[Never Say Diet] The Be Nice To Yourself Diet

Is really not a diet at all, and that’s why we can talk about it today over on Never Say Diet.

PS. Does anyone else find it completely obnoxious that book publishers are apparently convinced they can’t possibly sell a book about emotional eating, weight issues, and so on without labeling it a “diet?” Why do they fail to see how that defeats the whole point? Gah.

[Never Say Diet] Eating Disorders Not Just For Kids Anymore.

Today on Never Say Diet, I’m talking about why disordered eating patterns continue to pop up in our 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond — and why they’re more likely to go undiagnosed in this age group.

By the way, I am pleased to report that the comment bug seems to be FIXED over on iVillage at long last. You do need to log in to comment, but you can sign in with your Facebook or Twitter account, which is quicker than creating a whole profile over there. And then you can feel very free to weigh in with all of your thoughts, good and bad. I love to hear when readers disagree with my take on an issue, so don’t be shy!

(And of course, if you continue to have commenting challenges, come right back here and tell me in the comments, so I can pass the word along.)

Beauty Schooled in Nylon! [April 2011 Issue]

Attention everybody! It’s time to race right out and pick up the latest issue of Nylon Magazine because my essay, “Lesson Plan,” appears on page 134.

It features a certain Client Nine who y’all know and love. Plus, can we talk about the amazingness of that illustration (by the uber-talented Malin Bergstrom) based on this infamous picture?

If the piece goes online, I’ll update this post with the link. In the meantime, you can also like Nylon on Facebook, because why not?

[Never Say Diet] The Taco-Eating Beauty Queen

Domonique Ramirez got her crown back. I’m craving tacos for lunch. It’s all happen over on Never Say Diet right now.

Baby Botox and Virgin Waxing

I mentioned this in the Price Check on Friday — but had to take a little time to mull it over so I could give you a response more coherent than “WTF?!”

Which is pretty much the only appropriate reaction to the news that a British mom named Kerry Campbell (living in San Francisco) gives her eight-year-old daughter Britney Botox injections every three months plus monthly leg, arm, and bikini waxes. Both treatments are intended to stave off physical flaws — those would be wrinkles and body hair, otherwise known as basic functions of your skin — before they start, so Britney can grow up to be a famous pop star. Britney says:

“I feel like a supermodel and if I do ballet or go swimming I don’t have to worry about hairy legs. Although the pain makes me cry, I feel like a cool grown-up when it’s all over.”

In case you haven’t already read the coverage on this, I’m going to give you a minute to have your own WTF moment and process and all that.

We good? Okay then.

Friend Friday: Fashion, Feminism and other F Words

Us Feminist Fashion Bloggers are participating in a Fashion Beauty Friend Friday event today. Don’t be scared by all that alliteration! It really just means that I’m going to answer some burning questions about fashion and feminism, and that you should also click over and explore what other awesomely fashionable feminist bloggers have to say about all of this business.

It’s been a busy couple of weeks and I know I’ve been slacking on the nice-long-chatty-post front here, but it’s Friday, I’ve cleared some big deadlines off my plate, and the sun is shining. So I figured I’d dive in and chat away with you (at you?) for a bit.

Off we go!

Pretty Price Check (03.25.11)

The Pretty Price Check: Your Friday round-up of what we paid for beauty last week.

• $16.99: The price tag on this Monster High Clawdeen Wolf Doll (yes, that’s the link so you can fact-check the price, no I’m not subtly suggesting you buy one), whose “Freaky Flaw” is her constantly growing leg hair. Gah. (Via Jezebel)

• 8 years old: The age of this little girl, whose mother claims to give her monthly Botox treatments and a whole bunch of other not-age-appropriate beauty crap. Like Virgin Waxing. Everyone is understandably losing their minds about this. I’m still forming cohesive thoughts. Stay tuned. PS. BellaSugar thinks it’s all a hoax — I’m praying they’re right.

• $49: What we pay, on average, for each pair of shoes of our average-size collection of 17. Only 33 percent have ever paid more than $100 for a pair. Dear Other 66 Percent: Please tell me where you shop! (Via Fashionista.)

• 600 percent: How much Dove sales jumped after that whole “Real Beauty” campaign first launched. Which is old news… but now, new research confirms that women will buy more when companies use a more diverse range of models. So that’s cool. (Via MyDaily)

• $18.38: The current sale price on Abercrombie Kids’ push-up bikini tops. That they market to 7-year-olds. As Peggy Orenstein says, Oh no, they didn’t. But they did. And they aren’t the first.

• 1.1 million: The number of men who got plastic surgery in 2010. It’s up two percent. Specifically, ear surgery is up eleven percent. Is it possible men have found a body part to be insecure about that women — generally speaking, don’tgetmadifyouhateyourearsnow — don’t have to stress over? (Via the Good Men Project.)

And for more price of pretty business, check out my piece, “New Health Hazards at Salons and Spas,” which is in the current issue of Health Magazine and online at CNN.com.

You’ll see my buddy Alexandra Spunt quoted in the intro. Alas, a  mysterious editing glitch cut out my mention of her book, but y’all know and love her as the fabulous co-author of No More Dirty Looks.

PS. Pole Dancing For Jesus is a thing now. Just thought you should know.

[Screenshot of Clawdeen’s bio from over here. Again, no endorsement.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Never Say Diet] Elizabeth Taylor: Beauty Icon, Body Image Role Model?

Yes, that’s right, I said body image role model.

Except for the part where she tried to placate Richard Burton’s career-competitiveness by telling him “If I get fat enough, they won’t ask me to do any more films.” Whoops! You were off-base with that one, Liz.

[Never Say Diet] Shut Up and Be Nice To Yourself

That’s basically the gist of this new study that I’m talking about on Never Say Diet today. Not only is Fat Talk self-destructive (and boring for the rest of us), it actually makes you less likely to do the healthy lifestyle stuff that leads to weight loss. Or just being healthy.

And we want you to be healthy. It’s really what we come here to do.

PS. If you’ve been trying to comment over on iVillage and wondering if you’re technologically challenged: It’s not you! The site has some major comment glitch that is taking awhile to resolve. Fingers crossed we get it sorted out this week. In the meantime, you can always comment here or over on the Never Say Diet Facebook Page. I love hearing from y’all!

[Never Say Diet] The Low-Carb Thing is Back. (And Now, French!)

Oh golly, I am so not excited about this Dukan Diet silliness.

For more on why cutting out entire food groups is exhausting and pointless, check out my article, “Must Have Chocolate” in the latest issue of Fitness Magazine, on newsstands or online over here.

PS. Please forgive the “Control Your Cravings” headline (not to mention the “stay slim” subhead) that they slapped on the interweb version. The story is really about why our brains are scientifically hardwired to crave certain foods and why that gets wacky when food marketers go mad with that power. The upshot being: Don’t restrict food groups (unless you have a clear intolerance/other medical reason to do so) and most of all: Don’t. Blame. Yourself.

But, you know, magazines and headlines. Ahem.