Big Beautiful U

Plus size women are beautiful and we come in all shapes and sizes.  What determines our body types, as outlined below, are the proportions of the bust, waist and hips.  Depending on body type will determine what type of clothing a woman should wear.

Diamond
Somone with a diamond body shape carries the majority of their weight around the middle where the waistline is not clearly defined. The hips are wider, but the shoulders and bust area are smaller.

• What to wear?
  To flatter a diamond body shape, you should wear clothing that will take the eye off the waist and make the shoulder area appear wider - shoulder pads, for example, and horizontal necklines.

Rectangle
Someone who has a rectangle body shape has no defined waist and the hips and bust are about the same size. From the shoulders down to the thighs looks straight up and down.

• What to Wear?
  Someone with a rectangle body shape should wear fashions that will make the body appear curvier and creates the illusion of a defined waist.

Triangle
Those with a triangle body shape have shoulders and busts that are proportionally smaller than their full hips and thighs. Their waistline is defined.

• What to Wear?
  The triangle body shape should wear fashions that will make the upper body appear proportionate to the lower part of their body: shoulder pads, lighter colors and wide necklines.

Oval
An oval body shape has no defined waistline but they do have a noticable belly. The oval will have a fuller bust with slender arms and legs.

• What to Wear?
  An oval will look best wearing that take the emphasis off their midsection but emphasize their hips, thighs and legs.

Hourglass
An hourglass body type has a defined waist that is smaller than the hips, shoulders and bust, which are similar in size.

• What to Wear?
  The hourglass figure should wear open collars, v-necklines, and clothing that accentuate their curves.

Figure Eight
A figure eight body type is a combination of an hourglass, but with fuller hips and thighs like that of a triangle. The waist is less defined, but the noticable belly is present like that of an oval.

• What to Wear?
  The figure 8 should wear fashions that will make the midsection appear longer and take the emphasis off of the fuller bottom. Wearing open collars and v-necklines can help draw attention to the upper part of the body.

Inverted Triangle
With the inverted triangle body type, the shoulders and bust are larger while the waist, hips and thighs are smaller.

• What to Wear?
  This body type needs to wear darker colors on the top and lighter colors on the bottom to help balance out the silhouette.

Plus size model, Chloe Marshall from England, is the first ever size 16 model who has been a finalist in the Miss England contest.  Chloe does not like being referred to as “plus size” in the modeling world, but she’s aware that her size is not what’s considered the norm among the fashion and modeling industry.

Congratulations on this milestone for Chloe and maybe she will be the first plus size Miss England winner!

I was sent the following release from Health Magazine and was given permission to post the release in its entirety on here! Thanks, Health Magazine!

HEALTH NAMES THE HEALTHIEST RESTAURANTS IN AMERICA
- - -
Magazine Picks Top 10 Healthiest Sit-Down Chain Restaurants,
Top Five Fast Food, and Best Independents

New York, NY – HEALTH magazine names America’s healthiest restaurants in its April issue. All the restaurants were judged on criteria including healthy food preparation, whole grains on the menu, limited or no trans-fats in all dishes, low-sodium options, portion control, and how easily the costumer can access nutritional information. The panel of experts sifted through hundreds of eateries to come up with the best in three different categories; Top 10 sit-down chain restaurants, top five fast food spots, and the best independents. Plus, we tell you what our experts loved on each menu, what to stay away from and on www.health.com we list some of the unhealthiest places. The April issue is on newsstands now.

TOP 10 SIT-DOWN CHAIN RESTAURANTS
1. UNO Chicago Grill – Though its famous deep-dish pizza is high in fat, Uno’s restaurants have plenty of healthy choices on their menu which is completely trans fat free. From grilled entrées (including antibiotic-free chicken), whole-grain pasta and brown rice, to flatbread pizzas with half the calories of deep-dish ones, Uno’s is taking nutrition seriously. Plus, in the lobbies of most locations there are Nutrition Information Centers.

2. Souplantation & Sweet Tomatoes – This salad-soup-and-bakery eatery uses produce so fresh that it’s been guaranteed to have been “in the ground” 24 hours before it’s in a refrigerated truck on its way to the restaurant. At the salad bar you’ll find seasonal veggies, great salads and a range of non-fat dressings.

3. Mimi’s Café – This cozy café-style restaurant transforms normally less-than-healthy foods into better (and still tasty) potions. They also keep their portions small so you can occasionally get away with having one of their more indulgent entrees.

4. P.F. Chang’s China Bistro – Healthy dining here comes in the form of whole-grain brown rice, sustainable Alaskan salmon, all-natural chicken, wok-based cooking (which requires less oil), and less sodium in the sauces.

5. Bob Evans – A surprising entry on the list, Bob Evans scores on its dinner menu which has plenty of low-carb, low-fat entrees and alternatives for children and adults (chicken tenders are grilled instead of fried).

6. Ruby Tuesday – It’s easy to find good stuff on this menu like organic greens, trans fat-free frying oil, and better-for-you beverages like organic teas and all natural lemonade.

7. Romano’s Macaroni Grill – What pushed Macaroni Grill onto the top 10 list is its “Sensible Fare” menu, being able to substitute whole-wheat penne in any dish and including a grilled skinless chicken breast with steamed broccoli and pasta on the kid’s menu.

8. Chevy’s Fresh Mex – Chevy’s makes a big deal out of the “fresh” in its name and with good reason including: no cans in the restaurant, fresh salsa blended every hour, and fresh avocados smashed daily for guacamole. All oils are trans fat-free, and the Mexican-style fare has lots of healthy options.

9. Olive Garden – Like Macaroni Grill, this Italian eatery has great-for-you options, as long as you keep your wits about you. Use the olive-branch icon to find low-fat garden fare. You can grab whole-grain goodness too by substituting whole-wheat linguine for any pasta.

10. Denny’s – Another surprising addition to the list, Denny’s offers lots of skinny options to counter its fatty mainstays. “Fit-Fare” dishes all have less than 15 grams of fat each. Their use of trans fats to cook its French fries kept it from landing higher on the list, but the rest of the fried food is trans fat-free.

TOP FIVE FAST-FOOD SPOTS
1. Noodles & Company – This restaurant combines 19 fresh vegetables with seven types of pastas in Asian, Mediterranean, or American entrees.

2. Chipotle Mexican Grill – They use naturally raised, antibiotic-free meats, organic beans, and even hormone-free sour cream. The Corn tortillas give you a whole-grain option, and the tortilla-less Burrito Bowl lets you ramp up the protein and veggies.

3. Cosi – Cosi’s central theme, the hearth, yields tasty hearth-baked entrees like Alpine Chicken and Grilled Wild Alaskan Salmon. High marks for baby carrots as substitute for chips to go with their sandwiches.

4. Panera – Look to Panera’s soups for low-calorie and low-sodium options. Fresh fruit cups and apples make for healthy sides.

5. Au Bon Pain – This chain boasts hormone and antibiotic-free chicken. Plus, it provides computerized kiosks, available in most locations, with nutrition information.

THE BEST INDEPENDENTS
• Blue Hill – New York City: Since 2000 this Greenwich Village restaurant has been using produce and animals from Stone Barns Center, a four-season farm and educational center.

• M Café – Los Angeles: This café makes macrobiotic cuisine incredibly tasty fare.

• Chez Panisse – Berkeley, CA: A longtime leader in the movement to showcase organic ingredients, cooked in simple, healthy, and delicious ways, Chez Panisse offers a daily menu that includes vegetables fresh from the garden, fruit right off the branch and fish straight from the sea.

• Green Zebra – Chicago: This vegetarian-oriented menu stands out with its creative and flavorful pairings.

• Inn Season Café – Detroit: Whole-grain burgers and lasagnas with veggies rule in this eatery.

• Bacchanalia – Atlanta: The husband-and-wife team and co-owners supply much of the restaurant’s organic offerings from their own farm.

Health (www.Health.com) is America’s most-trusted health-and-wellness magazine, giving women credible, useful, and up-to-date information and inspiration on how to live healthier, happier lives. Health covers well-being, fitness, nutrition, and beauty with intelligence and flair, showing that healthy living isn’t just important — it’s fun, too. The magazine is published 10 times a year, reaching 7 million readers with each issue.A leader in lifestyle information, Birmingham, Ala.-based Southern Progress Corporation A leader in lifestyle information, Birmingham, Ala.-based Southern Progress Corporation (www.southernprogress.com) publishes Southern Living, Cooking Light, Health, Coastal Living, Southern Accents, Cottage Living, and Sunset magazines, and books through Oxmoor House. It also operates a direct-selling division, Southern Living At HOME, and has a strong Web presence through branded portals, including MyRecipes.com and MyHomeIdeas.com, as well as 10 individual Web sites. Southern Progress is a subsidiary of Time Inc.

I have started taking life coaching courses to try and discover why I eat when I am not hungry. So far the process has been working rather well and I am discovering things about myself and about the way I think that I never realized before.

I have attended OA before, but to me it just didn’t seem very helpful. To me it basically just seems like a bunch of people complaining and making excuses as to why they are the way they are and there is no learning how to fix the emotions.

To me complaining doesn’t get me anywhere. I needed to be able to get to the root of why I do what I do and to learn how to change the way my brain thinks.

I’m anxious to see what else I discover about myself as the process continues.

I ran across the above video about fat acceptance from COFRA member, Carrie Padian. COFRA, which stands for Coalition of Fat Rights Activists, has been created to defend equal rights and opportunities for people regardless of their size.

The Dare to Show Your Face Campaign is one where plus size people can post videos to You Tube to let others know that even though they overweight, they are still human beings just like everyone else -with hopes, dreams and goals. Through Dare to Show Your Face, you can go to this link on You Tube and upload your own 1 - 2 minute video and it may be used as part of series of promotional videos by COFRA.

Nancy Baum is more than just a plus-sized pretty face.  She is a former plus-size model who took her passion for fashion and created her own website and clothing line for the full figured gal - Cherished Woman.  Nancy Baum has done more than just create a plus-size fashion haven for women, but she has also given other plus-size women a chance to model on her site.  Nancy says:

“My goal was to provide a world class shopping destination for curvy women like myself where we could shop for trendy and hard-to-find plus size designer fashion from the comfort of our homes. In addition, I wanted my customers to have the opportunity to model the fashions on our site.”

With this campaign, there have been thousand of model hopefuls who have been at Nancy’s site hoping to be selected as the next winner.

To check out more of Nancy’s designer clothing fashions in sizes 14 & up, visit Cherished Woman today!

Brigitte Nielsen was on the Tyra Banks Show talking to her about her stint on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.  What irritated me was Tyra made it a point to point out the fact that Brigitte gained weight and wanted to know how much weight she gained.  Even though she tried to “nice it up” with “the weight gain looks good!”, she should never have pointed this out to begin with.  When someone quits smoking and drinking, weight gain is par for the course. But someone who has just started recovery does not need to hear that they have gained weight. To me that was just so wrong for her to point that out. What are your thoughts? Watch the video and tell me what you think!

If you are looking for a social network to join, but don’t want bogged down with all the hype and lack of privacy on Facebook & MySpace, the Perfectly Shaped World Social Club is the perfect place to go for plus-size people!

Here is a little bit about Perfectly Shaped World:

What is PSWSC?
We’re a small group but growing quickly. No strings, no clicking for dollars, no weird folks pushing get-rich-quick schemes. We’re just real people who live in the plus size world and are determined to make it perfect. I’d be honored if you would join us.

Why Are We Doing This?
Our goal is to continue gathering news about the plus size fashion community in general, helping to raise awareness, size acceptance, body image comfort and general fashion guidance - through our own research and through contributions from our members. We’ve no desire to become something so cumbersome as mySpace or Facebook, nor to artificially entice members through monetary gimmicks similar to Yuwie.
We’re here for each other and to welcome others like us. Our common bonds are our size and our friendliness, and each of us brings her (or even his) own individuality, experience and goals to a Perfectly Shaped social mix.

If you are a plus size guy or girl, you will find others that you can relate with on this site and lots of great plus-size news as well!

It’s spring cleaning time again and not only do your walls and cupboards need a good cleaning, but also your style according to Figure Magazine.  Here are some great tips that will have you stepping in style in no time!

Blushing Beauty
Did you know lipstick and concealer should be replaced every year?! Put on a fresh face this spring with Figure’s tips for cleaning out your medicine cabinet and techniques for updating your makeup with the hottest trends.

Spring Basics
Vervy accessories and feminine dresses are “in” this spring. Best of all, Figure’s list of nine must-haves are all under $60!

Fix It Fast
No girl should leave home without quick-drying nail polish, nude lip liner and two lip glosses (a light shade for day and a darker one for evening). Avert disaster with Figure’s smart set of on-the-fly solutions.

The current issue of Figure is available on stands and in Lane Bryant stores nationwide. Please visit www.figuremagazine.com for more fashion, beauty & style tips and giveaways for curvy females.

We are always hearing about how thin the French people are compared to us in the United States and we have been told that different factors figure into this “difference”.  Even though the French have higher fat foods and desserts, they supposedly eat smaller portions, which keeps their weight down.  The French also claim to walk more in their country compared to us “couch potatoes” here.

Research may have found the real reason why the French keep the pounds off: 

In deciding when it’s time to push away from the table, it seems that the French may be responding to different eating signals than Americans. In a recent study, researchers from my Cornell Food Lab asked 133 participants from Paris and 145 from Chicago to complete a brief survey on their food habits, posing the question “How do you know when you are through eating dinner?”

The Parisians said they knew they were through when they no longer felt hungry or when the food no longer tasted good to them. Their answers suggested that they’re influenced by internal cues — whether they liked the taste of the food or whether they wanted to leave room for a later dessert — to tell them dinner’s over.

In Chicago, it was a different ball game. The 145 Americans relied on external cues of satiety. They said they knew they were through eating when they cleaned their plate, when everyone else at the table was finished or when the TV show they were watching was over.

The Americans were more influenced by their environment than whether they were actually still hungry.

source