Running on Empty

Today, at a pool party, I was chatting with a group of girlfriends when the subject of running came up. The group included my sister Nelly, the mother of three, and my friends Barb and Ashley, who have two kids each. And they all run. And by running, I don't mean running after the kids. I mean running on purpose. For exercise. Ashley, who has a 2 year old and a 7 month old, runs on the treadmill in her condo gym a couple of times a week. Maybe that's why she was wearing a bikini today, when I didn't dare don a bathing suit of any description. And Barb and Nelly were discussing the best times to run outside. Too early, and it's scary dark, but just a couple of hours later and the Florida sun could kill you.
I stood by silently. I had nothing to contribute to the conversation. Which got me thinking, again, about exercise. Not that I would ever run. I would rather have my another c-section without the benefit of a baby than run. I absolutely despise it. But I do like yoga, and dancing, and swimming, and I think I would enjoy tennis, although that requires too much time and planning right now. But somehow, I need to find a way to work it into my routine, even in very small weekly doses. Maybe we can take the girls for the walk we keep talking about, before dinner. That's my goal. I also just checked the schedule at my local yoga studio, and I discovered that they have added a new class at a much better time for me: Monday and Friday at 4 they have beginner's hot yoga. So, my goal, starting this week, is to go to one class a week, and work my way up to two classes a week. That's a doable goal for now, and it's something, anyway. Wish me luck!

Shopping!

This week, I've just finished shooting and writing my fall column, which always puts me in the mood to get back out there and start shopping! So that's exactly what I did. I broke from my usual morning routine and took Lola to the mall Wednesday morning, where I met my mom, sister and her 2 year old Alexandra. While Lola and Alex checked themselves out in the mirror and ducked in and out of clothes racks, Nelly and I hit the summer sales for transitional items. Here's what I picked up:
Sheer silvery lurex sweater with boatneck and pleated bell sleeves from Miss Sixty
Cropped silvery linen jacket from Kensie
Black shirtdress in a treated cotton that almost looks like patent leather, from Miss Sixty
Grey jersey sleeveless empire dress with leather belt detail at waist from Jagger. This can double as a jumper over a long-sleeved black tee for winter

Online, I bought:
An amazing pair of wide-legged jersey sailor pants from Rachel Pally
A fabulous pair of silver heels from an Italian line I've never heard of, which I need to exchange for a larger size
A pair of white leather eyelet cork soled platform sandals from Michael Kors
J. Crew's Martinique jacket

Tomorrow night, I hit the stores again, this time without the babies, so I can do some serious shopping... It's definitely sale time in Daytona, and since it's going to be warm for a couple of more months, it pays to buy transitional items right now, and summer items for next summer!

The Mommy Diet

I'll admit it - I'm one of the lucky ones. I lost my baby weight very quickly after both of my pregnancies. What's my secret? Well, I nursed, seemingly constantly, for as long as I could. I'm stil nursing Eva, my 8-month-old, and will continue to do so for as long as she wants to. But that's not my only secret... In order to really effectively shed post-baby pounds, every mom needs a Lola (my 2 year old) and an Eva (my 8 month old). Here, a day in the life:

6 a.m. Wake up. Nurse Eva.
8:23 a.m. I have been awake for 2 hours. Both of my girls are fed, dressed, sunscreened, hair done, etc. I toast a bagel.
8:25 a.m. "I want bread, mommy," Lola says, swiping half of my bagel. I sit her down at the table. She requests more butter. She gets it (or, rather, an all natural low cal butter spread instead).
8:35 a.m.: "Up, mommy, up" Lola says, extending her arms for me to pick her up. Eva starts trying to climb up my leg.
10:05 a.m. Discover bagel half, now dry and hard, still sitting on counter. Take one bite. Discard rest.
10:15 a.m. Nurse Eva.
1:05 p.m. Sneak one Hershey chocolate nugget with toffee while Lola is watching Muzzy.
1:35 p.m. Realize I'm starved. Stick healthy frozen wrap into microwave.
1:40 p.m.: Sit at kitchen table, feeding wrap to Lola. She decides she doesn't like it and starts spitting it out.
2:22 p.m. Nurse Eva.
2:45 p.m. Sneak one more Hershey nugget.
4:15 p.m. Nurse Eva.
5:37 p.m. Manage to eat two bites of dinner between dispensing spoonfuls of baby food
to Eva. Every time I stop and attempt to take a bite, she starts hitting the highchair tray and "shouting" at me. These days, I can't feed her fast enough. Too cute.
6:37 p.m. Nurse Eva.
7:23 p.m. Both babies are asleep. I head downstairs, where I find my dinner, cold and unappetizing, waiting for me. I fix a cup of tea, grab a cookie, and hit the couch. I am too tired to fix a snack.

There it is - a very glamorous day in the life, and a quick path to weight loss. : ))

Identity Crisis

According to my 2 year old daugher, Lola, "mama" is famous, and she's everywhere. I am Jessica Seinfeld on the cover of her book "Deceptively Delicious." Mama, she will say, pointing at the picture. I am the curly haired mom in her "I'm a Big Sister" book. I am Jessica Alba and Jennifer Love Hewitt and Britney Spears in a "before" pic, tummy hanging out above the waistband of a too-tight bikini. It's enough to give a girl an identity crisis. A few days ago, she spotted Rihanna on the back cover of a magazine, in a Cover Girl ad. "Mama..." she says tenderly, stroking the picture. "Oh, mama... I love you, Mama."
So what if her affections were a little misdirected. I got the message. I love you too, Lola.

Fall Fashion for Chic Mamas

I recently received an email from Lana, my chic, thirty-something cousin. Lana recently had a beautiful baby girl (she already has a tiny hearthrob of a son) and found that she was struggling to reclaim her pre-baby style. Of course, this is a dilemma I'm all too familiar with, so when she turned to me for fashion advice, she got a little more than she bargained for. Here's my take on hip mommy style, circa fall 2008. Keep in mind that all of these items can be found in any price range, from high-high to super low. These are just my personal faves!

I think the key is to find clothes that are practical but chic. This summer, I lived in some really fabulous dressier Bermuda shorts from Tory Burch, Catherine Malandrino and TIBI, paired with tops from Anthropologie. The tops were a little blousy, to hide the bulges that are still there, and they were basically nicer takes on a t-shirt, with cute prints and details like trim, belts, etc.
I love J. Crew right now. This summer, I bought the beige linen cuffed shorts with gold glitter polka dots, the Martinique jacket with raffia trim at the neckline, and a great orange cardigan jacket with gold buttons. They also have amazing jewelry.
I’ve also always been a big fan of BCBG. They have great classic separates with a twist, and their dresses are amazing.
I think the easiest way to go is to stock up on jersey dresses and separates from designers like Ella Moss, Rachel Pally, BCBG and even Juicy Couture. I love the cute jersey dresses they make. They wash well, don’t wrinkle, look great and are super comfortable – like wearing PJ’s. And depending on the style you buy, they are also figure-flattering. In the winter, pair a jersey dress with tights and a cute cardigan from Anthropologie, which has the best sweaters. Another favorite look of mine is snug sweaters with lots of pretty details worn with a great pair of easy pants. I just bought wide-leg sailor pants from Rachel Pally on sale at Shopbop. They’re a really comfy cotton knit – like an upgrade on the yoga pant. Wide leg or trouser style jeans with some stretch in them for comfort are also fabulous, as are corduroys, which are huge for fall. Around the house, I also like to wear really cute loungewear, including pieces from Lilly Pulitzer, Juicy, and Anthropologie. I just bought a gorgeous robe from Anthropologie that I plan to wear as a dress with my skinny, grayish jeans from Paige Premium Denim. Check out the robe:
LINK

Essential pieces:

1. A chic hoodie. Yes, they do exist, and most of them are not velour. My favorites are yummy knits or cashmere. I just bought a hoodie very similar to this one, also at Anthroplogie. LINK
And I love this one: LINK

2. A great knit top, either short sleeved or long sleeved depending on the weather. I love knits because they are so easy. Just wash and wear. They don’t wrinkle easily and are very comfortable. The best basic tees are from Michael Stars, James Perse, Rebecca Beeson and Three Dots. For funkier or more memorable looks, check out my favorite place, Anthropologie. Love this one from Ella Moss: LINK

3. Wide leg cords, jeans or pants. There’s even a pair of decadent two layer cashmere pants on ShopBop right now from Brochu Walker. Very chic this season, and easy to wear. If you are still struggling with the horrors that pregnancy inflicts on your body (hee hee), wear these with a long tee or tunic and shorter jacket or hoodie. Love this look. It’s easy but pulled together.
These are the Rachel Pally ones that I just bought: LINK

Next I’m going to buy these cords from Notify. They are fabulous and will go with everything this fall. LINK

4. Skinny jeans, cords or leggings. If you’re comfortable with your legs, these are cute and really comfortable. I love them with tunics, and I love combining skinny jeans with a long sleeved, elongated tee and a short snug jacket. My favorite leggings are by Three Dots and my favorite skinny jeans are the Blue Heights cut from Paige Premium Denim. I get compliments every time I wear them! LINK

5. The jersey dress: Like I said, these are a must! Look for Ella Moss, James Perse, Rachel Pally… They are comfortable, versatile and very chic. This style from Rachel Pally is great:LINK

And this one from Ella Moss is very typical of her cute and comfy aesthetic:
LINK

6. A fabulous cardigan. These are perfect for winter thrown on over whatever you’re wearing. This car coat from Vince even doubles as a sweater dress, and doesn’t pack on too much extra bulk: LINK

Like I said earlier, my favorite cardigans are from Anthropologie. I also love Moschino and Blumarine for the most gorgeous sweaters, but most of them are a little dressier. These are the ones I will be wearing this fall:
This one is gorgeous, and surprisingly versatile: LINK

And this one can be dressed up or down:
LINK

For a dressier look, I'm obsessed with this one:
LINK

7. Ballet flats. Most days, I trade in my trademark stilettos for a chic yet comfy pair of ballet flats. Flat boots are also hot for fall, and can be very versatile if you pick a great neutral style. A metallic shade goes with everything, so it’s a no-brainer. My favorite ballets are from Repetto (the French company that makes authentic dance shoes) and Tory Burch. Repettos are handmade so it’s hard to find a good selection, but in Canada (where Lana lives) Gravity Pope carries tons of them. I love the Demeter flats: LINK

And these from Tory Burch: LINK

8. A great wedge shoe is stylish and practical, since it offers a little more stability and comfort than most heels. Love this versatile style from Charles David:
LINK

Makeover Postponed : ((

This morning, during a typically wacky breakfast with my two girls, the phone rings. It's the doctor's office, rescheduling my facial peel/Botox appointment that I had finally made after years of procrastination. Fortunately, it's postponed until September 4, so at least it is still definitely on my calendar. Too bad I have to wait two weeks to see the results...!
Meanwhile, I need this more than ever, because just a couple of weeks ago, I was talking to a couple of girlfriends about what I will forever call the 40 incident (the young guy who guessed that I was 40 at a cocktail party), and one of these friends, who I will call Missy, is the same age that I am - 38. She is gorgeous and stylish and slim and she told me that she was buying wine and jokingly asked the guy if he needed to see some ID. He said: "No, you're like 45." She SOOOOO does not look 45. She doesn't even look 35. What a jerk! And, while she was dating a younger man, his friend came up to her and said: "So, you're that old girl he's dating." So maybe that guy's comment had less to do with me than it did with him... Whatever. I'm still getting Botox!

Drugstore Discoveries

A few nights ago, after being cooped all day with a sick Eva (: (( )my fun outing for the day was a trip to Walgreen's. I really felt the need for some new beauty products, and didn't have time to get to the mall. Fortunately, the local drugstore has come a long way in the last couple of years. Here's what I found:

Sally Hershberger's new line of hair products: Hollywood's hottest stylist has her own line now, of course. Love the glamorous packaging. I bought the conditioner, the shine spray, and something called a primer, which is designed to be used as a base for other styling products - all for wavy hair. I'll test them and let you know what I think!

Marc Anthony's conditioner and gel for curly hair: Again, I will review these after I test them

Neutrogena Healthy Skin: A classic. I picked up the Intensive Night Cream, the day cream with SPF20, and the eye cream. These will tide me over until I decide which products to pick up at the dermatologist's office.

Weleda Creamy Rose Body Wash: Love Weleda. Who knew this staple of health food stores and beauty boutiques was now available at a drugstore?

Yes to Cucumbers Body Wash: This is one of the new natural lines being sold at drugstores these days. I'm a big fan of anything cucumber-scented, so I decided to give this a try.


Other surprises: Besides Weleda and Burt's Bees, I was surprised at how many natural, organic lines are now being sold through drugstores. They definitely offer more options for consumers who want to try out this trend without spending a bundle.

Mineral Makeup: Not that this is a new trend, by any stretch, but every single line has a mineral product now. If only they were easier to test and choose!

High End Hair Lines: I thought this was still illegal! I'll have to look into it. I was SHOCKED to see Frederic Fekkai hair products at my local Walgreen's, along with every other line imaginable, from Redken to Pureology to TIGI. Can't beat the convenience!

The Flat Belly Diet Diaries: Nelly

My sister, trouper that she is, stuck with the 4 Day Anti-Bloat Kick Off part of the Flat Belly Diet for the duration. Here, a few notes on her experience, and her results:

She hated the Sassy water (fresh mint, lemon, ginger and cucumber slices steeped in water) and would have preferred plain H20.

She hated the watery smoothies, made with frozen fruit and skim milk.

Her biggest hurdle was giving up her 2-3 cappuccino a day habit. Diary entries include: "Should I give up now? Coffee..." "Coffee!" "Nervous about no coffee." "Not looking forward to an evening without my cappuccino." You get the idea...

On the FBD hunger scale, with -5 being "starving" and 7 being a little too full, Nelly usually hovered at around 0 or -3. She even expanded the scale to include -7: At Death's Door. : ( Comments about hunger include: "...Starved." "Tired, cranky, with a headache." "I hate waking up this hungry." "Feeling good about diet but very hungry." "Don't know if I can go to a party and not eat a thing." (She did). "Don't like being this hungry, and not eating with my family." "Can't believe I'm finally not starved for a change (on afternoon of day 3)." On afternoon of final day: "Hunger does seem to be diminishing." then later... "I feel pretty good. And starved!"

Notes on her results:
Morning of 2nd Day: "I lost one pound, so that's motivating."
Day 4: Very encouraged by how loose my dress feels!"

Results:
Pounds lost: 4
Inches lost from waist: 2 1/4
Inches lost from thighs: 2/8

Verdict: The first 4 days are a challenge, but if you stick with it, it does work! Now we are all doing modified versions of the regular part of the diet, so we'll keep you posted!

Indulgent Afternoon

Yesterday afternoon, I took more time for myself than I have in a very long time, and I felt so guilty about it! It started with leaving the house at noon for a 12:30 waxing appointment, right after Lola and Eva both went down for naps. Then I stopped at a health food store before heading to a 2pm appointment with my friend Kari Boatner. Kari permed and tinted my lashes, waxed my brows and gave me a consultation on my permanent makeup options. I didn't get home until 4:30!!!! I rushed home in a panic, certain that the world had fallen apart without me. Much to my relief (and dismay?) things had gone very smoothly in my absence, and Lola greeted me very casually. She's shown more excitement when I've returned from a trip to the bathroom! But the results of my outing may have been worth the absence! Every time I look in the mirror, I do a double take. My dark, curled lashes have given my eyes a noticeable lift. I look fresher, brighter, more rested. Like I'm always a very natural looking mascara - maybe one of those clear ones that makes your lashes a bit darker and a bit longer and a lot curlier. LOVE IT! My newly shaped brows further open my eyes.
Kari also recommended IPL to lighten the tummy scars from my appendectomy. Genius. Don't know why I didn't think of that!
Next up: An appointment for a peel, a microdermabrasion, and BOTOX on the 21st.
Tomorrow: My sister Nelly's Flat Belly Diet Diaries...

On my way...

Yesterday, I called my friend Kari Boatner. Kari is one of the top micropigmentation specialists in the country, and she was featured in my first book. Her permanent makeup skills have been touted in magazines such as Elle, and she is so talented that she invents her own tools and trains other women. Anyway, Kari runs her business from a doctor's office that specializes in skin treatments, plastic surgery, Botox, etc. She immediately hooked me up for a permanent makeup consult, as well as a lash perm and tint. (Lash perming changed my life. I have long, dark naturally curly lashes, and I never thought of this as something that I need, but after Kari talked me into it once, I've never looked back. It opened my eyes and made them look fresh and youthful, and made my lashes seem longer and darker.) She also scheduled me for microdermabrasion, a skin peel, and, at long last, BOTOX. I am very interested in having it done to prevent and eliminate crows feet around my eyes. I also want to discuss Restylane for my nasolabial lines. They're not bad yet, but they're getting there...
So take that, mean guy who said I was 40. Next time he sees me, I'll look so young, he'll think I'm my daughter. You know what I mean. And all without surgery... I'll post before and after photos!

Back from the Brink

I am trying to see this 40 year old comment as a positive, but it's been tough. The one good thing that can come out of it is that I am more motivated then ever to take care of myself. So I called my friend Kari today to set up a Botox and peel appointment at her office. I also had my hair cut and colored today, and even indulged in a pedicure for only the 2nd time since Eva was born.

My experience with the Flat Belly Diet was, sadly, a disaster. I forgot that I have certain restrictions and really probably should have consulted with my dad, a doctor, before embarking on something like this. I have very low blood pressure and low blood sugar (both genetic), and I don't want or need to lose weight. The worst thing for me is a diet with no sodium. I already have a hard time getting enough sodium, and without it, my blood pressure drops dangerously. I spent the afternoon and evening of the first day in misery - I had an atrocious headache, nausea, lightheadedness, etc. all caused by my low blood pressure. Never again. Especially not when I am still nursing. I need all the strength I can get. But I still believe in the diet for most people. I think it's really doable, and I will report on my sister's progress, as well as Adeline's, in future blogs, as they've stuck to it. I am going to skip the remainder of the 4 Day Anti Bloat part, and go straight to a modified version of the main diet. I will have four 400-calorie snacks and meals a day, and include a MUFA at every meal. I will eliminate carbonated beverages and limit my tea intake (acidic beverages are not recommended on this diet, and apparently tea is acidic - who knew? Of course it has many other health benefits...). So I will be starting this next section of the diet in the next couple of days, and I will keep you posted.

But the question remains: How do I lose the excess fat/bloating on my belly without losing pounds? I think exercise might be my only answer...

Still Reeling...

Last night, we hosted a cocktail party for some good friends. One of our guests, a guy in his mid-to-late 20s, brought a few of his buddies along. This guest, "John," is very familiar with our old, historic, rather large home because it used to belong to his grandmother, and he wanted his friends to see the renovations we had done. I was immediately introduced as the hostess to a group of John's friends. One of the guys, whom I'll call Jerk, for reasons you will soon see, said that he had yet to meet my husband. When I pointed him out across the room, he said: "Oh, I didn't think he was old enough. He looks like he is 25 or 30." He then guessed that I am
40 years old. 40!!!!!! AAAAGGHHHHH!!!! All of my life, people have guessed that I am younger, and in some cases, much younger, than my actual age. And now, it seems, it has caught up with me. Maybe, as my husband puts it, I was aged by the big house and the pictures of my babies and nieces all over the place. All I know is that a 20-something man thought I looked a full year and a half older than my actual age. I know that I wasn't at my best - that I looked tired and that my skin is in need of some TLC, but still. NO ONE HAS EVER GUESSED OLDER! Was he just being a jerk, or did he really think that I was really that old. I'll never know, but I do know that this calls for emergency action. I've already booked a hair appointment for Tuesday, and next week I am finally going to make it to the dermatologist. It might finally be time to take the plunge and invest in Botox! I'll keep you posted.