What is Your Body’s Real Age?

I recently came across this fun and informative body age test, and thought I’d share. Apparently the website has been around for years, but somehow I have never seen it up until now.

Anyways, I went ahead and just took the test.

I thought for sure that the test results would shave years off my age. After all, I am only 28. I don’t smoke, rarely drink and eat right (most of the time). I’m a picture of health, right? Wrong. I was very, very wrong.

The results added 5 years to my age! So, my “RealAge” is 33. I don’t believe 33 is ancient or anything, but it is 5 years older than my real life age.

The test asked questions about my lifestyle that I wasn’t prepared for, and I think that really brought my age up. I have to admit, that the results were a real eye-opener. I’ve always assumed that I was a healthy person, but this test has made me realize that eating right and exercise aren’t enough. How happy you are, and how you live your life are also incredibly important to your overall health.

I invite you to take the RealAge test, it’ll take just under 10 minutes for you to complete. Best 10 minutes you can invest in yourself today.

So, what’s your real age?

If Life Were a Blackberry Bush…

I recently went blackberry picking with my family, and my parents tagged along. I’d taken my sons with me before, but this was the first time for my husband and dad.

Anyways so, we all split up and start picking. About 50 minutes later, I notice that my bucket is almost full, so I go to hunt down my husband. I totally thought he would be done, but instead he only has a couple dozen berries at the bottom of his bucket. Huh? It’s been almost an hour and he only had 20 berries in his bucket?! He proudly tells me that he only picked the most perfect berries. Right.

So, I go take a peek at my oldest son’s bucket.
Dozen berries.
Same story.

I could tell you how many berries were in my dad’s bucket, but I’m sure you can already see the trend here.

I share this story, because I was just so surprised to see the men (even the little ones) in our berry picking group only wanted perfection in their berries. Of course, I couldn’t help but compare their desire for perfect berries to the average man’s desire for the perfect woman. I’m not saying all men are this way, but many share this mindset.

I was just surfing around YouTube and came across this video.

We see pictures of perfect women on tv, magazines and the Internet and we think that is how a woman is supposed to look like. Look at all the hard work and the team of help that woman had to make her look “perfect”.

Comment made by YouTube user megk2011,

Its amazing that we base our vision of beauty on people that don’t really exist…

“Perfect” people just don’t exist.

I convinced my husband to go back out into the blackberry field that day to gather us some (less-than-perfect) berries. I also showed him this video, and he was blown away by the transformation.

If life was just a big berry bush and I was a blackberry, I’d like to believe my husband would still pick me (even with all my flaws). I’m sure he has the good sense to not compare me to the staged berries he saw on the latest cover of Gourmet Magazine. ; )

Mom to Sextuplets Runs 26 Mile Marathon

Jenny Masche is my inspiration for the day, and I consider her a Super Mom.
What exactly makes Jenny Masche a Super Mom you ask?

• She gave birth to sextuplets!
• She went into cardiac arrest during delivery and nearly died.
• She took the time to train and successfully run a 26 mile marathon before their first birthday.

How does a new mom to 6 babies find the time or energy to train for a marathon?

“Because they’re good sleepers,” Jenny Masche told Meredith Vieira during an exclusive interview on TODAY Thursday in New York. “As soon as I put them down at 7 o’clock at night, I’d literally throw my running shoes on and my friend and I would go and run for like two hours.”

I wouldn’t recommend that all new moms train for a marathon to get fit, but I do think that each of us can carve out a little bit of time during the day to get healthy. I’m just so inspired by this woman’s self-discipline, so much that I am going for a long walk this evening (and will even throw in a few stretches throughout the day). No excuses today!

You can learn more about the Masche family here.

Jessica Alba Wears Must-Have Mommy Gear

Jessica Alba gave birth to her baby girl just weeks ago, and already she is looking amazing!

I really admire a few of the fashion choices she is making right now. Most new celebrity moms are quick to start wearing tight and revealing garbs to show off their figures, so it is kinda refreshing to see a celebrity mom dressing so comfortably.

Below I outline 4 fashion items that every new mom should own.

1. The Sundress. I really love the outfit she chose to wear in public, a light-weight sundress. The simple sundress is PERFECT for new moms to wear during the spring and summer months. I personally had a really beautiful floral sundress that I practically lived in those first few months after my son was born.
2. Headbands. Jessica is also smart to wear her hair back in a bun with a headband. This is a no-fuss style you can easily pull off when you are in a rush and are having a bad hair day.
3. Dark Sunglasses. I also think the dark sunglasses are a fabulous way for new moms to hide their tired eyes.
4. Sandals. Jessica finishes the outfit with a cute pair of flat sandals, comfort is key here ladies!

Overall, even though this outfit isn’t exactly hot and sexy, it is comfy and fresh-looking.

Children’s Book Explains Mommy’s Plastic Surgery

I just came across this unusual book and had to share! Many of the moms who visit this blog are here because they are looking for answers to improve their postpartum body. Some moms have great results with exercise or by applying topical products, and some moms make the bold decision to undergo plastic surgery. This book was written to help those moms who have elected plastic surgery, and have young children.

From the author:
Dr. Michael Salzhauer, a renowned plastic surgeon, wrote My Beautiful Mommy to help patients explain their transformation to their children. The story guides children through Mommy’s surgery and healing process in a friendly, nonthreatening way.
Through vivid illustrations and straightforward dialogue, My Beautiful Mommy explains a parents physical transformation in a breezy, child-friendly manner from a young childs perspective. You and your child will follow along as Mommy goes through her plastic surgery experience and learn how the entire family pitches in to help Mommy achieve her beautiful results.

Waking up to find mommy covered in surgical wrapping (or suddenly restricted to bed rest) can be a really scary image for a young child. Perhaps a well-written book could help ease a child’s distress with the situation, unfortunately this book seems to miss the mark. I’m sure the author wrote this book with the best of intentions, but something about it just feels icky.

**Please note that this book is NOT intended to be a bedtime story that you would consistently read to your child. My Beautiful Mommy is a book targeted specifically for moms who are seeking to explain plastic surgery to their children.

• Author explains why he wrote the book.
• Another blogger pokes fun at My Beautiful Mommy, by creating her own spin-offs.
• View the book’s website.

Do You Have a Muffin Top?

Ever had anyone call you a muffin top before?
Did you happen to be wearing tight low-rise jeans that day?
If so, then you were most likely sporting what is called a “muffin top”. I recently learned about the term thanks to one of my younger, hipper sisters. We saw a cashier at Target who seemed to be proudly displaying her muffin top by pairing a too-tight pair of jeans with a too-tiny red tee.

According to Wikipedia…
“Muffin-top” is a generally pejorative, slang term used to describe the phenomenon of overhanging flesh when it spills over the waistline of trousers or skirt in a manner that resembles the top of a muffin spilling over its paper casing. This generally occurs when an individual wears low-rise, hip-hugger pants, or midriff-baring tops that are too small.

Cute commercial from LifeSavers about a woman who is clueless about muffin tops.

So…how do YOU AVOID THE DREADED MUFFIN TOP?

Stacy London, host of TLC’s What Not to Wear, states,

“The “muffin top” is caused by a waistband that’s too low and too tight. When your tummy spills over the sides of your jeans, you know you’re a member of the muffin club.

But, there’s good news for muffins everywhere, Stacy says. Waistlines are rising! The ultra-low rise fad is fading fast, and the new mid-rise styles will keep your belly from bulging.”

After pregnancy, your body may carry extra weight or sagging skin that is especially hard to cover up with a low-rise jean. So, your best bet is to wear pants that rise a little higher, and to also consider wearing loose blouses to cover any potential “muffin” from showing.

Smooth Your Lumpy Thighs of Cellulite

I AM SO EXCITED! I just finished watching a video on YouTube of the Tyra Banks Show about cellulite. Several women took a 4-week challenge to get rid of their cellulite with the help of Nivea. I could go on an on, but go ahead and scroll down to view the video yourself.

I know, I know, Tyra is pushing this stuff so heavily most likely because Nivea is a sponsor of the show. Irregardless, the women in the video looked pretty great towards the end of their month-long challenge. For $11 bucks a bottle, I think it is a pretty good deal. Especially for those of us who are fighting the battle of the thigh dimples. Thigh dimples are only cute on babies people!
You can view the Nivea Body Good-bye Cellulite Smoothing Cellulite Gel-Cream here. I strongly suggest that you also consider purchasing the patches and supplemental capsules. At most, you’ll spend under $40 bucks and will follow the regimen that women used on the Tyra Banks Show.

You can visit the Nivea Good Bye Cellulite site here to get ideas for exercise and diet.

I really hope this stuff works. If anyone has an experience they’ve had with the Nivea Good-bye Cellulite product, please let me know!

Don’t Use Mommy’s Bliss Nipple Cream

Apparently the FDA issued out a press release on May 23rd in an effort to warn the public of the potential side effects of using Mommy’s Bliss Nipple Cream. The cream is supposed to help nursing mothers soothe and heal their dry nipples, but the product includes ingredients that can cause respiratory distress or vomiting and diarrhea in infants.

According to the FDA

Potentially harmful ingredients in Mommy’s Bliss Nipple Cream are chlorphenesin and phenoxyethanol. Chlorphenesin relaxes skeletal muscle and can depress the central nervous system and cause respiratory depression (slow or shallow breathing) in infants. Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that is primarily used in cosmetics and medications. It also can depress the central nervous system and may cause vomiting and diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration in infants.

Moms should watch for:

• decrease in an infant’s appetite
• difficulty in awakening the child
• limpness of extremities
• decrease in an infant’s strength of grip
• change in skin color.

Please seek immediate medical attention if your child is showing these signs and symptoms. Mothers whose infants may have suffered adverse effects because of this product should contact the FDA’s MedWatch at 800-332-1088.

You can read the rest of the FDA’s press release here.

Halle Barry’s Postpartum Body

Given that Halle is notably one of the most beautiful women in the world, it is no surprise to me that she looks so fantastic six weeks after the birth of her baby girl, Nahla Ariela Aubry.

If you are thinking about going out and showing the world that you have “brought sexy back”, this dress will certainly fit the bill. The dress has a plunging neckline that allows Halle to show off her amazing new breasts. The empire waist also leaves room for her to hide any lingering pregnancy fat. Finishing the look is a snazzy pair of high heels.

If you want to follow Halle’s postpartum workout regimen, you can click here.

Oprah on the Vegan Diet for 21 Days

Apparently Oprah has had yet another awakening, and is now following a vegan diet for the next 21 days to detox her body. According to Wikipedia, Veganism is a philosophy and lifestyle that seeks to exclude the use of animals for food. Vegans endeavor not to use or consume animal products of any kind.

So, why is Oprah temporarily taking on this new lifestyle? Oprah’s blog explains:

In her book Quantum Wellness, best-selling author and spiritual counselor Kathy Freston suggests trying a 21-day cleanse as a way to jump-start an inner makeover. Oprah has decided to give it a try! The plan is to eliminate caffeine, sugar, alcohol, gluten and animal products from your diet for up to 21 days. Read along as Oprah blogs for three weeks about the highs and lows of her experience.

I have to admit that I find her new initiative to eat more healthy (for a limited period of time) very inspiring. So inspiring in fact, that I am also going to try and do a similar vegan detox diet. Of course I don’t have a personal chef to cook up the fabulous menus she is promoting on her site. Instead I am going to loosely follow a vegan menu created for diabetics, which can be found here.

Here are a few other resources you might find handy:

Vegan meal plans created by Dina Aronson, MS, RD of NutraWiz.com.
List of popular everyday products that happen to also be vegan.
Guide to understanding animal ingredients.

**Please be sure to talk to your doctor before taking on a new diet. Nursing moms should be careful to monitor their calorie intake.

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