The shape of things

Too often we see these ultra thin celebrities prance around LA shopping, swimming and partying. We never see them working at being thin - except for a shot of them walking out of yoga studio - and we never ever see them eating. gasp.

But that's why I love me some Reese Witherspoon. Not only do we see her eating ice cream a lot - we see her working out even more. And her workouts are good old fashioned jogs, walks and ab work in the park. I love it.



We need to see more pics of celebrtities being real. Or maybe we just need more celebrities who are real. Either way, I'm on the same page as Reese - I LOVE ICE CREAM. So much that I have it probably five times a week - I know! But, I also workout 3-4 times a week and watch what else I eat so I can enjoy my ice cream guilt-free.



This weekend if you want that dessert - have it - just like Reese does. And then take advantage of the beautiful weather and go for a jog or a walk or just do something active. Have fun!

Enjoy Life! :)

Every year about two times during the year the fashion industry has about a month of back-to-back fashion weeks in NYC, London, Milan, etc. And it seems like inevitably the discussion of young and thin models returns to the mainstream media and then quickly fades away. 

A lot of times these articles consist of "they are too thin, they are too young" and that's about it. But today I read an interesting article in the NY Times Style section about thin and young models. This sentence was at the end of the article, and I love it:

"It will be worth reminding the fashion industry that there is good science demonstrating that when you starve an animal, you make it a lot more vulnerable to self-abuse."

Basically the article looks at the same topics - the models are getting younger and thinner - but then it divulges into the nasty habits that models take up - as part of the job. Obviously to be that thin, you diet. And when you diet - unhealthyfully - you want to supress your appetite so you smoke. And studies have shown that smoking is a gateway drug. So next you take some Vicodin, which is ultimately a painkiller, but also has the great (note the sarcasm) effect of supressing appetite. And THEN you turn to the steroid Clenbuterol which is used by athlets and HORSES! to reduce body fat. EEK. 

(Source: Mat Szwajkos/Getty Images)

Which ultimately leads us back to the sentence - starving them makes them vulnerable to self abuse. 

Now, don't get me wrong here, I'm not saying that the fashion industry needs to do a 360 and only let size 20 models down the runway. That's not my point. And I also don't think they should ban size zeros because it could unfairly target girls who are a size zero and also have a healthy bmi.

My point is that there is obviously no regulation of these young and mostly uneducated girls and there needs to be. No matter how sexy and sultry they look on the runway - a lot of them are 16 years old - and if at 16 years old I had been modeling, flying around the world meeting fabulous people and partying, I definitely would have needed SOMEONE to ground me and say, Stephanie - you need to clean up your act or you won't last long in this life. 

Ultimately, we should want these young girls to "last long in their lives" more than in their short-lived careers (having an 8 year career in modeling these days is basically unheard of). What are your thoughts?

If you haven't had a chance to see Britney's "performance" on the VMAs, you're missing out. Ha, well not really, but this post will make a lot more sense if you watch it: (http://popsugar.com/613065)

I was reading through some health articles today and this headline caught my eye "Britney was bad, yes. But 'fat'?" Apparently after Britney's performance Sunday night the blogosphere went crazy about how bad she was and many (including E! News and New York Post) called her fat, lard, and said she had a bulging belly. 

I want to know what do you think, 1. Is Britney "fat" 2. Did she just choose the wrong outfit, or 3. You think she looks great.

Personally the outfit is ridiculous. But, fat? Far from it. For having two kids and partying like she does, I'd say she looks pretty good. The sad thing about all of this is that normal women and girls who are Britney's size are going to hear all these comments and what will it do for their body image? Especially if these women have worked hard to get where they are.

I think that news companies (as much as E! is news) should stick to critiquing her performance and perhaps her wardrobe, but should steer clear of these "fat bulging belly" comments. What do you think? 

I was reading this post at FitSugar about SJP's toned arms and was SHOCKED at the reader response. Most of them said that she looked manly and "too muscular." I didn't respond - for fear of going off on a rant that just wasn't appropriate in the comments section. But I'd like to address it here. It goes hand in hand with my recent post about our body image role models. At what point did strength and femininity stop going together?

I put together this collage (for your viewing pleasure) for what I think is beautiful in a woman. You'll notice muscular arms, backs and legs all of which are beautiful - if not just for the fact that they show the strength of these women. Women need to stop thinking that we should all look like toothpicks. God gave us muscles and He gave us bodies that are capable of being physically fit. I'm tired of women shying away from strength training because they fear "bulking up." You will not look like the Governor of California from free weights, but you will look strong, healthy and confident.

A few months ago I was talking with a friend about role models in the media - specifically body image role models. We were reminiscing about how when we were in our early teens the women we looked up to and wanted to look like and act like were strong, physically fit women athletes. Both of us played sports, so maybe we were in the minority, but I have a feeling we were not.

In 1996 the summer Olympics were held in Atlanta, Georgia. I was 13 that summer and remember being especially interested in the women athletes - go team USA, right? When I was that age I saw women like Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, Kerri Strug, and Lindsay Davenport and I wanted to grow up to be just like them. I realized that I wouldn't necessarily be a gold-medal winning soccer player, but I wanted that body, the attitude, the lifestyle.

What a great set of women to look up to, right?

 

I feel like today, girls who are 13 look up to the wrong women as a body-image role model. They think that Jessica Alba is "curvy" and that Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie have beautiful bodies. It makes me sick. They see crazy women like Britney and Lindsay Lohan going to rehab, leaving rehab, going to jail, snorting coke...

Maybe because I played sports I didn't pay attention to the celebrities in 1996 who were doing all those above things (eating disorders, prison, cocaine) or maybe most young girls were like me and wanted to be a strong and confident woman.  

It's time that we encourage young girls to aspire to be fit, healthy, athletic and strong. We need to show them (we as their mothers, aunts, teachers, mentors, or friends) that the number on the scale doesn't matter and that strength and confidence will get you somewhere wonderful in life. Whether that's on the Olympic Podium, or just not in rehab - doesn't really matter - what matters is that their role models be like my role models when I was 13. 

Thank you to all those women and the many other who had the courage to compete, to win and to inspire.  

I subscribe to a few fitness magazines and each month on the cover is another celebrity in a bikini. Always looking tiny and a bit airbrushed, it sets an ideal for women who read the magazine.

I recently read this blog post by fit sugar about how Michelle Pfieffer slimmed down for the movie Hairspray. Well, let's just say it's one step closer to full-blown anorexia. It got me wondering why these women, who use unhealthy fad diets and have unhealthy BMI's get to be plastered on fitness magazines.

I decided to do some research. I wanted to find out the BMI (Body Mass Index) of some celebs (especially ones recently featured in fitness magazines). It's hard to find their weights that are real (obviously), but I tried to stick to somewhat decent sources. For the record: Healthy BMI range from 18.5-24.9. Below 18.5 is considered underweight. Find out your BMI here.

Unhealthy Girls Over 5'5: (Do not aspire to be this size/shape)

• Uma Thurman: Height 6'0, Weight 128, BMI = 17.4 UNDERWEIGHT! It seems like all the celebs over 5'4 are underweight... hmm... (Source)
  
  
• Gwyneth Paltrow: Height 5'10, Weight 111, BMI = 15.9 UNDERWEIGHT. (Source)
  
  
• Cameron Diaz: Height 5'9, Weight, 120, BMI = 17.7 UNDERWEIGHT! (source)
  
  
• Charlize Theron: Height 5'9, Weight 118, BMI = 17.4 UNDERWEIGHT! (source)
  
  
• Angelina Jolie: Height 5'8, Weight 109, BMI = 16.6 UNDERWEIGHT! She attributes her recent weight loss to stress and mourning (which may be legit) but she's very very low. Girl needs to gain 20 pounds. (Source)

Healthy Girls Over 5'5: Aspire to look like this! :)

• Catherine Zeta Jones: Height 5'8, Weight 128, BMI = 19.5 Healthy. (Source)
  
  
• Ashley Judd: Height 5'7, Weight 128, BMI= 20 Healthy! (Source)
  
  
• Jennifer Lopez: Height 5'6, Weight 121, BMI = 19.5 Healthy (source)
  

• Renee Zellweger: Height 5'5, Weight 117, BMI = 19.5 HEALTHY. (source)

Here's The Beautiful and healthy celebs over 5'5:

Unhealthy Celebs under 5'5: (Do not aspire or try to be like these women)

• Lara Flynn Boyle: Height 5'4, Weight 92, BMI =15.8 UNDERWEIGHT (source)
  
  
• Nicole Richie: before pregnancy, Height 5'1, Weight 85 (according to police records, but I doubt it, I'd say more like 90 or 95), Even using a generous 95 pounds her BMI = 17.9 UNDERWEIGHT (source)
  
  
• Mary Kate Olsen: Height 5'1, Weight 80 (doubt it), BMI = 15.6 UNDERWEIGHT (source)

Healthy Celebs Under 5'5: These girls are on track...

• Hilary Duff (on the cover of the August 2007Shape Magazine) - Height 5'2, Weight 109, BMI = 19.9 HEALTHY! On the low end, but still healthy. Go girl. :) (source)
  
  
• Eva Longoria: Height 5'2, Weight 105, BMI = 19.2 HEALTHY. On the low end, but healthy. Once again not too sure about the source
  
  
• Jessica Simpson: Height 5'3, Weight 108, BMI = 19.1 HEALTHY. Much like Eva, Jessica is borderline but healthy. The source is from VH1 and Self Magazine's 100 best bodies show.
  
  
• Drew Barrymore: Height 5'4, Weight 112, BMI = 19.2 Healthy. (Source)
  
  
• Sarah Jessica Parker: Height 5'4, Weight 121, BMI = 20.8 Healthy. (Source)

Here's a picture of the beautiful wee little things:

 

I'd like to point out one thing before I finish... the hightest BMI out of these girls is 20.8 (and that's SJP!!) but in reality the healthy range of BMI's goes from 18.5-24.9.

So in conclusion, even if you're 5'4 and you have a healthy BMI, it's no guarantee that you'll look like any of these celebs. You're still healthy, at low risk for heart disease and look great, I'm sure!

The point of this post is to show you that we see these women all over the media, in movies and on the Web and a lot of time we find ourselves thinking, can I look like that? You might be able to look like, say Gwyneth, but with a BMI under 18.5 you put your body at the same risks as if you were OVERweight and OBESE. CRAZY!

Being underweight can be as great a danger as being overweight, and your hormones, bones and heart may all be in danger if you don't take in enough calories and maintain a healthy level of body fat.

I am at a healthy weight, I workout regularly, and eat healthy. But there are still a few unfinished "goals" out there that I have not reached. Nothing huge, nothing that would make me fall in to an eating disorder or exercise obsession, but fitness goals that I have yet to reach.

These goals are best embodied in the following pictures. Both are a part of my body that I'd like to be a little more toned. Try to guess who these two lucky gals are. Once you think you know, click on the picture and you'll find your answer.

Happy guessing.

1. Arms and Shoulders - yum

2. Those abs are rock hard.

What is your fitness goal? Who is your inspiration or ideal? (Please please don't say nicole richie)

I've found some more interesting health news that works best in the "brief" format.

1. The first one I'll feature is definitely my favorite: Wine may curb cavities! This study was done by Italian researchers, go figure... us Italians like our wine, right? Well now there may be yet another reason to keep drinking that one glass a night. Read the article for more info.
   
   
2. If you're one of the millions of Americans who suffer from chronic constipation, going to the drug store to get laxatives isn't the best way to treat your problem. Getting enough fluid in your body is way more important. This article outlines how much fluid is needed and why water could be the answer to your ailment.
   
   
3. Want to stop smoking? Need to lower your blood pressure? Want to start exercising more? New research shows that by tackling all these problems at once, you might have a better chance at successfully changing your behavior. Read about it here.
   
   
4. Pregnant? Eat your Omega-3s (found in fish like salmon, sardine, and tuna and fish oil) and it may hike your baby's IQ. It's funny though, because I though pregnant women should limit fish intake because of mercury levels?

And now this is just adorable. I saw it on FitSugar. Look at the picture below and guess who is happy with themselves for putting in a great workout... (Click on the picture to find out who it is!)

Find out who it is here. 

We should all know that in order to get flat abs, you can't just do 1,000 crunches a day. You'll get some rock hard muscles, but they will still be covered by fat. So we've been told that you need to burn the fat away, which means do some cardio and calories in need to be less than calories out.

When I saw this article today on MSN about how just cutting calories, won't cut it. They've done research where women who ate 400 fewer calories but still ate the least nutritious foods had a 2 ½ times higher risk of abdominal obesity than those who ate that much more but made better choices.

Did you just hear all of Hollywood gasp? I guess that means their 1,000 calorie diet of frappacinos and alcohol won't keep them thin in the long run...

Sorry, I just had to put that in there. These hollywood waifs drink so many liquid calories! Back to the information:

So, if you're tired of counting calories and feel like that's not working (or it's just making you miserable) follow the 5 food fixes from the article:

1. Eat fruits and vegetables - Especially orange ones. Women trimmed their waists by replacing refined grains like white bread and simple or added sugar with carbs from fruits and vegetables.
2. Get more selenium - This cancer-fighting mineral is also linked to lower rates of abdominal obesity
3. Add some protein - Eating more protein keeps you full and boosts energy, which leads to overall weight loss and for those over 40 reduced ab fat in particular
4. Drink a glass of wine a day - Don't start drinking wine just to fight ab fat, but if you enjoy a glass with dinner, it's a great benefit
5. Eat the right fats - Research from Spain shows it's easier to stay slim eating monounsaturated fats (such as olive oil) and omega-3s (found mostly in fish but also in flaxseed and walnut oils and tofu)

I know we look at "85 pound" Nicole Richie (*I seriously doubt she weighs that, probably more in the mid-90s) and most of us can tell she doesn't look healthy - with her sternum portruding farther than her boobs - but I'll admit there's a lot of pressure to be thin, REAL thin for young women.

Living in a celebrity-obsessed society of which the majority are very thin it makes many young women want to diet and exercise. Which, in itself, is not a bad thing. It's just when things get out of hand that it becomes a problem.

Many women think the answer is to eat as little as possible and workout as much as possible. Seems like it makes sense. But it doesn't. Here's why:

1. When you workout your body needs feul to get through it, when you're not eating enough calories your body has to look for fuel (energy) in other places which often is your muscles. So your body is eating muscles (which slows your metabolism) and stores fat. It stores fat because your body thinks that there is no food available - so as if it were in starvation mode - it stores fat for later because it thinks it won't get any more fats.

2. If that's not reason enough to get enough calories - then this new research might change your mind. This article presents the research from Ohio University that found that when you don't get enough calories your body inhibits bone formation. I hear that bones are pretty important - so please get enough calories to feul all those workouts.