Your Best Self

We all recently learned that ammonia-treated beef, aka “pink slime”, was served in school burgers. But what else is in there? NPR’s Allison Aubrey explains it all in Tiny Desk Kitchen. Watch and learn! (more…)

By Katryna Starks

No, this has nothing to do with lingerie. It has to do with making every day a perfect wardrobe day. With never looking in your closet and finding things that don’t fit, are out of style, or just make you feel “blah”. It’s about building the perfect wardrobe so that no matter what you pull out of your closet and put on, you look fabulous. It’s about having everything that you wear make you say “Oh, Yes!” when you put it on. Every single outfit. Everyday.

The first step to building the “Oh, Yes!” Wardrobe is the creed:

I will not buy anything that doesn’t make me smile when I try it on.

This is actually pretty simple. How many things do you try on that you have to convince yourself to buy? You have questions. You have options. If it were just a bit more this or that, then it would be perfect. But it isn’t, and it’s easy to end up spending money on clothes that are almost right, but not quite. If you follow the creed, your wardrobe won’t end up perfect, but you will look and feel wonderful in everything you wear.

Of course, you’re probably thinking that it’s really hard to find things that look that good on you, which brings me to the next rule:

Often shop. Rarely buy.

You’re right if you think it’s hard to find amazing clothes that fit perfectly and look good on you. That’s why you need to shop a lot, but you won’t buy much. Now if you’re like me, the “shop a lot” part is easy. Refraining from buying clothing that is less than “Oh, Yes!” is hard. If it helps, in the dressing room, ask yourself the question “is this o-wear?” Did you smile – wide – when you saw yourself in that item? If the answer is no, it’s not the right piece for you.

In order to have a truly “Oh, Yes!” wardrobe, you have to follow a rule that might be difficult to swallow:

I will accept my size and buy clothes that fit properly.

If you’re comfortable in your own skin, this is a no-brainer. However, if you’re trying to lose weight, the temptation is great to buy the next size down as an incentive. “I’ll be there soon enough!”, you think. Oddly enough, that type of thinking – and buying – is detrimental to your fitness efforts. It’s really discouraging when you can’t find anything to wear that makes you feel good because all of your pretty clothes are too small. Also, weight loss, if done properly, is a slow process, so you might feel great from exercising (more energy, increase in strength, etc.) but have not changed clothing sizes. Accept the size you are. As a matter of fact, building an “Oh, Yes!” wardrobe involves being beautiful at the size you are. Revel in that! Shop at discounters like Marshalls, Ross, TJ Maxx, etc. so you aren’t breaking the bank on clothes. That way, when you do drop a size, you haven’t spent too much on clothes you can no longer wear. Also, keep in mind that as you lose weight, clothes that are slightly too large aren’t a problem. Sometimes they even drape better as you move to the smaller size. You can still wear them as long as they look great on you.

So far, I’ve talked about how to buy in order to build the “Oh, Yes!” wardrobe, but there’s another part to it – the clothes you already have.

Throw out your frumpy-frownies.

Once you have a few pieces that you love in your arsenal, it’s time to get rid of some of the things you don’t like. It’s a good general rule to donate an item of clothing for every one you buy. So, go through your closet and try everything on. This time, the question is different. What makes you frown when you try it on? I mean a true, visible, physical frown. If you hate the item – or hate the way it looks on you – it goes in the donation box.

Other things to do are to make note of designers that you like and stores where you find their clothes. You may find some online stores that fit you wonderfully as well.

You won’t get an “Oh, Yes!” wardrobe instantly, but if you follow the rules, you’ll easily have a week’s worth of o-wear in no time. Add a few more items and you can get through a month if you rotate. Once you have two months’ worth of clothing, you have enough to look great all year long!

By Katryna Starks

Getting fit involves 30 to 60 minutes of cardiovascular exercise a day, but that could be difficult for some. If you find that you can’t walk, run or perform aerobic exercise for that long, it may not because you’re out of breath, it could be that your muscles are tired.

Our muscles are capable of great strength, but only when they’re used. On an average day, we have enough muscle strength to get through that day and not much more. So, for instance, if you work at an office, then your muscles are used to sitting most of the day and not being used. When you get up and try to walk or run for 20-30 minutes straight, your muscles aren’t used to that activity and duration, and they tire out quickly. The tiredness you feel and the inability to complete a workout can be discouraging, and people often quit soon after they start. So how do you get around that? Don’t worry about cardio for a while. Start with strength.

Strength training is usually performed with machines or dumbbells. Ad advantage with dumbbells is that you can work out at home, whereas machines are usually only at a gym. With strength training, you don’t have to work out for 20-30 minutes at a time. Just 5 or 10 minutes will do if you’re a beginner. The goal with strength training is to actually push your muscles to fail. That’s because when muscles fail, they tear. When they rebuild, they become stronger, enabling you to do more. In strength training, muscle failure is not working out until you can’t move – it means to work until you can no longer keep perfect form. So, for instance, if you’re performing a bicep curl (weight in hand near your knees, lift weight to your shoulders and lower) and you can’t get the weight up to your shoulders anymore without resting or wobbling, then you have worked your bicep muscle to failure.

If you work out at a gym with machines, the machines or the gym trainers will guide you to an appropriate weight. If you have dumbbells, it’s good to use a weight that you can lift 8-12 times. Traditional strength training involves working one muscle at a time, in alternating sets. That means you would work on your biceps for 12 repetitions, then move to your legs for 12 repetitions, then back to your biceps again after they have rested. A newer form of strength training is called functional exercise. In functional exercise, you use the entire body to perform movements that mimic the types of movements you do in real life. Dumbbells are involved because machines don’t usually have settings for functional exercises. These involved not only lifting, but squatting, twisting and balancing. Several of these are incorporated into each move. For instance, a traditional bicep exercise is the curl, described above. A functional full-body exercise would involve a squat (sit back without a chair and then stand straight again) and then a bicep curl once you’re standing. Full-body exercises work more muscles at once, so they can allow for very short workout sessions.

If you want to try a home strength program, there are several good ones on DVD. Ones I recommend are:

The Firm: Tough Tape 2

Jari Love

Supreme 90 Day

After a few weeks or months of strength training, your muscles will be strong enough to hold you through 20-30 minutes of cardio exercise. Once you can do cardio, you might find that you like it. Then, you’re on your way to a lifetime of fitness!

By Katryna Starks

Satoshi Kanazawa recently posted an article on the Psychology Today website titled “Why Are Black Women Less Physically Attractive Than Other Women? Why Black Women But Not Black Men?”

 Now, as a Black Woman, I’ll be the first to say that this is offensive, I’m also offended that this is considered valid research. The article itself is printed below, with my comments explaining the bad research design appearing after.

 
If you’ve already read the article want to skip to the analysis, click here.

“Psychology Today” posted:

Why Are Black Women Less Physically Attractive Than Other Women? Why black women, but not black men?
Published on May 15, 2011 by Satoshi Kanazawa in The Scientific Fundamentalist

There are marked race differences in physical attractiveness among women, but not among men. Why?

Add Health measures the physical attractiveness of its respondents both objectively and subjectively. At the end of each interview, the interviewer rates the physical attractiveness of the respondent objectively on the following five-point scale: 1 = very unattractive, 2 = unattractive, 3 = about average, 4 = attractive, 5 = very attractive. The physical attractiveness of each Add Health respondent is measured three times by three different interviewers over seven years.

From these three scores, I can compute the latent “physical attractiveness factor” by a statistical procedure called factor analysis. Factor analysis has the added advantage of eliminating all random measurement errors that are inherent in any scientific measurement. The latent physical attractiveness factor has a mean of 0 and a standard deviation of 1.

Recall that women on average are more physically attractive than men. So women of all races are on average more physically attractive than the “average” Add Health respondent, except for black women. As the following graph shows, black women are statistically no different from the “average” Add Health respondent, and far less attractive than white, Asian, and Native American women.



In contrast, races do not differ in physical attractiveness among men, as the following graph shows. Men of all races are more or less equally less physically attractive than the “average” Add Health respondent.



This sex difference in the race differences in physical attractiveness – where physical attractiveness varies significantly by race among women, but not among men – is replicated at each Add Health wave (except that the race differences among men are statistically significant, albeit substantively very small, in Wave III). In each wave, black women are significantly less physically attractive than women of other races.















It is very interesting to note that, even though black women are objectively less physically attractive than other women, black women (and men) subjectively consider themselves to be far more physically attractive than others. In Wave III, Add Health asks its respondents to rate their own physical attractiveness subjectively on the following four-point scale: 1 = not at all, 2 = slightly, 3 = moderately, 4 = very. As you can see in the following graphs, both black women and black men rate themselves to be far more physically attractive than individuals of other races.






What accounts for the markedly lower average level of physical attractiveness among black women? Black women are on average much heavier than nonblack women. The mean body-mass index (BMI) at Wave III is 28.5 among black women and 26.1 among nonblack women. (Black and nonblack men do not differ in BMI: 27.0 vs. 26.9.) However, this is not the reason black women are less physically attractive than nonblack women. Black women have lower average level of physical attractiveness net of BMI. Nor can the race difference in intelligence (and the positive association between intelligence and physical attractiveness) account for the race difference in physical attractiveness among women. Black women are still less physically attractive than nonblack women net of BMI and intelligence. Net of intelligence, black men are significantly more physically attractive than nonblack men.

There are many biological and genetic differences between the races. However, such race differences usually exist in equal measure for both men and women. For example, because they have existed much longer in human evolutionary history, Africans have more mutations in their genomes than other races. And the mutation loads significantly decrease physical attractiveness (because physical attractiveness is a measure of genetic and developmental health). But since both black women and black men have higher mutation loads, it cannot explain why only black women are less physically attractive, while black men are, if anything, more attractive.

The only thing I can think of that might potentially explain the lower average level of physical attractiveness among black women is testosterone. Africans on average have higher levels of testosterone than other races, and testosterone, being an androgen (male hormone), affects the physical attractiveness of men and women differently. Men with higher levels of testosterone have more masculine features and are therefore more physically attractive. In contrast, women with higher levels of testosterone also have more masculine features and are therefore less physically attractive. The race differences in the level of testosterone can therefore potentially explain why black women are less physically attractive than women of other races, while (net of intelligence) black men are more physically attractive than men of other races.

Ooh! Scientific words! Pretty graphs! Completely wrong.

The entire study isn’t worth the pixels it’s written in.

1 – Satoshi Kanazawa, the author of the study, has had several statements and studies debunked by professional researchers who have pointed out errors in statistical analysis, so this guy has a reputation for creating dubious, if not downright invalid research. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satoshi_Kanazawa)

2 – The main objective measure of attractiveness that is true for all races and cultures is symmetry. Nowhere in the study does he say that Black women tend to have asymmetrical features more often than others.

 3 – Without regard to symmetry (which apparently wasn’t measured in the study), you’re left with opinion – which this study appears to be based on. In that case, you need a random sampling of people from around the world who have minimal exposure to other ethnicities in order to have a proper representation of opinions. This is the only way to see if there is an attractiveness consensus. In general, Asians will find Asians more attractive, Africans will find Africans more attractive, and people in Western societies (i.e. America, Britain, etc.) will find people with Caucasian features more attractive. In this study, although he appears to ask several races about attractiveness, he doesn’t say where they live, so I presume they are in London where he is. If that is the case, regardless of the race of the individual respondents, they would have a Western/Caucasian standard of female beauty. So, if he’s asking a bunch of Westerners their opinions on attractiveness, you’ll end up with results that rate Caucasian features as most attractive in women, and African features as least.

 4- Racial prejudice exists, and wasn’t specifically factored out. In other words, he would have needed to have the respondents take another survey unrelated to this one where he tests for racial bias in general either for or against certain races. Then, he would have to evaluate the results of the attractiveness study while using the results of the racial bias study as a variable so he could see if the “attractiveness” level was merely a reflection of inherent racial bias instead of an actual objective attractiveness rating. It could very well be that the responders have a latent bias against Black people. This could be a factor unknown to them (they don’t think they are prejudiced, but they are) and, this bias could even be held by Blacks (they could see themselves as highly attractive while still holding a culturally inherited bias against Black people). Without specifically testing for and ruling out racial bias, it becomes a confounding variable in the attractiveness study.

In essence, the research design appears to be flawed, making the results of the study worthless.

* The actual article has been removed from the Psychology Today website.

By Katryna Starks

Cleaning up clutter is time-consuming and stressful. For every item you pick up, you have to make several decisions. Here or there? Keep or toss? Those decisions can be overwhelming and mentally taxing. And, depending on how much clutter you have, you might have to make hundreds of those decisions at once. No wonder you dread it!

But here’s a simple solution: find a home. Not for you, for each of your items. Not a vague “around here” spot, but a specific place that each item goes when not in use. This still leaves you with a lot of decisions to make, but you will only make them once. Every time after that, you use the item and then place it back in its proper home. You don’t have to re-decide where that home is. You already made that decision.

But what about new things? Find a home for them, too – before you buy them. For every item you want, think about your house and where it will go when it’s just being stored and not in use. If you can’t think of a home for the item, it’s possible that it’s just an impulse buy and its home, for now, is in the store. If it is an item you really need, then perhaps there are other items that you already have that can be donated to make room for the new item. You can always leave the item in the store and then go home and plan your purchase by deciding what it will displace. Think of each new item like a new child or a pet – you have to have a place for it to go before you bring it home. That will keep your home, and your mind, clutter free.

In the past few years, brain games such as sudoku have become very popular as people try to ward off the mental signs of aging. For the social types who aren’t prone to puzzles, there is another way to strengthen the brain.

Canadian researchers have found that the brain appears to treat multilingualism as a puzzle, of sorts, and that multilingual people develop Alzheimer’s symptoms about 5 years after monolingual people. The multiple language skills don’t actually affect the disease of Alzheimer’s – the brains of multilingual Alzheimer’s patients show deterioration – but multilingual individuals don’t show outward symptoms of the disease. This delay in symptoms appears to average about 5 years.

Although the participants in the study had been multilingual for several years, it may not be too late to start. Learning a new language is a fun activity that can open the door to new friendships and activities. It’s easy to start, too. Sign up for a class at a local community center or community college to learn with others. Grab some language software to learn at home. You can even start for free by getting a well-known poem from the internet and using Google Translate to see it in a different language.

Go ahead. Try it now!

Reference: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101108161226.htm

Beth Payne is an actress, linguist, comic, children’s advocate and health coach. She has appeared on My Wife and Kids, The Jamie Foxx show and Comic View. Currently, the midwest native who speaks 7 languages, lends her voice to 6 different characters on PBS’s Maya and Miguel. In 2009, her whirlwind life came to a standstill, but her faith helped her get back on track. Here is her story:

How did this journey begin for you? I went from wearing a size 8 in February 2009 up to a size 12 in February 2010. I was in a very unhealthy relationship and I ate comfort food, didn’t work out and was spiritually broken. Once I got out of the relationship. I started working on me. I was focused on really regaining the person back that I lost…..ME!

What motivated you to change? I walked past the mirror one day and didn’t recognize myself. I began peeling back the layers of everything that was weighing me down physically, mentally, spiritually, as well as what was in my environment. I had to build myself up with Gods help in every area. In seven months I was down to wearing a size 4-6! I didn’t lose the weight because of stress. I just kept focused on my Spirit and purging out people, excess stuff, and things about me that was toxic; replacing it with nothing but positive, nourishing activities, food, and people in my life.

What is the most surprising thing you learned during this process? Now I am using what could have destroyed the person that I was called to be! I love motivating people and sharing with them this process in detail. I have several clients that I now work with as their Healthy Life Style Coach! People’s lives are changing in every area!

If you could tell people one thing about being healthy, what would it be? The weight is the physical manifestation of what is going on in the Mind and Spirit! Once you get your life in order everything else falls into place. God works in order. Once we organize our lives one step at a time our lives become a lot easier to handle. We become more aware of what’s around us and what we put in us. There are things people, habits, and foods we all need to remove from our lives and until you do you will always be stuck in a body that you don’t recognize! I am here to help people get out of that. They just have to commit to talking the first step! Looking in the Mirror and saying “I matter and I am worth it!” then believe it! “Good Character is worth more than any material gain! Think First Then Do the Right Thing!” ~Beth Payne

By Katryna Starks

So you want to cut down on sugars but you don’t want chemically-based sweeteners either? Mother nature has come to the rescue! Here’s the skinny on four great natural sweeteners that make staying healthy taste better than ever:

Xylitol Xylitol is a sugar-alcohol that is naturally found in fruits and vegetables, and made by the body itself. It has 2/3 less calories than table sugar. It is commonly used as a sweetener in sugar-free gum because it has been clinically shown to improve dental health by reducing cavity and plaque formation. Xylitol is safe for diabetics to use because it doesn’t affect insulin levels. Xylitol can be bought in bulk at local health food stores.

Erythritol Erythritol is a sugar-alcohol that is naturally found in some fruits and fermented foods. It has no calories and it’s almost as sweet as sugar. It is used as a sweetener in a lot of sugar-free foods and is also available in bulk at some health food stores. Bonuses for erythritol are that it doesn’t cause some of the laxative effects associated with other sugar alcohols due to the way it is absorbed by the body. Like xylitol, it is resistant to cavity-causing bacteria and is safe for diabetics.

Stevia Stevia is a leaf and not a sugar. The extract is taken from the plant and processed. Stevia has a bitter aftertaste in hot things, but it is much less pronounced when used for cold foods and drinks. Stevia is emerging as a new sweetener that is automatically added to some foods and beverages. It is calorie-less and thought to be safe for diabetics. Due to the synergy effect, it is often mixed with sugar-alcohols to moderate the bitter taste and to boost the sweetness.

Luo Han Guo Luo Han Guo is a fruit found in Asia. It is ground up as a powder for use as a sweetener. It is about 150 times sweeter than sugar, but safe for diabetics. Some have noticed a caramel aftertaste (as opposed to the bitter aftertaste of stevia). As a fruit, Luo Han Guo has plenty of antioxidants. It is mostly available online in the United States, but keep an eye out for it in your favorite health food store.

By Katryna Starks

YourBestSelf gives you the real deal when it comes to attaining your goals. Recently, we talked with Audra Wasson, who lost 70 pounds over a year and a half. She spoke about the changes she made, how she dealt with a plateau, and one exercise method that women shy away from, but shouldn’t. YBS: For background, what was your starting weight/size and what is it now?

AW: My start weight was about 210 lbs. My clothes size was size 16/18. I am 5 feet 2 inches in height. My weight now is 140 lbs! My clothes size today is size 6, small, & some X smalls for tops or shirts depending on how there are made.

YBS: How long (total) did it take to get from the start to now?

AW: It took me roughly about 14 months to lose the weight WITHOUT SURGERY! I must add WITHOUT SURGERY because people who’ve known me from years past almost automatically assume that I’ve had some sort of surgical procedure such as the lap-band or gastrointestinal bypass. I have kept it off for a little over 4 years!

YBS: A lot of people are lead to believe that they can get “instant results”. How long did it take to see any results in your body after you started your diet and exercise program?

AW: I began to notice results in 3 months. They were most noticeable in my face, neck, arms & shoulders.

YBS: Were there any significant plateaus between the start and the finish?

AW: Yes, I hit a Plateau in my 9th month.

YBS: If there were plateaus, how did you get back on track? How did you deal with them emotionally?

AW: Actually, I did not fall off track during my Plateau (thank God). I just continued to persevere with diet & exercise and the Plateau ended so suddenly. By the time I realized it, I had gone down another clothes size! The best way to handle a Plateau is to just keep exercising. You can also modify your workout routine & diet in an effort to “trick” your body to burn more calories & break the Plateau.

YBS: What did you change first? Eating habits or exercise?

AW: Eating habits first, exercise second.

YBS: How did your eating habits change during the transformation?

AW: The first thing I did was purchase a George Foreman Grill. Second, I became more a label reader of the nutrition facts while grocery shopping and when eating out. I even check restaurant websites for their nutrition facts in advance whenever possible.

YBS: How did you deal with cravings? Do you have any “do not eat” foods?

AW: I eliminated all fried foods, breads, candy, cookies, French fries, pizza, butter & margarine, Also, I have not eaten Red Meat for over 7 years. I also modified my diet by monitoring my fat, carb, sugar, & sodium intake. I use Splenda as a sweetener instead of pure sugar. As far as cravings, I would modify sweet cravings by replacing candy bars with reduced sugar granola bars, trail mix (pull the M&M’s out), sugar-free jello-o and or popcorn cakes. Not all at one time, of course. I BELIEVE THAT SMALL GRADUAL CHANGES ARE THE KEY TO SUCCESS! YBS: How did your exercise habits change?

AW: I will admit that I was never a big fan of exercise outside of “walking”. My son & I moved into an apartment complex that has a fitness center. One day, I decided to just go and dedicate 30 minutes to a walk on the treadmill. Well, I fell and skinned my left knee within the first 15 minutes. I stopped and retreated back to my apartment after the fall. Lol! However, I didn’t give up! I returned to the gym the next day and one day led to another day and 15 minutes turned into 1 to 1 ½ hours per day!

YBS: When I start an exercise program, I gain MORE weight initially but physically get smaller. Was this your experience? Is the scale your best weight loss indicator or is it clothing fit / measurements?

AW: No. My experience was the opposite that first of all, I began my program with cardio only. I lost weight and a lot of inches first. I incorporated the weight training into my regimen after 2 months. Now, my daily workout regimen includes cardio & weights. The best weight loss indicator for me is my clothes size & measurements. Personally I use the scale only a few times a year. The reason for this is that in the past, I was easily discouraged by using the scale if I didn’t feel like the weight was coming off fast enough.

YBS: Describe the importance of weight training in your program.

AW: Weight training is very important! The weights help define the muscle tone and help burn fat. Ladies, it’s okay to lift the heavier weights so by all means, don’t be afraid to lift heavy weights. WORK YOUR WAY UP TO THE HEAVIER WEIGHTS GRADUALLY THOUGH.

YBS: You’re an Ardyss distributor. Did you start that before or during your weight loss phase? How did the garments impact your own body image and self-esteem?

AW: I became an Ardyss Distributor after my weight loss. However, the garments and nutritional supplements allowed me to lose that last stubborn 10 lbs. successfully. I went down 4 additional inches in my Thorax and waist 6-months after wearing the garments & taking the nutritional supplements! The Ardyss Reshaping Garments have improved my health, posture, body image & self-esteem by giving me the HOURGLASS figure without surgery or pills!

YBS: Countless women start diet/fitness programs and then falter along the way. What kept you on track?

AW: I believe that my belief & faith in God played a huge role. I’m sort of a self-starter so, I wrote down a list of things that motivated me. My son, family, fiancé and friends are a huge part of my motivation. I also took a long look at my family health history. Diabetes and Hypertension are huge players in my family. I want live a long life with the BEST QUALITY OF LIFE POSSIBLE and I know that health & wellness is a huge part of that.

YBS: What is the one thing about diet/fitness that you know now that you wish you had known your entire life?

AW: Wow! I wish I knew how important it is for you to eat several small meals (especially breakfast) each day instead of eating once a day or just starving yourself.

YBS: Diet and fitness changes often take time (time to cook, time to exercise, etc.). How did you fit those changes into your schedule?

AW: Diet: Well, the George Foreman Grill became my best friend. I was surprised at how quick it cooks food. Also, planning your meals in advance helps a great deal. Sometimes I prepare meals that last from 2 to 3 days. I also keep healthy fast foods (fruit, salads, trail mix, boiled eggs, crackers,) with me when I travel to eliminate me purchasing junk foods out in the street. Fitness: I wake up at 4:45 a.m. daily and exercise, meditate, & pray. I also exercise when I travel whenever possible. It’s a great way to start the day! Its boosts your metabolism, attitude, and is an AWESOME stress reliever. My lifestyle change was a change for the better. I have more energy to and feel better than I’ve ever felt in my life. I have the stamina to run around with my family and friends and not get “winded” so easily. It has made me better in every role I function in on a daily basis! I have been able to motivate & encourage others to get health. I love helping people live healthier lives! At the end of the day, total and complete Health & Wellness involves being healthy in the mind, body, soul & spirit. This is a constant work in progress!

Audra Wasson is an Ardyss International Distributor and can be reached at: 865-771-0364 or msaudramarie@yahoo.com Audra’s Ardyss Website: www.ardysslife.com/audra.wasson

“I had a VOM when I stopped at a fast food restaurant, but got a kids meal instead of regular size. They market the meals with cartoons and toys, but the calories are more appropriate for me than the meals marked toward adults.”
- Anne, 34

“When I was out and I got hungry, I used to stop and get fries. Now I stop and get blackberries.”
- Tanya, 28

“I gained a few pounds a year for the last 5. I didn’t lose any weight this year, but I didn’t gain any either. Things are turning around!”
- Tracy, 42

What’s your small victory?