Hey Everyone,

It’s so good for everyone to keep learning all the time, and not just for our jobs or about kid stuff. Sometimes I get so caught up with kids/work/hubby/whatever that when I look back over that past several weeks, or even months, the only “me” time I've allowed myself was spent working out, reading trashy novels, and watching Grey's Anatomy. Not to say that these aren't noble pursuits...but when this happens I usually find myself craving knowledge—something that challenges me and makes me think. In the same way that stretching helps your body, you need to stretch your mind. Here are some of the things I do when I need a little brain activity.
 
* Do a crossword puzzle. I love crosswords. I’m not going to pretend I can do the New York Times Sunday puzzle with a pen or anything, but I do the L.A. Times puzzle often, and I usually finish. 
 
* Watch educational TV. As I type this, Dave and I are watching a show on the National Geographic channel about the galaxy.  It's fascinating to learn about the planets, what they're made of, etc. And there are random facts I know I Ben will love to hear about tomorrow. Here's Megan expanding her own horizons!

* Read a magazine that teaches something. Cook’s Illustrated is one of my favorite magazines.  The research that goes into each and every recipe is staggering. And so interesting! I learn so much about ingredients and cooking techniques and how they affect the final product that I would never have imagined. (A subscription to Cook’s has become my go-to gift to friends.) I love it. I also love Real Simple. I am so excited to find it in my mailbox each month.  The “New Uses” section is my favorite. I always get a new idea. Did you know you can use lemon juice to sanitize a chopping block or whiten your fingernails? Or use olive oil to remove eye makeup or soften cuticles? Or use a rubber band to help open a tight jar? (Wrap the band a few times around the lid until it’s tight, and it will help you grip it.) Or use a the sticky end of a post-it note to clean the spaces between the keys on your computer keyboard? I've totally used tips I've found in this section.

What are some of the little things you do to stretch your mind? Let me know right here in the comment section.

xo

Ali

Hi Everyone,
 
I remember fondly the days when I had all the time in the world to do whatever I wanted. Ha. Not anymore. I used to get manicures all the time, but with two kids, I don’t get to see the inside of a nail salon very often. The best I can do most of the time is slap a coat of dark polish on while I get my hair done at Days before running out on set.
 
Often there is a chip or a mark on them because I didn’t have time to let them dry completely before getting dressed. James Scott (who plays EJ on Days) teased me recently that it used to look like I had used a big house-painting paintbrush to do it. He wasn’t wrong. Polish would often end up all over my skin.
 
I do love putting on a new color every time I’m in the mood to switch it up. (Though I will say, there have been a few times I’ve forgotten which color “Sami” was wearing, and it didn’t match on TV. Oops! But for the most part, it works out okay.) Out of necessity, I’ve gotten way better at doing a polish change on myself. (My left hand work is showing vast improvement.) I’m way better at coloring “inside the lines” now. I’ve also bought the tools I needed to do it right, like base coat, top coat, and a nail file (go figure!), and I sort of have fun doing it.
 
However, I did just get the rare chance to go back to my salon, and I had a fabulous mani/pedi (at the same time, because I definitely don’t have time to do it separately) and I am totally appreciating how clean and precise my fingers look as I type this blog.
 
I wish I had time for this every week. I just don’t. I’m guessing you don’t, either!
 
And as much as I loved the mani, I do feel like the money I spent on it will go right down the drain (literally) when I wash dishes after dinner and bathe both my kids tonight. There’s no way the polish will survive totally intact.

This manicure thing is a bit of a metaphor for my life (and the lives of most moms I know). For the most part, we have to do things to pamper ourselves the quick way, and do them ourselves. But the good news is, with practice, we can get better at it. But more importantly, we should all strive for some balance and acknowledge that it’s important to take the time for ourselves, once in a while... and let a professional do it.

How have you learned to pamper yourself? And when you splurge and let someone else do it, what is your favorite thing to do?
 
xo
 
Ali

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share a comment I got on Facebook a week or two ago:

I was wondering where the grey skirt/dress n green sweater u wore on the beach with EJ last week is from???? I love it n u looked amazing in it!!!

 First off, thanks! So glad you liked it. I LOVED that grey dress. It's super comfortable, and it’s convertible, too. You can wear it as a skirt, as a mini dress, or the way Sami was wearing it, as a strapless dress. I actually bought it in two colors for myself. It's by I.N.C., and I got it at Macy's. To me, it was the perfect cover-up for the bikini on-screen, and that’s how I've been using the ones I bought for me. I wear them when I’m playing at the beach or poolside with my kids. I am definitely modest enough that I don't want to be wandering around in my bathing suit... for self-conscious reasons mostly, but also because you just never know how your kid is going to yank on you, and that could easily create a wardrobe malfunction. No one wants that! :)

I love the versatility of this piece...it’s a great dress, and it can look totally different as a skirt with just your bathing suit top (sexy!), or with a cute t-shirt for comfort. I'm all about a piece of wardrobe that offers options!

Thanks for your question, and please feel free to ask about any of the great stuff we get to wear on Days, or Biggest Loser for that matter; I'll always try to answer. Also, get ready for some "guest blogs" from some of the brilliant experts I'm lucky enough to know - we have great stuff coming up this week!

xo

Ali

Hi everyone!

I just had to share this schedule of Cooking Classes at Williams-Sonoma. I absolutely love cooking, and the idea of learning new techniques in the kitchen is so intriguing. And Williams-Sonoma is offering these FREE classes? What could be better?!

It comes in handy to have a few cooking tricks and techniques up your sleeve. A few nights ago, my best friend came to my house. She was in from out of town, and it was a surprise visit, so I had to pull together dinner from what was available in the fridge. The fun part was that I never needed to look at a recipe. Now, I didn't do anything fancy—I broiled a chicken with lemon slices on top, made a “house salad” with whatever I had available to toss in, and made a little brown rice from a 5-minute boil-a-bag. But instead of following the standard 5-minute rice directions, I used low-sodium chicken stock in place of water, added a little white wine as I was cooking it, and prepared the 5-minute rice almost as you would a risotto. It turned out great, in a third of the time it takes to make a real risotto! This is just one example of how you can take a fancy chef technique and apply it to home use. I bet you all have tons of examples of this, and I’d love to hear about them!
 
Try to check out these classes at a Williams-Sonoma store. If you’re in the L.A. area, I might see you there! 

Xo

Ali

Hi Everyone!
 
Working with the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon has been such an amazing experience for me. Every person involved with the organization works from the heart.  And never is that more true than during the telethon.
 
It starts with Jerry Lewis—his record is truly inspiring. He's been hosting telethons to benefit the MDA since the 50s, and this Labor Day telethon since 1966! In the beginning he would be awake, hosting live, the entire length of the show! Now he is still our fearless leader, doing an amazing job every year of encouraging generous people across the country to contribute what they can to help fight muscular dystrophy.
 
The telethon is something I look forward to participating in every year. This year is my fourth, and I am already excited for next year! Even through the exhausting wee hours of the morning, you look around and see dedicated faces, heartbreakingly strong families, generously giving volunteers, and excited performers. This telethon has it all: comedy, variety acts, and serious glimpses into the tremendous work the MDA does in research and treatment of people diagnosed with the more than 40 muscular dystrophy diseases.
 
If you haven't already, I would urge you to call in and contribute, or visit the website and perhaps find something you might like at the online MDA auction!
 
xo

Ali

Hi everyone,
 
What an amazing response to yesterday’s “Parents’ choice” post.  Obviously a lot of people are passionate about this topic, as I am. First, I want to acknowledge and thank you all for being awesome women. You were so honest and willing to share. Having so many people open up about their own stories and experiences is important, eye-opening, and informative for all of us.  It reminds us all that there are warm faces and loving hearts behind what we see at the grocery store or at the ice cream shop. As I said in my original post, I'm not judging, and it seems like all of you made the same effort. For that, I applaud you and thank you.

Also, I can't tell you how wonderful it made me feel to read your responses to each other, offering advice and empathy, and reaching out to support each other. High fives all around. Again, you all have my eternal gratitude for caring so much about each other.
 
Now, on to the topic at hand. People made so many interesting points, and there are a few things I'd like to address. Diane's story says so much. I have heard about this nutrition plan for children with Autism and ADHD and read about extremely positive results. It's amazing to read about parents who are finding success despite extremely difficult circumstances, and making such pro-active (often difficult) choices for their children. I'm sure sticking to such a strict meal plan can't be easy or inexpensive. But when it's crucial to your quality of life, as it so often is in these cases, you make it work. That’s truly inspirational.
 
To Terri's point, metabolism absolutely plays a big part in weight. Some people are just gifted with genetics that allow them to indulge without gaining weight.  While I am nowhere close to being a doctor, I can tell you that I've seen first hand that in some ways, appearing overweight is just the most obvious symptom of bigger health issues. I know slender looking people who ended up in the emergency room undergoing quadruple by-pass surgery due to clogged arteries from unhealthy eating. Obesity is the easiest aspect to diagnose; you identify it whether you mean to or not. But there are so many extremely unhealthy things that can be happening beneath the surface that you may never even know about until it's too late.
 
Joly, you brought up several important points also. Yes, there are circumstances beyond our control as parents. I cannot imagine what that must have been like for you, having your child diagnosed with something so foreign you don't even begin to know how to handle it. From what you wrote, it seems like at 11 he's no longer battling the original diagnosis, but obviously, he’s still physically and emotionally dealing with the repercussions. As are you. And how does someone even begin to offer advice to someone in your unique circumstances? I don’t know. But the statistics of your circumstances are in the minority. Most of this country is facing obesity for extremely basic reasons.
 
On another point, I couldn't agree with you more, Joly. Staring is rude, and it is certainly no one’s place to judge others “until you've walked a mile in their shoes” and maybe not even then. However, I will say, it is more than just about differences. My concern, sitting in my local coffee shop, was for that child's welfare. And I'm sorry, I will not back down from the fact that under no circumstances should an obese child have a chocolaty whipped cream coffee drink. And the caffeine is frankly the least of my concerns. Of course I didn't stare, mostly because I would NEVER want that little girl to feel bad about herself. But if she doesn't already, she will. I know how mean kids are. It was bad enough when I was in school, and now? Do you watch Oprah?? They're horrible to each other. It's terrifying under the best of circumstances. And it is, without question (in my opinion) parents’ responsibility to give their children every possible advantage. But, I will emphasize again, this obviously exempts parents who have major medical battles that most of us will hopefully never have to deal with.
 
I will end this overly long post by acknowledging Chrissy. I honor her honesty and appreciate her putting herself out there, opening up to everyone else, and sharing her story. But the most important part about what she wrote is the last two weeks. She is on the right path NOW, and that is more important that anything else. Now, today, here, she is being a good role model and that is how you should see yourself, Chrissy. Congratulate yourself on what you're doing now to be a good mom.
 
Not to be totally corny, but the opening lyrics to The Biggest Loser theme song is "What have you done TODAY to make you feel proud?" Do something good today, and tomorrow you'll feel good about what you did yesterday and want to do it again, and so on and so on. That's how I keep myself going. I love how this conversation is going. I would love to keep it up, so share more stories if you have them! And let us know if you have other ideas for ways to help keep our kids healthy, and not judge others in our community for what we don't understand. 

Thank you all again, and I hope you have a happy, healthy weekend.

xo

Ali

Hi Everyone,
 
Okay, I have to vent here. 

I promise I am just venting, not judging, because obviously I only know what I am looking at right now, and don’t necessarily know the whole story.

Anyway, I am sitting at my favorite coffee shop and there is a sweet, adorable girl at the next table with her dad. She can’t be more than eight years old, and she is at least 30 pounds overweight. At her height, that is a lot. Her dad is overweight, also. But what I want to vent about is that they both have huge, frothy, milky, chocolaty frozen drinks with extra whipped cream in their hands. Those things are loaded, loaded, loaded with calories, sugar, and fat—with no worthwhile nutritional qualities.

I get that we all need treats occasionally, but those are just the worst for you—and it concerns me that a parent would let a child (one for whom obesity is apparently a real risk) order something like that, and set the example of drinking one in front of her. All she knows is that she wants something sweet—she is not old enough to understand the consequences, and I’m worried that no one is teaching her about healthy eating.

Healthy eating during childhood is one of parents’ most important responsibilities. And yes, I believe it is completely the grown-up’s job to make the right choice in these situations! I know that denying your children things they want can be a challenge, but that’s our job! We have to set limits!
 
I saw this happening with a stranger, and I didn’t say anything because I don’t know the whole story. But have you seen this happening closer to home? Does your sister always feed her kids fast food (and yours, when she’s with them, even though you’ve asked her not to)? Does your best friend complain about her child being overweight, but not realize she’s part of the problem?

Tell me about things you’ve noticed, and whether or not you’ve stepped in.

xo

Ali

Between promoting my shows and being featured in magazine stories, I end up doing a lot of photo shoots. Getting ready for them is fun because professional hair and makeup artists are on hand to help me look my best. Sometimes I’m supposed to look glamorous, sometimes casual. But always, without question, I look a whole lot better than I did when I woke up that morning. And I almost always pick up a few tips that I can use every day to look my best, too. Here are some of my big takeaways from a recent photo shoot for Parents magazine.
 
1. Get enough sleep! I talk about this a lot in my book, and believe me, if I didn’t get enough sleep the night before a photo shoot, I hear about it from my makeup artist. Pictured here is Deidre, whom I work with at Days now (she works with us at The Biggest Loser a lot, too). If I’m sleep deprived, she always says, “I’m a make-up artist, not a miracle worker,” (riffing on the “I’m a doctor, not a physicist” line from Star Trek.) Getting enough sleep helps your skin and eyes and pretty much everything else look better.

2. If you have straight hair, give it some volume. Whether you’re blowing it out straight or with some waves or wearing it up, straight hair tends to look better in photos when it has some volume. In this picture Matthew is blow-drying my hair, and as you can see he starts by breaking it into sections and blowing each section out with a big round brush to give it volume and shine.

3. When you’re with your kids, your wardrobe still matters if you want to look good! It’s so easy as a mom to forget about your own needs and concentrate on your kids. I do that even at photo shoots if my kids are going to be there! For the Parents shoot, Ben and Megan were in the photos, and as you can see in this picture I was way more concerned with helping Megan get dressed than getting myself ready. When I do a photo shoot with my children, I couldn’t care less how I look. I’m much more worried about them being in a good mood, being well behaved, being comfortable, being clean, and so on. But guess what? I’m still going to be in the photo (and in everyday life, I still want to feel like I look good!) so it’s okay to spend a few minutes thinking about what YOU are going to wear!

4. Keep the shine in control. I’m not really someone who sweats very much (except when I’m working out, of course) and yet on this shoot I totally started to “shine,” as Deidre calls it, only 10 minutes into the shoot, because I was running around trying to wrangle my kids. This definitely happens in real life, too, to every mom I know! If someone is going to be snapping your photo, try anti-shine powder or gel or keep blotting sheets in your purse—you can eliminate shine without messing up your makeup!
 
5. This isn’t exactly about looking good—well, sort of—but wet wipes really are a mom’s best friend. At the photo shoot I had to get some crumbs off Megan from her snack before we started taking pictures! Glad I caught that. And for every day, you never know when you’re going to have to clean up a spill, on your kids or on you. So be prepared!

What are your best tips for looking good every day—even when you’ve got other things (read: your kids!) on your mind?

xo

Ali

Hey Everyone!

Here's a transcript of today's fun Tweet Chat! Thank you to everyone who tweeted - I had a blast chatting with all of you! In fact, we're gonna do it again September 30th and we'll be tweeting about The Tower, The Zoo & The Tortoise by Julia Stuart.

xo

Ali

Ali Sweeney: hey everyone! ready to chat Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? use hashtag #GirlWith to get in the conversation!! What'd you think?

@freckles_405 no, it's my twitter-bookclub! we all read it and are talking about it now! #Girlwith

@Amanda_Ratliff yes, I felt the exact same way. it went from 0 to 60 for me around 20% in! why is that?? #Girlwith

@steeners41 @TaraCain @bandnpr678 every1 says that & ITA, why so hard to get through? could he have made the first part more interesting?

@AshleySandberg Yeah, i totally downloaded the next two immediately. did you guess the who-dun-it? #GirlWith

@TMoore8114 yes! it took me forever to get the names straight. I still have never tried to pronounce them aloud. lol. #GirlWith

Ali Sweeney: excellent question! anyone read the other two? RT @jenn269 Are all the books just as hard to get into?#GirlWith

@jdarronk I knew I liked Salander right from the start! #GirlWith ... can't believe what she went thru - the whole State guardian! crazy!

@jenn269 @AshleySandberg @vaccarol yes, shocked by the magnitude of the crime. the violence against female stats were alarming #girlwith

@RedAngelus I was on an airplane when I read 'tattoo' scene.had 2 put it down, I so desperately needed to discuss w/ someone! #girlwith

@dancinghols did anyone HATE Salander?? I thought she was clearly our heroine? #GirlWith

@VT2SC I was so amazed at how clever she was covering her tracks at the end. But I really thought she was going to disappear after #girlwith

@Amanda_Ratliff yes - that Blomkbist/Berger/her hubby triangle was SO strange. why do u suppose he included that dynamic? #Girlwith

@Brandie185 yes! & there's controversy over 4th book, that girlfriend has manuscript for or something? #GirlWith

@Amanda_Ratliff yes, I guessed at Salander's autism right off. #GirlWith

@s_exum But I think he included it as a story beat to really show up Blomkbist's inability to commit to anything.. right? #GirlWith

@pattybgud I agree.. definitely both men & women would find it compelling. #girlwith

Ali Sweeney: Let's talk about the 'cold case' Blomkbist solved. Grandfather's obsession with it etc... #GirlWith

@RedAngelus totally - I kinda didn't want it 2 happen because she trusted him.&please, he 'resisted'?he got so much action in #GirlWith

@AshleySandberg or were you just really hungry while reading it?? #GirlWith

@Wampumqueen yes, without really calling attention to it, the reader gets a real look at the Swedish culture #GirlWith

Ali Sweeney: Whole Vangar family was SO messed up. couldn't trust any of them. What was Lesser's point to making them all so disturbed? #GirlWith

@TaraCain yes, I totally thought he had a guilty conscious riding him to find Harriet. Maybe in the end - he shouldve known? #GirlWith

@Brandie185 really? #GirlWith

@Amanda_Ratliff @dancinghols I don't think he thought she was alive. He felt those prints were taunting him, right? #GirlWith

Ali Sweeney: what about H inheriting the business at the end? seemed a little too pat for me. #GirlWith

@Raleigh76 yes, I loved that line too. good point. but he really emphasized how young she was, the era, etc... #GirlWith

@lostbraincell but brave enough to just get out. make a new life away from it all... smart enough to not get caught... #GirlWith

@Brandie185 I felt it was a bit trite. I mean, Vangar doesn't know the woman she's become...can't just ask her to run his biz! #Girlwith

@DonnaM212 agreed. #GirlWith

@bandnpr678 but I agree w @DonnaM212 that a main theme in #GirlWith was that $$ & power corrupt, so ... why give her both, all at once!

@jenn269 yes - how could she think it was okay to send him those flowers? it was torture. #GirlWith

@Amanda_Ratliff @CharmedChica she didn't want 2b found,so why go 2 trouble? he might've moved on, let it go, if not 4 the flowers #GirlWith

@RedAngelus is she immune to it's corruption because of her Aspergers?

@bonteach @Amanda_Ratliff it was so fascinating, the way he broke down & chased down those photos.I read that part so fast! #GirlWith

@jenn269 yes, that's true too... the cousin, right? couldve mentioned over all those years how upsetting they were to him. #GirlWith

Ali Sweeney: you all are OBSESSED with the coffee in #GirlWith! I didn't even notice. I did feel COLD just reading it though.
@designsbyjessie i heard the Swedish movie leaves out the whole Blomkist/Berger relationship? #Girlwith

@designsbyjessie oh, right!!another crazy side-story. the crazy Nazi-Vangar. Why did he lay so much groundwork into family history #Girlwith

@designsbyjessie @SusieTVaddict yes, but Blomqvist's sexual exploits do say a lot about him... right?! v r important to character #Girlwith

@RedAngelus really? here in US? #GirlWith #justcurious

@Amanda_Ratliff TOTALLY. #girlwith

Ali Sweeney: what about Blomqvist's feeling he was betraying his beliefs by not telling the story. thoughts? journalists out there weigh in! #girlwith

Ali Sweeney: I mean, of anything in the book, including his own daughter, he seemed most passionate about that! #GirlWith

@s_exum hmmm. good point. #GirlWith

@pattybgud thanks for joining us!

@ckawez makes sense, I just felt it was 'principle' or 'reputation' for Blom not a genuine concern for families. maybe I'm wrong #GirlWith