Re: Disney Princesses with Realistic Waists

So the current trend in the realm of positive body image seems to be attacking... cartoons? Really, people?

Let me start off by reminding everyone that I'm the first defender of realistic expectations for the female body. I hate how we are always comparing ourselves to photoshopped images of models and actors. I've got a flat chest, large thighs, and a big ass. I have a ten inch difference in the measurement of my waist and hips. I never look like the models when I try on clothes. That being said, attacking the way animated characters are drawn is a little pathetic.

Artists draw things that are interesting. Character design is all about playing with proportions and exaggerating things to make them aesthetically interesting and/or funny. Now you tell me which image is more playful and interesting to look at:

I really don't think this creates an expectation that women's hips and waist are supposed to have a 30" difference, but that's just me. I feel like this kind of crap hurts the cause a lot more than it helps it. Attacking character design seems overly defensive and downright petty. Is that what we are going for in this day and age, ladies?

Besides, take a look at Mister Tiny Waist, Buff Shoulders and Arms down here:

Where's the outrage? Is this what your hipster boyfriend looks like, lady bloggers? Probably not. Disney movies aren't real, and they aren't supposed to be real. The animation in the classics is downright beautiful. So let's enjoy some artwork and maybe get over ourselves.

Gone Girl- Terrible

Somebody has to say it- because I'm tired of hearing about it. Gone Girl is a pretentious, preposterous piece of shit. I haven't seen the movie, but I absolutely hated the book upon retrospect. I can't stand hearing the writer congratulating themselves on how this is going to be such a cool movie and how creepy their ending is. That was the subtext of the entire second half of the book. It was completely distracting and I'm not even sure the writer cared about the story so much as how awesome the movie was going to be. Go eat shit. I'm really tired of people praising it, but I'm also not surprised it's a movie starring Ben Affleck. In fact it's exactly what I expected. I found the book to be completely insulting to my intelligence while also so far up it's own asshole it couldn't even come down to earth long enough to see that was totally unbelievable even as a work of literary fiction. Sorry, but I'm not drinking the Koolaid. The fact that people in Hollywood read this and couldn't see how much it was pandering to them is disturbing, or perhaps they did, and in that case- shame on you. You are all part of the problem.

End of Cleanse

Okay, so we finally finished the cleanse on Sunday. Because of everything that's been going on, I didn't really feel like getting on with my petty complaints about detoxing. But I figure I should close it out somehow.

Right now, we feel good. The half-way point was probably the worst. We never did reach that point of feeling clear and enlightened and wonderful or whatever people say they feel while they are cleansing. I think it's safe to say that I will never belong with this crowd, and I will probably never do something like this again. I can't deal with the same flavor for ten straight days. I don't get enough of a high or the right amount of self-satisfaction that the stereotypical health nuts get from depriving themselves of things. I think they gain validation in abstaining. As for me, I believe life is too short to be a crazy vegan health nut, and I also think that many of those people are not as healthy as they think they are.

My biggest complaint was the lack of caffeine in my life. The actual caffeine withdrawal lasted about four days, and after that I just really missed the deliciousness of the coffee and the comfort of the ritual. Matt and I always have a cup after breakfast to start the day. If I'm working early in the morning, it accompanies me on my commute. Coffee is just one of those things. So while some will squawk about caffeine addiction, I'm just not willing to worry about it.

We used to share a bottle of wine almost every night, but we kicked it during the cleanse. Now we will have a glass or two every couple days. I feel a lot better. I've also noticed I'm more inclined to drink the right amount of water every day. I think this is another habit I picked up, for whatever reason, while we were detoxing.

The first chocolate I had tasted AMAZING, but I feel a have a little more self control with the sweets. This shall be put to the test this weekend, when my mom and I bake the most amazing Christmas cookies you've ever seen.

What else? I have a better gauge of how much I need to eat (not nearly as much), and how often I need to eat. Detoxing always makes a person more sensitive to unhealthy things, and that's a big plus for me. The sensation is not quite as much as I expected. All the advice makes it seem like food is going to be this super traumatic thing and that it will take almost a week to get back to your normal eating habits. Matt and I were back to normal in about 3 days. We took probiotics and just went a little at a time. I had some very minor stomach cramping the first day off the cleanse, but that was the only issue. I wish it had been harder, actually. I wish the idea of rich food nauseated me. Oh well. Vegetables and I had a very happy reunion. Hopefully this doesn't all go to waste over the holidays. I plan on enjoying the spread, but maybe this time it can be within reason. This year I can't afford to gain the Christmas weight. Perhaps there's something to do in Idaho besides eat and drink. I guess we'll find out!

Day 5

Mood: Impatient

Many people who have done the Master Cleanse talk a lot about the hunger pangs. We haven't had those. Day 5 and I'm still not hungry. But I'm soooo sick of that lemonade. Sometimes I feel like I'd rather die of hunger than have another glass of it. I miss food. The other thing people talk about are the cravings. They give examples like cheeseburgers, pizza, and ice cream. But all I want is some fish and some brussels sprouts. Or some butternut squash. That doesn't seem so unreasonable, does it? Am I not detoxing and thus not experiencing the detox symptom of wanting disgusting crap? Or am I just not that toxic after all? That's making this seem even harder. I think it would be easier if we were craving things that are bad for us. It's harder to justify turning down lean protein and vegetables.

The tired feeling has lessened. The want for coffee has not. I still feel cranky because I want to cook a nice hot meal for us to sit down for at the end of the day. Not a cold fucking glass of fucking lemonade.

How about that salt water flush taking over my life? Its effect on my body has become less predictable every day, instead of more consistent. Hopefully that problem will resolve itself.

I thought I was in a better mood until I got part way through writing this. Many different articles say that day 5 is usually a vast improvement over days 2, 3, and 4. I seem to still be bitter and cranky. I would love some new flavors in my life.

Half-way through. Word has it that it all gets better from here. We shall see.

Day 3

Mood: Somewhat Positive

The main complaint is our energy level right now, which is something that isn't really talked about, but is apparently a detox symptom. The lack of caffeine and carbs has us feeling somewhat exhausted. This has led me to realize that I'm completely addicted to pasta. We are also realizing that we don't miss certain things that we thought we "needed" every day. Like wine, for instance. I'd like to think that we can live without caffeine, but I just don't think that's our reality. The nature of what we both do has many mental ups and downs throughout the day, and this is very hard to manage without a caffeine or sugar spike. I can live without the sugar, but I think caffeine is very necessary.

That being said, today is a little better than yesterday. We still do not feel hungry. Night time has been the hardest so far, since that is the time we snack. For us, part of the goal of the cleanse was to eliminate this need to snack. I think by the end, we will have it beat.

Our tongues have turned white and fuzzy! Apparently, when they've turned pink and clear, we will know we have successfully detoxed.

The salt water flush, while I'm still psyching myself out right before, was easier to get through today. So while ten days seems long, we are taking it a day at a time and making progress.

It's only Day 2!?

Mood: cranky!

I am already getting pretty sick of this lemonade. It lacks any of the comfort of a meal, and it's the same damn thing all day. I should count my blessings, as I still don't feel at all hungry. In fact I have to remind myself to have the lemonade so I can drink my minimum amount.

The salt water flush was even worse today. It took me a while to emotionally prepare myself for it. I only have to do it 8 more times.

Days 2 and 3 are supposed to be the worst, so I've been telling myself this all day. I don't think I'll ever do this cleanse thing again. The combination of lack of caffeine, not enough sleep all week, and the detox symptoms is making us very tired. The lack of a hot food is making us cranky. Needless to say, morale is low.

The one plus is that I don't have to worry about the health-woes of eating catering on set. I can only have my peppery lemonade!

Ugh. I don't even feel motivated to write. I guess that's all you get for now. I'm waiting to see if we feel better tomorrow.

Master Cleanse Day 1

Mood:  Fine

We are nearing the end of day 1 of The Master Cleanse. I have to say the first day was not as rough as I thought it would be. I am currently drinking a glass of lemonade instead of enjoying a pile of homemade spaghetti, or roasted chicken with caramelized brussels sprouts. While its weird to not sit down to some nice hot food when its meal time, and its also strange not to observe meal time at all, I'm not feeling all that hungry. That's a relief. Also, there's the great benefit of almost no dishes! Yay!

The salt water flush at the beginning of the day involves pounding a quart of water with 2 teaspoons of salt dissolved into it. I know this is going to continue to be the hardest part. It is AWFUL!! For Matt, it's the taste. For me, it's trying to drink a quart of warm water. My stomach started to feel full about 1/4 of the way through, and the fact that the mixture was warm added to the unpleasant sensation. It's not unlike trying to chug soup broth. (Mmmn... soup. Sounds amazing.) It's a terrible, terrible way to start the day. It did do its job though. You have to give yourself a two hour window between drinking it and leaving the house, so that's another annoyance. I like my sleep.

The other thing I'm struggling with today is the lack of caffeine. I'm sooo tired today! I know that will go away in a few days. The lemonade mixture (fresh lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne, and water) isn't terrible. It would be drastically improved with the addition of tequila, but it could be worse. I am grateful for the kick of cayenne, which we've always liked the flavor of anyway. How long we feel this way about our only food remains to be seen.

Its too soon to see any benefits, but so far we aren't suffering. We are 1/10th through this thing. Hopefully we can keep it up.

See you tomorrow! I'll be missing my morning coffee and oats.