beautygeeks

Here I am beaming with L.A.-based personal trainer Harley Pasternak when he was in town recently to launch Nestea Vitao, a new line of natural, antioxidant-rich iced tea. A Canadian fella, he’s helped hone the physiques of Benjamin Bratt and Halle Berry.

Well, I used an interview for homemakers.com as an excuse to gush about how much I love Pasternak’s super-efficient 5-Factor workout — and a few weeks later, I fell off the fitness wagon again. Sheesh. Don’t tell.

That’s the “’fessing up”. I’ve slothed out for the last bit. Haven’t been to the gym, lost track of whether it’s two or three weeks… oops. It happens. Life, you know? And I feel the difference — my original title for this post was “F is for Flabbo.”

So it’s back to the 5-Factor workout routine for me on Monday. And here’s the “forecasting”: it’s going to be OWWWWW (yes, caps and italics). But it’ll be great, too. I’ve missed it.

And that’s no fib.

I should mention that Pasternak has two versions of this 5-Factor workout now. His more recent book, 5-Factor Diet, is chock-full of more sound advice and tasty, simple, five-ingredient recipies, plus an updated program which Pasternak promises is even more efficient than the original.

I’ve resisted trying the newer program because it takes me a while to push past 35-plus years of thinking my body can’t do something. Silly, really, because a) the workout isn’t crazy different from the first; b) I’m stronger now than I ever was; and c) the only exercise that gives me pause is a step-up set using a bench. Duh.

I’ll amend my earlier decree: I’m starting the updated 5-Factor routine on Monday. I’ll keep you posted.

If you’re new to my appreciation of Pasternak and 5-Factor, here’s why I’m a fan: Celebrity Body: Harley Pasternak’s 5-Factor Fitness and My Healthy Makeover.

Estella Warren loves rich, gourmet meals.

That was not in the beauty-secrets swag bag I got at my coming out party.

Warren, if you remember, is a Canadian National Champion synchronized swimmer-turned Chanel No. 5 model-turned Mark Wahlberg’s co-star in Planet of the Apes. In town for the launch of Nestea Vitao, a new line of preservative-free antioxidant-rich iced teas, Warren is operating on just a couple of hours of sleep. Again I must kvetch. Sleep deprivation wasn’t in my beauty-secrets bag either.

Tall, shiny and clearly naturally slender, Warren’s just under 30 according to the birthdate on her IMDB profile, and she’s back on the modelling circuit, she says. She’s also a little dorky, which helps me get over my natural resentment (hey, I’m not perfect). A bit non-plussed when I ask her about her beauty regimen, she stumbles over her words some and then confesses that she doesn’t really have one. “I’m not a cleansing freak,” she says. “I usually use whatever I have lying around. Sometimes it’s Dove soap, and sometimes it’s a basic Neutrogena cleanser.”

She thinks some more. “Oh, and I use a moisturizing cream from a line called Embryolisse; it’s cheap in France.”

She doesn’t exfoliate or use fancy anti-aging serums on her clear skin. Genetics. Huh.

Warren’s role at the event is of opening MC. She introduces celebrity trainer and fellow Canadian Harley Pasternak, who is here to introduce the iced tea (*shrug*), so I ask whether she’s a client. “I was,” she says. “Harley’s great. But I love my gourmet food, my foie gras, too much. He only lets me have my favourites once a week; I want them every night.” Did I mention naturally slender? Healthy slender, with curves.

Fair notsomuch.

I’m busy examining Warren’s makeup application. Light, natural, nice emphasis on her green eyes with a little golden-bronze shadow and lots of mascara. Real, like she did it herself. “[Makeup artist] Sue Devitt is a friend of mine,” she says. “I only wear her makeup. She makes the best foundation. It’s really light, like a tinted moisturizer.”

And then it comes out. “I like sleep,” she blurts. How much sleep? “Like 10 hours, every night if I can,” she admits. “I love sleeping. That’s really my beauty secret. As much asleep as I can get. I can’t wait to take a nap.”

She’s still under 30. And a winner in the good-genes pool. One substandard sleep-night isn’t gonna hurt her. Sheesh.

Well, at least I can try that 10-hour sleep thing.

G’nite.

Yup, it’s Friday, “F is for…” day (or at least it was when I posted this — my bad for being so late). And today F is for fitness, and for freaks. Freaks would be the folks who can go for a run without tunes. They puzzle me.

The new Nike+ SportBand is for freaks — I mean, for runners who run because they love running. Runners who enjoy marathons (no music allowed for those) and… just running. Read the rest of this entry »

Wondering whether Harley Pasternak might judge me for having flatbread and 7-layer dip for breakfast. Avocado, beans, cheese, tomatoes — that’s some goodness, ain’t it? Well, better than a cupcake from The Cupcake Shoppe. (Give me 5 minutes…)

I’m naming all my first-born children after Harley Pasternak.

Pasternak is a big-time celebrity trainer with clients such as Alicia Keys, Kanye West, Jessica Simpson and, according to an “e-Talk” clip (or was it “ET Canada?”), now Superbad’s Jonah Hill. Training Halle Berry for Catwoman is what got him the first mega-spotlight; Oprah flipped the switch by telling Halle her trainer needed to write a book. Enter 5-Factor Fitness, which promises “5 weeks to a celebrity body by working out less and eating more.” I read it on the beach when I was in Mexico for my friend Chantel’s wedding.

I’ve been using the 5-Factor workout now since February 2005. Sometimes I fall off the fitness wagon for a bit — I plateaued on the couch for six months until just this past February — but the efficiency of the workout keeps me coming back. And you know what? I don’t have a celebrity body, but I do have a body I can celebrate, finally. It’s stronger and a much better shape for the clothes I want to wear. My arms are firmly toned and I finally have a waist! (My former apple-body shape had me looking like Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum’s younger sister. A propeller-beanie and high-waist striped pants… seriously.)

I don’t have a new photo to show you — the one in My Healthy Makeover is from last year. But Harley’s coming to town (he’s Canadian, you know) next Wednesday for a press thing; I’ll get a new photo then. With pleasure.

It’s June 2007 and I’ve got a new photo popped into My Healthy Makeover. Just so you know. *grin*

Must apologize for that horrendously long My Healthy Makeover post. Still discomblogulated — haven’t got the hang of this software yet, and don’t know how to show an abbreviated post with a link to the rest. Sorry!

Also, some of you have mentioned seeing bits of programming code in the blog — I can’t see it at all on my computer. Mystery! But am investigating. Thanks for the feedback! Heart.

It’s a strange thing to tell people that you look great now. Essentially, that’s what I’m doing here, and it sounds insufferably conceited, although I don’t mean it that way. You don’t tell folks you look great — you’re not supposed to know until you’re told, right? But we wear how we feel as if it were clothing, so the better you feel, the better you look. It’s truth.

Sometimes we don’t feel so great. We think all those fun, vibrant people around us were born that way, that we weren’t so lucky. The key is figuring out that a healthier attitude (stop feeling sorry for yourself) and a healthier lifestyle (get off the couch) changes everything (life) for the so-much-better.

For years I struggled with my weight and felt ugly and worthless because of it. I spent 10 years hiding in my apartment, avoiding a social life because of the way I felt about myself. I eventually figured out that I was being an idiot, that losing weight wasn’t going to guarantee happiness or a hot boyfriend, so I got off the couch and started a life. Read the rest of this entry »

This is a blog about receiving compliments. “Omigod, you have the most gorgeous skin,” or “I love your bag,” or “awesome shoes” – who doesn’t love hearing stuff like that? It makes you smile, even makes your day, doesn’t it? In fact, just having an opportunity to compliment someone else is a mood lift!

Superficial? Sure. But I’ve been saying for years (and celeb hairstylist Ted Gibson better back me up here on account he’s one of the people to whom I’ve said this): The first part of “superficial” is SUPER!, and damn if “super” isn’t just a great, feel-good word.

So this blog is going to help you get compliments. Lots and lots of great compliments, on your skin, your complexion, your hair, your makeup, your style, your clothes and your accessories.

Practice saying “thank you” gracefully. It’ll look good on you.