The Chronic Consumer

I am seriously getting depressed over my waistline, so I’ve been spending nearly all my Internet time looking for ways to lose weight. I read that one of the best ways to reduce body fat is to use an exercise ball (like the one at the right) for a variety of maneuvers, such as crunches, bounces, and just plain sitting. I actually have an exercise ball buried in a closet somewhere, so I think I’m going to get it out and start using it in earnest.

How long do you suppose it will take to see results? I think I’ll give it six weeks. These new exercises in conjunction with my regular routine should start showing something after that length of time!

My mom has been sick recently, so I’ve been helping her out with shopping and stuff. Even thought she got the flu shot, she still came down with some sort of bug. Whether it was influenza or not is a matter of debate, I guess, since she didn’t actually go to the doctor, but the symptoms were there. Regardless of what it is, she’s pretty much confined to bed. The freezing temperatures and piles of snow don’t help matters, which is why I have to pick up some meds for her. On the list are Theraflu for the bug, Aleve to reduce fever, glucosamine hcl for joint pain, and some soup, juice, magazines, and assorted other items you’d like to have when you’re sick in bed.

Aren’t I nice?!

I know I should stay away from the frozen dessert aisle when I go to the grocery store, but sometimes I just can’t help myself. I have a very serious addiction to Sara Lee Pecan Coffee Cake, and it is not doing my waistline any favors! This coffee cake is absolutely delectable! It doesn’t have that disgusting “freezer” taste at all, and is even fit to serve guests. The only problem is that it’s high in fat and calories, but I figure if I stock up on weight loss products at the same time that I buy the cake, I can cancel out at least some of the damage!

Does anyone have a recommendation for reducing wrinkles? The crow’s feet around my eyes are really starting to bug me and seriously make me look about 5 years older than I actually am. I have a Differin prescription for acne and hear that this product is good for wrinkles too, but it’s SO EXPENSIVE that there’s no way I’m going to use this regularly. There must be a more affordable anti wrinkle cream out there, right? I want to look my best for my 20th high school reunion, so I need something that works quickly!!!

We’ve all seen infomercials for products that are supposed to do amazing things. Back when I was a kid, that commercial for Ginsu knives was all the rage. I can still remember the key selling point being that the knife could slice right through an aluminum can as if it was made of butter! But I never learned if the commercial’s claims were true or not.

Anyway, I just came across an interesting article from Consumer Reports that tests the claims of current infomercial products and tells you whether or not the item is worth buying. Some of the tested products include Snuggie, ShamWow, Ab Circle Pro, Slap Chop, PedEgg, and Magic Jack. This is a fun read even if you’re not considering buying any of the products, so check it out!

If you were rich enough to buy any kind of car out there, what would you go for? It seems that lots of celebs end up in a Ferrari, despite there being far more expensive and exotic choices these days. This picture, for instance, shows singer John Mayer pumping gas in his own ride in L.A. At least we know he can afford to buy Ferrari parts too after the inevitable wreck…. Aren’t celebs always crashing their cars?

I don’t know what I would drive. At my income level, it seems silly to spend a quarter of a million dollars or whatever on a car, but maybe I’d be singing a different tune if I had $40 mil in the bank. As it is now, I’m perfectly content with my Toyota!

I was browsing around on a beauty supply website this afternoon when I came across this portable curling iron. I don’t curl my hair anymore, but this thing totally reminded me of high school because just about every girl in my class had one! The bathrooms in the school were a madhouse in the morning because girls would be doing their hair and makeup before homeroom. They’d turn up the nozzles on the hand dryers to help dry or style their hair, and all these portable curling irons would be lined up on the little shelves in front of the mirrors. And of course there was no end to the gossip while this process went on. Ah, good times…!

Do you parents out there research the toys your kids want before you buy them? Do you check out the product’s history and safety record? I have to admit that I’m not as vigilant about this particular aspect of shopping as I should be. Some of it stems from the fact that many of my toy purchases are “impulse buys” instead of carefully reasoned decisions. Still, while there might not be shelves full of asbestos-laden products that lead to cancer, there are still issues with lead and other contaminants.

Remember the recent hubbub about Zhu Zhu Pets containing too much antimony? That charge was actually proved false, but it just goes to show that certain threats might still exist even today. Bottom line: take a few moments to do some research and make sure you buy your child safe toys.