Is Rosie Starr a PEOPLE Starr?

A few nights ago I was at home, in bed, trolling around facebok. I was commenting on peoples pages and pictures instead of sleeping as I should have been, when I suddenly got an instant message from an old co-worker. He began to question me in a virtual rapid-fire!

Him: Hey Roz...

Were you on a TV show?
Me: LOL... Hi, I'm fine. How are you? I miss you... long time no see.
Him: Were you on Dr. Oz?

Was it something about fast food?

Me: Actually, I was... why?

Him: I KNEW IT!
Me: Knew what?
Him: It IS you!!!

Me: Yes... we've already established that it was me. Are you okay?

HIm: Roz, your picture is in People Magazine...
I was looking through it and I saw it and I thought to myself it looked an awful lot like you.
Me: OMG, are you serious? Wow.

So I had to ask. I didn't know that you were on the show.

OMG, you really are a Rosie Starr.

Me: LOL, no, I'm really not a star, but one day babes... one day :)

You've got to take a pic and send it to me... I had no idea!

And that's how I came to learn that my picture was in People Magazine. Of course, I had a few similar interactions with a couple of people for the following days as they discovered the picture on their own. People magazine really has a wide audience!

The very next day I went to Walmart and thumbed threw the pages until I found my image within the cleverly named article "The Wisdom of Oz" on page 104 of the October 5, 2009 issue.

Lo and behold, there I was, standing besides Dr. Oz. Of all the cutesy poses and pics they COULD have posted, they chose the one of HunchbackStarr! UGH! I'm standing there, bent over and looking at something in his hand. ** making the mental note, to bend at the knees the next time I'm in front of cameras**

To make matters worse, they caption the picture and reference me as a "woman", gee whiz, can't I be a "lady"? AND, they state that he's showing me what my blood looks like since I eat fast food 5 times a day. FIVE TIMES! If I could afford (time and money) to eat fast food 5x a day, TRUST that I would be eating something waaaaay better than fast food. *sigh* My name isn't mentioned anywhere in the article and the specific show that I appeared on isn't mentioned either. It's just an article about Dr. Oz and his plans for his new show.

The article is a good read and it makes Dr. Oz all that more lovable. For a skinny guy, he's kinda sweet and cuddly :) I must say, that he was rather charismatic and genuine when I met with him in person. He was also a lot of fun. I told you guys about our shenannigans on set... all of the "fun" stuff they cut out of the segment that aired. Anyway... I'm super happy for him and wish him oodles and oodles of continued success!

Pick up your copy of PeopleStarr Magazine today!

The Good, The Starr & The Ugly!

While I was away from NYC, I was unable to take my weekly swim class. That doesn't mean that I didn't get to swim... I lounged in the pool and I played in the pool and I lounged on the beach and I played in the surf... Vacations with water activities rock!

On the first full day at our resort, we went to the Owners Meeting to hear all about the things they wanted us to spend our money on. One of the things presented to us was a Golf Clinic. I had ALWAYS wanted to learn to play golf and I jumped at the chance. It cost about 70 bucks to get coaching by a professional golfer, have lunch and play 9 holes. My aunt and I signed up and were very excited.


The next day, we went off to find the golf course. I was a bit miffed that we were leaving the resort, since there was already a golf course on the premises. We went a few miles away to another space and that is when things began to get UGLY! I got there, and then dude wanted to charge me 30 bucks to rent some clubs, so that I could GO TO THE CLINIC TO LEARN TO PLAY GOLF. Then I learned that the clinic was ONLY an hour long, and all I'd learn was how to putt the ball and that the instructor wasn't going to go around the course with me to guide and instruct me. Then I learned that the same dude, who wound up "loaning" me some clubs for free, wanted to charge me for some balls, and he decided to "loan" me some more, but only as much as he could carry in two hands... not like the buckets full that the other golfers had, and then we didn't know where to go! Some golfers who were in the clinic, asked if we were supposed to be with them, we said plainly that we didn't know what we were doing, and that we were okay. Turns out we were supposed to go as a group, they knew it and took advantage of our ignorance and started without us. We missed our chance and a few minutes later, we were stuck waiting in the hot sun for almost 20 minutes trying to get IN for our tee-time. The person running the first Tee on the "GOOD" course, felt sorry for us, and seemed to know a thing or two about conflict resolution because we were getting pisssed off watching these people who came after us go before us and we wanted our money back and to go home to the cool AC or pool and out of the blistering hot sun!


After a few calls on his radio, he got someone to escort us to another course... Introducing the "UGLY" on the opposite side of the property. We were the only people there, so although there was no one to ask for help or assistance, there was also no one to hurry us along or to get in our way. We soon realized why the course was called "UGLY"... there were lakes and sandpits all over the place, it was the most challenging of the three courses, but we did pretty well and only managed to lose two of our balls in the water!

After a while, we started to have a LOT of fun. I was even putting through my lower back pain. I'd managed to develop pain in my back while learning how to swing. I apparently was using far too many muscles and trying way too hard! When I learned to loosen up and relax, it was less taxing on my body and my swing was much more effective!

It was a great workout... trust me! I did quite a bit of walking, and I felt the soreness in my muscles the next day, not to mention all of the water weight I probably lost sweating in the sun while sipping on once-ice-cold water!

McDonald's STARRts to lose it's appeal...

I don't quite remember the last day that I had been to Mc Donald's prior to the premier of the Dr. Oz show on Sept. 14th. It had been at the very least, several days. Since the show, I have managed to stay away... for the most part.

About a week after it aired, I was tempted on the way home from a late night out. It was 4 am, and as I drove through the drive-thru, I was told that they weren't serving food and that they'd be up and running again in 30 minutes. I took it as a sign from God and drove a few more blocks home feeling grateful for what I considered divine intervention!

Visions of Chicken Mc Nuggets haven't been dancing in my head, but for a while, the temptation was pretty darn strong. Mc Donald's is everywhere on this planet... kinda like oxygen! But you know what? As days and more days passed by, the easier and easier it became to choose a healthier option, or to wait to eat until later when the fast food choice wasn't present.

I'm currently on the last leg of a family vacation.

Last weekend, I flew down to my mom's home and we drove about 10 hours north from where she lives to meet with my aunt and her family. My stepfather, Lord bless his soul, is just a weeeee bit neurotic, and INSISTS on drinking nothing but Mc Donald's coffee to keep him awake and alert during the long trip. So of course, we HAD to stop at Mc Donald's 2 times on the way there, and I was weak... I ordered... BOTH TIMES! The first time I decieded to have a Chicken McNugget Happy Meal. I figured, I'd have the yumminess I craved but just in a smaller portion. It was okay, but it wasn't nearly as yummy as I had anticipated. Later that day, I had a McChicken sandwich, and it was so unpleasant, that I only ate half. I thought the chicken patty was rather thin, and that there was more breading than chicken. On the drive back home to mom's house today, I put my foot down and insisted that we didn't go to Mc Donalds, but he put his foot down too and seeing as it was HIS car his foot weighs a trifle heavier than mine ;). We were back at McD's and of course, I could have refused to eat, but I didn't. I figured if I were thre, I might as well indulge, and I remembered that Dr. Oz told me that I should have LETTUCE on my burgers to make them healthier. With that in mind, I ordered a BIG MAC! OH-MY-GOSH... It was the most horrible Big Mac I had ever eaten! I KID YOU NOT. I took a second bite just to be sure... and yup, I was right the first time. I thought to myself, but this never used to taste this badly before. Hmmmm... maybe I really am starting to "lose the taste" for it.

At first I was really annoyed that I'd been thrown off track. I was worried that once I had a bite, billions of bites would follow. Now I think it's just shown me that it's not as tasty as I'd imagined. And now that it seems to taste worse to me, I think that I'll even be less inclined to desire it. I'm a very finicky eater, and there's an excellent chance that if I don't like something, then I won't eat it! I wasn't one of those children who was made to clean their plates, and eat things that I didn't like.

My mom reminded me that as a kid, although I was a picky eater, that she made sure that I had a balanced diet and back then. I was a slender girl and everytime I had my bloodwork done, the Doctors would comment on how excellent it was and proceed to inquire about my diet. Boy... how times have changed! Huh?

It's fun to STARR at the Y M C A ...

and it's fun to swim at the Y M C A too!

I'm back home again. I just came in from the Y where I am enrolled in a swimming class. It's an adult class and there are only a handful of students.

I had a long day... I was awoken by my manager with one of his occasional fire-drills and after that my day seemed non-stop. I drove around Brooklyn and visited some stores for work. Fixed a few problems and took a few calls. By the time I was done with work "work", I barely had time to get home, shower and change to head back out for swim time. I really felt like going to bed, or vegging out in front of the TV, but I knew that you were all eagerly waiting to hear about my day, right? So, I dragged myself to the Y and figured that I was gonna make the best outta the Benjamin that I put down to be in the class. Times are hard... rumor has it that there's a recession going on.


Today in class we worked on our freestyle technique and our instructor tried to get those of us who were afraid of the "deep end" to overcome our fears. I tried to keep moving while in the water to maximize my calorie-burn. I treaded water while on the deep end instead of holding on to the edge and kept twisting and turning when I was idle in the shallow end.

The first class was last week, but today I noticed that not only am I the FATTEST swimmer, but I'm also the FASTEST and the BEST. And NO, it's not because fat is less dense than muscle... so there!!! I thought it was funny that I hadn't noticed that I was the biggest in the class last week. I guess sometimes I just don't think about size so much and perhaps that's partly the reason why I've gotten to be the size that I am. Sometimes I forget that I'm a fat girl and am surprised to see that I take up quite as much space as I do.



As much as I kept trying to make excuses for myself about why I didn't feel like going to class tonight, I pushed through and I went and you know what? Besides feeling wonderfully exhausted, I also feel good. I was happy after swim class. I was bonding with the other swimmers and building relationships. If you know me, then you know that I'm a social butterfly and am only too thrilled to meet and relate to new people. As I walked back to my car, I wondered if this good feeling was the endorphins those crazy physical trainer people used to talk about or if I was genuinely happy. I'm not sure... seems like I'm going to have to work out a bit more and test this theory.

I stayed away from the fast food eateries today... even when one of my stores employees walked in with a bag from Mc Donalds and the fries smelled soooooo good! She offered me some and it took all my will to say no! They looked so fresh and crisp and tasty... but I knew that you can never just have ONE FRY! That's like eating a grain of rice, or just having one piece of popcorn... those things aren't meant to be eaten alone... they're best in bunches and clusters :)


I didn't eat the healthiest today, but I didn't have any fast food or junk food. I did however eat a little more than my fair share of bread, but mmmmm... freshly baked, harddough bread from Allan's Bakery on Nostrand Ave is absolutely positively, without a doubt, irresistable! If you don't know, you'd better ask somebody. Good thing they make a whole wheat version!


I'm pooped... I haven't even dried my hair properly after having washed it at home, but I'm hitting the sack. I'm soooo going to sleep well tonight!

Sweet Dreams & Curvy Kisses,
Rosie Starr

Wild-Starr-Fire & The Failure Theory!

News spread like wildfire! My phone buzzed and rang like crazy yesterday.

I got lots of queries from my family and close friends about why I hadn't told them about the show in advance so that they could have watched or made plans to record it.

Most people had complimentary things to say, but there were two people who were not concerned with telling me how nice I looked or to find out how I happened to get to be on the series premier of Dr. Oz.

Mom, was one of those people!

I know... I know. How could I NOT tell my mother? Well, you don't know my mom! She's awesome, but she's also rather strict. She loves me and she's sacrificed for me and done a terrific job as a mother, but I just didn't want to hear the "mothering"... you know what I mean, right? The "Roz, you've really got to watch your weight!" or the "I can't beleive you've gotten so big, you'd better watch out for diabetes!" or the "*gasp* I can't believe that you're eating so much fast food... I thought you were cooking more!" It's just easier to bury my head in the sand than it is to truly listen to what I know I need to hear... but hearing it is often just frustrating when it is something that I already know.

Mom's reaction was no surprise. Actually, she was a little less nagging than I'd anticipated. She was extremely concerned about my blood pressure, even after I had explained the circumstances under which the reading that was shared with national TV had come to be so high.

What was a surprise, was an old classmate who reached out to me on Facebook. This particular young lady was someone whom I hadn't seen in years, but she reached out to me to ask me if I was okay and to tell me that she was worried about my health and wanted me to do whatever I could to be all right! It touched my heart to see a peer have the kind of concern that most older adults (in particular, related adults or medical professionals) would have.

I was really hoping to have scored a diet plan and workout regimen on Dr. Oz's dime, but no such luck! I'm going to have to try to do it alone. It's hard. It's hard to pass by the easy options (read as the Mc Donalds or KFC drive through) and move on to the less easy choices (read as hitting the gym, preparing my own food and eating healthier snacks).

I've tried and failed before. I was blessed as a child and many things came easy to me, and later in life, I simply gave up on things that didn't at first seem simple. I figured if I didn't get it right away that I could make do without it. Somehow, that mentality managed to follow me into adulthood. Luckily, I recently read somethings about failure a few days ago that changed my mind.

President Barack Obama said:

"Making your mark on the world is hard. If it were easy, everybody would do it. But it's not. It takes patience, it takes commitment, and it comes with plenty of failure along the way. The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won't. it's whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere."

Michael Jordan said:

I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.

If these two men, who've reached the heighest of heights in their respective fields, believe in the power of failure... then so should I! Follow me... if I fail, I promise to dust myself off, and try again!

Tomorrow is swimming and hopefully, yet another fast food free day!

WISH ME LUCK!

Curvy Kisses,

RosieStarr

The "Starr" segment of the Dr. Oz series premier

The "Starr" of the show...

"WHEW!"

I really was waiting to exhale!

I caught the show at 11 am on Fox. It came on right after Wendy. Great placement in the morning line up! Kudos to the powers that be at ZoCo.

So... I watched the show, and though I wasn't entirely pleased... it wasn't as bad as I'd feared. The show on the whole was really good, and I'll likely be a regular viewer.

My segment ca me on about 15 minutes into the show. Naturally, I followed the "sexy segment" which was all about erogenous zones and how to please your partner.

I watched myself eating in my car as I drove around thneighborhoods that I'm usually in when I drive within my territory for work. My gosh. Who knew that food could be so unsexy!!

There was a shot of me stuffing fries into my mouth... but I was driving! Who can really eat one fry at a time while behind the wheel? There was another shot

where my mouth was full of burger and I was wiping the Big Mac sauce from the corners of my mouth... Why didn't I think to eat "daintily"??? Ugh!

There was lots of footage taken that must have stayed on the cutting room floor. Dr. Oz and I really bonded when he yanked me from my car and he said a few things to me that left an impact. For example, he took one of my fries (one that just so happened to have a pointy edge)... and said, "What is this that you're eating?" I said, "French Fries... they're vegetables!" He then proceeded to tell me how awful they were for me and started to poke me in the arm with a fry and told me that they were poking holes in my arteries the same way he was poking my arm. The arm pokes hurt, and somehow, what he said "clicked" and made something that I already "knew" that much more relevant to me.

After the undercover surveillance, I was brought on stage and I watched myself beside Dr. Oz.

I really liked my makeup... it was subtle, I wasn't overly made up, but I thought I looked pretty good. Their MUA did a pretty good job, and she was FAST too!

I watched myself walk across the stage and liked that I chose to wear a black dress that hugged my curves, but was also appropriate for daytime TV. I remember thinking like a model, and trying to stand in a model stance, without LOOKING as if I were modeling... I wanted to seem relaxed and natural, and not too posed.

I was amused by some of my facial expressions, probably because I knew that in some instances I was thinking things that I really couldn't say out loud.

When Dr. Oz and I were at the table, there were big piles of "stuff" representing all of the junk in the food I was eating. There was a bowl of sugar and one of salt and one of cream that represented fat! Dr. Oz explained to me that if I continued to eat all of the Fast food, that I'd be ingesting a bowl full of fat every week. He then stuck his hand in it and scooped some out. He asked me if I wanted some fat and told me to taste it. I told him he was crazy! He started toward me and I ran away, and he chased me for a few steps. It was funny. But, it didn't make the show.

There were a few other things that I did that weren't included, like when I told him I thought I could put lettuce and tomato on my burger because it was like accessorizing my sandwich! I guess I shouldn't have upstaged the host, huh? I didn't plan to... I'm just a bit of a comic and a bit of a ham!

He suggested these Fiber biscuits that would fill me up before a meal. I think I'll try them. I need to Google them, I'd almost forgotten about them! Apparently, they expand in your tummy so that you don't eat as much. Seems like a natural appetite suppressant... you know, as opposed to those pills that can have adverse effects. Maybe the little fiber cookies... which weren't delicious, but didn't taste bad at all... can help me to slim down in addition to keeping me nice and regular.

It's game time!

I tried to stay away from the fast food... I was good for several days, and then I slipped up. I am often out late at night, and when I'm out and about there aren't that many options. It's not as if there are fruit stands on every other corner at 11 pm at night... but there are drive-thrus!

Last month I joined a gym but I've only been a few times. Last week I started swimming lessons.

"I am the master of my fate... I am the captain of my soul!" - Invictus, William Earnest Henley

I'm taking control of my health and of my eating habits. This is my life, I've only got one and I'm taking charge!

I'm a "Starr", How Could I Not Shine?

How could I not shine?

Oh... let me count the ways!

My nerves were on the brink after receiving a call from my girl Alisha at ZoCo last night. She called to let me know that my segment of Dr. Oz was indeed scheduled as the Series Premier on Monday September 14^th!

Quite honestly I was reluctant to let any one know about the show at first. I didn't feel the greatest about it and was worried about the light in which I'd be presented. Like any other woman I was worried that I'd look fat on TV; after all, they say the camera adds ten pounds and I recall seeing at LEAST three cameras on the set. (wink) Would they show me eating like a pig or would they make me out to be slothful and not in control of my actions? The fear of the editing room is worse than that of stepping on a scale!

Now that I’ve seen the show I hope that the episode can help some people to see some of the health hazards of eating fast food.

Fast food is filled with preservatives and cholesterol and all sorts of horrible things for us... There are healthier alternatives to eating on the go... and I plan on incorporating them into my life so that I can successfully wean myself from those tarnished golden arches!

I know that I’m not alone in this struggle, so I will make the attempt to blog about my progress in hopes that I can help motivate others to give up the unhealthy evil ways of fast food. I’ll also occasionally add some Rosie-isms and keep you informed of what else I have going on as I take further steps in my journey to Rosie Starr-dom.

Join me in the battle! Follow my blog, and most importantly…WISH ME LUCK! :)

Behind the "Starr" scenes on Dr. Oz

I'm always on the prowl... looking for openings, opportunities, and chances to get a step or two closer to my dreams and goals of fame and sharing my Rosieness. When taking steps in this journey I may wander in the wrong direction, but sometimes I leap toward fulfillment!

Back in July I came across a posting for a new show brought to us by none other than Oprah Winfrey herself called The Dr. Oz Show. For those of you who don't know, Dr. Oz is a medical doctor who has been featured on OPRAH multiple times and now has his own spin-off TV. For some, Oprah is like G-D and can do no wrong... so I figured that the show will be a complete success and being a part of it would be a good addition to my resume.

In the casting they were looking for a “Fast Food Junkie” and it read as follows:

Query:

National Medical Show Looking for Fast Food Lovers! Do you love fast food?Do you eat out almost every day of the week? Has it caused you to gain weight? Are you open to a diet intervention and makeover? If so, a new
national medical show is looking for you. We are also looking for women who feed their children fast food almost everyday. Please email me a photo of yourself and a contact number.

WOW!!!

Reading that felt as if they were speaking to me directly! I do eat out almost every day and it surely has caused me to gain weight and OF COURSE I'd be open to a diet intervention and a makeover! I thought I'd hit the casting jackpot!

I wrote to the address listed in the ad, and sent a recent snapshot of myself. I also sent a copy of my bank statement. Maybe that was extreme, but I REALLY wanted to be considered for the opportunity. I was trying to show the severity of my so-called addiction. In this digital and electronic age, I rarely use cash to buy anything, so my bank statement clearly showed all of my recent visits to the Golden Arches and other eateries.

Moments later... (I don't think 2 minutes had even passed) my phone rang, and it was someone from the show, interested in learning about me and calling for more information about my eating habits. After a few rounds of phone and email tag, we finally set a date start shooting.

This casting covered so many bases for me. After the call I began to fantasize that they would set me up with a nutritionist, perhaps they’d provide an alternative to fast food like one of those meal programs that are delivered daily to my home. I thought about what kind of makeover they would give me. I was on my way to ridding myself of this addiction to junk food, eating more healthy, looking great, and of course getting to shine on a nationally syndicated show.

The producers decided they wanted to film a "day in my life" as it revolved around fast food in a worst case scenario. I work from home, and spend much of my day on the road, so it wasn't as if they could hang out with me at my office... so they decided to outfit my car with cameras and record me as I drove around NYC. I had a 5:30 am call time and was surprised to meet them waiting outside of my home when I stepped out. They had their big cameras with them, and all of my nosy neighbors were looking on with quizzical looks on their faces. They proceeded to weigh me and take my measurements and blood pressure.

After the necessary release forms and paperwork were complete, we were off to have "breakfast" at McDonalds. They followed me around for most of the day and watched me eat. They suggested the way to eat for the camera and asked me to comment on what I was eating. “Mmmm Crispy!” Mmmn hmmm, that’s what they call reality tv! I wouldn’t have been surprised if my neighbors were around the corner awaiting my arrival with an applause sign flashing before them.

In the evening we got ready to tape me having dinner in my car. I was actually pretty hungry and wanted to devour my food, but was TRYING to eat as ladylike as one can eat fast food without the aid of a knife and fork... after all there were two cameras taping me inside of my car, and one from the outside.

All of a sudden there was a BANGING on my window. I almost spat my coke onto the dashboard! It was Dr. Oz, dressed up as an undercover agent. He wore dark glasses and a jacket that said “FOOD POLICE” on the back. I almost didn’t recognize him out of his usual scrub attire. He ordered me out of the car and to surrender the fast food!

He then proceeded to lecture me and tell me about all of the awful things that my glorious french fries and chicken nuggets were doing to the insides of my body. After the speech he offered me the rest of the food back, but I'd decided that if I were going to make a genuine effort, that there was “no time like the present”. I told him to toss it and that I was going to attempt to seek a healthier lifestyle and I meant it. My blood pressure reading earlier that day was the highest it had ever been and the things he told me kinda scared me. Afterall, I have big goals, and I need to be around in order to achieve them and enjoy the outcome!

For the next few days I managed to maintain my will power and stayed away from the beckoning golden arches. It may seem like a minor feat to some but believe me that in and of itself was quite an accomplishment! I was proud of my "fast food fast" until the day that I had to meet the Dr. Oz crew at a local hospital for additional testing. They tested my blood and hooked me up to an ultrasound machine to monitor the blood flow in my arteries. They did two sets of tests... one before I'd eaten anything at all for the day, and another after I'd stuffed my face with some grub from the local value menu.

A week later, I was sitting in a comfortable limo on the way to 30 Rockefeller Plaza to tape a segment of the very first episode. Being in the studio was fun and I enjoyed his staff with whom I'd developed relationships.

Although I had fun taping the show and loved being in the environment of the studio, I was a bit disappointed with the way things played out. Sadly, there wasn't much of a diet intervention, more like some suggested changes that I could make on my own. Call me naïve, but I misinterpreted “makeover” because it had NOTHING to do with meeting the lady from the show What Not to Wear and EVERYTHING to do with eating more lettuce and tomatoes, fiber crisps, and not eating the bun on my hamburger. The audience gasped almost as loud when they heard that suggestion as they did when he shared my test results.

The show was an interesting experience and surely one for the memory books. My favorite parts were the limo rides to and from the studio and the hospital where we did the testing. Sad, huh? Oh... and I really liked Dr. Oz. He's kinda cute and was fun to kid around with.

Who is this Rosie Starr?

Rosie Starr is a RISING star!

She's a model, an actress and if nothing else, a personality!

She's sometimes smart, opinionated and focused.

She's also sometimes silly, indecisive and playful.

She's fun.

She's fabulous.

She's full of life.

And if you get to know her, chances are, you'll get to love her too!

Welcome to the Rosie World... see it like she does, through Rosie-colored glasses!