Weight Loss News and Current Events - First ever size 16 girl reaches Miss England final

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=540732&in_page_id=1770

And an article claiming why she's a horrible role model...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=554870&in_page_id=1879

I feel sorry for her. She's really getting hammered by the media.

why on earth would she be a terrible role model??!! She's proves that you don't have to be emaciated to still be seen as beautiful!!!

Being fit and a healthy weight does not make one emaciated. I don't recall there ever being an underweight miss america.

I would be able to see his point, but he is so nasty and the article is so poorly written that it makes me sick.
"One shudders to think of how much she's going to put in in the next few years". Give me a break.

ShannanA, I agree.

sorry, what I mean is... why is she a BAD role model just because she is size 16? I think it's nice to see someone besides those who are fit and at a healthy weight in the competition?

sorry I said 'emaciated'. :(

She is beautiful. She is 5'10" and is shapely, proportionate and looks very healthy in the pictures I have seen.

Being fit and a healthy weight does not make one emaciated. I don't recall there ever being an underweight miss america.

Well, the article is about Miss UK. On that note: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/7274/missenglandgeorgiahorsluh0.gif&imgrefurl=http://ledaro.blogspot.com/2007/10/georgia-horsley-miss-england-miss-world.html&h=100&w=136&sz=592&tbnid=CynfKQkxcKsJ:&tbnh=100&tbnw=136&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmiss%2Buk%2Btoo%2Bthin%2Bpics&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=1&ct=image&cd=2

Well, the article is about Miss UK. On that note: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/7274/missenglandgeorgiahorsluh0.gif&imgrefurl=http://ledaro.blogspot.com/2007/10/georgia-horsley-miss-england-miss-world.html&h=100&w=136&sz=592&tbnid=CynfKQkxcKsJ:&tbnh=100&tbnw=136&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmiss%2Buk%2Btoo%2Bthin%2Bpics&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=1&ct=image&cd=2

Wow, they think she's too thin? I think she looks healthy asnd fantastic

http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/071026/071026_missengland_vlrg_6a.standard.jpg

What's up with the dietician (unnecessarily nasty, IMO) saying the optimum BMI is 20? Yeah, whatever, 26 is classified as "overweight", but there isn't only one healthy weight.

I've seen some very thin beauty pageant contestants. I watched the "I'm on a diet" episode of True Life, and the girl who was in the running for a beauty pageant title, starved herself in order to lose a few pounds. Unhealthy dieting is a part of the industry.

I don't think the size 16 girl is necessarily promoting an unhealthy lifestyle for other teens, and it's unfair to be attacked for it. She's a good role model in the sense of she's accepting of herself the way she is and she's not going to go on a starvation diet in order to be like the rest of the crowd. It would be really awesome if she became healthier by documenting the healthy way to lose weight and get fit. Young girls NEED to be shown the healthy, correct way to lose weight because so many of them have the tendency to go about it in an unhealthy way.

Wow, they think she's too thin? I think she looks healthy asnd fantastic

http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/071026/071026_missengland_vlrg_6a.standard.jpg

Apparently, the judges in the UK have a very narrow, specific definition of what is acceptable for a beauty queen to look like. Sad, all around.

I think she looks healthy and fantastic.
I think that's where I get hung up--she "looks" healthy? I think that is the problem right there. Being thin or a medically accepted "normal" weight does not always equate to healthy. I'm over 300 pounds and have had friends with GREAT looking bodies who were not flexible enough to touch their toes (which I can easily) and didn't have the stamina to complete a 30-minute Tae Bo workout (which I can easily).

Yes, being overweight carries some increased health risks, but it does not automatically make one any less healthy than a thinner person.

Isn't a UK Size 16 equivalent to a US Size 12? If that's the case, she is perfectly average. And as for the "nutritionist's" article, she wrote in her title that this girl is fat and lazy. I think that is irresponsible journalism since this girl, according to her BMI of 26 (according to her stats, I calculated her BMI at 25.3 actually, but whatever), is only slightly overweight, not to mention that she does not know her so I don't understand how she can call her lazy. Also, I don't believe she has consulted this girl's medical chart so I don't think she can call her unhealthy either. You can't always tell what a person's level of health is by looking at them. If that was the case, we'd all be doctors. Furthermore, speculating about her future ballooning weight is just so amateur. Where did they get this writer from? Apparently the bottom of the barrel.

I only skimmed the article, but I think this ignorant woman is using this girl to pen a vicious diatribe against fat people to make a name for herself. I think her column space could be better used to give people tips on how to reach a more desirable weight, or, rather, GOOD HEALTH, than bashing this poor girl. I learned absolutely nothing from this article other than "this girl is fat and lazy and should be ashamed of herself for entering a beauty pageant." Being skeletal skinny, using drugs, eating very little food and drinking lots of alcohol on a regular basis is just as unhealthy as being slightly overweight, in my humble opinion, but I don't see this woman writing a diatribe on the young celebrity role models who do that!

But whatever...I think the best strategy is to ignore the ignorant people who are just jealous or threatened by this girl. Life's too short, you know? Regardless of all this weight talk, she is very beautiful.

So..about that article about how she's not a good role model..Then what is a good role model? Size zero, skinny skinny girls who would give "false" hopes to the teens and get them to have eating disorder? Tsk tsk tsk... I agree with HarpoChico. I think the girl is being a good role model because she's not being depressed about her look, not comparing herself to some skinny thin actresses as most teens do, and trying to stand up for herself. It takes a lot of courage and that's something everyone can learn. =)

Exactly what I was going to point out. A UK size 16 would be a US size 12 and 12st8lb is 176lbs. At 5'10" I'd hardly call her overweight enough as to be a poster child for illnesses like diabetes. I think it's great that she has the confidence to do this. Why can't there be room for all types of beauty/body types?

Exactly what I was going to point out. A UK size 16 would be a US size 12 and 12st8lb is 176lbs. At 5'10" I'd hardly call her overweight enough as to be a poster child for illnesses like diabetes. I think it's great that she has the confidence to do this. Why can't there be room for all types of beauty/body types?

She looks a lot bigger than a size 12. Although you never know, she's very bottom heavyso it's hard to say.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/graphics/2008/04/01/nmodel101a.jpg

a UK 16 is a US 14 from what I remember... I could be wrong though.

I don't care if she's a size US 40--good for her for going out there and being confident. Regardless of size, someone who can teach young girls confidence by example is a role model in my book. Showing that you can accomplish your goals even when the odds are against you is a much more important lesson than what weight or size you "should" be.

I don't know about being a bad role model but I wouldn't say she is a great role model. She is a very pretty woman. I would say probably a size 18 or 20. She holds herself well and looks very confident, these things do not mean healthy.

Just like being to small is not healthy being over weight is not healthy either. I think both ways are dangerous for our young woman. We keep going on and on about the thin models and thin woman on tv and in movies. How they send the wrong signal to our young girls and to woman. How our young woman are trying to starve them selfs to unhealthy weights to look like these woman.

Maybe many of us are so against these woman because we, our selfs, do not look like a stick. Many sure don't seem to think is is bad to show our young girls it is ok to be over weight. I have to say I don't think we want to send the opposite signal either. It is not healthy to be over weight and we don't want to tell an already over weight population of young girls and woman that is is ok to be over weight. It is ok to love our selfs as we are, it is not ok to tell our selfs it is healthy to be over weight.

All of us ( I think ) want to lose weight for more reasons than how we will look. We want to be healthy, we want to be in shape. We know we can avoid or lessen bad things that happen to the body by not having extra weight on us.

I look at it this way. I eat healthy, I exercise. The side effect to this is I lose weight, what a great side effect.

OMG that writer is totaly Nasty! And sorry but to be honest I find the girl totaly gorgeous! No seriously. She seems sweet and actually normal! She is so cute!

She looks a lot bigger than a size 12. Although you never know, she's very bottom heavyso it's hard to say.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/graphics/2008/04/01/nmodel101a.jpg

Oh, to be so "very bottom heavy"! I'd wear a bikini everyday if I looked like that. :cool:

The "role model" argument, based solely on appearance is ridiculous. This implies that we can tell what a person is doing by the way they look, and this isn't always the case. A person can eat healthy and exercise and still carry a little extra weight, just as others will eat garbage, lie on the couch all day and be of average, or even under weight.

Her actions make her a role model (or not), not her curves. The idea that only "perfect" looking people are to be admired, is disgraceful. If such a gorgeous woman (even if she has a bit of extra weight on her) is seen as a "bad role model" this reinforces the stereotype, that if you aren't model thin or model gorgeous, you should confine yourself to a dark corner of your basement with a bag over your head, to avoid nauseating others.

Fear and hatred of fat (especially to the degree that someone who still looks great in a bikini can be called fat) has done more damage to women's health and self esteem than small bits of fat tolerance here and there. I've met no one who has chosen to be fat because they think fat "looks cool." Or because someone they admire is fat.

I don't know about being a bad role model but I wouldn't say she is a great role model. She is a very pretty woman. I would say probably a size 18 or 20. She holds herself well and looks very confident, these things do not mean healthy.

Just like being to small is not healthy being over weight is not healthy either. I think both ways are dangerous for our young woman.
But just because you are a "healthy" weight still doesn't mean you are healthy. This girl, being a size 12, 14, 16, 18, whatever, could still be healthier than thousands of girls who are a "healthy" size 6 or 8. I know lots of women who eat junk food constantly and are still thin--are they a better role model simply because they are thin? Looking at a person's body is no indication of how healthy they actually are.

Well, she may or may not be a "great role model" for health specifically (we don't know her workout and eating habits) but she is certainly a great role model for girls/young women who aren't physically small and who STILL take the initiative to go out and pursue their dreams and who dare to know they are beautiful as they are!

I think it's awesome that a bigger girl made it into the Miss England finals and I believe she IS a role model to other bigger girls in the sense that she shows them that their weight should not hold them back from their dreams and that being overweight does NOT necessarily make them any less beautiful, like SoulBliss said. The media definitely has an obsession with skinny women and it's unfortunate that they are crucifying her, but I don't personally think the media's opinion even matters, considering she STILL made it to the finals in the first place! Booyah, society! Take THAT! :D (And yes, the girl is gorgeous. I think she is a 14-16. She is not even that overweight and carries it very nicely.)

jillybean - I, too, know a lot of people who APPEAR healthy but are VERY out of shape. My girlfriend, despite having a BMI of 19, cannot even run for one minute without huffing and puffing. I have friends who can hardly climb to the top of the stadium stairs without gasping for breath, even though they are either thin or medium and look well. I also have a friend who has beautiful skin, great muscle tone, a body to die for, and a dynamic smile who has hyperthyroid, type 1 diabetes, dysautonomia, and retinopathy -- looks sure are a faulty predictor of one's physical health ;)

She looks a lot bigger than a size 12. Although you never know, she's very bottom heavyso it's hard to say.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/graphics/2008/04/01/nmodel101a.jpg

I don't think you can guess someone's size from a photograph. Angles and lighting can be unflattering or too flattering, as the case may be.

According to this link a UK size 16 is a US 12.

http://www.cntraveller.com/toolkit/clothes_sizes.asp

I think she's a beautiful girl and it's about time the concept of beauty is broadened. There should never be one ideal.

Here's a tv interview of her http://www.glam.com/blogs/gone_hollywood/chloe_marshall_size_16_beauty_queen/?cat=Celebrities

I think she was lovely in the video. I do think the interviewer got her last name wrong though. Oops!

role model, shmole model. my role model is a lady who is well into her sixties and cycles round the town of Cambridge giving lectures on Chaucer. I think she's cooler than any beauty pageant contestant :)

Here's a tv interview of her http://www.glam.com/blogs/gone_hollywood/chloe_marshall_size_16_beauty_queen/?cat=Celebrities
I like that interview--she specifically says she's not promoting obesity. She also mentions she eats healthily (I hope that's true--I have no idea what she eats) and exercises. She also says she's just doing this because it's what she wants to do, not because she's trying to be any kind of icon breaking through barriers or whatever. This makes me like her even more because she seems like just a sweet, normal girl with no agenda.

I think she is drop-dead gorgeous. I only skimmed through the articles and what annoyed me was the following:

<quote>
I hope she doesn't win the Miss England title.

It would send an appalling - and very dangerous - message to other young women that it's OK to be fat.
</quote>

Even though I don't care much about beauty pageants, I hope Chloe DOES win the Miss England title. She may be overweight, but she is still beautiful. I don't know where it is written that only skinny gals qualify as beauty queens. Yeah, it's great is somebody has the body to be sleek and with perfect BMI, but we are not all cast by the same mold. Some of us WILL have bigger boobs, bigger bottoms, bigger thighs or any other body parts, and so what?
The fashion industry with its waif models is portraying a very unrealistic picture of what women should look like and unfortunately, the clothing manufacturers follow right behind. I may lose a lot of weight, but I will never be one of those sleek women because my body simply is not built that way. I could probably maintain it at that level, but at what cost? I want to live my life and to sacrifice in pursuit of some idealized image that my body is not comfortable with.

If that's fat, then I want to be fat too! She looks fabulous.

My girlfriend says her face is too thin for her body and believes the photo has been retouched. She also wonders why they didn't retouch the rest of her ;)

My girlfriend says her face is too thin for her body and believes the photo has been retouched. She also wonders why they didn't retouch the rest of her ;)
That struck me as really mean for some reason, like she looks so horrible she needs to be retouched. I (and many others) would practically kill to look like her and have her body.

I do not believe the photo has been retouched at all. She's winning pageants because she DOES have a beautiful face (among other things), no retouching required.

Her photo might have been retouched, or she just might have a naturally thin head.

I never gain much weight in my face, so I'm usually a "pin head," too. I have a relatively small double chin now (though many women my size have triple chins), but I've always had a head that belonged on a much thinner body. When I was around 250 lbs, and in college I would always get in arguments with my mother over my hair. She wanted me to have a short, low volume hair style because it made my face "look thinner." I agreed that it made my head look small - way too small for my body. With long, full hair at least I seemed more proportional, not like a snow man whose head is melting faster than the body.

Pageants suck, but good for her. She looks terrific. :)

I think that's where I get hung up--she "looks" healthy? I think that is the problem right there. Being thin or a medically accepted "normal" weight does not always equate to healthy. I'm over 300 pounds and have had friends with GREAT looking bodies who were not flexible enough to touch their toes (which I can easily) and didn't have the stamina to complete a 30-minute Tae Bo workout (which I can easily).

Yes, being overweight carries some increased health risks, but it does not automatically make one any less healthy than a thinner person.

I agree completely. She doesn't look underweight but she doesn't look healthy either. I'd need to see her insides before judging on that. Britney Spears "looked healthy" but now admits that she was bulimic.

I feel sorry for her. She's really getting hammered by the media.

Isn't a British 16 the equivalent of a US 12 ?That's not big and she looks great in the photos.

Off topic: I don't think there's anything wrong with being size 16...but that one swimsuit she is wearing is wayyy to small for her.

She must be a US 16,...def. doesn't look like a 12 (my size).

Jillybean720 - i think you hit the nail on the head, I mean look at her stomach which is flat!! I personally didnt look as good as her at 12 stone 8lbs, so I think its really unfair of that article to assume shes lazy because she is slightly overweight. The article is not only being cruel to this young girl but also to the majority of the British population who are a size 16.
I have actually printed off her picture as a source of motivation for me to aspire to, I personally am aiming for a size 14 eventually. I admire that girl for posing in a unflattering bikini and standing up for the average woman.

My take on this:
The second article was a bit mean... however it does have a point. Going past the rubbish that she's a horrible role model blah blah blah.. it does send a message to people that it is acceptable to be overweight.
Everyone here knows the health risks involved with obesity. And yes there are skinny people who are less healthy than 300lb people. However, its still not healthy.
We all are here to lose weight because we know that it isn't healthy. What message is this sending out to people: It's "ok" to be overweight.... If I thought it was "ok" to be overweight, I would not be on this forum and I would not be exercising and eating healthy.
The article was wrong for accusing her of being lazy, she may workout everyday, who knows? The article is wrong for beating her up like that!
I give her a lot of credit for standing up and taking a picture of herself in a bikini and showing it to the whole world, I don't, and probably never will, have that confidence. So, I give her credit. She is only 17 years old.... that really is setting her up for a lot of heartache and heart problems at an early age.
The best role model is not a size 0 and its not a size 16 either (if we're just basing a role model off of weight and clothing size).. It is someone who is inbetween all of that...
Again, this is my take on all of this. It is simply my opinion. I don't agree with the article writers beating her up, but I do agree with a point or 2..

I absolutely agree that a good diet and exercise are a good idea, no matter what size you are- in fact, that's my biggest beef with the fat acceptance movement- some people interpret that as self-loathing, which it certainly isn't- just the opposite.

Still, these articles really do upset me. My nutritionist is great, but a good number of nutritionists have this knee-jerk reaction to obesity which I find very disturbing. Some people really don't have the potential to be at the "ideal" weight for their height through normal diet and exercise. I'm reminded of an interview I saw with the founder of a fat acceptance organization who said that to maintain a healthy BMI she had had to eat 800 calories a day and exercise for two hours a day. The nutritionist ignored her, and kept ranting about how you might not notice the cream in your coffee. You know, that woman may be fat, but she is certainly not that stupid, and she looked great at 180 pounds and 5' 3". Nutritionists, and people in general, seem to have this idea that because they can lose weight by mildly reducing their caloric intake that anyone who doesn't lose weight the same way is doing it wrong, which is just so clearly not true.

I'm not bashing thin and medium sized people. They have a kind of genuine beauty. I just wish that society would acknowledge that there are other kinds. I absolutely am not a proponent of laziness and overeating- I eat 1200 calories a day or less and at the moment I'm exercising hard about 3 hours a day (conditioning for a specific purpose- usually it's more like 1 hour) and doing enough strength training that I'm constantly sore. And you know what? I'm in pretty good shape, but I'm not thin. I'm losing weight, because at the moment I'm able to maintain a calorie deficit with eating and exercising like this, but I'm not thin. And furthermore, I never WAS. Not at the age of FIVE was I at a "healthy" weight. I was the adorable sort of chubby, and I was able to do everything that kids do just fine, but I was still overweight. Some people are just built differently, and it's not right to automatically exclude them from the possibility of beauty.

And furthermore, even if someone is eating too much, so what? Do you see articles about how smoking, or consuming excessive amounts of carcinogenic fake sugars makes models bad role models? Even for people who are fat, and got there because of bad choices, I hate the idea that the best way to make them change is to make their lives a living **** until they eventually do whatever it takes to not feel constantly ashamed and judged by every single person they meet.

I'm all for this girl, and she really is beautiful. Good for her.

I don't like the article because what the writer is saying to the world is every one who is "not thin" is fat, lazy and a poster child for ill health... I'd like to see what the writer looks like... could she be jealous or prejudice hmmmmm.

I think that girl is BEAUTIFUL!!! I'd love to have her figure and face. Good for her !!!!

.

I have to agree that it's completely absurd to judge someone's health habits based on their appearance (to a degree, I suppose -- because if you weigh 600 pounds, I can probably guess that you're not a hardcore exerciser at the current moment). If this girl weighs 176 at 5'10", she's hardly promoting "obesity" since she's nowhere near obese. Last year I ran a half marathon at 5'9" and around 175 pounds, and I was the healthiest I've ever been. I was running at least 35 miles a week in training (and I'm not exactly young either). I looked better than I ever have, but if you put me in a swimsuit, many people would never have guessed that I was a runner or that I exercised at all. I'll never wear a swimsuit in public in my life because of the damage I've done to my body, but that doesn't mean I'm not healthy. If I can outrun the thin teenage girls on my cross country team, then appearance means very little.

I'm not a fan of the beauty pageant in general, but I think this young woman represents a positive trend in pageants and I would love to believe she won't be the last one.

I think the girl has guts for entering a beauty contest to begin with. When I was around her age and her size, I used to get pamphlets/admission forms in the mail for beauty pageants held by the state. Never in a million years would I have considered signing up! I would think to myself, "I'm too fat to win a beauty contest. How humiliating it would be to stand next to all the pretty thin girls." I'm glad someone of her size has made it into the pageant, showing that beauty can be found in all sizes. As far as her being healthy or unhealthy - who can honestly say besides her family doctor? But one thing is for sure, she's very beautiful.

I am sorry....but that girl or her publicity people are lying about her weight. She is not 176 lbs...I am 5 ft 9 and 175 lbs and I am not NEARLY as big as she is. I also know other people of my height/frame size who weigh around the same and none of us are that big, she is no positive role model. Shes either lying about her weight, or lying about the fact that she "eats healthily and exercises", because her body fat percentage is OBVIOUSLY very high from the look of her. I have nothing against the girl, shes just not telling the truth somewhere. Why cant somebody who is a normal size (8-12/14) be hailed as a positive role model, or weight example in the media, why is it ALWAYS size 0's or size 16's+??? L xxxxxxxx

Lola123, first of all, it's difficult to tell the size of how big person can be just from the height and weight. Also, TV and pictures can make people look bigger too. And how can you tell the BFP from just looking at her? When people look at me, they can never guess my weight, they all think I'm around 170ish or 180 at the most. That's even when I weighed over 200 lbs. And my body fat percentage was 45% at 208lbs. So my body fat percentage was OBVIOUSLY very high, although people could never guess my weight from the look of me... that's including my BF who's seen my body without clothes.

I am sorry but that girl in the first page posts is disgusting thin.. I think women should have BREASTS and CURVES.. thus being said that size 16 girl they are bashing is so much prettier and better looking.
And why is she a bad role model.. she is teaching girls that beauty comes in all different shapes and sizes and lets face it some people will NEVER be a size zero.. no matter how much they starve themselves. When the average american woman is a size 12 (I think ) Why should we idolize a size that we may never be.. and then make ourselves miserable about it.

I am sorry....but that girl or her publicity people are lying about her weight. She is not 176 lbs...I am 5 ft 9 and 175 lbs and I am not NEARLY as big as she is. I also know other people of my height/frame size who weigh around the same and none of us are that big, she is no positive role model. Shes either lying about her weight, or lying about the fact that she "eats healthily and exercises", because her body fat percentage is OBVIOUSLY very high from the look of her. I have nothing against the girl, shes just not telling the truth somewhere. Why cant somebody who is a normal size (8-12/14) be hailed as a positive role model, or weight example in the media, why is it ALWAYS size 0's or size 16's+??? L xxxxxxxx

I looked like her at 176, and I am 5 foot 9 and 1/2 inches. Also, my doctor thought I was large boned as a kid, until I lost the weight. Come to find out, I was small boned- something that one would never would have thought of myself to be if they had looked at me at 176 pounds.

I personally found the reviewer's article horrid, saying that Chloe is sending a bad message. On the contrary, I think that modern media as a whole send a bad message to the public - the message that if you aren't rail thin, you are not beautiful. And I'm sorry, but that's just not true. Many reviews on the modeling world have stated that bone skinny models contribute to the eating disorder world; girls see hip bones and unshapely thighs, look in the mirror at their every curve, and think "I'm fat" when they really aren't. It feeds a very unhealthy body image of our impressionable youth. I am not condoning being overweight, as it does bring on a wealth of health issues, but hey - I'm sorry but I hope the girl wins, and I hope the media snatches her up and shows her off to the world. And I hope she sets a precedent to all girls everywhere and resets the stage for what defines "true beauty". Perhaps then there will be hope for all of the insecure people out there struggling with such diseases and issues, and show them bones are not beautiful. JMTC.

The entire article is unnecessarily nasty, no matter what side of the aisle you're on, but honestly the part that really made me guffaw was this comment under the photo of her in the bikini: "Bad role model: Chloe's latest photo shoot shows us that it's now not only acceptable but even fashionable to be overweight."

Uh, no. That comment is blatantly false. As someone who has dealt with being overweight for the past six years, I can say with all certainty that it has NEVER been 'fashionable' to be overweight, and MANY people have reminded me of that. Often quite rudely. And I really doubt that it will ever be fashionable to be overweight. The author of that article is insane if she thinks this girl is going to inspire young women to drop whatever healthy habits they have and go binge on donuts. What she will do is inspire women her size to love themselves, no matter what, and to have a healthy self esteem no matter what size they are. The contestant isn't parading around suggesting that girls deliberately gain weight, is she?

I was actually reading the second article with the screen centered over the bikini picture when my boyfriend walked by and saw the picture on the screen - he said, "Wow, what a lard a**!" I now feel horrible, since I am a size 16 in UK sizing...

If she is around 175 lbs, then she is not more than a couple pounds overweight for her height. Literally a couple of pounds. I too actually thought she looked bigger, but these things are not easy to tell.

Incidentally, I am pretty sure a size 16 UK is a size 18 in the U.S.

I'm not positive; I am just remembering my own shopping experiences there ... I am American and years ago I moved to the UK for 5 months when I was a size 12, and kept buying 12's there. Lived in a hostel, drank a lot, etc -- anyway, came to find out I had gained weight, wondered why I hadn't changed sizes, and was told by various sources at the time (other people, reading) that I had actually gone up to a U.S. size 14. I lost weight to fit into my 12s from back home. Actually I lost even more at the time ('wake up call' while still within normal range circa late college).

Anyway, the girl is lovely looking and this stuff doesn't mean she is less healthy than if she were in her normal weight range. How many contestants have been 5 pounds underweight, for example? Many more, I'm guessing.

I have read -- and whether true or not, I can't claim to know personally -- that a majority of actresses on television are medically underweight as opposed to in the normal weight range.

I was actually reading the second article with the screen centered over the bikini picture when my boyfriend walked by and saw the picture on the screen - he said, "Wow, what a lard a**!" I now feel horrible, since I am a size 16 in UK sizing...

Perhaps you should have a talk with him about not saying everything out loud that comes into his head.

My thoughts are this, it's a BEAUTY contest, not a health contest. The other contestants don't get analyzed for how "healthy" they are so there is no reason to discuss it with this girl either. Secondly, she's a 17 year old girl and I don't think it was appropriate to write about her so harshly. Whoever wrote the article must have a stick up her butt. She should get that looked at.

Oh and, it doesn't do any good to compare yourself with her and decide she is lying about her size. Our perceptions of ourselves are often skewed and every body is different.

This is less about weight than it is about role models. The point that I got from the article is that there is an individual who WILL serve as a role model in an arena where physical shape, poise, and beauty are "measured". In the author's opinion, she does not epitomize a healthy role model because her body weight is not in a healthy range. I think if her BMI WAS in the healthy zone, then the author would be nit-picking.
And those who win these contests are indeed serving as role models (witness the Carrie Prejean issue with respect to Ms USA). It would be different if this was a "self esteem" pagent, but sadly it isn't. It is a beauty contest, where more than facial beauty counts.
Gotta admire her guts, though!
Kira

I think that's where I get hung up--she "looks" healthy? I think that is the problem right there. Being thin or a medically accepted "normal" weight does not always equate to healthy. Im over 300 pounds and have had friends with GREAT looking bodies who were not flexible enough to touch their toes (which I can easily) and didn't have the stamina to complete a 30-minute Tae Bo workout (which I can easily).

Yes, being overweight carries some increased health risks, but it does not automatically make one any less healthy than a thinner person.


Exactly and very well said!!

She looks heavier than that to me too but it could be the angle of the photography being posted.

I think she looks to be a us size 12. And size and weight dont always go together. My former co worker weighed about 30 lbs less than me, and I was always about 3 sizes smaller than her - and we're the same height. And I wore a size 16 from 180 up to 220 lbs.

And I think she's beautiful, and I would KILL to look like her.

I do think that bathing suit she is wearing isnt flattering to her shape. I think she could easily pull off a 2 piece, but something that fits her. The top doesnt look like its her size.

And I have to agree - weight/clothing size does not determine health. Even at my highest of 290ish, I've never been medically unhealthy. And even now at 240ish, I'm probably more 'fit' than some of the thinner people I know.

I'll never understand why people seem to think they can tell a persons size/weight by what their face looks like. Some people don't carry their weight in their face.

Want to guess how much I weigh in these pictures?

http://i42.tinypic.com/5tk50.jpg


I was somewhere between 290 and 300 lbs. I don't think my face looks like I weighed that much. Yes I know I have the 'fat girl' angle going in 2 of them, but still - no one would guess I weighed 290 something. Its all in the angles, the lighting and the person. And lol, I take pictures of myself on days when I feel pretty - which doesnt happen often - they help me when I'm having a bad low self esteem day.

I would have guessed from the girl's photos that she was in the 190's, since she's about my height and I'm used to seeing those thighs in the bathroom mirror. :) She's more of an apple shape than I am, though, so I guess 176 is possible.

I dunno. I've never been a big fan of the "fat acceptance" movement. I'm all for helping people's self-esteem, I think that's great, but obesity is the #1 killer in the US. It seems to me that instead of just pretending that being overweight/obese is acceptable, we could instead be focusing more on healthy lifestyles as "normal" and "acceptable". I mean, we glorify the idea of eating cheese puffs on the couch while watching professional sports on TV, why don't we instead make it easy and normal and fun for ALL adults to go out and participate in sports with their free time? Can you imagine how healthy everyone would be if we played soccer or volleyball or flag football with all the time we spend watching TV right now? Or if we forced food manufacturers and advertisers to sell and promote food that's actually good for us, instead of "Fourth Meal", "Double Meat Beast Whopper", and "100 Calorie Snack Packs"?

I feel like, when it comes to healthy eating and activity, we as a society are quick to throw up our hands and say, "we're too busy, it's too hard, I'm too tired at the end of the day"... it's easier to just say, well, getting healthy is too difficult, so let's just all agree to be unhealthy together!

I would have guessed from the girl's photos that she was in the 190's, since she's about my height and I'm used to seeing those thighs in the bathroom mirror. :) She's more of an apple shape than I am, though, so I guess 176 is possible.

I dunno. I've never been a big fan of the "fat acceptance" movement. I'm all for helping people's self-esteem, I think that's great, but obesity is the #1 killer in the US. It seems to me that instead of just pretending that being overweight/obese is acceptable, we could instead be focusing more on healthy lifestyles as "normal" and "acceptable". I mean, we glorify the idea of eating cheese puffs on the couch while watching professional sports on TV, why don't we instead make it easy and normal and fun for ALL adults to go out and participate in sports with their free time? Can you imagine how healthy everyone would be if we played soccer or volleyball or flag football with all the time we spend watching TV right now? Or if we forced food manufacturers and advertisers to sell and promote food that's actually good for us, instead of "Fourth Meal", "Double Meat Beast Whopper", and "100 Calorie Snack Packs"?

I feel like, when it comes to healthy eating and activity, we as a society are quick to throw up our hands and say, "we're too busy, it's too hard, I'm too tired at the end of the day"... it's easier to just say, well, getting healthy is too difficult, so let's just all agree to be unhealthy together!

Forcing private businesses to feed us healthy food...hello Big Brother!

Ha! This a good thread! I bet she could pass for a US 12. Some people show their weight more than others. UK sizes are diff and they definitely have a catty tabloid industry over there too! I think ours are just rude and mean but the UK's tabloids are just nasty! lol, but I still read them! did u see how Perez bashed Nia Vardalos for her recent weight lose: http://perezhilton.com/2009-05-04-whatsherface-dropped-some-pounds ? I would think HE would be nicer especially after his own recent public weightloss! Just goes to show ya when ur in the spotlight people will be nasty to you no matter what size you are, but they pick on fat girls more and the ones that truly are emaciated. He always picks on Donatella Versace's anorexic daughter too.

Forcing private businesses to feed us healthy food...hello Big Brother!

I know! Almost as crazy as forcing private banks and insurance companies not to bankrupt our economy! :D

Or if we forced food manufacturers and advertisers to sell and promote food that's actually good for us, instead of "Fourth Meal", "Double Meat Beast Whopper", and "100 Calorie Snack Packs"?

While I absolutely agree with the majority of the post, the quote above drives me NUTS! There are plenty of healthy food options out there at your local grocery store. It makes NO DIFFERENCE if there is crap for sale out there. You DON'T HAVE TO BUY IT. And you DON'T HAVE TO EAT IT. After all, I don't buy EVERYTHING that is advertised on TV. So I CHOOSE NOT to buy the crap that is out there and put it in my body.
I buy fresh fruit, veggies, whole grains, skim milk and yogourts, nuts, seeds, and protein at the grocery store. There IS more out there.

We all need to stop blaming sugar, crap food manufacturers, and the government for our weight issues. We need to recognize that while INTERESTING to understand WHY one is fat, at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter. IF one mans up and accepts the basic fact that "I am fat because I eat too much and don't move enough" REGARDLESS of the reason why, and chooses to act on it, one will be successful. And if one CHOOSES NOT, don't blame anyone but yourself. And if you are happy the way you are, then "more power to you" because it really isn't anyone elses' concern. Just don't lay the blame externally, because one will circle around, and around, and AROUND without having a hope in HECK of resolving the situation...

-ok, rant over-:D
Kira

I know! Almost as crazy as forcing private banks and insurance companies not to bankrupt our economy! :D

LOL I'm not even sure how to respond to this. That statement seems to imply that private banks and insurance companies were solely responsible for the recession, which isn't true.

Or if we forced food manufacturers and advertisers to sell and promote food that's actually good for us, instead of "Fourth Meal", "Double Meat Beast Whopper", and "100 Calorie Snack Packs"?

While I absolutely agree with the majority of the post, the quote above drives me NUTS! There are plenty of healthy food options out there at your local grocery store. It makes NO DIFFERENCE if there is crap for sale out there. You DON'T HAVE TO BUY IT. And you DON'T HAVE TO EAT IT. After all, I don't buy EVERYTHING that is advertised on TV. So I CHOOSE NOT to buy the crap that is out there and put it in my body.
I buy fresh fruit, veggies, whole grains, skim milk and yogourts, nuts, seeds, and protein at the grocery store. There IS more out there.

We all need to stop blaming sugar, crap food manufacturers, and the government for our weight issues. We need to recognize that while INTERESTING to understand WHY one is fat, at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter. IF one mans up and accepts the basic fact that "I am fat because I eat too much and don't move enough" REGARDLESS of the reason why, and chooses to act on it, one will be successful. And if one CHOOSES NOT, don't blame anyone but yourself. And if you are happy the way you are, then "more power to you" because it really isn't anyone elses' concern. Just don't lay the blame externally, because one will circle around, and around, and AROUND without having a hope in HECK of resolving the situation...

-ok, rant over-:D
Kira

Yes, thank you. I'm so sick of this blame game. You're overweight? You deal with it! More and more people are happy with relieving themselves of the responsibility of taking care of...themselves!

If enough people get on the bandwagon and decide to live healthier, then naturally the junk food companies will go out of business.

Dude, my elementary school had a "vending machine room"!! I was using my allowance money to buy Mountain Dew and Cheetos AT SCHOOL when I was 9!! Aaaagh! This system is sick! Personal responsibility, yes, but we are being systematically brainwashed and poisoned by the likes of FritoLayPepsiCo and McDonalds. Fourth Meal! Ugh! The government is supposed to protect us. Smoking has warnings, heroin is illegal, we have to wear seatbelts... but 90% of what's marketed and sold as "food" in the US is toxic crap, and everyone thinks that's just great.

So tired of dissecting womens' bodies. So tired of it.

I would not be happy with her body. But nobody knows anything about her habits, no more than one can assume Kate Moss is anorexic.

I am all for personal responsibility. However, our national stats for obesity and the number of people it effects is beyond epidemic proportions now. I am not sure what the answer is. Obesity costs us billions of dollars annually not to mention the obesity related deaths. I would go so far as to say that obesity is often life altering. I like having choices--after all that is what the U.S. is known for but I think I would like to see more incentives put into place for corporations to market healthier offerings. Maybe our fit President Obama will place luxury taxes on dingdongs and cheese stuffed crust pizza.

I'd be all for making it illegal to market and sell junk food, fast food, and soda directly to children, the same way you can't push cigarettes on kids now. Let's at least give our kids a fighting chance to make their own good choices before the advertising machines get a piece of them. And for pete's sake, get the vending machines and "snack bars" OUT of our schools!

It is not the job of the US government to protect us from ourselves. It is not the job of the US government to assume personal responsibility over our own individual health.

But how do you draw that line? The government sets a speed limit to control speed related accidents. How is it any different?

Goodness what is wrong with people I think she's beautiful and I agree- what's up with the article saying her BMI should be 20 when anything under a 25 is labeled as "healthy."

People are so wack, all I see is a young, vibrant, and beautiful woman.

Who says she's going to get fatter as she gets older either? Seriously that's just RIDICULOUS.

It is not the job of the US government to protect us from ourselves. It is not the job of the US government to assume personal responsibility over our own individual health.


I disagree when it comes to children. I agree with the poster who said that we need to give kids "a fighting chance". I think that laws regarding healthy eating (say, banning vending machines from schools, etc.) and children should be strengthened and established. While it definitely IS our personal responsibility to take care of our health, children are innocent and cannot make these decisions, and where they can be helped, they ought to be helped. For example, banning trans fats and corn syrups from food marketed towards children would be a good start.

First of all, parents, teachers, spiritual leaders, counselors, etc. are role models....16 year old beauty pageant contestents are young people who are still evolving and pursuing scholarships and opportunities. Who has the right to judge. I'd like to see a picture of the genius who called her a bad role model....we should bring out the calipers and the writer.