Melissa McCarthy: ‘I wish I were magically a size six,’ but ‘I’m OK with it’


Melissa McCarthy is interviewed in the new Good Housekeeping, and she says a few things which make me want to give her a hug and have a drink with her, not necessarily in that order. She admits on one hand that she wishes she were a smaller person, and hopes she would wake up one day and magically be a size six. Then she says that she’s at peace with her body and isn’t beating herself up over it. She makes a lot of sense to me and I struggle with similar body image issues. You want to be something you’re not, but you realize that you may as well be happy with what you’ve got. Here’s some of what she said:

In a new interview with Good Housekeeping, the Bridesmaids star opens up about her weight struggles and how she tries not to let her shape become an issue when it comes to her career and self-esteem, and RadarOnline.com has the details.

“Sometimes I wish I were just magically a size 6 and I never had to give [my weight] a single thought,” admits McCarthy, who plays tennis and does Pilates to stay in shape. “But I am weirdly healthy, so I don’t beat myself up about it – it wouldn’t help, and I don’t want to pass that on to my girls.”

Considering her healthy lifestyle, the actress, who is in the process of designing a plus-sized clothing line, doesn’t understand why she isn’t a lot skinnier.

“I don’t really know why I’m not thinner than I am. I don’t really drink soda; I don’t have a sweet tooth, and we eat healthfully at home.”

However, no matter how big or small her friends are, the actress points out that most people she knows are never happy with themselves.

“Pretty much everyone I know, no matter what size, is trying some system. Even when someone gets to looking like she should be so proud of herself, instead she’s like, ‘I could be another three pounds less; I could be a little taller and have bigger lips.’ Where does it end?”

Melissa’s moral to the story?

“You just have to say, It’s pretty damn good. I am right here at the moment and I’m OK with it. I’ve got other things to think about.”

[From Radar Online]

Yay! I love that last line and strive to live by that sentiment. It’s not always easy, as she admits. Also, the thing about women not being happy with their looks no matter what is true. One of my friends is tiny and she means it when she says she feels fat, she’s not fishing for compliments. I just tell her I wish I was fat like her. I also agree with Melissa’s statement that almost everyone is on some kind of diet system. It’s crazy when you think about it.

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83 Responses to “Melissa McCarthy: ‘I wish I were magically a size six,’ but ‘I’m OK with it’”

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  1. Chicagogurl17 says:

    Love her! As a bigger girl I struggle between knowing I am beautiful and having confidence to wishing 50lbs would just peel off.

  2. Audrey says:

    LOVE HER!!!!! She’s so funny and down-to-earth!
    I think she’s beautiful. Inside and outside. Wish i had her confidence about my weight!

  3. Bluedog says:

    I, for one, am sick of reading about how women feel about their bodies! How about we talk about their minds?

    • Tulip says:

      @bluedog. LOL! I agree! How many women do you hear saying “I know I’m smart, but if I could just learn a little bit more about about world history or physics, I would finally stop being so hard on myself…”

    • heatheradair says:

      When journalists and TV personalities and websites start asking questions about and PUBLISHING ANSWERS TO questions that require our brains, then we’ll talk about it.

      Bugs the living daylights outta me, but there’s this whole sea change that would have to take place — we’ve been systematically trained to talk about hair, clothes, weight, relationship woes for as long as we’ve been allowed to vote….so…….it’ll take some serious titanic-steering to move the conversation away from body image and beauty secrets and toward a mass media mindset that values more than the size of our asses……

      That’s the cynical long view, anyway. It’s a big, important conversation…..

    • Christine says:

      Yes, please!

    • deehunny says:

      @Bluedog, I was just thinking I’m sure because she is an overweight star she gets asked about her weight every interview.

    • PrettyTarheel says:

      THIS. I live in a beautiful old Southern city, and our local paper wanted to run a feature about local female CEOs-and use them to model local fashions. NONE of the local male CEOs who have been featured wore local fashions-in fact, no one even mentioned who designed that tie! It’s also important to note-not one of these women are in what we would consider “traditional” femalel fields.

    • TrollyDolly says:

      Thank you for one of the most sensible comments I’ve read in ages, Bluedog.

  4. aims says:

    she’s right. we are what we are. if your a good person, love and is loved, then live your life. the whole weight thing is starting to be exhausting

  5. Callie says:

    I love Melissa, but I do honestly think she must be at least a little in denial about her diet. Maybe she does eat healthily, but her portion sizes must be too big. I’m not saying she should starve herself and perhaps she has some underlying medical condition that makes it harder for her to lose weight, but at the end of the day if you eat right and exercise properly, you shouldn’t really be overweight. She is definitely not in a healthy weight range and I don’t think pretending her diet is perfect and she has no idea why she is the size she is is helpful to her, her kids or to people who look up to her. I’m not trying to bash her, like I said, I think she’s great and if she’s happy and feels good then there’s no reason for her to lose weight, but I do think she should be more honest with herself.

    • michele123 says:

      wrong.

      • Callie says:

        Care to expand your argument? Like I said I’m not bashing Melissa, I’m just saying that a lot of people who are overweight generally are in some degree of denial in regards to their diet. I’m not saying she doesn’t eat healthy and there may be medical issues involved too, but if she ate as healthily and exercised as often as she said I would imagine her weight would be at least a little lower.

      • Tommy says:

        No, you’re wrong. Someone who is eating healthily and exercising even minimally would not be Melissa’s size. A bit of chunk might be explained by an underlying medical condition like a thyroid problem, but Melissa is obese. Obesity is largely attributed to human action.

    • emmie_a says:

      Well as you even mentioned her weight could be the result of a medical condition so, in theory, her diet could be perfect, which means she’s not in denial about anything and her portion sizes are not the issue.

      I am a very healthy eater, my portion sizes are 100% on target and yet I gained over 20 lbs in 6 months. I was finally diagnosed with an underactive thyroid. See? It can happen and have nothing to do with diet.

      • jano1981 says:

        If she had an underactive thyroid she would know, took you only six months to find out. She would have said its due to thyroid disorder. Im sure she’s had the best doctors check for something so obvious. I agree 100% with Callie. She’s funny and cute and like a lot of people doesn’t realize how it all adds up.

      • Callie says:

        Yep, I agree with Jano. My mother has an underactive thyroid and there are more symptoms than just weight gain. I’m sure Melissa would have been to her doctor and been diagnosed by now if it was something like that. She’s always been bigger, it’s not a recent thing.

      • Katie Too says:

        Yes, there are medical conditions that make it easier to gain weight, but the laws of physics still apply. Eat more calories than you burn and you gain weight. Existing burns calories. Moving burns calories. It generally takes more energy to move a heavier object than a light one. It’s clear she is not eating 1200 calories each and every day.

        But, should she be judged for it? No. However, her perception of what/the amount she eats is likely wrong, as it is for nearly every American-even thin ones.

      • emmie_a says:

        She doesn’t owe us any explanations about her weight so I don’t agree that she would give us her entire medical history as it pertains to her weight (or other symptoms). It’s none of our business! That goes for what she eats and how much she eats.
        And, no, a thyroid disorder isn’t so simple to diagnose. I’ve been dealing with symptoms for over two years. It’s hard to find a doctor who knows how to correctly diagnose it. I had to go to numerous doctors before I found one who ordered the correct tests and properly diagnosed me.

      • Katie Too says:

        To Emmie, it’s not clear what the question was, but Melissa is somewhat making it our business by claiming she eats healthy making it appear as if she doesn’t know what made her overweight.

        The terms ‘healthy’ or ‘healthfully’ are subjective. Depending on how old you at do you recall the 80s bran muffin craze? People were gobbling them up because they were ‘healthy.’ Then it came out that there were a ton of calories (like 800-1000) in them…

      • Canda says:

        Bull. I’m tired of hearing “maybe it’s a medical condition”… no, you’re eating too much and not burning it off. I myself have an extremely slow metabolism and I can gain weight by LOOKING at a cookie, but I know this and I have to restrain myself if I desire to be thin. A family member of mine has a thyroid that is practically dead. Along with other health problems, she gains weight VERY easily, but her desire to be thin and fit overrides that, and she eats very lightly and works out daily. Everyone’s body is different, but it is a SIMPLE calculation of calories in vs. calories out, and not everyone burns calories at the same rate but a calorie is a calorie. It sucks having to work so much harder than some people to maintain your weight, but MOST people who are fat are simply bad at calorie math.

    • Sam says:

      I say this as somebody who exercises a lot and is really active in sports and knows actual professional athletes –

      The whole idea that there is a “healthy weight range” is based on the BMI, which is a flawed system. BMI does not account for a great deal of the variation within human physiology. Melissa is a big girl – and I don’t mean weight. She’s wide – broad hips, broad shoulders, wide all over. The acceptable weight ranges are largelt based off a pre-determined set of measurements. Anybody who falls outside the standard will likely struggle to fir within the range (this includes women who are chronically under the recommended weight as well).

      The second problem is using weight as the barometer of health. Among trainers and athletes, weight generally is not the mark of health (if you watched the Olympics, you saw plenty of athletes who were not anywhere close to thin). I see a sports medicine doctor regularly during training, and he’s never once weighed me. There are far better measures of health overall, like pulse rates, metabolic rates and output, nutritional profiles and the like. That’s what I get done each time I go. And yes, there are “overweight” people who have excellent health profiles. I’m surprised that this shocks you.

      Tennis is actually a really intense cardio workout (constant starts and stops). If Melissa can play tennis with some regularity, she is getting a ton of cardio and is probably in excellent health.

      • Callie says:

        Hmm… I see your point, I really do. And I’m not in any way trying to say Mellissa SHOULD be a size six, but she looks like she is carrying excessive weight. While I’m all for body positivity I don’t think we should lose sight of the fact that there is an obesity epidemic and it is fueled by ignorance surrounding adequate nutrition.

        Yes, there were Olympians who were not ‘thin’, absolutely, I’m not saying one body shape, size or weight fits all. It doesn’t. But I’m going to be honest and say that I think Mellisa IS overweight. I’m sure she would admit that herself and I think to deny that is as dangerous as normalising underweight models as paradigms of health.

      • Sam says:

        But you’re still assuming that she is “overweight,” and what I’m arguing is that the term itself is useless. She’s overweight…compared to what? To whom? Stnadards of weight are based on height, but fail to account for normal variations in human physiology and deviations from the norm. Melissa is not an average size woman, from my view. She is broad – and i don’t mean weight-wise. Broad shoulders, wide hips, the whole nine. Using the standard weight guidelines, she’d likely be overweight no matter how much she lost. There is a lot of research into variations on body types and form that indiciate that labeling people as “overweight” is basically useless. It goes by the individual.

      • Sisi says:

        Anybody who falls outside the standard will likely struggle to fir within the range (this includes women who are chronically under the recommended weight as well)

        ^this is so me

        gaining weight in fat is difficult for me, and gaining muscle mass is even harder. I have long lean muscles and that’s just what they are. I lost some weight when I had the flu. Took me a year to feel truly strong and on fit again by gaining a few pounds back. However according to my BMI I’m still underweight, which is bullcrap. I feel great, the number is just not realistic for my bodytype and it never will be. BMI is not a realistic number

      • Sweet Dee says:

        What you don’t understand is that the anti-BMI argument is very limited, but there are studies that show that there really is a limit to healthy. There is a point that one reaches where excessive body fat is objectively unhealthy, and it’s around 35%. I’m sure Melissa exceeds that percentage.

        If she’s fine with that, it’s her prerogative and she can pay her own medical bills, but this “BMI is not for everyone” argument is limited in scope and doesn’t apply when the person is as big as Melissa.

      • Canda says:

        She IS overweight, that’s not even a question. If you can grab multiple handfuls of excess stored fat, you are overweight, PERIOD.

        While I agree the BMI principle is flawed, it is incredible the number of people, even just on this site, who think that there’s some debate as to whether she is fat or not. She is fat, end of story — whether that MATTERS or she is UNHEALTHY are totally separate issues. Some people can carry a bit of extra weight and remain active and healthy, even more so that their skinny counterparts who never get cardio activity.

        Sam, I think you’re way off base here… it’s not about comparing Melissa’s body type to anyone else’s, it’s about whether she is carrying around several tens of unneeded, “unwanted” pounds of fat and flesh. That’s a FACT. Her body type doesn’t negate the fact that she’s overweight, and the whole BMI argument is very weak. If we were talking about someone like Kelly Clarkson who kind of hovers around the fat/slim line it would be different, but Melissa is clearly overweight and how anyone could really debate that is pretty pointless.

        If she herself is happy with her body image and can afford her own medical bills, then have at it, girl, go for it.

      • Sam says:

        Canda….so if you can grab any fat on your person, you’re overweight and unhealthy? If I were you, I’d go back and re-watch the Olympics. Plenty of those people were fairly, um, “beefy.” And it’s not all muscle. Some of them have (gasp) fat on their bodies. And these people are held up as the best examples of physical skill we have in the world. Seriously, hang out at a gym (not a Planet Fitness style workout mill, a real one for real athletes) and see how thin they all look. You’ll be shocked. Seriously, I’d do this stuff if I were you. The amount of fat on one’s body is not linked to a lack of healthfulness or inability to work out.

        Sweet Dea – you haven’t seen the research that shows that BMI was developed mostly only for the Ectomorphic body type? I’d suggest you look at it. BMI was developed by using human bodies that all fit into the “ectomorphic” body composition range – meaning bodies that have slim builds, low fat stores and generally can retain muscle. Mesomorphic and Endomorphic bodies were excluded from the BMI’s development. Of course BMI will correlate with problems in ectomorphic body types – they’re not designed for it! But research done with Meso and Endo-typed humans revealed much less of a correlation. So it is possible that Melissa is an Endomorphic body type who CAN be healthy at that size? Yes, it is. And speculating about it is concern trolling.

      • Canda says:

        I’m sorry, but Sam, you’re being ridiculous. You cannot possibly be comparing Melissa’s body type to Olympic athletes? The only “beefy” athletes are in the strength-type categories, wrestlers, shotputters, etc.. Show me ONE runner, swimmer, or gymnast who could grab multiple handfuls of fat on their bodies and I will retract that statement. I don’t understand WHY you are trying to hard to explain away Melissa’s obesity. It’s like trying to argue that a 7’6″ basketball player “isn’t tall” because we can’t compare him to a proper height model. Body “type” is only about how the body burns and how/where it stores fat. Some people have bigger frames than others, yes, but that does not result in obesity. Melissa obviously has an imbalance between her metabolic rate and her caloric intake.

        YES, Melissa is obese, and that’s not up for debate. If she is happy and feels good about herself, then that’s great for her. It is FACTUAL that carrying dozens of extra pounds puts a strain on most of your body’s systems and is not a healthy thing to do. These are all scientific facts and to argue them is only making you look silly.

    • V4Real says:

      @ Callie I get what you are saying about Melissa. My issue is that we applaude people like Melissa and Adele who say they are comfortable in their skin with the way they look but we tend to bash people such as Chrisina Agulilera for putting on a few pounds.
      Jessica Simpson gets bashed a lot too but I understand it’s because she received compensation from WW to lose the weight and it’s not happening as quick as WW would like it to. Perhaps Jessica should issue them a refund and embrace her curves. I know that Melissa and Adele dress appropriate for their size and celebrities like Christina does not but still we shouldn’t bash them for no longer being the size they used to be. Not everyone is built like Gisele; that woman is a freak of nature.

      Gaga got bashed when she gained weight because she was on stage parading around in outfits that were very unflattering to her curves. People most likely would still talk and criticize her for putting on the weight but it might have been less criticism if she wore appropriate attire. I’m still convinced that was a publicity stunt with her. Check Janet Jackson’s track record. Everytime that woman put on weight she mysteriously lost it just before she dropped her next CD.

      • Callow says:

        I agree with you. I don’t think we should criticise women who put on weight. All I’m saying is it is important to be honest with yourself about your diet. No Melissa doesn’t owe us any explanations, I don’t need to know what she eats. But I know that many many people have very little idea of how many calories they actually need per day and do not really know much about nutrition. I also know that people kid themselves about what they’ve eaten. I know, I’ve done it! I have friends who complain that they haven’t eaten all day even though I’ve been with them and seen them graze their way through the day. If Melissa is healthy, fine. I just think its important to be mindful of what we put into our bodies and this is something that do few people do now a days and I think it is unhelpful when a celebrity propagates the myth that they eat perfectly and exercise and are still overweight. Yes, there are reasons that can make that possible, but those are the exception not the norm.

        Is anyone here honestly going to deny that Melissa is fat? I’m using the term fat, which I think is offensive actually and I never use, because Sam takes umbrage with the term overweight.

        Look ladies, I’m all for loving yourself at any size, but deluding yourself is another thing.

    • MerryHappy says:

      I totally agree. I don’t think she has a medical disorder–if she did she’d probably come out with it so others with it could feel supported and less alone. I see her as someone who’d happily be a voice to those with cushings or a thyroid problem. so since she doesn’t know why and presumably has had her whole life to figure it out with doctors, we’re deductively left to believe she has no medical reason for being obese. She isn’t overweight. She isn’t just a ‘big girl.’ She’s obese. She’s a wonderful actress and sounds like a lovely person, but she is obese and i know pulling out the ‘o’ word may make some people mad. I know bmi is archaic, but she has about 100 extra pounds on her, and i don’t see how that can be healthy at all in the long term even if her lifestyle is great. Her weight doesn’t reflect on her character–just because i said she’s obese doesn’t mean i think she’s revolting or less of a person. I just do not think that body can provide her with a long healthy life. I don’t think that’s 100 extra pounds of muscle. I don’t think she could match me at hiit training, or outrun my sister in a 5k.

      • amandapanda says:

        ITA

        she is quite clearly obese. not a little bit overweight, or “heavy framed”, but obese (maybe even morbidly obese in medical terms)

        and her saying she is “weirdly healthy” makes her sound a bit…weird

    • kay says:

      I agree with you too Callie.

      She must be doing something to maintain her weight every day. If she had a medical condition, I am sure given how popular she is we’d have heard about it by now.
      So healthy eating or not, portion control matters.
      She’s not just “big boned”, she is obese. Even if BMI calculators are faulty, etc etc, you can tell by looking at her she is obese and that it is not a healthy way to live.
      I agree about her being honest with herself on this issue- or don’t talk about it. She sounds ridiculous saying she is weirdly healthy when she clearly has weight issues.

      and no, I am not weight bashing her, I struggle with my weight as well. But I am honest with myself when I say I eat too much junk and that’s why I carry this extra 10 pounds- it’s not weirdly healthy, or baby weight (he’s 5!!) it’s the simple fact that I like mini chocolate bars more than I want to be size 6 again right now. or size 8. size 10, some days 12, will have to do. I want my junk 🙂

    • amurph says:

      Believe it or not, there are some people (excluding those with medical issues that cause weight gain/extreme difficulty to lose weight) whose bodies tend to not lose weight even with a healthy diet and exercise, just as there are people who never gain a pound even if they chow down on the unhealthiest of foods. It can be how their body is wired, to retain weight or even just to have a slow metabolism. I have a medical issue (more like a number, since I have PCOS, hypothyroidism, and a glitchy regulating system) but I count my calories to the point of obsession and used to run 10 miles a day until I had to cut back. You’d think I’d have maintained a healthy weight but I barely could lose a pound a week and still am considered “heavy”. You don’t know how many people tell me I need to eat healthier and exercise more to lose weight when I do – even approved by two different nutritionists and multiple doctors. I mean, there are people who do not realize how much they do eat in a given day and don’t quite exercise enough to counteract that but we don’t know if she’s one of those.

      If she did have some medical problem such as hypothryoidism, it can go undiagnosed if she doesn’t have pronounced symptoms. I went years before I was diagnosed and I was even being treated already by an endocrinologist for another issue.

      • Katie Too says:

        Yes, it’s harder for you, but again, physics.

        It’s very unlikely she has some undiagnosed medical condition. Occam’s razor and all that. But, again, it’s not shameful since most of us are guilty of the same thing.

    • JenD says:

      Agreed! I used to think I ate healthy, and then I took a long, hard look at my diet. I was astounded at what I thought was “healthy” and my serving sizes were WAY off. Not that I’m thin now, but I’ve lost a fairly significant amount of weight so far.

    • Sweet Dee says:

      Very well stated, Callie. I was thinking she might be a binge eater, which really is an emotional dysfunction. I was an emotional binge eater, who was healthy 99% of the time.

      I’ve lost a ton of weight in the past year and so has my boyfriend, but I’ve tried a thousand times before. It’s never permanent unless you learn to love yourself first and really realize and understand you’re worth it on your own, first.

      That said, you don’t have to be thin to be happy and I LOVE her. Don’t watch Mike and Molly but she was hilarious in Bridesmaids. I don’t think she should lose weight if she doesn’t want to, but I don’t think she’s being honest with herself.

    • Veronica says:

      I agree, I don’t think she is lying at all when she says she doesnt drink soda and doesnt have a sweet tooth and will exercise, but there’s definitely something going on there that’s preventing her from losing any weight.

    • Asiyah says:

      If this were true, how come I eat more than a “fat” person yet I am stick thin? How come that applies to my fast metabolism or internal makeup but people don’t apply that to “fat” people? My mother eats very healthy and in reasonable portions and she’s slightly overweight.

      • Callie says:

        I think the key word there is ‘slightly’. Melissa is significantly overweight. I’m not saying different people have slower/faster metabolisms. Look,there are people who are genetically predisposed to be bigger, there are medical conditions that make it harder to lose weight. This said, diet and exercise are still part of the equation. She is not just a little on the big side, she is clinically obese. And if she’s happy and healthy then fine, all I’m trying to get at is that it doesn’t help anyone to say ‘oh my diet is so healthy, I don’t get why I’m this weight.’

        Melissa’s weight is not a problem if she’s healthy and happy but I think it’s harmful to try to naturalise obesity.

        Anyway, I’m not going to convince you I guess. I just think it’s bizarre that you seem to be denying the very existence of obesity. There is such a thing as being overweight. I’m sorry Sam but I did not see many Olympians that looked like Melissa. I don’t see how pretending Melissa is not overweight is helpful to anyone. I actually don’t even know how you can think that she’s not.

        Saying she’s overweight is not a judgement on her character. I love Melissa, I think she’s gorgeous, funny and talented – but a fact is a fact and she is overweight.

    • BIGT says:

      I think she is great. Funny, smart, with a pretty face and good attitude. I do think she is fooling herself about her healthy eating and exercise. She does not say she has any medical condition, or taking prescription pills that would make you eat more or hold weight. If she ate healthy and exercised like she says she would NOT be this size.

    • Shelley says:

      There is nothing healthy about being fat!!!!
      She must tell that to her ateries clogged with cholesterol and the strain on her bones. As much as people must be comfortable with their bodies and not use them as a measure of their self esteem she is sending a bad message.

  6. Murphy says:

    Her husband needs his mustache back.

    Love you melissa!

    • Meg13 says:

      I knew she was married, but didn’t realize that was her husband in Bridemaids. LOVE them together!!

  7. Sam says:

    I’d like if, just for once, a fat woman in the public eye was just unabashedly, proudly fat. Just like “I am not a size 6 and never wanted to be.” It would be refreshing. And why do all fat women have “weight struggles?” It makes it seem like all big girls are constantly walking around in the state of turmoil. If Melissa is healthy (hell, if she was unhealthy), it’s her business. I wish the media would stop framing every big girl out there as having some kind of turmoil and struggle to just be herself.

    • Chellez says:

      I mean, even the most confident big girl wishes she cud look great in THAT dress that necessitates THAT shape. Being big is, in most cases, unhealthy. But like she said, even girls w a great shape is lamenting some part of her body. I did that to myself at both ends of the scale. I obsessed over my body and what was wrong with it even when there was nothing wrong. As I approach my 30s, I’m starting to relax on myself a bit.

      Maybe suggesting honest, frank conversation instead of what we wish were true (confident big girls who never wanna be skinny), would get us to a better, more honest end.

      • Sam says:

        Why do you assume that being big means being unhealthy? My comment above lays out why that’s kind of a myth. In most cases, it’s not the weight that causes bad health – its the attending issues that cause problems. For example, many overweight people eat poorly. Poor diet can lead to heart disease. But what gets reported is that overweight people have a higher risk of heart disease, when its really people with poor diets who have a high risk of heart disease. It’s the old “correlation is not causation” thing. If Melissa is eating a diet that is heart-healthy (and healthy overall) and getting exercise (which she says she is), there is no reason to be concerned for her. Feigning it is just trolling, to me.

      • anon33 says:

        I ‘m having trouble with your argument. It is PRECISELY the “attending issues” resulting from BEING OVERWEIGHT (which you are conceding) that are the problem here. If heart disease results from poor eating in your analogy, then so does being obese. You are deliberately being obtuse and splitting hairs.

        Also, I don’t see how you can compare her to Olympian atheletes. Yes, obviously some of them measure as “overweight” due to muscle mass, but did you see a SINGLE Olympian who was as “large” and, I’m sorry, untoned as her? Nope, not a one. And I do not mean men who are clearly body builders and have excessive muscle mass.

        I’m all for body acceptance and what have you, but let’s not pretend that what we can see objectively with our eyes is not true. If you are carrying 100+ extra lbs, you are obese, whether that’s based on a BMI table or not.

  8. bea says:

    I hope she didn’t design that abomination of a gown she is wearing in the second image.

  9. aimee j says:

    Agree with the other posters who admired her candour, self-confidence and self-acceptance. She seems like a strong, rational person.

    I’m having a bit of trouble with her comment about being “weirdly healthy” though. Even if her bp is ok, there’s no diabetes, she exercises and never gets sick, her weight predisposes her to certain health problems down the road. Excess weight makes your heart work a lot harder and joint problems are inevitable if you are carrying around a lot of extra weight.

  10. Eleonor says:

    eating healthy sometimes is not enough.
    I eat healthy and I have to do sport to keep me in shape (and I am not a size 0), if I stop with my workout routine, even if I control my portions in a couple of months I start gaining weight. No way out.

  11. Val says:

    I am so tired of people crying thyroid problems when they get fat from stuffing their face. I have been hypothyroid for more than 25 years, and when I was diagnosed, I actually weighed less than I do now. So when I feel my clothes getting tighter, I cut back on junk and eat less! And if you KNOW you have a thyroid problem, you should be taking a prescription medication and under a doctors care,not just keep on eating and saying oh it’s my thyroid, that is a bunch of BS!

  12. eileen says:

    Thanks Melissa! I totally need to hear that! When do you just look at yourself and be ok with things? No matter the size-there’s always room for improvement. I have too much good in my life to always be focused on being 2 sizes smaller, or worrying about wrinkles appearing…but I am none the less!

  13. Kim says:

    I saw her on Ellen a few months ago and I could hear her labored breathing as she walked to the chair and sat down.If she has been overweight forever she may not realize there is no reason to be out of breath walking from back stage to Ellen’s set.

    • RobN says:

      I saw that, too. The forty feet from backstage should not get you out of breath, and I agree, I doubt that she realizes that it’s not normal.

  14. Bobbie says:

    I love this and I need to work to be more like her. I lost 50 pounds four years ago and went from a size 14 to a size 6. I’ve kept it all off. I should be proud of myself. Yeah! When I was bigger, I dreamed about being a size 6. But do I feel this way? No! I am not proud of myself, I am constantly obsessing about my size, and I think I’m too big. It’s ridiculous. I wish I could think like her.

  15. Mew says:

    There’s just one system – eat less but healthy and exercise hard. And it works. No shortcuts.

    She might do pilates but she most certainly doesn’t look anywhere near healthy.

    • JaneFr says:

      No it does not. Not always. I’m an overweight, fat, but healthy person.
      I do have thyroid troubles, which are supervised, so now, I don’t gain 4 pounds with each menses. It does not help with the weight I gained before.
      I exercise 1 hour per day, and walk to work, take the stairs.
      I eat 800kc a day, no fat, no sugar, no carbs (It’s fish and green vegetables every single day, has been for 15 years now). Drink only water or tea.
      I was hospitalized once for a month – when I got out I could run, work etc…, but I had gained 8 pounds – diagnostic? anorexia.
      The last doctor I saw, could just say to me, that I’m healthy, do not eat enough, am big boned with a very efficient metabolism.
      I should be pleased to be an 8 body type, wide shoulders and hips, no belly fat (everything goes to my ass and breasts!) and resigned myself to be 50 pounds over what is considered “normal”. That is normal for me.
      So yes, often, one should diet and exercise. But it is not THE solution. Period.

      • RobN says:

        It is the solution for people who do not have underlying medical issues. Most fat people, and I was one of them, do not. I have to believe that if Melissa had health issues that she wouldn’t have called herself “weirdly healthy”. I’m sorry for your health issues, but you are the exception, not the rule.

      • JaneFr says:

        Again, no. First of all, I’m not The exception to your so called “rule”, just An exception. And (except for the thyroid thing, which is totally under control) I do not have any under laying medical issues! To quote, I’ve “got the best metabolism, as intended by nature. Made to survive and bear healthy children through duress and famines…” To be simple, if I was a farm animal I would be the prized breeder.
        My point here: Stop assuming that every fat/big/whatever woman that says that she has a healthy diet, notwithstanding her weight, is lying or delusional.

  16. MonicaQ says:

    I’m 5’4/215lbs however I bench 150lbs because I play contact football. I’m considered obese and I’m a size 16-18. Being a lineman doesn’t lend me to being small considering the other women I go up against but I’m ok with that most days.

    I only feel frustrated when I go to buy clothes because my chest is a size 22 and my waist an 16-18 but my butt a size 20. Company holiday parties are a drag to find clothes for. But in the end, it’s all about how you feel. Melissa is feeling what most women I know feel.

  17. Viv says:

    As a former fat person I have to agree with lots of what Callie said above. Many of my overweight friends, me formerly included, thought we ate healthy foods. It gets to the point were you pat yourself on the back if it’s not fast food. Most things that were home cooked meals were included in the “healthy” category and portion control was not totally realistic. I wasn’t extremely overweight but moving back to Europe from the US, I changed my lifestyle and food choices and it made a world of a difference. Now when I hang out with my overweight friends I am often stunned at what they consider healthy – as long as it has veggies in it, it’s called “healthy”, even if the veggies are deep-fried. It really is much harder to shun the big portions and the yummy choices when one lives in the US- it’s a big fast food/yummy food mekka. And I do have very overweight friends who do make lots of healthy choices when we eat out and officially never eat carbs but can inhale tons of chocolate after dinner at home. Those are the same friends who have been on Weight Watchers for years but still order a regular coke at Mc Donalds with their salad. Lots of this behaviour is schizophrenic! Same goes for exercise: I have learned from experience that I have friends double my size who hit the gym more often but technically accomplish less than I do in fewer visits and shorter time. It is very very hard to really judge oneself when it comes to habits and effort. Chances are Melissa lives not as healthily as she thinks she does, but gotta love her as an actress.

    • trudiebell says:

      yeah there is a lot of junk that has “health halos.” I am a former fat person too, and it took a total lifestyle overhaul to lose 70 pounds.

  18. Happy21 says:

    I’m at the point in my life where I am trying very hard to accept myself for who I am and not fret about every morsel I put into my mouth.

    I am overweight. I am short (5’0″) and weight between 135 and 140. I am on the high end of being overweight. I am a size 12 in a dress, a size 8-9 in pants and a M-L in tops.

    I am still wearing and fitting clothes I have had for 10 years. The only thing is that my body has changed in my 30’s (finally getting some hips and a bit of an ass) but my clothes still fit. I eat healthy foods but am a big eater. I work out at the gym 3-4 hours a week and I walk everywhere. I never get sick and my own doctor has told me that because I don’t have any medical complications from being overweight I should just keep doing what I’m doing. She even said it’s those women who drastically change what they are doing that end up unhealthy.

    It is hard though because you see clothes that don’t look good on you that you love, you see women that are built different than you and you have the pangs of jealousy. I’m trying very hard approaching my mid-30’s to just focus on being healthy and not obsessing over what I eat and just enjoying my life. It’s a battle though 🙂

    Kudos to Melissa for telling us it’s ok to be us.

  19. Grace says:

    If her doctor told her she’s healthy then it’s case closed.

    I know plenty of women who are “perfectly” sized and secretly emotionally, physically, and spiritually unhealthy from over-dieting.
    Dieters are never “moderate” they obsess every minute of the day over eating. That’s why they bond with each other. No one else wants to deal with that crap all day long.
    Melissa is pretty, smart, and funny. People need to end the dramas of looking “healthy” on the outside and being sick as cancer on the inside.

    • MerryHappy says:

      The problem, in my opinion, stems from the concept of ‘diet’ to begin with. It’s a lifestyle change. Just because i like to eat less carbs and won’t ever purchase anything says it’s enriched on the label doesn’t mean I’m on diet. Sorry had negative connotations, and being on one is painful. Lifestyle changes are effective and work. Permanent changes that give you opportunity to indulge once in a while, and be stricter when you feel you need to be.

  20. Rex says:

    Answer = no processed foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, pastured meats, seeds, nuts and good fats. Has worked for me (54 post menopause) changed my life!

  21. HappyJoyJoy says:

    I love her, and I’m not bashing her at all but if she really wanted it she could work for it. She has probably enough money to hire a good dietician and a great chef all she needs is the will power to get her ass in the gym. There is no magic recipe, there’s no magic dust or little pill that’s going to do the trick. Eat better & work out. We all have body issues, but very few chose to work hard to fix them.

  22. Luffy says:

    Umm hello unless she’s got a medical condition she could be a size 6 if she wanted to. Sure it won’t happen over night, but since when does something not being possible at that very moment equal not being possible ever? I don’t understand the idea of “I wish I were smaller, but I’m not so I’ll just get over it” has everybody forgotten that weight loss is possible and attainable? Maybe you won’t have a trainer or shrink as fast as you like, but it is in no way impossible. I hate defeatist attitudes. If she’s happy fat, ok. If she’s not, then why doesn’t she do something about it? Geez that’s like saying I want short hair, but my hair is long. Oh well. Hair can be cut, wright can be lost!

  23. Anastasia says:

    In April of this year, I was 80 pounds overweight. My blood pressure was high, I was on cholesterol medication, and I was staring down the barrel of Type 2 diabetes.

    I was VERY wiling to admit I got that way because I ate too damn much, my food was junky, and I rarely exercised. I was digging my grave with my mouth.

    So I gave up white flour and sugar and started exercising regularly. I’ve lost 53 of the 80 pounds.

    But I was FAT and I ate too damn much. Period.

  24. Mrs. Ar Gold says:

    She is a comic genius.

    A rarity. Her kind of talent doesn’t come along very often.

    • lucy2 says:

      I agree – I love her, I think she’s hilarious, and totally fearless when it comes to comedy.
      I wish people would talk more about that than her weight.

  25. RobN says:

    She is morbidly obese. She is not “weirdly healthy”. She’s 42 and the problems are just starting; she may have coasted through her 30’s at this weight, but it won’t last. Your knees and hips are the first to go and she’ll forget what it’s like to walk without pain. Blood pressure will start inching up and with it the increased chance of stroke or heart attack. I can count the number of morbidly obese 50 year olds without type 2 diabetes on one hand; just another thing to look forward to.

    I think she’s a hoot, but while you can get away with some extra weight, she’s fooling herself if she thinks she can carry around an extra 100+ pounds into her 40’s and she and her family won’t suffer because of it.

  26. Nick says:

    She’s funny , but she’s painting herself in a corner by saying I wish I could be smaller crap . There is no magic way to loose weight just do the math find your bmr and take in 100 calories less a day and you WILL loose weight .
    All you need is a calorie counter on your phone or just a pencil and piece of paper , it’s no ones fault but your own .
    Sick of people sugar coating stuff for fat people .

  27. Jones says:

    I’m curious if what she considers a healthy diet really IS healthy. The newscaster who got flak about being overweight on television was quoted in People Magazine as feeding her family fettucine alredo and (I forgot which but it was a starch). She never mentioned fruit, vegetables, grains either. Sometimes a dietician or nutritionist, one who is CERTIFIED, and referred by an M.D. or nurse practioner, can help with weight loss. Also, testing her thyroid (a TSH, not just a T4 blood test) will show if she has an underactive thyroid.