courtney virginia  wrote:
We all know that unfortunately the modeling industry is pretty shalllw when it comes to weight.. so out of curiousity, how many models on here keep a strict diet and/or exercise schedule? Is it stressful for you?

I have a comfort zone. I alternate, (by choice) between near vegan with no processed foods, added salt, sugar, wine or coffee and not.

When I'm not on the more strict vegan way of eating I will indulge at times but, its pretty balanced when I do.

As for working out, I am more intentional about it when I have an event coming up, months in advance or just a month in advance.

I noticed over 45 that it wasn't so easy to keep my regular weight and body without more effort.
Jen
p.s. although I don't know if it is necessarily about being shallow, I am more accurately bringing myself back to my weight and size from 20-45. It isn't stressful for me but, it does hit my self esteem over my lack of discipline when I don't!

Koryn Locke wrote:
I've never been a naturally slim person, so yes, exercise and diet awareness are a part of my daily life, and have been since about 2006 or so. I'm also a personal trainer, and currently employed in the fitness industry, so having an impeccable body is part of how I market myself to clients. Being short, it's actually pretty difficult, because no matter what you do, or how hard you work, you will always be, "that little girl" to most people.

Same here. Im not naturally slim at all.. at my heaviest I was 160 pounds, now since I am newly singed to an agency, I am around 120. The most annoying thing is when you work this hard to stay in shape and eat right and people ask you if you are "eating or not" or if you have a disorder... it was flattering at first, but after hearing that I have a problem simply because I eat right and exercise daily gets old, quick. And I am nowhere near as skinny as most girls in this industry since I am with a commerical/print agency! Lol.

I had to change my lifestyle asap if I wanted to stay healthy or ever get representation like I finally have now. I have a cheat meal once a week.. just to keep me on track.

courtney virginia  wrote:

Same here. Im not naturally slim at all.. at my heaviest I was 160 pounds, now since I am newly singed to an agency, I am around 120. The most annoying thing is when you work this hard to stay in shape and eat right and people ask you if you are "eating or not" or if you have a disorder... it was flattering at first, but after hearing that I have a problem simply because I eat right and exercise daily gets old, quick. And I am nowhere near as skinny as most girls in this industry since I am with a commerical/print agency! Lol.

I had to change my lifestyle asap if I wanted to stay healthy or ever get representation like I finally have now. I have a cheat meal once a week.. just to keep me on track.

That is great that you were able to loose 40 lbs.  You must have made some major adjustments to your eating habits.  bravo.

I am fortunate in that I was never really much overweight.  Except back in college I got up to 185 from eating typical cafeteria food.

I don't "diet" because it seems like such a temporary strategy.  I just eat right and never have to worry about excess weight.  NO sugar or junk food.  Just lots of fruit, veggies, nuts and fish mostly.

People in my family think I have an eating disorder but I am actually right at the weight that was the average for men my height the year I was born. 

I will guarantee that you will be very happy that you made healthy decisions now when you get to be my age.   Best not to give a rat's ass about what other people think.

Mary Geraldine wrote:
Yes, my diet consists of donuts and pizza. And Ihop when available.
My exercise routine includes a lot of finger calisthenics.

Teach me the ways of YOU

I've pretty much given up all joy in my life. I don't go out with friends on the weekends, I don't pressure my fiance to take me out to dinner, I avoid anything that doesn't have a nutrition label, and I haven't had ice cream in over a year.

If this so called modeling career doesn't pay off soon then I'm burning down the world

Jay Dezelic wrote:

That is great that you were able to loose 40 lbs.  You must have made some major adjustments to your eating habits.  bravo.

I am fortunate in that I was never really much overweight.  Except back in college I got up to 185 from eating typical cafeteria food.

I don't "diet" because it seems like such a temporary strategy.  I just eat right and never have to worry about excess weight.  NO sugar or junk food.  Just lots of fruit, veggies, nuts and fish mostly.

People in my family think I have an eating disorder but I am actually right at the weight that was the average for men my height the year I was born. 

I will guarantee that you will be very happy that you made healthy decisions now when you get to be my age.   Best not to give a rat's ass about what other people think.

Thank you! Same goes for you.

I also don't diet anymore.. I made the lifestyle change so I wouldn't have to worry about gaining weight. I eat only veggies, lean meat, fruit, and whole grains in moderation. And the junk meal once a week;)

I feel better than ever! Yes, my friends all thought I had an eating disorder as well.. I just ignored it. I knew this is what I wanted to do.

Mary Geraldine wrote:
Yes, my diet consists of donuts and pizza. And Ihop when available.
My exercise routine includes a lot of finger calisthenics.

I guess some people are just lucky and born with great metabolisms!! Wish I could eat this way and not gain weight!

Danielle Reid wrote:

Teach me the ways of YOU

I've pretty much given up all joy in my life. I don't go out with friends on the weekends, I don't pressure my fiance to take me out to dinner, I avoid anything that doesn't have a nutrition label, and I haven't had ice cream in over a year.

If this so called modeling career doesn't pay off soon then I'm burning down the world

I totally understand where you are coming from.. my lifestyle change and decision to start modeling really effected my social life haha. No one tells you how much you're life will change from it

courtney virginia  wrote:
...The most annoying thing is when you work this hard to stay in shape and eat right and people ask you if you are "eating or not" or if you have a disorder... it was flattering at first, but after hearing that I have a problem simply because I eat right and exercise daily gets old, quick...

Yes, it is and it does get old very quick. Welcome to one of the groups that it is considered acceptable to insult, "slim, active, health conscious..." People have little clue that it is insulting to roll their eyes at us and that NO we do not consider it a compliment to have them say in disgust, "Well you are thin..." or "why don't you eat some cake? Its not like its going to hurt you?" Really, how freaking passive aggressive can they be?

Just let it roll off you slender shoulder, its hard but, some folks just have self-serving bias and are very toxic with those frenemy type insults.

MyrnaByrna Jen B wrote:

Yes, it is and it does get old very quick. Welcome to one of the groups that it is considered acceptable to insult, "slim, active, health conscious..." People have little clue that it is insulting to roll their eyes at us and that NO we do not consider it a compliment to have them say in disgust, "Well you are thin..." or "why don't you eat some cake? Its not like its going to hurt you?" Really, how freaking passive aggressive can they be?

Just let it roll off you slender shoulder, its hard but, some folks just have self-serving bias and are very toxic with those frenemy type insults.

I guess they assume this could be considered as a 'compliment'? To me it is very hurtful and embarrassing. I usually just laugh, and try to get over the awkwardness of these comments by acting like I don't give a shit.. best way to handle anything with other people, I've learned. However, I feel like screaming I'm not doing this because I have an eating disorder or I am shallow.. I think there is beauty in all different sizes, however, for my career I knew I would get representation at this size.. point blank.

Also people don't realize that while some people may stop eating to lose weight, there is a wholeother group of people who simply chose to change their lifestyle by eating healthier and exercising consistantly

courtney virginia  wrote:
I have a cheat meal once a week.. just to keep me on track.

Back when I was dieting, not dancing, cheat meals were the love of my life.

courtney virginia  wrote:

Same here. Im not naturally slim at all.. at my heaviest I was 160 pounds, now since I am newly singed to an agency, I am around 120. The most annoying thing is when you work this hard to stay in shape and eat right and people ask you if you are "eating or not" or if you have a disorder... it was flattering at first, but after hearing that I have a problem simply because I eat right and exercise daily gets old, quick. And I am nowhere near as skinny as most girls in this industry since I am with a commerical/print agency! Lol.

I had to change my lifestyle asap if I wanted to stay healthy or ever get representation like I finally have now. I have a cheat meal once a week.. just to keep me on track.

It's rare that people comment on me being slim (though it has happened before); they're usually too caught up on how short I am to notice much else.

courtney virginia  wrote:

I totally understand where you are coming from.. my lifestyle change and decision to start modeling really effected my social life haha. No one tells you how much you're life will change from it

It's hard being offered a drink and having to turn it down because I have no idea how many calories are in it, or I'm already over my calorie limit for the day and exercising just doesn't seem like it's going to happen.

People look at me weird because I went from drinking at least once a week to not drinking at all unless I'm having a pretty bad fight with my fiance.

And now I found out I'm pregnant so all that hard work is GONE! I blame him...

Danielle Reid wrote:
It's hard being offered a drink and having to turn it down because I have no idea how many calories are in it, or I'm already over my calorie limit for the day and exercising just doesn't seem like it's going to happen.

People look at me weird because I went from drinking at least once a week to not drinking at all unless I'm having a pretty bad fight with my fiance.

And now I found out I'm pregnant so all that hard work is GONE! I blame him...

Yup! Same here. I went from drinking with my girlfriends all the time to zero alcohol in my life and being very career driven/ health conscious.

People in college reallllllly look at you like an alien if you don't drink and eat healthy. At that point I didn't really give a shit, I just wanted to llama and I would lose the weight I needed too and suffer through the snide remarks to get there. Immature college dicks. Lol

Danielle Reid wrote:

Teach me the ways of YOU

I've pretty much given up all joy in my life. I don't go out with friends on the weekends, I don't pressure my fiance to take me out to dinner, I avoid anything that doesn't have a nutrition label, and I haven't had ice cream in over a year.

If this so called modeling career doesn't pay off soon then I'm burning down the world

! I like this. Ha, nice!

courtney virginia  wrote:

I guess they assume this could be considered as a 'compliment'? To me it is very hurtful and embarrassing. I usually just laugh, and try to get over the awkwardness of these comments by acting like I don't give a shit.. best way to handle anything with other people, I've learned. However, I feel like screaming I'm not doing this because I have an eating disorder or I am shallow.. I think there is beauty in all different sizes, however, for my career I knew I would get representation at this size.. point blank.

Also people don't realize that while some people may stop eating to lose weight, there is a wholeother group of people who simply chose to change their lifestyle by eating healthier and exercising consistantly

I only just now realized that I suppose we do not need to say a single word when we are openly insulted by meanies but, perhaps a slow and intentional gaze to the mid-section or behind of the person saying it, and then raising a single eyebrow would be sufficient answer to make our point. Usually it is NOT a happy person who is insulting.

I seriously doubt that any plus size model would utter something so insane, (they are busy doing their own workout and maintaining regimen to keep their curves just right!)
Jen

courtney virginia  wrote:

I guess some people are just lucky and born with great metabolisms!! Wish I could eat this way and not gain weight!

there is such a thing as skinny fat. thin people who eat unhealthy and fatty can still get blocked arteries and heartattacks and what not . imo, eating right and trying to be healthy is something to strive for no matter your size or metabolism. but that's just me of course. Although I do admit, if I could eat anything I want for a couple of days without gaining weight, just once... that would be fun .

MyrnaByrna Jen B wrote:

I only just now realized that I suppose we do not need to say a single word when we are openly insulted by meanies but, perhaps a slow and intentional gaze to the mid-section or behind of the person saying it, and then raising a single eyebrow would be sufficient answer to make our point. Usually it is NOT a happy person who is insulting.

I seriously doubt that any plus size model would utter something so insane, (they are busy doing their own workout and maintaining regimen to keep their curves just right!)

Haha! I love it! So true : - )
Jen

Anna Adrielle wrote:

there is such a thing as skinny fat. thin people who eat unhealthy and fatty can still get blocked arteries and heartattacks and what not . imo, eating right and trying to be healthy is something to strive for no matter your size or metabolism. but that's just me of course. Although I do admit, if I could eat anything I want for a couple of days without gaining weight, just once... that would be fun .

I would love to do that if I knew I wouldn't gain weight haha.. I can't deny that.

But overall, I feel bad when I eat unhealthy so i know its better for me.

courtney virginia  wrote:

Yup! Same here. I went from drinking with my girlfriends all the time to zero alcohol in my life and being very career driven/ health conscious.

People in college reallllllly look at you like an alien if you don't drink and eat healthy. At that point I didn't really give a shit, I just wanted to model and I would lose the weight I needed too and suffer through the snide remarks to get there. Immature college dicks. Lol

I went to college with a lot of vegan straight-edge people, who did not drink or party at all. The average age of people at the university I attended was 27 - when I was there ten years ago anyway. That probably made a big difference. If there is anything I think I could do BETTER in my life for health, it would be to stop drinking alcohol. I have worked, on and off for the past four years, in bars however and it's pretty impossible not to socially drink when drinking is an aspect of earning revenue.

sasweets wrote:
No. There would be no point in doing so and my family raised me to think of it as "changing" what god gave me and blah blah bleh. I get why people exercise (which I don't do and still placed third on the track team) and eating right is what I try to do for most of the time but I still eat whatever I want if I'm craving it. I don't want to be a health nut that eats bland food lol that would suck for me because I have no self control to my food cravings.

if you feel that healthy food is "bland," you are either an inexperienced cook, or grew up surrounded by people who weren't very innovative cooks. Health foods are often spicy, flavorful and have dramatic tastes, if you know how to cook and cook frequently.

Koryn Locke wrote:

if you feel that healthy food is "bland," you are either an inexperienced cook, or grew up surrounded by people who weren't very innovative cooks. Health foods are often spicy, flavorful and have dramatic tastes, if you know how to cook and cook frequently.

Yup. If you learn how to cook it right... health food can taste just as good or better.

Koryn Locke wrote:

if you feel that healthy food is "bland," you are either an inexperienced cook, or grew up surrounded by people who weren't very innovative cooks. Health foods are often spicy, flavorful and have dramatic tastes, if you know how to cook and cook frequently.

I said I do eat healthy food but not diet food where you drink diet shakes, diet pills, and salad all day. I guess you didn't read where I said I do try to ' eat right ' just constantly because of my metabolism. My family is all over the world so of course I eat home cooked meals and they all have their own take on how to make food taste good.