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Plus-Size Model Crystal Renn Talks Weight Issues

HERE'S A GREAT ARTICLE ABOUT CRYSTAL RENN 'PLUS-SIZE' MODEL (I MEAN REALLY, A SIZE 12 IS NOT PLUS-SIZE, BUT WHATEVER).   WHAT DO YOU THINK???

Model Crystal Renn: From size 0 to 12

By Charlotte Triggs, PEOPLE.com

February 25, 2010 7:13 p.m. EST

Crystal Renn, who spent years suffering from an eating disorder, is speaking out.

(PEOPLE.com) -- She suffered from a crippling eating disorder to maintain the size 0 frame she needed to work in the fashion industry, but eventually found greater fame as a size 12 model. Now Crystal Renn is speaking out about the changes she thinks the fashion industry should make.

"We, as a culture, are fixated, and perhaps even in an unhealthy way, with dress size and the scale size," Renn said in a new interview with ABC's 20/20, during which she debated the question, "Is it OK to be fat?"

The model, who has also been an advocate for a wider array of sample sizes (most runway samples are a size 0 or 2), also says she's faced discrimination due to her weight.

"Fat people are absolutely discriminated against. I know this because of the type of modeling I do. ... If it wasn't, then I'd be all over the runways, every single runway, like everyone else," she said.

Instead, she's had to make her mark in a specialized market -- on her own terms. "It's about the healthy eating habits that you have, and wherever your body falls," said Renn. "Whether that is actually a 4 or an 18, [doesn't matter]."

"Having had an eating disorder,I was obsessed with numbers and percentages -- how many minutes have I been on the treadmill, how many calories have I consumed today?" said Renn. "When you start obsessing about numbers you get nowhere. It really is about, you know, finding balance and moderation within yourself and are you healthy."

For original article go to PEOPLE.com

When a Plus is Really a Minus

I didn't have the guts to take a close- up of this woman. Mind you, I am not making fun of her... It's just that she had on a $5000+ outfit and it looked AWFUL on her... This outfit is made for a size 2 who is lanky with no curves, the fact she could by it is beside the point. The point is: when you have the assets to buy whatever you want (and folks this lady took it to a new level with the awkward, flouncy multiple hemlines of the dress and the coat) you should dress the body you have- find what works best for it. You shop for style first, and then the outfit. Prada didn't do this woman any favors, instead of looking chic (pronounced sheek) she looks more EEK!

Black & Blue Challenge--It's On!

So, recently I discovered I fit into a pair of black pants I had purchased some 18 months ago & had never fit.  Now I'm wearing them (however snug they still are) and reminding myself of the small changes I'm making.

Yesterday, I grabbed these jeans (thus the 'blue') out of my closet that my mom bought me for Christmas last year.  A little history:  When I tried them on last year I couldn't even get them over my butt.  She said, I got them cheap, don't return them, it won't be worth it.  So I held onto them.  

Fast forward to this week:  my favorite jeans (okay, really my only jeans) now have a small hole in the butt and the thigh and I'm starting to panic.  I'm not buying a pair of jeans right now, I'm just not.  So, grabbed the jeans out of the closet that my mom had got me, but were light years away from fitting.  Got them up!  Yay.  Buttoning them would prove much more of a challenge.  However, the good news is that I'm close, I'm very close.  I could see myself being in the jeans within the next 3 weeks perhaps! 

So what does that mean?

It means my black & blue challenge to myself is on!  I will be wearing those jeans in 3 weeks and these black pants that I'm wearing right now won't look like they are straight out of a 'paint the pants on the girl' store.

I may even snap a picture of myself in the pants/jeans.  [By the way, that's not me in the picture, it's a stock photo from the internet, not that there's anything wrong with the picture or the woman, just clarifying!]

Anyone else have a black & blue challenge they are up for?

MANHATTAN'S DIRTY little SECRET

I've lost a lot of weight.  We're talking size 24/26 to a size 14!  At 5'10" after having 2 babies in 14 months (did I mention both were emergency c-sections) that's not too shabby.  So here I am 6 months post-partum and celebrating that I no longer am a slave to whatever Lane Bryant constitutes as "high fashion". 

I've saved some money and am ready to splurge on something fabulous.  I'm walking, head held high, full of confidence into a chic shop in Manhattan's Time Warner Center.  I check out some cute tops, casually look at prices, find a couple things I would love to try on.  PROBLEM.  I can't seem to find any XL.  Ok, let's switch gears, how about size 14.  Um, no.  Ok, let's expand the search--nadda.  Nothing in the store is over a size 10--a size TEN!  What?! 

Okay, maybe it's a fluke, I try another store, then another, I even go to J Crew--they carry size 12--wow!  But not 14, boo.  One last store, same thing...I look around and approach the size-2 19-year-old saleswoman who's been making eyes with my 2 babies in their funky double-stroller (It's called a Phil & Ted's E-3 sport double).  I sheepishly ask, and ever-so-sweetly, with batting eye lashes, she gives me the closed-lip, head to one side feigned smile..."oh no, none of our Manhattan stores carry a size 14" and then says "bye-bye" to my girls and turns on a cheap heal after dropping Manhattan's Dirty little Secret ever so sweetly on me. 

So--I ask, when did a size 14 get ostracized from misses fashion & what are your thoughts?

WANTED: MICHELLE OBAMA ARMS

It seems the newest craze is women wanting to have arms like Michelle Obama.  And why not...have you checked out those gun?!  She rocks the sleveless dress!  So...what excuse do the rest of us have?  Here's a 44 year old, with 2 kids & tons of responsibilities as the First Lady.  Time to beef up the bi-cep/ tri-cep routine!

Check out this CNN link for more information, ideas and motivation!   

IN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT PAIR OF WORKOUT UNDIES--I'm so OVER the UNDERwear!

Does anyone else out this have this problem? I can't seem to find decent panties to workout in. Have you seen all those "Hanes Her Way" ads where the dancers turn, squat, dance, etc. and the undies stay in place? Um, that's great for the 10% of people whose bodies actually look like that. For th rest of us, with a problem area or four, we need something more!

Let's take a roadtrip down memory lane of the undies that have been rejected after a rigorous interview process (and don't worry mom--no pics, at least not this time!):

The hipster--while this was my first instinct when looking for panties, afterall they work under a low rise pant and yet are supportive in the hindquarters; once I really got moving with cardio and what not, inevitable the undies rolled down under my belly bulge--this was not only uncomfortable but horribly unsightly and completely distracting while trying to play tennis with hubby (imagine Jennifer Love Hewitt and her bra-strap commercial, only I don't look anything like her and it was my bra...but anyway).

The bikini--same belly issue

The boyshort--better in the belly, but my ass jiggles. Not that I'm a bowl full of jelly anymore, but when I realize there are people on the row behind me I start to get nervous on the treadmill and then I lose my mental acuity and the workout starts going downhill.

The high cut brief--These are okay, I must admit I have a few pairs left over from my "big girl" days, but with the lower rise pants (not "low-rise", but lower rise) there's nothing more unsightly than "grannie panties" sticking out over the waistband.

Hubby's/ boyfriend's Undies--Okay, I must admit this is one thing I have never tired, nor would I--YUCK! I believe men are not the best with personal hygiene.....but it does piss me off that guys have pages and pages of "workout underwear" in the catalogs and only 2 or 3 manufacturers make anything resembling "workout underwear". I have heard some ladies say they really like a tight pair of men's bike shorts as their foundation (see below).

The thong--There are exactly 7 people in the world who can do intense cardio and wear a thong and have no jiggle. No, you are not one of them. I never will be one of them, even if I was underweight (yes, I know several of you snickered at the thought of me underweight). Now, day-to-day, a thong can be a beautiful thing. A thong can work in many workouts (think yoga). A thong does not work when you are running 7.5 mph on the treadmill. Let me tell you how I learned this: gorgeous, tall, model-esque chic working out on the machine in front of me. I saw her lifting earlier and was more than jealous of her seemingly perfect body & great butt (perfectly framed in her little thong); being exactly 3 months post-partum that day (1st day I could get free babysitting at the gym--yeah!) I was sort of annoyed when she marched her happy little ass in her tight pants to the machine directly in front of me. That was until she really started running and all of a sudden it got warmer--that's because crowded around me were about 12 guys who were all watching this "oh so perfect butt" fly all over the place--it was pretty funny. I then realized a small-breasted woman wouldn't run a marathon bra-less, why would anyone, regardless of caboose size, workout in a thong???!!!

Going commando--Occasionally workout pants will come with a sewn in panty. Only in those cases (when the panty is cotton, double-knit, and ample, would it be appropriate to not wear underwear. I would never recommend this while doing intense cardio...another gym tale: Another attractive woman is working out in the gym, she has finished lifting and is stretching. She bends over directly in front of me, apparently she was unaware that when one stretches so do one's pants. The material on the pants was stretched so thin I could see well, everything. Yes, seriously, the entire gym, could tell you the parameters of her bikini wax--not a sight I was hoping to see that day. Please ladies, even if you are skinny, please, I beg you, please wear underwear.

Granny Panties--Well, the tradition granny panty is actually not very supportive at all, and moreover when you feel gross and big in your underwear you are far more likely to have an uninspired workout. My apologies to anyone who loves these panties--you know what, NO--I think these should be outlawed--honey, go to Lane Bryant, go to Macy's, go to Victoria Secret, the high cut brief is much more flattering and offers similar coverage. Unless you are a grandma, you should not be wearing granny panties (and even then, I know several sassy ladies who are grandmas and are rocking a thong...but just not during a workout)!

The bike short/ compression short--This could work for some...definitely if it wasn't a *hot* day--but if you are anything like me, even at my perfect weight I have a bigger leg and the indentation of the bike short is a. unsightly, especially under other workout gear, b. uncomfortable, c. often "rolls", meaning the leg of the bike short rolls up--super annoying!

So...What are my options? I have seen so many options for men's workout underwear. Why? Is a guy's "junk" that much more important than the junk in my trunk?

Ladies the choice is not about what makes you look "sexiest" and certainly working out is not the place to be worried about VPL (visible panty line) because let me tell you, if you're worried about VPL while you're exercising you definitely aren't working out hard enough!

I'm still searching for that elusive underwear. If you have any suggestions--I'm all ears!

BE GOOD TO YOUR FEET...AND THEY'LL BE GOOD TO YOU!

This post is inspired by my new favorite "Lost100" subscriber Jami (okay, okay my fine feathered friends, you are *all my favorites*).

Jami wrote me and said her ankles were hurting after just 10-15 minutes of cardio (treadmill, elliptical, etc). She believes the pain is caused by a. bad workout shoes & b. being overweight.

So here are some tips I have for picking out a good pair of sneakers. Afterall, you only get one set of feet in this life and we need them for, oh, EVER. As I said to Jami, YOU ARE WORTH IT & as such your little feet and toes and arches and heels are worth it too!

MUFFIN TOPS BELONG ON MUFFINS

Somewhere along the way the innoculous term "muffin top" stop referring to the yummy, lush top of a muffin.  Now the term "muffin top" is used to refer to any *fat* that protrudes from the top of our pants, bikini, etc.  We use it humorously with our girlfriends, and cattily towards other women.  But WHY?  While I personally desire to be healthy, to be in a healthy weight range, to be in a healthy BMI range and to actually wear a bikini again, I'm never going to be a stick, never going to be as thin as ____ (insert favorite waif here). 

Furthermore, it is demeaning, beneath us and only serves to project poor body image to a whole host of younger girls to use a term like "muffin top" to describe Britney Spears.  I'll tell you what, in perfect shape, on my best day, I will NEVER, EVER look as good as Britney Spears did at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards--she had definition in her abs less than a year after giving birth, 99% of women will never have a stomach that looked as good as hers (just as a side note, I'm *not* a fan of Britney Spears, I do have empathy for her, I can't imagine having the personal and psychological issues she has and having people take advantage of me and having my worst moments broadcast and made fun of for the world to see).

There are ways to avoid the "muffin top" image.  First, avoid the biggest fashion pit-fall people make when trying to avoid muffin tops--"MOM JEANS"--horrid.  This makes everyone EVERYONE look bigger and older and worse!  Lower rise pants can look good on your figure, you just need to avoid wearing them too small (this is essentially what creates the muffin top).  At a size 14 I have a great pair of jeans DKNY that I look fabulous in and don't have a muffin top.  Also, be aware of your shirt choices. Shirts can be fitted, but should be paired with the right bottoms; if you're wearing a tight pair of pants, perhaps a super tight shirt may not look best. Check out "What Not to Wear" on TLC on Friday nights, you'll pick up a bunch of fashion ideas for all body types!

Until then, ladies: keep the muffin tops on the muffins!

AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL IS *PLUS-SIZED*

Okay, I have to say I am pissed off. Not about who won America's Next Top Model (because to be honest I have 2 kids and barely have time to follow anything on TV and only play catch-up on those webcasts that re-play everything you missed in 80 seconds the next day), but about a. the reaction and b. how is a woman that is a size 8 *plus-size*?

From what I have read, Whitney is a size 8--a size 8! Let me tell you, I'm 5'10", when I weighed 145 lbs in high school I wasn't a size 8 (I was a size 10). How on earth can anyone call a size 8 plus-sized? According to "modeling" sites plus-size runway models are anywhere from size 8-12, but still women who are size 8-12 don't go to Lane Bryant to shop... Another thing I found is that designers have their sample sizes cut for a size 2 (in the real world this is actually a size 0) and expect a 5'9" woman to fit into them. I don't know about you, but any woman walking around that is 5'9" and wears a size 0 is scary skinny (like so skinny I'm probably going to turn to my girlfriends and say "oh my God, look at that skinny bitch"--so, maybe I can be a tad bit catty...)!

Certainly, a web-site devoted to losing weight should not be advocating being fat/unhealthy...so let's put this into perspective. This woman is a size 8, she's 5'9" so let's assume on a bad day her absolute top weight is 150 lbs. (and I've gotta say there's no way she weighs that much). This puts her BMI at 22. A BMI of 18.5-24.9 is considered normal and healthy. For even more perspective, currently I"m a size 14, with a BMI of 31 (right on the line between overweight and obese) and I'm thrilled with my progress/success! What's more, my goal weight would put me at a BMI of 24.

So here's my real RANT: where the hell do these people get off calling Whitney fat, obese, disgusting, a poor role model, an insult to models, huge, embarrassing, etc.? Yes, you got me right, I personally have read in forum after forum the "outrage" of Joan Q. Public that this woman is going turning adolescent girls into eating machine with similarly obese BMI's (hmmm....didn't we just show that Whitney's BMI is most certainly in the middle of the range of healthy?).

So we've got the fat girl bloggers mad that Whitney isn't fat, we've got the skinny bitch bloggers mad that she's "too fat"....can anyone be happy? Obviously not, because instead of taking this time at 6AM to grab an extra workout or clean the kitchen, here I am blogging about it too (I'm just hoping I can be a woman unto myself that breakthrough stereotypes and controlling images and be happy being me, maybe just in a size 10...)

TODDLER SWIM CLASS MEANS MOMMY IN A BATHING SUIT

                                                      Tomorrow is S.'s first swim class--yeah for her!  But it's yikes for mommy--I have to wear a swimsuit--in front of other people...

There are a whole host of issues this is bringing up for me...I don't have a suit I really LOVE.

I' showing all of my suits (GULP) to the left (I got brave, and tried them each on, taking my pic with my web-cam) and then will assess what looks best.

The first suit is plain black, it has some texture to it and a faux wrap with buckle.  It has a deep V which tends to be the most flattering for a curvy/fuller figure.

The second suit has a high neck and horizontal striping.  It's a great suit for a hard pool workout because the straps stay in place and it has great bust support.

The third suit is brown with pink piping. It has a very deep V, which actually detracts from the suit.  While I always thought this suit was great, having a chance to look at from a wider angle shows that it is not very attractive compared to the first suit.

The fourth suit is a patterned suit with a scoop  neck and skirt.  The skirt makes it look like an old lady suit!  Plus patterns, especially like this are not great for a fuller figure.  However, from the side this suit is most flattering because it hides "lower roll".

The fifth suit looked ADORABLE on the rack--I was sure I would look amazing in it--like out of a catalog, sleek, sexy.  Ya.  Not so much.  This suit has absolutely NO breast support which isn't as apparent in the first photo, but definitely in the 2nd photo.  Besides that, it is not flattering in the back, creating an unsightly "back fat" bulge--ick!

The sixth suit is a hold-over maternity suit.  MISTAKE--do not do this, no one wants to hear, "oh, when are you due?"  Especially when the baby is over six months old!

Finally, I included the seventh suit, the bikini because well, I put it out there that I want to wear a bikini again and I just thought I should be brutally honest and show where I am now.  Then we can celebrate all the more when I actually look like I belong in a bikini!  I think whatever bikini I decide to wear must have more breast support than this.  I do like how high the waist is on this suit. 

So there you have it, I have essentially sold all my secrets by being in a bathing suit on my blog.  So, if I'm there for all the world to see, I'm sure tomorrow morning's swim class won't be so bad.  And yes, it's definitely the black suit, in fact I think the other 6 suits may be on their way to the Good Will (to see pictures of the other suits you can go to the "choosing a babysuit link on the right side of the homepage)!