind and body. Yoga—gentle yoga that encompasses relaxation and a healthy lifestyle, as well as meditative yoga—can bring one to the consciousness of their unique inner being. Yoga can rejuvenate the mind and body and teach us how to care for ourselves.

* Read. It can be a source of entertainment, a way to catch up on current events or an educational tool. Several books have been published on loving your body—get some new ideas! (Leslie's note: Locker Room Diaries, anyone?!!)

* Laugh out Loud. This isn't just an Internet acronym spelled out. It's an action that will do your body some good. Don't be afraid to show the world your smile. It's contagious.

* Have safe sex. Loving our bodies is about keeping them healthy and free from diseases. And besides, there's nothing like getting a two for one on Love Your Body Day.

* Spend time with your family. Whether it's a pet or partner, your spouse or a sibling, quality time is a must-have in nurturing relationships which in turn nurture and love your body.

* Listen to positive music. Developing a theme song can do wonders for your body esteem and your overall outlook.

* Develop a creative outlet. Everyone needs a medium to express daily stress and frustrations constructively. Maybe you're a photographer, writer, poet or all three. Maybe you can knit, make shapes out of clay or finger paint. Loving your body is also about loving your mind.

Other things to try today:

About-face.org, a phenomenal positive body-image organization based in San Fran, has a fabulous list of things you can do to empower yourself, such as Be a Role Model (to your daughter, a student, a friend) and Make a List of Women You Admire -- celebrities and real-life women. Then maybe tell her how much you admire her!

Send someone you love an e-card, reminding them how beautiful she is, inside and out.

PS I also have written about this subject on today's Huffington Post, in the Living Now section. Please do check it out!

xo,
Leslie

For those with a strong stomach...(literally and figuratively)

If you rock the stability ball for crunches, flies and more, you might want to consider purchasing an anti-burst ball. I have been reading about this 40-year-old fitness buff from Texas, named Adam Dunayer, who (brace yourself), was on a ball at his gym, doing bench presses with 60-lb. weights in each hand, when the ball burst. Dunayer fell, his elbows hitting the floor first. Both arms - broken.

Holy crap.

Now, he is trying to regain full use of his arms and I am trying to swallow a Xanax because I am freaking scared of falling on my tailbone everytime I sit at my desk on my ball!

Seriously, though, this story is scary and I think anyone who puts a lot of weight on their, um, balls, should consider using an anti-burst or burst resistant ball. These, if punctured, will not instantaneously pop like a balloon, but rather will slowly deflate.

INSIDE EDITION did a test to see what would happen when an exercise ball was punctured, in response to this man's sad story. They purchased a dozen and reported that "the standard ball, which felt thin, was punctured first. It popped just like a balloon. After reviewing the test in slow motion, the ball can be seen crumpling almost instantly. But when the anti-burst ball was punctured the ball began to hiss as it gradually deflated."

Be careful out there!

Cross-cultural candy quandry

You got chocolate in my peanut butter!

You got peanut butter on my chocolate!

Can you imagine a world where PB & chocolate were not an item? "Heavens, no!" you say? Well, I am here to tell you that yes, there are people in otherwise civilized parts of the universe who do not know the delicious joy that is a Reese's peanut butter cup and those people are...Australians.

My husband and I currently have guests in from Down Under and we were thrown into tizzy upon learning she just recently had her first experience of combining the two ingredients, in NYC. This is a college educated woman with everything going for her...and yet. Where she comes from, the land of Nutella and Vegamite, no one has ever thought to combine the sweet, melty goodness of chocolate with the salty crunch of peanuts.

"I would never imagine combining sweet and savory!" she said to me, adding, "I was quite surprised to find I really, really liked it!"

Oh. My. God.

I explained to her how the whole salty-sweet concept is an American female's lifesaver, particularly when PMSing. Tomorrow, after they have adjusted a bit, I shall introduce her to ketchup and french fries or maybe a pumpkin latte.

Signing off,
Leslie Goldman, saving the world one peanut butter cup at a time.

Hardee's new fat bomb

Just saw a story on cnn.com - "The people who brought you the Monster Thickburger and the 1,100-calorie salad are at it again -- this time for breakfast."

What are dealing with here? It's the new Country Breakfast Burrito -- two egg omelets filled with bacon, sausage, ham, cheddar cheese, hash browns and sausage gravy, all wrapped up in a flour tortilla. The burrito contains 920 calories and 60 grams of fat.

Now you can pave the way towards love handles and clogged arteries in one swoop - all for just $2.69.

BTW to see how many calories the government suggests you take in per day, click here.

Fellow Weighting Game reader kicks my butt

I'm in Los Angeles this weekend for an upcoming college book tour stop at the beautiful UCLA campus (wish me luck!) and while in town, I met up with my friend Tami. I met the hysterically funny, slightly potty-mouthed ball of energy that is Tami about six months ago, also in LA, and get this - my book brought us together. She read Locker Room Diaries, emailed me to tell me she enjoyed it, and out of that, a friendship was born. Tami is a mom, a wife, has a full-time job and - just for poops and giggles - teaches Spinning classes 5-6 days a week. I mean...really? Really.

So this morning, she shlepped out to Mar Vista, where I'm staying with my brother, and drove me back to Encino to take one of her classes at this gym (I'm the one in the black tank next to the guy in the blue shirt. Kidding!). Let me just tell you: Good. God. I haven't been to a Spinning class in years and this woman kicked my ass. Thankfully she provided me with a soft, padded seat for my bike or else said ass would be extraordinarily sore right now. The class was awesome and such an intense workout - at a few points, I was sweating so much, I couldn't even open my eyes. I guess you could say I was "glowing heavily."

What I thought was so cool (when I had time to think other thoughts besides "If she makes me climb at high resistance for 10 more seconds, I might throw up in my mouth a little bit,") was that my new friend was teaching it and to see someone you're close with in their element - leading a class, on a tough business call, performing in a play, running a marathon - is such a great experience. It just makes you so proud to be able to call them your friend, you know?

After class, we showered and met her husband and one of her daughters for a delish brunch at this organic-y cafe, then she drove me BACK home, totally out of her way but so sweet and appreciated.

There you go - one more reason I feel so fortunate to be a writer: I get to connect with phenomenal women from across the country who, otherwise, I might never have known. Some of you email me personally, others address me right on the blog; Tami does both, plus a morning together.

I'm headed to UC-San Diego next month...any readers who wanna meet up ? :-)

Hope you all had nice weekends!
Leslie

And the Chinese food answer is...

The fried pork dumplings have the least amount of calories and fat (versus the eggplant in garlic sauce or stir-fried greens.

According to www.self.com, "Believe it or not, the fried pork dumplings are your best bet at 560 calories. The stir-fried greens clock in at 900, while the eggplant in garlic sauce contains a whopping 1,000 calories. While the eggplant and greens dishes are dripping in oil calories, entrees packed with veggies do have benefits—they are fiber and vitamin-rich, as long as you don't devour the entire order. Before you chow down, scoop half onto a plate and save the rest for tomorrow's lunch, says Jayne Hurley, senior nutritionist for the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, D.C. Another trick: Grab the chopsticks! Forgoing the fork will force you to eat slower and slurp down less calorie-laden sauce. Whatever you do, says Hurley, 'steer clear of noodle dishes, which have fewer veggies and easily contain over 1,000 calories of white flour.' And if it's labeled 'breaded' or 'crispy,' give it the kiss-off."

Did you get it right???

Quickie Chinese food quiz and blatant self-promotion: The weekend edition

I found this one-question quiz in Self Magazine this month - let's see if you all can guess the correct answer:

I'll reveal the answer after the weekend - can you barely stand the suspense?!

PS Blatant self promotion time:

If you're a magazine junkie like me, then hopefully you've got the current issues of Self and Shape at home. I've got an article in each - an essay on what Thanksgiving is like for women who have had eating disorders (Shape) and a service guide on cancer screenings (Self).

Thanks!! Leslie

The MENefits of Plastic Surgery

Oh, poor men. According to this press release, "More men than ever are joining women in the race for self-improvement through plastic surgery!"

Although it seems some Hollywood men are ditching thier clean shaven ways (with celebs like George Clooney and Benicio Del Toro sporting unstyled beards), the majority of "regular joes" still want to look good and most men aren't just stopping at the razor! More men than ever are joining women in the race for self-improvement through plastic surgery! According to recent statistics there has been a 60% increase in men having cosmetic procedures since the year 2000.

Our plastic surgeons report that the majority of men are having everything from nose jobs to facelifts, but their one concern is that they don't want to end up looking feminine. The plastic surgery of yesteryear was known to leave men looking too feminine, but now, with advancements in surgical techniques, men are able to have the anti-aging procedures they want and still look like men, younger better-looking men!

Just in time for November Sweeps! To pursue a story on male plastic surgery and for interview opportunities, contact XXX.

Our Board Certified Plastic Surgeons are available to discuss:
Most requested male procedures.
How to keep a man's face masculine.
The MENefits of Plastic Surgery: The advantages men have when going under the knife.
AND MORE!

Boo hoo. I'm sorry; I know men do suffer from body image issues and low self-esteem...that said, I just don't think it even comes close to what we women go through. Do you see male models dying on catwalks? Dove commercials for little boys, who are constantly assaulted by images of them being objectified, prettified and villified for their weight? No, no, no. When a man gets older, goes gray and gets wrinkles, he's sexy. A woman? "Past her prime." MENefits, shmenefits. Plus, there are way too many xclamation points in that press release for me to take it seriously.

I did a little looking around and according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery the top cosmetic procedures for WOMEN in 2006 were:
(Surgical)
Breast augmentation 383,885 (holy crap, that's a lot!)
Lipoplasty 350,420
Eyelid surgery 182,397
Abdominoplasty 164,800
Breast Reduction 145,822

(Nonsurgical)
Botox 2,881,119
Hyaluronic Acid (Hylaform, Restylane) 1,519,923
Laser Hair Removal 1,308,739
Microdermabrasion 921,970
Sclerotherapy 541,291

Women accounted for 92% of cosmetic procedures. The number of procedures (surgical and nonsurgical) performed on women was over 10.5 million, an increase of 1 percent from the previous year.

Now, for MEN?
(Surgical)
Liposuction 53,263
Rhinoplasty 33,143
Eyelid surgery 27,602
Male breast reduction 23,670
Facelift 14,051

(Nonsurgical)
Botox injection 300,472
Laser hair removal 166,557
Hyaluronic Acid (Hylaform, Restylane) 73,634
Microdermabrasion 71,102
Laser Skin Resurfacing 48,451

Men had 8% of cosmetic procedures. The number of procedures (surgical and nonsurgical) performed on men was nearly 1 million, a decrease of 5 percent from the previous year.

It's just not even close.

Although I must say, wow, lots of guys are getting laser hair reduction! I did that and cried like a baby.

Source: http://www.surgery.org/press/news-release.php?iid=465

When was the first time you dieted?

When was the first time you dieted?

For me, the game began early. I remember a stupid, scrawny boy who shall remain namelss (MATT!) calling me a cow in the fourth grade, and soon thereafter, trying multiple single-foot diets (only lettuce! only bacon!) Those lasted about a day each. When I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in fifth grade - a slow metabolism - I was put on medicine, which I take to this day, and wound up shooting up about a foot but staying essentially the same weight. But my junior high years were filled with feelings of being chubby and oversized (I was bigger than all the boys. Bigger and taller. Like a miniature Bea Arthur, I imagined). In eighth grade, I vividly remember wearing a size 13/14 dress from Casual Corners to a school dance (white, shirred, ruffles, fitted, blech) and all my friends were, like, Size XXS.

Well, fitsugar.com recently asked the question to readers: When was the first time you dieted? The answers are eye-opening - check 'em out and then tell me here: when was your first time?

Unless you've never been a dieter in which case, my hat's off to you. :-)

My aunt's story

Hi all,
On a serious note, I'd like to share with you my aunt Betsy's story of her recent battle with breast cancer. She is my only aunt - my father's sister. I asked her if she would mind sharing some words of wisdom and experience with us. What she wrote back is so raw and so real...I feel as if I understand her experience for the first time, better than I ever did before. She is 59, a tough cookie, and unbelievable brave. Here it is:

For me, breast cancer is about health...once I was diagnosed, body image was the last thing I was concerned with. My first response was to tell the surgeon to remove both breasts. When she told me that was not appropriate, and that lumpectomy was an option for the breast with the tumor, I was adamant: Get rid of it, the whole breast.

Leslie, I wasn't interested in being a pretty corpse. If there was any chance that a single cancer cell might remain, I wasn't interested in anything but getting rid of the whole "infected" breast.

It wasn't even a breast at that point. It was merely a diseased body part that I really had no use for. I was over 50, post-menopausal. I'd already nursed my babies. And frankly, I didn't give a damn what I looked like naked. As long as I looked ok in clothes, I wasn't concerned with what was underneath.

I refused reconstruction because I was afraid the cancer might reoccur on my chest wall, beneath whatever was inserted. And [then it] would grow because no one would know it was there. I was also uninterested in additional surgery: I come from a family of doctors. I know that all surgery comes with risks. Why do something purely cosmetic? Were I younger I might have felt differently. But even then I would have hesitated, I think.

It's been five years, this past June, since I finished chemo. I am now on Arimidex and Fosomax. I've stopped waking up every morning, astonished that I am still alive...and not positive the cancer will come back tomorrow.

I still do my own breast check often as I am the one who found the lump: it never appeared on the mammogram. Even when it showed up on the ultrasound, it didn't appear on the mammogram.

And after five years convinced I was going to die, I've just lost 20 lbs. And quit smoking. I figure if I'm going to live after all, I might as well live well. There's a whole world out there and I plan to see it all.

Love,
Aunt Betsy

Thank you so much for sharing, Aunt Betsy. I love you,
Leslie

Who wants to run 26.2 miles in 90-degree weather?!!! Let's go!

I spent yesterday playing Frogger at the Chicago LaSalle Banks Marathon-my friend Cristina and I dodged police cars, hopped subway cards, jumped on five-foot-high street dividers and generally ran around screaming like madwomen, all to watch our fab friend Heidi run.

Here, I present you with a play-by-play recap of our eight-hour, sweat-soaked relay, US Weekly-style:

Night before the marathon: Attempt to fashion an artsy sign so Heidi will see us cheering for her. Wind up with a pink boa (as in, feather/burlesque) Scotch taped to my Swiffer pole.

6:35 am alarm goes off. I congratulate myself on being such a damn good friend.

6:45 am Check weather.com and learn today is going to be a record high of 89 degrees. In October. Global warming, my friends. This will be the hottest marathon in Chicago's 30-year marathon history. Sweet.

7:40 am Spot a man on the L with a bib number drinking McDonalds coffee. Hmmm...hope he's chugged java before running 26.2 miles before or he be cramping.

8ish am Wheelchair racers start coming. They zoom by with lightening speed, biceps bulging. One is using just one arm to propel himself. Here's this year's winner, Kurt Fernley of Australia, tho the pic is from last year.

8:23 am The Kenyan runners blow by-they have run 4 miles in 23 minutes. Their strides are unreal.

8:26 am The first woman! Running in briefs. Ga! I'm trying to think what it would take to get me to pound pavement in my undies in front of 100,000 people.

8:45 am Spot my first Elvis. Am all shook up.

8:50 am Everyone loves my boa. Major hit.

9am Heidi runs by-she spotted the boa. Yelling and cheering ensue. What a rush!

9:01 am Walk over to Mile 10 to wait for Heidi. Have I mentioned how many ungodly sexy men are passing by me? I have never seen so many 12-packs, tan pecs and dewy, hard calves in my life. I'm starting to understand the allure of coed marathon training.

9:15 am A woman with one leg and a curved prosthesis sails by. She's run 10 miles in an hour and 15 minutes.

9:45 am I spot a Great Dane and have a minor conniption fit. I am obsessed with Great Danes. Like, to an unhealthy degree. I attack the owner and practically mount the canine, which comes up to my ribcage, screaming, 'I'm so jealous you have this dog! I wish I were you!' She doesn't speak English very well but Crazy knows no language barriers.

10:15 am Music is pumping and the runners are looking hot (as in, sweaty - it is ungodly hot and humid). See lots a Band-aided nipples through sweat-soaked tee shirts.

11:00 am After catching Heidi (You go girl!), we head for the L which is packed beyond belief with balloons, posters and sweaty peeps. Everyone is complaining about the heat...and we're not even running a marathon!

Noonish Miss Heidi by a few seconds. Run back to catch her at Mile 22 in Chinatown.

* Note: around this time, race organizers shut down the course because of the ridiculous temperatures. 10,000 out of 45,000 people registered made the decision to not even run the race. Smart, of course (a young man died and more than 300 were taken to the hospital with heat-related injuries) but still, what a tough call to make, after months and months of grueling preparation.)

1:20 pm We spot our friend, who is just drenched with sweat yet looks amazing - she's still smiling! We also spot Elvis, still running in a full unipiece, plus someone dressed as Yoda and a man in a freakish skeleton costume. Sadly, I missed the man dressed up as a pair of testicles (he was running to raise awareness of testicular cancer.) Chinatown was so much fun - huge dancing dragons, gorgeous architecture, and the crowd was great, calling out everyone's name who had markered in on their bodies.

1:30pm Stop to buy fortune cookies. (C'mon - I had to!)

My timeline starts to get sketchy here. My friend and I are hot and tired. We haven't peed all day because our bodies are dehydrated. We somehow make it to Mile 26, where almost all the runners are now walking. A gigantic firetruck is brought out and starts dousing the runners with water. Police officers are shouting through bullhorns, "The race is over. Give it up. Stop running." Why so mean, police officer? Who tells someone who's at Mile 26, 0.2 miles from the finish line of a marathon, to "Give it up??" I understand safety was a concern but really, let these people who have made it this far fulfill their dream.

Heidi spots my boa and my friend's Bears balloon and beelines over to us, with an exhausted smile on her face. "I'm almost there!" she pants. Yes, baby, you are.

Heidi made it, got her medal, and went home to her family and a dinner of Potbelly's sub sandwiches. Not sure how/if she's walking today, but I am so proud of her, as I am of all the women, men, grandparents, couples, charity-fundraisers and other people who even attempted this feat. Thankfully, I have no desire to ever run this far (an 8K for charity was my limit - my hips literally started popping out of their sockets by the end of training). For some fab marathon pics, visit chicagotribune.com

The 7 most annoying gym personalities

Back in Skinny Jeans has compiled a list of the Seven Most Annoying Gym Personalities. Love it:

1) The cell phone gabber: Having a cell with you at the treadmill or elliptical is fine if you're waiting for some important call that will take like a minute or two. I'm talking about the gossipers who have to gab on the phone the entire 30-45 minutes they are doing cardio. Turn off the cell as no one else wants to hear about your analysis of what Doris thinks about Susan.

2) The Casanova: This is the guy who just doesn't get the hint that you are just not that into him. He'll see the open treadmill next to you, and jump on it. He'll see you go into yoga class and set up his mat right next to you. He'll see you doing weights and ask you if you need a spot. Guys, if a woman really is interested in you that way she will clearly let you know at the first attempt. In the meantime, you're making her want to avoid the gym instead of enjoying it.

3) The Farter: This one needs no explanation.

4) Profuse sweaty dude: I only pick on the guys because the majority of profusely sweaty people at the gym are dudes because of all that muscle mass. Now, I don't have a problem with profuse sweat, it's the ones who sweat all over the equipment and don't have the consideration to wipe up after themselves. They leave bucket loads of sweat on the cardio machines, the mats, and the weights, and who wants to exercise using something with all that bodily fluid wetness around. Icky! Please be considerate and wipe up.

5) Makeup chick: If I pick on the guys, I'll pick on the ladies to be fair. Makeup chick is the one who so obviously goes to the gym to get the attention of guys or cause mass jealousy with other women. Her M.O. She has hair as long as Beyonce and she never puts it in a ponytail, and it's perfectly coiffed as if she is going clubbing. She's always wearing something form fitting that practically shows butt cheek. She works out hard enough to create the illusion of working out yet not hard enough to sweat because it would smear her makeup. In the locker room, she will walk around fully naked as to remind all the other women how much better her body is than anyone else's.

6) The machine hog: This is the person who clearly sees that other people are waiting to use the piece of equipment he/she is using and instead of hurrying along, they take longer. It's almost as if they are doing it on purpose just to see if they can get attention. Yes, you have our attention. It's just not the positive kind.

7) The Peacock: These are the folks who like to stare at themselves in the mirror on the gym floor or in the locker room as they admire their muscles and or skinniness, in the case of women. They pose, flex, and twist to see the backside. "Yup, look at my body of perfection." They are the flaunters, and they want the rest of us to be reminded of that. There's nothing wrong with being proud of the results of all your hard work, but all the posing in front of others when it's not the Mr./Miss perfect body contest is showing off.

Got any other ones you'd like to share???

Lunch with a local celeb

On Wednesday, I sat down for coffee with Andrea Metcalf, a weekly featured fitness trainer for NBC 5 Chicago, frequent TODAY show guest and abs-of-steel mother-of-three. Besides her regular NBC gig, Andrea owns mbc Fitness (which stands for “mind-body-connection.”) She was elegant, poised, and spoke so eloquently – all characteristics which I’m sure come in quite handy when you’re on TV all the time – and shared some fun, interesting tidbits about her life with me. For instance:

She’s been an athlete all her life: In high school, Andrea competed in track, gymnastics, cheerleading and diving at the state level…and she cheerleaded (cheerled?) her way through DePaul University here in Chicago while earning her Bachelor of Science.

She’s relatively new to the TV industry: Her first newscast was in 2000, then she began freelancing for NBC5 Chicago for five years before she secured her current job.

She’s got chutzpah: When I asked her how she got her foray into newscasting, she told me a story about how, upon hearing there was a job opening, she called up the head of NBC5 Chicago (Larry Wert, a UW alum! Go Badgers!), explained exactly why she was the one for the position…and got it! Go girl!

She’s creative: Besides naming mbc Fitness after her three teenagers, Maddie, Bruce and Charlie, she somehow figured out that when run her name together, as in andreametcalf, the word “dream” emerges, which for some reason impresses me beyond all belief.

She has more credentials than a Presidential candidate: Andrea is certified by the American Council on Exercise, the National Academy of Sports Medicine, Performance Enhancement Specialization, Paul Chek NLC, Polestar Pilates, the International Sports Conditioning Association and as a Certified Personal Trainer and group exercise Instructor.

She’s an entrepreneur: Her most recent project is called PT-2-GO, an interactive fitness DVD and flip cards that allow you to choose either individual exercises to or complete 10- to 20-minute Pilates and Yoga programs. Take them on business trips, do ‘em in your living room – wherever!

To workout with Andrea, visit here. You can download podcasts for upper and lower-body workouts, Pilates, a “Runner’s Workout,” “Golfer’s Workout” and more!

Oh, and here is Andrea’s Exercise of the Week for a strong core.

Donate a dollar for ALS

Hi everyone,

My sister-in-law just sent me a letter written by a grad school friend of hers who, at a very young age, was stricken with ALS (Lou Gehrigs Disease). His name is Avi and his story is really quite incredible - once a Captain in the Israeli Defense Force, Avi arrived at Harvard Business School just a few years ago, ready to take on the world at age 29. He soon noticed some difficulties with his hands - cramping and trouble lifting weights. Soon he was diagnosed and given a life expectancy of two to five years. One of the worst aspects of this disease is that while the body shuts down, the mind stays clear.

Avi is turning this into a positive, though - he's done a number of things to help find a cure for ALS, including help raise over four million dolars (!!) research.

Now, he is giving people a couldn't-be-easier way to help. It's a grass roots campaign called dollar4life and asks nothing more than that you donate one dollar and pass this email/his website on to friends.

As Avi puts it, "The power of one, times a million, can help us find a cure."

I'd encourage you to visit www.dollar4life.org and donate a buck - a Starbucks tips, really - to make a dent. Each donation will light up a pixel in the portrait gallery of ALS patients on the website. With our help, we can light up one million pixels and brighten the life prospects of ALS patients everywhere.

I'm not sure about you, but I know that, all too often, I take my body for granted. The fact I can walk, run, dance - I just do it without thinking. Much of the time, so many of us women spend time directing hatred towards our bodies, trying to slim down, lose weight, look "better" - but really, what is better than a healthy body that works when we want it to? Stories like this make us realize we need to say "Thank you" to our bodies (remember the Dear Me exercise from a few weeks ago?) I think donating to this cause is another way to say Thank You.

Thanks for listening,
Leslie

* If you would like to contribute with a check, please make it payable to Prize4Life, Inc. and address it to: P.O. Box 381708, Cambridge, MA 02238-1708. Prize4Life, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization and donations are tax-deductible.

Is your BMI BS?

Numbers, numbers, why do we care?

The number on the scale, the waistband of our jeans, the size of our wedding dress - so many women let numbers rule their day. Then, when the whole "Body Mass Index is more important than your weight" movement started, we breathed a (slight) collective sigh of relief because this seemed to take into account more than just our weight. Your BMI is a number calculated from your weight and height and is used as an indicator of "body fatness."

(The formula used is: Weight (kg) / [height (m)]2

You can figure yours out here (even if you're not British - this will convert your pounds to kilos automatically.)

What BMI does not take into account is muscle mass. So a petite woman can be very strong and, since muscle wwighs more than fat, her weight will be higher and thus, her BMI can easily land her in the "overweight" category, even though she's super fit.

This troubled blogger Kate Harding so she assembled a collection of photos , complete with each individual’s height, weight and BMI. The point is to challenge our ideas of what “overweight” and “obese” look like, and I say "Mission Accomplished!" It appears that many of these women (and one cat, which I find frigging hilarious), are "overweight" or "obese" by clinical standards...but to look at them, you just think "normal." Like this woman. Apparently, she is “overweight.” Um, no. She's 5'4" and 150 lbs.

And this hot mama is just a few pounds short of falling into obesity. I think she looks like a crazily flexible babe.

Oh, and here is Moxie, the sweet but "morbidly obese" kitty cat. Brazilliant! Maybe Moxie should be hitting the treadmill a few times a week? ;-)

(FYI the categoris for BMI are as follows:

Underweight = <18.5
Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
Overweight = 25-29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater)

PS thanks to http://www.feministe.us/blog/ for the idea!

You must watch this video!

Dove is at it again, with a hard-hitting commercial about the effects the media and images of "perfection" have on the little girls of America. Please watch it - over and over again - until you can say out loud with a slight sense of relief and a healthy dose of anger, "No wonder our society is so messed up."

Watch it here.

Send it to your friends, especially those with daughters. I think it's fabulous.

Jane Fonda or Bowflex-babe?

Lifting weights the other day, I couldn't help but notice/stare at this woman pumping iron alongside me. She seemed about my age, wearing a sportsbra and tight little shorts, and was frigging cut. Like, six-pack, strong shoulder muscles, quads you could bounce a quarter off of. But she was quite slim...not bulky like a competitor.

Anyway, I struck up a convo, asking her if she'd ever taken the body pump class at our gym. This class is ridiculous - you line up rubber-coated dumbbells in every weight from five to 20 pounds next to a step and the drill sargeant instructor procedes to fatigue every muscle group to exhaustion, biceps to glutes. I rarely take classes, except yoga, but this body pump class kicks my butt (in a great way) - it's how I was finally able to start doing full-out push-ups, no knees.

So, anyway... She said no, she doesn't like classes and hardly ever does cardio. I was a bit shocked-even though I know muscle burns more calories at rest and takes up less space than fat, I couldn't believe she wasn't on the stairclimber every day to maintain her cut physique. She said, "I see all those girls downstairs, sweating for hours on the machines, and I just want to say, 'Come lift weights! It's the way to go.'"

As for me, I love the mental release I get after a good cardio workout - I sweat so much, it's Michael Jordanesque, but it just feels so delicious! I tend to lift weights about twice a week (upper body-I know, I know, I should do lower body, too). Love the way strong, toned arms look on a woman-those yoga bods. So impressive!

So, do you think you could give up cardio and just hoist weights? Even if it would help strengthen your bones, firm your fanny, incinerate calories just watching Grey's and let you intimidate the guys because you can bench half your weight? Or do you love/crave the feeling of a 30-minute sweat session so much, you couldn't give it up? I guess I'm a combo gal. And you???

Has breast cancer impacted your body image?

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, I'd like to offer readers a chance to write about how breast cancer has shaped your body image - did you have a scare that made you realize you need to appreciate your body more? Did a diagnosis (your own or a friend's or family member's) make you realize there are more vital things to worry baout besides, say, being five pounds overweight? Or did it cause you to make some changes in your diet? I'd love to hear your stories. Feel free to write something up that you feel comfortable sharing with your fellow Weighting Game readers and send it, along with the name you'd like to have appear (you can make one up if you wish) and your age, to me at leslie@lrdiaries.com

I'll post them as they come in. I think this can be a great learning experience for all of us.

Looking forward to your thoughts,
Love,
Leslie