Presents to give yourself: have a better day

Hello dear fudgies!:)

I have another post planned out for this week, but I wanted to top off this lovely Thursday with a picture I found yesterday, and instantly adored.

I was shopping at Light a Dream ( links here to know more about this awesome charity: http://www.lightadream.com/home.html) and found this paper taped up to the wall.

It is a list of presents you can give yourself each day, to make your life a little fuller, a little better, a little happier. I am a big believer in these kind of distractions from the darkness in our lives.

If ever your day is looking a little gray, whip open this list and find your own personal ray of sunshine.

They may not seem drastic enough to change a life, but we live day by day, and if every day is just a bit more of a present, so is life.

xoxoxo
Gabby

My Day with ANEB

Hey guys!

So as previously mentioned, I was lucky enough to spend a day with the ANEB team. As you can see in the picture below, looking extra snazzy, I was pretty excited.

I got to shadow Melanie Guerette, who is in charge of the education and prevention projects within ANEB, as well as all the social media outlets. I met most of the team, learned a lot about the organization itself and then accompanied her to a workshop in Montreal at a social reintegration center.

She was incredibly sweet and answered all my questions, and was a very good conference holder. The ANEB team clearly works very hard, so don't ever hesitate to contact them if you feel the need, because you won't be disappointed.

She also gave me pamphlets, posters and other goodies for my conferences, on top of all the tips I picked up along the way.

I had a great time, and wanted to share my experience with my delightful fudgies.

Have a great week dolls! <3
Xoxoxox
Gabby


Hit them up:
anebquebec.com
@ANEB_Quebec

Excess

Hey guys! <3

As I was cleaning out my closet last night, I found this oil pastel painting I did a few months ago. It was the first time I had ever used these pastels, so clearly my technique isn't Renoir-like or anything, but I am still fascinated with the message I was trying to deliver.

We as human beings are drawn to excess. The fear of lacking is omnipresent, and haunts us daily.

I wasnt trying to negatively portray someone's unique features. I actually love the human face, especially a woman's, because who are we kidding girls, we look GOOD. :P

I wanted to show how absolutely surreal the stereotypical 21st century beauty ideal has become. Everything can always be bigger, thinner, plumper, blonder.

To the point of excess.

That is all, fudgies :)
Enjoy the rest of your weekend

xoxoxo
Gabby

Its Majesty, King Ice Cream

Hello dolls!

PS: I FOUND OUT THE DATE FOR MY INTERNSHIP; FEBRUARY 25 2013, YAY! <3
just thought yall should know:)

I'm hoping to start your week off right with a post about one of my favorite things so far in 2013: ice cream. 

Yes indeed, after weeks of intense research and dedicated testing, I have officially crowned ice cream king of the comfort foods. 

Being somewhat of a salty toother, I had previously never fit the stereotypical «broken hearted girl who drowns her sorrow in Haagen Dasz and Pride and Prejudice» mold (okay, I lied about P&P, it's like visual Prozac to me).

However, during one of the first few days of the new year, I casually decided to grab a pint of ice cream while grocery shopping, and BAM! Love at first bite.
Why, You may ask? Here are the reasons behind ice cream's coronation:

1. The Ice Control
One of the great things about ice cream is that it is in fact ice cream. Now, I don't know if this is because of my treacherously long orthodontics history, but after eating them for a while, cold foods seem to lose their taste.
This forces me to put down my spoon and put the pint back into the freezer:  A NATURAL INTAKE CONTROL METHOD? Score.

2. The Cream Factor.
Again, I am forever grateful that ice cream is in fact ice cream. For most of us, there is no worse trigger than a bloated, pertruding stomach. So the creamy, almost liquid-y texture, a lighter option than chips or candy, leaves the belly feeling less and less like a detonating bomb, making your mind feel more and more sane. :)

3. The Glacier Tongue
Last but not least, the reason ice cream is a champ in the guilt control category, is yet again its icyness.
When eating ice cream, the entire mouth region, but especially the tongue, turns bordeline frigorific.
While it may not be an enjoyable feeling for some, it numbs the taste buds on your tongue, making it impossible for the lingering taste of ice cream to drive you insane with guilt, shame, or self-loathing.

Wasn't kidding , was I now? :)
Alright, enjoy responsibly, keep being awesome!
I love you guys to death <3

xoxoxoxo
Gabby

ANEB INTERNSHIP

Hello dolls! <3

I know I promised to write last week but I was waiting for certain details concerning the very exciting title floating above these words!

Yes, I kid you not, I managed to score myself a one day internship with ANEB (Anorexia and Bulimia Quebec)! Now, I am still waiting for a specific date, which is why I didn't spread the news last week.

I will be interning with Josee Champagne, the chief executor. She has graciously offered to let me accompany her while ANEB gives a  conference, workshop, or some other form of event.

I will surely learn a lot, and I will obviously fill you in on my experience.

I want to thank you, because had you not been so fudgin' awesome and supportive, I wouldn't be blessed with this opportunity.

Quick note: Fear not, the ice cream post is coming!

As always, keep fudgin' perfection
xoxoxo

Gabby

These are a few of my favorite things...

Happy monday, fudgies! <3

Today I'm simply showing you some of my favorite Internet, body positive discoveries!
But fear not, you have not seen the last of me this week, because eI have some pretty big stuff in the works for you guys!
Aaaannd, on top of all that excitment, there is a certain ice cream-related post being written as you're reading this, so you know this week will be fierce. 

So here we go: my top 3 body positive findings of the week!

1. Trisha Paytas' Beauty at Every Size

She's done it again! Honestly, I do not follow her youtube content, but when Trisha comes out with these great videos and you, dear fudgies, kindly send me their links, I am always very happy to see that bright, bubbly blond appear on my screen. Hoorah to Trish <3

2. This picture, among others, I found on tumblr.

It depicts an ad, found in 1950s archives, selling what I can only assume is a weight-gain product.

Personally, I am not going to go into the whole «my oh my, how times have changed, this is how women should look, curves are pretty, bones are not» spiel, because I don't believe in bashing anybody's body type, wether curvy or narrow. 

As a matter of fact, that is precisely the message I personally take from this picture. 

People are somehow under the impression that before our generation, women lived in a world where bodies of all types were accepted and treated equally. However, I believe this picture proves that even back in those days, certain body types weren't making the magazine covers, weren't considered the standard for beauty. It just so happens that back in the day, the narrower, thinner girls were the ones being bashed, even though for most of them, they had absolutely no control over their body types (genetics, poverty).

In 2013, the roles of curvy/versus/narrow have simply been reversed.

So you see? For some women to be considered «ideally beautiful», others have to be...well, not. 

3. Finally, the body image project blog
As some of you may know, last summer I wrote an article for this blog: The Body Image Project
Last night, I was parousing its content and was floored by the incredible honesty, truth and diversity of the blog's anonymous or famous entries.
Go check it out, it is worth while!

Well, that is all for today, dolls. <3
Have a happy rest-of-Monday and see yall later this week :)

xoxoxoxo
Gabby

In Crisis

Happy Monday, fudgies!

Today's topic is certainly not the most uplifting and light-hearted of subjects, but it is one I feel is necessary.

As I was working out this afternoon, my elliptical's TV screen caught my attention. The suicide of computer programmer extraordinaire Aaron Schwartz was being discussed on CNN, and it got me to thinking.
Sadly, I don't know most of you in real life, but I would feel responsible if anything ever happened to you, because when someone is in crisis, all they need is a little guidance, and I looooove to guide.

Obviously, I am not the Messiah or anything, but if you are ever in a situation where suicidal thoughts or intentions appear predominant, you may feel completely lost as to what steps you can take to assure your safety.
Here are some tools I hope you will never need to use, but just in case you are so unfortunate, do not hesitate even so much as a second to take advantage of these resources:

***IMPORTANT: BEFORE ANY OF THESE STEPS: Your health comes first, and that is all. Often, people will think «oh, I can't go to the hospital, I have a math exam» or «oh, but I have that permission slip to give in», and therefor you put on the backburner YOUR SAFETY. 
Think of it this way: if you were to be hit by a bus, God forbid, I don't think your boss, teacher or friends would be offended  by your trip to the hospital. Why? BECAUSE YOUR LIFE IS THE NUMBER 1 PRIORITY.

So please, take a step back to look at the grand scheme of things, and do whatever it takes to get help.

1. A suicide hotline. 
Type into google your CITY + SUICIDE HOTLINE and a local crisis operator will help you, and probably guide you towards these next resources.

2. A crisis center
You would be surprised to see how many crisis centers there are in your area.
Again, look up your CITY+CRISIS CENTER and, if you can, find the one closest to you.
They usually prefer if you call before heading out to visit, so they can be totally prepared for your arrival and take care of you upon arrival, plus they may even come pick you up if you are unable to get there by your own transportation, so find the phone number on their website or yellow page and dial up :)

3. Any local health clinic
In Quebec, we have CLSCs, which are free walk-in clinics. If you know of such facilities in your area, head out there, but AGAIN, CALL IN ADVANCE AND THEY WILL BE PREPARED TO TAKE CARE OF YOU AND YOUR NEEDS AT YOUR ARRIVAL.

4. Last resort, but do not hesitate to go: HOSPITAL
Most hospitals I know of take suicidal thoughts/intentions very seriously, and IF YOU CALL IN ADVANCE, they will expect your arrival and send you off to help right away, so you don't have to wait in line for hours.

I know most of you knew all of this already, but in a state of complete panic, we often forget everything we once thought we knew inately.
Be safe my loves, reach out as quickly as you can and keep fudging perfection.

<3
xoxoxoxo

Gabby

The Thigh Gap: WTF

My darling fudgies,
I am returning from vacation with this post about «THE GAP».

The store, you may wonder?
I wish that was it, dear fudgies, for this subject is far more enfuriating than preppy clothes.

I cannot remember in what blog article, video or tumblr post I first heard about the Gap.
However, I do remember taking my computer on a wild trip, flying right out of my window.
I kid, of course... (in a completely unrelated subject matter, I am writing this post on my iPhone)
:P

For all the lucky girls who have yet to hear about the Gap, here is the definition:
the amount of space between ones thighs, aka the Gap. 

...
How about no.

As you can imagine, the tumblr thinspo crowd loooooooves to talk about their lack of gap, also the lack of food they eat to achieve this gap.
Sometimes, Tumblr, you let me down.

Here are my top 3 (top, because there are about 1000 reasons why this is inherently wrong) reasons why this whole Gap talk needs to Go.

1. Genetics
This presumptious gap is actually due to something like 80% genetics, DNA, what your parents gave you. Whether you have wide or narrow hips, your metabolism, your bone structure, these are ALL REASONS WHY GIRLS CAN HAVE THIS GAP AND WHY SOME GIRLS, TRY THEY MAY, CANNOT. 

2. Objectification
I, in my life, have actually heard a guy say to his equally stupid friend: I love yoga pants, you can totally see if a girl has the gap. 
Well, dear gentleman, those words surely showed me you ALSO have a gap, IT IS THE EMPTY SPACE BETWEEN YOUR EARS.
If this leg gap, or lack thereof, has become a reason to date someone, I don't want to live on this earth anymore.

3. WHO CAREEEEESSSS
The distance between your thighs is, under no circomstance, a prerequisite for beauty.
You should never let something you can  barely control yourself affect your confidence.
The right people will not love or hate you for the gap. «the right people» should also include yourself.
Stop worrying so much about the Gap.
Fudge the Gap.

As GG would say, STAY GORGEOUS
xoxoxoxoxo
Gabby