No I’m not gonna go Howard Stern on her, but I think she’s a perfect example of what I want to talk about. First off, I love her confidence. It’s not easy no matter the size, but for her to be that size in Hollywood and still have her self esteem (and sanity) in check is amazing. But we must be for real, she is not healthy and we should not encourage her to stay this size.
The other day on twitter someone joked about how it’s the time for someone to talk to Gabby about her weight and not even 5 minutes later someone else tweeted “big girls rule, leave Gabby alone.” Now I know this isn’t going to be popular, but we’ve got to stop. If Gabby does not lose (a substantial amount of weight now), she might not make it to 50. It’s just not healthy and we shouldn’t encourage this. I’m not saying turn on her, say bad things, think negative thoughts. I’m not hating on Gabby. I’m saying, we need to encourage her to do better. We need to not make excuses for her not to lose weight. At this point, she can afford better food, she can afford the gym, she can afford a trainer, she could even afford surgery if she wanted to go that route, so all these wack excuses you’re getting ready to throw at me are moot.
This post is not about bashing “big girls” or hurting their self esteem. This post is a plea for us to stop encouraging each other to stay large. I get why we say “big girls rule” and other affirmations. And I think it’s great that we encourage people to feel good about themselves no mater the size, but we have got to stop making excuses for our size.
Facts:
- African American women have higher rates of obesity than women of other races
- Black people were 50% less likely to engage in exercise than White people in 2007
- People that are overweight are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure and other risk factors of heart disease (which is the #1 leading cause of death for African American women).
Collectively we need to lose weight. I’m not saying try to become a size 2, I’m saying be healthy. If you’re already fit, great. Now go out and help your mom, your sister or your best friend get in shape too. Losing weight and eating healthy are not easy, but they are definitely feasible. With some motivation, discipline and support, we can do it.
peace,
e.
sources: 1, 2
Last week I had the privilege to speak at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services forum “The Social Determinants of Health: A Discussion of the Relationship between Marriage and Health Outcomes in African American Communities.” Throughout the day we had panels of researchers explaining marriage (and cohabitation’s) effect on health – there was one entire panel devoted to obesity. Maybe two weeks ago, Belle touched on the topic of how our weight might be affecting our prospects at marriage. My first reaction to the post was “well, duh” but the commentors weren’t having it… at all. It got crazy. Many self proclaimed larger women were going on and on about how they were landing men left and right. But let’s get one thing clear: there is a big difference between some dude you just sleep with and a husband. Many of these women had the former. And if that’s all you want, then that’s cool. But from what I’m hearing, most women want more.
Before I really get into what I want to say, let me lay out some facts for you guys
- Discussions of selection aside, people in better health are more likely to get married (there is a ton of research to back this up)
- Your weight is an indicator of your general health
- Black women are more likely to be considered overweight and obese (and yes, these are very different from thick)
- Black women are less likely to get married than women of other races (yes, yes I know, we’ve been beaten over the head with this all year)
So that said, one researcher found that Black women are more likely to become obese after marriage than women of other races (granted, I think the assumption was that they were already overweight). Well when it came to the Q&A people went in. First it was the excuses that we as women are just too busy to find time to exercise. Look, if Barack Obama can find time to exercise every day, you can find time too. Then it was “but exercising isn’t fun.” Are we being for real? Brushing your teeth isn’t fun, but you do that every day. Putting on makeup isn’t fun (at least not to me) but you’d better believe I take the time to look pretty in the am. Going to work really isn’t fun, but we do that without fail. That excuse is lame and I’m not going to justify that. You’re an adult, grow up. Then came the one I was waiting for – “but my hair.”
Black women look at it like this: it’s your hair or your life. And I’m serious. I can think of no worse reason to die young(er than everyone else) than the desire for your hair to look good. We talked about how much our hair costs, how long it takes to do our hair, how we need to look good. It all. It was pathetic. Surrounded by these amazing women doing amazing things and most of them were overweight and complaining about their hair. Later while discussing this with another panelist, he bought up the fact that a lot of women he knows don’t like working out in the gym because they don’t want men to see them sweating. Women, please stop the madness. A). I’m sure you’re still gorgeous under all your makeup and B). you’re supposed to look at little crazy at the gym, that’s how you know you’re doing it right (and trust, sometimes we are doing it all wrong at the gym, but that is another post).
Unsure if you are overweight or obese, check your BMI (yes I know this isn’t the *best* method, but it’s start) or better yet, check your percentage body fat. Most gyms should have a machine that will check it for you, or you can buy one yourself
. If you are overweight or obese, please take a good long look at yourself, think about how your body feels, think about how you feel about your body and then think about how you want to feel (and look) in the next 10 years and then reconsider not exercising.
So please, love yourself, take it to the gym, eat better and be happy.
peace,
e.
I just wanted to drop a quick note and thank all you lovely SASSY women (and men!) for supporting us over the past two years. We lost a little fire this year (and many writers) but we are still here. In the next year, we are refocusing a bit and adding a few new awesome writers but we will still remain the spot for all you smart, ambitious, sexy, sophisticated and young women.
You may have noticed a lot of the writers went off and started their own blogs – check out Bari at Vain, Christian Law at Fresher Than Chris, K Fresh at Damn Kam, La Donna at her personal blog, Manny Fresh at The Benevolent Baron, Roxanne at her own blog and Tara at The Young Mommy Life. The other writers are doing big things too: Leah finished her PhD and is now a professor at Wesleyan, Mo married Manny Fresh, Moira’s about to begin training for another marathon and Stacey became a licensed social worker.
I wanted to give a special should out to Lady D. You really held me down this year and I sincerely appreciate it. She is still running things over at Her Journey Magazine.
Thank you all so much,
e.
So I finally finished Skinny Bitch
. From the start, the tone killed the book for me. The authors are literally bitches and from the first page the reader is pummeled with insults. Aside from that, the book preaches healthy eating, specifically becoming a vegetarian and eventually vegan. I must admit, constantly referring to meat as “dead, rotting decomposing flesh” did turn me off a little. But my love of meat triumphed in that battle. They did get me when it came to milk – maybe it was by actually making me realize I am drinking another animal’s breast milk. Gross.
What concerns me more than eating dead, rotting decomposing flesh is the lack of safety regulations regarding the health of the animals in general and sanitation after they are slaughtered. Very much along the lines of Food, Inc.
I think this tactic might work for people who are already on the fence about eating meat and people who need a tough-love push eat better. All in all, I think you can get the same message from Food, Inc. without your self-esteem taking a beat down.
It was helpful to read their other book, Skinny Bitch in the Kitch: Kick-Ass Recipes for Hungry Girls Who Want to Stop Cooking Crap (and Start Looking Hot!)
, to get a better idea of what to actually eat. Some of it actually looks really good. You can read more about the Skinny Bitch franchise on their website.
peace,
e.
Our good friends over at Her Journey Mag are hosting an afternoon of beauty over at Dashing Diva. Don’t have a boo for Valentine’s Day? No need to alone all day, come and chill with us. Do you have a boo and just wanna preserve your sexy? Come and chill with us first and then go see your sweetie.
What: Single Ladies’ Valentine’s Day Celebration (pick between a mani, pedi, manicure or go crazy and get all 3 – check out services here)
Where: Dashing Diva (129 Smith Street – take the F or G to Bergen, or you could walk it from Hoyt (A,C,G))
When: Sunday, February 14 from 4 to 9
Why: Because we want to.
RSVP here and be sure to to tell Lady D what services you want.
peace,
e.
Seeing the skyline from the plane, I was immediately excited about my first visit to Chicago. Driving through the city, I could definitely feel the old soul of the city and a sense of its rich history. With names like Oprah, Bernie Mac, R. Kelly and Kanye West associated with Chicago, I was excited to see firsthand what’s so special about Chi Town.
What captivated me most was the musical energy. Maybe I was on a high from Jade’s performance, but it is undeniable that music runs through the veins of Chi town. I got a chance to see just how serious stepping is when we caught a steppers party letting out_with couples dressed to the nines, fully decked out in furs and hats. After catching a quick glimpse during one of our nights out, I’m slightly obsessed with footworking. Going along with specific footworking songs or house remixes of popular songs, the dancers move so fast it looks like they’re in fast forward. It looks unreal. Even thought I won’t be attempting that anytime soon, I did pick up a little two step.
Like the Waffle House in Atlanta or a diner in New York, Taco Burrito King served as the perfect after party meal. One chicken and one steak (the better of the two) taco was all it took to fill me before collapsing into bed and convert me into TBK fan. Next was FlatTop, my first build-your-own-stir-fry experience. After conquering an overwhelming selection of sauces and veggies to add, I was more than happy with my creation: brown and white rice, noodles, bean sprouts, one edamame (out of curiosity), red and green peppers, chopped jalapenos, soy sauce, chili sauce, Asian BBQ sauce, FlatTop sauce and chicken, all topped with the most delicious pita bread. And I can’t forget my yummy Lava Colada. Of course no visit to Chicago is complete with trying the deep dish pizza, and I think we had one of the best. Our experience at Giordano’s was unforgettable. Our waiter Leo was great, the pizza was delicious, and I fell in love with my drink, The Chocolate Runway. I also finished my trip with a chicken salad sandwich from Potbelly’s, which was like all the toasted goodness of Quizno’s mixed with the personalized deli touch of peppers and seasonings added to my liking.
As a wide-eyed tourist, I got to see the Sears Tower (which is now the Willis Tower), The Bean at Millennium Park and the Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue. Because of the fog that covered the top of the tower, we weren’t able to go up to the Sky Deck…next time! I also saw Navy Pier from a distance, got a recommendation for Garrett popcorn and heard good things about Flirty Girls. Of course the Oprah Store is a must see; all things on the to-do list for my next visit because this was definitely not my last.
To see all of my pics from Chicago, visit Miss Journey’s blog.
Ingredients:
- 1 can Italian tomatoes (28 ounces)
- 2 zucchini, grated)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (in my recipe I substituted this with basil)
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for sprinkling
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (I LOVE garlic, so I added maybe 6)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups chicken broth (substitute light, tastes the same to me)
- 1.5 cups orzo
- 6 sweet bell peppers (red or yellow)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
- Poor tomatos into a large bowl (I’d recommend not pouring in all the extra juice) and break apart using a pair of shears or your fingers. Add the zuchini, mint (or basil), cheese, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir.
- Bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium sauce pan over high heat. Add orzo and cook for 4 minutes (you only want it partially cook, it’ll cook all the way through later). Use a sieve to transfer the orzo to the bowl with the veggies. Stir the orzo into the mix. Transfer the warm chicken broth to a 3-quart backing dish.
- Slice the tops off of the peppers and remove all the rib and seeds. Cut a thing slice from teh base to level the bottom of the tomato.
- Place the peppers in the baking dish with the warm chicken broth. Spoon the orzo mix into the peppers. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes (maybe it’s my oven, but I definitely didn’t need that much time). Remove the foil , sprinkly the top of each pepper with cheese and continue baking until the cheese is golden.
I made this a while ago and loved it… the first week. This recipes made about 10 (regular size) peppers, which was entirely too much for just me. If you live alone, I’d suggest halving all the ingredients and you’re good to go.
Original recipe and video on how to make here.
peace,
e.
As you know, we here at SASSY have been working on our fitness. Earlier this month a friend emailed and invited me to join in a running challenge. It was online, over on the Nike Running site, so I signed up and expected to just type in how far I ran. Nope, doesn’t work that way, you need Nike gear to impute your runs. So in order for my runs to be recorded I had to buy the sportband or an ipod shuffle AND the Nike+ Sportkit (womp), so I dropped the $60 and got the sportband. You also need Nike+ sneakers, but pretty much every running sneaker they’ve made in the past year or 2 in a Nike+ sneaker.
Now to be honest, I had looked online and did not find the most glowing reviews of the sportband – namely that it was difficult to calibrate. But I wanted to do the challenge and I needed some motivation to run (and let’s face, I like getting new things), so I got it anyway. So the first time out, I tried to calibrate it running. It was off – way off – like 0.25 miles off. But on the second try I got it to calibrate and it’s been smooth sailing since then.
As you can see, the face of the sportband is a USB. You just plug that into your comp, plug in your weight and the sportband does the rest. It tracks how far you’ve run, how long you’ve run and how many calories you’ve burned (I love to look at that part as I run). And then you plug it into your comp and it transfers all that info to your profile online.
To be honest, I think I like the website more than the actual sportband – or rather, I like all the things I can do with the website. So of course, there are the challenges (and you know no one’s cheating since the band is uploading all your info), but there are also coaches to help you (I’m training to run further) and you can also set goals. After each run, I plug in my sportband and can instantly see how much closer I am to accomplishing all my goals. It definitely motivates me to run more and for that I love my sportband. (Also, it’s pink!)
You can buy the Nike Sportband online or at your local sporting good store.
peace,
e.
**NOTE: We are not paid by Nike to promote their good, we just really like it. **
The breathtaking images and jaw dropping coverage since the earthquake in Haiti have certainly caused us all to say “wow” at one point or another. The past few days have been devastating, and it is hard to fully comprehend or imagine what the current state of the island really is. This tragedy has opened the world’s eyes to a country that was in dire need before the quake. Although Haiti is a land that is considered poor in riches, it has always been undoubtedly rich in culture. The tremendous support is comforting. However, the reality is that this is only the very beginning of Haiti’s recovery. When the media coverage dies down and the immediate hype fades away, it will be even more important to support. (We will continue to keep you updated on how you can do that.)
In these crucial days following the quake, basic needs like food, water and medicine are immediate priorities. (Click here for a full list.)
With all of the many efforts, it can be overwhelming to figure out how to support. Here are a few tips to help you help Haiti:
- It’s always wise to give to reputable organizations. The Red Cross has proven themselves time and time again in countless crises, and of course they have been instrumental in Haiti’s relief.
- Check with your employer to see if they will match your donations, which can easily multiply your efforts.
- A gift of any size is still a gift. Give whatever you can. (You can text “Haiti” to 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross.)
- Look for local projects where you can donate food, clothes, supplies and time.
- Spread the word! Some people feel removed from the situation and just need a little encouragement. If you get 9 of your friends to send a text, it’s like you contributed $100. Doesn’t that feel good?)
This is only the beginning of a long journey, but there are glimpses of hope with each person that is rescued and with each volunteer that supports the effort. Call me idealist, but I see this as our opportunity to build a new Haiti. I’d love to see the crowd of proud Haitians who dance along Eastern Parkway on Labor Day march through the streets of Haiti with helping hands. I’d love to see a Special Rescue Series of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition rebuild Haitian homes. And I’d love to see Haiti transformed into an island paradise that welcomes visitors and shares the beauty of its culture.
The reality is that this is a tragic situation, and it will take as many people as possible to make this better.
Happy New Year all! I know, I know, I’m late.
For me 2010 is all about the pursuit of happiness. I’m not trying to become a new person, I’m trying to become a happy person, or rather stay a happy person.
So what makes me happy?
Love. Love for myself and love for others. Real talk, I don’t think I fell in love with myself until 2007. So sad, right? Anyway since then I haven’t fallen out of love with myself since. It’s a priority for myself and really influences all the other goals I’ve set for myself for the next year. But I’m not so caught up in loving myself that there’s no room for loving others. While dating is really time consuming, I’ve decided I need to make the time to get out and meet people. Let’s face, I’m not going to find my Mr. sitting in my apt.
Being Healthy (read: not being fat). If you know me, getting fat is probably my largest phobia. And in 2009, I was hitting numbers on the scale I never thought I’d see. It was really really depressing. My clothes weren’t fitting right. And for the first time in my life, I did not like the way I looked. I hated it. So I whined for a while. I changed my eating habits, I got a trainer (then fired him, that’s another post), and now I have a regular routine for the gym.
Having money in my pocket. Currently I am “grad school broke” and I’m not exactly happy about it. I’d like for my money to work for me, so this year I’m going to learn how to invest it. I’ll share my (hopefully) success stories with you. With this crappy economy, we need all the financial advice we can get.
Not being stressed. When I started school, I decided the only thing I was going to let stress me out was school. Not friends, roommate, family or lovers. I know for some it seemed like I became an ice queen, but it’s a self preservation move. My main goal over the next 3 years is not only to graduate but to be, what my friend calls, the baddest bitch. I set a goal to publish at least 3 articles before I graduate, I need to work with different faculty members – put myself out there – and still do my coursework. That is all crazy time consuming and stressful. There’s simply no room for other things to stress me.
Having fun. This goes hand in hand with not being stressed. I had to learn to make time for doing something free (and stress free) and not feeling bad about it. This is probably the hardest part, but successfully making fun time for myself will ensure I don’t go completely crazy this year.
So what say you SASSY ladies, what are your plans for the 2010?
peace,
e.
