Lea Michele covers the “special wellness issue” of People Magazine, which is probably geared to all of us who want to shape up for the holidays now that the summer is over. The photo they chose of her for the cover looks a bit manic, but I guess that’s what passes for happy with a lot of people. Lea says some decent, if bland things about being in shape, moving more and honoring her body. She used to be a vegan, a diet she followed starting around 2010, when she lost a significant amount of weight while filming Glee, but she’s since re-added meat into her diet. Lea also isn’t humble when it comes to her body image, which I guess is refreshing considering that she could put herself down and say a bunch of things about how self conscious she is when that just isn’t true. At least she’s honest.
On gaining weight when she first did Glee
I had more time in my trailer, more time in my car, and less time walking around. That’s when I realized how important it was for me, personally, to include activities and movement in my daily life.She’s very fit now
[I’m in] the best place I’ve ever been. If I can do it, an Italian girl from the Bronx? Are you kidding me? Anybody can do it.She got in shape on the broadway show Spring Awakening in 2006
[Jonathan Groff and I] would even do bikram yoga in between shows sometimes. That’s when I realized ‘Oh, I’m actually kind of good at this.’ We’d rock it out on stage during the day, then go to class together, and it really built my confidence. My workouts have to be good for my soul as well. If my brain can’t get relaxed at the same time, then it’s not for me.On getting through dark moments, like Cory Monteith’s death
You always have to have faith, because life is going to throw things at you. You have to trust that there is a plan. I really pride myself on the people I surround myself with and how I take care of myself, so my ground is table beneath me.Her diet involves some meat and being persistent
[She eats meat] as long as it’s coming from good places. The best lesson I’ve ever learned is, Who cares if people [servers] think you’re annoying? Tell them to use less salt. Tell them to use less butter. The worse they can do is say no.On wellness
It’s so important to do things for yourself – because the better you are, the better you can be for the people in your life. It’s so important for me to stress that being healthy is not about being a gym rat. It’s not about being 90 lbs. This is really how I live every single day.
[From People Magazine, Wellness issue, print edition]
That’s a dangerous attitude to have “if I can do it anyone can.” People are in different places in their lives, under all sorts of situations, and it sounds so elitist to either think that everyone has your advantages, or that your disadvantages were so extreme that your particular accomplishments can be achieved by anyone. Plus not everyone has the same goals, but this is Lea Michele she’s not really in touch with the rest of the world. I guess that’s the lesson of wellness though, put yourself and your needs first. (Not that wellness is selfish, just that it involves prioritizing yourself.) Lea likely never had an issue with that.
Nope, the worst they can do is spit in your salad!
Eh you know I’ve waited tables in my youth and I appreciate how hard servers work. While I’d never go as far as Leah suggested I definitely ask questions about what’s in a dish and I do ask for changes to accommodate my diet. I think as you get older you really do give less of a f**k about annoying people when it’s part of their jobs and if they have a problem with it and do something that gross they are just scum (I’ve honestly never seen a server actually spit in anyone’s food). I do believe in being nice and tipping well.
I was just kidding, I’ve worked in kitchens and as a waitress and not seen it either. But I’m sure it has happened!
and if it does, it’s now criminal.
I think the difference is just being polite when asking questions. Always be nice to the people that handle your food.
I’ve seen a cook spit in food…but it was because the two customers that I was waiting on snapped my bra strap. They then told me to come over and they’d show me how to take a $1 tip (like a stripper). I was hiding from them in the kitchen, and the cook got all older-brother-style protective of me and spit in their food. I don’t advocate for it, but it did happen. They were jerks, though, and I have to wonder if it was the first time restaurant staff retaliated against them.
Not everyone has access to the healthy food and expensive gym memberships etc. For example, where I live, one bikram yoga class will set your back £12-18 depending on what time you want to go. People have kids, houses to clean, and 9-5 (if you’re lucky!) jobs.
So no, not everyone can live this lifestyle (and achieve similar goals) the way she did.
It’s really bloody disingenuous and dare I say ignorant to suggest so.
Exactly, not to mention the personal trainer, the handmade home-delivered diet, and the fake t!ts.
Healthy food doesn’t have to be expensive – i buy a lot of stuff (fruit/meat/veg/dairy) from farmer’s markets, its cheaper and fresher than the supermarket crap. I live in London and there are many.
I agree with you on the gym prices, i don’t go to a gym but if you look around you can find pilates/yoga classes at dance studios which are cheaper than a gym. Bikram is not cheap regardless of where you are – most studio’s i’ve been to offer package deals, the more classes you buy in advance the cheaper it is but its all down to how often you can go.
Not to discount everything you”re saying but in my city in the US (DC), farmer’s markets are more expensive than the grocery store, even Whole Foods. There are also food deserts in many poorer neighborhoods throughout cities in the US where there are no grocery stores and the only local options are fast food and convenience stores. combine that with poor mass transit options and getting groceries of any kind, let alone healthy options becomes quite the time consuming chore.
The only issue with that is…. when you live in a small ‘nowhere’ town that’s not known for veggie farming.
We have a farmers market, but it’s very small, and there really isn’t a lot there. I wouldn’t say it’s much cheaper either. There are like… two people who sell vegetables at this market, no joke.
The farmer’s markets in Boston are actually more expensive than grocery store produce prices. I still shop at FMs often because I like supporting local businesses, but they are definitely NOT cheaper.
Here we also have a very cheap outdoor open-air market on Fri & Sat called Haymarket, where you can get everything for pretty cheap but all of that stuff is shipped from South America/Africa etc and is often hit-or-miss in terms of quality. I’m not a huge food snob but I don’t shop their often because it’s not usually the freshest stuff.
Of course, I’m lucky enough that I can afford to pay a bit more.
In terms of working out–running and walking outside is free, guys. Also YMCAs are very reasonably priced and offer yoga and bootcamp classes.
I guess in Europe we’re spoiled with the affordable healthy food. Was in Florida this summer and must say I was a bit shocked with the prices of healthy food. I now can understand why you would choose the 5 tacos for 1 dollar menu instead of the 5 dollar taco in a healthy-ish store.
I agree, healthy food doesn’t have to be expensive. But you have to be savvy about where you get it, and depending on where you live it can be difficult.
My advice on that front: find out what store has bulk bins of dry goods and utilitize this to its full extent. Dry beans, rice, grains, etc are very cheap out of the bulk bin and are nutritious and filling. Sprout the grains in a jar and add to any dish you can think of, especially if fresh vegetables are in limited supply. Grow herbs in a window or outside, it’s cheaper than buying them over time and they make all the difference in the world. Eat meat sparingly and there’s no shame in buying the cheaper cuts or stew chunks. Learning how to prepare them is the key to deliciousness. Potatoes too are cheap and can be prepared in all kinds of ways. Leave the skins on for maximum nutrients.
Basically, think peasant food. It’s an investment in time, which can be just as much of a challenge as a financial expenditure, but you can make a lean budget go a long way if you’re able to budget your time to plan and prep meals.
so tired of hearing this same old ‘excuse’ paragraph. it takes discipline, not money or a fancy lifestyle, to be in any shape you want to be in.
That’s rough and true in the same time!
I agree that discipline is the main factor, but I think it’s indisputable that money/lifestyle/easy access to healthy foods all help to make it easier to achieve a healthy lifestyle.
Agree that discipline is an enormous factor – but not the only one. When I choose to drop £18 on a yoga class after work, I don’t have to pick between yoga and paying for my kids field trip etc, is my point. As a fairly well paid thirty something with no kids I have the privilege to spend a pretty penny on classes and memberships and comparatively expensive ‘healthy’ meals. Not everyone has that option/privilege and my point is that it’s important to recognize that.
I think it’s really important to acknowledged that not everyone can pop into the yoga studio after work – people have kids to feed and homework to help with! People who are working 2 jobs and struggling to put a plate of pasta on the table after a 14 hour shift shouldn’t be told ‘anyone can do it’ because a millionaire starlet with unlimited resources and help can do it. Its a false equality.
While I agree about discipline, I think that money, time and also health are major factors. If you’re sick at all or even under the weather it’s easy to gain weight quickly. It’s always down to calories but there are legitimate reasons why you burn less and eat more and they can add up. I’ve been on both sides of this issue and I hate when people call it easy or assume that everyone can do it.
Nope. Discipline is KEY, but it’s straight goofy to pretend that more time/more money don’t make it easier to lead a healthier life overall.
Discipline is key but if you live in a food desert are poor have two barely paying jobs and kids to feed etc etc etc all the discipline in the world won’t get you untired enough for two a days or afford you the time/money/headspace to go gym it up, worse still if you don’t live by a park/green area/ A SAFE place no amount of wishful hectoring about ” Just walk” would actually make it feasible to “just go walk” and that is the point making healthy choices for your food and your time requires you to have the time/means to do so
I am sorry but at one time in my life I lived in an apartment with gun shots going off, car robberies at night and cock roach infestations. I couldn’t sleep at night, I was poor and no amount of yoga, healthy foods, or exercise would have improved my mental or physical health. It gets my goat when people say it just takes discipline. It also takes not fearing for your life, safety, and being able to know that you are gonna make ends meet not just for the Week or month but for a while.
I got lucky when loved ones intervened to help me. Not everyone does and what do you know when I moved apartments and my finances improved, my physical health and weight got better without changing a thing. It’s not just discipline.
nobody said popping into a yoga studio was the key to health. My point was you don’t need a yoga studio to get into shape. If you find yoga to be your answer, do it at home. It really does take no money to lose weight and get in shape. It takes discipline, commitment, and creativity. You can lose weight and get in shape within your own 4 walls. Money and access do not make it “easier,” they give you more options. Plenty of well off people want to be in better shape, too, but they are not committed or disciplined enough to GO to those gyms, to MEET with their trainers, to BUY their healthy food.
Yes I hate when people say that statement.
Was she 150 pounds over weight? no. Was she older than 40? No. Does she have any physical disabilities? Caring for several children, working full time and who knows what else? Oh, thats right ..nope.
Call me when you make a median income with 2 kids, work full time and see if you can do it so easily and have some health issues which vary day to day and really can cause you to barely move or even go to work. Then we can talk.
It’s all about priorities. If you have to cook anyway, cook something healthy. You also don’t have to pay money for a gym. There are thousands of free workout videos on youtube that you can use for instructions. 10-minute-workouts as well as full 1-hour-classes, you don’t even need much equipment (maybe barbells but you can even replace them with water bottles, a gym ball and a yoga mat). If you want to do cardio, get some good shoes and go out for a run (I run almost every day before work and that takes me around 35 minutes from door to door).
If you have health issues that keep you from moving, that’s another thing but everything else is just a matter of priorities (at least when you live in a developed and peaceful country).
Yes, I work full-time, have two small kids, and also have two disabilities, one of which being Ehlers-Danlos, which is a connective tissue disorder, that causes severe joint pain and will likely cause me to need a wheelchair someday. I was very active for the past few years until my joints began to deteriorate; I went from running 3 miles to barely being able to walk 2. I’ve gained weight and I know it. I’m sure people judge me for it without knowing my back story. F em.
As for Lea Michele, she’s always struck me as a “look how hot I am” wannabe. Her talent is overshadowed by her thirst.
“bloody disingenuous” — that basically sums up Lea Michele’s entire character and persona. She’s a fake, ridiculous robot who spews out a ton of inane garbage in a series of (failed) attempts to stay relevant.
Yeah, a single yoga class is about $17 and the schedule never lines up with my work schedule. I have to workout at 5:30 a.m. or not at all. And I am a lucky one.
I disagree. Yes, it’s hard to balance life, work, families, and the rest, but realistically most of the folks who think it’s too hard (barring actual issues like food deserts, money, safety) it’s because they don’t want to make it a priority. It’s easier to order a pizza than make a healthy meal, and it’s easier to promise yourself that next week is when you’re going to start working out. Everyone has different responsibilities and priorities, but ultimately we’re still talking about a choice. Yes, yoga is expensive. But you don’t have to go to the most expensive option – there are yoga classes at any local gym or YMCA.
**and seriously, I know that there is a subset of folks for whom there are other issues (poverty, access, safety). But that doesn’t encompass the entire population.
Bridget 62% of Americans couldn’t get $1,000 together in case of emergency. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/most-americans-have-less-than-1000-in-savings-2015-10-06
Which ‘subset’ of folks not in poverty are you talking about? 62% sounds like a majority to me.
I live 30 miles away from the nearest farmer’s market which is only open twice a week. Is that typical? I also live 30 miles away from a gym. I hit my two year old in the face with an 8 lb weight the other day and spent $6.30 on a spaghetti squash instead of a $1 box of noodles. It’s hard, expensive, and time consuming.
Because there’s a difference between having $1000 cash and budgeting groceries – we don’t know what those 62% of people are spending their money on. In the US obesity is epidemic, and I can guarantee you it’s not because all of those people are living in a food desert. Yes, poverty is absolutely a factor, but 62% of Americans aren’t living in poverty.
I get it. It’s hard. But for most Americans, it’s a choice. We can come up with 20 different reasons, but ultimately those are reasons why we choose not to take care of ourselves – I have no judgement either way (folks are allowed to live their own lives, and each person has the right to make their own choices) but again, it’s still a choice.
Isa: get out of bed before the toddler. Buy frozen veggies when you can’t buy fresh. Dried beans are one of the most inexpensive things you can buy. There’s this idea that the only way to eat healthy is to go to Farmer’s Markets and eat organic, but the truth is that barring access issues, you can easily put together healthy meals on a budget.
I think she’s making the point that you have to be accountable and move your body to see results. We can all go for power walks – we all have shoes so can walk. It doesn’t have to be an expensive gym.
This site is so negative all the time. Lighten up!!
Ah yes, we can all go for walks. Except, you know, when my legs aren’t working due to my genetic condition. Maybe you need to open your eyes a little more.
Agreed
Can we also mention her in flipflops on a bike
This article has been buried but I’m gonna reply anyway. I do get up before my kids, and I go to sleep after. Most nights I get about 5 hours of sleep. I spent last Saturday night up cleaning my bathrooms at 2 am. Party animal over here. I’ve never been to the farmer’s market and I love some frozen vegetables, but I can still buy a boxed meal for cheaper and have leftovers the next day. My kids can devour some fruit. I’ve been poor and I can barely stand the taste of rice with beans which was a staple at our house. I’m very fortunate that I can afford to cook better meals now. Rice, beans, and grain makes my belly bloated and jiggly. If I’m gonna have a body like Lea then I have to cut them out. We do still eat pinto, navy and 15 bean soup, but I certainly don’t look like Lea. My mom revealed that my oldest child used to complain that we had no food at our house. She would come home with sacks of snacks and I didn’t think anything of it because I didn’t know she was telling her that. My mom was really worried over nothing, we had food, you just had to cook it. I’ve been working really hard and have lost 27 lbs, but my grocery bill has definitely gone up. Our walmart price matches some things with aldi’s even though it’s an hour and a half away. I take advantage of that when I can.
She is always talking about her body when I see her on entertainment show. I guess this is her new road to getting attention or success. I don’t see it happening. There are many many celebrities her age that are fit. Nothing special about that. I just don’t see her being the Big thing that she obviously wants to be. It would have happened by now; or she would be further ahead.
Her voice and her acting style are just MEANT for Broadway. She’s amazing on stage, but on film and on TV she just reads as too much, a lot like she seems like she might be in real life.
I know she’s conceited but I understand what she thinks she’s saying. She’s from a culture that loves good food and wine so she’s trying to say if she can be disciplined and proactive anyone can. She doesn’t take into account that there are so many other factors in play for other people. But at least she doesn’t pretend that she lays around eating pizza all day and just magically looks trim and fit.
Granted she didn’t mention this at all, but t thought maybe she was also referring to height as well. She’s not particularly tall, and even the smallest amount of weight gain looks kind of worse on a short person than a tall one (I’m saying this is as a short person).
Girl has a beautiful voice but not the best attitude – she’s long had a rep for being difficult. Putting yourself first doesn’t mean you have to be a b!tch to others.
What does being Italian from the Bronx have to do with anything? Because Italians love food? Who doesn’t??? It’s a pet peeve of mine (celebrities talking at length about their diet etc.) so I may overreact but STFU. I hate this “if I can do it, anybody can” because it might be true (I don’t think so, for many reasons) but she’s also implying that anybody “should”. That’s the unspoken judgment here. And don’t sell it as motivation. Don’t EVEN.
Honestly, this is where I appreciate GOOP’s unapologetic superior attitude towards us peasants. She’s saying she’s better than we are but while she’s selling an aspirational lifestyle, noone in their right mind would take it as “she wants me to be like her”.
I was literally about to comment this! Is the only available sustenance in the Bronx pizza and pasta? Do Italians from the Bronx have some kind of specific routine or mindset that makes it hard to get into the gym??
@Rachel, I’m genuinely trying to help people understand here because I don’t think you are getting it. In my experience growing up in a super Italian family, there is a very complex relationship with food. It’s not that the “only” things to eat are pizza and pasta or that people don’t go to the gym. That’s not it. It’s that….family events for Italian steroids are like regular family events on steroids. All the time. And if you come from a religious Italian family it’s even more pressure. Every single family event (and there are MANY) becomes about tons of food. Food, often like Catholicism, becomes part of the framework of the family and the culture in a way that that a lot of people who have not lived it just cannot relate to. I knew EXACTLY what she was talkin about when I read this and I don’t even like her. My instinct is that Armenian and Greek families also can probably identify with this.
Yeah – I don’t get that part of the comment. Also, she may have been born in The Bronx but she was raised in Tenafly, NJ. Maybe things have changed since the 80s/90s, but the kids I knew from Tenafly got gold watches and BMW/Mercedes/Range Rovers for their 16th or 17th birthday. I know not everyone there was wealthy but majority of the families were upper-middle class at least.
@littlemissnaughty, I can’t stand this woman but I’m sorry I have to jump in here.
There is absolutely a cultural difference in terms of the way certain ethnicities approach food and the way other white people approach food. I grew up in an Italian American household and literally everything in my life revolved around food. And it was this weird pressure to both eat until you were stuffed but then sometimes feel body shamed if you were overweight. It was bizarre. Italian American culture is deeply ingrained in food and the pressure to eat together. I married into a “WASP” family and I’m telling you point blank….it was just NOT THE SAME at all. It was a totally different cultural mindset. Sometimes, I think we need to be more sensitive to the fact that even within our white communities there are ethnic and cultural differences that impact how we come to view our bodies and our relationship with food. Like I said, I don’t like Lea at all but I do understand what she’s saying here.
@Kathleen. I also come from a super Italian American family, and I think you summed up the complicated relationship with food very well! My relatives look everyone up and down to see if they are “keeping their shape” then insist on having life revolve around food! At breakfast we have to talk about what we’re having for lunch, at lunch what are we having for dinner. It can be too much sometimes so I immediately got what Lea likely meant as well!
Kathleen, you summed up my Italian-American experience perfectly as well. My fellow Italian friend and I are always talking about how it can be really difficult sometimes to watch what you eat as an Italian. I mean for example, I’ll do great with eating “clean” and then go to my mom’s and she’ll have made a super heavy Italian pasta dish. And you are expected to eat it. Obviously all cultures are different and what part of Italy your family is from likely depends the kind of Italian fare you’ll eat, but there is a lot of it that is very heavy and when you grow up eating it, you crave it, it’s at every family function, and as you noted, food is VERY MUCH a part of the family. My cousin joined a weight loss group after giving birth to her third child and the other women were almost entirely WASPs and basically shamed her for eating pasta. I’m sure in Hollywood, where just about everyone is on a no carb diet, being an Italian can make you the odd one out.
“The best lesson I’ve ever learned is, Who cares if people [servers] think you’re annoying? Tell them to use less salt. Tell them to use less butter. The worse they can do is say no”
servers can do way worse, Lea. way worse.
Honestly, I don’t think the servers can do anything bad to your food, but, uh, maybe the chefs can. I don’t think servers have control in the kitchen.
Yes, they can. But her premise is ridiculous. People asking for certain things is rarely seen as annoying. I never found any of that annoying. If I know it beforehand and I can make it happen, I will. If you don’t care that you’re annoying though, you’re most likely VERY annoying and yes, service staff can mess with your sh*t. And you won’t even hear a no.
I guess they could spit in the food, but I don’t know how they could do it out of sight of the chef or the other servers and server assistants. The kitchen door leads right out to the restaurant. They’d have to spit in the food right in front of the customers to get away with it out of sight of the chef. Spitting is about the only thing I can think of that a server could do, but I’m uncertain as to how they would do that out of view of the chef, who are known for going ballistic if you tamper with the presentation of their food. I mean, I
wouldn’t put it past a server at KFC (a fast food place) to do something terrible with your food (as we’ve seen on the news), but at a high end restaurant (which is where I assume someone like Lea Michele eats) where the chef de cuisine calls all the shots on the food and watches the server as he or she walks out with it, I don’t see how they could actually get away with tampering with it.
Also, she’s assuming that people eat out enough that asking for less this or no that will have a large impact on someone’s diet. Is it normal to dine out that frequently? We don’t because we can’t afford it. So please, use all the unhealthy stuff in my food, one meal a month won’t break my life. All I care about is that there’s nothing I’m allergic to.
I think her suggestion sounds like something I’ve seen on The Biggest Loser. So I think it is something suggested by personal trainers. I don’t see why anyone should be annoyed if you ask for less salt or butter though, except for the people actually cooking it. Although I guess if someone asks in a really snooty way, THAT could be annoying.
I’m not a fan of Lea but I actually don’t disagree with her message or think it’s elitist. I think anyone can make room for a healthier lifestyle, and it doesn’t have to involve expensive gyms or personal chefs. As you said, we’re all in different situations…but we all probably have things we can improve. And we can make time for them, although it might involve sacrificing a little sleep, for example, to get up for a run or walk before the day starts. Or to pack a lunch instead of buying carry-out.
I don’t mean to sound preachy but I feel like if I, as an average person with the demands of work and kids and other stressors can force myself to make healthier choices, anyone really can.
Sacrificing sleep is precisely what makes it difficult for most people to control their diet. I’m happy for you that you can cut down your sleeping hours without your health taking a hit – if I did that it would trigger a bout of clinical depression, and my weight would be the least of my problems.
Yes, you do sound preachy, and also very ignorant about how people’s individual lifestyles and mental health may affect them differently. I don’t disagree that we can all make changes, but making those changes and sticking with them involves emotional energy that many people simply don’t have. Please try to be more compassionate.
While I think you’re right that any one can make room for healthier choices…you would have to make a lot of healthier choices, and dedicate a lot of time to them, to look like Lea Michele. That’s the elitist message. For example, I could go for an early morning run every day, and I wouldn’t look like Lea Michele, and her look is exactly what’s being marketed here, NOT “healthy choices”.
There’s also a sense of judgement, which is another reason she (and you, a little) come off as “preachy”. If you are at a place in your life where every penny has to be accounted for and every minute of your day is spent doing something, you probably don’t feel like carving out time for exercise, especially if it means missing out on the only time you get to rest. I agree that everyone “can”…but I can also see it’s not always that easy.
You’re also assuming everyone lives in an area where they can just go outside and walk. That it is a safe enough area to wander about outside. Sadly this isn’t always the case.
Yes, we can all improve something, but you have to realize that to add more in one area you must subtract from another. For some people, this is impossible due to family responsibilities, financial stress, or any number of reasons. At a certain point there is no subtracting possible, thus there’s nothing to add to the “wellness pot”.
Not trying to be mean here, but why is everyone immediately coming up with reasons why it’s ridiculous to say that people *can* make eating well and exercising a priority? Because keep in mind, these choices that we make absolutely will affect our health as we age, and will affect the choices our children make as they get older. Taking care of yourself isn’t subtracting from the wellness pot. Not to mention, many folks actually find that eating right and exercising are hugely helpful to managing stress.
Wow, I didn’t realize my comment would be taken so negatively, exactly why I said I was NOT trying to be preachy. Sorry you think I am. I may not struggle with poverty, thank goodness, but I struggle with mental health issues, as does one of my sons, and trying to stay as physically healthy as possible is the only way I can keep my mental health stable. For me “sacrificing sleep” doesn’t mean losing so many hours that my health is compromised…it just means waking up extra early some days to fit in a workout before the day begins and time gets away from me. I definitely know it’s not easy. I’m not sure how sharing what works for me is uncompassionate and insensitive.
It’s the use of the phrase “if I can do it anyone can do it”. It’s disingenuous at best, and it assumes that your weaknesses and obstacles are the same as everyone else’s.
@Wren – but that also assumes that everyone else is under extreme circumstances that it’s impossible to work around. There’s this strange mindset here that exercise and health are only for the rich, and they’re some sort of frivolous ‘extra’ for those that can afford it. This stuff is important. Taking care of ourselves is important, and while you may consider it “disingenuous”, for many it helps to hear actual regular people be successful.
Wren, I think the “if I can do it anyone can do it” comment shouldn’t be taken literally. I didn’t, I took it as somewhat hyperbolic. I took it as “if I can do it, anyone can — within reason.” I didn’t assume that I would need to do exactly what she does and how she does it to get healthy and fit…and I’m guessing she probably didn’t either.
I kind of like the cover photo. It’s sort of cute. Sure, a little manic looking, but that’s kind of how she looks a lot of the time.
I was thinking they may not have had a choice, that’s kinda just how she looks. I think it’s cute too, she’s not doing her super pose hard posture.
Another actress carefully avoids mentioning the number one reason they drop a lot weight is because both Hollywood and the fashion industry demands it if they want to become popular/get free clothes/press coverage. Yawn.
I’m tempted to count the number of times she said “myself” or “me” or “I” in the interview. But I lack the energy. And also I have to go make my 3-year-old stop picking his nose and eating it. Gah!
Except for the part where she said she was an Italian girl from the Bronx who was able to change her body (and even that seemed more like a weird attempt at self-deprecation rather than trying to be malicious about her privileges), I didn’t really think she sounded conceited in this article. She just seemed matter-of-fact about how “wellness” works for her, more than anything else (imo).
She is such a poser. Or is that pooser? I get the two mixed up.
Sure, I guess if I didn’t commute two hours a day to/from my full-time job and then go home to take care of a four-year-old (as a single mom), I’d have plenty of time to do yoga in between my Soul Cycle classes as I was drinking a kale smoothie.
She really needs to shut it.
Well how are you commuting? You should be riding a bike! Or crab walking or doing lunges the whole way there. Can’t you do yoga on the bus or train or whatever? Get a weight bench and have your 4 year old spot you! Come on. If Leah Michelle can do it, so can you! You just don’t have her willpower. Or maybe you don’t have her time. Or her money. Or her access to gyms. But that’s all your fault somehow. Because she did it. And she’s Italian. And whatever.
I can’t imagine being a mom and being a single mom is no easy task. You look great and you are great! Leah Michelle should use her money to buy herself a ladder and get over herself.
But then we would probably be treated to interviews about how amazing she is because she got over herself.
I know you’re being facetious and what you’re doing every day is hard as hell, but my mom was a single mother in a similar boat, and I desperately wish that she’d have been able to take better care of herself when she was younger and it wasn’t physically so hard as it is now. She’s now getting older and having so many health problems, and to her it feels too hard to start. And now that she’s getting older its so important not because of how it would make her look, but because of the fact that it will help her freaking live longer. It’s probably not $.02 that you want to hear, and again I totally get that you’re pouring your soul into creating a life for you and your daughter and this stuff isn’t the priority right now.
But yeah, bus yoga sounds like a great way to go about it.
I’ve never been able to warm to her, she annoys me. Celebs go on health kicks and then crow about it like they’ve personally invented green juice and SoulCycle. I mean, who really cares? Being fit/thin doesn’t make her a better actress, her show sucks. She doesn’t seem to be able to get work outside of Ryan Murphy.
Can’t stand her. Never could. Something annoying I can’t put my finger on.
But I do have to say a twentysomething actress with no children, living in a metro area, no financial limitations and encouragement/expectation from her employers, to be healthy and fit, well, no, Lea that is not shocking that you’re fit.
Shocking would be a single mom over age 40 with a full time non physical job in a small(er) town and a great body.
I appreciate that People magazine didn’t put her on the cover in a bathing suit. She looks great.
The only thing that caught my attention is how on earth is she planning to do a spin class in flip flops?!?
I noticed that as well! Doesn’t that hurt?
She looks great but she’s also still young. I don’t think she’s hit 35 yet. Most people at her age, assuming they’re fortunate enough not to live in poverty or don’t come from a family where being overweight runs in the family (i.e genetics), look pretty good body-wise without trying much. That’s not really a slam on her — just more of an observation. It’s when people get older, even among those who haven’t had kids, that you can see how their bodies tend to change significantly. So besides having access to good nutrition and walking/work-out areas, in addition to level of discipline, I would think that her just simply being youngish helps too.
Despite her wealth and privilege, she might have to up her discipline in a more extreme way when she’s older to keep up with the Jennifer Lawrences of Hollywood. I don’t think even wealth can protect you from cellulite
if you’re not strict about your diet (although I guess there’s a machine that can zap it for rich people).