I'm feeling big right now. Why? I watched America's Next Top Model this week.
Normally, this show doesn't make me feel insecure. In fact, I'm usually thinking "Wow! She looks normal. She's not a supermodel without the airbrushing!" But, the go-sees sent me over the edge.
All of the models went to different fashion designers to see if they could book a job.
Whitney is a plus sized model. I'm thinking that's a size 14.
At one of the go sees, a designer told her should wouldn't book a size 10 because it was too big.
What! A size 10. I didn't know I was almost plus size.
It got even worse. Girls that I knew were skinny turned out to be a size 0 or less.
It makes me sad because my niece and all her friends love the show. She's only 11. I hope she doesn't think a size 0 is ideal. Yuck! That's too much.
Yoanna House won the show a couple of years ago. During an interview ,she said after she won, once a month, she would have a ice cream dessert at Serendipity. She loved it. But, she said she had to stop because she did gain weight and needed to stay small for her job. How sad! You can't have dessert once a month?
Maybe I don't feel so big or bad after all. I enjoy my dessert more than once a week and I'm still healthy. (Okay, almost everyday) I don't want to be too skinny. I just hope my niece can see that too. I think we'll have a chat this weekend!
Destry Jetton
Host, Arizona Midday
Weekdays 1:00pm on Channel 12
As skinny as these girls
As skinny as these girls are, just remember that they aren't the norm. The average woman is a size 12. In addition, remember that there is a big difference between being skinny and being in shape. I'm willing to bet most of those girls have no muscle tone whatsoever.
Point in case: The episode where they had to slide down the wall and try to push themselves back up without using their hands. Almost none of them could do it because there is not muscle tone in their legs.
I was an 8 before I got pregnant with my son and a 10 before I got pregnant with my daughter. I'm currently a 12, but who the heck cares. I'm married to a wonderful man who thinks I'm beautiful (and tells me often) and that's all that matters. :-)
It is better to be hated for what you are, than to be loved for what you are not.
I feel the same way. In my
I feel the same way. In my twenties, I would throw up, and take diet pills, so I could see my abs and stay skinny for my boyfriend, and I was not loved anymore by him for it. I tanned and did the entire thing. Now in my thirties, heavier after my baby at age 36, but happier now then ever before because I'm fullfilled with love from my wonderful husband and baby. Life didn't start for me until I was in my 30's. I know the weight can come off, but I can't always have a wonderful and loving husband along with a healthy baby that brings us so much joy! Its just like when we think that money brings happiness. Well, I was skinny and miserable in a relationship. Being skinny is nice, but inside is where you need to be fullfilled. Women need to do what makes them happy, and not try and please anyone else.
One Happy Mom in Arizona.
Hi Destry! I am with you. I
Hi Destry!
I am with you. I am only now just figuring out that what's most attractive to men is having a sense of self. I spent too many years believing I was not good enough to have the right man because I was not the right size. I do gain a sense-of-self from the accomplishments associated with self-care and exercise, but that's only part of the equation. There are so many other things that feed (excuse the pun!) my self-confidence. Thank goodness because size zero I am not!
Lara
There's a great line in the
There's a great line in the film Monster-In-Law. Jane Fonda remarks on Jennifer Lopez ordering a cheeseburger for lunch, given that she'd be needing to fit into her wedding gown. J-Lo replies that she'll be buying a gown that fits her body, and not the other way around.
Life is too short not to eat. We should eat well and get exercise because it makes us feel better than eating junk and sitting on our backsides. We shouldn't starve ourselves and give up Snickers bars and ice cream to get anyone to like us better.
I went to Hong Kong for work a few years ago. At the time, I was a size 8. I felt like a horse. My advice, Destry, is to find more full-figured girlfriends, and take your niece out for banana splits.
I actually stopped watching
I actually stopped watching the show a few seasons ago. I was totally addicted, then one day decided it didn't feed me or build me, it just made me wish I was or could be something else, which was silly, because I loved who I was. I was usually shocked at how dumb or inexperienced or catty they were, but drooled over their photos. I miss it at times, but I like the extra hour I gained to do things that build me.
Brooke Romney is an unbalanced mom of three young boys who constantly has too much to do, and too little time. She writes the Mom Beat column for The Gilbert Republic.
It is so sad - our obsession
It is so sad - our obsession with thinness. I've come to realize, I'll never fit into a size 4 as I did just before getting married. And that's OK.
I did get back to a 6 a few years ago, but I realize I'm not committed to that kind of exercising. When I have time, I'd rather spend it with my kids playing games and be an 8 (when I eat healthy) and 10 when I'm into the cheesecake and cookies as I seem to be right now. Besides, I love my curves. I have to remember that otherwise I'd obsess too much, and that's not a good thing.
I do plan to start exercising again - but not for weight loss. It's definitely for my sanity, energy and stress relief.
Arizona Moms Editor Yvette Armendariz shares stories about raising her kids and tips for busy parents in her Time-starved (goddess) Mom blog. She and her husband are raising two children, ages 8 and 11.
As women, we tend to compare
As women, we tend to compare ourselves to others. What a horrible way to live! There will always be someone thinner, prettier, richer, etc. etc. than you. On the other hand, there are other women that look at you and think that YOU have it all! Learning to appreciate what we have, and keeping our bodies healthy is the most important thing..our happiness should not be determined by what the tag in our jeans says!
Hobbymommy, 38, is a discussion leader from Mesa. She is a happy stay-at-home mommy to a 3-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son.