My Experience With Spanx: Love 'Em or Hate 'Em, I Gotta Have 'Em!


Sarah Blakely is the inventor of Spanx, and she was also on the cover of Forbes Magazine’s special issue.  This woman is a godsend to women!

The day after I turned the big 3-0 in March of 2011, everything changed.  I began to notice things were falling – from my face to my ankles.  This couldn’t be happening, at least not yet anyway!  I’m not old enough, right?  While I’ve never minded the aging process (especially because I’m 5’0” and have always wanted to look older), it was the first time that I saw the new me – the adult Isabella.
 
From then on, I started to be very insecure about how my wrinkles looked (no matter how little they were) and began to really take note about my body image.  That December, New Year’s Eve to be exact, my husband and I were going to dinner with another couple and I wanted to get dressed up.  It would be the first time in the past two years that I wouldn’t be staying home in bed and falling asleep before the famous midnight ball drop.  While I could still fit in my favorite little black dress (LBD), I wanted to look a little more toned in my midriff area.  After shuffling around in my drawer, I found a pair of Spanx that my mom let me borrow years ago that I had completely forgotten about.  Perfect, I thought!  So, after sitting down and maneuvering myself on the floor for about fifteen minutes, tugging, pulling and arranging this magic around my body (come on, you know exactly what I’m talking about), I placed my LBD over my body. Wow!  I didn’t look too shabby; in fact, I looked better than I’d looked in awhile.  It was like everything had been snapped back into its place!  I continued getting ready, and the night was wonderful, except for one thing – going to the bathroom wasn’t an easy thing to do.  Just picture me in a small bathroom trying to pull the Spanx back where they belonged!  Besides that little incident, I felt great bringing in 2012 with my loved ones while looking good!
 
Last Saturday, I had an event that I had to go to and wanted to wear a new dress.  Now, while I looked good in this dress, I wanted to wear the Spanx again, so I decided to go buy my first pair.  What an experience it was!

After making my way to the department store, I headed right to the lingerie department to look for Spanx.  I saw a saleslady who I have known for a few years, and asked for her help.  When I pulled the dress that I would be wearing that night out of my purse, she handed me a few different styles of Spanx in my size (so she said), then led me to a dressing room.  When she closed he door, I changed into one out of the two different styles.  The first pair I tried on fit high on the waist.  It was too tight and didn’t work, so I asked her for another size – much to her dismayed expression (sometimes salespeople cane be so judgmental).  In the meantime, I tried on the other one.  Now, this one was by far the least sexy thing I’ve ever tried on.  It looked like something that a pro wrestler would wear – but I liked how it made me trim and toned in all the right places.  This was a winner!  When I slipped on the dress, the straps from the Spanx showed, but I figured that it would work with something else.  Anyway, when the woman brought back the right size of the high-waist pair, I tried them on.  They fit much better and looked great with the dress.  But you know what the best part of these Spanx are?  There's a slit so I could use the bathroom through them!  Whew!  LADIES, SPANX ARE AMAZING!

When I came home, I felt so much better about wearing my dress, but decided to have some fun with the other dresses in my closet, and by the time it was over, my bedroom was a mess!  I’m looking forward to many more experiences with Spanx!

Isabella Louise Anderson is a member of the RWA, and she is the owner of the website Chick Lit Goddess. She resides in Dallas, Texas, where she’s a housewife and mother to 12-year-old cat, Thorndike. A regular contributor at Good Humor Girl, you can read all Isabella's articles and learn more about Isabella.

Book Review: Wedlocked


Wedlocked follows the story of Rebecca Ross, a Jewish woman who has shunned the tradition of an early marriage to a nice Jewish man. Instead, she dreams of becoming a movie star, and although she has a series of minor acting roles in commercials and sitcoms, her dreams of becoming an A-lister just never occur. She sees her one big chance for super-stardom crushed under a Hollywood director and her own emotional reactions. She returns home from Hollywood depressed and with the stark realization that her dreams will no longer be realized. 

Soon after, she meets Craig Jacobs. Although she has no desire to be in another relationship, Craig slowly breaks her down until she marries him just a few months later, not fully realizing exactly what kind of secrets he’s been hiding. After a disastrous wedding and a hideous honeymoon, Rebecca finally realizes that Craig is not the man she’s been searching for and that she has just made a terrible mistake.

Rebecca is a slightly calmer version of Glee’s Rachel Berry and Craig is reminiscent of Miles Raymond in Sideways, right before he freaks out about the Merlot. The characters in this novel are done very well, and although it may be a little far-fetched for Craig to completely shift into another person immediately after the wedding, it is still an entertaining and quick read. 

Bonnie Trachtenberg is the award-winning, bestselling author of Wedlocked and Neurotically Yours. She graduated from New York University with a degree in film and television production. Bonnie was senior writer and copy chief at Book-of-the-Month Club and has written seven children's book adaptations. She has also written for three newspapers and penned countless magazine articles. Bonnie currently writes a relationship advice column for loveahappyending.com. She lives on Long Island with her husband, four cats and a dog. For more information, please visit bonnietrachtenberg.com.
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Fitness Alternative: Boozercise


Swimsuit season is upon us. If your body is beach ready, congratulations. You can proudly wear a bikini and relax by the pool without worrying about everyone judging your flabby underarms or cellulite-ridden thighs.

If you are like me and have never met a basket of French fries you did not like, join me for a drink. I know it sounds crazy, but exercise and alcohol are a great mix. After a night at the bar, I discovered boozercise, and I want to share the benefits with you.

Quick disclaimer: I am not a licensed or unlicensed health or fitness professional. What I am is a twenty-something looking to shed a few pounds while remaining a regular at my favorite bar. I do not condone having more than one or two drinks before or during your workout. I also suggest avoiding heavy machinery, including cars, during and after boozercise.

Now on to the work-out.

Exercise 1: Beerlates (Beer plus Pilates)

A great introduction into the boozercise world, Beerlates is both relaxing and invigorating while working your core. Follow a standard Pilates routine, which you can find for free on Hulu or at a local library. Begin with arm exercises, and hold a closed bottle of ice cold beer in each of your hands. This adds a little bit of weight giving you a great workout. After completing these routines, open one of the bottles and sip in between sets. For a 30-minute workout, drink one beer. Allow yourself up to two during a 60-minute routine.  The number of calories you burn off will vary depending on your choice of beer and the intensity of your workout.

Calories burned an hour:Between 270 for beginner and 500 for advanced workouts.
Calories ingested with two 12-ounce drinks: Between 200 calories for a light beer and 500 for a dark beer (go light).
 
Exercise 2: Vodba (Vodka plus Zumba)

This one is super easy, and the rewards definitely outweigh any cons. Take two shots of vodka before beginning your Zumba routine. This will loosen you up and give you the confidence to shake your booty. Perhaps my favorite of the boozercises, you will burn a lot more calories than you ingest. You can do this easily at home with a dance DVD.

Calories burned an hour: 500 to 800
Calories ingested with two shots:About 110 calories

Exercise 3: Jogtails (Cocktails plus jogging)

This will sound crazy, but I never feel more motivated to go for a jog than after a couple of happy hour drinks after work. Load up your favorite bar tunes on an MP3 player and hit the trails. Feel free to sing along. Just ignore the stares from your fellow runners.

Calories burned an hour: 350-plus, depending on your pace.
Calories ingested with two drinks: This depends on what you drink. Stick to vodka sodas and you will log about 150 calories total.

Exercise 4: Walkabout-and-over (A hangover plus walking and lots of water)

This one might be the most painful, but it is ultimately the most beneficial. After a night of drinking, grab a couple of bottles of water and go for a walk. Go ahead and play some music, but select soft tunes. Sunglasses are also a must. You will feel much better after sweating out the booze from the night before.

Calories burned an hour: At a pace of 3 miles per hour, expect to burn between 250 to 500 calories. If you are faster, you will burn more.
Calories ingested with two drinks:Zero. Water is a zero-calorie miracle.

See, it all comes down to science. By burning more calories than you ingest, you are certainly no worse off. You can get a nice workout and a buzz. Now remember, drink responsibly. Two drinks in one hour is plenty.

Feel free to experiment and find your own favorite combinations for exercise and alcohol. If you find one you like, please share.

Good luck!

Laura Chapman is a journalist, blogger, book reviewer and yet-to-be published novelist. In 2010, she founded Change the Word, a blog that follows her writing career and offers book reviews, author promotions and writing tips. Based in Lincoln, Nebraska, she has two completed novels in editing and is hard at work on her third, which she is adapting for a web series. A regular contributor at Good Humor Girl, you can read all Laura's articles and find out more about Laura.

New Release Spotlight: Prosper in Love

Prosper in Love by Deborah Michel was released this month. It is available in paperback and for Kindle and Nook.

A good marriage lasts forever…until it doesn’t. From the start, Lynn and Jamie Prosper were one of those couples who seem meant to be—so content with each other that they barely notice the rest of the world nodding approvingly at their wedded bliss. But sometimes, even in the very best of marriages, all it takes is a mischievous outsider to bring the perfect couple toppling off the top of the wedding cake… True, Jamie has been working so hard and traveling so much as a young lawyer that he hardly has enough energy to show his devotion. Not that Lynn, a junior museum curator, has any reason to question it. But when Lynn’s old college friend turns up at a cocktail party, chinks in their marriage’s previously unassailable armor start to show. Suddenly, without meaning to, Lynn and Jamie have both acquired divorce lawyers. And those benevolent onlookers—meddling in-laws and competitive friends alike—eagerly bear witness to each new misstep. Is love really enough to make a marriage last? 

Deborah Michel, a former magazine editor and freelance writer, has worked on a long list of publications that includes House Beautiful, Premiere, Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles Times Magazine. She worked as an editor and nightlife columnist for Avenue Magazine, was the west coast correspondent for Spy, and served as a contributing editor at Buzz. She lives in Northern California where she is at work on her next novel.

Vintage Kitchen: Q&A with Candace Nelson


I chatted with the queen bee of cupcakes, Candace Nelson, founder of the Los Angeles dessert juggernaut Sprinkles Cupcakes, who just debuted the world’s first cupcake inspired ice cream shop and cupcake ATM. A fan of American classics, Candace shares with us her favorite retro housewife, favorite childhood television show, and favorite cupcake flavor.

Which retro housewife would you have liked to sit with after school and share a cupcake and a glass of milk?
Lucy Ricardo! Sharing a cupcake with the spunky and mischievous housewife would be a riot. I’d probably bring her a red velvet in honor of her famous hair!

Cupcakes are an absolute old school favorite. What do you think it is about the cupcake that people seem to connect with? 

Cupcakes are pure nostalgia! People are excited to rediscover something they had always loved from childhood but re-purposed to suit their grown up tastes. 

What is your favorite cupcake flavor? Are you a traditionalist? Or do you enjoy the fun flavors Sprinkles continues to create, like salted caramel or lemon coconut?

Sprinkles dark chocolate cupcakes are my all-time go-to favorite. However, I also anxiously await appearances by our salty caramel and s’more cupcakes each season. 

Your new ice cream shop combines two greats into one, the cupcake and ice cream! Tell us about your new ice cream flavors, the cupcake touches, and what the story is on the Sprinkles ice cream sandwich.

Sprinkles Ice Cream is slow churned to incorporate less air for a densely creamy and flavorful ice cream. Traditionalists will love our vanilla bean, strawberry and coffee flavors while more adventurous foodies may opt for salty caramel, cap’n crunch or butter pecan studded with caramelized pecan dragees. Other menu items include red velvet waffle cones, crumbled cupcake toppings, cupcake sundaes, cupcake shakes and the decadent Sprinkles Sandwich – a heaping scoop of your favorite ice cream flavor pressed between two fluffy cupcake tops! We wanted to give the traditional ice cream sandwich a Sprinkles twist!

Sprinkles has led the way to the popularity of the cupcakery. What’s your take on its place in a neighborhood and what kind of comfort it evokes within a community?

When we opened in Beverly Hills seven years ago, we quickly came to know our regular customers as well as their favorite flavors. When we regularly saw familiar faces for birthdays, special occasions, or just for an afternoon treat, it was clear Sprinkles was becoming part of our customers' lives! It’s funny to think that a little neighborhood boy who was only seven when he first started coming to Sprinkles with his mom is now in high school bringing his buddies by!

What’s your favorite television show today and from your childhood?

Today I love Modern Family, but when I was a kid, it was all about Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties!

Thank you, Candace!

Cindy Arora spent fourteen years working as a  newspaper journalist before switching over to magazines and then to online media. She stumbled into food writing thanks in large part to being a waitress, coffee barista, caterer, bartender, cheese girl, cocktail waitress and shot girl for most of her adult life. Cindy was a staff writer at The San Gabriel Valley Tribune,  The Orange County Register, The Stockton Record, and Sacramento Magazine. She has also  freelanced for Saveur,  Orange Coast Magazine, Edible Los Angeles, Tasting Table, Pasadena Weekly and was dining editor for Fodor’s Travel Guides, Los Angeles. Cindy lives in Los Angeles with her young son, Grey. She is hard at work on her first novel, Heartbreak Cake.