• Dodging Eaters of Worlds on the Road to Self-Preservation

    My face is stinging with sweat. Just got in from walking for about an hour, and it’s hotter than July out there. By now you will have noticed a couple of recurring themes since last month: I’m not a fan of Raleigh in the summer, and the sun is not a fan of mine. I…

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  • Zzzzzz . . . 13 Days Left to Shake Things Up

    There’s something about deadlines that appeals to me. It hearkens back to my newsie past, I suppose. The end of the month signals one, and so I’m stepping up my game so I can hit another weight-loss milestone by the first day of August, my birthday month. We cows are constantly warned against doing stuff…

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  • Dealing With Sexual Pressure and the Myth of the Needy Fat Girl

    It is 10:40 a.m., and it is already a sweltering 85 degrees. The humidity is so high it feels much hotter; the air so thick with moisture, it feels like a sauna upstairs. Yes, upstairs. In my home. Late yesterday afternoon, the 11-year-old upstairs air-conditioning system gave up the ghost. This is not surprising, given…

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  • A Magic Weight-Loss Pill. Just What We Need.

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is looking over a new anti-obesity drug that causes “significant” weight loss, so anyone looking for that elusive “magic pill,” the FDA’s final decision will be released in October. The drug is called Qnexa, and is manufactured by a company named Vivus. (No, I don’t know what’s up with…

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  • Latest Blood Test Results: The Good, Bad and the Ugly

    My latest blood test results were a bit disappointing. I saw Dr. Bean Thursday, and he was almost giddy about my weight loss thus far. When I told him I’d hoped to have lost more than 30 pounds, he very seriously told me that a half-pound a week should be my goal for long-term weight…

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  • Would You Pay $7,000 for Your Child to Lose 26 Pounds?

    That’s how much it cost for a 13-year-old girl to attend a “fat camp” for one month. I’m not mentioning any names, but this information comes from a confidential, reliable source. Anyway, last night Mom said – oops – the girl is still very overweight, but the plan includes an eating program and phone counseling.…

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  • ‘Gym Hair’ Answers: Dry Shampoos, Conditioners and Thermal Sprays

    Your hair or your health? I asked, you answered. Seems there are quite a few products to keep hair from “going back” to its natural state, which women of all ethnicities would prefer not to deal with after a great workout at the gym. Understood. If you spend a lot on perms or relaxers, you’d…

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  • Share Your Hair Care Tips for the Gym

    Wrap? Scarf? Just leave it free? Are you natural? Got a weave? Extensions? Doesn’t matter; just tell us how you take care of your hair. I’m asking because of the few areas of discussion we were able to squeeze in during the 20 minutes I was on air last night with “The Daily Drum” host…

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  • Why All the Fuss About Serena’s 'Massive Butt'?

    Let’s see: four Wimbledon trophies, 13 Grand Slam titles, but all we’re hearing about Serena Williams are her “big boobs and this massive butt.” Those are her words, as quoted in this Harper’s Bazaar article. It’s a nice, light, fun piece about her new, leaner body, fashion sense and self-confidence. Although she says she loves…

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  • Nothing Special, Really, About Losing 100 Pounds

    In the five months I’ve been blogging for The Root, I’ve already heard from a handful of women who’ve lost 100 pounds or more, and a few of them are African American. I bring up ethnicity because of the 80-percent-overweight thing, even though it appears people of all colors are stalking me via this blog.…

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