Author Archives: Cat Poland

WHOA! Zach Galifianakis Gets Sober, Loses Weight, and Looks Better Than Ever

When you work in Hollywood, having your weight scrutinized by the tabloids is a given. Men are typically under less pressure. And comedians? It’s almost seen as a bonus if they’re at least slightly overweight.

5 Overweight Entertainers Who Died Too Soon

So when funny man Zach Galifianakis stepped out in public for the first time in many months looking more like his blue-eyed Hangover co-star Bradley Cooper and less like, well, Zach Galifianakis, many were shocked.

Now many are wondering, how did he do it? In typical Zach Galifianakis fashion, his explanation has an element of humor.

“I stopped drinking and I just kind of put the weight off…I was having a lot of vodka with sausage…delicious but bad for you.” (more…)

Posted on October 14, 2023 by Cat Poland

Your Sports Bra is the Most Important Item in Your Gym Bag

We’ve all got our reasons for not being as physically active as we should. Typically, low energy level, time, and other lifestyle constraints affect our decision to hit the gym. But according to a study from the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, there’s another reason women aren’t engaging in exercise as much as they’d like.

Seventeen percent of women reported that the breast was a barrier to physical activity participation. I can’t find the right sports bra and I am embarrassed by excessive breast movement were the most significant breast-related setbacks recorded by the study.

It’s no wonder women experience this obstacle when considering the unique nature of female breast tissue. According to this article from the New York Times, a recent study by the Research Group in Breast Health discovered that “unsupported female breasts — that is, those not contained within a bra — oscillate as much as eight inches in space when a woman runs, and not just up and down, but also side to side, forward and backward.” Wow. That’s a lot of motion!

This is no surprise to Renelle Braaten, founder and president of ENELL, a company whose purpose is to create state-of-the-art, high-quality performance sports bras for women C cup or above so that they have the opportunity to fully participate in an active lifestyle. (more…)

Posted on October 7, 2023 by Cat Poland

You Can be All About that Bass and the Treble, too

Back in the day, I was a size four. And standing at 5’ 10”, that made me what some might call a “skinny b*tch,” or at least that’s the term Meghan Trainor uses in her smash pop hit, All About that Bass.

There was a time I felt kind of sorry for poor, skinny me. I mean, it’s not like I didn’t eat. I did. I hammered down pizza, buffalo wings, ramen noodles, and vending machine candy like any good college student (all washed down with keg beer, of course). I remember walking through the mall one afternoon when a large banner outside Lane Bryant caught my eye: Real Women Have Curves. I felt a pang of self consciousness at the straps of my A-cup bra hanging over my skeletal clavicle.

Now? Ten years, two kids (plus one one the way) and 25 pounds later, I finally have some of that “junk” that Meghan refers to. But here’s the thing. I still don’t feel like it’s in “all the right places.” At least a good twenty pounds of that weight went straight to my thighs. Sigh.

I’ve got plenty of friends who’re claiming All About that Bass as their jam. And who can blame them? It’s catchy, it’s fresh, and gosh darn it, it’s nice to see women (and that one guy) with thicker-than-your-average-video-dancer frames getting down with their bad selves! (more…)

Posted on September 15, 2023 by Cat Poland

3 Most Important Hormones for a Woman’s Good Health

It’s a popular punchline in movies and TV sitcoms when a woman is acting irrational — “It’s her hormones.” As it turns out, there’s more than a kernel of truth in this stereotype. While wonky hormone levels can’t be blamed for every strange thing a woman says or does, they can be the culprit in a variety of areas. Shape Magazine’s talking about the 20 most important hormones for our health (yes, 20!). We’re looking at the ones most key for women.

3 Important Hormones for Women’s General Health

Estrogens

This household-name hormone is produced in the ovaries and helps control sexual development (puberty, menstrual cycle, pregnancy) and also maintain bone strength. When levels are too high, it can cause increased risk of breast cancer, dementia and even uterine cancer.

Progestogens

As the uterus prepares for fertilization, these levels rise after ovulation, maintaining the uterine lining in preparation for implantation and throughout gestation. If pregnancy doesn’t occur, levels drop, causing menstruation to start. (more…)

Posted on September 1, 2023 by Cat Poland

Cupcake Ban in Schools Inspires Healthier Classroom Party Treat Ideas

“Mom, what are we bringing to school tomorrow for my birthday?”

If you’re like most busy parents, your child’s innocent question may send you into panic-stricken stammering.  “Um…well…it’s a surprise. A surprise! Yes, that’s it. You just wait until tomorrow and you’ll see.”

No, you didn’t forget your child’s birthday, it’s just that darn societal expectation that you’ll bring enough goodies to feed every kid in your child’s class. So, what’s it going to be? Stay up late and scour Pinterest for something, anything, that you can throw together, or sneak out to the store and eliminate some of the hassle?

For parents at some schools in Washington, Michigan, Colorado, Kentucky, and Minnesota, sugary sweets are no longer an option. This so-called “cupcake ban,” as reported by Shape Magazine, means that schools are requiring non-edible treats like pencils, stickers, and other trinkets be given.

Is this a good idea? Perhaps, if parents just aren’t complying with school recommendations to bring healthier treats. But in general, we as parents shouldn’t wait to be policed by the schools. Let’s take it upon ourselves to share healthier treats in classroom celebrations.

Here are a few homemade options that are wholesome and kid-approved! (more…)

Posted on August 19, 2023 by Cat Poland