Susan, this is such a good post and such an interesting question.
When celebrities are too thin, we talk about them. When they are overweight, we talk about them. If they have a baby and gain too much (or too little) weight, we talk about them. And society feeds our interest by throwing magazines and television shows at us every time someone famous loses or gains more than a few pounds (as well as coming up with titillating reasons that it might have happened.)
I saw the episide with Kirstie, and I thought she was brave. And honest. She said she started eating the moment she stopped being a spokesperson, and didn't quit. She said she turned her dining room back into a dining room (it had been her gym while she was working for Jenny Craig, and after she stopped, she had all the weight equipment moved back out). She gained back everything she lost, and ten extra pounds.
She also said that while celebrities are being spokespeople, they are weighed every week by the company they are working for. They actually come to your house and weigh you to insure that you are indeed losing the pounds you say you are losing. It's a matter of legality. And once she knew no one was coming to the house to weigh her, it was simple to not care.
It's hard to understand feeling like this, once you achieve a weight loss that was so important to you. So many of us would look at her and say, "If I could lose this weight, I would never do that." But it's clearly a lot easier said than done.
It's important to note that people who put weight back on mention exercise. When Oprah gained back her weight, she had thyroid issues and actually had to stop exercising for a while. When Kirstie regained her weight, she had all the exercise machines moved to the garage. I don't know about Whoopie or Joy. But it's clear that those who say "it's not a diet, it's a lifetime choice" are the ones who are right.
Maintaining a weight loss is the most difficult thing. Sometimes I think that weight programs should operate this way: Lose 10 pounds, maintain for a month, lose 10 pounds, maintain for another month. It would both slow down our weight loss, giving our bodies a chance to adjust, and it would teach us how to maintain our weight while we were still in an active dieting phase. But once we're losing, we want to keep on losing. We don't want to pause -- we want things quickly. Noone ever sold magazines that said "Lose weight carefully and slowly by using portion control and exercise!" No. They sell magazines that say, "Lose 10 pounds by this weekend!"
We're certainly in a bit of a trap, here. I for one am glad for the celebrities who are honest about the battle. It makes me feel more realistic about what I can expect. Yes, Oprah has personal trainers and chefs, but if she doesn't stick with the program, she will gain. Yes, Kirstie Alley had Jenny Craig and an entire gymnasium in her home, but if she stops the effort, she will gain.
We have to make decisions about diet and exercise once and for all.
And we have to stop buying magazines that are cruel and that make their money by pouncing on people's failures.
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Susan, this is such a good post and such an interesting question.
When celebrities are too thin, we talk about them. When they are overweight, we talk about them. If they have a baby and gain too much (or too little) weight, we talk about them. And society feeds our interest by throwing magazines and television shows at us every time someone famous loses or gains more than a few pounds (as well as coming up with titillating reasons that it might have happened.)
I saw the episide with Kirstie, and I thought she was brave. And honest. She said she started eating the moment she stopped being a spokesperson, and didn't quit. She said she turned her dining room back into a dining room (it had been her gym while she was working for Jenny Craig, and after she stopped, she had all the weight equipment moved back out). She gained back everything she lost, and ten extra pounds.
She also said that while celebrities are being spokespeople, they are weighed every week by the company they are working for. They actually come to your house and weigh you to insure that you are indeed losing the pounds you say you are losing. It's a matter of legality. And once she knew no one was coming to the house to weigh her, it was simple to not care.
It's hard to understand feeling like this, once you achieve a weight loss that was so important to you. So many of us would look at her and say, "If I could lose this weight, I would never do that." But it's clearly a lot easier said than done.
It's important to note that people who put weight back on mention exercise. When Oprah gained back her weight, she had thyroid issues and actually had to stop exercising for a while. When Kirstie regained her weight, she had all the exercise machines moved to the garage. I don't know about Whoopie or Joy. But it's clear that those who say "it's not a diet, it's a lifetime choice" are the ones who are right.
Maintaining a weight loss is the most difficult thing. Sometimes I think that weight programs should operate this way: Lose 10 pounds, maintain for a month, lose 10 pounds, maintain for another month. It would both slow down our weight loss, giving our bodies a chance to adjust, and it would teach us how to maintain our weight while we were still in an active dieting phase. But once we're losing, we want to keep on losing. We don't want to pause -- we want things quickly. Noone ever sold magazines that said "Lose weight carefully and slowly by using portion control and exercise!" No. They sell magazines that say, "Lose 10 pounds by this weekend!"
We're certainly in a bit of a trap, here. I for one am glad for the celebrities who are honest about the battle. It makes me feel more realistic about what I can expect. Yes, Oprah has personal trainers and chefs, but if she doesn't stick with the program, she will gain. Yes, Kirstie Alley had Jenny Craig and an entire gymnasium in her home, but if she stops the effort, she will gain.
We have to make decisions about diet and exercise once and for all.
May 7, 2009 - 9:17amAnd we have to stop buying magazines that are cruel and that make their money by pouncing on people's failures.
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