Lena Dunham and Taylor Swift have been “BFFs” for more than a year now. Basically, Taylor Swift moved to New York and developed a super-close group of girlfriends, and Lena is “geeky smart girl” in a group that consists mainly of models, dancers and pop stars. How to put this delicately? Lena doesn’t look like the rest of Swifty’s friends. I doubt Lena really cares that much about it in general. Except she has started to care more about her appearance lately, and she’s been posting Instagrams (like the one above) about her workouts, and she’s been talking about how she’s trying to change her body. This is where Star Magazine developed a theory – what if Taylor Swift was the one nudging Lena to make that kind of change in her life?
Every woman has that one friend who loves to complain about her life – but won’t do anything about it. And for Taylor Swift, that ranting bestie is Lena Dunham, who has become self-conscious of her full-figure.
“Lena has really confided in Taylor about her insecurities,” says an unnamed pal. “And Taylor was sympathetic at first but finally got tired of Lena’s constant pity party and told her that if she was so unhappy with her weight, she needed to get a trainer and do something to make a change!”
Sure enough, Taylor’s straight talk worked, and Lena has admitted recently to being on “a physical fitness kick.”
[From Star Magazine, print edition]
I think this is the kind of thing that could be true. I like that Swifty isn’t positioned as some kind of Gwyneth Paltrow-esque figure, telling peasants that they’re “fat” as soon as she sees them. I imagine if any of us had to listen to Lena Dunham complain about her life/body/career/whatever for hours on end, we would snap and tell Lena to get off her ass and do something about it. Incidentally, I don’t think Lena is “selling out” by getting a trainer or suddenly wanting to change her body/appearance after years of pushing a body-positive, love-who-you-are message. Then again, I don’t think much of Lena’s ethics – I think she will do, say or write anything for attention, so there’s nothing really to “sell out.”
Oh, and Lena has a feature in May issue of Seventeen – go here to read. I was going to write this up separately, but quite honestly… Lena just grates on my last nerve these days. I used to be able to take her in small doses, but I can’t anymore. The piece is all about how it’s cool to be “weird” and you should never feel the need to “fit in” or “dress like the cool kids” or whatever. Which is an okay message for teenagers, I suppose, except that Lena is a rich, privileged woman who went to private schools and now hangs out with Taylor Swift and Lorde and she works out at Tracy Anderson’s studio. Some of the kids she’s trying to talk to have real problems, you know? Problems that go beyond “wanting to wear ugly clothes and still wanting to be accepted by the cool kids.”
Photos courtesy of Instagram, Fame/Flynet.
“I imagine if any of us had to listen to Lena Dunham complain about her life/body/career/whatever for hours on end…”
But the trade-off is that Lena has to listen to Taylor complain about the two million people who have apparently wronged or offended her so no one is really winning (or losing?), tbh.
I can’t with Lena, I just can’t. She just rubbes me all the wrong way.
I know very little about Lena Durham, except for the photo’s I’ve seen off and on. I think that she looks hideous, and by her story lines, she always seems to be complaining!
Lena’s haircut is not doing her any favors
Right?! That hair is so terrible. It makes her look like she shrunk her head.
When I first glanced at the pic I thought she was a he.
I actually think she looks great witha pixie cut. It brings out her eyes which are beautiful.
I’m with you Franca.. Like Have we Not all been here when she did a Blonde Bowl Cut? Green Hair This is actually Pretty excellent especially for her… this will look so good as it grows too
I have to admit never watching her show ,although it is screened in the U.K. .
I have always felt she was a bit ‘shady’ though.I know all people in the ‘business’ are notorious for being insincere since it began so it starts from that place,but she appears someone who is prepared to say anything ,and at the expense of others.
As a person who could also drop some weight I have never felt her as genuine about being comfortable in her skin,and like many others ,even if I had the time the money for the gym ,trainer,outfits etc are out of my league.
She does not seem a kind friendly warm woman,however I may be mistaken in all of this .
I don’t think you’re wrong at all. I think she’s probably a crazy insecure, needy, friend who has like 900 “quirks” that she plays off as weird/cool, covering they’re really the byproduct of being so insecure and needy. She bugs me.
She reminds me of a friend who I can only handle in small doses.
Every negative thing about her is a “quirk.” It’s not a negative or a thing to work on, it’s just a quirk and you either accept her or you obviously don’t really care about her.
It’s ridiculous and just an excuse to not change because that would be hard and scary. I’ve talked to her about it a couple of times when she fell apart about things and she would try to improve for maybe a month before going back to her old attitude.
It gets frustrating to hear the same thing over and over with no effort to improve
I can’t afford a gym either. I work out at home, doing aerobics and yoga with video tapes. There are a lot of really good tapes to choose from, and I avoid gym fees, clothing, and travel expenses. It’s also a lot easier to schedule if doing it from home, and harder to avoid if you can see the tape while sitting watching TV.
I’m in no way “fit” or “skinny” and I don’t care about “healthy lifestyle tips”, but running every morning for 40 mn has helped me deal with chronic depression for 7 years now. I think of it as medecine, not exercice. So I hear her about anxiety.
She still annoys me.
that’s wonderful to hear. i definitely want to take u exercise to get the endorphin’s going to help with my mood lately. im glad it works for you.
Running is my therapy and I can’t imagine life without it.
I’m so happy to hear that it’s helped you too 🙂
I’ve actually heard that as well – that the amount of endorphins released through consistent exercise can naturally mimic the effects of certain anti depressants. The only catch is that it needs to be an extended amount of time (I’ve heard it suggested an hour, but if 40 minutes works for you that’s awesome!!!). I’m a distance runner myself and ever since I took it up it’s the steadiest I’ve ever been emotionally.
Yes! Walking is my therapy. I power walk about 3 miles at a track with my iPod. ( that’s actually about 40 minutes for me). It’s the best form of relaxation in a weird way. I crave those walks just to decompress and feel so good afterward and the pysical part totally takes a backseat to the mental boost. Very freeing. I will say, though, that physically, the result is amazing. I can eat anything I want because my metabolism is off the charts.
I’m with everybody who tires of friend’s constant complaining about the same things they do nothing to change. Either do something about it, or shut up about it.
I take a daily walk along a nature trail. I believe it’s 3 miles (one way). For me, it’s the best way to relax. I feel great afterwards and if I’m struggling with something, my brain works through it while I’m walking.
I don’t care for people who whine about the same thing constantly and do nothing to fix the problem.
Basically, I agree with JenniferJustice. 😉
meh, I’m not a fan but without exercise my brain gets really sad and I don’t function as well. So I’ll believe she’s sincere.
Me too. I diet and exercise for my physical and mental well being. Not because I’m aspiring to some idealized image of what a person is supposed to look like.
1000 times this. Don’t want to say it’s Jeckyll and Hyde, but when I work out regularly I swear I am more patient with people’s BS, more calm, more “zen,” I sleep better, concentrate better, and am just generally nicer to be around. So I believe she’s sincere too.
Everything you said, plus exercise makes it much nicer to live in my own head. And given her long-acknowledged OCD and anxiety issues, her newfound clarity is very believable. I hope she keeps it up! But still won’t watch her show.
😆
I always knew that she would drop some weight eventually once all the right cards have been played. I do believe that some celebrities are comfortable with their bodies, however once it becomes a stitch, then I really start to question it and expect you to drop a couple of pounds. Lena has made her name, she’s become rich(er?), and will continue to have success and be the so-called poster girl that many magazines will shove down our throats. She’ll never be Taylor’s figure, thankfully she doesn’t need to, but yes she’ll re-shape her body. Once the training starts, next interview will be about healthy eating, and so on.
I don’t know, her weight has yo-yo’d up and down throughout this whole time she’s been famous. She’s never been really thin, but she’s been thin for her bodyshape at various points iykwim, then gotten quite big again, then found a middle ground for a longer period. She seems like someone who’s just always going to be losing and gaining weight.
I don’t think she makes a lifestyle change. She just goes through fitness kicks before falling off of the wagon and then jumping back on.
So yeah her weight will go up and down depending on whether she’s taking care of herself
if this is true. go swiftly! I know people who constantly bitch about their weight and its gets real old after a while. if you hate it so much do something then otherwise accept it!
What? No shade about crazed chipmunk Tracy Anderson?
I will! I think it’s unfortunate that someone with Lena’s personality has gotten in with Anderson! This could be very bad. And I do not even like Lena. But seriously, if Paltrow is any example of Anderson’s tactics, I don’t think it’s good! Lena should find someone who is into being healthy and not cult-like.
The way Tracy has publicly bitched about Gwenyth’s pre-workout body, I shudder to think what she’ll say about Lena’s. She’s a nasty little fraud. I can’t stand Lena but almost feel sorry for her that that’s who she chose to go with.
Actually my head is still reeling after reading the Tracy Anderson bolt-on chipmunk face endorsement. Didn’t expect that from Lena!!!! She seems like the anti-Anderson method if you ask me. Dances to the beat of her own drum and not a Anderson-bot.
She’s basically Taylor Swift in a different body: obsessive overprivileged whitegirl who has lots of time to sit around and whine about her “problems” with other people and her life, but desperately wants to be accepted by the cool kids. That’s why they’re friends. Tracey Anderson makes perfect sense for her when you think of it that way.
Ol’ Lena often puts up some eye roll inducing instagrams, which I don’t follow but they get covered, but this takes the cake. Lena in tights, Lena promoting gym clothes, Lena giving shout outs to Tracy Anderson. Lena Dunham= just another Hollywood sheep.
Who knew Taylor Swift could dole out tough love and good advice?
Not surprised she can, but I’m willing to bet she can’t take it.
its obviously way different to tell someone to shut up and work out if they constantly go on your nerves and want to do it but dont than to say it because you dont like their bodyshape.
i still dont buy this story though.
It’s absolutely important for teens to hear someone tell them not to worry too much about fitting in and that it’s cool to be different. Who the hell wants to be the same as everyone else? Who’s gonna be YOU?
Exercise all you want- I agree it improves the way you feel- but not because you’re slimmer, because of endorphins.
Lena’s uniqueness when compared to every other female actor or celeb is what distinguishes her, her brand is looking different. What a beautiful human.
But slimmer is definitely healthier. I find nothing wrong with teens learning that.
She seems to dress to draw attention to herself – and she doesn’t try to look pretty, at all…
Why in living hell should she try to “look pretty”?
Would you say that about a guy? No, because that’d be stupid, right? Guys aren’t supposed to look pretty.
So why should a girl?
Oh, Jonathan, of course I wouldn’t have asked a guy to look pretty. Most of them are attempting “masculine”. I’m speaking of a cultural norm that Lena doesn’t care about, that’s all. Whatever she is attempting is “pretty” ugly IMO.
I’m glad she’s seen the light about exercise. It is so helpful to get rid of mental and physical issues. I know “body positive” is in right now, but overweight/obese is not healthy, no matter what people try to say. I don’t people should *ever* be shamed for their body and nobody deserves ridicule etc. But it’s just a medical fact, and i can also speak from experience here.
^ This.
Yes, let’s find a happy medium, excessively thin is not a good path to lead girls down, but neither is excessively heavy. Anyone who’s taken off a lot of excess weight can tell you the health benefits are legion.
That haircut tho 🙁
I dunno. I kinda object to the characterization of Lena as the “geeky smart girl.” People I’d put in that category: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Kristen Schaal, Felicia Day, Daria. I don’t see any correlation between the geek-girl persona and whiny, self-pitying (or gym-phobic) behavior.
she is absolutely right that exercise does help with mental health (“help” being the key word– it’s not a cure-all) HOWEVER i take it with a grain of salt that she isn’t also doing this to look a certain way given that her trainer is tracy freaking anderson.
Love Lena Dunham. She’s a genius. I got to put my 2 cents in after all the trolls. She’s a real person writing a wonderful show
I’m not a troll, I’m just looking! Perhaps she is a genius for getting attention. (In all fairness, I haven’t seen her show).
Thanks Dizzy. I LOVE LENA, too. I haven’t yet had the opportunity to watch Girls (I don’t have HBO) – but I did read one of her books . . . and I LOVED IT! I really like her and really identify with her.
Lena never says anything about exercising for weight loss. That was all the magazine’s trusted sources. I’m glad she has found probably the best natural antidepressant out there….and no side effects…except looking better!!! But if she’s working with Tracy Anderson, she’s trying to change her body. And probably not in the healthiest ways.
And that’s a bummer. She’s not the Hollywood type, she’s just not. But when I think about it a sec, it would probably help her career to lose 20 pounds. Isn’t that sad?
On the one hand, good that she helped her friend. On the other, almost her entire catalog is bitching about boyfriends.
I think she’s sincere in this, esp. as she talks about having anxiety a lot.
As for her Seventeen article – yeah, I agree that it’s both a good message and grating. It’s a good message for teenagers (or whatever age Seventeen caters to now), but at the same time it’s also trendy now to be “weird” and “different” and “special.”
I feel like being “weird” or alternative has been a thing for 20 yrs now (since i was in h.s.!), anyone who lives in NY as Dunham has her whole life grows up around “weird”, so her whole hipster co-opting of herself as some sort of avante garde pioneer of the underdog does grate on me. She set her show in the most expensive, hipster place to live in the city, it would be way more anarchic if they lived in New Jersey or something. I don’t know, I think I’m just over her overexposure!
Mrs. Darcy, I agree with everything you’ve said, but would add that people have always felt “weird.” It’s fairly recent that weird = cool, but outcasts/freaks have always struggled with their identities, and mostly without the vast resources & support that she has access to.
I don’t buy this at all. First of all The reason Lena and Taylor Became friends is because of lenas boyfriend jack ( from fun) who is the co writer on many of the songs on Taylor’s last cd, they write most of the material in Lena and his apartment in nyc. Secondly if she has been struggling with depression and therapist worth their money would encourage excercise. I hardly thing she needed Taylor to tell her this.
We’re all influenced by the people we associate with, we gradually become like those we are surrounded by. She looks good, exercise makes a huge difference to how you feel about yourself. You look better, feel better, feel more confident, that affects how others react to you and how you respond to them…. It’s the best solution for depression and/or anxiety issues.
I’m still not convinced Taylor actually goes to the gym though, there are numerous blinds about her dressing up, going to the gym, having a smoothie and leaving. She never looks like she’s had a workout remotely, no hint of a ruddy cheek or hair out of place. I think she is just a skinny girl naturally, which would peeve me off to no end if she started giving me diet and exercise advice!
@Mrs. Darcy – ‘she is just a skinny girl naturally’ is what overweight women say to rationalize why they are overweight and skinny women are not. It’s simple math – calories in, calories out. Anyone who says otherwise is literally trying to bend science to justify their excuses. Source: I lost 80+ and have kept it off for over five years. Exercise AND a healthy diet are the only therapy that has worked to help my depression. If you aren’t willing to keep up health outside the gym then you will not sustain your success.
I disagree, I have known girls who eat as much if not more than me (and lived with so know their full time diet m.o.) who were just naturally thinner than me. I am slightly overweight at the moment, I’ve also been underweight for my height, so I know both ends of the spectrum and don’t judge anyone. That’s great you lost weight, and generally for most people the in and out science can work. But there are some for whom it doesn’t, like me, who has a messed up thyroid from radiotherapy. Diets that used to work for me simply don’t any more. Anyway I still don’t buy that Taylor is a fitness freak, I stick by my original comment on that.
@Mrs. Darcy – Sorry, didn’t know what ‘reply’ link to click to respond to your second comment. I apologize for the disagreement but the thyroid thing brings back memories. Unfortunately I disagree with the thyroid excuse. That’s a frequent one I hear. It is literally the same excuse I used to give for why I couldn’t lose weight. I thought, ‘It’s not my actions – it’s my body. I can’t help this. It’s beyond my control. I’m doing the best I can.’ But was I doing the best I can, or was I resting on a convenient excuse provided for me? I went to an endocrinologist after my GP suggested it because weight loss wasn’t working. I too was told I had possible thyroid issues and that it could affect my metabolism/weight and be the reason I wasn’t able to change…..the reality? It doesn’t affect it enough to stagnate that process. This isn’t my opinion – this is unedited fact. Even if you have a legitimate thyroid problem, it would not prevent you from losing weight. I encourage you to talk more with your doctor and perhaps a nutritionist/trainer – you can do this!
I evolved from “gym phobic” to someone who kinda misses exercising evey once in a while. And although I look much better when I’m exercising regularly, I miss the mental effects the doctor promised me.
I feel like she tries TOO HARD to be different and unfortunate looking.
While trying her damnest to be like everyone else. She is not fooling anyone.
100% certain she will not keep the health routine up. Saw her posting fitness photos of herself on Instagram. Then she posted a hotdog calling it her mid-morning snack. She can go to the gym all she wants but if she doesn’t change unhealthy habits, she can stick to obesity in polkadots.
It seems to me that Dunham is working out more for her brain, which as a fellow anxiety sufferer, I can understand, because it is the best thing for all the things she mentioned. Kudos to her for doing this, even though I can’t stand her.
swift and dunham are a match made in special snowflake heaven. mediocre in reality but the self worship is gigantic. they definitely drink their own koolaid.
I’ve known and lived with many women who are hypercritical of weight, of even the smallest saddlebags, the most impossibly unnoticeable stomach fat or the tiniest amount of butt fat, who “eat healthy” while starving themselves of nutrients or not having a sufficiently varied diet and never allowing themselves to have any fun with food, of always going for the low fat/no fat option while exercising every day without fail, going on runs or running up stairs or doing sit ups, constantly worrying about their bodies and judging other women about their physiques.
It’s so unfun I wonder where the enjoyment comes from. Fitting into a certain dress size? Being able to wear a crop top and show off your abs? Is that what it’s for? Because its a hard, 24 hour, no excuses, no slip ups lifestyle for most people. Have an ice cream because you’re craving sugar or eat a bag of chips or a slice of normal bread because you’re craving some carbs and then berate yourself and work out twice as hard that night or the next day? That’s not health or healthy, that’s punishment for being human.
It’s another way of women controlling themselves and buying onto the idea that women’s bodies aren’t really supposed to take up space. That women aren’t allowed to enjoy the sensuality of food. That women have to be active to matter to other women (or to men! of all things!) and fit into a desirable body type to be acceptable.
I understand the problems in the US and even my own country about weight and obesity- in some studies Australia is the fattest nation in the world. I understand the benefits of being within a certain body mass index with regards to heart and vascular health, the effect on your joints, avoidance of type 2 diabetes, increased fertility, improved breathing and sleep and the release of endorphins that come with exercise.
Be “concerned” about people’s health all you want, have your own body positive image all you want….but don’t try and pressure brainwash other people into buying into your chosen lifestyle. No matter what rewards you think it gives you.
But harping on about health is unhealthy in itself. You’re not a success because you’ve lost weight. You’ve JUST lost weight. Anyone can lose or gain weight, big deal. You DON’T feel more confident just because you’ve lost weight, you feel that way because you’ve bought into the idea that slimmer is more acceptable, that slimmer is somehow easier in life. That people will stop judging you on your weight- well, that’s true, because other people are judges, like you. But they will 100% judge you on something else.
Not every body has to be slim, not every body will be. Not every body has to look the same or fit into some weight to height ratio. It just won’t happen that everyone will be the same. Can you be human enough to just let some people off the hook and NOT be critical? NOT be concerned about their weight at all?
If you can’t look in the mirror and be merciful enough to love yourself no matter how heavy your ass or your gut is, there’s something wrong with you, with your humanity. You need to work on your heart, on your ability to love without conditions, on your ability to look without judgement, on your ability to be kind and forgiving and accepting.
If you can’t look at Lena without mentally concern trolling about unhealth, you have a troll in your mind, it’s as simple as that. A monster inside of you, bigger and uglier than the monster you think she is for being the weight she is.
I don’t care one twit about her body. She dresses funny, IMO. I know nothing about her, I’m only LOOKING!
Eyes pretty? What? This chick is the definition of homely. She could look attractive if she tried. Obviously, that isn’t her MO. I’m not very familiar with her work so I can’t comment on her talents.
Wow I’m surprised at all the vitriol. I think you’re all getting her confused with her character on Girls. I like her. Nobody is perfect and I think it’s a positive thing that she’s promoting fitness at any size or shape. And yes, she’s from a privileged background – does that mean she shouldn’t be allowed to be successful? Have an opinion? Honest about her flaws? Funny how a woman shown to use her brain and refuses to fit the conventionally attractive mould gets just as much hate, if not more, from you guys as a Kardashian.