Archives
Supermodel Linda Evangelista said that shes used unhealthy methods in the past to maintain her slim physique.
The 58-year-old Canadian-born star made the revelations on an episode of the podcast Ruthies Table 4, saying she used cleanses and other extreme methods to lose weight while she was working in the fashion industry.
I started doing cleanses all the time, and I loved doing these cleanses, but I think they were very harmful to me, Evangelista said during the interview. She recalled doing the popular Master Cleanse, a liquid juice fast made popular by Beyonce in 2006.
I did the Master Cleanse quite a few times, but I would do medicinal cleanses, where its like a powder drink, like the rice base theres different brands that do them, the model continued.
You just do liquids, mostly water with lemon and mints and teas, and you get a glass of juice a day, and you get a diluted watered-down vegetable once a day called a soup, Evangelista said of the methods she used while attending different medical spas. But its basically a starvation diet.
Its been quite the journey. I will never do the deprivation I wont do that again, she added.
While Evangelista isnt interested in long-term deprivation diets, she did admit to still enjoying a nice 24-hour fast of just celery juice occasionally. I do still enjoy doing something like that. I find it refreshing, and you kick-start your head and your mind into a new place of like, OK, Im going to get on this healthy track.'
The model made headlines in 2022 after going public about being permanently deformed following a botched plastic surgery procedure, as The Daily Wire previously reported. Evangelista had undergone the fat-reducing procedure CoolSculpting in 2015 but had an adverse reaction which caused her to retain fat tissue rather than lose it.
CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE
Evangelista said she stopped eating to try to counteract the fat growth but it wasnt enough to stop large bulges from forming on her body. Her appearance changed so much that she didnt want to leave the house.
I loved being up on the catwalk. Now I dread running into someone I know, the former model told People at the time. I cant live like this anymore, in hiding and shame. I just couldnt live in this pain any longer. Im willing to finally speak.
The model filed a lawsuit against CoolSculptings parent company, Zeltiq Aesthetics Inc, for $50 million in damages. The case was settled in July 2022 for an undisclosed amount.
Read the original post:
Model Linda Evangelista Recalls Extreme 'Cleanses' In The 90s ... - The Daily Wire
Struggling To Lose Weight: Make These 5 Changes In Your Diet Plans To Lose Weight Slurrp
Read this article:
Struggling To Lose Weight: Make These 5 Changes In Your Diet Plans To Lose Weight - Slurrp
BOXROX Competitive Fitness Magazine is the worlds biggest online magazine for fans of CrossFit and functional fitness. With 2,500,000+ readers and 6,000,000+ pageviews monthly, from more than 185 countries, it connects the worldwide fitness community. The magazine and its 250+ contributors cover many topics including CrossFit, weightlifting, nutrition, lifestyle and community related news. Everything that a fitness fan is searching for.
BOXROX and its content is not affiliated with CrossFit, Inc in any way nor is it endorsed by CrossFit, Inc or any of its subsidiaries. CrossFit is a registered trademark of CrossFit, Inc.
Read the original here:
10 High-Protein Foods You Should Be Eating to Lose Belly Fat Fast - BOXROX
5 At-Home Exercises That Will Help You Lose Weight Before Wedding HerZindagi
Read more:
5 At-Home Exercises That Will Help You Lose Weight Before Wedding - HerZindagi
For decades, carbs have been considered the "enemy" of weight loss. While it's true that you're probably not going to lose weight or belly fat if you load up on candy and bagels, carbohydrates are essential in the functioning of our bodies. And in some cases, they can actually help you lose belly fat.
Losing belly fat is important not just because it's annoying to deal with. Excess belly fat is linked with cardiovascular and metabolic issues and Type 2 diabetes. With that in mind, we talked with registered dietitians to find out if they recommend carbs for belly fat lossand the answer is yes.
If oatmeal is part of your regular breakfast rotation, we have great news for you: this carby meal can help you lose belly fat, and you might want to eat more of it. "Oatmeal has so much fiberthat it helps keep us full, which prevents us from overeating," says Vanessa Dyer, RDN. "The fiber also helps slow digestion of the carb so there is no rapid increase of blood sugar levels."
As for other carbs you should every day (or most days) if you want to lose belly fat, Dyer also recommends fruit and quinoa. While fruit has natural sugar in it, the amount of fiber and vitamins it contains makes up for that.Edibel Quintero, a registered dietitian with HealthInsider, adds that quinoa isa complete protein as it contains all the essential amino acids, making it different from other grains. "Quinoa'shigh protein content keeps you fuller for an extended period of time and curbs hunger, helping you lose belly fat," she explains.
Related: 17 Best Exercises to Lose Belly Fat
Of course, we don't only come bearing good news. There are many, many carby foods that will contribute to belly fat. The first one to steer clear of, Quintero says, is baked goods. "Baked goods are loaded with refined sugar and preservatives with low nutritional value that quickly add up to tons of calories and contribute to fat around your abdominal region," she says.
Fried foods and sugar-sweetened beverages are a no-go as well. "Fried foods contain a lot of calories and a heavy amount of oil," Quintero says. "Sodas and sweetened beverages quickly raise and decrease your blood sugar levels, making you feel hungry quickly and compelling you to eat more, which disrupts weight loss goals."
Related: 30 Ways To Lose Belly Fat
So, we know which carbs can contribute to belly fat loss, and which ones can help you lose it. But what other foods should you eat if you want to lose belly fat? Quintero suggests avocados. "When you're going for a diet that focuses on losing weight, particularly belly fat, you'll want to make sure to incorporate avocados," she says. "They contain mono-saturated fats that prevent blood sugar spikes that further instruct your body not to store fat around the belly."
Salmon is another great pick, she says. "Salmon contains omega-3 fatty acids in abundance, which can help you to lose belly fat faster as these compounds speed up the metabolism."
Related: 65 Best Salmon Recipes
Chia seeds can help too. "Chia seeds are packed with high fiber that keeps you fuller for longer and can help curb unhealthy snacking," Quintero says. "Chia seeds also contain omega-3 fatty acids that aid in weight loss. The best thing about chia seeds? You can add them to just about anything, from water to oatmeal and yogurt."
Dyer adds that when you're trying to lose belly fat, protein and vegetables are your best friend. "Protein and fiber keep you full," she says. "Assuming someone isnt eating fried zucchini or fried chicken every day, that is."
Long story short: If oatmeal isn't part of your diet, it's time to load up on the overnight oats and steaming bowls of oatmeal with chia seeds. You might be surprised by what an impact this simple tweak has on your efforts to lose belly fat.
Next up: How to Lose Belly Fat Naturally
See the original post:
This Is the Best Carb To Eat If You Want To Lose Belly Fat - Victoria Advocate
1000-LB. SISTERS star Tammy Slaton has been spotted standing and walking unassisted as she entered and exited an Indiana gas station on a day trip to the state.
Tammy, 36, struggled to move without her walker as she had to lean on the front of the car parked in a gas station to catch her breath before taking a step down from the sidewalk.
5
5
On Thursday, Tammy took a day trip to Indiana with her brother Chris Combs, 42, according to an eyewitness who reported to The U.S. Sun.
Chris picked Tammy up at her two-bedroom Kentucky home where she used her walker to get from her front door to her seat in the front passenger side of the car.
The two 1000-Lb. Sisters stars were accompanied by a younger female who rode in the back.
Tammy, Chris, and the third party traveled to Indiana to stock up on groceries, but along the way they took a coffee run and stopped at a few gas stations.
During their second gas station stop, Tammy got out of the car and walked unassisted into the general store.
A few moments later she emerged empty-handed and walked back to the passenger seat of the car.
She stood up and moved entirely on her own, but appeared to struggle and had to pause to catch her breath.
According to The U.S. Sun eyewitness, Tammy stopped to lean on the hood of the car.
Most read in Entertainment
She appeared to be slightly out of breath and struggled to step down from the sidewalk and raise herself back into the passenger car seat.
The U.S. Sun previously obtained exclusive photos ofTammy returning to her homeafter taking a fast food run on Easter Sunday, April 9.
She wore a black zip-up hoodie and a black skirt that hugged her frame, which has shrunk from700 lbs. to just over 400 lbs.
Tammy showed off her achievement as she was able to stand on her own and walk from the car to the front door, with just the assistance of a walker.
Previously on the show, Tammy was not able to execute these basic tasks independently because of complications with her health.
The U.S. Sun previously revealedTammy weighed just over 400 pounds at the end of her 14-month rehab stay - and is nearly half her former size.
As show fans know,Tammyadmitted herself to rehabback in 2021 for a second time to get her life back on track.
A friend previously told The U.S. Sun exclusively: "When Tammy was first in rehab, she needed to reach her goal weight of 550 pounds from around 700 pounds in order to beapproved for her bariatric surgery."
Bariatric surgery is an operation on the digestive system to help a patient loseweight quickly in extreme situations.
On a season four episode of1000-Lb. Sistersairing on TLC, shereached her goal weight.
As The U.S. Sun first reported,Tammysuccessfully underwent the life-changing procedurein the summer of 2022- and the friend claimed she has dropped another 150 pounds since then.
Since exiting the weight rehab clinic in Ohio, it appears Tammy has also left her ex Caleb Willingham, 40, behind.
After being married for five months, a source previously told The U.S. Sun Tammy called it quits on the union because Caleb "refuses to stick to his diet."
"Tammy has her legal team lined up and is ready to file for divorce," a source close to thestar claimed.
"They split up because Caleb hasn't been following his diet in rehab," the insider alleged, adding: "He has gained 30 lbs and hasn't been working his program."
The insider gushed: "They got into a big fight over it and he told herhe wanted a divorce, but then he tried to backtrack."
The family insider said they believed Tammy's decision to end it with Caleb was the right thing for her and divulged: "Tammy's sisters Amy and Amanda were already encouraging her to just move on."
Tammy's friend claimed: "She wants someone who can be there for her and his health keeps declining."
"She would have to take care of him once he's out of rehab, and that is her taking on the care of a whole other person when shecan barely take care of herself, so the relationship is pointless," the insider added.
"Shedidn't want a long-distance relationshipand certainly isn't able to care for someone else at this point in her recovery," the source claimed.
"They got married after just knowing each other over the course of weeks, in rehab, and he's still there," the insider concluded.
Tammy's rep and Caleb did not respond to requests for comment.
5
5
5
See more here:
1000-Lb. Sisters Tammy Slaton struggles to take steps without walker as she shows off 300-lb weight loss i... - The US Sun
As the old adage goes, "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day" - and there is some truth to it, backed by science. Since our body is most active during the morning hours, a heavy breakfast can be digested quickly. However, it is crucial to follow it up with a light lunch and an even lighter dinner. Unfortunately, many of us follow this routine in the completely opposite direction. We tend to skip breakfast and overindulge at night due to our hectic routines, unhealthy eating habits, or social events. Unsurprisingly, this leads to excessive calorie intake and unwanted weight gain.
To promote weight loss, try to finish eating two to three hours before bedtime, recommends consultant nutritionist Rupali Datta. This allows your body time to digest food and prevents calories from being stored as fat during sleep. Eating late disrupts your circadian rhythm and can lead to weight gain. By creating a longer fasting period overnight, known as intermittent fasting, your body can tap into fat stores for energy, explains Datta. Additionally, this habit improves sleep quality, supporting weight loss efforts.
Also Read:Healthy Diet Tips: 3 Nutritionist-Approved Tips To Detox After Binge-Eating
Eating too much at night causes weight gain. Image Credit: iStock
If you find yourself overeating at night, there are some simple tips to help you avoid it, regardless of where you are or what you are eating:
Skipping breakfast can make you feel famished throughout the day, and tired by the end of it, leading to overeating during dinnertime. Having a nutritious breakfast can keep you energised during the entire day and help you eat normally at night.
Eating smaller meals at regular intervals throughout the day can help you feel fuller, making it easier to eat less at night. Plus eating small meals is good for your waistline too. A great trick is to pick a smaller plate which makes your small portion look like a full meal.
Drinking water throughout the day will keep you full and hydrated. Having a glass or two of water sometime before your last meal of the day can help you feel satiated and prevent overeating. Avoid drinking water during your meal as it may interfere with digestion.
Protein has the incredible ability to induce satiety. Eating protein-rich foods throughout the day can help you feel fuller, give your body lots of energy to ward off fatigue and curb your hunger at night.
Eating slowly and chewing your food properly can give your brain time to signal when you are full, preventing overeating. When we eat fast, we go beyond our capacity before we realise that our stomach is full.
Also Read:Dinner Recipes - 5 Quick And Easy Recipes For A Light Dinner Meal
It is important to remember that our digestion system is weakest at night, and eating more than required for dinner is a major cause of weight gain. So, if you want to lose weight and lead a healthy life, adopt healthy eating habits and eat according to your stomach's capacity.
Read the original post:
How To Stop Overeating At Night? Follow These Simple Tips To Avoid Weight Gain - NDTV Food
In todays fast-paced lifestyle, losing weight has become a daunting task for many people. People often resort to various methods such as dieting, hitting the gym, skipping meals or consuming salads to achieve their weight loss goals. However, it is crucial to understand the right approach to losing weight to make it a sustainable and successful journey.
Many individuals find shedding the extra kilos to be a challenging task because they do not adopt the correct methods. Their efforts often prove to be unsuccessful. To help individuals achieve their weight loss goals, News 18 has initiated a weight loss series that offers expert tips from renowned dietitian Kamini Kumari. She offers her services in reputed hospitals such as Manas, Satya and Fortis, and runs her clinic.
In the first article of the weight loss series, Kumari provides valuable insights for individuals who rely on skipping meals to lose weight. By adopting the right approach and following expert tips, individuals can achieve their weight loss goals efficiently and effectively.
Dont skip meals
Many people skip breakfast, lunch, or dinner to lose weight. They think that in this way they can lose weight quickly, but this is a huge myth. It is not necessary to starve to lose weight because the longer you starve, the more you will experience bloating. It is advisable to avoid keeping your stomach empty for extended periods if you wish to lose weight.
Keep eating your meals in intervals
Starving yourself to lose weight can have adverse effects on your body. Rather than depriving yourself of food, it is better to consume small meals at regular intervals. This approach helps boost your metabolism and prevents bloating and toxic elements in your body, making your weight loss journey much easier.
Include fibre-rich foods in the diet
If you wish to lose weight, then you must include those things in your diet which are rich in fibre. This will absorb the toxic elements of your body and will also help in increasing your metabolism. For this, you can incorporate things like cucumber, carrot, fruits and salad as part of your diet.
Dont rely only on salad
Many individuals believe that consuming salads and fruits alone can result in rapid weight loss. Consequently, they tend to exclude essential carbohydrates like rice, lentils and roti from their diets. However, relying only on salads can lead to weakness in the body due to a lack of essential nutrients. To maintain a balanced and healthy diet, it is essential to include carbohydrates in your meals. However, instead of consuming foods high in starch, one must opt for complex carbohydrates found in whole grains and cereals like oats, quinoa, millet and oatmeal. These foods not only provide the body with energy but also contain essential fibre for digestive health.
Replace carbonated beverages with healthy drinks
During the summer season, many individuals tend to consume carbonated beverages and other cold drinks to beat the heat. However, if youre on a weight loss journey, you can still enjoy refreshing drinks while shedding those extra pounds. Consider incorporating healthier alternatives like buttermilk, lemon water, watermelon mojito, shikanji and coconut water into your diet. Not only will these options help you meet your daily hydration needs, but they will also promote a healthy and balanced diet, which is crucial for successful weight loss. By choosing these healthier drink options, you can boost your weight loss efforts and maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout the summer season.
Read all the Latest Lifestyle News here
See the article here:
Rapid Weight Loss: Check Expert-Approved Tips For Visible Results In No Time - News18
Did you know that kickstarting your day with just the right, healthy beverage can help speed up your weight loss efforts? We spoke with the experts who share some of their favorite morning drinks for rapid weight loss. If you're looking to burn fat in a timely manner, turning healthy eating and drinking habits into a lifestyle is key. The below beverages make weight loss less of a grueling, challenging processthey're quick to whip up, easy to work into your mornings, and taste great!
Keep reading to learn more about the best morning drinks for rapid weight loss. And next, be sure to check out You'll Never Lose Weight if You're Still Eating These 11 Things.
Research shows that green tea can speed up your metabolism, which is crucial if you're looking to lose weight, says Lisa Young, Ph.D., RDN, the author of Finally Full, Finally Slim, a nutritionist in private practice, and a member of our Medical Expert Board. In addition, green tea contains catechins, which are antioxidants proven to be effective in burning fat. "Research indicates that green tea extract, which is essentially concentrated catechins, has been shown to lower weight and decrease body fat percentage," Young adds.
While we're on the subject of green tea, let's chat about matcha. "While matcha tea has been shown to promote fat burning, this skinny iced matcha green tea latte may have an additional advantage for your waistline since it also doubles as an ultra-satisfying weight loss secret weapon," The Nutrition Twins, Tammy Lakatos Shames, RD, CDN, CFT, and Lyssie Lakatos, RD, CDN, CFT, tell Eat This, Not That!
Kicking off your mornings with this delicious tea drink will provide you with antioxidants and keep you full for several hours so you won't feel inclined to snack. Plus, it's only 20 calories! And the benefits don't stop there. The Nutrition Twins add, "Matcha green tea has been shown to enhance exercise-induced fat burning, so if that inspires you to move your body more and drink it, too, the fat-burning potential can be quite impactful."
RELATED: 5 Easy Ways To Lose Weight Before Breakfast
Something as simple as warm water with lemon is a stellar detox drink. Young explains, "Lemon has a plethora of benefits due to its antioxidant content and pectin fibers. The pectin fibers in lemon are soluble fibers that are most commonly found in fruits and vegetables. The reason this drink is great for weight loss is because it is hydrating, calorie-free, and may help eliminate toxins in the body."6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
"While morning sweet drinks are notorious for being calorie bombs and packing on the pounds, sipping this soothing, slightly sweet, satisfying golden milk can help avert cravings in just 40 calories," The Nutrition Twins reveal. Plus, it takes just five minutes to prepare, making it a seamless addition to any busy morning.
This delicious chai-like sip features turmeric, cinnamon, and gingerthree very potent spices that help combat inflammation (which is something that can derail your weight loss efforts). In addition, cinnamon helps you kick sugar cravings to the curb by regulating blood sugar. "Plus, the calm mood and steady blood sugar set you up for a healthy dayand nothing is more critical for preventing overeating than being on an even keel," The Nutrition Twins say.
RELATED: The Best Breakfast Superfoods To Burn Body Fat All Over
If you're a tea drinker, ginger tea is another one of the best morning drinks for rapid weight loss you can sip. According to Young, this warm, comforting beverage can help relieve an upset stomach, and it doesn't contain any calories! Plus, your waistline will thank you. "A study done on the effects of ginger tea and what it can do for the body found that ginger intake can reduce body weight and waist-to-hip ratio," she adds.
Not only is a refreshing glass of cucumber mint water reminiscent of a relaxing spa experience, but it can also help you lose weight and keep you hydrated. "Infusing water with mint and cucumber has a bunch of healthful benefits, two of them being supporting weight loss and improving digestion," Young explains.
RELATED: 6 Best Breakfast Habits for Women To Lose Belly Fat
Fenugreek water can help you lose weight by suppressing your appetite and helping you feel full. For instance, one study revealed that having fenugreek fiber at breakfast promoted satiety and lowered caloric intake when lunchtime rolled around.
"If you want to make fenugreek water, try soaking one to two tablespoons of fenugreek seeds in water overnight," The Nutrition Twins suggest. "It's often sipped first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. More research is needed, and if you're pregnant or trying to become pregnant, you're best off avoiding it."
So long as you take your coffee black (or with minimal plant-based or skim milk), you won't pack on the calories, and this beloved morning beverage can help you achieve faster weight loss. "Research has found that caffeinated coffee can reduce caloric intake and boost metabolism," The Nutrition Twins explain. "One study showed that people who drank caffeinated coffee consumed significantly fewer calories than those that drank less caffeine or those that drank no caffeine."
In addition, caffeine gives your metabolism a boost and gets your bowels moving, which can help the scale move in your favor.
RELATED: Do These 5 Things Every Morning To Lose Weight Faster, Dietitian Says
Give yourself an instant hydration boost in the AM with this rejuvenating sip. The Nutrition Twins' raspberry ginger lime water infusion will help you kick any unhealthy cravings to the curb and prevent you from mistaking feeling thirsty for feeling hungry.
"You'll prevent excess calorie consumption that packs on the pounds, and as you hydrate with this potassium-packed drink, you'll counteract sodium and the puffiness and bloat from any salty or sugary indulgence from the day before, and you'll quickly restore normal fluid balance, releasing excess water you're holding in the tissues for a quick weight loss," they explain. "Antioxidant-packed ginger, lime, mint, and raspberry help fight chronic inflammation that's been shown to stimulate weight gain. Raspberries' phytochemical C3G increases the production of both adiponectin (which enhances fat metabolism) and leptin (which suppresses appetite), assisting in weight loss."
Olipop is another morning beverage The Nutrition Twins recommend for shedding weight fast. "Olipop quenches morning sweet drink cravings with only 35 to 45 calories and just four to five grams of sugar. Plus, it offers a big weight loss bonus by providing nine grams of prebiotic fiber to promote regularity, helping to push waste out of the colon so you can quickly drop a few pounds while bringing on a flat belly. The prebiotic fiber also supports gut health and reduces the risk of obesity by promoting satiety and weight loss," they explain.
So if you're craving something sweet first thing when you wake up, don't reach for fruit juice or other calorie-packed beverages. Try Olipop instead to save yourself unnecessary calories and promote a healthy gut and metabolism.
Sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original:
10 Best Morning Drinks for Rapid Weight Loss Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That
Welcome back to theLearning Curve, a monthly column where we unpack the complicated experience of accepting your own body in a world that doesn't seem to want you to. This month, Nicola ponders the unease she feels when a plus-size celebrity suddenly becomes thinner despite their body being none of her business.
I cant look at Mindy Kaling anymore. Or Rebel Wilson. Or Adele.
Yes, its only because theyre significantly thinner. A wave of unease crashes over me every time I lay eyes upon a formerly plus-size famous person despite the fact that neither they nor their body have anything to do with me. Seeing a woman above a size 8 on a red carpet was nearly unheard of until the early 2010s, when Melissa McCarthy got promoted from dowdy sidekick to leading lady andOrange Is the New Black became the most talked-about show in the country. Still, comparatively few plus-size women have been allowed past the exclusive gates of fame, but when they thrive in that traditionally thin space anyway, it makes my own successes feel possible and my own body feel worthy.
View more
But every now and then, Ive woken up and one of the people I once felt proudly represented by onscreen suddenly felt like a stranger with more chiseled cheekbones, a flatter stomach, and a thigh gap.Theres something wrong here, my subconscious nags every time it happens,not with them with you.
Celebrities and weight loss itself arent my enemies here. People lose (and gain) weight for a wide variety of reasons and its not always under a persons control whether or not they do. Sometimes its healthy, sometimes its not, and sometimes its neither. Regardless, those reasons or the fact that it happens are none of my business usually.
They become my business when headlines and social media posts refuse to let me gloss over Wilsons year of health, during which she reportedly lost more than 80 pounds by eating high-protein meals, or how Kaling managed to become unrecognizable by losing weight allegedlywithout any dietary restrictions. Adele apparentlylost 100 pounds just by lifting weights and doing circuit training, according to what my phone tells me. Sure.
These are conversations, by the way, that the celebrities actively participated in by posting about weight loss on social media and/or allowing journalists to interview them about the topic. But whether or not the celebrity participates in it, the mainstream narrative surrounding any bigger, famous person who has lost a significant amount of weight is that they lookso much better now, dont they? And theyrehealthy now!
If influencers or different people are sending a message that we can modify our bodies simply through exercise and diet, the science simply doesnt support that.
This is where the problem starts, especially when the stories are presented with pictures of celebrities before and after their transformations, as many of them are. I think [before-and-after imagery] offers people an opportunity to think that achieving weight loss is something thats worthwhile, saysPhillippa Diedrichs, PhD, a research psychologist who specializes in media and body image. The issue really lies in the fact that it is often suggested the after image is the better of the two. It sends the message that a larger body type is not ideal and could and should be changed.
If youve ever tried to lose weight the old-fashioned way (diet and exercise), you know how impossible it can feel simply because you dont have time to hit the gym every day before or after the commute to your nine-to-five job. You might not have the budget to buy food that hasnt been processed. You dont even know where to begin with working outor eating because theres an endless sea of information about weight loss on the internet and little of it is realistic or trustworthy. You have these struggles because youre a normal person, one who probably has not sold hundreds of millions of records or written half a dozen hit television shows.
Thats reality. Celebrities dont live in reality. Imagine how much easier losing weight would be if you had a full gym at home or access to a private fitness center where the machines are clean, functioning, and always free to use, where men dont openly leer at you, and where you have your very own instructor telling you exactly what to do not to mention a work schedule that allows you to indulge in all of these things several times a day (or perhaps even a job that literally pays you to do so). At home, your personal nutritionist prepares post-workout smoothies and perfectly proportioned meals. You might even have an appointment with a doctor to discreetly discussliposuction or going onOzempic.
My imaginary scenario isnt stone-cold fact (though I will presentthis interview with Rob McElhenney as evidence), but theseare very rich people were talking about and rich people can afford a lifestyle that just makes things easier and that includes weight loss by any means necessary. But when the celebrity or the media outlets covering said celebrity depict drastic weight loss as something that can be achieved simply and quickly, you feel like a failure when you cant lose weight after you ate nothing but chicken breast for a week and bought a treadmill desk.
Just because young people know most media images are retouched doesnt change the fact that they feel impacted by their presence.
Those feelings of failure can cause a cycle that impacts ones overall well-being in the long run, according to Dr. Diedrichs. People can have unrealistic expectations about what they can achieve with weight loss, particularly if it is being marketed as a result of managing diet as well as exercise. That presents a very simplistic view of how a persons weight is determined. And she notes, a persons weight often comes down to a variety of factors such as genetics, biology, and socioeconomics, things that are perpetually glossed over in marketing and other online conversations about weight. If influencers or different people are sending a message that we can modify our bodies simply through exercise and diet, Dr. Deidrichs adds, the science simply doesnt support that.
The science proves that most dieting practices do not result in sustainable weight loss (if any weight is lost at all), so those of us who see a celebrity lose weight and try their reported regimens for ourselves are immediately buckled into a roller coaster of self-hatred we cant get off of. The basic diet response can be restricting what youre eating, setting up unrealistic rules that are impossible to follow, that dont lead to the result that you want, Dr. Diedrichs elaborates. That leads you to feeling lazy and undisciplined, or feeling like these standards are impossible to maintain and that your body is not good enough. From that point, she adds, dieters are more likely to overeat out of frustration, which leads to more feelings of self-loathing, which leads back to square one with food restriction. In the most extreme cases, that can mimic or be a symptom of having an eating disorder.
And seeing someone who once looked like you suddenly adhere to thin beauty standardsdoes subconsciously encourage you to try to lose weight, whether or not that was ever of interest to you. Just by having images [featuring unattainable beauty standards] there, even if we dont think that its achievable, still sends a message that thats something to aspire to. And if we fall short of that, we dont measure up, Dr. Diedrichs explains, citing image retouching as a common instance in which an understanding of reality isn't enough to combat the effects of an unattainable beauty standard. Just because young people know most media images are retouched, she explains, doesnt change the fact that they can feel impacted by their presence.
Ive spent much of my life training myself to notice the way these things negatively impactmy own body image, and yet they still do hence, why I had to leave the room when I recently caught my roommate watching reruns ofThe Office. Just involuntarily picturing Kalings before and after in my head felt like a message that I need to lose weight. I could do it just as easily as she did and therefore Im supposed to, right?
In a fucked-up way, it kind of feels like Im losing teammates with the loss of certain plus-size celebrities. Those of us who do not meet that thinner-than-average beauty standard already struggle with a lack of fair representation in the media we consume. When some of our main pillars of representation fall, that, too, can negatively impact the way we see ourselves. By having a lack of representation, youre sending a message that those people arent welcome or theyre not aspirational or theyre not attractive, Dr. Diedrichs explains. The more likely we are to internalize those ideas, the worse our body image is.
And I do, indeed, internalize that, even though I don't want to. So, yeah. I hate it when celebrities lose weight, especially those who are or once were plus-size. It has nothing to do with who they are or why and how they did it but has everything to do with the ways our society and subconsciouses trick us into believing the fairy tale that everyone can and should be gorgeous and skinny. And it's certainly not that people in the spotlight should feel morally obligated to remain plus-size. It's that media as a whole should continue to highlight people of all sizes without commenting on their weight or asking for their dieting secrets.
If, somehow, there are any celebrities (or their publicists) reading this, I'm not asking you to abandon dieting or exercising or posting photos of yourself at any size. I'm asking you to consider refraining from sharing how you lost the weight the next time a magazine asks (or, as McElhenney did in that aforementioned interview, be brutally honest about how unattainable your results may be for the average person). Because, as Dr. Deidrichs explained, our brains are impacted by the false narrative that anyone can lose weight quickly and easily, regardless of whether or not we understand that its false.
While I believe the responsibility to stop this narrative lies mostly with the media, one also has to consider how the people seeking out and reading weight-loss content at home play into the equation. Media outlets (includingAllure, mind you) determine much of their content based on what their audience is naturally drawn to and what people en masse are typing into their search engines. If celebrity weight-loss content is what brings traffic to a publication, theyll keep making it. If this is a narrative you, too, would like to stop, then simply ignoring this type of content is a good place to start. Even hate-clicking a story about weight loss signifies your interest in it to a media company, and media companies are corporations that rely on that interest to make profits. It all feeds into one viscous cycle of clicks and content creation that wont break until one or both parties make a choice to quit cold turkey.
Being triggered into body shame is not something we can avoid, nor is it something can we expect celebrities or the media to manage for us.
Regardless of how media outlets change or dont change, Dr. Diedrichs says increased media literacy is the solution for people struggling with these unrealistic standards on a personal level. We know from research that if we increase peoples knowledge and understanding of what goes into creating a media image, that can sometimes disrupt the process of comparing ourselves to other people because youve dismissed that as a relevant target thats actually achievable, she says. In other words, keep in mind all that stuff I said earlier about the private gyms and personal chefs and Ozempic.
Many of these conversations about celebrity weight loss are simply another means by which women are objectified en masse, their value reduced to the appearance of their body. (Celebrity weight loss in men ignites similar harmful narratives, but lets be honest in acknowledging that their perceived worthiness is not as closely tied to their weight.) Just by writing this story, I risk objectifying these women even further, but when we collectively fail to address the reality at hand, I think it warrants a conversation. Dr. Diedrichs agrees, so long as that conversation challenges beauty standards in a way that does not reinforce the importance of appearance, to begin with.
So the next time youre confronted with the image of someone who meets a beauty standard you dont, and when that shaky, barely audible voice within you starts nagging at you to be skinnier, please pause for a second and ask yourself a few things: Why is weight the first thing that set me off about this image? Am I dissatisfied with my body or am I trying to control my body as a means of trying to control other problems in my life? What are those other problems? Is forcing my body to change a realistic or healthy way to get rid of them?
I cant answer those questions for you, but I can tell you this: Being triggered into body shame is not something we can avoid, nor is it something can we expect celebrities or the media to manage for us. But it is something we can learn to discuss and dissect to a greater degree than she/he/they look better/worse. Maybe if we do that more often, well feel less pressured to follow in the footsteps of the rich, famous, and increasingly thin.
More from Learning Curve:
Now, see what's in the Allure Beauty Box:
Don't forget to follow Allure on Instagram and Twitter.
Continue reading here:
Fine, Ill Say It: I Hate It When Plus-Size Celebrities Lose Weight - Allure
