Lucy Danziger with her new book, The Drop 10 Diet. Credit: Andrew Walker/Wireimage for Self

This post is written by our NYC contributing writer Margo Donohue, who’s a fitness professional and blogger at Brooklyn Fit Chick. Since Margo lives in the Big Apple, she’ll be helping us cover events every now and again—just like this recent Self magazine event!

Recently, on behalf of Fit Bottomed Girls, I was lucky enough to be invited to a fit and fabulous shindig—The Drop 10 Diet book-launch party hosted by candy diva Dylan Lauren (of Dylan’s Candy Bar) in honor of Self magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Lucy Danziger. The oh-so-chic event was held at The Standard, New York (which is located right next to the glorious Highline on Washington Street), where we were treated to a tasty menu created by Chef Dan Silverman of The Standard Grille.

It was a jammed-pack night of great-looking people in high heels and tight black dresses nibbling on yummy treats featured in the book. The Drop 10 Diet: Add to Your Plate to Lose the Weight was written by Lucy, along with her top-notch editors, and features the 30 superfoods you need to eat to keep fit and healthy, as well as dozens of easy-to-follow recipes and sample workouts to help zap calories and manage stress.

Somehow I was lucky enough to chat with Lucy herself (she was really busy greeting well-wishers). During our chat, she told me that she was inspired to write The Drop 10 Diet after her own (post NYC-marathon, mind you) 25-pound weight loss. After keeping the weight off for over five years (and without deprivation), she decided to share her well-earned knowledge about living a healthier life with all us.

Dylan Lauren, Lucy Danziger and Kelly Choi at The Drop 10 Diet launch. Credit: Andrew Walker/Wireimage for Self

I asked her of all of the “superfoods” identified in the plan (that includes salmon, lentils, olive oil and kiwi) what is her all-time favorite, and the quick response was almonds. They bring “instant energy!” she enthuses.

Being the editor-in-chief of Self magazine, I knew she would have an interesting reply to the question: “What is your favorite workout?” Lucy stated “intervals,” adding that if you need to blast calories fast and get toned, too—getting in some intervals to your workouts will bring quick results. The one question I wanted to ask but did not get the chance to was whose design Lucy was wearing. (I fell in love with her cute outfit. See above!)

I also had a chance to briefly chat with Dylan Lauren, the impossibly charming and beautiful owner of Dylan’s Candy Bar in New York. She not only hosted the party but also provided the chocolates in the goodie bags. Of course, she was surrounded by admirers all evening, but I did get to quickly ask what her favorite candy is right now and her favorite workout. Turns out Dylan loves Cadbury Creme Eggs (I agree!) and weight training. Dylan insists you can get more results in less time by introducing strength training into your workouts. (Again, agree!)

It was a fun evening of good food, a party atmosphere plus an appearance by the insanely pretty Kelly Choi of Top Chef Masters who has a pair of legs up to HERE! Can’t wait to go undercover at the next chic get-together on behalf of Fit Bottomed Girls, but I must say, this one will be hard to top!

Are you interested in The Drop 10 Diet? Lucy’s sane and livable healthy living advice? Craving a Cadbury Egg? Let’s talk amongst ourselves, shall we? —Margo

Making huge changes to your diet and lifestyle can be exciting, but, more often than not, it’s daunting and, unfortunately, unsustainable. Of course it seems like a great idea to announce you’re cutting all sugar (and dairy! and caffeine! and also alcohol!) out of your life entirely, but making so many huge changes at once is a lot to handle, both in terms of your body and your mind.

Kathy Freston, a two-time New York Times bestselling author (whom you might have seen on Oprah, challenging the staff to go vegan), has just (as in today) come out with a new book designed to help you make sweeping lifestyle changes in a gentle, almost automatic way. The Lean: A Revolutionary (and Simple!) 30-Day Plan for Healthy, Lasting Weight Loss takes you through 30 days of small (and a few not-so-small) changes.

Some are really simple, like Day 1: “Drink water. Lots of water,” and Day 19: “Have a little fun.” I mean, who can’t handle that, right? Others, like Day 18: “Take animals off the dinner plate,” and Day 21: “Connect the dots about where your food comes from” will pose a bit more of a challenge to those who are used to chicken or steak taking up much of their dinner-plate real estate. In fact, even though I don’t eat meat (but still eat seafood, dairy and eggs), those are toughies for me, but I have to say, I’m totally inspired to give it a go. Freston is kind of persuasive like that.

Each of these daily tips build upon one another, so by the end of 30 days, you have 30 new healthy habits, which, of course, is far easier than deciding to do it all in one day. Another way Freston aims to make this lifestyle upgrade easier? She doesn’t take things away without giving you a very reasonable alternative. For example, when she tells you to take animals off the dinner plate on the 18th day, she also explains why protein is important for weight loss and gives you the lowdown on lots of other forms of protein to add. Plus, the book has an 88-page “What to Eat” appendix filled with recipes, sample menus and helpful resources.

Freston’s goal is to help people “lean” into a healthier lifestyle, and I’ve got to say, I think she’s onto something. If you’ve been contemplating going vegan or are just interested in how to live a healthier life while incorporating more vegan foods into your diet, I encourage you to pick up a copy.

Oh, and you know how changing your diet and adopting a healthy lifestyle is so much easier when you have support? Freston has taken that into account as well. There are badges for all the steps (found right here) that you can post on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. And you don’t have to follow the diet to do it—if you support these steps in your daily life, brag about it. Know someone who’s trying to follow the steps? Send them a badge as encouragement! Use that social network of yours for good!

Have you ever considered going vegan? Or eating fewer animal products? Tell us about it! — Kristen

You know how they say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”? Well, we’d like to add, “Don’t judge a book by its size,” too. Because this little-bitty book—The Little Book of Diet Help by Kimberly Willis—is seriously a girl’s best healthy eating/losing-weight friend. Especially if said girl is hippity-dippity in the slightest.

About 175 pages of little nuggets of information that are helpful for losing weight and finding the motivation to eat right and work out, The Little Book of Diet Help is truly a book of facts, tips and tricks. While there’s no actual diet or workout plan, this book is written by a life coach and hypnotherapist who gets that, most of the time, we have trouble living a healthy lifestyle because of what’s going on between our ears. With chapters on overcoming emotional eating, looking after your liver (take good care of it—it detoxifies your body!), using the power of your mind, the wonders of exercise and achieving your goal, Willis covers everything from fighting cravings to improving your mood.

While you’ve probably heard many of the facts in the book, I can almost guarantee that the tips and tricks Willis shares will be new to you. A decent amount of the book centers around “tapping,” which is a form of accupressure that you can do to yourself by literally tapping different points on your body. In addition, the book suggests doing different affirmations to boost confidence and willpower, and there’s even some self-massage techniques that are recommended. Overall, it’s not the diet book you’re used to, and it can work with any type of workout and healthy eating plan that you’re following. Although it won’t exactly tell you how to lose weight, it does give you some additional tools that can certainly help. There may not be a lot of text in this book, but what’s there is encouraging, motivating and totally handy!

Want to read this book for yourself? Leave a comment telling us why you’d like to win it, and we’ll select one lucky U.S. reader to win a copy of the book in about a week! —Jenn

Don’t be fooled. Despite the fact that the word “diet” is in the title of The Dieter’s Paradox: Why Dieting Makes Us Fat, this book might be the most un-diety of any diet book we’ve reviewed. A true research-lover’s deep-dive into the waters of why we overeat, mindlessly eat and can’t seem to stop dieting (by “we” I mean America—FBGs don’t do diets, yo!), this book is dang fascinating.

Kind of like Mindless Eating with more research, if you’re a bit of a science nerd and are interested in learning more about why we make the food decisions we do (and why they’re actually hurting, not helping, our waistlines and health), you have to read this book. While there’s no real nutrition advice—and there’s certainly no diet to follow—it’s a captivating and surprising read that will have you rethinking your ideas about food. For proof, check out the following excerpt from the book on stereotyping bias and food. And prepare to have your food-decision-making world rocked…

Another one of our fave ”Bobs” in the business, Bob Greene knows his weight-loss facts. And his latest book, The Life You Want, hits it out of the park.

First, it’s not a diet book—it’s a true lifestyle book. Second, he brings in some heavy hitters—a psychologist and a registered dietitian—to help bolster his street cred. Third, he focuses on the one uber-important thing that so many weight-loss products and books on the market today miss entirely: YOUR BRAIN. The best part of all? He knows that losing weight and living a happier, healthier life is within everyone’s grasp. Preach on, Bob!

The book is part of Greene’s Best Life series, and while Bob has always focused on conquering emotional eating and building enough self confidence to love and take care of yourself (sound familiar?), The Life You Want takes it to a new, detailed level. Through motivational success stories that inspire, quizzes, a comprehensive lifestyle log, exercise and diet plans, strategy guidelines, questions to ask yourself, and more, you get a lot of helpful, heady stuff. From determining your barriers to weight-loss to overcoming emotional eating and learning how to rewire your sugar-, fat- and salt-loving brain to conquering exercise aversion, this book is one I’ll keep on my shelf to reference for years to come.

This book is by no means a light read, and chapter after chapter Bob challenges you to really dig deep and do the inside-work it takes to get the outside-look you want. But I feel confident that if you really commit to getting to the bottom of why you struggle with your weight, this book will help you help yourself get answers. No magic pill here, folks. Just what really works. —Jenn

We’ve always said that “diet” is a four-letter word, so to see a whole book that is based on the idea that you can be healthy, satisfied and full without dieting was like written music to our fit eyeballs. A symphony of the right-way-to-drop-pounds, in fact. And written by someone who has a unique yet extremely educated take on the subject: a board-certified general surgeon who has performed more than 3,500 bariatric surgical procedures in his career.

Author Dr. Michael A. Snyder is also the creator of Full products like FullBar Fit and FullBites, both of which we’ve reviewed and enjoyed. When I first got Full: A Life Without Dieting to review, I was concerned that the book would actually be a commercial for the Full products—so many diet books pimp a specific product or supplement these days—but it wasn’t in the least. Instead, it was filled with interesting facts, research and an inside look at how bariatric surgery works and what goes on behind the scenes to make sure that patients who go under the knife are set up for success and aren’t just looking for a magic bullet to a healthy lifestyle. You hear so many stories of botched weight-loss surgeries or those whose weight-loss doesn’t stick that it’s nice to hear a surgeon discuss all of the other education, training and therapy that goes on outside of the operating room. (Dr. Snyder is also adamant that surgery is always a last resort for those who have 100+ pounds to lose.)

While the book is filled with plenty of sane, healthy living tips such as planning your meals and your workouts, journaling your foods and hunger, being more mindful when eating and always eating a healthy breakfast, I loved how Dr. Snyder focused not on calories but on—you guessed it—fullness. And fullness isn’t just about the stomach; it’s also about our brain, hormones and whether or not we feel deprived (which many of us do on that dreaded D-I-E-T).

Fullness is also about the heart. Most of us know that it can take your stomach a full 20 minutes to register that it’s full, but did you know that the upper part of your stomach pushing up and into your heart is actually one of the ways that we “feel full”? Seriously fascinating. According to the book, you can cause your body to register fullness more easily by using this knowledge to its fullest (Get it? Fullness? Haha!). Simply eating something every three to four hours can help, as can eating a healthy soup or small salad with a full glass of water about half an hour before a meal.

The book’s bottom line is that willpower is hard to rely on day after day, diet after diet. Which is why we as a country fail at diets so often. Instead, Dr. Snyder uses real science to help you choose healthy whole foods and a way of eating that helps your body to naturally feel full and take that unreliable willpower out of the equation (read: no beating yourself up the next day for eating that extra cookie). The book still touches on emotional eating and even “prescribes” four cheat meals a week, but at the end of the day, the book is a sane and scientific way to losing weight. And you know what? Mikey, we like it! —Jenn

I’ve been known to get, er, a bit fired up about weight-loss books from time to time. Half of the time, fitness and health books regurgitate information you’ve already heard or they’re too gimmicky to be taken seriously. (When in doubt, if it sounds to good to be true, it is.) But on the rare occasion that we stumble upon a book that really gets to the heart of the issue, we stop, wiggle our fit bottoms in happiness and share it with ya’ll! (Even if it does say the “f” word…)

Mind Over Fat Matters by Lavinia Rodriguez may not have the catchiest title or the most enticing cover art—yes, I judge books by their covers sometimes!—but it is legit. Too legit to quit, in fact. It’s like Lavinia crawled into my brain and put into words everything that I preach weight-loss is about, along with debunking everything it’s really not about. With chapters on eliminating the obsession with food, getting a life outside of weight-loss, dealing with guilt, increasing compassion and much, much more (she agrees that “diet” is a four-letter word!), this book is a true guide to the real reasons why we gain weight, overeat or choose the couch over getting active. In a nutshell, we stop ourselves and our brain sabotages our best intentions to lose weight or stay fit.

Here are a few take-homes from the book, although I encourage anyone who is stuck in their weight-loss or get-fit journey to read this book. (It’s less than $15 on Amazon and totally worth it.)

Retrain Your Brain for Weight-Loss

1. Stop the self-loathing. It hurts more than it helps. Many women think that if they beat themselves up enough about something they feel they’ve done wrong, it will motivate them to make improvements. The reality, though, is that the more a woman reprimands herself the harder it is for her to accomplish her goals.

“Imagine a child who is learning to tie her shoe,” suggests Rodriguez. “If she is put down every time she makes a mistake, she’ll become anxious and frustrated. The stress caused by the criticism interferes with her concentration and motivation and makes it difficult for her to learn the task. However, if she is praised and encouraged, she will be motivated to keep trying, and eventually the confidence she gains will lead her to success.

“Adults are no different from children in this respect,” she adds. “Everybody needs positive reinforcement, not punishment, in order to be motivated and achieve goals. This is especially true when dealing with body image and weight-loss expectations.”

2. Forget all the “shoulds.” Start where you are. How we talk to ourselves about our bodies is important. Using “should” statements such as, “I should have lost all the extra weight by now,” “I shouldn’t be in a bathing suit,” or “I shouldn’t go to the beach looking like this,” is how we beat ourselves up. Engaging in “should” statements makes us want to give up and guarantees that we’ll find ourselves in the same emotional place next summer.

“It’s better to accept where we are today, set aside the past, and focus on what can be done now,” says Rodriguez. “Remember, some progress is better than no progress at all, which is what will happen if you give in and give up!”

3. Practice positive self-talk. It’s never too late to change how we talk about our bodies—to others, yes, but more importantly to ourselves. Try these statements on for size and then create some of your own:

• “It’s never too late to start positive changes.”
• “I want goals that are achievable. I’m not going to set deadlines for my body. I will follow something that I can keep up for a lifetime.”
• “I want to improve my body image by first accepting my body how it is and then going forward—one step at a time.”
• “Thinking about the past or what I haven’t accomplished will not get me anywhere. I’ll look ahead, not back.”

How does your mind interfere with your health and fitness goals? How does it help? And seriously, how pumped are you to hear about a book that isn’t about a fad?! —Jenn

The idea of eating “clean,” is pretty brilliant. It basically means eating foods that are minimally processed and natural (read: healthy), and, really, when you think about it, who wants to eat “dirty” food? Not I, said the Fit Bottomed Girl. That’s why today we’re following up yesterday’s interview with the lovely Tosca Reno with a review of The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged book.

First off, if you’re confused about nutrition or would like to learn more about food and how it can affect your health, weight and mood, read this book. It is a fantastic beginner’s guide to building a lifestyle eating plan that you can live with and feel good about. From fantastic info on metabolism to proper hydration to how to make the most of your workout time, it’s a sane approach to living well. Tosca is definitely all about moderation, and the book is chock-full of fun tidbits and tips that almost feels more like a fun magazine than a book.Which kind of makes sense since she has rocked the pages of Oxygen magazine. There’s even a FAQ section that is AWESOME.

The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged also includes a bunch of recipes that are pretty tasty. The hubs and I tried the Miso and Salmon Stew and it was delish. We also tried the Sweet Potato Oat Bars, which have become a breakfast staple at FBG HQ (more on that later). I will say that if you’re a newbie cook, the recipes may be a little challenging, as I found some of the cooking times to be off and some of the instructions to be confusing or misleading (the Salmon and Miso Stew we made was delicious but it looked nothing like the photo). But if you know your way around the kitchen and don’t mind having to improvise (or using your best judgment in a pinch), have at it. The results can be delicious.

With that said, I’m super happy to share the recipe for the Sweet Potato Oat Bars! This recipe is pretty foolproof, although I added a few notes below for clarification. An entire pan makes 24 2-inch-by-2-inch squares and the entire process takes a little more than an hour. Each serving has 189 calories, 6 grams of protein, 5 grams of healthy fat and 4 grams of fiber. Happy and healthy noshing!

They really do taste as good as they look, especially with a little honey. Yum...

Sweet Potato Oat Bars

4 small sweet potatoes (or 2 large)
1 tbsp olive oil
4 c instant oatmeal
¾ c skim milk soured with 1 tbsp lemon juice
¼ c finely ground flaxseed (I tried ground Salba and it rocked.)
½ c maple syrup (natural is best)
2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tbsp coconut butter
½ c dried fruits like raisins, dates, cherries and/or blueberries, chopped (I loved dates!)
½ c raw unsalted nuts (almonds, walnuts and/or pecans), chopped
Pinch sea salt
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Prepare a 9” x 13” baking dish by coating lightly with olive oil.

2. Prick sweet potatoes all over. Place in oven and bake until tender. (FBG tip: Depending on the size of potatoes this can take 30 minutes to an hour.) Remove from oven and let cool. When cool enough to handle, remove potato peels. Place flesh in a large mixing bowl. Set oven to 400º. (FBG tip: OR microwave the heck out of them and save some serious time. Also consider doing this the day before so that you don’t have to wait for them to cool.)

3. Add all remaining ingredients to sweet-potato mixture. Mix well.

4. Press into prepared baking pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden on top. (FBG tip: For extra deliciousness and just a few more cals, sprinkle brown sugar on top to make it sweet instead of savory.)

5. Remove from heat and let cool. Cut into squares.

Talk about a good way to get your veggies in! What’s your favorite recipe to eat clean? —Jenn

Want to read the book yourself? Enter a comment in the next week, and we’ll select one lucky U.S. reader to win a copy! The winner will be notified by email. Happy commenting!

We were recently hipped to Jackie Warner’s new book, This Is Why You’re Fat (And How to Get Thin Forever): Eat More, Cheat More, Lose More—and Keep the Weight Off. Because we adore most things that Ms. Warner touches, we knew we had to check it out. While the book title may not be, er, succinct, it does get the point across: You are FAT and I will help you get thin. See? I have redonkulous abs to prove I can do it.

Okay, I’m prematurely hating and I’m definitely judging a book by its cover, but this seems like cheap marketing to me. Jackie is the shiznit! She knows her stuff, and she knows how to do it the right way—plus the book is filled with sane (and cutting-edge!) nutritional advice, tips to stop emotional eating and really effective workout plans. But the book cover? It just turned me off.

Soapbox, please. Thanks.

When I see the word “fat,” I think “hate” or “ugly” or, even, “not good enough.” In my mind, if you call yourself fat, you’re hating on yourself and not honoring the person you are inside and out.

If you are overweight and are unhealthy and are wanting to change, declaring yourself as ugly isn’t—in my opinion—the best way to go about it. I had negative self talk about my body for years until I finally recognized it for what it was. Once I started overriding it, my choices and outlook began to change. I learned how to replace “You have a fat stomach and you’ll never be as good as [enter any skinny girl who was near]” with “You’re strong and making healthy choices—what does someone else have to do with that?” Basically, I learned to never talk to myself any differently than I would a best friend. And I wouldn’t call a best friend fat. I might be concerned with her unhealthy habits or sedentary lifestyle and talk to her about how to change those, but I wouldn’t use the “F” word.

I know there are plenty of people out there who have reclaimed the word fat, and by no means do I think anyone should be treated differently because of his or her size. Sure, my take on it may be a little P.C. and very much wrapped in semantics, but when it comes to how we see and view ourselves, fat is a disrespectful word. And it’s a word that doesn’t make anyone feel good. Unless it’s phat, in which case, rock on.

I’m sure that by using that word on the cover (and that body), she’ll definitely sell a lot of copies and probably change hundreds—if not thousands—of lives of people who actually pick it up, read it and follow her advice. (And by all means, this is not the first book to use this technique; it’s just the first one we’ve reviewed that I had such a reaction to.) The book really is filled with some good, good information, including research that I haven’t seen elsewhere and some killer workout plans.

But do the ends justify the means? Or are we further perpetuating a culture that hates fatness, yet mostly is, in fact, overweight? Are we trying to hate ourselves into change?

I think we all know this post is less about a book and more about a cultural norm, but, still, the sensationalism doesn’t sit well with me. If you tore the cover off, I’d adore the book. But with it on? It just makes me twitch and, obviously, stand up and shout. —Jenn

Want to read Jackie Warner’s new book and decide for yourself? Leave a comment and we’ll pick one random U.S. winner to win it!

Reading is such an integral part of my life. I love cracking open a new book and discovering a new tip, a different way at looking at something or a unique take on, well, life. Today’s three books do just that. Yes, they all have a slant on healthy living, but overall they’re more about life than fitness or weight-loss, which I love because gosh knows, the world has enough diet books. Read on for three recommendations that we think you should add it your Amazon cart or hit your library up for—stat!

Run Like a Mother: How to Get Moving—and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity

The title pretty much says it all. When you’re a mother, a runner and working (or at home working as a full-time mom!), it can get a tad tricky to squeeze it all in. Okay, darn near impossible to squeeze it all in. (That’s why we’re creating a whole new website to tackle how to do so!) In Run Like a Mother, authors Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea give real (and sometimes hilarious) advice—from experience. These two gals are hard-core runners (I met Dimity at this event and was wowed by her quads), but don’t let that scare you non-marathoners off. The book gives both inspirational advice and practical strategies to help multitasking women make running part of their busy lives.

What I liked most about the book is that it wasn’t just about working out. The authors shared their struggles with post-pregnancy weight-loss, sleep deprivation and depression, while also celebrating family and running for all that it has to offer, including enriching your life and your relationships. Like I said, the book is definitely heavily centered on running though and not overall fitness. Whether you win your age division at races or just hope to finish (or, heck, run down the block), this book can get you there in a balanced way.

Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life

A press release on this book sparked probably one of the best and most hilarious lines the FBGs have ever gotten in our inbox: “Unfortunately, Thich Nhat Hanh isn’t available to be interviewed (since he’s a monk).”

Commence unconstrained laughter. Okay, so maybe you had to be there, but it was funny. And true, as I’m sure monks don’t really care too much about press. Anyhow, in Savor, author/monk Thich Nhat Hanh and Harvard nutritionist Dr. Lilian Cheung come together for a unique book that combines Buddhist ideas and teachings with medical science. Yeah, it’s definitely a unique concept, and one that I dug, as I’m super into being present, more mindful and more intuitive with what I eat and how active I am each day.

The book offers practical tools, including personalized goal setting, a detailed nutrition guide and a mindful living plan. And what I like most about the book is that the “diet” is much, much more than that. The book teaches and reminds you to be truly mindful and taste your food, getting in better touch with why we do what we do (or eat more than we want to). There’s even an entire chapter and exercise dedicated to eating an apple and really appreciating it—its texture, taste and mouth feel. Yes, it’s hippity-dippity, but it’s also an important part of losing weight and staying healthy naturally and without so much darn effort and stress. After all, life is too short for that mess. Enjoy life and all it has to offer!

The Pocket Calorie Counter

Okay, so this book isn’t really literature and it’s not exactly earth-shattering in the traditional gotta-read-it-way, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t rock nonetheless. This little puppy may just turn your life upside down. Cause after you finish reading how to run like a mother and eat like a monk, you can throw this little guide in your purse and never make an “OMG, that sandwich sounded so much healthier on the menu than it now looks, sitting in front of me” mistake again.

And not only is the guide small enough to throw in your purse, it also looks more like a planner than a calorie counter, so you don’t have to scream “I’m watching what I eat!” to all in your party. Plus, it’s super organized and cutely designed, and as someone who’s a tad obsessed with organization, it made me smile, big time.

I heart books! What books have changed your mindset? Tell us in the comments below, and you’ll be eligible to win one of these great books. U.S. residents only, please, and winners will be contacted via email in a week. Happy reading—and commenting! —Jenn

Disclosure: All products were provided by their respective manufacturer, but in no way is this post or our review of products sponsored, influenced or paid for by any company. We tell it like it is!