Back in skinny jeans

Quote on self truth

Would you wear this bra & panty ensemble?

Okay, the boobtacular spectacle that is the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2007 is long done, and there were some pretty wacky pieces of knickers in the show, but this one to me took the prize for WTF!

Why would any woman want fake hands feeling up her girlie bits on her underwear? Okay, never mind. Don't wanna know.

If you can't wait til December to see the show on TV, Men.Style.com the online home of GQ & Details has 56 pictures.

Your makeup could be making you toxic

I'm in the process of detoxing from heavy metals, and one thing my naturopathic doctor mentioned is to look into my makeup bag because I could be getting toxins from some of my face paint like lipsticks, foundation, and mascara. I did a Scooby-Doo when she said that. "What do you mean I need to look into my makeup?"

Did you know that personal care products like shampoo, conditioner, after shave, lotion and makeup are not regulated by the FDA or any other government agency because they are not technically considered edibles. It's not kosher to test on animals but hey the makeup people can do things like load lead in your lipstick to make the color richer & longer lasting, and you lead toxic as a side effect. However, makeup like lipstick is something we easily ingest when we bite our lips or kiss other people. Likewise, anything you rub onto your skin will be absorbed into your body. Just because something isn't "eaten" doesn't mean that it can't get into your body.

Because there is no governmental regulations, personal products companies can use ingredients that are "known or suspected to be carcinogens, mutagens or reproductive toxins in the their products." Yikes! This is where the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CFSC) comes in. The mission of this group "is to protect the health of consumers and workers by requiring the health and beauty industry to phase out the use of chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects and other health problems, and replace them with safer alternatives." 

The CFSC has a list of all makeup manufacturers who have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics where the said makeup makers have "pledged to not use chemicals that are known or strongly suspected of causing cancer, mutation or birth defects in their products and to implement substitution plans that replace hazardous materials with safer alternatives in every market they serve." Sadly though, the makers of the makeups I use are not on this list. I'm scared to find out what is in my makeup.

Over at The Cosmetic Database created by The Environmental Working Group you can do a search for your makeup and see where it is ranked in toxic "hazardousness." As an example, I did a search on all the makeups I use, and here's the scores and what they mean:

Back in Skinny Jeans featured in Women's Health magazine "Weight Loss In Focus"

In the December 2007 issue of Women's Health magazine, Back in Skinny Jeans is featured in the "Weight Loss In Focus" section in the article "You've Got Motivation" on page 49. The article is also online. I love how they integrated my favorite slang word "muffin top" into our "Weighty Words."

The article features Back in Skinny Jeans as well as other cool blogs in the weight loss category that help others feel less alone in their weight shedding efforts. One of my home girls, Katie from Sister Skinny is amongst the group, and the other cool motivational weight loss bloggers include:

• Cranky Fitness

• Big Fat Deal

• Lose the Buddha

I'm really excited about being in the Women's Health magazine article as this is our very first appearance in a well known national magazine. What a place to debut. Woo-hoo! Thank you Women's Health for having us!

Would listing calories on fast food menus sway you and other tiddly bits around the skinny-sphere

• Good old 60 minutes did a story on how the NYC Health Commissioner is now trying to make it mandatory for fast food chain restaurants in NY to list calorie count on the menus. The point is to help combat obesity and other weight issues by showing consumers right away how much they are consuming. Personally, the see no evil means eating no evil rule was just fine for my sense of denial. It would be much harder to convince myself to chow that Chalupa or Western Bacon Cheeseburger with the calories screaming in my face. [60 minutes on Yahoo]

• Talk about anal retentive. If I said to you, "Did you know that there are eggs in Egg Nog?" You would most likely reply, "No sh*t Sherlock." Well, an FDA inspector gave the slammeroo to Smiling Hill Farms because their Egg Nog did not list "eggs" on the ingredients list. The bureaucrat wanted to do a recall but the state of Maine said, "Come on dude let's be reasonable." So, the folks at Smiling Hill went to Staples and bought a bunch of red round labels and wrote "Warning contains eggs" and put them on the egg nog bottles. As a consumer, I would have read the tag and said to myself, "Yeah, no sh*t Sherlock." [Maine Today] [pic]

• Chris Noth aka Mr. Big aka Detective Mike Logan is going to be a first time real life daddy with girlfriend Tara Wilson, not to be confused with Tara Wilson the former character on Boston Legal played by the sultry Rhona Mitra. Happy Birthday to Chris as well. He turned 53 on Nov. 13. [People]

• There's never been a better time to have huge hooters in the UK. Big British retailer Marks & Spencer is increasing their bra selection to include J-cups. Sorry to be rude, but if you had boobies that ginormous wouldn't you be thinking more ta-ta reduction surgery versus greater frilly bra selection? I would. [Daily Mail]

• Alrighty, the Daily Mail is just chock full of truly pointless yet interesting info today. Lab coats now determine that chocolate was actually a happy mistake made by the Aztecs 3,000 years ago. They were actually trying to make beer but ended up with a sweet frothy beverage which the Spanish Conquistadors loved so much and thus took home with them back to Spain where it spread around Europe. The Aztec "chocolate beer" was also used as currency. Man, we'd all be billionaires today if that were still the case. [Daily Mail]

Old school inspiration: "You Gotta Be"

Here's a great song to combat the Monday blahs. "You Gotta Be" by Des'ree came out in 1998 but it is still one of my favorite songs to help uplift my spirits.

There is no way you can listen to this song and not walk away feeling like you can do or be anything. My favorite line in the song, " Challenge what the future holds. Try and keep your head up to the sky." 

Buy "You Gotta Be" on   .

Antonio Banderas wants to try being a woman and other belly-hoos around the skinny-sphere

• Caliente Antonio Banderas would like to try being a woman for a day just so he can get a better idea of what the "fairer" sex experiences so that he can understand them a little bit better. I can see Antonio in a remake of  Switch. But who could play his female self? Hmmm, Salma Hayek would rock as a female Antonio. [OMG]

• Santa's in Sydney Australia were told that they could not bellow, "Ho Ho Ho" like any normal Santa would because the word "Ho" could frighten small children who might think that Santa was actually saying, "Slut Slut Slut." In place, they wanted the Santa's to say, "Ha Ha Ha." But, now wouldn't the kids think that Santa is laughing at them not with them? All this PC stuff is crap. Ho Ho Ho is what Santa is supposed to say so leave the big guy alone. [Yahoo]

• According to a study done by Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, they found that those people who exercised consistently at least 30 minutes a day, day after day had better odds of maintaining a stable weight over 20 years. If they did gain weight, it was no more than 14 pounds. Okay, am I missing something as this study seems to be another "No sh*t Sherlock" kind of finding to me. [Northwestern University]

• Gossip mongers have been saying that JK Rowling was getting to thin, so the Harry Potter scribe is putting on some pounds on the "Eat More" Diet. She jokes that her next book project could be a revolutionary diet book. Could that be drop the pounds via Abra-cadabra? [Daily Mail]

"I'm so happy for you...(As long as you don't do better than me.)"

Flabuless and I were chatting the other day about a common happiness saboteur, the friend who is only a friend as long as you are not doing better than her. For example, saying in your relationship with said friend that currently you are the fat one with the lower paying job, and she is the thin one making more money.

Now, you decide that you are done being fat, and so you go on a major weight loss crusade. You shed a whole lotta pounds, and now that you have a smoking new figure you go and get your hair styled, you buy a new wardrobe, and you start wearing makeup and jewelry again. With all this positive change you also gain more confidence. And because you have more confidence, you quite your crappy low paying job where no one appreciates you and find a new gig at a new company doing something you love and get paid twice what you were making before. Life is grand!

On the surface, your friend says to you, "Oh, I'm so happy for you. You're doing so good. Good for you."

Now, these are the words coming out of her mouth to your face, but her actions, her actions are communicating something quite different. Here are some of the things the saboteur friend does:

Can you really make the cover of Shape magazine and not workout at the gym?

Angie Harmon is the cover model for the new issue of Shape magazine, and the byline reads, "Angie Harmon  How she got this body. No gym. No Trainer." In the magazine article, Angie says she keeps her great shape through weekend activities like swimming, hiking, and bike rides with her two girls and hubbie Jason Seaborn.

Okay, I love Angie Harmon as an actress. I really loved her as fiesty ADA Abby Carmichael on Law & Order, and the Women's Murder Club is alright. But, for her to say that she stays this skinny with just fun family activities is kinda fantasy land, and not really a good article for Shape magazine. I mean isn't the whole point of Shape to help us stay fit and healthy through exercise, food, and well being. 

I think Angie just has a erally high metabolism and is one of those ladies who is just naturally on the thin side. Again, I don't know her personally and for all we know she doesn't eat much. When actresses say they stay magazine cover thin by not working out I tend to call shenanigans. What do you all think?

Some cute purses to gawk at

I've been on a purse buying binge lately. I find purses make for great holiday gifts. Oh yes! It's that time of year already. Here's some really cute stuff I found recently at eBags.

Guess Apollo Satchel $90.00

Lauren Printed Tote $60.00

Sherpani Meta Sports Bag $75.00

Maddie Powers Messenger Laptop Bag $89.99