[bonnnie]

I was at a party this weekend and I saw a semi-friend there. I only know her through other people. Anyway, she is 32, always had a great curvy, slender figure. I noticed last night that she was terribly thin - I mean, cheeks were sunken in, no butt anymore, no thighs - celebrity thin.

I don't like to ask people about their diets or talk about how they look - but, I said "You look so different." I was shocked.

She volunteered the following information: all she did was exercise more and she stopped eating chocolate. Okay- celebrity thin, and all it took was breaking your choco addiction? Also, I am an avid jogger, I burn massive calories - but it would never result in my becoming celebrity thin (nor would I want it to).

Also, I've attended several parties with her there in the past - at this party she was smoking every other half hour. She never smoked in the past.

I feel like this is how bad, unrealistic weight loss advice gets passed around in our culture - people that actually lose weight usually aren't entirely honest about how they did it. The information they offer is very selective and pretty. It is quite obvious that this girl stopped eating a LOT more than just chocolate and has taken up smoking.

This probably should be another thread, but there is another girl in this friend group that also is now skin and bones. She stopped eating, quite literally, after a stressful event. She started smoking much more. It really seems like her weight loss (she was the first to become skin and bones) has set all the other girls off.... well, at least one.

Maybe I would expect this behavior with teenagers - but, this group is between 30 - 35.

And what is really terrible, particularly of me, is that I am looking forward to them gaining the weight back once this fad is over! Please keep in mind, they both had a normal weight before. They are both reveling in their celebrity thinness - but they didn't do it the right way. Okay - that is spiteful of me.

[JayEll]

These are people with eating disorders. They could be risking early death. It's not just a matter of doing it "the wrong way" and risking being "struck fat" when they stop this "fad."

You are being honest about your reaction. I'm sure you're not proud of feeling that way, though.

The most important thing any of us can do is focus on our own eating habits and exercise. What others do is really of no concern, although we can't help noticing. Wish them well, hope that they get better, and move on...

Jay

[krampus]

Are they really *that* thin, as in terminally underweight? I'd learn a little more before assuming the worst. Sometimes a "healthy" BMI can look skinny but it doesn't necessarily mean the person is sick or has an eating disorder.

Smoking is a pretty lame way to diet though, when they decide to quit they're gonna have **** to pay with sugar cravings...

[bonnnie]

I don't really think they have extreme eating orders per se - I think they just wanted to lose weight fast... and yes, smoking is a lame way to do that. But, I don't know them that well.... so it could be more serious than what I see. It is the sort of weight loss you do before your highschool prom or wedding.... I would say both are at the lowest end of a normal BMI, but there aren't any crazy ribs poking out. They are celebthin.

My point is - if you asked either of them for advice, both would lie and just say: Oh, I'm doing more exercise and I stopped eating chocolate OR I started exercising and I don't snack constantly between meals.

It is like, there is this socially acceptable thing to say.... one time I read an interview with Kate Hudson, and to get down to her skinny weight, she said simply had to stop drinking tequila on the weekends. In reality, she probably stopped eating carbs, works out 2 hours a day, and stopped drinking tequila on the weekends.

It is as if 'effortless' weight loss is hip.