Oh No! Not Cookie Monster, Too...
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By Giselle Gerber
eDiets Content Manager
Last week, one of my co-workers, Mr. Blog-Champ-in-Training -- if you must know -- asked me a random question (he's full of those by the way.) The question was if the Cookie Monster is changing his name in an attempt to lead a healthier life.
The Veggie Monster? Could it really be true? Horrified, I quickly Googled this (a frequent procedure I have for answering random questions that come up). After doing some research, I learned that back in 2005, the folks at Sesame Street decided that my beloved Cookie Monster needed to clean up his act.
Apparently, the phrase "C" is for Cookie" has been replaced by "A Cookie is a Sometimes Food"... What? Scandalous, if you ask me.
Since then Sesame Street has kicked off the "Healthy Habits for Life" programming, which encourages young viewers to be more active and lead more nutritious lives. My favorite blue-furry friend also sings about fruits and vegetables and teaches kids about "sometimes" foods and "anytime" foods.
Growing up I always loved the gooogly-eyed Cookie Monster and was never influenced to mimic his sugar-indulging ways or pipe-eating antics. He was just a cool monster that had a slight weakness for cookies. Is that so bad? Does changing the Cookie Monster's image from cookie-lover to sometimes-cookie-lover help lower childhood obesity rates?
What do you think? Is
And just for old times sake, this blog post was brought to you by the letter "C" for Cookies!
Biggest Celebrity Shills
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By Glenn Mueller
Senior Editor/Writer
Shill: n. a decoy who acts as an enthusiastic customer in order to stimulate the participation of others. Also, any number of annoying celebrities without a shred of human dignity. Have you ever noticed that some celebrities will endorse just about anything? I mean, Krusty the Clown from The Simpsons has been doing it for years, but at least he’s only a cartoon character. When Krusty promotes cereal with “free flesh-eating bacteria in every box” or his very own “balloon-animal home angioplasty kit,” it makes me laugh. When Tiger Woods pretends to drive a Buick and use Gillette razors, it just makes me want to vomit.
Anyway, without further ado, here's a list of some of the most irritating celebrity shills out there right now. Oh, and as Krusty is fond of saying, “I heartily endorse this event or product.”
Tiger Woods: As the number one golfer in the world, it makes sense that practically everyone would want this young phenom to endorse their products. But at least his contracts with Nike and Titleist make some sort of sense. Personally, I think Buick should put the brakes on the whole Tiger campaign. Do you mean to tell me that Woods, who is arguably the most successful and internationally-recognized sports figure in the known world, would actually drive a Buick if they weren't paying him boat loads of money to do so? Here’s a better idea for those marketing wizards at Buick: Why don’t you invest your money in making better cars instead of paying celebrities to drive them?
And when exactly does Tiger need to use that OnStar navigation system of his? The guy travels with an entourage and can afford to take a limo from the clubhouse out to the first tee. I guess maybe he uses it to navigate from those posh hotels and ritzy country clubs to cheap convenience stores where they sell Gillette Fusion razor blades.
Michael Jordan: And while we're on the topic of sports legends, I have trouble believing that Tiger's buddy Michael Jordan really wears Hanes underwear. No silk boxer shorts for MJ. I guess those Hanes briefs provide all the comfort and support he needs underneath those pinstripe suits. And does he really like Hanes underwear so much that he sends some to Cuba Gooding Jr. to wear? Never in my life have I given another guy a pair of underwear!
Peter Frampton: Does it bother anyone else that one of the most innovative rock guitarists of all time in now pitching Geico car insurance? I mean, I know his old band was called Humble Pie, but I think someone fed Peter too big of a slice.
Donald Trump: As if we didn’t get to see enough of this guy on television with his stupid reality show that just won’t die, Trump also appears in television commercials. I’m so sure that Visa Check Card comes in handy for The Donald at the Super Kmart. I would like to be in charge of that ad campaign for one day, just so I could call that pompous jerk into my office, look him straight in the eye and say, “You’re fired!” The only thing more over-inflated than Trump’s bank account is his sense of self. With the possible exception of a fallen angel formerly known as Lucifer, I can’t think of anybody out there with a bigger ego. Get over yourself, Donald. Oh, and while you’re at it, get a real haircut!
Paris Hilton: What is more obscene: The fact that the Paris ad for Carl's Jr. and Hardee's borders on soft porn, or the fact that the filthy-rich heiress is promoting a chain of fast-food restaurants where she’s never once eaten. Hey Paris, I’ll bet those Hardee’s burgers taste just great with a bottle of Dom Perignon and some Beluga Caviar. Get real!
Britney Spears: She's already pitched Curious perfume, milk, roller skates, BBQ sauce, Pepsi and Proactiv. The only thing this popular singer hasn’t endorsed is sobriety or responsible parenthood.
Who do you think are the biggest celebrity shills? Cast your vote by leaving a comment below.
Labels: celebrity
Stars: Just Like Us?
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By Vanessa Rush
Editor-in-Chief, Glee Magazine
If you've ever wanted the chance to be buddies with a celebrity, then you're in luck. Paris Hilton is looking for a new bestie via an MTV reality show called Paris Hilton: My New BFF. So it got me thinking -- no, not that her new friend should be a designated driver, but that might be a good idea…
Are there any celebrities out there who seem like just one of the guys/gals? I can think of a few who look like they'd be great company for shopping, having a drink or hanging out on the beach. Everyone can always use more friends, so why not befriend the person who seemingly has everything? Who's on your wish list of star sidekicks?
Here's my list of big shots who I think would make great pals:
1. Drew Barrymore – Seemingly sweet, talented animal lover who overcame adversity. Normal boyfriend (Justin Long, aka the "Mac Guy") is a plus.
2. Katherine Heigl – Has domestic tendencies – she's always spotted buying stuff for her new home. And she actually seems like she's a normal size, so late-night chowdowns wouldn't be a problem.
3. T.R. Knight – He comes in a package deal with Heigl; cute boyfriend is a plus.
4. Zach Braff – Great taste in music, funny and talented. So cute that he gets my vote for "friend with benefits." Plus, we already are friends! (On MySpace, that is – what? It counts!)
5. Jennifer Garner – My "mom" friend – our daughters are close in age. Plus, she's from
1.
2. Renee Zellweger – Eating with this one isn't going to happen, plus I'd want to offer her sunglasses every time I saw those squinty eyes.
3. Tyra Banks – Too loud, annoying and self-absorbed.
4. Mel Gibson – Racist, misogynistic and homophobic. No, thanks.
5. Elisabeth Hasselbeck – Blindly follows ideology, sticking to her ridiculous, baseless talking points, no matter how incorrect. Send her back to the Outback.
It's fun to dream about rubbing elbows with the
Labels: celebrity
Barbie: Little Girl's Dream or Parent's Nightmare?
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By Dorian Wagner
eDiets Senior Copy Editor
Barbie. No other toy brings up more memories, more emotions, more opinions. And since her birthday was Sunday, March 9 (she's almost 50!), I thought I'd take a minute to look back...My first Barbie was Malibu Barbie. I'm pretty sure she came wearing a bathing suit, but I can't be sure -- I dressed and redressed her 20 times a day. I brushed her hair till it fell out and slopped her face with my candy pink play lipstick. She must have kissed Ken a million times.
As time went on, my Barbie collection grew. They moved into the Dream House (I rearranged the furniture daily). Their wardrobe grew (my parents probably cringed at how much each new outfit cost). They drove around in a hot pink convertible (remember how hard it was to get their legs in there?)
For fun, I'd pack up the Barbie bunch and head over to my neighbor's house. I loved going over there to "play Barbie" because she had the really cool Barbie pool with a pump that made bubbles like a hot tub. I knew it was Malibu Barbie's favorite place to be, and, secretly, I was so jealous of my friend for that.
Eventually I outgrew my "playing Barbie" stage, but I never outgrew my fondness for Barbie herself. She was beautiful and perfect, and everything a little girl dreams of being. She had the perfect house, a hot little sports car and a handsome hunk of a boyfriend (never mind that he was missing some key parts...). I kind of wish I still had some of my old Barbies, although I'm sure they're a lot better looking in my memories than they would be now, more than 20 years after my heyday with them.
And you know the funny thing? When you're little, it never occurs to you that Barbie is too perfect. You don't think about how absurdly tiny her waist is or how ridiculously long her legs are. It's not till later in our adult lives that we look back and start attacking the very things we loved about her when we were little.
Mattel has made some changes to Barbie along the way since her first appearance in 1959. In 1972, she gave up her sexy sideways glance for a straightforward one and in 1992 her waist widened. She's become a doctor instead of a nurse and a pilot instead of a stewardess. But despite all the efforts to make her a stronger, more real woman, it's still the super-girlie, pretty princess Barbie dolls that are most popular.
And you know what? To me, that's totally OK. I want my daughters (one day, Mom, one day... just relax) to play with perfect Barbies and dream of being princesses, too. I want them live in a girlie, carefree fantasyland as long as they can. It's a big bad world out there, and frankly, I don't think Barbie would survive five minutes. :)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BARBIE!
What are your favorite Barbie memories? When you think of Barbie, what do you think of? Share your stories and thoughts by commenting below!
Sexy Celebrity Leg Secrets!
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"She's got legs, she knows how to use them." -- ZZ TopThere is certainly no shortage of leggy ladies in Hollywood, but gorgeous gams always come with a price. Believe it or not, those stunning stems you see out on the red carpet are not simply the product of luck or favorable genes. Celebrities work hard to sculpt their lovely limbs through a combination of strength training, cardio and a healthy diet. So who’s currently got a leg up on the competition, and how'd they do it?
According to an In Touch magazine poll, Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, Jessica Simpson and Tina Turner come out on top of the leg list. Stefani and Turner also made the list of "the sexiest legs in show business" provided by the British tabloid The Sun, along with such popular celebrities as Beyonce, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.
Gwen Stefani's key to success is… well, getting sweaty. She likes exercises that get her blood pumping, like jumping rope, using her elliptical trainer and strength training, which she just rediscovered.
Gwen makes it look easy to have great legs, but she has to work hard, just like everyone else. She loves pizza but explains, "If I want to eat pizza, I do, but then if I want to wear cute clothes, I don't. I have to get into these clothes, so I exercise outside, such as hiking, and work out with a trainer."
Multitalented celebrities like Stefani have to keep in great shape for their live shows and photo shoots, but when transitioning into film, they often have to increase the intensity to look the part. Jessica Simpson worked hard with a personal trainer for six months to get her scene-stealing stems in the Dukes of Hazzard.
This bubbly blonde has always had a nice physique, but for her role as Daisy Duke, she had to tone and shape her legs and butt. Simpson had to do justice to the famous Daisy Dukes that ushered in a new era in short shorts. The actress used personal trainer Mike Alexander, who not only developed and chaperoned her workouts, but also sat with her through every meal. The only bread Simpson ate was wheat, and she abstained from sugar and fried foods.
The workout regimen that Alexander tailored for the Southern starlet consisted of 20-30 minutes of cardio and 45-60 minutes of resistance training, five or six days a week. He explains that squats have to be one of the biggest metabolism-boosting exercises there are. The two main exercises in Simpson’s routine were squats (2-3 sets of 20 reps) and lunges (each leg: 2-3 sets of 12 reps).
Alexander recommends trying squats to raise your bottom and sculpt your thighs:
"Stand with your feet approximately two feet apart. Then turn your feet outwards, keeping them in line with your knees. Hold your arms out in front of you and slowly lower yourself down until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Keep your bottom tucked underneath you and your stomach pulled in. Hold this position for three seconds before slowly standing back up. Do 20 repetitions."
Though Cameron Diaz is no stranger to healthy eating, the star admits that she wasn't a convert to exercise until after she landed her big role in the Charlie's Angels movie.
"Before Charlie's Angels, I never exercised. Not a day. I always associated it with pain and discomfort -- something you do if you have to," Cameron told Self magazine. "Then, for the movie, we worked out eight hours a day, five days a week for three months, and I learned what it felt like to be strong."
Though she no longer works out eight hours a day, Diaz's current exercise regimen includes cardiovascular exercise on the elliptical trainer, light weight lifting and Pilates. According to CelebrityDiets.org, one of Cameron's favorite exercises for developing great legs is the reverse lunge. And, these days, she enjoys breaking a sweat!
"I love being physical. I love sweating. I love getting my heart rate up. I love challenging myself. Physically, I can do pretty much anything I put my mind to, and I like that feeling," Cameron says.
If you want to get legs like a Hollywood diva, our Chief Fitness Pro Raphael Calzadilla can help you get a leg up on the competition.
"Many women think they can spot reduce," Raphael notes. "They want to get their legs and hips slimmer. They think there are some magical exercises that can do that. Leg exercises strengthen the muscles and tighten them. But unless total body fat is reduced, combined with a cardio program, it’s not going to work."
While cardio works wonders in burning fat, it's the muscle-building exercises that really hold the power to achieving results. Generally, you should do three days a week of a full body workout.
Film's Most Famous Foods
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Every year, a new generation of actors is anointed Hollywood royalty at the Academy Awards and -- while we've seen great strides in diversity for award recipients -- every year one group is continuously shunned on Oscar night: The food actors.From being the object of affection in Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle to being the villain in Super-Size Me, food has played an integral role in countless films throughout history while breaking down Hollywood's most bigoted barriers.
To celebrate these forgotten heroes of the silver screen, eDiets sat down with a few of the most famous foods from some of history's most popular films to find out what it was like to rewrite the rule book -- and honor their achievements as social trailblazers.
Breakthrough Role as a Pastry
In The Godfather trilogy, food was an indispensable element of the story and culinary accuracy was precise and paramount. The Godfathers also jump-started the careers of many Italian-American foods that -- up until that point -- were only playing pizzas, pastas and organized crime dinners.
"When I got the part, I knew it was a big opportunity in my career," explains Tony Di Cannoli. "I took some heat from the Anti-Italian Food Defamation League, but I think it really changed people's perception of what ethnic foods could portray on screen."
He now sits in an Italian Market window in an undisclosed Midwest town -- past his acting prime and in the witness relocation program -- but remembers those glory days working with Pacino, Coppola and the rest.
"The original line was, 'Leave the cannolis. Take the gun,' but I says to Francis, 'that's not realistic -- an Italian never leaves a cannoli behind," he explains. "It changed the whole movie and showed that food is more important than guns, which is the underlying theme of those films."
Indeed it is, so we salute you Mr. Cannoli, wherever you are, for your daring role in The Godfather. And as Peter Clemenza said, "Leave the gun… Take the cannolis." Bravo!
Best Man-on-Food Romance
In American Pie, a film about the relationship between young men and their desserts, most of the stars went on to TV and movie fame while one cast member -- who bared all -- watched her life crumble.
"Originally, when the director offered me the part, he said it would be done very tastefully," explains Ms. Apple Pie (who asked we not use her real name). "Of course I was nervous. I had never done a love scene, and man-food love was seriously frowned upon at the time!"
It turned out to be one of the hottest, steamiest love scenes ever filmed, as well as being crucial in bringing the sexual rights of food to the forefront.
"Sure, people had seen man-woman, woman-woman, man-man and a few other combos, but this was the most graphic example of inter-culinary lovemaking ever shown on the big screen. It was truly groundbreaking," remembers Ms. Pie.
However, many rightwing religious groups spoke out against her "immoral and inappropriate relationship," both on and off the set of American Pie, with costar Jason Biggs.
"I got death threats, but we were in love," she recalls. This fairytale, however, would not have a Hollywood ending for the aspiring starlet.
Due to the backlash from her love scene, she never worked in mainstream film again, her relationship with Biggs ended and she fell into a life of drugs, alcohol and selling slices on the side of the street.
"It opened a lot of doors for a lot of foods," Ms. Pie recalls. "It was hard, but I know I did the right thing. I just hope people can accept love -- in whatever form -- and foods today realize what things were like for film foods in the not-so-tolerant nineties."
A true pie-oneer, who let love lead. Kudos!
Lifetime O' Chocolate Award
In a time when lady sang the blues, a clockwork was orange and the great hope was white, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory dared to put a darker shade of chocolate into their film.
"At the time, it was difficult to find work in film as dark chocolate," says star of the Chocolate Factory, Jermaine J. Goodbar. "All the good parts were going to white chocolate and some to milk chocolate, but nothing for my dark chocolate brethren."
Then he got the call: "They, were gonna take a chance, and wanted me to audition for the role of golden-ticketed Wonka Bar. This is the role I was made for."
It wasn't all gumdrops and lollipops for this veteran stage and commercial actor -- he would have to prove himself. A lot of people on set were not happy about the producers hiring a dark chocolate bar in the starring food role, but he persevered.
"Some people called me names like fudge-face and tried to melt me down for cocoa, but after I proved myself on the set, most of them came around."
Often regarded as one of the bravest food actors of all time, Goodbar put on one of the finest on-film food performances ever, while paving the way for future generations of food to appear on the silver screen -- regardless of color.
"I heard after that, green beans were getting parts, red potatoes were being played by real red potatoes, not regular potatoes just painted red," he recalls. "And, have you seen the remake of Chocolate Factory? That's my grandson, J.J., playing the part I played over 30 years ago."
He is a proud chocolate bar who has overcome a great deal to pass on an acting legacy that will not soon be forgotten. Many said he was nuts for taking the part, but he simply smiled and said, "No, I'm just chocolate."
True bravery, thy name is Goodbar.
Shawn McKee graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a BA in Journalism and has written for The Broward and Miami New Times.
The Worst Celebrity Diets
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Joy DaviseDiets Contributor
Trendy diets are fleeting; they come just as fast as they go. But last year, some of the craziest diets came to light and won't soon be forgotten, thanks to their celebrity supporters. There were so many bad diets, but we searched high and low to find candidates for our "worst celebrity diet hall of fame." Here are the winners.
Kirstie Alley's "Shortcut" Diet
Remember when Kirstie Alley shed a whopping 75 pounds on the Jenny Craig diet? Her weight-loss success was so widely publicized that the actress even appeared on Oprah in a bikini. That was a year ago, and this is now. We think Kirstie might need to call Jenny again, collect. It's rumored the actress has gained back the weight she so famously lost. Over the summer, Kirstie was spotted looking heavier and more like her pre-Jenny days. And it didn't help that in one of her Jenny Craig commercials she's seen sitting down (and nicely camouflaged) behind the wheel of the car.
Beyonce's Maple Syrup Diet
It's hard to imagine that one of the sexiest women in Hollywood went on a crash diet, but that's what singer/actor Beyonce did to prepare for her role as a supreme diva in the movie, Dreamgirls. Beyonce dropped an unbelievable (and dangerous) 20 pounds in two weeks on the "Master Cleanse Diet," (a.k.a. The Lemonade Diet). On the Master Cleanse Diet, you drink a beverage (no food) made from lemons, maple syrup and cayenne pepper for 10 days. You'll see a dramatic weight loss… if you don't drop dead first. Plus, too much crash dieting will trick your body into storing fat instead of burning it.
Looking for a healthy diet that actually works? Click here for a FREE diet profile.
Anna Nicole Smith's Alleged TrimSpa Diet
Even those of us who live under a rock now know that the late bombshell, Anna Nicole Smith, lost about 70 pounds by using the TrimSpa supplement pills. If you remember how heavy Anna appeared on her reality show, you know something worked. But was it really the TrimSpa pills? Or did she secretly undergo liposuction before she endorsed TrimSpa? Fast forward to Anna's tragic death and investigators searching the blonde star's hotel room and finding a refrigerator full of – ahem – another company's weight-loss shakes. Oops!
Britney Spears' Junk Food Diet
Your mother wasn't kidding when she said, "Don't eat junk food -- it'll make you fat." Enter exhibit A, Britney Spears. Sure, she's had two kids, but our favorite pop-tart is looking heavier, sloppier and more unkempt than we've ever seen her. It seems that the fallen starlet's well-documented diet of In-N-Out burgers, Starbucks frappucinos and Red Bull drinks have all caught up with her. Britney is far from overweight by normal standards, but she's definitely not the toned Britster we once knew with to-die-for, six-pack abs. Remember that embarrassing performance she did at the Video Music Awards sporting a belly in an ill-fitting bikini? No more, Britney. Give us less, much less, of you altogether.
Jennifer Hudson's American Idol-Dreamgirls Diets
While her Dreamgirls co-star Beyonce was starving herself to slim down for her diva character, Jennifer Hudson had the opposite challenge; she had to gain weight to play the character of Effie. The Oscar-winning actress gained 20 pounds in two weeks and said she did so by eating "all the cookies, cakes and pies I could." And believe it or not, Jennifer says she lost a whopping 60 pounds during American Idol because of all the stress. The good news is Jennifer's back to eating well-balanced meals. Look for her as Carrie Bradshaw's assistant in the upcoming and highly anticipated Sex and the City movie.
Nicole Richie's "Skin-and-Bones" Diet
When The Simple Life star got busted under the influence driving the wrong way down an L.A. highway, she weighed in at a mere 85 pounds. In pictures and on the red carpet, Nicole's arms and legs looked like tiny twigs that might snap off and break with just the right amount of wind. Her head and those famous oversized glasses were the biggest thing on her whole body. She never admitted to having an eating disorder, but clearly, something was awry. Thank goodness for divine intervention this year. Only the arrival of a baby could cause Nicole to gain lots of desperately needed weight. A mere two weeks after the birth of her daughter, the new mom looks great. Keep it up, Nicole – and by that, we mean the weight.
Remember, fad diets may work in the short run, but depriving yourself of certain food groups for quick weight loss is a recipe for disaster in the long run. Sensible eating and regular exercise are the cornerstones of any good diet plan.
What's the most ridiculous fad diet you've ever tried? Share them with us by commenting below!
Joy Davis is a freelance writer who specializes in holistic wellness, fitness and travel. Several of her articles have also appeared in City Smart Magazine.
Labels: celebrity, diet, nutrition, weight-loss
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