Ricki Lake's Fight Against Childhood Obesity
Posted on Feb 17th 2010 4:00PM by Deborah HusoFiled Under: Diet & Weight Loss, Fit Family
If you and your family have tried every healthy eating strategy you can think of to shed pounds with only limited success over the long haul, celebrity yo-yo dieter Ricki Lake feels your pain. As famous for her very public struggles with weight loss as she is for her film and talk show credits, Lake knows a thing or two about weight loss. Now, the 41-year-old actress and mother of two is preparing to launch her own weight-loss program known as AllStride.In an interview with That's Fit at the Sundance Film Festival, Lake talked about the new Internet-based weight loss program for kids she plans to have online by summer. "It will take e-diets to the next level, but this will be for kids," she explained. "It's actually based on a small mom and pop program in Texas." Lake says subscribers to the new AllStride program will be able to select personalized meal plans that suit their goals and preferences, and they'll be able to join an online community of other kids and families struggling with weight issues. The program will target kids five to 17 years of age, Lake said, but it's really designed to be a family plan. Subscription rates for AllStride have not yet been announced.
Lake said families have to work on healthy eating as a team. "When I was a kid, we didn't sit down as a family to eat dinner," she said. And while Lake's pleasingly plump frame landed her the role in Hairspray in 1988 that launched her acting career, she admits her weight got out of control pretty quickly.
In a panel discussion on obesity in America that Lake moderated at the Sundance Film Festival three weeks ago, she told the audience she had been obese for half of her career. "I've been at both ends of this equation," she said. "I don't pretend to know how to do it for everybody else." Nevertheless, she hopes to serve as inspiration.
Lake says she saw the light when her weight started preventing her from getting a job. Instead of being the "fat girl," she decided she wanted to be known as "the girl who used to be fat." Goal achieved. Lake is unabashedly proud of her new body. "I like how I feel," she marveled. "I like sweating. I think it's sexy."
The actress attributes her new-found ability to keep off the pounds to the Burbank, Calif.-based weight loss program Freshology, which delivers freshly made calorie controlled meals to her door every day. It's pricey (more than $40 a day to subscribe), but Lake swears by it. She has also started a new workout called the Bar Method, which combines Pilates, ballet, and yoga into a workout Lake calls incredibly tough but effective. "My legs have been transformed!" she said. The actress also does boxing, spinning and hiking. "I'm hard core," she said. "It's great to be in touch with my power and strength."
Lake is also concerned about sending the right message to her sons, Milo, age 12, and Owen, age 8. That's one reason she plans to include a free e-book with her AllStride program that covers her own weight loss story as well as the stories of other kids who have struggled with their weight. "I'm not an expert," Lake said, "but I'm a mom, and I've struggled with weight all my life." Does she expect AllStride to offer a breakthrough weight loss plan for kids and families? With a smile, Lake said, "Any diet works if you stick to it."
While it's important to promote healthy eating and an active lifestyle, remind your kids that some types of workout equipment -- like treadmills -- aren't toys.
