Blog Posts by Vitamin G, Glamour Magazine

I'm always curious about what people eat (maybe it's because I'm a health and fitness writer, or just really curious, or perhaps it's the fact that I'm a terminal people watcher--or all of the above). Recently, on the ferry boat, I saw a woman doing the strangest, and yet most fascinating, thing...

****
She was sitting there in a booth on the ferry boat munching on a snack. From a distance, this healthy and fit-looking gal appeared to be eating crackers or maybe even chips, but as I walked closer, I could see that she was eating--wait for this--plain spinach leaves!

Uh huh. She was chowing down on raw spinach. No dressing. No utensils. Nothing. At first I was a little surprised. I mean, how often do you see someone just sitting their eating greens? Then I thought, why not? If you don't need them slathered in dressing or hidden in your meal, why not eat them straight out of the bag?

What do you think about eating greens straight up? Weird or why not?

More healthy

I don't know about you, but I know there is no chance--I repeat: no chance--that this bod of mine will ever look like a Victoria's Secret model's. And I'm not crying about it either. But just in case you're a tad curious about what these gals do to get bikini ready, here's a clip to watch...

****
Modelinia.com, a "video centric" site that focuses on the life of the supermodel (uh, just in case you wanted the inside scoop on the lives of the super-gorgeous!), featured a segment recently about how supermodels get bikini ready.

See our tips: Jillian Michaels on How to Reach Any Body Goal

The responses ranged from cute to no-brainer, like these:

"I eat very little." (At least she's honest.)

"I do ballet." (Sounds like fun to me!)

My favorite: "I don't do anything." OK, so maybe I wanted to strangle this 5' 11" gazelle, just a little.

Another great outtake was hearing one Victoria Secret model pronounce yoga as "yawga."

Real women, speak up! What are you

Buying tampons from a male drugstore clerk used to embarrass me, but not so much anymore. Tampons are a fact of life. But, somehow, buying any of the following very personal and revealing items, could be a tad cringe-worthy...

****
1. Maxi pads (especially the super-duper, almost-a-diaper variety you have to wear after having a baby)
2. Anything "anti-fungal"
3. Wart medicine
4. Condoms and lubricant
5. Yeast infection medicine
6. Pregnancy tests (you know the clerk is looking at you like, "is she, or isn't she?")
7. Personal wipes (because you're announcing to the world that "toilet paper isn't enough to clean this business.")
8. Prescription-strength deodorant
9. Lice shampoo (set it on the counter and watch everyone around you take a big step back)
10. Anti-stink foot powder

What else would you add to the list?

More embarrassing moments from Vitamin G:

*Readers share their most embarrassing body moments.
*

Losing the final few pounds is tough, isn't it? Whether it's 5, 8 or 10. It's like those last pounds stubbornly refuse to leave your bod even when you seem to be working so hard! I've been doing a LOT of thinking about this lately, because I'm in the very same boat. Here are four strategies to try...

****

1. If you go to Starbucks, don't get a snack with your coffee. Newsflash: Your latte is your snack. I know, this may not sound like weight loss rocket science, but you know how appealing the pastries in that case are, right? And when it's snack time, who doesn't want a cute little slice of pumpkin loaf or a little cookie to go along with your latte--especially when your pal just got a croissant. Resist! The snack is overkill. You don't need it. Let your latte be your snack--it can hold you over until your next meal. Personal note: I've put myself on restriction from ordering snacks at cafes--even when they're seemingly harmless/low fat. I don't need them. And if I really want

Would your guy get an HPV vaccination to reduce his risk of passing on the virus to you, and in the process, help protect you from cervical cancer? Definitely, right? Well, oddly, most guys say no thanks to that idea. Crazy? Selfish? Uncaring? You decide.

****
Many health experts believe that for maximum public health benefits, both women and men should be vaccinated against HPV, the virus that can lead to cervical cancer in women. While a male vaccination isn't yet available, experts say it may be on the horizon.

See our tips: Common Health and Sex Myths Busted!

But, guys don't seem to be that interested in getting a quick poke in the thigh--even if it could mean saving the life of the woman they love. This is all according to a study conducted by researchers at Florida State University (FSU), who found that guys were a little cavalier about the vaccine. In fact, even when told convincing information about the link between a potential male vaccination and a reduced

I think I told you guys about my dust-mite-freak-out when I was a kid. After my allergist showed me a blown up photo of one, I refused to sleep in my bed. OK, so we've all heard the one about our mattresses doubling in size over the course of 10 years due to dust mite debris and skin cells, right? But is it true? I have an answer...

****
It's true!

Great, I know. I spoke with Philip Tierno, director of clinical microbiology and immunology at New York University Langone Medical Center, and he says this "urban myth" isn't a myth at all--it's a fact. Over the course of just 10 years, your mattress could double in weight because of the accumulation of dust mite debris (let's be real here: dust mite poo), your dead skin cells, etc.

See our tips: Three really weird tricks to fall asleep faster.

What to do? Use an "impervious" mattress cover, which makes sure that nothing can get inside your mattress--no dust mites, skin cells, etc. You can find them anywhere these days.

Let's face it, slimming down ain't easy. There's the business of eating right and exercising--and doing it consistently. And then there are the litany of challenges and temptations we face daily that sneak up and try to sabotage our efforts to slim down. Here are some ...

****
*Your boyfriend. Joanna over at Smitten wrote about this phenomenon. In short, many women (me included!) find it tempting to eat something they normally wouldn't (think gigantic hamburger and fries) when their man is splurging too. Joanna's antidote, which I think is brilliant: mint gum. OK, so it might not curb a craving, but if you're not hungry and considering partaking in that burger just because your BF is--go for the gum.

*Your messy house. This is huge, at least for me. When my house is messy, I feel less organized. When I feel less organized, I feel out of control. When I feel out of control, I fall victim to emotional eating. Stop the madness, clean your house. Your Messy House: Why It Could Be

We've talked a lots of legitimate ways to motivate yourself to slim down (and Vitamin G contributor Jillian Michaels has sure had some fabulous things to say in this area), but what about this totally crazy (and kind of controversial) way to trick yourself into slimming down...

****
It's called bet dieting, the act of betting money that you'll lose a certain amount of weight. But here's where things get a little strange: Say you want to lose 10 pounds. You bet $100 that you'll do it--choosing one or two charities that you don't agree with. For instance, if you don't believe in abortion, you could opt to punish yourself by having the money sent to a pro-choice group. Or say you are all for gun control. If you can't lose the weight, your $100 goes to gun-rights organizations.

Crazy, right?

See our tips: Scary Celeb Diet Tricks No Woman Should Try!

Some say this kind of "nanny nanny boo boo, bet you can't lose the weight" sort of psychology is actually kind of