Brazilian Model Dies

[Gina]

I guess everyone has heard by now that the beautiful Brazlian model, Ana Carolina Reston has died from being aneorixic. This is truly so sad, the media today and the modeling industry make it so difficult for these young girls today. I don't know if anyone watched Dr. Phil yesterday with the two women who are 60lbs. They are sketon bones, we in our society go from one extreme to the other. Where obseity is not any better.

My daughter modeled as a child, and wanted to pursue it when she was older, she is 5ft 8 and everytime we would go on an interview they would tell her she needs to lose 10 pds.. It pissed me off so much cause my daughter was far from fat. Thank God she is busy with school and earning her degree she no longer has desires to model. I had problems with her in high school she never really would eat meals with the family and she lost weight. She is away now so I can't keep and eye on her, but when she is home she eats. This worries me so much. Has anyone had any experiences with eating disorders and what are you feelings on this subject?

[Kimberley]

That is very sad. Today's society focuses so much on outward appearance. It's destroying our young firls. Ana was a beautiful woman. It's a shame that she had to die this senseless death all for the sake of beauty and fashion!

[RLC12345678]

I think the way society views women today is just sad. You basically have to be pencil thin to make it in hollywood or in the modeling industry. I am by no means fat...I am 5'3" and 118-120 lbs. but I am by far the biggest one of all my friends. None of them have an ounce of fat on their body. I know they eat, but then they work out nonstop to burn it off. It's crazy bc they were over at my apartment the other night talking about how they went shopping and the size 0 was too big for them and they were all laughing. I am not fat, but I was feeling so insecure because I wear a 6. I know I'm not fat and I'm not concerned with my weight, but it is really discouraging to hear my friends talk like that.

[blowry]

I'm not sure if this is old news but, my daughter just told me this the other day...that....Tyra Banks can no longer model for Victoria's Secret because she is fat????? TYRA BANKS IS FAT???

[Lindsey]

Originally Posted by blowry

I'm not sure if this is old news but, my daughter just told me this the other day...that....Tyra Banks can no longer model for Victoria's Secret because she is fat????? TYRA BANKS IS FAT???

Really? I didn't think VS was like that... Heidi Klum was in the runway show last year with her post-pregnancy belly. She didn't look as great as the other models but she looked REAL.

[Tink]

I think it's awful that people are so obsessed with their size that they risk dying for it. I've always been overweight, and while I would like to lose for health reasons, I have never felt my weight really affected the quality or things I wanted to do in my life. I'm also very top-heavy, wearing a 14 pants and 20 top! It hasn't stopped me from having been married twice, having 3 kids, and having some very dear, wonderful friends.

I have met several women lately who have had intestonal bypass surgery to lose weight. This is of course, only done for health reasons since it's a major surgery and not a simple weight loss tool for the masses. I find it interesting that so many of us seem to go to one extreme or the other.

What is it in us that makes being "average" so difficult?

[Kimberley]

Confession here...I keep tabs on my weight. Since last summer, I've lost a little over 30 lbs. The medication I was on (Lexapro) made me gain a lot of weight. I quit taking them cold turkey and went from 3-4 meals a day to 1 meal a day. I know it's not healthy, but I've found that I'm not hungry during the day and only eat supper.

It was really hard at first but after a couple of weeks, I got use to it. I need to work out to tone up the flab but seriously, I'm a much happier person without the extra weight.

When I was heavier, my hips would hurt so bad I'd wake up at night with hip pain. Lost the weight and haven't had a bad night since.

I know that what I'm doing is not the healthiest and every once in a while, I do eat something during the day but for the most part...it's just supper for me.

[RLC12345678]

I heard that a hollywood starlet, who is by no mean "obese," had gastric bypass surgery to lose weight...it is rumored to be Nicole Richie, but she denies having the surgery. How sad is that.

[Kimberley]

Originally Posted by Tink

What is it in us that makes being "average" so difficult?

For me, when I was overweight, it was my husband looking at other, more slender women. I was a size 3 when I met my husband. Right before I went on my "fasting" diet, I was pushing a size 14.

I went to Curves to see if it would be something I'd like...by the measuring machine they had (just placed on finger tips), insurance companies would have considered me obese since I was more fat than muscle. While trying out one of the machines, my blue JEANS wripped in the butt. Needless to say, I was very embarassed, left and never went back.

You look around at all of the movies, the magazines and they have these perfect women as models. What women wouldn't want to look like them? Maybe I just see it different. I'm not as small as I use to be and frankly, don't want to be that thin again. I'm a size 6 now and am happy. Not scary thin but thin enough.

[Kimberley]

Originally Posted by RLC12345678

I heard that a hollywood starlet, who is by no mean "obese," had gastric bypass surgery to lose weight...it is rumored to be Nicole Richie, but she denies having the surgery. How sad is that.

Yeah, I heard that she said something to the effect of...now that she's gained a little weight, people think she's had a reverse by pass surgery done to help her gain weight.