Snow in Calgary!

Just got off the phone with Abs cover gal Miryah Scott who told me she was looking at snow on her car in Calgary, Alberta – wow! They aren't kidding about the Great White North! This weekend, vow to get outside – even in snow shoes!!!! Turn off the television and, instead, go for a walk, a run or a hike. You'll not only sleep better (trust me!), you'll have more energy – no matter if you live in sunny climates or (argh) in snowy ones. Talk to you soon...

Send me your tats!

Well, not the real tattoos of course! But all of you seem to have such diverse opinions regarding tattoos and their placement in this mag, I'd love to see 'em! Send me a pic of your tattoo (or two or three) and we'll consider publishing it, as long as it's not tooooo scandalous! Just had to throw that out there – can't wait to see your faves!!!! Write to me here: dhart@oxygenmag.com

It's grilling time!

Ok, so who does the grilling in your family? If it's you, good on you girl! All too often, the guys take ownership of the tongs and the cooking (which is fine by me, btw). But I just read an interesting study reported in Circulation that gives credence to the notion of making smarter choices when you eat, the simple but effective way to weight loss that I write about in Oxygen's latest book Pick it Kick it. In this study, an intriguing finding jumped out at me – the link between red meat like steak and heart disease and diabetes wasn't found, but guess what? The link between a risk of heart disease and diabetes was found in processed meats like hot dogs, sausages and luncheon meat – even just 1.8 ounces (or one hot dog) daily – was linked to a whopping 42% increase in the risk of heart disease. Wow! So the next time your guy reaches for the grilling meat or makes a sandwich for lunch, do him – and yourself – a favor by making sure it isn't a hot dog or any other kind of processed luncheon meat. Talk to you later in the week!

Tat storm!

We've been swamped with emails from many of you about tattoos after printing a comment from a reader in our June issue. Michelle took offense at our refusal to remove a tattoo from one of our fitness models, saying that "Tattoos detract from the beauty and effort of a weightlifter and are just plain ugly" and asked us to keep our standards higher. What do you think? (I myself like tats....but what about you?) Let me know what you think and we'll add them to our coverage of the "Tat storm of controversy" in an upcoming issue of Oxygen. Have a great weekend – stay active, eat clean and we'll chat next week.

Tell Me Your Story!

I want to hear from you! Have strength training and clean eating transformed your body – and your life? Whether it's fat loss, muscle building or newfound tone, I want all the juicy details! Tell me your story for a chance to share your fit success and inspire other readers!

Caboose, derriere or......what?

Around this time of year, we're all a little bit weary of trying to find new names for your posterior...yes, we're putting together our next Oxygen Collector's Special on Glutes and it's looking great! Wait until you see it – we think it's better than ever. I've even added my two new favorite workouts for glutes that I've been trying out near my home. And I don't know if you're at all like me in this regard, but the more I can do my workouts alongside other tasks, the more consistent I remain. This weekend, for instance, I ran stairs in between errands and it was great! So call it your caboose, butt, bottom, derriere or whatever, just get it moving, right?

Talk to you later this week....send me your tips for a great butt, ok?

cheers!

Inspiration at 88!!

Gotta love that Betty White – did you catch her on SNL over the weekend? I really couldn't believe the criticism she received from some naysayers – I mean, she's 88 years old for heaven's sake. I personally thought she was brilliant! (Plus, she garnered some of the best ratings in recent months, so who can argue with that?) Have a great and fit week and don't forget to drop into the new site for Oxygen's latest book Pick it Kick it....visit pickitkickit.com!

Talk to you later in the week!

"My mom is my motivation every single day!"

With Mother's Day coming up this weekend (hi Kate and Drew!) I have to share a story I got from a young woman whose mother should be very proud of her. It almost moved me to tears....in fact, here it is and thanks to Jessica for sending it!

I realize that you must constantly receive hundreds of messages on a day to day basis. Please just hear me out. I am 18 years old and currently live in Park City, Utah. My mom, Laurie, is a personal trainer out of her own gym. She took her class win and the overall win in her first figure competition around the age of 43. She is currently 46 years old, with 3 kids (27, 18 and 15) and still continues to strive for excellence in the fitness world. I understand that, because she is my mother, it's easy for me to talk highly of her achievements. However, I would be happy to e-mail pictures and information about her just to prove how much of an inspiration this woman is, not only as a mother, but also as an influence to be healthy and fit. She is my motivation every single day and I can't ask for anything more than having the editors of Oxygen read over my message and hopefully take an interest in getting to know her. She deserves this chance and I know she could motivate your readers as well.

Thank you for your time,
Jessica

A wacky world!

In a world that seemingly gets turned upside down at times (oil spills, tornadoes, celeb train wrecks), the one thing that keeps me grounded, other than family, is my commitment to fitness. After all, it's often the one thing that feels as though I can control. (I know, I know – for all you psychology experts, I realize there is no such thing as control.) But it does keep me sane in what increasingly feels like an insane world. The images of that oil spill and its relentless crawl across the ocean to those beleaguered people in Louisiana still resonate today. I just can't imagine an oil spill of such magnitude – I mean, the size of Jamaica???? In any case, it may seem like a small thing in today's madcap world but getting out for my Sunday stair-running coupled with a back/biceps/butt workout, followed by a facial to die for was just the ticket this weekend. I highly recommend taking some me-time on the weekends for fitness and for you! Stay in touch and let me know how you're doing! Talk soon.....