One of the things I love about being a writer is that I get to learn about so many new things. My research on cosmetic surgery has led me to learn a great deal about the process involved in choosing any kind of procedure, as well as the recovery process. There are a variety of recovery products to aid patients during that often painful time.

Compression girdles are used post-surgery as well as in the healing process of various ailments. By applying constant pressure to an area, they promote blood circulation. These girdles also provide much-needed support to the body after abdominal surgery. They contour to the body and are well-hidden beneath clothing.

After breast augmentation or reduction surgery, a surgical bra can really provide comfort and support. These garments can also make a difference in a patient's healing time. They reduce swelling by lowering the amount of fluid that rises to the skin's surface, thus lessening bruising. Patients will want to look for styles that are comfortable and made of soft materials, as surgical bras are to be worn day and night during recovery. A front closure bra is a convenient choice.

Eye masks, gels, and creams are used post-operatively for surgical eye procedures.  They can help to soothe this delicate area and are used to treat various conditions. Masks are available to cool or provide warmth, depending on a patient's individual needs.

Taking care of yourself during recovery from a procedure is extremely important. So if you're considering cosmetic surgery of any kind, be sure to talk to your physician about ways to help make the healing and recovery process more comfortable.

Another bad week. Why is it so hard to get back on track after slipping? I hate that I've allowed myself to fall back into old eating habits. I know it happens, and I know I have to get back into my groove and to have the positive mindset I wrote about last week. I know I can do it. But it will take serious work. The one positive thing I've done this week is to continue my water intake, so that's something, right?

You know what, I did do one other thing. I interviewed a nationally known nutritionist about his new weight loss program and about his views on why it's so hard for busy moms to lose weight. His name is Tony O'Donnell, and you'll find his website at RadiantGreens.com. I promise to write up all of Tony's great advice for next week. It was great talking to him, and I'm excited to try his new program and to tell you more about it.

What I will say is that Tony O'Donnell is currently working on his doctorate in clinical psychology and wholeheartedly recommends looking at your emotions regarding food. He even suggests seeking the help of a professional counselor in conjunction with changes in nutrition and exercise when you really decide to lose weight. It was very inspiring to talk to him.

So I'll start this next week with a new, fresh frame of mind. I plan to take some time to write down my thoughts regarding food and why I so easily fall back into bad habits. I will also take stock of my grocery inventory and write out a detailed menu for the week. I think this will help to keep me on the right track.

How was your week?

I just found out that I'll be participating i an eyeglasses review, and I'm totally psyched because I haven't had an eye exam or gotten new glasses in YEARS! My only concern is that I'm such an indecisive person. It takes me forever to choose an item from the menu when we go out to eat, you can imagine how I agonize over the decision of which glasses I'll be wearing every day, for years to come.

And what makes it even more tricky is that I'll be choosing glasses from an online store. I can totally see the advantage to this for people who are less picky than I am. I checked out the site, and there are a lot of great prescription glasses to choose from at outstanding prices. Shopping online could be a fabulous option; much quicker than spending tons of time in a crowded store.

But now I'm back to my dilemma - which pair of glasses should I get? The ones I have right now are semi-rimless with wide tortoise shell stems. Take a look.

I really like them, but I think I want something a little thinner and sleeker, not so chunky.

I'm really happy that there are so many to choose from because everyone's tastes are so individual. I just wish I weren't so indecisive. Here are my current top contenders. If you were to buy glasses online, which would you choose?

Choice #1 - Similar to what I have

Choice #2 - Sleek and sophisticated, in gold

Choice #3 - These are really pretty, with blue stems.

Please weigh in with your input! Please?

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It was a rare evening at home tonight with just me, Brady, and the cat. Bill was at a work event, and the big kids were at their dad's. We had a pretty good night. We ate a really easy, laid back dinner of peanut butter sandwiches, a banana, and some almonds. (It's kind of healthy and EASY) Then we played a bit with the new tractor Brady's babysitter gave him for his birthday.

Oh yeah, did I mention that my baby turned two on Sunday? Where has the time gone? He's two, and he's independent, as most toddlers are. He's really starting to use a lot of words lately, and it seems like his vocabulary has grown out of nowhere. It's his independent streak that led him to having no nap today, which then led him to start to get a little loopy as the night progressed. In an attempt to focus his attention on something besides running around in circles and throwing himself on the floor, I got out my new MacBook Pro to show him a picture slideshow. What we ended up doing instead was playing with the Photo Booth feature that allows you to add effects to your pictures, and this is what we got:

What do you think? Did we do good? And does the fun we had justify the expense of buying a Mac? Please don't tell Bill he agreed to buying a $2000 toy to help me occupy the kids, okay? It's strictly for business and for my writing career. Not for fun and games!

I have a friend who underwent plastic surgery not that long ago. Apparently, it was something she's always wanted to do. Since the procedure (breast augmentation), she's had no regrets. After having lunch with her the other day, I got to thinking about other surgical procedures and what's involved. The writer in me was curious and wanted to explore the topic.

I, personally, have thought about a tummy tuck. After having three children, my poor body just isn't the same, and I know the abdominal muscles are the most difficult to get in shape. But my flab issues are minor in comparison to many who are dealing with serious weight problems. I wanted to explore weight loss surgery and the options for those who may be considering it.

There are several types of bariatric surgery, such as gastric banding, gastric bypass, and sleeve gastrectomy. Regardless of type, there are some things people considering such procedures must do. The first is to determine if you're a good candidate for weight loss surgery, and this involves finding a physician you can trust. Be sure the doctor possesses certifications and can provide referrals. Go with your gut as well; you need to feel entirely comfortable with the person performing this kind of procedure on your body.

Ask questions, of your physician as well as other experts, and be sure the procedure if covered by your insurance. If it's not covered, can you afford to pay for it out of pocket, and is it truly worth the expense? Take into consideration health factors as well as personal conviction. Do your research and choose a qualified physician whom you trust.

What many people don't consider is what happens after the surgery. You'll want to ask what kinds of procedures are in place for aftercare. Not just for the recovery period, but are there programs and personnel who will help you learn to adjust to your new lifestyle and to help ensure your results will be as positive as they can be? Counseling and education are key to making lasting changes that stick. I'm learning that on my own personal weight loss journey. There's so much more to any weight loss than just counting calories and shedding pounds.

There's not much I can say except that it's been a bad week. I didn't get back on track with Weight Watchers, and I continued to go downhill, falling into old eating habits. I didn't even do any mall walking. Sunday was Brady's 2nd birthday, and I just HAD to have a piece of cake, right?

Yeah, okay, that piece of cake wouldn't have been a big deal if not for the rest of the crap I ate all week. So I took yesterday afternoon to sit down and spend some time on the Weight Watchers website reviewing the program and getting suggestions. There was a helpful tip sheet that offered great ideas for making small changes, you know baby steps - like in the name of my blog.

So here are some of the tips I will implement this week to get back on track:

• Drink more water - I like water and this one shouldn't be hard as long as I make a purposeful effort.
• Limit fried foods to once or twice a week - I can definitely do this; today I ate salad instead of kielbasa with the rest of the family.
• Eat fresh veggies as a side instead of chips - It's just a change in mindset.
• If you don't really love it, don't eat it - This one is the BEST advice. It will become my mantra!
• Park far away and return the cart to the store - This small change should help me ease my way into exercise.
• Make exercise a priority, rather than an inconvenience - I should start looking at it as time to myself and something I GET to do.

I'm happy to announce that I've been chosen to participate as an ambassador to spread the word about Tropicana's new Juicy Rewards program. Tropicana is one my favorites, and if it's one of yours as well you'll want to sign up for this program. The Juicy Rewards program allows you to enter codes from bottles or cartons of Tropicana juices and redeem them for points.

What can you do with your points? Lots of things! First, enter your zip code or geographic area to search for rewards close to you. Next, you can browse rewards or search by type of reward. There are coupons and discounts to all sorts of things like events, spa/massage packages, theme parks, and home services. There's something for everyone.

So if you're buying orange juice anyway, why not reward yourself? I can tell you that I'll likely be redeeming my points for that massage! Look for updates in future posts to see how I spend my rewards. Feel free to look around the Juicy Rewards site and tell me, how would you spend yours? Sign up and enter the code MOMCE-NTRAL, and you'll receive 1 free bonus point.

I wrote this review while participating in the Tropicana Juicy Insiders Ambassador program by Mom Central on behalf of Tropicana. I received 12 free Juicy Rewards points and a $50 Visa gift card to use in redemption of the points and to facilitate my review.

Today, March 8th, is International Women's Day, a day to celebrate women and how far we have come toward equality and autonomy. It's also a day to contemplate how much still needs to be done to further equal rights for women, both in the United States and around the world. Even President Obama is quoted in The New York Times as saying that there are "opportunities that are still beyond reach for too many young women and too many of our brothers and sisters - too many of our sisters and mothers and aunts..."

Each year, there is a theme. Themes are not global, however. Each nation that participates in the movement can choose their own individual theme. The theme adopted by the UN and its members this year is "Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities: Progress for All". In light of this day and its theme, I thought it would be fitting to publish excerpts of an interview I did a while back with Carol Evans, president of Working Mother Media. Ms. Evans has been a working mother of young children herself. She has seen the social trends and the obstacles that have affected women over the 30 years she has been associated with Working Mother, a publication that, according to Evans, "is all about serving women, minorities  people in general in either finding support for their lifestyle within the companies they work for or finding ways to give themselves the best ideas and solutions for their own personal lives."

Entrepreneurial Women Still Struggle

Evans believes that women, as entrepreneurs, have come a long way. She believes that women have become more savvy, now knowing how to find capital to start their businesses and hire the employees needed to make those businesses thrive. She sees that there are more women entrepreneurs today and that the businesses they are starting are larger and more encompassing than they once were. But Evans still feels there's a long way to go. She says, "It’s still hard for women to get as much capital as male entrepreneurs. It’s hard to scale up because they have so many other financial commitments with their families, and women’s businesses tend to stay smaller than men’s due to less comfort going out to ask for the money." Even Evans had a tough time herself in obtaining capital when she bought Working Mother Media in 2001. "The big difficulty for me was getting capital, getting the more male oriented financial system to believe in me as a woman."

Working Mother: A Supporter of Women

Evans loves the magazine business and is particularly proud to be associated with Working Mother, a publication that has strived since its inception to bring the issues facing women in the workforce to the forefront. An example of how the magazine, that just celebrated its 30th anniversary, has changed America is its yearly 100 Best Companies campaign. The prestigious list has been around since 1986. Evans says that it, "helps companies to not only understand what working mothers need, but it helps to push companies to excel in their support and understanding of working mothers,  and that all goes to the support of our Working Mother readers. It’s a nice circle - it’s like a circle of change!

Views on the "Mommy Wars"

Carol Evans has a lot to say on the subject of the long-standing war between stay-at-home moms and working moms. According to her, "I think the mommy wars are somewhat exaggerated by the media. A lot of moms are working in a corporation one year, another year they’re working from home. Another year, they’re gonna go get back on the corporate ladder. I think what’s important is that they have choice in their career and that their careers are multi-faceted. So I think that what a lot of what happens is that the mommy wars are a product of our own self-doubt." That self-doubt comes about when women become insecure about what the other has or what she knows. Evans points out that working mothers often feel bad about not knowing what's going on in the neighborhood, while stay-at-home moms may find themselves feeling inadequate because they aren't up on career issues. But in the end, "We shouldn’t be battling each other; it just doesn’t get us anywhere.", says Evans. In my opinion, truer words have never been said.

Just a quick recap this week. The reason for this is that I really don't have much to report. I didn't start exercising. I ate some junk food. And I got away from recording everything into Weight Watchers. Good news is that I still managed to lose 2.5 pounds. I guess starting the good eating habits at least helped me not to go crazy when I did sneak a snack here and there. I really did pretty well at eating healthy and following the principles of The Abs Diet, despite my setbacks and the fact that I didn't keep track of anything. That's a good thing, but I do intend to get back on track this week so that I can make even more progress.

Another reason this post is short? Because I'm busy learning how to use my new toy. I got one of these today:

Isn't it pretty? It's a new 15" MacBook Pro, and I think it's going to make a world of difference in my productivity. I'm loving it - I just need a little time to get over the sticker shock. Wow. It really is an amazing machine that will make a huge difference in my writing career. Lots of changes coming. Stay tuned!

UPDATE - I just remembered that I did make one change this week - Brady and I went to the mall before it opened two days this past week to go walking. It was fun joining the mall walkers. So much fun that we had to stick around for two more hours to find some bargains get some more exercise!

Here's a video I did on applying bronzer to add a nice glow to your face. Look below for information on the tools and products I used from e.l.f.

Here are before and after photos of me. Can you see a difference between my makeup without bronzer (on the left) and with bronzer (on the right)? It is kind of hard to tell in photographs.

Here are the products I used from Eyes Lips Face.

The Studio Warm Bronzer is only $3.00! And the Kabuki Brush costs only $5.00. Can't beat those prices.

Feel free to use my affiliate link below to get Studio products at 50% off for the next two weeks using the code STUD50.

What's your favorite brand of bronzer, and how do you use it? I'd love to share tips!