China's new beauty standards. OMG!

I guess U.S. women aren't the only ones obsessed with "beauty". There's an article on ABC News about women in China going under the knife to have more "western" eyes, fuller lips, bigger breasts and longer legs (a painful procedure where they break the leg bones and insert robs to make the legs grow a few more inches). Ouch!!!

There's even a beauty contest for women who have had plastic surgery. I suppose that the majority of U.S. beauty pageant entrants have also had some plastic surgery, but we don't talk about that. The photo shown here is of winners of China's beauty pageant for women who have undergone plastic surgery. (AP Photo)

The article says that the new beauty standard in China is "whiter, thinner and taller." It's so sad to see those beautiful Asian women wanting to look white. It's something that women of color here still struggle with. I myself am American Indian and even though my generation has embrace our ethnic beauty; there are still lots of women striving to be "blonde and blue eyed".

Have you noticed the diet/exercise commercials on TV: whenever they show before/after photos of women who've lost weight they have almost always become a blond, too. What is this crap about "blondes having more fun" anyway?

Its sad to see women in other parts of the world trying to look like our immaciated, boney, starving white models. How many of us actually look like that?

So the U.S. continues to spread its insane definition of "beauty" to other countries. oh joy...

Jennifer Love Hewitt is my new hero

I was really pissed off when the media called Jennifer Love Hewitt fat. They were talking about the photos of her on a beach in a bikini, with her full breasts, womanly hips, and curves. Oh my god, she looks like a real woman, and they were calling her fat.

I am so glad that I'm not a teenager in this day and age. But I do feel afraid for all those young girls out there who are eating this media crap up and thinking they have to be skinny, sickly looking twigs in order to be considered beautiful.

I love Love Hewitt's response to the media crap:

"I’ve sat by in silence for a long time now about the way women’s bodies are constantly scrutinized. To set the record straight, I’m not upset for me, but for all the girls out there that are struggling with their body image. A size 2 is not fat! Nor will it ever be. And being a size 0 doesn’t make you beautiful. What I should be doing is celebrating some of the best days of my life and my engagement to the man of my dreams, instead of having to deal with photographers taking invasive pictures from bad angles. To all girls with butts, boobs, hips and a waist, put on a bikini - put it on and stay strong."

Love Hewitt is a size 2 and is about 5' 4" tall. She's a SIZE 2 and is being called fat. I'm a size 10, does that make me obese?

Women need to start fighting back about this weight thing. Especially women in Hollywood.

"Britney News" makes me sick

Usually I'm feeling fine for being over 40. But the last couple of days I haven't felt so good. Headaches, fatigue, and a never ending pain in my upper back have left me feeling really, really sick.

But what's making me feel even sicker is having to listen to the latest on that twenty-something, airhead Britney Spears. For Christ Sakes, who cares? I sure as hell don't. Why are all the media shows and even the NEWS shows going on and on about this fracked up woman? I have to keep switching channels every time her name/face pops up on the screen because I just can't take it anymore.

I keep thinking about what TV was like when I was a teenager. I don't remember this kind of insanity getting coverage. The news seemed to have real news stories. What has happened to the media? Who has taken over and why are they filling the free airwaves with this trash? I am absolutely sick of hearing about famous young girls getting thrown in jail, knocked up, married, divorced, ect. ect.

How about some real news? How about giving us something that will actually affect our lives: for better or worse, I don't care. Just anything other than B.S. (which is what I've taken to calling her.)

Yes, Ms. B.S. please take your newest boy toy and flee the country. and don't bother coming back.

Perimenopause hit me with 10 extra pounds

Ok, ok, ok. I think I finally figured out why I've gained over 10 pounds in the last couple of years. (After having maintained about the same weight for the previous decade.) Its caused by that no good
PERIMENOPAUSE!!!! Arrrggggg!!!!!

I've been doing some reading up on my new "friend". And it seems that perimenopause AND menopause have been known to cause weight gain in many, many women.

Now I do have to admit that weight gain isn't all that bad sometimes. For instance, I used to be a steady weight of around 137 lbs. (I'm 5' 8" in height), now I'm about 147. So my pants don't fit me anymore, and my shirts are too tight around the waist to button. BUT on the upside I am no longer cold all the time. And that's a BIG plus, cuz I've spent my whole life always being cold. and it hasn't been fun. Aside from that, that's about the only plus I an think of with having gained weight.

On doing an investigation of my new friend, I've found out some interesting things. It is believed that hormone levels associated with menopause cause weight gain. Great! Thanks!

But, according to my sources, that's not the only cause of weight gain. Aging and lifestyle also play a part in how our body changes as we age. Lifestyle part: I am most guilty of. I blog, read, watch tv. Bike riding and walking? Don't do much of that anymore.

Menopausal women tend to exercise less, eat more, and burn fewer calories. Yup, sounds like me. The result is a shift in our body from less muscle to more fat, and that causes a slow down in our metabolism, which then causes more weight gain and less muscles tissue, which then causes lower metabolism, which then..... ahhhh, its a catch 22.

Weight gain can cause health problems, but excessive weight gain during menopause can also increase our chances of developing serious conditions. Studies have shown that women who gain over 20 pounds after menopause increase their risk of getting breast cancer by about 20 percent. Women who lose 20 pounds after menopause (are there really women out there who have done that?) reduce their breast cancer risk by about 23 percent. (Oh, I sound so Phd.-ish.)

Of course, it is within our power to keep this from happening. Exercise, good diet, strength training, blah, blah, blah will keep us from gaining tons of weight and developing health problems. I really wish blogging was on that list.

My investigations have also relieved that women who are in menopause require less than 200 calories a day to maintain their weight. 200 calories!!!!! Oh my god!! Can anyone stay alive on 200 calories?!!!

So what I've found out is if I eat a healthy diet and exercise while still in perimenopause, I'm less likey to gain even more weight when menopause sets in. (In otherwords, perimenopause is just the beginning of the weight battle!) Time to stick my head in the sand and pretend I never heard of any of this. Its going to be a very tough battle me thinks.