The Skinny

     So here's the deal.  As women, many of us are conditioned to think that we aren't ever thin enough.  We look in the mirror and we don't see what everyone else sees.  When we were little, maybe our mothers  told us "you don't really need that extra cookie", or "do you really need that?"  Everywhere we go, we are bombarded by the sights of weight loss plans, television commercials and workout videos.  We can watch Celebrity Fit Club and The Biggest Loser, and feel comforted that we are not alone. "See-look, she got fat too!  It isn't just me!!"

     But now we have a different issue.  What about those celebrities who have their babies and are then thin again in 2 or 3 weeks.  What's up with them?  Are they really human?  Look at Giselle, and Gwenyth and Victoria Beckahm.  It seems that one day they are pregnant, and the next day, boom, they are back to a size 2.  Are they starving themselves?  Are they trying to eat healthy?  Are they obsessing over their weight and going to the gym for 5 hours a day?  Maybe.

     Last week, on the Today show, Dr. Nancy Snyderman went off on a different type of momma drama.  The "Mommyrexic"  These are women who are so afraid to gain the weight during their pregnancy, that they actually diet while pregnant.  Is that sick or what?  Now, the controversy has arisen, as Dr. Snyderman sort of "went off" a little during the segment, and called it  "an Upper East Side, white girl issue."

     Now, I don't really know how I feel about that.  (Disclaimer-I don't live on the Upper East Side.)  I do see these women, who teeter around on their high heels, with their little bump and are oh so very proud when they say "Yes, I'm 8 months and I only gained 10 pounds!"  I know that there are doctors who will "help" these women not to gain too much weight while pregnant.  But there are also women who are dangerously obese and do not try to get to a healthy weight.  The truth of the matter is we send mixed messages to women.  We tell them it is ok to "accept your body" and "show your curves".  But then we are bombarded by magazines that do countdown to bikini season and give more ab exercises than there are grains of sand on the beach.

     Anorexia is a very serious issue among the young girls of today.  It is a killer for some.  My children know a girl in their school who is in 10th grade and is in rehab a second time for anorexia.  It is very, very sad to see girls judge their self worth by how skinny they are.  But I don't think the problem is only what Dr. Snyderman says.  It isn't just an Upper East Side white girl issue.  It is a psychological issue regarding control over one's own body  Statistics are changing.  This article shows that eating disorders aren't just a "rich white girl thing" anymore.  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/eating-disorders-minorities.html.  It is a problem that we as parents must be vigilant about.

     How do you all talk to your daughters about food and weight and body image?

     I am including a link to the Today show segment, below.
http://youtu.be/oVrXPfBgxL0