Sports Illustrated's 2012 Swimsuit edition comes off as pretty cocky in its introduction of its covergirl, 19-year-old model Kate Upton. The coverline blares, "KATE UPTON (ANY QUESTIONS?)" as if to ask even one would be simply delusional. Because after all, the almost nude photo of the not-a-girl, not-yet-a-woman should just speak for itself, right?

That it does. But to many of us, it speaks volumes about what's completely and utterly wrong with the representation of women -- especially teen girls -- in the media today. Kate Upton might be welcome eye candy to many a drooling American male, but the impression she's bound to make on American teen girls is anything but positive.

Every time I have a big night with the girls coming up, I sorta kinda dread it. Not because I don't wanna see them, but because I just know that bad eating is going to be involved. Get-togethers and calories, they're practically synonymous! Surprisingly according to science, they actually are.

In a recent study, 70 pairs of women were set up to eat together. Under observation, it seemed that the women mimicked one another with their eating habits, and tended to take bites of food at roughly the same time. The reason? Those science-types believe it was to make a more favorable impression on one another. In other words, if your friend is eating a lot, then you probably are too.

BAH. Finally! We can blame random spurts of overeating on friends. I see where they're coming from with the "favorable impression" bit, but I think it depends on who's involved. Plus, getting together with your girls doesn't necessarily have to derail your whole diet. Follow me on this one ...

You would think after winning big at both the Screen Actors Guild Awards last night and the Golden Globes a few weeks ago, actress Octavia Spencer would be all smiles. However, The Help star voiced a few concerns to People backstage at the SAG Awards Sunday -- none of which actually have to do with her career. Instead, the actress spoke about a more difficult topic, her weight:

"I'm not healthy at this weight," Spencer told People. "Any time you have too much around the middle, then there is a problem. When you reach a certain weight, you are less valuable."

Wow. Here I am, thinking this woman is on top of the world. Meanwhile, it seems like there's one helluva internal mental struggle going on.

While I see where she's coming from with the whole "less valuable" comment, I'm going to have to disagree. Those are some seriously bold words coming from a Best Supporting Actress winner.

It's January, and the gyms are packed with the freshly-resolved. In the wake of holiday overindulgence, some of us are newly focused on our health and fitness goals for the year ahead.

Which is the politically correct way of saying what's really true: that I ate 40 million cookies, candy, crackers, and other assorted treats during the last few months and now I have some weight to lose.

Not weight, actually. Fat. I have some extra FAT on my body, and I would like to get rid of it. I keep hearing about how fat is a bad word now and it's horribly offensive and no one should say it ever, but give me a break. I ate too much and I worked out too little and I gained some pounds (of FAT) that I am now working to get rid of via exercise and another bad word: a DIET.

And damn it, I'm tired of hearing that I'm contributing to the anti-fat stigma by saying this. Or that I'm saying you're fat. Or that I have expressed any opinion whatsoever about anyone's body other than my own.

There's no denying that diva Jennifer Hudson is looking absolutely slammin' these days. The 30-year-old has lost 80 pounds on Weight Watchers and, if you ask me, has never looked better or happier.

Lucky for us, the slim lady was out promoting her new book I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down at a cocktail party with Good Housekeeping last night, and spilled one of her biggest weight loss secrets:

"When I love something, and I know I [shouldn't] eat it all, I love to feed other people."

Shoot. Woman's got the right idea. In fact, I totally do the exact same thing!

OMG, did you see it? Kathie Lee and Hoda Kotb appeared on the second episode of the CafeMom Studios show, Suzanne Somers Breaking Through, on YouTube today, and they chatted with Suzanne about everything -- from tequila to stem cell face-lifts to faking orgasms. But the biggest "whoa!" had to come from when Suzanne actually let Kathie Lee feel her up and check out her new breast. You know, the one she "grew herself" by having a combo of fat and her very own stem cells injected into the area.

It was definitely a funny and memorable "television moment," but also a meaningful one. Because, see, Suzanne then explained to Kathie Lee and Hoda what the new breast's look and feel meant for her sex life.

Christina Aguilera isn't the skinny tween we first met on The Mickey Mouse Club or the thin teen when she debuted her first single, "Genie in a Bottle." She's 31 years old, a mom, and rocking seriously voluptuous curves these days. But some people still expect the pop star/The Voice coach to look like she did when she was 16. These are the same people ripping her for looking like she's gained weight over the past year or so. Thank goodness Xtina has fighting words for her critics.

She recently told People: "Women, we are definitely under a microscope and under massive scrutiny. As long as I am happy in my own skin, that is all that is all the confirmation I need ... I have a boyfriend that loves my body. I love my body, my son is healthy and happy and that is all that matters." Awesome! It seems like she's really spreading a positive message about healthy body image, but unfortunately, I have to wonder how long it'll last.

The other day at in the women's locker room of the gym, two likely young 20-somethings were having a dramatic conversation in front of my locker, so I really had no choice but to overhear everything they were saying. One of them -- who, I must note is tiny all over but blessed in the bust -- was freaking out that she gained two pounds. Her friend was consoling her that sometimes that just happens, and "like, the other day she totally only ate salad and still gained weight!" Upon hearing this, I wanted ... to ... cry.

Really, ladies? This is what we spend our time, money, and mental anguish on. Going crazy over two pounds here, one pound there. Our breasts, our noses, our hair, our eyelashes! We fail to truly see what we look like. We often exert so much energy hating how we look. It's no surprise a new poll of 3,000 adult women by myspecialk.co.uk found women don't really feel confident about their bodies, inside and out, until they're 52 YEARS OLD!