The Final Outcome Of Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong confesses. Finally. What a relief! To everybody. Believers, non-believers, those sued, the integrity of the Tour de France, the 'second place' runner-ups, himself!, his family, and, most importantly, his five children!

Credit: ABCNews


While there is obvious reason to be upset at Lance— he lied, he cheated, he attacked, he stole— there are also lessons to gain and perhaps things to be thankful for, including these...

Public Figures Are Human Too. Putting too much faith in public figures can be dangerous if you uphold them to a higher level, seemingly beyond human, which many fall prey to. Perhaps, yes, they can be classified in a different category than the 'average human', given income level and media attention, but nonetheless, however much fame and fortune, they are still human, have their flaws, and will make mistakes just like the rest of us. The scale in which they do might just be exacerbated by the aforementioned 'un-averageness'.

If It's Too Good To Be True, It Is. We all love a fairy tale story, a story of heroism and greatness, and want so much to believe in them, perhaps, because they give us hope and inspiration. If the story does that— motivates and makes us a better version of who we are— then the story has done its job and take it for just that.

Media Literacy! It needs to be an ongoing requirement in our educational system. And so does psychology and understanding mental illness for that matter. Perhaps, then, maybe so many wouldn't be so shocked and outraged. For children, it's different and they are excused as they are still heavily in the process of basic learning and don't know any better. But by the time we reach adulthood, we should be decently able to distinguish between fantastical and reality. Winning the Tour de France seven times? Sounds pretty fantastical. Reference to previous point.

As for psychology and mental illness? The extremist nature of this whole story seems like it could only have been crafted by a man (or inkling of?, whichever) who has a serious mental disorder, including extreme narcissism and hero syndrome. Does everyone get that or does everyone just choose to be angry. Granted, it's 'easy' to blame fault on the intangible, so-called illness of the mind, but the mind is a very powerful and still highly enigmatic portion of our anatomy.

Focus On The Good And The Future. Thankfully, no one was hurt, at least not physically in this whole mess. Cancer patients and their families, amongst others, at least, however, found comfort, hope, and strength in Lance's story, whether or not it was true, in the times they really needed it. Livestrong has helped thousands, if not millions, in the fight against cancer. Just see what they've done.

None of us are perfect. That doesn't excuse what Lance did but do you believe in forgiveness? Comment below and share your thoughts, we'd love to hear what you have to say!

Happy LiveHealthy LiveJuicy LiveIntegrity!

Jennifer Connelly Finds Excuse to Become Garbage Disposal: Pregnancy

People.com reports Jennifer Connelly is pregnant with her third child.

In an interview with David Letterman, she talks about the 'nausea' during her early pregnancy, which, frankly, is nauseating itself.

She said,

“I have to stand in one spot in my apartment to make a phone call. It was like that with the nausea..

I had to stand in one spot, which happened to be in front of my refrigerator, which was open, with me dipping pretzels in cream cheese and stuffing them in my mouth,” she laughs. “If I did that, I was good.”

Ugh. Again, case and point, Gisele Bundchen called it: Pregnancy, for many, is synonymous with 'garbage disposal'.







I guess that's just the 'right' some of these women give themselves when growing another human being inside their bodies after slaving [or whittling] away to Hollywood diets otherwise.










Happy Healthy Juicy, My Goodness, That's Your Child In There, If Anything, You Should Be Eating Better!

Matthew Morrison Rips Up the Cover of Details

What does it take for Mr. Charming on Glee to look like a hunk[a.. salacious meat]?

Well, PER Week, it looks something like this:

• ~100 miles cycling
  
• ~25 miles running
  
• Mini ab workouts during downtime on set
  
• 4 sessions of resistance training
  
• Strict dieting, banning even fruit after dark [which he deems 'too much sugar']

PLUS these bonuses:

• Paddleboarding on days off
  
• Going on a sweet-potato-only diet for a few days right before a photoshoot [..why the editors publish (and probably many think) that it's a 'high-protein tuber', I do not know..]

What is nice to know, however, is that it does take a ridiculous amount of effort to look that ridiculously Mmm... But, maybe not going so extremist, it's also nice to know what you have to do to get [somewhere around] there: Eat Right. Be Active. Plain & Simple.

Happy Healthy Juicy Lesson Learned! Thank you, Mr. Schuester. [angelic voices] Ahhhh....

The Material Girl Gives Us Material Matter to Chatter About

Shocking news!! Celebrities are human, just like us! And they age, too, just like us!

That's Madonna, looking all teary-eyed upset but as lovely as can be for a Dolce & Gabanna ad.



O, the legendary Madonna. We've been watching her for decades now. Yup, that's right, decades. Who would have thought decades later, she'd be decades older?

Everybody was her first hit single in the early '80s. She was only 24, then. Or, alternatively, to reflect our modern-day perceptions, perhaps that statement should read: She was already 24, by then.

Point? We live in a twisted youth-obsessed society, where old is anything beyond 30. Forty is ancient. And 50? Psha, you might as well be dead, given the wrinkles, veins, and sagging will have eaten you alive.


Somehow, we're conned into believing that we're ugly when we can't defy gravity, time, and the human aging process. Famous people like Demi Moore, who has not aged since her mid-thirties, does this beautifully [pun intended]. She helps us believe that celebrities are superhuman or, that with enough funds, getting cut up or filled can make you beautiful just like the rest of Hollywood.


But don't worry. This is not a post on how more and more young girls [teens!] are learning and actually getting cosmetic procedures done each year. Nor is it about supplanting unrealistic, foolish, or superficial ideals into men, women, and children alike.

This is about the striking 52 year-old Madonna, endorsing high-end fashion, and.. [scroll down below but do so at your own risk.. of reality]




















Photoshop!

There's been a lot of hubbub around the differences between the two pics. Unfortunately, though, the chatter's been about her glaring veins and rough skin texture. Eww! Rather than the lying and untruthfulness that we are exposed to every single day over and over.. and over again. How could they?? No one even bothered to give the Material Girl props for having such hearty guns. The nerve..

But, everyone's entitled to creative freedom— the top really does make me want their product more than the bottom.. Just don't forget to let the kids [and other ignoramuses] in on the secret.

Happy Healthy Juicy Something to Blab About!

Is Snooki Fighting Too Hard for Fame?

I don't know what The Situation is or what everyone thinks is so Woww, as I have yet to witness respectable-enough media coverage of the Jersey Shore cast for me to actually check out their MTV reality hit.

Case and point: Snooki on the cover of OK! mag, plastered with the words: 'My Battle with Anorexia'.

I commend the editors over there for doing their job, as the cover lured me into picking up a copy to check out the story with such a powerful title. That's not to say, though, I condone them for turning a serious issue into what seems to be fodder.

So what does the beehived tanning queen have to share about her experiences?

'In high school, my weight was a very big deal, but when I went to college, it wasn't as big of a deal to me, and I got over it pretty quick, which is pretty surprising to me...

You know, how in college you're eating all kinds of crappy food? That's when I started eating bagels again. I was like, '"Eh, screw it, I'll just eat." I wasn't, like, downing cheeseburgers. I just started eating like a regular person again. And I started to gain the weight back. I really didn't have any problems in college because I was too busy worrying about my studies.'

Worrying about her studies, I'm sure..


We throw around the term 'depressed' when we're bummed out about something. But depression, in the actual clinical sense, is more than being just bummed out— it's long[er] term, affects daily life, and is seriously debilitating. The same goes for anorexia. Usage of the word is sometimes [or often] thrown around as if it's nothing and without understanding of what it actually means or is.

According to the DSM-IV— the standard classification of mental disorders used by mental health professionals in the US— anorexia nervosa is classified using the following criteria:

1. Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height (e.g., weight loss leading to maintenance of body weight less than 85% of that expected; or failure to make expected weight gain during period of growth, leading to body weight less than 85% of that expected).
   
   
2. Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though underweight.
   
   
3. Disturbance in the way in which one's body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of the current low body weight.
   
   
4. In postmenarcheal females, amenorrhea, i.e., the absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles.

Snooki claims to have gotten down to 80 pounds in high school, which does sound low, but, note, today, she's only 4' 9''. Moreover, eating disorders, whether it be anorexia, bulimia, or EDNOS [eating disorder not otherwise specified], typically [typically] is NOT something you just get over by saying 'screw it' and then eating bagels. If it were only that simple..

If reality is what you're after, chew on this:

• Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.
  
  
• The mortality rate associated with anorexia nervosa is 12 times higher than the death rate associated with all causes of death for females 15-24 years old.
  
  
• 20% of people suffering from anorexia will prematurely die from complications related to their eating disorder, including suicide and heart problems.
  
  
• Five to ten percent of anorexics die within ten years of onset, 18-20 percent die within twenty years of onset, and only 50 percent report ever being cured.

Stats taken from The Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness

Ergo, the point isn't did she/didn't she [have an eating disorder] or was she/wasn't she [anorexic], though it is two-fold:

1. Whether she was sick or not, if she's going to take the responsibility of addressing the issue—which she did by agreeing to give a highly publicized exclusive interview and don the cover of a popular magazine— then she better own up to it and do it with extra care— it comes with the territory of fame, where one is no longer responsible just for oneself.
   
2. Ditto for the magazine/publisher. Though what they're publishing is 'trash', still, it's national, and social responsibility is in order. It's not like they're talking about a trivial thing such as her hair. For some, this really is a reality and really is a matter of life or death [..to be as dramatic as the bold yellow cap-sized font..]

Happy Healthy Juicy Being Responsible, and Knowing What's Appropriate & What's Snot!

Kourtney Kardashian TaKes her Kid on a Karb Krap Spree!

Kourtney Kardashian is just so excited to be a mom. She recently shared the above pic of her kid and this on her blog:

'Every first is so exciting and so much fun to take pictures of and experience!

This is Mason’s first trip to the grocery store. Yes, I know it has been 8 and a half months and I have not been to the market. It has always seemed like such a hard place to take a baby – the germs, the people, and before he was big enough to sit, pushing the stroller and cart at once… all just a big task.

We had so much fun and Mason loved it!! Things that would never seem like they would be meaningful or exciting have a whole new meaning when I experience them all over again for the first time with Mason.'

The germs, huh? What about the...

Whole Corn, Vegetable Oil (Contains One or More of the Following: Corn, Soybean, and/or Sunflower Oil), Salt, Cheddar Cheese (Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Maltodextrin, Wheat Flour, Whey, Monosodium Glutamate, Buttermilk Solids, Romano Cheese from Cow's Milk (Part-Skim Cow's Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Whey Protein Concentrate, Onion Powder, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil, Corn Flour, Disodium Phosphate, Lactose, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Dextrose, Tomato Powder, Spices, Lactic Acid, Artificial Color (Including Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Red 40), Citric Acid, Sugar, Garlic Powder, Red and Green Bell Pepper Powder, Sodium Caseinate, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, Nonfat Milk Solids, Whey Protein Isolate, and Corn Syrup Solids.

..in just the Doritos alone??

Phew. [pause]. Catching my breath..

And wondering who's the one who really had 'so much fun' and 'loved' the shopping experience? I mean, at least white bread would have been more cushiony..

It's not really surprising to see this celebrity mom binging on crap, though. Earlier this summer, the reality star blacked out, saying:

'I was just running down the beach like I always have been lately. And then I just woke up. I didn't eat anything this morning.. I'm so embarrassed that I punished my body for a photo shoot.'

She admits: 'I've been obsessing about this weight thing a little too much.'

Just a little..

In the ongoing celebrity race to lose the baby weight ASAP, Kourtney reportedly lost about 33lbs in just three months after delivery. She then flaunted her superficial 'victory' on the cover of Life&Style trash, with flowing hair, a big pearly smile, and all.



The Kardashian sisters are said to have become [gulp] role models for many girls/women. Let's just hope this 'weight thing'/'experience' is not one they will follow.


Happy Healthy Juicy Nourish You & Your Baby Better Than Krap!

Bar Bites to Keep Noshing.

Bar Refaeli, model and Leonardo DiCaprio's on-&-off-again girlfriend, tweeted yesterday:

'I get so sad when I see 15-year-old pale extremely skinny models at the agency looking all shaky and hungry… when will it end!?!?'



Looks like this Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model can add 'Role Model' to her resume..

Now, if only more models would keep feeding the public these HealthyButJuicy perspectives, maybe girls [& women.. & men!] will actually swallow these Bar-licious bites.

Happy Healthy Juicy Take the Skinny Out of Models! ..& others in the public eye who possess the power to influence! Rarr.

Elizabeth Hurley Hurls Breakfast Out of Morning

Breaking news! Elizabeth Hurley tweets blasphemy, swearing against the most important meal of the day! Gasp! Shocker! OMG it's the end of the world! What controversy! I can't believe she... Wait, Elizabeth who? Exactly.



Elizabeth Hurley. Austin Powers is the only thing that comes to mind and that came out in the '90s. Yeah, so last century.



According to Wikipedia, 'Hurley started working as an actress in the late 1980s and became a model in 1995. During the 2000s, she worked unsuccessfully as a reality television presenter in Britain.'

Today, according to her website, it looks like she still dons the covers of magazines and now sells beachwear and 'guilt-free snacks', including oat bars, fruit bars, and.. beef jerky! Who knew? Beef jerky, good and good for you?.. Also, according to IMDB, it looks like she may have a couple of movies on the way too, her first since '04.

So what's all the hubbub? Well, yesterday Hurley tweeted:

'Btw my diet survived the onslaught of phenomenal vacation food-doctors disagree, but I swear by almost nothing for breakfast for adults.'
August 24, 2010 1:31:08 PM EDT

'For adults.' Way to be a role model for your kid, Mum.

Seconds later, that was followed by instructions.




'Mugs of hot water first thing, maybe an espresso and a few oat cakes mid morning.'
August 24, 2010 1:32:42 PM EDT






It has been reported that Hurley 'has a long history of bizarre diets', being a notorious crusader for watercress soup.


Truth is, we live in a diet-obsessed society. Likewise, along with, it's riddled with disordered eating and eating disorders.

Not meant to judge whether Hurley falls under either category, but her use of Twitter isn't helping her image, if that's what she's after..

Select tweets [with accompanying commentary] from this past month alone..

'After weeks of greedy Mediteranean guzzling, tomorrow I start a new health regime. Just raided Holland & Barrett for diet supplies....'
1:58 AM Aug 10th


What's there to raid when you're going on a diet?..

O, right. The misnomer that is the 'health food store'..



'I felt lonely this morning so I cuddled and kissed my black spaniel til he begged for mercy'
August 13, 2010 4:10:09 AM EDT

Lonely or hungry?..


'About to make my health shake-Day 3. The key to initial days on diet is never to eat any of your favourite foods. Fish for lunch. sob'
August 13, 2010 6:08:39 AM EDT

After all, deprivation is known to be highly effective..


'The best inspiration for eating less is to go to the ballet-I saw the Mikhailovsky's Swan Lake recently & the girls were enchanting.'
6:21 AM Aug 13th

[hurl. oops.] ..Yes, because ballerinas are known for their quality eating habits..



'I haven't had tinned spaghetti since the 70's but it's mighty tempting. Along with Angel Delight and tinned Corned Beef.'
1:58 PM Aug 18th

Well, Chef Boyardee and Hormel are known to induce salivation.. And Angel Delight? It's a powdered product, designed to whip up into a mousse-like dessert. You can find a description of it on a website called 'Practically Edible'. Practically.


It's obvious Hurley isn't exactly role-model material when it comes to her relationship with food and body but at least she's probably being honest about it. Typically, all you hear celebrities say they have for breakfast is oatmeal and blueberries, as if read straight out of a dietician's handbook [as if that even existed]. In which case, which is worse? Speaking foolishly or like a fabricated saint?

As for what diet regimen is right for you, don't consume blindly— food, fad, or hype— ask questions, do research, and find out why! In the case of Hurley's prescription, for example..

• Consider the source: How trustworthy is Elizabeth Hurley for telling you what and how to eat?
  
• Find the logic: What's the purpose, rationale, and evidence to support skipping breakfast?
  
• Consider the pros & cons: What are the consequences of skipping breakfast?
  
• Be mindful: As a parent, is this a healthy way or 'model behavior' to raise a child?

And note, these questions and considerations are not specific to Hurley's comments but to all advice, claims, and anything else you encounter from media, books, family and friends.

Also, for an interesting read, though typical in editorial approach [think antithesis of Supersize Me], check out: 'My size zero diet nightmare'.


Happy Healthy Juicy Power to the Educated Consumer!

Hatcher Buries the Hatchet on Fake Beauty

Teri Hatcher let the critics get under her skin and took to her Facebook page [which the Desperate Housewife apparently has] to post self-shot pics of herself in nothing but a towel in an album titled, 'Oy with the Botox!!!'.


'Out of the bath getting ready for bed. Thought about all those damn critics of my face. Love it or hate it, my face that is, no surgery, no implants, no matter what "they" say. Decided I'd shoot myself in to reveal some truths about "beauty" and hope it makes you all easier on yourself.'


She attempts to inspire..


'Did I every toy with fillers or Botox over the years? yes. Tell me does this look Botoxed to you?
Yes I am alone in my bathroom naked in a towel on behalf of women everywhere trying to make a point. Women YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL'


She raves about role models just like her..


'I can be mad, or confused or sad and tired. Julia Roberts had that same vein in her forehead in Eat Pray Love. Proud of Julia for being a real woman on a real journey.'


She even gives us a lesson in photography.. who knew acting wasn't her only craft?


'45 year old me. Just me wanting to teach that all those glam versus trash pictures of celebs are about LIGHTING. It's not makeup it's not suregery or botox its LIGHT. Flat front light in you face especially sun setting 4pm light blows out all wrinkles and imperfections. Over head light, sun anything casts shadows under your eye from your brow making you look tired. Shoot all family reunion photos that way over the camera man who should be holding the camera a little higher than your eye line.'


Props to Lois Lane for reporting that women don't need Botox & the artificial like to be beautiful. Now, if only she were able to recognize that Dean Cain was both Clark Kent and Superman..

But in all seriousness, take it from Bruno Mars— doling sweet candy for your ears, filling you with self-respect, and leaving you without a single cavity.




Happy Healthy Juicy Love Yourself Just the Way You Are! ..wrinkles, sags, aging and all!

Reality-Ideality-Toolbox.

    Jennifer Lopez Marketed.                             J Lo For Real?








             Barbie.                                                 Magician: Photoshop.

Bodies Can Support Image, Just Not Life.

It’s been reported (reliability of source, unknown) that Posh Spice, aka. Victoria Beckham, is trying to beef up, sans beef, but with starchy carbs because she’s trying to get preggers. They’re supposedly trying for a girl this time. Her and her soccer player husband, David, have three boys at the moment.

This post has been looming in the back of my mind for a while and it seems like this is as appropriate a time as ever to bring up the issue, which is… housing. ..of babies-to-be.

I started noticing a somewhat dramatic trend in Hollywood a while back— an increasing number of celebrities were giving birth to multiples. And I’m not talking about Octomom or Kate Gosselin. But consider Angelina Jolie and Marcia Cross, amongst others, both are mothers of twins.


And then there’s Giuliana Rancic—do you know her? In case you don’t, she’s the co-host of E! News with Ryan Seacrest, ‘reporter’ for celeb events, and, as of recent, star of (yet another) reality show. Because of her latest role, she’s made it public that she’s trying to get preggers. She even went on The View to talk about it:

"[The doctor] said [I should gain] 5-10 pounds, which I know isn't a big deal and if you want to have a baby you should do whatever it takes… I had to bite that bullet. You have to understand something. I work out everyday of my life, I love feeling good, waking up, working out. I finally did gain the 5 pounds. We're working on more."

So how do you think she’s doing?             [comment box is below].
(The pic on the left is from June ’09. The pic on the right is from March ’10.)






It’s been about a year [?] since she’s been trying and still no ‘luck’ (nor excess calories, it seems). Her stint on The View apparently also didn’t turn out so well. The day after...

Whoopie said: "It's not like she's an actress; she's on the red carpet, so she should gain the weight."
Giuliana’s retort? "Because I'm a reporter, I'm held to a different standard than an actress? It's almost like she puts actresses on a pedestal. I thought that was the most ridiculous statement I've heard on that show in a very long time."

In other words: 'It’s not fair! Why are they allowed to be skinny and I’m not??’


Please, tell me now what’s really ridiculous..

..in the meanwhile, I’ll tell you what’s not fair:

• 1 in 5 women struggle with an eating disorder or disordered eating.
• Eating disorders affect up to 24 million Americans.
• At least 50,000 individuals will die as a direct result of an eating disorder.
• The diet and diet related industry is a 50 billion dollar a year enterprise.
• One study found that over 1/2 the females between the ages of 18-25 would prefer to be run over by a truck than be fat, and 2/3 surveyed would rather be mean or stupid.
• If today's mannequins were actual human women, based on theoretical body fat percentages, they would probably cease to menstruate.
The Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness, (2010 Apr 06).


…o, and one last one:

Everyday men, women, children, and adolescents are bombarded with images of women like Angelina, Posh, and 'G', (who may or may not be menstruating), and duped into believing that that is healthy and beautiful.