Fat shaming in the office place shouldn't be allowed, right? But in show business, it's the only place where it's acceptable to interview (or not interview) or hire (or not hire) someone mainly based on their appearance. Oh, it happens in the corporate world ALL the time, I'm sure. It just happens more hush-hush. And, honestly, I much prefer the blatant rejection in show business because it's like no business I know. 

In this episode, I'm telling tales about losing, learning and gaining my self worth without feeling the need to gauge it based on a job and how the ups and downs of my career directly correlate with the ups and downs on the scale (even though we all know that they shouldn't).

One of my best tips for weight loss is eat a LIGHT supper - and summer time is the perfect time to rock that out. When you don't want to cook, but you need to eat something healthier than those low-cal ice cream pints, here's FOUR PLANT BASED QUICKIES for y'all. And for some of the recipes, you don't even need to crank the heat. 

Much like there are different versions of "The Little Mermaid" story out there - for example, the Disney version and the Hans Christian Andersen versions have MUCH different endings for their little mermaids, my ten year old self told a different story than was real or than was actually necessary about my mermaid Halloween costume. The foundation was a long sleeved flesh tone leotard and all I wanted was to get to wear a bikini top. The story I told myself was that I was fat and trapped. But, looking back at the photo, I see such a fabulous little girl, trying her best with what's she's got in a gorgeous mermaid costume that rivals any of the junk you can buy in a bag today online or at one of those party stores.

Diet culture tells us we'll be happy when we lose the weight. But, all my hippie dippie teachings taught me that I must be happy first in order to lose the weight. But, I couldn't be happy until I lost the weight - or could I? Marianne Williamson's "A Course in Weight Loss" gave me a little spark to start approaching weight loss in a different way but mostly, it pissed me off because it dug up all of the demon emotions I was trying to hide and it made me feel like a garbage person for not wanting to be happy with my body where it was right in that moment. It's a conundrum for those of us in this ever so privileged ever so overwhelmed Western culture. It's time for us and by "us" I mean me - to take charge of my own life, my own peace, my own approach to handling MY body and MY mind. And, just like the chicken and the egg, we may never know which really comes first - weight loss or happiness. 

There are few things in life that I will obsess over. But, cornbread is one of them. Imagine getting a cornbread craving (when you're pretty much carb and corn free) while driving through New Jersey with a broken oven and a Whole Foods, Acme or a gas station are your last hopes. First. World. Problems. Nonetheless, there's a whole episode about my Cornbread Craving* because it parallels a deeper craving. Are we really craving the food itself or the experience that goes with it - be it the nostalgia or the needle in a haystack scavenger hunt. When we get what we actually crave, are we ever truly satisfied? If it's gas station cornbread, doubtful.

*I really hope y'all also sing the title of this episode "Cornbread Craving" to the tune of K.D. Lang's song "Constant Craving" like I am in my head write now. Oh no. It won't get out of my head!

As a chubby kid, I did everything I could to shield my swimsuit body from shame : T-shirts, Shorts, Tankinis and Swim Dresses. It took decades to give myself freedom from oppressive over garments so I could swim more like a mermaid and less like someone who's going to be swimming with the fishes. And, now that I've lost 100 pounds? I'm finally wearing a bikini again...but I am still finding body related things to nitpick. Because, it's always something, until we stop allowing it to always be something and start giving ourselves FREEDOM to just enjoy the damn beach (or pool. or lake. or rooftop. or water sprinkler. Y'all get my drift.)

After suffering a life threatening brain aneurysm back in the late 90's, my dad (AKA Hoover Bob) developed Diabetes Type II. He's had some ups and downs with this condition and we've wanted to kill each other along the way, but somehow, we continue onward. Even at times having a piece of no sugar added apple pie.

BE A PART OF THE QI-GONG CLASS BOB LOVES ! Learn more here

Phenylalanine, High Fructose Corn Syrup and Horse Hooves, OH MY ! Oh, the '80's and the stuff we (or at least me) put into our bodies back then. While they may have claimed to be "low in calories! low in fat!" they were oh so high in chemicals and such. There's good reason why, after downing a tub of Cool-Whip or taking one too many sips of my momma's Tab, I felt insane in the brain. Y'all feel me on this? In this episode I'm telling tales of some food that was probably slowly depleting my brain cells but still feels like nostalgia.

From Get in Shape Girl to 8 Minute Abs to Sweatin' to the Oldies and every single exercise in between, I tried it all. And nothing seem to "work", or did it? Because, I finally got to the point where exercise, instead of being a punishment, is now a privelege. It's something I GET to do instead of being something I HAVE to do and more than that, it's something I WANT to do. Not so I can be a certain size or stay a certain size (and yes, I'll be honest, that's a perk) but it's so I can stay SANE.

In today's episode, I mention a LOT of YouTube channels I follow for my exercise regime. If you want all of those click through links, please visit the transcript area of THE WHO'S DAT PHAT GIRL OFFICIAL PODCAST SITE

From my lil cousin's kindergarten graduation to seeing all the caps and gowns on social media and the NYC city streets, I was inspired to tell tales about graduation. Which, really translates to "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENS NEXT?" Graduation is like weight loss or achieving any goal, we get to that point and then what? Is this where the miracles happen? Is this when I'm supposed to have it all figured out? But, y'all, isn't it more about embracing every waking moment instead of only getting to the peak of that mountain (insert other metaphors here).