Size 14 Miss England Contestant

[Rissask]

I have a cousin who is only about 30 and very slim, slimmer than I am plus 8 years younger; she has cellulite and I don't. A lot of it is just genetics, I think.

I think she is very pretty. And good for her for her self confidence. But ....does anyone else not think there might be a bit of a danger in portraying someone her size as something to be desired or to strive for, or to celebrate....not the looks part of it, but shouldn't we be trying to portray as healthy as possible body shape and fitness level in beauty contests?


By that I mean- it might be good for the healthy and confident 12 year old girl who might be just 20 pounds or so overweight to see this-it might make her feel better about herself. But you wouldn't want the same girl to see her win and then say, hey great, I can just keep over-eating and not worrying about exercising, who cares. (And yes, I know she might be in very good fitness and health, I know you can be overweight and still be in good health- I am just sayin'.)


edited to add: the woman who won America's Next Top Model this season was a gorgeous plus size model contestant- and I thought that was great, she deserved to win. She was big, but very fit too.

[Kellyk]

Originally Posted by Rissask

...does anyone else not think there might be a bit of a danger in portraying someone her size as something to be desired or to strive for, or to celebrate....not the looks part of it, but shouldn't we be trying to portray as healthy as possible body shape and fitness level in beauty contests?

You could say the exact same thing for the contestants and winners we've been used to seeing for the last 30 years.

I think seeing a beautiful, accomplished, confindent woman who looks more like the "average" woman ..their mother, their aunts, their teachers...themselves...would help the esteem of younger women.

Plus...I don't think women of any age are in any danger of overeating because they're striving to be a size 14.

[Rissask]

I totally agree that there shouldn't be anorexic looking, or very very thin women in these contests or modeling either.


I guess the question is what kind of body is the 'ideal' and there isn't really any one answer for that....she certainly is carrying more than just a few extra pounds though, you have to admit- and IS that something that should be being touted to young girls as ideal? Isn't it the same problem as having anorexic girls in these contests?

[Kellyk]

I don't know Riss...I guess "ideal" is up to the judges of the contest. I don't think there really is an "ideal" woman but if there was I would hope that she wouldn't be deemed "ideal" (or less than) solely because of her weight.

But, since we insist on having "beauty pagents" at all, if we're gonna let the way too skinny and starving participate then we should let the beer and pizza chics have a go at it too.






edit: and btw...I DO celebrate my curves and so have a few other people.

[StewartG]

Originally Posted by Rissask

I totally agree that there shouldn't be anorexic looking, or very very thin women in these contests or modeling either.


I guess the question is what kind of body is the 'ideal' and there isn't really any one answer for that....she certainly is carrying more than just a few extra pounds though, you have to admit- and IS that something that should be being touted to young girls as ideal? Isn't it the same problem as having anorexic girls in these contests?

I'm not sure how Susie knows that she doesn't work out, just based on her height and weight.

I'm still pretty chunky and probably do more hours and higher intensity exercise than 95% of the population. For example, this morning, I did 2.5 hours of intense off road and trail biking (heart rate 150 to 185, average 160) this morning, and typically work out 1.5 to 2 hours a day, five to six days a week and teach a high intensity spinning class every Thursday as well. That being said, I do not look good in a bikini!

My point is, I think, yes it would be healthier for her BMI to be a bit lower (same for me), but if she works out like I do, I suspect she would be healthier than someone who is a few points lower on their BMI but sits on their ass all day.

[SunKneeMarie]

Originally Posted by StewartG

I'm not sure how Susie knows that she doesn't work out, just based on her height and weight.

I'm still pretty chunky and probably do more hours and higher intensity exercise than 95% of the population. For example, this morning, I did 2.5 hours of intense off road and trail biking (heart rate 150 to 185, average 160) this morning, and typically work out 1.5 to 2 hours a day, five to six days a week and teach a high intensity spinning class every Thursday as well. That being said, I do not look good in a bikini!

My point is, I think, yes it would be healthier for her BMI to be a bit lower (same for me), but if she works out like I do, I suspect she would be healthier than someone who is a few points lower on their BMI but sits on their ass all day.

you rang??

[StewartG]

Originally Posted by SunKneeMarie

you rang??

Now, don't get me wrong... The OPTIMUM solution is to have a lower (but not too low) BMI and do a lot of regular exercise, but... I'm not giving up my pizza pazza!

[SunKneeMarie]

Originally Posted by StewartG

Now, don't get me wrong... The OPTIMUM solution is to have a lower (but not too low) BMI and do a lot of regular exercise, but... I'm not giving up my pizza pazza!

me neither!!

even being underweight, my little heart would probably benefit from some more up and at 'em than just chasing the 2 year old...

[roni]

I gave up my pizza pizza

But had bacon wrapped shrimp and pepperoncini tonight. Somehow, I don't miss the pizza as much.

[Susie Q Roo]

Originally Posted by StewartG

I'm not sure how Susie knows that she doesn't work out, just based on her height and weight.

Maybe it's a huge extrapolation, but I am 4 inches shorter than she is and wear at least one size smaller than she says she does, but I will admit that I weigh more than she does. I know I am carrying way too much fat, but I also know I have lots of good heavyweight muscle. At just 20 lbs less than she is, I am a size 6 or 8. I'd be real happy right now to be losing those 20 lbs, so I can see them purty muskles!

And Riss, the physical and especially mental damages that come from glorifying thinness FAR outweigh those that come with the acceptance of being 20 -30 lbs overweight.

[StewartG]

Originally Posted by SunKneeMarie

me neither!!

even being underweight, my little heart would probably benefit from some more up and at 'em than just chasing the 2 year old...

Come workout with me!

I had fun this morning... I went mountain (more like hill) biking and trail riding with a REALLY "jock" friend of mine that's never worked out with me before. He's all buff and studly. He also threw up and almost passed out after an hour of what I threw at him!

I went on my own for another hour, then came back and he BARELY made it for the last half hour. I was doing great and could have kept going (according to my Polar F6, I burned over 2000 calories!), but I didn't want to make him feel bad!

[Susie Q Roo]

Originally Posted by Rissask

I have a cousin who is only about 30 and very slim, slimmer than I am plus 8 years younger; she has cellulite and I don't. A lot of it is just genetics, I think.

One of the things that we used to talk about on Body for Life was the folks who are "skinny fat." There are a lot of them out there. Their bodyfat % may be much higher than someone who weighs much more and wears a much larger size. Much of cellulite formation IS genetic, I'm sure, but, if there's no fat, there's no cellulite. It's just the connective fibers that run from the skin, through the fat, that cause it to pucker.

[StewartG]

Originally Posted by Susie Q Roo

Maybe it's a huge extrapolation, but I am 4 inches shorter than she is and wear at least one size smaller than she says she does, but I will admit that I weigh more than she does. I know I am carrying way too much fat, but I also know I have lots of good heavyweight muscle. At just 20 lbs less than she is, I am a size 6 or 8. I'd be real happy right now to be losing those 20 lbs, so I can see them purty muskles!

Well, she may be a cardio queen, and not do enough resistance training, who knows...

One thing I'm sure we can all agree on, that MORE exercise is better than LESS exercize...

[Jacko]

Originally Posted by Susie Q Roo

One of the things that we used to talk about on Body for Life was the folks who are "skinny fat." There are a lot of them out there. Their bodyfat % may be much higher than someone who weighs much more and wears a much larger size. Much of cellulite formation IS genetic, I'm sure, but, if there's no fat, there's no cellulite. It's just the connective fibers that run from the skin, through the fat, that cause it to pucker.

TMI

[Susie Q Roo]

Originally Posted by Jacko

TMI

Sorry... but it's true! I like knowing the "whys" of things, myself.