skinny-related stories
Kate Moss' 'Skinny' Statement is Food for Thought
Photo: Pascal Le Segretain, Getty Images
Now, as someone who's interested in fashion, I think Moss is fascinating. However, as a woman who feels very strongly that women need healthy role models to look up to, I have issues with her waif look, so this statement got me fairly fired up. Whether you're aspiring to lose weight or not, it's important that you enjoy foods in a healthful way, and Moss' statement is far from showing a healthy attitude toward food.
But then, I got to thinking about her real meaning behind this. I mean, yes, Kate Moss is skinny. But her statement actually brings up a good question that applies to all of us -- are there any foods out there that you're willing to put on a little weight for?
Katherine Heigl Wants Nicole Richie's Body
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| Photo: Getty Images |
But the "Grey's Anatomy" actress admits that she doesn't have what it takes to diet like Richie. "What stops me is that I want young girls to look at me and think: 'That's healthy, that's what I want - she's on television and she looks like me,'" she says, adding that she hates dieting and is obsessed with food. Plus, she keeps red-carpet ready by working out with celeb trainer Harley Pasternak, and she even does ab exercises while she gets manicures.
I'm glad she takes her status as a role model seriously -- but by admitting she wishes she were thinner, do you think she's a healthy one?
One celeb who's definitely a good role model is Michelle Obama -- she's in the best shape of her life!
Bride-To-Be Dies After Extreme Crash Diet
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| Photo: Getty Images |
We're all aware that crash diets aren't great for you, but you can die from them? You bet -- and this isn't even the first time this diet has killed someone. Just last December, a mother of five died after drinking 4 liters of water, as was recommended by the program. Amazingly, you need your doctor's consent to sign up for the program. Is anyone else having a hard time believing that a trained medical professional would give the OK for this kind of extreme diet?
Enzyme Allows Some to Never Get Fat
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| sxc.hu |
You know those super annoying people who seem to eat endless amounts of junk and never gain an ounce? The ones who swear up and down that they don't work out and don't watch what they eat and yet they effortlessly slide into size 4 jeans every day. Well, as it turns out, a few of them might just be telling the truth. Recent studies have found that there's an enzyme at least partially responsible for making you fat, and some people just don't have it. Lucky jerks.
According to research at the University of California at San Francisco, the enzyme MGAT2 -- found in your intestines -- determines how our food is metabolized; it can either be turned into energy or stored as fat. And studies on mice found that when they were missing MGAT2, they didn't gain either, regardless of how much they ate. That's not all -- the absence of the enzyme also prevented them from developing obesity-related disorders like diabetes.
Still, it'll be a long time until this kind of research can be applied to humans, so in the meantime, make sure you keep eating healthy and exercising.
If you're needing to slim down in a hurry, why not try the Skinny Jeans Workout?
Slim Summer Survival Guide
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Avanti: Grilled chicken burgers are always the best choice! If you can throw on a non-fat American cheese slice [and place it on a] whole wheat bun, with all the toppings and a corn cob on the side, you've got a meal that is as healthy, balanced and wholesome as it gets. Grilled food is great -- not only healthy, but delicious. My grill would have not only chicken breasts, but turkey burgers and lean meats (loin cuts, such as pork loin or beef tenderloin). I also love to do skewers loaded with veggies such as pearl onions, red and yellow peppers and cherry tomatoes. Just chop, spray with extra virgin olive oil and drizzle with Kosher salt, grill and enjoy!
Scarlett Johansson Defends Her Weight
Tabloids recently report that Scarlett Johansson lost 14 pounds off her 5'3" frame in preparation for her superhero role in "Iron Man 2." "If I were to lose 14 pounds, I'd have to part with both arms. And a foot," the star writes in a a recent Huffington Post column.
There you have it -- Johansson has not lost a bunch of weight. She might be a bit lighter and a tad more toned, but it has nothing to do with over-the-top training or quick-fix diets, despite what tabloid headlines are accusing. Nope, the 24-year-old is simply eating right and working out. "While training for an upcoming film, I've come to this conclusion: chin ups are near impossible and lunges suck," she confesses her rebuttal. "There is no magic wand to wave over oneself to look good in a latex catsuit. Eating healthy and getting fit is about commitment, determination, consistency and the dedication to self-preservation."
Johansson admits that she's pumped up her effort to look a certain way for a certain role (she also says she'll cut back her workouts to 30 minutes per day after filming), but she is appalled that "toilet paper rags" are getting rich by making false claims about her diet and fitness practices. It's reckless and dangerous, she says. "I would be absolutely mortified to discover that some 15-year-old girl in Kansas City read one of these 'articles' and decided she wasn't going to eat for a couple of weeks so she too could 'crash diet' and look like Scarlett Johansson."
Skinny Is In The Eye of the Beholder
The Good, The Fat and The Hungry, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements
If it ain't one thing, it's another. All my life I've heard "you're too fat for this" and "too fat for that." As much as hearing those words hurt, they were right. I was. Having heard them for so long, at some point, I'd become immune. Hearing them didn't hurt quite as much, but the weight of the truth in those words were undeniable. I was morbidly obese with more excess weight than most of my friends weighed. Eventually, I got tired of the comments and all the extra energy it took to carry 400 pounds around, so I finally did something about it.
Thanks in part to gastric bypass surgery in 2006 and meeting my trainer Jake in 2008, I'm not fat anymore. As a matter of fact, I haven't been fat for quite some time. My weight loss has been a consistent downward spiral. Immediately after the bypass, the fat seemed to melt away. The restricted eating was enough to help me get down to a reasonable size but that was not enough for me. When the effortless weight loss stopped around the 220-pound mark, I started running -- scared. Literally! I had not reached my goal, and I was scared to see the scale creep up ever again, so I started power walking, which eventually led to running.
Mischa Barton is Obsessed with Pilates
Mischa Barton is one of those trendy celebs who the tabloids love to watch for any sort of weight gain or loss, with the most recent judgement being that she is absolutely too thin to be healthy. But despite being scary skinny, the star is quick to admit that it's not because she's living on a diet of drugs and alcohol, it's because she's obsessed with exercise -- pilates in particular. "For me, it's all about Pilates recently. I'm obsessed with Pilates. I think it's so fun," she recently admitted. OK, fair enough. Pilates is a great workout -- but from my experiences, it should lead to toned, not bony. Nonetheless, she doesn't want us to worry about her. "I don't do any crash diets," she told "OK" USA, adding "I do more cardio because I work long hours. Jogging, running - stuff like that's really good before you do a film so you have more energy."
Lindsay Lohan Continues to Shrink - What's the Cause?
Late last year, Martha wrote that Lindsay Lohan was looking frighteningly thin, and that many of Lindsay's pals were blaming Samantha Ronson for the severe weight loss. In fact, many media outlets reported that the couple was in a sort of dieting competition, and that Lindsay was going to extreme measures to keep up with Sam's naturally thin frame.With Lindsay looking scarily skinny again, speculation as to why is running rampant, but Lindsay told a reporter from US magazine why she's dropped a few pounds. Basically, she said, it's due to stress and lack of sleep when she travels.
She told him, "I eat. I had my Big Mac yesterday from McDonald's. I eat just as much as I always have." She then admits she that, while she's down a few pounds, she has no idea how much weight she's lost because she's never weighed herself in her life. Ummm, right. One Big Mac does not a healthy diet make -- I don't believe for a second that she's eating well or taking care of herself. Do you?
Miss Piggy - Has the Diva Slimmed Down?
We know that human celebs are somewhat obsessed with slimming down. It's part of the Hollywood scene, they say. Now, it seems the trim-down trend is catching on with Muppet celebs too. The one and only Miss Piggy was spotted on "The View" on Thursday looking, well, less piggish. I guess Muppets are not immune to the pressures of fame and it was only a matter of time before the Diva herself caved and went all skinny on us. Well, she's not exactly skeletal. She's just leaner than she once was.
Sources are not naming the star's secret diet weapon, but Miss Piggy has been caught on video working out. Well, sort of. And "People" magazine has some before and after shots for your viewing pleasure. Tell us what you think -- is the pig less plump or what?
Kate Winslet Sends Her "Tushie" a Valentine
I'm taking a little of my love and sending it to Kate Winslet this Valentine's Day. I mean, here's a woman who isn't afraid to admit that her body isn't perfect, but asks us all to respect the fact that she loves it anyway. She even refused to let Vanity Fair retouch her during a nude shoot last year. Looking for a healthy body image role model? She's it.
She's even giving her backside a little love these days. "I don't know a single woman who doesn't stand up and check the tushie before she walks out the door," she told Nightline on Friday. "I've decided I am going to start loving my backside, really just saying, yes. Because I don't know anyone who does that, you know? And for my daughter [Mia, who is 8], I want to be able to say to her, I love this."
Kate's joined a growing club of celebrity women who are saying no to super skinny bodies and yes to healthy curves. They work out and watch what they eat, but when they look back in the mirror on the way out the door ... they like what they see.
Hottest Celebrity Bodies
By Mary Kearl
Faith Hill
This 41-year-old has a hott mama body, and the world knows it thanks to her flat-belly pose on the cover of the much-drooled-over December 2008 issue of "Shape" Magazine. Not a fan of low-carb diets, Hill's meals consist of Mediterranean cuisine and fresh organic produce. We hear that Pilates, gave the confidence to show off what she's got.
Charley Gallay, Getty Images
Kelly Ripa
This 38-year-old mother of three slid through her 20s without taking exercising seriously. All that has changed now -- her arsenal of fitness moves includes running, squats, leg raises and arm-toning exercises. What keeps her going? Ripa has said vanity is a major motivator.
Jason Kempin, WireImage.com
Carrie Underwood
Grammy-Award winning, "American Idol" country singer Carrie Underwood has definitely been idolized for her musical talents, but her healthy diet deserves praise too. A vegetarian since she was 13, she explained in an interview with "Glamour" that obsessive food journaling and doing cardio helps her maintain a healthy weight. And according to "The Black Book of Hollywood Diet Secrets," Underwood also made a few smart diet swaps -- green tea over soda, and whole grain bread instead of white. She's also banned high-cal cocktails, like margaritas and daiquiris.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Shakira
This beautiful belly dancer doesn't need a gym membership. Shakira's workouts take place on stage, with live audiences to cheer her on to dance harder (and burn more calories -- belly dancing can burn about 300 calories an hour). So it's no wonder this singer/song-writer has such toned legs, a lean middle, that tight butt, and of course, her signature, shapely hips.
Michael Buckner/Getty Images
Rosario Dawson
Rosario Dawson has a message for her fellow skinny-getting-skinnier actresses, she told British "Elle" magazine: "You might look cute in those jeans for one year of your life, but you might take 10 years off your life if you're not careful. It's not healthy." She's admitted that her own photo has been touched up and that camera tricks gave her a full booty on "Rent." But since then, she's done more workouts that include spinning, strength training, and . The result? "My butt is looking better," Dawson has reported.
Evan Agostini/Getty Images
Jennifer Hudson
J-Hud has come a long way. She's lost 60 pounds since her days as a finalist on "American Idol" in 2004. She gained 20 pounds for her Oscar-winning role in "Dream Girls," but has lost the weight and then some. Her secret? Waking up at dawn to run. We love her sensible and determined approach to weight loss: "There's no shortcut -- you have to work for it," Hudson has said.
Bryan Bedder/Getty Images
Sheryl Crow
Grammy winner Sheryl Crow has had many personal detours in the past few years. Yet, she has remained unstoppable. Now in remission from breast cancer, she has adopted a son and released a new album, appropriately titled, "Detours."According to Crow, looking and feeling so fabulous is all about a mix of exercise, eating a balanced diet and taking time to relax and quiet her mind.
Mark Von Holden/WireImage.com
Vanessa Williams
It is possible to have the body of a twenty-something in your forties -- at least it is for Vanessa Williams. This foxy mother of four explained how she does it to "Us Weekly": "When you're in your forties, you have to eat less and you have to move more. The bottom line is, it's work!" She does her "work" with celeb trainer Harley Pasternak, and she also does yoga and dances. No wonder she's the same size she was in college!
Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys recently told "Us Weekly." "I'm into eating well and taking care of myself now." And we've noticed. We love this soulful songstress's toned arms and dancer legs. She's said that running regularly and training with Harley Pasternak (founder of the 5-Factor Diet) has helped her achieve "incredible results." When it comes to food, she limits her butter and salt intake, but still helps herself to mac 'n' cheese.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Helen Mirren
This stunning actress make aging look sexy. Plus, Helen Mirren has said: "The aging process happens and you cannot do the things you used to do. I will fight it off for as long as I can." She credits her shape to her good "constitution" and to getting exercise walking her dogs.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Katie Holmes - Is She Too Thin?
Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment
Yes, the 30-year-old actress has been working hard lately, appearing six nights a week on Broadway and rushing to her husband's side for the Golden Globes. But either this is a really bad angle or it seems she's taken her Scientology detox diet to an extreme -- then again, bad angles usually make you look bigger, not skeletal, right?
Your thoughts?
(via PopEater)
Whitney Port Comes to Aid of Skinny Model
Whitney's former fashion-industry boss Kelly Cutrone thinks so and stirred things up by confronting the model -- like, OMG, a hundred times, with "Are you OK?" and, "You seem a little skinny." Check out the video above as Allie's defenses flare and Whitney and co-star Erin attempt to smooth her ruffled feathers.
So, what do you think? Is Allie too skinny? Is everything OK as long as she feels healthy and happy? And what about the fact that it's a model's job to be thin -- how does this sit with you?
Inauguration Day Workouts, Mickey Rourke and Fitness DVDs - Week in Review - January 19 to January 25
Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Best Life with Bob Greene
If you missed our daily postings this past week, we invite you to take some time to catch up on our prior week's news and gear up for a new week of healthy living information and inspiration.Bringing your workout inside for the winter or too frugal to hit the gym? Liz has an excellent list of 10 DVDs you should be shopping for. And she knows, because she's tried out each one.
Don't kick that coffee habit just yet! Laura has five good reasons to enjoy caffeine (happiness! and sex!) ... as long as you drink it in moderation, of course.
Think you're too busy for that workout today? President Obama worked out on Inauguration Day. If he had time, so do you.
Is skinny in? Maybe, says Fitz ... if you like to hide behind small trees. If not, then maybe you should shoot for healthy and active instead.
Get fit for free, says Martha, and exercise during commercials. Here's one to start with -- the plank.
Oscar nominee Mickey Rourke put on 33 pounds of muscle for his role in The Wrestler. Find out how he transformed his body in seven short months.
The Office's Angela Kinsey compares breastfeeding to running a marathon (when it comes to losing the baby weight, at least), but Jacki's not so sure. What do you think?
Virtual smoothies aren't very nutritious, but Maggie says that The Wonder-Juice Machine game has great smoothie ideas ... and relieves stress at the same time. Who knows, maybe you'll discover a new favorite recipe!
Bob Greene thinks you should skip the bedtime snacks and after quitting them for a whole week, I have to agree. What about you? Could giving up late-night treats help you shave off a couple of pounds?
Holy cow, you guys! You lost 68 pounds last week in our America Takes it Off: Shrink a Size challenge! Only 36 to go, and we know you can do it!
Have a great week, everyone!
5 Reasons You Need to Be Really Skinny
There are five really great reasons to be incredibly skinny. I think you'll agree with these.
- You are a contortionist.
- You're in jail and want to avoid all the effort it takes to create a master escape plan and just slide out through the bars of your cell.
- You want to hide behind small tress.
- You are part of an ice skating team with some dude spinning you around over his head.
- You are starring in a movie in which your character was lost at sea and has been stranded on an island for a long time.
Yep. These are the best reasons I can think of. Skinny or trim (which is the word I prefer) is fine if that's what you naturally are, as long as the term suits you in a healthy way. But "skinny" is not something I would hope people would strive for. Healthy and fit are far more important concerns than "skinny."
