Month: May 2024

It’s super easy for most people to get hung up on the number on their scales and not how they actually look or, most importantly, feel. People often go on diets in hopes of reaching an ideal weight they had when they graduated high school or got married, but they’re often disappointed when they can’t attain it.

But a set of photos by fitness blogger Kelsey Wells is a great reminder for everyone to put their scales back in storage.

Welles is best known as the voice and body behind My Sweat Life, a blog she started after gaining weight during pregnancy. To lose the weight, she started the Bikini Body Guide (BBG) training program and after 84 weeks she shared three photos on her Instagram account that prove the scale doesn’t matter.

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The photos showed her at her start weight (144 pounds), the weight she hit two months after giving birth (122 pounds), and current weight (140 pounds). Now she weighs exactly what she did when she started the program but her body is entirely different.

See on Instagram

Here’s an excerpt from Wells’ Instagram post:

SCREW THE SCALE || I figured it was time for a friendly, yet firm reminder. YOU GUYS. PLEASEEEEEE STOP GETTING HUNG UP ON THE NUMBER ON THE STUPID SCALE! PLEASE STOP THINKING YOUR WEIGHT EQUALS YOUR PROGRESS AND FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING PLEASE STOP LETTING YOR WEIGHT HAVE ANY AFFECT WHATSOEVER ON YOUR SELF ESTEEM, like I used to.
To any of you who are where I once was, please listen to me. I am 5′ 7″ and weigh 140 lbs. When I first started #bbg I was 8 weeks post partum and 145 lbs. I weighed 130 before getting pregnant, so based on nothing besides my own warped perception, I decided my “goal weight” should be 122 and to fit into my skinniest jeans. Well after a few months of BBG and breastfeeding, I HIT IT and I fit into those size 0 jeans. Well guess what? I HAVE GAINED 18 POUNDS SINCE THEN. EIGHT FREAKING TEEN. Also, I have gone up two pant sizes and as a matter of fact I ripped those skinny jeans wide open just the other week trying to pull them up over my knees.?? My point?? According to my old self and flawed standards, I would be failing miserably.

This article originally appeared on 10.26.17

From a young age, Deddeh Howard was enthralled by fashion and its role in culture. Unfortunately, she was never really able to see herself in it.

“Something that always bothered me when you see these amazing images [was] that very rarely you ever see a black woman on them,” Howard, who grew up in West Africa but now resides in Los Angeles, wrote at her blog, Secret of DD.

“Black girls are almost invisible,” she wrote.

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So Howard created “Black Mirror,” a photo series in which she re-creates famous photos with herself in place of models like Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Gisele Bundchen, and others.

Howard’s partner, Raffael Dickreuter, shot the series. As its title suggests, it holds a “black mirror” up to the fashion world. The project’s goal is both to make people notice the lack of diversity in the fashion world and to provide inspiration to other non-white models.

Of the models featured on the fall 2016 runways, 75% were white. There’s a major need for a diversity boost.

Sometimes, that lack of diversity can be downright embarrassing. Earlier this year, one fashion show featured models walking to Beyoncé’s “Formation,” a song Essence described as a “wholly and undeniable a tribute to Blackness — particularly Black girl power.” The problem: The show didn’t feature a single non-white model.

Diversity, representation, and visibility play key roles in shaping ambition and self-acceptance in the real world.

It’s important to be able to see yourself in the world, and it’s important to know that someone who looks like you can succeed.

“The next generation can only get inspired and reach for the stars themselves if they believe they can do it too,” Howard wrote on her blog. “For that reason diversity in ad campaigns is in my opinion much more important than you might think.”

This article originally appeared on 12.08.16

The late Robin Williams could make picking out socks funny, so pairing him with the fuzzy red monster Elmo was bound to be pure wholesome gold. Honestly, how the puppeteer, Kevin Clash, didn’t completely break character and bust out laughing is a miracle. In this short outtake clip, you get to see Williams crack a few jokes in his signature style while Elmo tries desperately to keep it together.

Williams has been a household name since what seems like the beginning of time, and before his death in 2014, he would make frequent appearances on “Sesame Street.” The late actor played so many roles that if you were ask 10 different people what their favorite was, you’d likely get 10 different answers. But for the kids who spent their childhoods watching PBS, they got to see him being silly with his favorite monsters and a giant yellow canary. At least I think Big Bird is a canary.

When he stopped by “Sesame Street” for the special “Big Bird’s Birthday or Let Me Eat Cake” in 1991, he was there to show Elmo all of the wonderful things you could do with a stick. Williams turns the stick into a hockey stick and a baton before losing his composure and walking off camera. The entire time, Elmo looks enthralled … if puppets can look enthralled. He’s definitely paying attention before slumping over at the realization that Williams goofed a line. But the actor comes back to continue the scene before Elmo slinks down inside his box after getting Williams’ name wrong, which causes his human co-star to take his stick and leave.

The little blooper reel is so cute and pure that it makes you feel good for a few minutes. For an additional boost of serotonin, check out this other (perfectly executed) clip about conflict that Williams did with the two-headed monster. He certainly had a way of engaging his audience, so it makes sense that even after all of these years, he’s still greatly missed.

This article originally appeared on 06.30.22

A couple in Gatesville, Texas, have started an interesting debate on TikTok over whether it’s right for them to charge their 19-year-old daughter rent to live with them after graduating high school. Ranchers Erika and Cody Archie, who go by Bay7Ranch on TikTok, have a million followers on the platform where people watch their videos documenting life on a ranch.

Kylee Archie graduated high school in May of 2022, and on June 1, she started paying her parents $200 a month in rent.

“Our thought together is that since [Kylee] has graduated, I told her… I been telling her, ‘June the first, our rent’s due if you continue to live here,”‘ said Cody, who is a bit more strict than his wife, said in the viral video.

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“I thought that was a little harsh, I mean, maybe a little leeway,” Erika added. “200 bucks a month is plenty cheap to live like a grub in your parents’ house,” Cody continued. “That’s cheaper than she eats in food,” the mother added. “We think it teaches them a good lesson in paying bills.”

How do you feel about making your adult children pay rent to live at home? 

@bar7ranch

How do you feel about making your adult children pay rent to live at home? This is a REPOST from last year but since its on Fox Business News right now we thought we’d chat about it again! #Parenting #ParentsChargingRent #AdultChildren #DryHumor #Sarcasm #MarriageHumor #Marriage #CoupleTok #RanchTok #AgTok #KeepRanchin #KingOfTikTok #RanchLife #Ranch

Understanding that the issue might stir controversy, the couple asked its followers if they agreed. “How do you feel about making your adult children pay rent to live at home?” they captioned the video.

The responses were a mixed bag of pros and cons. Some thought it was a good idea because it teaches responsibility and prevents kids from doing nothing because they’re being enabled. “Responsibility is always a great lesson!” James Jackson wrote. “Collect rent, then give it back when they move out,” John Deere added.

Others think that the world is hard enough and that it’s the parents’ job to support their kids, no matter what. “Nope, my son is 23, and we don’t charge him. He works and helps around the house…but life is hard enough and not gonna charge my kid,” Shelly wrote. “No, because I wanted them to save money to get out faster. If they are paying me, they aren’t saving to get out,” Tammy Lynn Ballard wrote.

“A definite no for me… I know it’s rare, but I will forever help my kids… no matter the age,” Chief’s Wife 101 wrote. “No one ever said we wouldn’t be here to help our kids forever,” the Archies responded.

The Archies’ situation isn’t unique. As of July 2022, 50% of adults in America aged 18 to 29 were living with their parents. But should they be required to pay rent? A majority of Americans say they should. A recent poll of 15000 Americans found that 57% say adult children living with their parents should have to pay rent.

One of the biggest balancing acts of parenting is deciding whether you give your kids too much or too little. An old saying may help people in a similar situation: You should give your kids enough so they can do something but not so much that they do nothing. That goes both ways, giving your kids too much help will make them dependent, so they don’t have the fire in their bellies to become successful. However, a kid who gets too little may not have the resources to pursue their goals in the first place.

This story originally appeared on 11.16.23

• Some kids can wow us with their abilities, from being precocious philosophers to musical prodigies. Whether a child’s extraordinary talents are due to “nature” or “nurture” is always a big question mark, but there’s no question that some kids stand out among their peers for the things they can do.

Sometimes they even stand out from grownups. Take young Aldie, for example, whose ability to articulate his feelings exceeds many adults. When you find out he’s barely 4 years old, hearing him calmly talk about his emotions and good choices is all the more remarkable.

Aldie’s mom, Jonisa Padernos, tells Upworthy that she’s felt he was “really special” since he started talking in full sentences at 20 months. “Believe it or not, he had no major tantrums in his toddler years because he was always able to express [himself] with his words,” she says.

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Padernos started young, asking Aldie questions and giving him time to answer without interrupting. “I’d always ask his opinion or feelings towards something and I don’t rush him to answer,” she says. “I give him time and just listen. I make sure I also tell him how I feel and explain to him because I think kids copy us, and if we do that, they would think that it’s normal to feel all those emotions as long as you can express it with words and [are] able to process it.”

Check out the conversation between Aldie and Padernos at bedtime as he goes through a recap of his emotions that day, which has racked up more than 17 million views on TikTok.

@mom_aldie

Bedtime conversation. The last part made me ❤️🥹 #fyp #momlife

The way Aldie shared what he was feeling about his mom not letting him go outside, how he helped his papa make a better choice with his emotions, and how he described the different emotions he feels is more than most adults can muster when they’ve had “a hard time doing emotions” during the day. And the way Padernos listens and reflects and reassures him is so, so beautiful.

People in the comments agreed.

“Emotionally intelligent, articulate and able to string super sophisticated sentences together,” wrote one commenter on Instagram. “I taught 7-year-olds that weren’t this advanced – heck, most adults aren’t this emotionally intelligent. I have confidence in his future and the consequences are working beautifully Mama. We have to raise kids other people will like too. 😍👏”

“Wowwwww….. I’m so amazed by this baby’s EVERYTHING … the emotional intelligence, the vocabulary, empathy, the processing skills…all of it! ❤️❤️❤️❤️” wrote another.

“The most mature conversation I’ve heard about emotions – tbh I don’t think I’ve ever been as honest about my feelings as this little one was 🙌🏽 feeling so inspired by both of them. ♥️🫶🏽✨” shared another.

There’s a lot that parents can do to help their children develop this kind of emotional intelligence, and this interaction between Aldie and his mom is a prime example.

“My advice is just be present, encourage kids to tell you how their day was or anything, listen and give them time to express without rushing,” says Padernos. “Be patient, consistent and honest when communicating with them. Always remember that kids mirror us and so we have to show and express our emotions so they will be encouraged to also express their feelings to us. And when we get mad or frustrated, also let them know and explain why and apologize if you feel that you’ve let your emotions get in the way.”

While not every child will be able to understand and articulate as clearly as Aldie did at such a young age, most kids are far more capable of understanding and processing emotion than we give them credit for. Proactively teaching them how to communicate what they’re feeling and explaining how emotions work can go a long way toward helping them develop the self-regulation tools they’ll use throughout their life.

This article originally appeared on 4.4.23

The Idea Of You‘s Nicholas Galitzine rose to fame with his role as Henry in Red White and Royal Blue, but he has since felt “guilt” over the role.

In the popular film, Galitzine portrays a British Prince who develops a relationship with the son of the U.S. President. While the role shot Galitzine to stardom, he revealed to British GQ that it led to a sense of “uncertainty” in his career.

“I identify as a straight man, but I have been a part of some incredible queer stories,” Galitzine told the publication. “I felt a sense of uncertainty sometimes about whether I’m taking up someone’s space, and perhaps guilt. At the same time, I see those characters as not solely their sexuality.”

The actor added, “I am Nick, and I’m not my role,” so, no, he’s not really the lead singer of fictional boy band August Moon. He conitnued, “I think the most important thing to me is that I’m taken seriously as a performer. I’m not gonna ask you to cry me a river here, but it’s been difficult being part of a conversation that feels very much like I am a cut of beef at a meat market. I think that being my defining feature is something I’m constantly terrified of.”

Even though Galitzine’s character in The Idea Of You was loosely based on The Idea of Harry Styles, the actor says that the reactions have been mostly positive. “The amount of people who have come up to me and said, ‘I had my reservations, but it completely surprised me,’ or ‘It has an immense depth to it, as well as just being a lot of fun.’” The immense depth is certainly there, if you’re into the Coachella scene.

The Idea Of You is now streaming on Prime.

(Via Variety)

What are people going to say was the highlight of the 2024 Academy Awards in 20 years? Oppenheimer winning Best Picture? Anatomy of a Fall MVP (most valuable puppy) Messi clapping his paws? The Godzilla toys? Those were good, but I think the Oscars moment that future us is going to remember the most fondly is the “I’m Just Ken” performance. The joy on Margot Robbie’s face was the delight everyone at home felt when handsome goofball Ryan Gosling came out in an all-pink outfit to sing the Barbie powder ballad.

But according to co-star Simu Liu, it was almost a total disaster.

On Thursday’s episode of Live with Kelly and Mark, the actor was asked about staging “I’m Just Ken” in front of the Hollywood elite. “To do it with like Robert Downey Jr. and Emma Stone in the front row, Cillian Murphy… that’s just a little added layer of, you know, you’re not performing to an audience that’s just happy to see a show. They’re like the greatest entertainers on the face of the earth,” he said, according to Decider. “So yeah, you’re like OK, I shouldn’t mess this up.”

Liu revealed the singers, dancers, band, etc. had “shockingly little” time to put the performance together. There was a Saturday dress rehearsal, “and then we were supposed to go home, get a good night sleep, and go to the Oscars well-rested,” he said. “And the run-through went so poorly that they called us in and they were like, you have to come in on Sunday.”

As in, the day of the Oscars.

“I didn’t even know there was a hotel attached,” he added. “And obviously it’s like a big operation with myself and my date and all of our grooming and styling. So we had to move everything to the hotel. And then I ran downstairs, went to rehearse, came back up, had eight minutes to get ready for the Oscars — you know, to do the actual red carpet — and you know, we made it work.”

Gosling should be required to perform a song at every Oscars from now on. Who do you want to see singing “Defying Gravity”: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, or Ryan Gosling and another Ryan Gosling? Exactly.

(Via Decider)

August 2021 Uproxx cover star Beabadoobee is back: She teased a new song yesterday, and now “Take A Bite,” the lead single from the upcoming album This Is How Tomorrow Moves, has arrived alongside a video.

Speaking of the album, that’s set to come out on August 16.

Beabadoobee says of the new song, “It’s me feeling introspective about my thoughts and unhealthy way of living. It’s finding comfort in a familiar place — finding comfort in chaos, because that’s what I know. So, I bring it into every aspect of my life, especially with relationships. And it’s just tapping into this part of my brain where I just jump straight to the most negative, most chaotic thought ever known to man and make and make that into my reality.”

She also says of the album as a whole:

“I love this album. I feel like it’s helped me so much more than anything else has in navigating this new era, this new understanding of where I’m at. I guess it’s about becoming a woman.

I think I’m more aware of my actions in these songs. In my previous records, I would consistently sing about my reaction towards other people’s doings, like a blame game. But in this record, it’s accepting that there’s an inevitability of my fault in there, too. Whether it’s childhood trauma or relationship issues, it takes two to tango in everything.”

Watch the “Take A Bite” video above. Below, find the This Is How Tomorrow Moves cover art and tracklist.

Beabadoobee’s This Is How Tomorrow Moves Album Cover Artwork

Beabadoobee’s This Is How Tomorrow Moves Tracklist

This Is How Tomorrow Moves is out 8/16 via Dirty Hit. Find more information here.

Patrick Beverley’s future in the NBA is up in the air, as the veteran guard is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. If he does end up somewhere, it turns out that he won’t be able to debut for his new team right away, as the league announced on Thursday afternoon that Beverley received a 4-game suspension due to his actions in the Milwaukee Bucks’ final game of the season, a loss to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs.

As the NBA noted in its release, there were two actions that led to Beverley coming under scrutiny. The first was towards the very end of the game, when he got into a back-and-forth with some Pacers fans behind the Bucks bench that saw him throw a ball at a fan, ask for it back, and throw it at the fan again — Charles Barkley called for him to get suspended, and according to a report, the fan said “Cancun on 3” to Beverley.

Then, while speaking to the media after the game, Beverley refused to speak to respected ESPN producer Malinda Adams after he asked if she subscribed to his podcast and she said no. Once again, Beverley came under a bevy of criticism for the incident.

This weekend, San Diego, California plays host to the Wonderfront Festival, which has an exciting lineup headlined by JID, Dominic Fike, and Mt. Joy, along with Kaytranada, Weezer, Beck, and more. The three-day festival runs from May 10-12 at Seaport Village and Embarcadero. You can see the set times below.

The Wonderfront Festival was established in 2019, but was forced to skip 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19. It returned in 2022, while its 2023 edition was pushed to this year in order to change the weekend from November to May.

Friday, May 10

Events.com Stage (Marina): Healy (1:05-1:55), Surf Mesa (2:50-3:40), MK (4:40-5:40), Channel Tres (6:40-7:40), Kaytranada (8:45-10:00)

Deep Eddy Stage (Ocean): Meridian (12:15-1:05), Phony Ppl (2:00-2:50), T-Pain (3:40-4:40), Joey Badass (5:40-6:40), JID (7:40-8:40)

iHeart Media Stage (Park): Amo Amo (12:30-1:15), Allan Rayman (1:45-2:30), Sudan Archives (3:10-4:00), Paris Texas (4:40-5:40), Bakar (6:25-7:25), Dayglow (8:15-9:30)

Saturday, May 11

Events.com Stage (Marina): Proxima Parada (1:00-1:45), Unknown Mortal Orchestra (2:30-3:25), Briston Maroney (4:20-5:20), Carly Rae Jepsen (6:25-7:25), Weezer (8:30-10:00)

Deep Eddy Stage (Ocean): Fiji Blue (12:15-1:00), Sun Room (1:45-2:30), BADBADNOTGOOD (3:25-4:20), Milky Chance (5:20-6:20), Dominic Fike (7:25-8:25)

iHeart Media Stage (Park): Trash Panda (12:15-1:00), Kid Bloom (1:45-2:30), IDKHOW (3:15-4:00), Q (4:45-5:30), Action Bronson (6:15-7:15), Poolside (8:15-9:30)

Sunday, May 12

Events.com Stage (Marina): Mapache (1:00-1:45), Rayland Baxter (2:30-3:45), The Roots (4:20-5:20), Polo & Pan (6:25-7:25), Beck (8:30-9:55)

Deep Eddy Stage (Ocean): The Saint Cecilia (12:15-1:00), Fruit Bats (1:45-2:30), Steel Pulse (3:25-4:20), Marcus King (5:20-6:20), Mt. Joy (7:25-8:30)

iHeart Media Stage (Park): Sandy’s (12:15-1:00), Abby Anderson (1:45-2:30), Samm Henshaw (3:15-4:00), JD Clayton (4:45-5:45), Alice Phoebe Lou (6:30-7:30), Natasha Bedingfield (8:30-9:30)

You can see the rest of the stages below.