As you all know by now, I’m not really willing to sacrifice calories if something tastes like cardboard, yet I’m all about cutting back where I can to avoid my dreaded time in the gym, so this place strikes the perfect balance. We were also thrilled to learn that owner, Hedda Dowd, is currently looking for space here in Austin to open a second location.

Here are some pictures for your mouth-watering pleasure:

The girls... minus Kristine

Marshmallow Soup- the marshmallows are actually made of goat cheese

The Chocolate Souffle!

I’m baaaack! And I’m here to share a new @fatroll term with you all: Diet-tarded. This one is for all you readers that think it’s a brilliant idea to start diets at the end of the week, especially when you know you’ll be traveling or celebrating something with friends.

Used in a sentence: Jenni is diet-tarded for starting a diet the day before we spend the weekend with Kimmy.*

*Kimmy would be my fabulous mother who always seems to have the most ridiculous spread ready for us when we visit. I give Jenni five minutes before she loses this battle to a chocolate concoction of some type.

Origin (IM Conversation):

Jenni:  Read my latest Fatroll post- I am officially back on a health food kick. We’ll see how long I last this weekend though.

Me:  Uh, yeah, way to start a diet before a weekend with Kimmy, silly girl.

Jenni:  Dumb, but worth a shot.

Me:  I wouldn’t even bother.

Jenni:  Less of a diet more about eating less.

Me:  Good luck to you my friend.

Jenni:  I’m going to fail but I’m going to try, dang it.

Me:  See I only try things I know I can do. I like to over deliver.

Jenni:  Haha I have a history of under delivering.

Me:  It doesn’t seem to stop you though – I think I’d give up all future goals if that were the case. So kudos to you for your optimism.

Jenni:  I like failure apparently.

I’ve been alerted that today is apparently “National Eat Whatever You Want Day.” Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), pure fear over this bikini picture has prevented me from participating in this lovely holiday, but I hope all of you are taking advantage of this. Please eat an extra Gourdough’s for me. At this point, I’ll even settle for a picture of one. *tear*

I hope the rest of the @Fat Roll girls are enjoying plenty of healthy San Francisco food and not the ballpark hot dogs at the Giants game tonight… Stay strong ladies!

If you’re an avid Fat Roll reader you know that we have an important deadline coming up that involves all four of us posing for a bikini picture. Reality (or in my case, pure panic) is starting to set in, so these tips on how to find a flattering bathing suit from InStyle couldn’t have come at a better time.

Not that Brooklyn needs any help in this department...

Maximize a small bust

Underwires, boning and padding add shape and fullness to your chest, says stylist Julie Weiss, who has worked with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Gabrielle Union. Just be sure that any padding is subtle and, once wet, doesn’t show through.

Ruffles, like shirring, can also be a plus, since they can make any area look bigger. Also consider the art of distraction. Jeanne Yang, who has styled Katie Holmes and Brooke Shields, says a top with a funky pattern, polka dots or embellishments will camouflage a petite chest.

Minimize a large bust

In a top, don’t be tempted to go too small: Spillage along the sides will just make the chest look bigger. And keep in mind that suits run about two sizes smaller than your clothing size.

An underwire or built-in bra gives structure and support, says Weiss. Seek out bra sizing in bathing suit tops for a more accurate fit. And when you’re trying on either one or two-pieces, make sure the straps are sturdy. Keyhole or string-bikini triangle tops and demi bras aren’t ideal for big busts, says Yang, since they don’t provide enough coverage or support.

Banish belly bulge

A plunging halter top draws the eye up and away from any pooch below. Details or a bold pattern on the midsection can also be positively distracting — a busy print keeps the eye moving so it doesn’t settle on a less-than-flat tummy.

In one-piece styles, look for extras like built-in tummy control panel or a suit that has significantly more spandex; the Miraclesuit, for instance, has up to three times more than the usual swimsuit. In terms of two-pieces, a tankini is probably a better choice than a bikini. In either style, make sure that any elastic in the waistband does not cause belly spillover.

Lower body help

A high cut in the leg (but nothing higher than the hip bone) helps heavy thighs look slimmer. Leave boy shorts at the store – -they make the derrière and thighs look bigger. Also pass on any prints and ruffles on the lower half that draw attention to the rear.

Emphasize your top with color blocks, light colors or embellishment at the chest–they’ll draw the eye away from a heavier bottom. And consider mix and matching bikini pieces: Wear a print on top and a dark solid on the lower half, or white on top and black on the bottom.

For those of you who have noticed, I apologize for being completely MIA for the last few months. Work has been crazy (lame excuse) and I just got back from a fabulous 2.5 week trip to New Zealand and Australia – obviously a much better excuse but this trip was definitely not fat roll friendly.

We did more wine tasting than I care to admit and I showed zero discipline when it came to portion control at every meal. Needless to say, I returned home with a few additional unwelcome pounds. I guess it’s the unfortunate side effect of a fabulous vacation.

Anyway, now that I’m back, I really need to kick things up a notch before the dreaded bikini pic. Just typing that sentence has brought on a slight panic attack… let’s move on to happier thoughts. Like pictures!

Here’s what I learned while in New Zealand and Australia:

Kiwis know their stuff when it comes to making wine in gorgeous settings.

Queenstown, New Zealand was so beautiful that it almost opened me up to the possibility of participating in sporty outdoor activities. Almost.

And best of all…Australians apparently also struggle with the pesky muffin tops!

Early Show medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton dropped a bombshell during her segment this morning regarding a new study, to be published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, shows middle aged women must exercise at a moderate level at least 60 minutes a day, just to maintain their weight. That’s more than double the amount of time previously recommended by a similar study (30 minutes, five days a week).

Who has time for that every day?! As if I needed another reason to dread my 30s and 40s…

Click here to watch the video

Just wanted to share some useful tips (courtesy of Cosmo) to help minimize the dreaded belly pudge. Some of them are no brainers (i.e. don’t skip meals), but there are others that I plan to implement right away, such as drinking a glass of red wine, which research has shown will help fight belly fat. Hallelujah!

Special thanks to Jenni for alerting me to this particular finding. You know me too well.

1. You Skip Meals

This tactic always backfires. You end up so hungry later on that you can’t help but overeat. And when you do, more fat will inevitably find its way to your midsection. Eating small- to medium-size meals every three to four hours, however, fills you up without resulting in a layer of flab.

2. You Go Vegetarian

Women will often avoid foods from the meat, fish, and dairy groups because they think they are packed with calories and fat. But remember, these foods are protein superstars that help boost your metabolism so you can fend off tummy pudge. Opt for low-calorie, low-fat choices, like cottage cheese or tuna (one 6-ounce can fulfills three-quarters of your daily protein requirement).

3. You Think Bread Is Bad

White bread, yes, but whole-grain breads and cereals? No way. These allow insulin levels to rise more gradually, reducing the chance that you’ll add fat to your belly. Wild rice, oatmeal, or whole-wheat tortillas once a day can make a difference.

4. You’re Crunch-Crazed

Sit-ups tone muscle, true, but they don’t have any effect on the layer of fat covering them. So doing 50, 100, or even 500 crunches won’t make your jeans feel any looser. What does work? Cardio. Instead of wasting all your time on crunches, spend an extra 10 minutes on the treadmill.

5. You Booze a Lot, but Infrequently

Alcohol has lots of calories yet doesn’t fill you up at all. So when you binge-drink, nutritionists say, you’re basically inviting flab to settle on your midsection. If you crave a drink, make it red wine; research suggests it may actually help fight pooch.

6. You Eat “Lite” Products

You may think you are doing your body a favor by opting for sugar-free yogurt, diet soda, or any other snack labeled low-fat or low-cal. But those versions are often loaded with artificial sweeteners, which some nutritionists believe may trigger your metabolism to increase fat storage.

7. You Think Fatty Foods Are the Enemy

As counterintuitive as it may sound, foods high in monounsaturated fats help burn off belly fat and lead you to consume less. Nutritionists recommend slicing one-quarter of an avocado onto a sandwich or drizzling olive oil and vinegar on your salad.

I’m a little late to the game here with the winter months winding down, but thought I’d share my tip of season when it comes to going out – black tights. They make your legs look skinnier, keep them warmer and can hide the awful pastiness hue that typically accompanies winter skin.

I know I’ve avoided skirts/dresses before for all of those reasons in the winter. For an even more lengthening look, pair black tights with some fabulous black heels or booties, a la Claudia Schiffer.

There are few things I love more than cupcakes and diamonds, which is why I think it’s awesome (although completely over the top), that a jewelry store in New York is offering a $107,000 cupcake this Valentine’s Day, complete with a ginormous 5.48 ct round-cut, F color, Si2 clarity diamond on top.

As if that wasn’t mind blowing enough, the world’s most expensive cupcake comes in TWO flavors, vanilla or chocolate.

I’ll take a chocolate one please!

xoxo,

Meredith

Thanks to Jenni for the tip!

Yesterday I learned that Spanx now has a swimwear line (thanks for the tip, Sarah!). At first I didn’t know what to think of this and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t picturing the world’s ugliest body shaping swim suits (let’s be honest, Spanx aren’t the most attractive undergarments), but I was pleasantly surprised with how cute some of the bathing suits are!

A word of caution: they are a bit on the pricy side – about $130 – $180 each. That said, if round 3 doesn’t go my way, I’d certainly be willing to invest some $$ for one of these puppies to get all the help I can get.

What do you think of the new Spanx swim line?