Would You Be Comfortable Telling Your Job Your Weight & Body Fat Levels?

Weigh in or pay a fine.

CVS Caremark has just issued a new policy that requires employees who utilize the companies’ health care insurance plan to report their weight, blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol.

MUST READ: Michelle Obama Says She Never Discusses Weight with Sasha & Malia

According to reports, the retail giant will penalize employees who choose not to release their personal health records with an additional $600-a-year payment, which will be collected by a monthly fine of $50.

“Our benefits program is evolving to help our colleagues take more responsibility for improving their health and managing health-associated costs,” a spokesperson for the drugstore chain said in a statement.

Smokers are also a target with the new health coverage policy. “You must either be tobacco-free by May 1, 2014, or participate in the WebMD tobacco cessation program,” the company said.

CVS, which has 200,000 employees, is giving its workers until the beginning of May to submit the information and sign a form saying the screening is voluntary.

What do you think of CVS’s new policy? Would you be comfortable revealing your weight to your employer?

http://hellobeautiful.com/2630104/would-you-be-comfortable-telling-your-job-your-weight-body-fat-levels/

‘Girlfriends’ Cast Reunites and Shares Favorite On-Set Memories

Reunited and it feels so good!

Tracee Ellis Ross, Golden Brooks, Persia White and Jill Marie Jones, better known as the cast of the hit TV show Girlfriends, were all under the same roof at ESSENCE’s sixth annual Black Women in Hollywood luncheon. Along with presenting the Visionary Award to show creator Mara Brock-Akil, the group of four reminisced on their days of playing Joan, Maya, Lynn and Toni.

“I don’t know if you heard the Girlfriends screaming but it is so exciting,” Ross said of the reunion. “Honestly we love each other so much. We spent such important years of our lives together, and we just haven’t all been together, the four of us, since Jill left the show, which is insane. So it’s really exciting.”

It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since our favorite girlfriends left the air, but Jones said she reminisces about the good times on set like it was yesterday. ”Our dressing rooms kind of felt like a dormitory because mine was across from Tracee’s and next door to Persia’s, and then catacornered was Golden’s. In between scenes and lunch breaks, we would open my door and turn my TV around and we’d have a little couch out there,” she said. “It kind of felt like college in a way. We have so many memories. Everybody was so amazing.”

White agreed, adding that none of her other roles have compared to the passion and laughter she felt while playing Lynn. “It was just a feeling that you don’t get with the average work in this industry,” she said. “I just did a couple of romantic comedy films and that was even fun, but it doesn’t push it like Girlfriends. They don’t let me push it like Lynn. They don’t let you be that silly, generally.”

Since the days of filming the show, the real-life friends have explored new projects in the acting world. Jones ventured into scriptwriting, Ross starred in and produced the BET series Reed Between the Lines, Brooks joined the cast of the CW drama Hart of Dixie and White landed a recurring role on the same network in The Vampire Diaries.

In a past interview with ESSENCE.com, Ross said she would love to see the series turn into a film. “I would love to do a Girlfriends movie. How much fun would it be to see what happens between Joan and Toni? Does Joan ever get married? I want to know! The Game got back on the air because of the fans, so I don’t know what all you people are waiting for, we need you,” she said.

There’s no word yet if a movie is in the works, but we will surely be impatiently waiting!

http://www.essence.com/2013/03/15/girlfriends-cast-reunites-and-shares-favorite-set-memories

Gabrielle Union on Smack Talking During Dwyane Wade’s Basketball Games

She’s one enthusiastic hoops fan.

Gabrielle Union has become a fixture at basketball games where her boyfriend, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade, is playing. But don’t expect her to sit pretty like most NBA girlfriends. The former high school hoops player—she was an all-star point guard—is famously vocal during games and has been known to throw in a few jeers. “I don’t think the referees enjoy me as much,” she told ESSENCE at our sixth annual Black Women in Hollywood luncheon, where she received the Fierce and Fearless award.

So what is she thinking about when she’s watching Wade? “Just get the win,” she said. “Just win and please make the free throw.”

Last year, The Door star told Conan O’Brien that Wade has banned her from sitting courtside at his games because of her smack talking. “I don’t sit courtside; that got killed when I became as vocal as I am,” she said.

http://www.essence.com/2013/02/28/gabrielle-union-smack-talking-during-dwyane-wades-basketball-games

EXCLUSIVE: Kelly Rowland on New Album, and Talking to Her Computer Like Beyonce

From performing at the Super Bowl to hosting the Oscars red carpet, Kelly Rowland is unstoppable this year. And with a new album in the works, it doesn’t look like she plans to slow down anytime soon.

In an exclusive interview at the sixth annualESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood luncheon, Rowland said fans can expect honesty and growth from the upcoming project, Talk a Good Game.

“It’s a very honest album,” she said. “I remember being in the studio with The Dream and he said, ‘You know, I want to take you out of your comfort zone.’ I started opening up to him with different stories and he decided to write songs about it.”

The album touches on friendships and relationships, said Rowland. “Some of them were places that I probably just wanted to not think about. The things I pulled back up, I was able to express through song and they are beautiful. They are some of the most beautiful moments on the album.”

The 32-year-old added that Beyonce’s new documentary Life Is But a Dream encouraged her to be more open, and even try something new: “I’m going to start talking to my computer to see what happens,” she said, laughing. “It was just great. I really enjoyed it.”

Rowland’s fourth studio album is scheduled to hit stores this spring.

http://www.essence.com/2013/02/26/exclusive-kelly-rowland-new-album-and-talking-her-computer-beyonce

Patricia Carroll, CNN Camerawoman, Steps Forward as the Victim of Racist Attack at the RNC

Patricia Carroll’s story of being assaulted at the Republican National Convention has made headlines across the country, and for the first time on Thursday, she decided to release her name and speak publicly about the incident.

The CNN camerawoman, who was assigned to cover the GOP convention, was called an animal and hit with peanuts on the convention floor. She said the two attendees who threw the nuts at her yelled, “This is how we feed animals.”

In an interview with Journal-isms, Carroll, 34, said she hates that this happened but that she’s not surprised at all. “This situation could happen to me at the Democratic convention or standing on the street corner. Racism is a global issue,” she said.

Carroll, who is originally from Alabama, said, “This is Florida, and I’m from the Deep South. You come to places like this, you can count the Black people on your hand. They see us doing things they don’t think I should do.”

Since the racist incident, Carroll said CNN has been 100 percent supportive. Anchor Wolf Blitzer addressed the issue on-air Wednesday saying, “It’s just an ugly reminder that there is an element of hatred that still exists in our country.”

Carroll also told Journal-isms there were not many other Black women at the convention.

“It doesn’t feel good but I know who I am. I’m a proud black woman. A lot of Black people are upset. This should be a wake-up call to Black people,” she said. “People think we’ve gone further than we have.”

http://www.essence.com/2012/09/01/patricia-carroll-cnn-camerawoman-steps-forward-victim-racist-attack-rnc

President Obama Makes Video Appearance at Jay-Z Concert

Not many rappers can say they’ve brought out the President of the United States at a show. However, if your name is Jay-Z, you can.

The “Empire State of Mind” rapper headlined the first night of the “Budweiser Made in America” music festival in Philadelphia this weekend where President Obama made a video appearance, urging the crowd of nearly 50,000 to get out to vote.

The President also added that he enjoys listening to Jay-Z’s music on his iPod and that the rapper’s story is ”what made in America means,” reports the Huffington Post.

Jay-Z has openly supported President Obama over the years. He and wife Beyoncé Knowles endorsed Obama during the 2008 presidential election, and more recently, Jay-Z spoke out on his support of the President’s decision to publicly support gay marriage.

This election, Jay-Z joins Oprah Winfrey, Bruce Springsteen, Eva Longora and Nia Long—all celebrities who have endorsed the President’s re-election campaign.

Other guests at this weekend’s two-day festival include Kanye West, Common, D’Angelo, Janelle Monae, Run DMC and Drake.

http://www.essence.com/2012/09/02/president-obama-makes-video-appearance-jay-z-concert

Tami Roman Settles Nine-Year Child Support Lawsuit With Ex-Husband

Reality TV star Tami Roman has settled the long-time child support lawsuit she filed against her ex-husband nine years ago.

Roman originally filed the lawsuit in 2005, claiming that her ex Kenny Anderson, a retired NBA player, failed to pay his $8,500 monthly child support for their two daughters. According toTMZ, Anderson owed a total of $800,000 in missed payments.

Roman and Anderson recently settled the case out of court, and according to reports, Anderson’s warrant for failed payments has now been lifted. Roman walked away with a little less than she was owed, but TMZ reports that the remainder of the payments are set to come from Anderson’s NBA retirement fund.

Roman is best known for her role on the VH1 reality show, Basketball Wives.

http://www.essence.com/2012/09/03/tami-roman-settles-nine-year-child-support-lawsuit-ex-husband