Emmestyle

I felt Mo'nique's acceptance speech for best supporting actress stands far above the rest....in her beautiful electric blue ruched asymmetric dress.

I also feel compelled to thank Mo'nique's husband Sidney Hicks, for encouraging her to take on this role because it was an important role to play despite not being the most popular choice at the time.

Effects Of Family Meals, Sleeping And Screen Time On Obesity In Preschoolers - American Academy Of Pediatrics

Article Date: 08 Feb 2010 - 0:00 PST

Preschool children exposed to three household routines -- regularly eating family meals, getting adequate sleep, and limiting screen-viewing time -- had a roughly 40 percent lower prevalence of obesity than those exposed to none of these routines. The study, "Household Routines and Obesity in U.S. Preschool-Aged Children," published in the March issue of Pediatrics (appearing online Feb. 8), involved a cross-sectional analysis of 8,550 4-year-old U.S. children in which researchers examined the association between childhood obesity and three household routines. Eighteen percent of all the children in the study were obese.

Among those exposed to all three household routines, the prevalence of obesity was 14.3 percent, compared with 24.5 percent among those exposed to none of the routines. Each routine by itself was associated with lower risk of obesity, and the more routines children had the lower was their risk for obesity.

The association between having these routines and a lower risk of obesity was seen in both higher and lower income households and for children with and without an obese mother. Study authors suggest that these household routines offer a promising approach to preventing childhood obesity and the routines may also benefit other parts of children's development.

Source American Academy of Pediatrics

Thank you Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity (www.yaleruddcenter.org) for highlighting this article in your newsletter!

Are You a Teen with a Story to Tell ?

Thin Threads®: Real Stories of Life Changing Moments, a book series published by Kiwi Publishing, is looking for true life stories written by teens and young adults.

If you’re a young writer between the ages of 13 and 21 and have a life changing mo- ment to share with our readers, we want to hear from you.

Martha Handler, co-author of this upcoming edition, is currently collecting Thin Threads stories that embrace the best of the human spirit – the heart and instinct that exists in each of us and leads us toward becoming who we were meant to be.

We are especially interested in personal essays that capture a moment, event, or decision that redirected a young life for the better, a connection that has positively transformed a teen or young adult in preparation for a fulfilling life.

Submission Guidelines:

•Personal essays should be written in first person.

•Word count 800-1200; please double space submissions.

•Include a brief bio with your submission.

•Submit on-line. Visit: www.thinthreads.com

Deadline for submissions: May 23, 2010

Story Writing Contest Prizes: • First Prize: $500 to author, $500 to his/her selected charity

• Second Prize: One American Airline ticket anywhere in the US (certain restrictions apply, see website )

• Third Prize $100 Gift Certificate A $100 permission fee will be paid for all stories selected for publication.

For further information, please visit www.thinthreads.com, or contact

Martha at: martha@thinthreads.com

www.kiwipublishing.com

Emme

To love oneself exactly as is, is no easy task — especially if you make your living in the critical public eye of the entertainment and fashion worlds. But celebrated full-figure model Emme makes no apologies about living by that sentiment. Since her ground-breaking arrival to the fashion world in 1990, supermodel, author, mother, designer and advocate for healthy body image and self-esteem, brings refreshing perspective to everything she approaches. Her enthusiasm for acceptance of one's physical appearance, is surmounted only by her passion "to awaken the inner magnificence inherent in each of us."

Emme's lifelong battle with food, body-image and self-esteem informs her advocacy work. Her struggles and triumphs qualify and empower her in a special way to help other women move toward self-love and acceptance. In 1993 she became affiliated with the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), and was named Chair Ambassador in 1997. She describes the organization as "the US clearing house for all issues that deal with eating disorders." NEDA provides education, support and treatment to individuals and their families living with the disease. Twice named People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People of the Year," Emme also supports Ophelia's Place as an adjunct to NEDA. "I went to Syracuse, so I picked a little place — the little engine that could. It's a halfway house for people to go after they get out of treatment," she says. Founded by Mary Ellen and Dan Clausen, the once small operation is now a globally recognized resource center.

In similar suit, Emme shares her experience as a cancer-survivor to help and inspire others. One of her favorite organizations is the Comedy Cures Foundation, founded by Saranne Rothberg, who launched the organization in 1999 during her own treatment for stage IV cancer. The national nonprofit aims to "bring joy, laughter and therapeutic humor programs to kids and grown-ups living with illness, depression, trauma and disabilities.

And while Emme supports other causes such as Hearts of Gold, a NYC-based organization that supports underprivileged mothers and children and the Montel Williams MS Foundation (her father had MS), her real focus is on shifting our collective sensibility on beauty.

According to Emme, "there is a statistic that states 80 percent of women are dissatisfied with their bodies." Regardless of age, however, she thinks all women need to stop and ask themselves the questions: "What the hell is wrong with me ... why can't I be beautiful?! Am I really having enough time for silence? Am I eating well? Being really honest and really asking ourselves the questions is a good place to start."

The deconstruction of old ways can start with simple actions like discontinuing the use of a product that doesn't make you feel good, or writing a letter to a magazine that sends disjointed messages. To that end she says, "Sign your name. Be proud." But the real impact she believes comes from the change that happens in your own life first. "If you can stop the negative self-speak, the body bashing, beating yourself up ... good food, bad food, whatever it is that you call bad. Just enjoy whatever you're enjoying. Just be really responsible for yourself and not wait for — a thing or someone or a pill — to do it for you. I need to take the bull by the horns and figure out what makes me happy."

Born, Melissa Miller in Manhattan, the 5' 11 beauty spent much of her childhood in Saudi Arabia, before returning to the US as a teen. Weight was always an issue in their home; the goal: to keep it off. When Emme was only 12, her father, who also struggled with his weight, circled her "trouble" areas with a black magic marker. Such events set into motion years of negative self-talk. Fortunately, a love of sports helped Glamour magazine's 2008 "Woman of the Year" keep fit, and assuaged some of the challenges associated with battling weight. It also earned her a spot on the Syracuse University crew team, for which she received a full scholarship. Emme started her career as a reporter and morning anchor for the NBC affiliate KNAZ-TV.

In 1990, at age 27, Emme entered the less-than-welcoming fashion world. While waiting on the set of her first modeling gig, she overheard the world-renowned photographer refusing to work with a "fatty." The shoot eventually happened. The painful words didn't send Emme running for the door, If anything, they fortified her determination to carry on and be herself.

Highlights

* In 1997 Emme's candid first book True Beauty hits shelves, paving the way for new attitudes about body image. The same year, she spoke before a Congressional committee on eating disorders.
* After battling lymphatic cancer in 2007, Emme goes green and shares about her experiences on iVillage blog Simply Green with Emme.
* First full-figure model to sign with Revlon in 1997.
* 2009 finds Emme in front of the camera as the host of dating show More to Love.
* Plus size fashion collection Me by Emme launches in fall 2009.

What You Can Do

* Find new ways to boost your self-esteem.
* Get educated on eating disorders.
* DoSomething like Emme

Photos by Robert Ascroft/FOX

I am so happy you jumped over to check out EmmeStyle... please sign up! I am working on some exciting things for all of us to share in the coming months... Let me know what you are thinking and feeling! I'll be checking in later with you, Peace and many hugs! Emme