For years “plus-size fashion” meant frumpy clothes that we wore to make us look smaller. But what if “trying to look smaller” doesn’t jibe with your vibe? What if wearing cute clothes that express your personality is your right, no matter what size is on the tag? Jill and I say it’s more than time to […]
It was about six weeks ago something occurred to me that really shook me to my core. I’m a little embarrassed to say that I hadn’t thought of it before. I’ll get to what triggered this epiphany in a sec, but the thought I had was just this: my body image hasn’t really changed since […]
Here’s the best fashion and style advice right from the source! Personal stylist Lacie Powell came into the studio with me so I could pick her brain on everything from what classic pieces we should invest in and what’s trending right now. So fun!
Swimsuit shopping is its own kind of Hell. Typically I don’t try on clothes in stores. I buy something I want (if it’s something I really want or need immediately I’ll buy it in two sizes), try it on at home, and return it if it doesn’t work. I’m not sure if this habit is […]
Mar 12 2015
“Marilyn, what’s in YOUR makeup bag?!?” A new blush for spring is just the tip of the makeup bag iceberg. I love makeup as much as the next girl (maybe more, based on the look of my makeup drawer). I’m a sucker for samples and freebies too. Can’t tell you how many of those little […]
Love it or hate it, it’s almost Valentine’s Day. Count me among those who love it, but I don’t love the widespread practice of giving fattening foods to loved ones for this holiday. I just don’t understand how it shows love to give people things that are bad for them. Given that philosophy, I’m on […]
Feb 5 2015
TV host Stacy London (What Not to Wear) has a new show on TLC called Love Lust or Run. Her guests are women whose wardrobes are what most of us would consider garish, even bizarre. (One guest referred to herself as a “post-apocalyptic Amazonian warrior.” Wowzers.) The show’s premise is that we don’t always see […]
Jan 12 2015
There is absolutely no one-size-fits-all in the world of weight loss. What works for your BFF may not work for you. But the beauty of it is human beings are endlessly creative when it comes to problem solving. Two of those creative humans invented a “diet” (the word doesn’t even begin to cover the comprehensive […]
Jan 10 2015
‘Tis the season to take stock and possibly to change directions as we make improvements to our health. If you’re trying to do an about face in your own life there are some ideas from this week’s blogs you might find helpful. If you’re feeling indecisive about which weight loss path to follow, start with […]
Dec 18 2014
As far as I’m concerned, all of this crafts-y DIY holiday stuff can just stay on Pinterest. Don’t get me wrong, I love the photos. I collect ‘em too on my Deck the Halls! board, my Holiday Entertaining board, my Healthy Christmas Gifts board, and even my more practical Healthy Winter Recipes board. But these […]
Nov 29 2014
Nov 28 2014
I am not a shopper. But even if you’re willing to face the crowds, you must admit the news stories we hear every year of people camped out in front of stores for hours, or worse, being trampled as shoppers storm the stores for those doorbuster bargains all seem rather ridiculous, if not down right […]
Nov 13 2014
Audrey isn’t just an amazing weight loss success story, she personifies what I call “true grit.” As she will tell you in this guest blog, she was a single mom struggling on welfare and 100+ lbs. overweight. Yet somehow, from somewhere deep inside of her, she found the determination to transform her life and her body. […]
Nov 3 2014
Text from Rob, who’s been away on a business trip: I’m boarding the plane! Be home in a few hours! Me: Great! The house is a mess and Stella puked on the carpet. Brace yourself. Rob: Bad news; my flight’s been diverted. Me: ? Rob: To Hawaii. Me: Haha. Nice try. You’ve all moved before, […]
Oct 30 2014
I’m so grateful I had (still have!) THAT kind of mom. The kind of mom who made our Halloween costumes every year. (That’s me and my brother, circa 1965. I’m the flower. My brother was a monarch butterfly.) The kind of mom who threw elaborate-themed birthday parties. The kind of mom who tried desperately to […]
Oct 29 2014
Marilyn talks on KOMO Newsradio about her “Cultivating Generously” blog.
With a birthday so close to Halloween, I’ve had more than my share of Halloween-themed birthday parties. I still love Halloween… but birthdays? Not so much. Today’s my birthday. I don’t say that because I’m looking for birthday wishes; truth is, I’d rather ignore it completely. I’ve been feeling rather out-of-sorts lately. Getting older despite […]
Oct 16 2014
In my head I have visions of looking like a glamorous movie star from the 1940s or 50s. Maybe a cross between Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly. Reality lies somewhere short of that ideal, but truly that’s my favorite fashion period. Vintage glamour meets suburban wanna-be. A few months ago, the younger of my two […]
As much as I mourn summer’s passing I absolutely love fall colors. Oh, the trees are nice, but I’m talking about the clothes. What’s not to love about the rich browns, intense oxbloods and opulent teals? And oh, have mercy, I have a little bit of an obsession with boots, handbags and scarves. One look […]
Audrey lost 120 lbs and shows her daughter how to be strong, capable and fearless.
Sep 24 2014
Have you seen this dramatic video that’s making the rounds on YouTube and social media? Made by artist and photographer Thomas Leveritt, it graphically illustrates – by way of UV photography – skin damage that cannot be seen by the naked eye. The footage and the participants’ reactions to their images, are striking. Who knew […]
Sep 17 2014
We all have our crosses to bear; mine’s covered in peanut butter. As my desperate tweet implied, I’d eat anything with peanut butter on it. If I was forced to choose just one thing I could take when stranded on a desert island, it wouldn’t even cause me to blink. Peanut butter. I suppose I […]
McKenna’s a weight-loss inspiration and social media maven. Seven years ago Marilyn McKenna weighed 255 pounds. Today she’s a 135-pound marathon runner, triathlete and social media star. McKenna had been a fat kid (and she deliberately uses the word “fat”), a teenager whose weight yo-yoed with crazy diets, and a woman who for twenty years was, in medical […]
Jun 19 2014
There’s a very distinctive sound that you hear in a weight room: the cranking of weight plates slamming together. Somebody’s loading up the barbell to do deadlifts. Or squats. Or rows. True confession? I absolutely love that sound. Before I lost 120 lbs. and found a love for fitness, I might have recognized that sound, […]
May 26 2014
Are there two more feared words in the female vocabulary than “Swimsuit Season”? If there are I can’t think of them. The thought of putting on a bathing suit – in many cases something smaller than your bra and underwear – and prancing around in public can be unbearable. Okay, you don’t prance. But even […]
May 19 2014
This is #8 of the “top 10 lessons that becoming an athlete have taught me about weight loss” that appeared in the “Building Sweat Equity” blog. “It’s not selfish to prioritize your own well-being.” Somewhere along the way we’re taught that prioritizing our own needs is selfish. Though offered in subtle ways, the […]
Jan 16 2014
In Tuesday’s blog “Diet vs. Eating Plan” I said that “diets with expiration dates don’t work” and that to be successful at weight loss for the long haul you must instead find an eating plan whose “rules” make sense to you. Remember, every diet has it’s own set of rules that you must abide by […]
Go Marilyn McKenna! If you haven’t heard of Marilyn, maybe you’ve seen her photo…but not on Facebook. According to several news sources, Facebook banned this photo (see inset) that Marilyn posted last week. It seems that the social media site viewed the picture as an advertisement and it violated the site’s policy by promoting idealized physical […]
Dec 27 2013
A few days after Christmas my house still looks like a set for a post-apocalyptic movie. Okay, that may be a slight exaggeration, but only because my long-suffering husband is so tidy. Truthfully, there are neatly stacked piles everywhere: things to go upstairs, things to get returned or exchanged, things to go off with the […]
Dec 13 2013
There may be someone on your holiday gift list who is not only a regular exerciser, but who – let’s be honest – everyone thinks is just a little bit crazy. They sign up for races and actually GO even though it’s freezing cold and pouring rain the morning of the race. They get up […]
For those on your holiday shopping list that are already committed to healthy eating and fitness, gift giving is easy! Snoop through their gym bag to find out what they’ve already got, then click or hit the stores to make their healthy holiday wishes come true! Here’s a great place to start:
Nov 29 2013
We all know what “Black Friday” is. The day after Thanksgiving is now as near and dear to our hearts as Labor Day. It conjures up images of those intrepid souls – devout shoppers and deal-hunters – camped out in front of Target stores across America to get the 4am door-buster on a 60” plasma […]
Aug 12 2013
Be sure to watch KIRO TV on September 26, I was invited to participate in a special segment they are doing on healthy living and I would love to hear what you think. Leave me a comment or send me a tweet @mckennamarilyn.
Apr 21 2013
“You can’t print half of what I say,” Marilyn McKenna declared, before I’d even had a sip of my latte. I couldn’t tell if she’s talking about this conversation, or her recent flurry of tweets, which have kicked up plenty of chatter after the cursory Quiet Period following her husband Rob McKenna’s defeat in the […]