Hello :) I hope you are having a kick-bootay start to your week.
How precious are these ducklings and duck?!
[Source]
Not sure why, but I had the impulse to Google pictures of ducklings last night. ;) Last year we saw some in our area so I am hoping to see them again this year! So gosh darn cute.
Something else that made me smile was coming down to Vegan Overnight Oats on a Monday morning. I decided to turn the VOO into Banana Soft Serve VOO. Even though I was cold, I was just craving this breakfast again! I bundled up in my robe and dove in…
Banana Soft Serve Vegan Overnight Oats
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup oats
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 banana, mashed
- 1/2 scoop Amazing Grass Amazing Meal chocolate powder (optional)
Directions: Whisk ingredients together and place in fridge overnight. In the morning, make the Banana Soft Serve and layer in a glass as shown.
Don’t forget the awesome nutritional stats of this breakfast too!
I also made some fresh juice this morning…
4 carrots, 1/2 grapefruit, 1 lime. It was way too tart though! Next time less grapefruit and lime, and more carrots. ;)
Updates:
- There are more Spring Glo Variety Packs, RUN, Adore, Empower, Chi, Classic, Renew, and Endure Glo Bars added to the store!
- Banana Soft Serve and parsnip fries spotting
- New page alert! Don’t forget to check out my new Quotes and Before + After pages.
- Check out these great kitchen tips and tricks in the comment section. Lots of great ones!
This morning as I was eating my breakfast I started to think about this advertising campaign that I saw earlier this year…
It is an advertisement by the National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC). You can drop your magazines into the slot to support ‘shedding your weight problem’. I originally posted about it here.
I have never seen an ad like this before and I thought it made quite a bold statement.
My question to you today is, how do you feel about women’s magazines? Do you read them? What about women’s health/fitness magazines? Are there any that stand out from the pack?
I personally used to be the magazine QUEEN. I used to buy 1-2 magazines per week! Eric says that I was addicted. I was looking for the cure to my body/weight/hair/skin problems. However, once I entered grad school, I needed to make cut-backs to save money, so magazines were among the first to go. Now I never buy them because I just got out of the habit. Last year my Father in law got me a subscription to Runner’s World, and I actually enjoyed that magazine quite a bit. It stood out from the others.
I am off for a couple business meetings this morning. Lunch may be in or out, depending on how long they go. This afternoon I am doing another huge order for Ambrosia and then also baking up my other orders. Not sure what my workout is going to be. I may have to squeeze it in over lunch or do an evening workout.
Have a great day! See you for 1,000 words this afternoon.
{ 112 comments… read them below or add one }
I am a magazine junkie, but more because I love the mind-numbing reading. I don’t read them in search of fitness tips – most are all hypocrital anyway, posting something one month than something different the next.
I’ve always been a HUGE magazine reader, even going back to the days as a seven year old when I’d get sick and ask my grandmother for popsicles and Teen People as a care package. I currently subscribe to four fashion/beauty magazines and while I do see that they contribute to body image issues, I’m able to separate the model from the clothing she wears. I enjoy the magazines as a purely entertainment/fictionalized literature perspective, the same way I would enjoy a crappy “chick novel”.
Love the new blog look! So fresh and modern looking!
I don’t buy women’s magazines. I don’t think they really do much but perpetuate the belief that we are not good enough. I’d much rather read blogs :D
Awww baby ducks! That picture made me squee.
I have a conflicted view of magazines. On one hand, I do think that some are interesting and relevant and they’re a major pillar of global media and reach very widely, so they’re powerful sources of information. But like I feel about *any* source of media, the audience needs to recognize that this is a mass-produced slice of information not aimed at ANY ONE PERSON in specific but rather attempts to be a one-size-fits-all source for their audience. I think people give women’s magazines too much crap for touting weight-loss regimens – I mean, if people didn’t want it, they wouldn’t publish it. I understand, for sure, how triggery these things can be for people recovering from serious body issues, but magazines don’t set out to maliciously trigger, they set out to sell magazines. Basically, I love to read ‘em, but I always take ‘em with a grain of salt.
I still read magazines sometimes…I try not too, but I guess my insecurities just suck me in. They are definitely addicting!! I have been doing well buying less magazines, but then sometimes I just go to the magazines website!! Uhh, what’s a girl to do! :o
I love your new layout!!!
I really like magazines. I read a ton of them – I need them to stay entertained with my cardio every day! The ones I read: runner’s world, self, fitness, and shape. I think all of them tend to be good for body image, rather than the opposite – especially self!
I used to buy teen magazines when I was younger but that’s about it. Nowadays I just buy magazines when I’m on vacation, to read on the beach or whatever. I don’t really pay much attention to it or make comparisons, it’s just a way to pass the time, honestly. :)
Have a great day Angela!
I love this add. When I was in college, I took a class on eating disorders and how much the media influences them. We each had to do multiple projects that focused on positive aspects of ourselves, more personality traits than physical traits. I feel so strongly about this issue in our country. I definitely think magazines contribute to girls having poor body image by putting un-realistic looking women throughout the pages. I also think other types of media portray women in an unrealistic light, which in some twisted way, makes us women feel like men expect a woman like those ones. Then, we try to be thinner, prettier, and flawless. It’s so sad to me. I wish we could do something to change it. I really like how healthy your approach is and I really appreciate reading your blog! I’m also a Runner’s World subscriber, and agree, I love it! Thanks for all the inspiration :)
Hello there – I’m new to your blog and i love it!!
As for women’s mags.. i used to be really in to them looking for a cure for my flaws but I think it’s just something I’ve grown out of. I’ll pick one up if I’m in an airport or something like that but i rarely ever buy them.
AND baby ducks melt my heart!
First of all, I love your new blog look! What a wonderful picture of you (not that they are not all wonderful)!
That really is an bold statement, and I do like it. I have to admit that I tend to enjoy magazines like SELF that to me seem very positive and uplifting rather than degrading. I only subscribe to magazines that I can read from cover-to-cover without feeling bad about myself. I think that woman’s magazines can be a great source of information and inspiration without making women feel bad about themselves. I wish more magazines were like that.
i like the new look of the blog! personally i am not a fan of magazines. they all seem to say the same thing. the ones i do like are runners world and real simple. i read others but those seem to be the ones i enjoy all the time :)
I love the new website too. Your image at the top is gorgeous!!
I read a ton of magazines, but it’s really just for something to read when I am at the beach, or for a few minutes before bed. I get inspired by Runners World and Women’s Running Magazine, and I enjoy Real Simple for home-type stuff.
I love that ad campaign!! What a great message :)
I used to be a big magazine person. All of them. Now I rarely buy them because there just seems to be more positive ways to spend my time/money. I do like to read Cosmo every once in a while though..
I love that ad though!
This is a really interesting question. I don’t buy magazines mostly because it seems like a waste of money and paper but can see how it would encourage an unhealthy body image in some women. It’s easy to forget that people in magazine have gone through professional hair and makeup, then Photoshopped extensively.
I pretty much only get a few magazines that focus on recipes. Otherwise I prefer blogs.
I used to be a huge fan of Cosmo but then realized it only made me insecure! I gave all my issues away and couldn’t have been happier, I don’t miss them at all!
I used to read LOADS of magazines when I was younger. I mean, I was reading Cosmo at 13. I figured if I couldn’t be thin I could at least be pretty…
Nowadays the only magazines I read are Runners World and National Geographic. I don’t trust most magazines anymore and the content of most of them is rubbish. It’s no longer important to me that I have flawless skin or lose 5lbs in one week or try the Baby Food Diet. I think me and my self-esteem are better off without them! I’ll stick to running techniques and learning about water conservation instead!
I do enjoy my magazines…but I agree that the airbrushing and unrealistic physical picture that they paint can be really harmful. I love seeing new products for face, hair, etc…but diet tips…not so much – most of the time – esp in mainstream women-oriented magazines – the articles are way less inspired than their headlines and full of information that I’ve already known, they’ve already published before or they’re just plain wrong about.
I used to be the magazine queen too! (But I’m talking…4-5 mags/week) Yeah, that’s embarrassing :?
I’d rather read magazines like Glamour that have a mixture of articles from girly things to world-breaking news. I think magazines that soley focus on nutrition/weight can be an unhealthy addiction
I love Runner’s World! This is the only mag I have a subscription to. But I have to say, every month I scour Whole Foods for the latest issues of Body & Soul, Health, and Shape. In all honesty, I read them for the nutrition and health aspect, not the weight loss. But I will definitely admit that those models certainly don’t help my self esteem… it’s unfortunate what, as women, we feel we’re expected to look like. I thought that advertisement was really powerful!
I used to love buying magazines and like you I bought 1-2 a week. These days I don’t really buy that many – sometimes I’ll pick up Natural Health or Women’s Health, but not often.
I think one of the reasons that I stopped buying as many magazines is that I prefer reading/finding out about things via blogs.
I used to be addicted to magazines too! I was also trying to find the solution to each and every problem I thought I had. But lately, I have been paging through, skimming the few subscriptions I still have. I’m not sure I’ll renew Self and Shape. I am kind of tired of reading about the same things that affect my self-confidence in the first place. I think I need to not think about these things so much and the magazines are kind of a constant reminder.
The only time I read mags are when I’m strapped to the elliptical or bike-and I borrow themfrom the library right next to the gym! I never spend moeny on them because I think it’s a waste. Most of the info is already well known or can be found easily on the web. Also,I hate how I unconsciously compare myself to the girl in the photo!!
I love the new layout!
I used to buy EVERY tabloid that was on the newstands each week AND the monthly women’s magazines. I was obsessed with finding some miracle solution to my self-image problems. I’ve broken myself of the habit and only allow myself to my tabloids when I am travelling by plane because aside from being expense, they just focus on unhealthy crash diets and plastic surgery. As far as “healthy” magazines, I love Self. I think that it sends a positive message each month.
I read them but see a multitude of problems in tem- and they’re all airbrushed, even fitness mags like shape! I can’t stand the unrealistic images and therefore standards it sets!
I really don’t enjoy woman’s magazines at all. I used to subscribe to Cosmo, but after a while all those stupid sex tips become annoying. Do I really need a list of ways to “please my man” every month? No. I actually find Cosmo rather dull and boring now. I’d rather spend my time reading novels and magazines like Time. I like to stay updated on current events and Time is perfect for that. I guess as I grew and matured my taste in reading materials did also!
I used to be a magazine junkie but now I only get Runner’s World as well! I like it because it focuses on running to run – not as a means to lose weight. I used to get Self in the mail but after reading magazines like that every month I realized that they say pretty much the same thing in every issue (how to burn more calories, how to cut calories, etc.) In college I was also guilty of buying US & In Touch (not technically women’s magazines, but I would bet women are their primary customer) but now I just get my gossip fix off of the internet. I feel so wasteful now buying a magazine only to throw it out at the end of the month!
I love that ad! I think it’s fantastic. That being said, I do read SELF magazine and Weight Watchers and I like to look at magazines like Cosmo and People. The first two don’t really bother me too much, but the last two I look at them with an open mind knowing that those people aren’t real. I don’t have to look like them. I look like me and I like me. :)
Good luck today!!
Ah magazines… I like Runner’s World and Self but most magazines are all about the “quick fixes” and whatnot and I always end up feeling bad about my body.
I avoid most women’s magazines like the plague because I used to read them obsessively as part of my disordered eating thoughts and behaviors. Even though I’ve moved past that point, I still try to be careful because I know how easy it is to fall back into that mentality. I think it’s important for everyone to recognize – regardless of if they have a disordered eating history or not – that those magazines often portray unrealistic images and can do just as much harm as good. Also, they’re usually just filled with the same information month after month! BORING!
Of course, this isn’t the case with all magazines. Like you mentioned, Runner’s World is a great one. I also really like Body + Soul.
As with blog-reading, I had to cut down on some of the magazines I was reading. Sometimes the messages get mixed and can do more harm than good to the psyche.
I had to give up magazines for my self-esteem/sanity. I used to really like them but would really feel horrible about myself after I read them. Now, I stick to work-out type mags (and only every once in a while- I do love Runner’s World though), food mags, and lifestyle stuff like Real Simple.
I hate women’s magazine with a passion. I think they are such a waste of time. I think what is worse that women’s magazine are teen magazines, like Teen Vogue and Seventeen that cater to high school aged girls. Those are the worst.
I think magazines fall somewhere in between for me. I’m sick and tired of seeing perfectly toned females in every issue. It’s simply not realistic to think that we all look svelete and cellulite free at all times!! But, on the other hand, I enjoy reading the real life stories that many of the magazines put forth. I find it inspiring to read stories of women who have lost great amounts of weight the healthy way.
I do love reading magazine,s but after a while… it all starts to get to be the same, you know? The same health tips, the same “look skinny in a dress” spreads, the same fashion articles… Meh. I’m kinda over magazines. Sure they’re fun to read once in a while, but I think it’s a bit of a waste of money to buy it every month. I mean, I’m perfectly happy with an old issue; the material in it still applies, which I think says something about the originality… :S
I tried the banana soft serve this afternoon! Maybe my banana was still too frozen, but when it “blended” it just sort of mushed into three large chunks? Still tasty, though. :D
Have a great Monday! :)
Wei-Wei
I avoid magazines like that, talking about diets, beauty, make-up. they always make me fell less of a woman, ugly and too fat.
I only read one magazine, which is a lot different, and talks about emotions, whole body well-being, soul and healthy food.
Hey, Ange.
I view women’s magazines as I do trash novels and bad chick lit. It’s ok to read them if you find it fun and if you yourself KNOW that the information in them is rarely reliable. Does that make sense?
I kinda equate it to watching trash TV. :)
I gave up on all women’s magazines about two years ago. I didn’t believe they truly focused on health and fitness, but rather were a conglomeration of tips and suggestions primarily focused on losing weight and getting a man. The “gossipy” feel didn’t appeal to me either. The women they feature on their covers are not necessarily focused on health, but celebrities of some sort, and their fitness models (Shape, Self, etc.) all fit a particular type (usually very thin/lean). The silly “tweaks” to lose weight in women’s magazines aren’t enough – you need a commitment to truly eating the most nutritious foods and incorporating cardio and weights.
The only magazine I regularly get is Oxygen. I’ve found the focus on fitness to be unparalleled. If I need advice on hair, clothes, trends, relationships – I’ll go talk to a REAL person.
I love magazines. Especially on the elliptical or in a dentist´s office or when I just want mindless entertainment. I read a lot of the health and fitness ones now, like Self, Shape, and Health. And I think these magazines do have a lot to offer (sometimes) with interesting articles, but it kind of feels like all magazines have the same content all the time. Look at the covers, even of the more respectable ones… Slim Down By Saturday! Eat This To Shed Pounds! Tighten Your Tummy! EVERY SINGLE MONTH. I know that is the point of the magazines but I wish there was more about being happy where you ARE and healthy from the inside out INSTEAD of perpetuating our idea that we must ALWAYS be trying to lose weight.
{ 2 trackbacks }