Shape-ing Up with Jenna

Before I started at Shape, I had always been one of those girls that ran out to buy the products mentioned in a magazine’s beauty stories. Whether it was a serum to control my frizzy tresses in humidity, or a nail lacquer to keep my polish in place for a few days post manicure—I thought I had tried it all. Now, almost a year later, and lots of experience helping out our own beauty editors, I’m learning so much more. Plus, I get to test out new treatments, like the Lierac Paris Aqua d & Radiance Facial I tried today at the Phyto Universe Spa on the Upper East Side. This spa was especially unique because it felt like I had to leave the streets of Manhattan to get there, instead of taking a quick subway ride uptown—the inside seemed like a European botanical sanctuary and I immediately felt relaxed before my treatment even began. After my 60 minute facial cleansing and head massage I thought, who knew luxurious things like these would be part of my daily duties?

It's my favorite time of the month—when the new issue hits newsstands. Although, I've seen the stories, spreads, and layouts in all of its stages before it's even gone to print, I'm always so excited to see the finished product. That new issue represents all of our hard work and hours spent finding new information and interesting ideas to talk about—seeing it come together in the end and people buying the magazine and reading it, is extremely gratifying. It's really fun as a newbie in the industry to see how something in the magazine really does start as a simple idea being thrown around, or a study that someone dug up, to being a story on the cover in big bold print! Funny girl Debra Messing is on the cover this month—and who knew she had a body like that! Check out her profile on page 47 and see how she stays in shape.

It’s Thanksgiving and I’m really excited to get out of the city for a little and relax back at home with my family and friends. When it comes to the holidays around here, everyone in the office is always anxious for the short week and longer weekend. It seems like most people in New York City aren’t actually from New York City, and these holidays are one of the first chances we have to get home. I can’t even remember the last time I ventured out of the city and to my hometown in eastern Long Island. I’m especially excited for Thanksgiving dinner though—I’ve been eating smart the past few weeks because I don’t want to feel guilty about indulging in turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie come Thursday. What we preach in Shape: it’s okay to splurge a little for a special occasion, like this one, then just get right back on track the next day.

I’m a huge fan of Britney Spears, pretty much since the days of “Hit Me Baby One More Time” and even through her tumultuous crises of the past few years. But besides having the best dance music and workout-motivating songs, I’ve admired Britney most for her super-fit body—something we can all see she works hard for. It’s obvious she’s not a natural waif like Kate Moss, because during those difficult times she was having we’ve seen her weight fluctuate. But lately, new pics of her slim, and toned body have been popping up on the Internet—and during her surprise performance at one of Madonna’s concerts she looked like her old self again, maybe even better than she ever has.

Last night I went to happy hour with some Shape friends and editors with our brother publication, Men's Fitness. It's fun to get know your coworkers out of the office and we were able to kick back and talk about non-work-related stuff for once. However, some things I'm doing with Shape tend to extend further than the hours I'm putting in at the office, like training for the triathlon (which has turned into a professional goal as well). Sean Hyson, the fitness editor at Men's Fitness, gave me an interesting tip from an article he wrote about training for a triathlon: in order to build my legs muscles so they don't tire out before the run, which comes after the 25-mile bike ride, I should learn to pedal in circles using only one foot while letting the other one hang. If I want to give each leg a rest from time to time, I need to strengthen them separately so they can pedal alone at an even pace. Although I may get some strange looks at the gym today, I'm definitely going to try this.

If you're a trendsetter, like I try to be, working at a magazine can have huge benefits for your wardrobe. Before the next season even arrives, editors get to see what's going to be the hot item to buy—whether it's an "it" bag, new style of shoes, or fun accessory, they'll know about it. Sometimes seeing all this when passing the fashion closet stresses me out! It's tough being an assistant on a budget; most things I'm lusting over are way out of my price range. But, back in the summer I spotted a pair of shoes on our market editor's desk that I knew I had to have—just my luck, they were under $100! Bakers makes great knock-offs of runway inspired trends, and these gray peep-toe, ruffle booties I discovered were at the top of my list for the winter season. I waited almost five months for these shoes to hit stores (even left a Post It on my desk reminding me to buy them the week they came out!) and today I finally stopped at Bakers to try them on. Unfortunately, a splurge is only a splurge if you're saving money, and when I put these on I just wasn't crazy about them. They looked amazing on the girl trying them on next to me (maybe my legs are shorter than hers?), but I didn't feel sexy in them. It's okay, because the booties on page 160 in the December issue of Shape were in my size, and looked just right!

I just finished a deskside interview—when people come into the office to meet with editors, and either show us a new beauty product or introduce us to someone impressive in the industry—and I’m completely amazed by the two women I met: Linda Quirk and Wendy Booker. They’re part of BP’s Team Invigorate, a group of three outstanding athletes that defy all odds and excel at their respective sports despite their ages and personal obstacles. Linda—a grandmother of three—is 55 and has made it her mission to run a marathon on each of the seven continents to raise $1 million in scholarships for Caron Treatment Centers, a non-profit provider of alcohol and drug treatment. She will be completing her last race this March in Antarctica (how do you even run in those freezing, cold conditions?!) and when she does this, she’ll have reached her goal in under a year! Linda shared some really great tips with me on training for my triathlon—which happened to be her first race, before she even got into marathons—and I have a feeling she may become like a mentor to me in the upcoming months. (I’m already thinking of everything I want to ask her!)

Wendy is attempting to be the first person with Multiple Sclerosis to climb the world’s seven highest summits—and in April she’ll attempt Mt. Everest. I was shocked to find out that she called herself an “accidental athlete”: before her diagnosis at 44 years old, she did Jazzercise because she considered it the only physical activity that didn’t make her sweat—but in the past 10 years she’s competed in nine marathons and climbed five of the world’s highest mountains! I think she may just be the best accidental athlete I’ve ever met. And to do this while managing a very serious illness really proves that anything you put your mind to you can achieve.

Both of these women have inspired me so much in the past hour of just meeting them. This is really one of those days when I’m sitting at my desk and feeling so lucky to have the job that I do. Shape has not only given me a career, but it’s also given me a new lifestyle, to better myself in new ways. Everyday I aspire to be a little bit like the people I meet and get to write about.

For more on Linda and Wendy, and BP’s Team Invigorate, check them out at www.bpinvigorate.com!

I just got out of our monthly editorial staff meeting, and although it's a little unlike the ones you've probably seen on TV in Lipstick Jungle or Ugly Betty—there's no name-calling, cattiness or fighting—we still get down to business like the characters playing us. A staff meeting is a lot like being in class. The top editors—people I do consider my mentors—tell us what we have to get done in the next few weeks and how to write better stories. (And whispering to a friend is just as frowned upon as when you were high school too!) But today's top order was discussing the current situation with the economy and the magazine industry. It seems like every other day we hear about another popular magazine coming to an end—CosmoGirl, Men's Vogue, Radar, and lastly O at Home adds to the list—and as a magazine editor it's really scary to know more glossies are folding, wondering everyday could mine be next? But given Shape has been around for 28 years and has 19 international editions, our editor in chief assured us that because of our dedicated readers (all of you!), we're not going anywhere—November's Kelly Ripa issue was even a super seller at newsstands! I think I heard a sigh of relief from the other staff members and we swiftly moved on with business.

November 7, 2008

I was running on the treadmill Tuesday night, watching the election results come in when the news station showed the crowds gathered in Times Square. Why was I working out when so much was going on out there, just a few blocks away? I was so inspired by the hundreds of people cheering together that I decided to ditch the gym, and I headed to 42nd street. (I felt so lucky to even be able to do this!) When the new president was announced people were jumping up and down, crying, even hugging one another and complete strangers—they were so inspired and full of hope—I knew this night was life-changing. And it got me thinking: You don’t have to be the president-elect of the United States to inspire people. We do so everyday at Shape by giving women advice on how they can live healthier lives and be more confident.

When I got to work today and opened up our fan mail, I started to pay more attention to the letters from readers about how an article in Shape changed their life—whether it helped them to finally lose weight or help them prevent a serious health problem like skin cancer—and it made me happy to be at a job that not only brought self-satisfaction, but satisfaction to so many people too.

November 3, 2008

Every once in a while at Shape, we compile our favorite songs to make you the best workout playlists. And I am looving the new one, Just Dance, by Lady Gaga. (Love it so much I dressed up like her for Halloween!) There’s nothing more motivating to get my butt out of bed for my morning run (hours before I have to be in the office) than knowing I have new songs to listen to. Music gets me through a lot of my training sessions when I want to call it quits and take a rest. If I have songs like Just Dance, and Britney Spears’ Womanizer, I’m pumped to keep going and not give up.

Some of the faves on my playlist now:

P.S. Congratulations to everyone that participated in the NYC Marathon, especially Shape's web editor Alla Bryne. The excitement this race brought to our city this weekend was so inspiring for me—as were the 39,000 people who competed!

October 30, 2008

Wow! Have you guys seen the latest issue with Faith Hill?? It's her first time EVER in a bikini on a cover and Shape got the scoop! It's all over the internet and being talked about on the entertainment news shows—makes me kind of proud to be at the center of it. At 41, with three kids, and a busy career Faith manages to find the time to work out and look fabulous. (I really should have no excuse.) That's the thing about working here, I find inspiration everyday from my coworkers, in new ideas, and from readers and celebrities we profile. When I have my doubts about hitting the gym after work, I remember that even getting a quick workout, just 20 minutes, is better than nothing. And looking like Faith when I'm her age is something I can only hope for—so taking a cue from our cover model, I'’m going to a Pilates class after work, something I've never tried!

October 27, 2008

Even the most successful people start as interns. My boss did—and that was my first on-the-job experience too. I interned at other magazines, juggling two different internships and classes during my last semester of college. It's not just about fetching coffee or making copies. Interns become an integral part of the team, assisting in photo shoots, pitching ideas, and even working on special projects. (When I was an intern at Us Weekly I spent extra time researching a big Hollywood scandal, and when that celebrity came into the office the editor remembered all my hard work and let me sit in on the interview!) The best piece of advice I can give is to treat your internship as a real job and make a good impression by showing initiative, asking lots of questions, and understanding that no task is too small (or beneath you—even fetching coffee). If you’re looking to learn more about magazine internships, check out Ed2010, a website created for current and future editors who want to know more about what's going on in the industry.

October 23, 2008

Last night I went to my first book launch party—something I've only seen on Sex and the City. I met the author of Time of My Life, Allison Winn Scotch, who is a friend of Amanda our Nutrition Editor (I'm starting to realize everybody knows everybody in the magazine, book, and newspaper community). It was fun to meet an actual author and someone whose book has also received rave reviews from several Shape-ers. Magazine editors always get sent the latest books for review before they're published. And as the editorial assistant, they get mailed to me (my desk looks often like a library!). Although we screen all types—everything from diet and recipe books to stress management, and workout guides&—for new tips and expert advice, I'm most happy when the novels arrive, especially "chick lit" titles, like Candace Bushnell's One Fifth Avenue or Emily Giffin's Love the One You're With. After an editor reviews a book she'll pass it off for the rest of the staff to enjoy—one of my favorite perks of the job!

October 16, 2008
A New Challenge...

Life is not always an exciting, fabulous party, so most weeknights after work and the gym I call it a day. Sometimes I wonder if I'll get stuck in a rut if I don't have anything new to work towards. I've accomplished some big goals—graduating, moving out, and my first job—all in a matter of months. So, when an opportunity arose for me to join Team in Training and run the NYC Nautica Triathlon I figured now's as good as a time as ever, right? I think everyone needs a personal challenge every once in a while to keep life exciting. Although it's a pretty big goal to take on just like that (and with no formal marathon running or triathlon experience), I justify the intense training I'll be doing with the fact that I'm a gym-rat and runner anyway—I ran cross-country and played lacrosse in high school. Besides, if other people can swim a mile, bike 25, and run six, why can't I?

Well...I can, I will, and I'm doing it! My friends think I'm crazy and can't believe I'm willingly going to swim in the Hudson River, but when I've abstained from going out some nights (because I know how hard it would be to wake up early to run) they know I'm serious. If you're not familiar with Team in Training, check it out on their website, www.teamingtraining.org and in this month's Real Life essay when one reader shares her triathlon journey. As a member of Team in Training I'll be raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I'm doing this in honor of my college roommate Rachel—a leukemia survivor—who will be waiting for me at the finish line come July! I've already started training, waking up most mornings before work to run or bike—keep reading and I'll tell you all about it.

Now that I let the world know, looks like there's no turning back. :)

October 13, 2008

I'm sure most of you are familiar with a little thing called Facebook—how could you not be, it's so addicting!—but if you're not, you should check it out now. I first got into Facebook when I was in college (I happen to be one of the first members, since its debut launch, something I take pride in) and I mainly used it to make friends in other dorms, find out more about the cute boy I met in the bar, and even for it's original purpose—to get homework assignments when I missed a class. However, Facebook has come a long way and I happily discovered a Shape page today! (A function original Facebook did not have.) Now Shape, can connect to people on the site by linking profiles directly to its page and give updates on what's happening in the magazine and beyond the pages. (You can check out videos on exercise demonstrations and even hear news about upcoming Shape events in your town.)

October 8, 2008

Last night I was in the office until about 9pm, not a typical day for me. But when you're asked to do something and you're on deadline, staying late is part of the job. I was working on a food story for an upcoming issue, which included lots of numbers and calculations, something that is not my forte. Since I always knew that I wanted to be a writer, I kind of dozed off during those boring, and confusing, algebra classes. However, now I was struggling to bring back those distant math memories. Well, they didn't come to me, so it took a while for me to convert tablespoons and ounces to cups, and to figure out how many servings each recipe would provide—all to give you an accurate account of what's in your dinner tonight. It's been an eye-opener to find out that magazines aren't just about writing creative stories and interesting cover lines. I used to think magazine jobs were straightforward—and of course incredibly glamorous (I still do!)—and that there wasn't much else to it than interviewing a top doctor or celebrity and then writing the story. But before that part even happens, you have to do a lot of legwork, some of it a bit tedious. And even though I'm horrible at math, I get it now that everything we do is a piece of the puzzle.

October 2, 2008

I'm a little stressed today. Just a few days ago I wrote about a money-saving story I was working on, but now, I'm definitely planning on using all those tips. Living in the city, a few subway stops away from Wall Street, I can't help but be surrounded by news of our nation's financial situation (my bank was bought—ah!—so what does that mean for me?). I wonder if I should have lived home a little longer, but the commute is so long and tiring! Sometimes it's weird to think that I'm an adult, and I have to worry about these things. Did I see this coming when I graduated from college? No, but it's something that my friends and I are all faced with now that we're on our own—some of them have even lost their jobs and others are hoping they don't get laid off. Like most college grads, I've got tuition loans to pay back, rent and utilities, a cell phone and cable bill, a monthly metro-pass—the list goes on and on. I'm trying to put my all into my career right now and have a social life too. However, I don't want to wake up one day with lots of beautiful shoes and chic handbags and find out that I've put myself in debt and have no savings for the rainy day (could that be now?).

I remembered a Suze Orman book I got a few Christmas' ago which I could totally use now, so I called my mom and told her to send it to me ASAP. You may have seen Suze on TV—she's known as one of the most influential and inspiring financial advisors and has written six best-sellers. The one I am reading, The Money Book for the Young Fabulous & Broke (because I am young, fabulous, and don't want to be broke), covers things like squeezing more out of what you make, understanding what your credit report says about you, and learning the best way to pay down your American Express balance—everything I need to know. I'm not sure what's going to happen to the economy, but I know that right now I want to start preparing for a fit financial future.

September 29, 2008
Backstage Beauty Peek

Looking back, I think the best part of fashion week for me was tagging along with our associate beauty editor, Carly Cardellino, to get the backstage beauty coverage. Having never done this before, it made the whole fashion week experience real (not only was I attending the shows, I was behind the scenes now too).

I started paying close attention to what the make-up artists were doing and picked up a few new beauty tricks to use:

1. When using cheek stains, like Aveda's Petal Essence Cheek Tint, apply it with your finger or a Kabuki blush brush. This helps blend the color for a naturally flushed look—instead of swiping it directly on your face, which resembles Raggedy Anne type of cheeks. (Oops, is that what I looked like?)


2. Usually I stay away from creamy eye-shadows because my eyelids tend to get oily throughout the day, causing the color to crease up—kind of sad since there are so many cool ones out there (I especially loove the Laura Mercier Créme Eyeshadow Duo!). But I discovered that if I apply foundation to my lids pre-shadow it will give them long-lasting staying power—crease crisis averted!


3. Metallic makeup may be hot right now, but that doesn't mean you have to use these shades on your eyes and lips [dressing up your face as if it's Halloween every night is, contrary to popular belief, not in style] so choose just one area of your face to play up and consider yourself in on the trend. I admit it, I like all styles of makeup so I'm usually the first to try new things, but I overdo it sometimes, too; I guess less is always more. So tomorrow it's either my Bobbi Brown glitzy gold eye-shadow or my Dior Kiss lipgloss.>

This was by far one of my most fascinating weeks at Shape. But truth be told, I am glad things are back to some sort of normalcy around here. Fashion shows and all the glamour of it gets exhausting—so I'm looking forward to just sitting on my couch and watching the drama on Gossip Girl tonight.

September 26, 2008
Fashion Week

I just finished watching Gossip Girl (thank God for TiVO) and of course it was an awesome episode, but the coming attractions for next week looked even better—didn't they? Serena's out to steal the spotlight from Blair during Fashion Week, the most important time of year for these girls. But before we see Serena strut her stuff down the runway on TV next week, I figured I'd take some time to tell you all what I experienced during my time at fashion week.

First, while I might not work in the fashion department I do get some mega-perks being the editor in chief's assistant. One such bonus: snagging A-list row seats to fashion shows. And that's how I found myself, at the Art Academy of Fashion, seated in the second row near the end of the runway. Like FIT, the Art Academy—located in San Francisco—is one of the best fashion schools in the nation. Looking around seeing news reporters and famous faces like Nigel Barker from Top Model (he is just as good looking in person, and trust me girls were swarming him for pics), I felt out of my element, but I was totally loving it! And my seat was the perfect spot: I could see every model's entire outfit from head to toe as they gave their final pose for hundreds of photographers perched at the runway's end.

After the show, I scoped the scene from outside the tents—a fashion show in itself. Everyone is dressed to impress, and I was intimidated—I knew that some of the outfits being worn by other editors probably cost more than the total in my savings account. Thank God for H&M's money-saving, runway inspired looks for all the assistants of the world, like me. Were my work clothes fancy enough for a fashion show? And were my party clothes appropriate for wearing to the office? Well, I always read in magazines that changing an outfit from day to night is as simple as a different pair of shoes and bag or a few extra accessories, so this is just what I did. (It made my life much easier than having to pack an extra outfit to change into).

Then, when I went to the Miss Sixty show, who did I see but Blake Lively herself (probably studying up for her TV role). She was sitting in the front row and looking just as pretty in person as she does on TV. The paparazzi thought so too—watching them swarm around her was like watching vultures fight for their food. How celebrities put up with that kind of attention is beyond me!

September 25, 2008
Can I really learn to save money?

Right now I'm working on collecting budget tips and advice from staffers for a story in our December issue. Although I'm just enjoying weekly paychecks and haven't thought much about the future, besides making sure I can pay all my newly acquired bills—eek!—I'm definitely picking up some unique ways to stash some cash for an emergency, or to just get by in today's economy. Here's one for you now...have you ever thought twice before buying that shirt at Zara or J. Crew? Well, you should—because if you go home and sleep on it and have forgotten about it by the next day, you didn't really need it. I'm actually looking forward to trying this tip since I know I'm an impulsive buyer. But to save myself the worry of losing out on whatever great fashion find for the day, I'll start with putting the item on hold for tomorrow—just in case I do remember it. Hey, at least it's a start.

What's a unique way you've learned to save some money?

September 22, 2008
Award Season in a Writer's World

Today I gave my boss some great news—Shape won 28 National Health Information Awards, which I would guess is pretty comparable to the Golden Globes, but of the health industry. It was great to see the excitement on her face when I told her this and I realized that every industry does deserve its own type of recognition. Although ours may not be as glitzy or glamorous as the Oscars, an award given for excellent health journalism is just as worthy of attention and acknowledgement (maybe even more, I mean our stories can save lives!) and makes its nominees just as proud. I was actually thrilled to be the one to tell this to her—and so happy to be a part of such a worthy magazine, so I can only imagine how great she must feel.

September 12, 2008
What's For Dinner?

When I first moved into the city about six months ago, I definitely took advantage of all the dining-out opportunities here in Manhattan, and the yummy variety of takeout options available on the Upper West Side where I live. But I quickly learned it's hard to eat right on a fast-food diet. It's like an everyday battle—do you just plop down in bed and have dinner delivered, or, find the energy to cook? I'm not sure about you, but after a long day at work and an hour-long sweat-session at the gym, I like being lazy.

However, ordering in can hurt your wallet, and your waistline. So I've gradually weaned myself off of Go-Sushi's quick delivery and have begun to cook for the first time in my life. It hasn't been easy—I'm a klutz in the kitchen and recipes scare me—but without sounding like the poster girl for Shape, I got an idea from "No-Cook Meals You'll Love!" in our August issue. This article was calling my name, so I grabbed my wallet and headed to Food Emporium across the street from my apartment to get the necessities.

Half an hour later I was eating Mollie Katzen's dressed-up pasta from my very own couch (I have yet to find a table small enough to fit in my tiny place). Maybe when I've saved enough money for pretty dinnerware (and actually found a table), I'll learn how to cook something fancy and throw a housewarming party for my friends. Until then, easy meals like this suit my busy lifestyle and keep me healthy.

September 11, 2008
Getting Started

Hi everyone! I’m so glad you’re reading. Working at a magazine has always been my dream, and it’s so cool that I’ve been given this opportunity to blog about my experience as well. Although I’ve been at Shape for eight months, I’ll get you up to speed with where I’m at today. On day one I was thrown into the mix—given a cubicle, my very own computer, and a Shape email address. Nailing the interview and landing the job was one thing, but until I was actually here, sitting at my desk and logged into Shape’s computer system, it all seemed too good to be true. How do you feel when what you’ve worked so hard for actually happens? It’s crazy to think that what you put your mind to you can achieve.

I quickly had to adjust—from just being a college graduate—to working in an office, doing the 9-5 (more like 10-8 for us) and suddenly having the job I would have waited forever for. So here I was—and knowing nothing about being an editor in chief’s assistant—I quickly had to learn. I knew a lot about magazines and journalism, my four years at Fordham University and various internships in the city had prepared me well. But there was no guidebook on being an editor’s assistant.

My crash course happened in the blink of an eye. I jumped right in, picking things up as I went along and by asking millions of questions—I had to make my boss happy and prove I deserved to be here. And although those first few months I was a little timid, afraid to joke around and be myself—today, I’m confident in everything that I do and have really come into my own. I’m comfortable being myself, knowing I’m right where I belong.