A few days ago, Sarah Michelle Gellar posted these photos on her Instagram. The photos are from a Maxim cover shoot she did for the December 2007 issue. Eleven years ago, she was wandering around a photo set in a garter belt and white blouse, as one does. I don’t do this, honestly – I don’t even remember the last time I looked through photos from more than a decade ago. I know if I did, I would think “damn, I can’t believe I was so self-conscious back then, I was so thin/pretty.” It’s just the way all of this works.
The problem was not that SMG decided to retrospectively humble-brag about how hot she was (and still is). The problem was that she attached a message of “I’m just going to pin these up all over my house as a reminder not to overeat on Thursday.” Do you see why people took issue? Yes, people accused of her of promoting “diet culture” and “thinspiration” with this Instagram. Other people were just like “really, you are worried about ‘overeating’ on Thanksgiving?!?” So SMG responded within the same IG post, writing:
“It’s come to my attention that some people think I was ‘fat shaming’ with this post. That could not be further from my intentions. I love Thanksgiving and unfortunately my eyes are often bigger than my stomach, and I tend to eat so much I make myself sick. This was a joking reminder to myself not to do that. I’m terribly sorry that people were offended by my attempt at humor. Any one that knows me, knows I would never intentionally ‘shame’ any one on any basis. I am a champion of all people.”
[From SMG’s IG via Us Weekly]
Eh. Personally, I think people were overreacting to her initial IG, but her explanation doesn’t make much sense. Who uses photos of themselves in lingerie from 11 years ago to send a message of “don’t overeat to the point of making yourself sick”? No, the message was “don’t overindulge on one holiday because then you won’t be skinny.” It must suck to be so tunnel-visioned on your appearance and your diet that days ahead of Thanksgiving, you’re already thinking about how you don’t want to gain weight.
Photos courtesy of Instagram, WENN.
She’s talked about having body dysmorphia disorder.
I thought the post was supposed to be at least a little tongue-in-cheek.
Even it she was promoting “diet culture”, if you look at obesity stats… how is that the problem? Ironically, if she were to post a photo of her stuffing her face, it’d be called adorable.
On average diets don’t work. And maybe you know someone who lost 200 lbs and kept it off but for most people diets fail.
Because you need to change your eating habits permanently. Diet’s results won’t last forever if you only diet for 6 months or a year and then go back to doing what made the diet necessary in the first place. Just like my muscle disappears when I’m too lazy to renew my gym membership and go back to watching Netlifx every evening.
I also don’t want to gain weight during the holidays. I admit it freely and don’t understand how that could offend anyone.
Weight is a complex health issue. I had an admin I worked with who had gained and lost 350 lbs over her life and believe me, she, like Oprah had been on every diet ever known to man. Their bodies did not want to be thin.
It isn’t that simple or these very intelligent women would have figured it out.
@apalapa
It’s about consistency and habits, and in the case of someone gaining huge amounts of weight, most likely addressing the reasons for their emotional eating as well, not intelligence. No one’s saying obesity = lack of intelligence. There’s plenty of brilliant people who struggle with their weight because of their stress eating, or depression, or simply terrible habits. I’m sorry but no one gains tens (let alone hundreds) of pounds without eating more calories than their body needs.
People gain weight for a lot of reasons. Poverty, stress, and disease are some of the major ones that aren’t caused purely by overindulgence. If weight loss were as simple or easy as “just do this,” we wouldn’t have an obesity problem right now. Given the amount of studies out there showing how complex weight loss can be for some and how notoriously difficult sustained weight loss is in general because of our body’s evolutionary mechanisms for retaining fat, claiming otherwise is either ignorance or malice. Choose your poison there. I’d love to create a healthier world, but pretending it’s as simple as, “Fat people eat too much” is oversimplifying it dramatically.
@elo320 – sorry, but you are wrong. Humans are not calories in, calories out machines. We have hormones, for one. Diets – even when they’re lifelong changes – do not continue to work if someone has already broken their “weight thermostat.” People who lose weight and keep it off permanently exist, but they are statistically very rare. And shaming people – telling them they are doing it wrong and that’s why they’re fat – paradoxically encourages those same people to seek comfort in food. So if you don’t know anything, don’t say anything.
Betsy – I’m sorry, but no. Big no.
Humans are subject to the laws of physics. Calories in, calories out is a basic rule of physics Therodynamics. If you take in more units of energy (which is what a calorie is) then you expend, the surplus is stored. If you take in less then you expend. you create a deficit and your body expends reserves (and that’s how it works). Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof, as they say. What evidence do you have that thermodynamics somehow magically does not apply to human bodies?
Most diets “fail” because they are treated as temporary states, and most people revert back to their old habits at some point. This is pretty well known. But that doesn’t mean the diet did not do what it was supposed to. In reality, if the diet produces weight loss, it DOES work. The fact that most people do not stick with them is not an indictment of the diet, it’s an indictment of the individual’s ability to stick with it.
@Veronica S
Poverty and stress do not make people gain weight. Eating too many calories does. The most obese countries in the world are US, Canada and Australia – not Congo, Liberia or Sudan. Are you saying Americans are poorer than the citizens of those countries?
Kiki,
Agreed. In the last couple of years, I’ve accepted that I’m not comfortable with obligation eating holidays (i.e. days where people are disappointed if you’re not eating.) I’m learning ways to politely decline eating more than I want, but I’m annoyed that I have to be polite about it.
Here’s some insight as to why diets don’t help. https://highline.huffingtonpost.com/articles/en/everything-you-know-about-obesity-is-wrong/
Poverty and stress are absolutely correlated with weight gain trends. It’s not an automatic promise, but is a strong indicator of poor health, and yes, that includes obesity. There are literally dozens of studies out there examining the causes of weight gain and global obesity (which is actually a global issue, by the way, countries suffering from famine or civil upheaval do not count). You can find them in places like PubMed or other scientifically backed institutions if you want to educate yourself – which I recommend because it is a legitimate health crisis and one that strongly illustrates the need to for public health to be at the forefront of economic concerns.
As for me, I am not remotely interested in arguing this issue who are less educated on the matter than I am. The plural of anecdote is not data, and human bodies and their enzymatic biokinetics are certainly more complex than a physics 101 understanding of thermodynamics. I am taking my leave of this thread.
@ Sam the Pink Yes and no. Calories do count, but so do hormones. I can eat 1100 calories of pasta a day and I’ll gain weight. I can eat 1800-2000 calories a day of Keto foods and lose weight. The difference? Insulin. Insulin counts, also. For me to gain weight on Keto I have to eat over 2500 calories a day. For me to lose weight on high carb, Standard American Diet, I have to eat less than 800 calories a day. Guess which way I eat?
For people with perfect metabolisms, CICO is fine, and good for them, but the body is not that simple.
Veronica:
Stress absolutely plays a role in weight gain, but not in the manner you think. Stress does not alter the basic tenant of calories in, calories out. What stress DOES do is impact hormones within the brain, and THAT impacts feelings of hunger. For example, stress suppresses a hormone called Leptin. Leptin controls feelings of fullness and satisfaction. When Leptin levels are low, you feel a sense of hunger (even IF you are not physically in need of calories). That’s why we “stress eat.” Many medications are also known to mess with this process (anti-depressants used to be famous for it).
But none of that changes the fact that basic physics still rules when it comes to HOW one gains weight. Absent a very serious metabolic disorder, you gain weight through excessive calorie consumption. And it is pretty telling that you choose to flounce from this thread instead of provide any citation to anything that would support your position.
@Sam the Pink
Exactly. It’s interesing how countries suffering from famine don’t count… when they’re the best proof (save for concentration camps) our bodies can not produce fat tissue from stress, without excessive calorie consumption. If you got fat from stress, people in war-torn countries would not be starving. Mothers would not lose their babies to famine because they can’t produce enough milk due to emaciation. It just makes no sense, and I don’t know how you can think otherwise knowing what’s happening around the world. The most obese countries are the safest and most affluent ones, there’s no way around it.
KidV: Nope, try again. Actual science has looked at this, and they’ve determined that metabolism, for most people, plays little no no role in weight gain (and I have a citation for that: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/expert-answers/slow-metabolism/faq-20058480
Genuine metabolic disease is RARE. Hormones ARE implicated in overeating, but they work predominantly on the brain to create issues with hunger cues, which can lead to overeating. But that still leaves the root cause of obesity: OVEREATING. The vast majority of overweight people are so because they eat too much and move too little. Again, if you are going to claim otherwise, cite to accepted medical authorities.
None of this means it is okay to treat overweight people poorly, or to not consider the confounding factors that impact weight. But I also believe in facts, and science. And that’s not on your side.
@Sam the Pink How about you try again and be less condescending. I can come up with just as many reputable links stating insulin has a huge deal in metabolism just as you can saying it doesn’t. The human body isn’t that black and white.
CICO studies are done with carbs, proteins and fats. Usually they end up being higher carb since carbs are less calories. Studies done without the carbs prove, that while calories do count to a certain extent, insulin also plays a huge roll. And yes, it’s proven science and fact.
I also have my own journals where I’ve tracked every calorie, macro and blood sugars to show how my body responds to different foods. I eat low-cal with carbs, I gain weight. I eat high-cal with protein and fat I lose weight. My journals and weight loss/maintenance are fact. I’m not going to suddenly gain weight just because you posted a link saying I’m wrong.
People are notoriously bad at self-reporting their calorie intake. This has been proven to death.
Also, low-carb diets make you lose water, and carbs make you store it. A calorie is a calorie. You’re not gonna lose weight at the same amount of calories that previously made you gain it just because it’s coming from fats or proteins and not carbs. Calories are a measure of energy , and fat is stored energy. It’s really simple, and you can;t defy laws of physics.
LOL. I typed roll instead of role. Irony.
@Sara, I’ve lost 190 lbs. since 2005 and kept it off. And yes, seeing pics of how I used to look DOES inspire me to NEVER look that way again. However, I’d NEVER post it to SM and tell other people to do the same. What works for me won’t necessarily work for anyone else. Personally, I find her posting the pic looks like a grab for people to tell her how good she looked.
And yes, I’ve kept off the initial weight I lost, and continue to lose more toward my eventual goal (10 more lbs., woohoo!). I still stress/emotional eat, and (a lot of the time!!) make better choices when I do, but not always. It’s a matter of trying your best, and not beating yourself up for a “slip”. New day, new start. It is SO much harder the older I get, hormones and such, too, but doesn’t mean you give up. You do your best.
Eh… do what works for YOU.
SMG had a gorgeous curvy look in her teens, but that look went out of vogue in the 00s and she probably struggled to get and keep her very slender figure, which was probably a requirement for staying employed.
There’s even a scene in IKWYDLS where she’s a beauty queen and the guys are blown away by her voluptuous figure. But then voluptuous stopped being desirable. Poof. Hollywood gets to decide what’s sexually attractive.
And now voluptuous is “in” again so women who don’t possess that figure get to feel left out. The lesson? Society’s message to women is that we can never measure up, never be perfect enough.
I actually didn’t know it was back in, but yeah important to remember that beauty standards are just capitalism telling us to buy more products.
@Kitten
Exactly!
Yep. And I think Whedon likes the skinny too, so I doubt that helped.
Yeah, that’s what she meant, but it was only about herself. She’s not like that. Back at the height of buffy, I distinctly remember an interview she did where she was asked for “diet tips”. She said it was not a fair question because people like her in hollywood have personal cooks and trainers and you can’t pretend the average woman has those. I remember it because it was such an unusual celebrity answer.
She didn’t mean any harm here.
You can’t even criticize yourself these days without being made responsible for someone else’s feelings. The world’s gone mad.
I saw her post on my feed and my mind never went to wow this is offensive. I understand folks these days being justifiably outraged, but this is a reach.
THIS. People love to be offended. I wouldn’t be famous in this world for any amount of money.
When “criticizing yourself” is on a platform with a million viewers, it’s not just “criticizing yourself.”
What Betsy said. If this was on my IG being posted by a friend I would just shoulder-shrug and continue scrolling. But when this sentiment is being posted by a celebrity, it’s an endorsement of thinspo.
And I really like Gellar a lot. I do not think she meant any harm, but she has to be careful about what she posts, like every other celeb. There are young women in the Pro Ana community who are extremely vulnerable and impressionable to posts like this.
So at best, her post sanctions the idea of women using imagery of thin or unattainable body types as inspiration to lose weight.
At worst, it sanctions the idea of women using imagery of thin or unattainable body types as inspiration to starve themselves.
Is that unfair and unfortunate? Sure. But that’s the reality of the world we live in.
Seriously! Say anything and somebody is offended, hurt, etc. Maybe stay off instagram etc and just live your life?
Was she the one who said that? I remember the gist of the quote but couldn’t remember who had said it. She does seem like a decent person whose humblebrag got away from her. (If I looked like that i’d humblebrag, too!)
And what’s wrong with calling yourself out about getting fat. I have never really had to watch my weight but age seems to mean that is no longer the case. I go for a run on Christmas morning. I love running but I also see it as a counter-balance to the day’s excesses. So yes I fat shame myself.
I think it was just a “humble-brag” joke. She wanted a reason to put up those pics and thought she was being funny and self-deprecating. Everyone jokes about gaining holiday weight because, in my case, I overeat until I can’t move, because everything is so good. I think this is a common joke, and not to be taken literally, people are just looking for something to criticize nowadays.
I agree. She wanted an excuse to post her sexy pics, did not put much thought into the caption. Totally normal behavior amog the narcisistic celebrities. People should stop expecting the celebrities to always be the voice of moral authority.
It sucks that social media is dominated by sexy pix of women. I even posted a sexy profile pic on helicopter parent old fart FB – it was seriously the most likes i’ve ever received from fellow old fart heli parents.
Agreed, she just wanted to share the photo (can’t blame her).
I can’t blame her either, she looked hot!
Exactly. When this pic came up in my IG feed, I rolled my eyes at the humble bragging, but didn’t really think she was shaming anyone.
Lifestyle is what keeps a body at the most efficient set point & one big meal doesn’t make a dent. Her post is just bad science and a cheesy humble brag. If this was my associate I’d unfolllow out of annoyance.
I agree as well.
She wasn’t talking about anyone but herself, never said “YOU don’t overeat”.
For me the issue isn’t “shaming”. I don’t think she shamed anyone. But no celebrity should be endorsing the idea of using photos to inspire people to refrain from eating.
I’m someone who has struggled my whole life with an ED. The Pro Ana community is a place where women who struggle with EDs share tips for restricting calories and starving themselves. It’s a place where images of impossibly thin and/or fit women can be found by the thousands, tagged as *thinspiration*. A lot of these women who are struggling with their ED habitually engage in a version of what Gellar is suggesting here: tape photos of taut/thin bodies all over their fridge so they don’t eat. The incredibly insidious and destructive message that these women are sending themselves is “Don’t you dare eat a bite. If you eat a bite, you will never ever look as good as this woman.” The underlying message is that they are not worthy of food.
I know that probably sounds like extrapolating or reading too much into it but I assure you it is not.
Now, I don’t think we need to sh*t all over Gellar for this but I do think it’s important that we acknowledge why this kind of behavior can be detrimantal.
I do appreciate that she apologized.
I sincerely hope SMG reads this. Best of luck to you, Kitten.
((Internet hugs))
No one said anything about refraining from eating. Refraining from gorging is what was mentioned.
That’s the most interesting thing about the whole spectacle. The way people like yourself automatically equate overeating with fat.
@Kitten
I am with you here. Suffered from an ED (anorexia) from 14 until my midtwenties. At the end of it, I was hospitalised with almost an internal organs default caused by lack of food and drink (as I was told water could you make you fat).
I was never skinny, or so I always believed… until 10 years ago my BMI was stuck on underweight. Now it is regular and I see myself as very fat.
The damage I have received from society with their obsession for skinny, linear types is quite relevant and I have basically destroyed by body trying to attain the attainable.
I wish we had a forum/outlet where we could heal from the obsession with dieting. Hugs xx
@NotSoSociaButterlfy-Thanks, love. Back atcha 😉
@ MoodyBlueHues – Um, what about my comment has you so confused? Gellar said she’ll use those photos to remind herself to not eat so much. Well guess f*cking what? People who suffer from an ED spend every waking moment thinking about how they can eat less (even if they are subsisting on 400 cals or less a day), burn more calories, or fast for hours on end. It is literally a 24/7 obsession thinking about how we can restrict calories. So whether she’s talking about eating less or not eating at all is pretty irrelevant, as both behaviors are valuable tools for the ED community.
Sorry that you’re too insensitive to understand that.
Mostly, I find it so telling that the “EveRy1 iS So OfFeNdEd By EvEryThINg” crowd always steps in to defend stupid shit while ignoring/invalidating/minimizing the people who are simply asking for more sensitivity. Because it’s such a sacrifice for celebrities to be held accountable for their words.
@SilverUnicorn-Sigh. I know that feeling so well. When “regular” or healthy weight feels like overweight. So many hugs to you and others that suffer from an ED. This time of year can be particularly stressful and uncomfortable. Hang in there, friend xo
Plus ED is a disease of isolation. It’s so healthy to feel comfortable eating a meal together w family and loved ones, something an ED person can only dream of…
Total non-issue.
Also, I will be happily overindulging tomorrow. And on most other days.
I always wonder where these kinds of people get the time and energy to get offended about every little thing. She never said other people shouldn’t overeat or overeating is bad for you. She only said she doesn’t want to overeat. I don’t want to wear leggings under skirts: am I now legging-shaming people?
What? No leggings under skirts?!! LOL. Kidding.
I’ve been accused of body shaming our dog when I’ve noted that the fur on the back of his legs has gotten too long, giving him a fuzzy butt. 🙂
Birdix, but dogs are so self-conscious about their butts, always grooming them and sticking them in your face for praise.
srsly what’s wrong with some people??! Soon they will say thin people are bodyshaming them by simply existing.
Sometimes I think we are already there.
I thought it was a lighthearted post by SMG. It shouldn’t have turned into a BFD.
Ever heard of “thin privilege”? Yea, that’s a thing. Ugh.
I saw this the other day… and I was super overtired and just scrolling quickly through my phone. And I thought she lost an arm on first glance because the shirt almost blended into the background when you’re not paying attention.
I come from a family that tends to show it’s love by feeding you. Anyone that walks in will be fed. Multiple generations of amazing cooks and bakers. If you’re not eating, you don’t love them ahhaha. I remember my great aunt made me a batch of creampuffs when I was about 10 after I’d had my tonsils out and recovered enough that I could finally eat something normal. I ate so many of them that I threw up creampuffs for about an hour. Then went and got another to my mothers horror. But they are/were all such amazing bakers and cooks that you really have a hard time not over-eating on holidays. And they’ll sneak food on your plate.
I’ve hit the point where I just try to eat better than normal a few days before and after any family holiday because it’s just so hard to not over-do it at dinner.
Her arm was the first thing I noticed, too!
I agree that as long as you balance out big meals with healthier ones, it’s fine to overindulge once in a while. *off to bake a pumpkin pie*
And I’m not someone who cooks big meals typically. I get into my trouble on a ‘normal’ basis because I’ll eat just worse in general on the weekends.
I think I’ve talked my husband down from wanting a full turkey or roast chicken dinner this weekend to buying one of those butterball turkey breasts or having a thanksgiving poutine. He’s managed to talk me into celebrating both thanksgivings (and does his fair share of the cooking/clean up). Because we’re THAT Canadian that any meal can be turned into poutine if you just believe in yourself.
Also anyone who hasn’t tried it – find yourself a food truck, or a recipe and make some thanksgiving poutine with those left overs because holy god, it is delicious. We typically add stuffing, chicken/turkey, cranberry sauce, cheese curds, and gravy to fries, and sometimes I add pickles and fried onion to mine. If you don’t like food that touches, you’ll hate it. But SO good.
I have taken my small child through an ED to the other side, so I really appreciate the realness of most of the posters here. ED is the number one killer of emotional disorders, so it’s very serious & to watch a child suffer is inconceivable. Media images hurt, but they are everywhere. I don’t put sh*t on the refrigerator to idealize someone else’s set point of health. Ugh. Sometimes he overeats, and mostly he eats to live. He is now an athlete and knows what he needs but eats what he loves. It’s been a balancing act of me feeling anxious but behaving positively. I also model health and don’t have a scale or diet. When he was upset about not having a six pack, I freaked out and got professional help. We are so lucky, but it ‘s nearly constant.
No, she just wanted a bit of attention. The “fat shaming” was directed towards herself, which she is allowed to do what she feels is right to motivate herself. I am considered a skinny person and I will tell you, most skinny people I know, don’t want to be fat or even fluffy. You don’t have to kill or torture yourself about it, you just have to be consistent. I don’t see where she said anything that makes it appears she is torturing herself or completely superficial about it. She was just trying to be funny and capture some attention. Sarah is cool with me. No biggie.
Most fluffy and/or fat people aren’t particularly thrilled about not being skinny in a society that extols skinny as beautiful, but it’s not always a matter of being “consistent” or even a choice.
Veronica, I am going to guess that the OP was talking in regards to being thin and Kaiser’s remark about how it must suck to be so focused on being thin. Like her, I am naturally thin too and it isn’t anything that I am focused on. I enjoy my life and food but there is consistency in how I eat. I see that same consistency in most thin people I know. No offense to any other body type.
Gigi –
I understand where you guys are coming from, and I’m not of the mindset that SMG meant anything malicious in her post, myself. I personally have to be very careful how I eat during the holidays because I am not a naturally thin person, and I certainly do not have any of the industry stress on me that she does. Most of us in the age of abundant resources have to be careful.
But as somebody who used to be thin and wound up gaining significant weight as a result of disease, it is frustrating sometimes to hear this implicit suggestion that people who are heavier don’t care. I don’t even think it’s intentional. I think it’s something we internalize because we’re currently in a media culture where the high-workout, thin-bodied look is really in.
I get told a lot – by doctors, family members, and friends – that “consistency” is the answers, and they mean well…but they don’t realize that I am doing much of the same thing I did when I was younger and in better shape. I exercise every day. I count my calories. The problem is that I’m in my thirties and have endocrine disorders that are working against me, and I don’t have the time or resources that I did in my twenties to focus all of my energy on that. So I do get why heavier set people get their back up at those comments, regardless of their intent, because now that I’m on the other side looking in, I get it. It doesn’t make you feel empowered. It’s just discouraging.
Veronica, again, I am not talking about you. I’m talking about my experience as a thin person and what I’ve seen from people who are naturally thin. For me even without exercising it’s hard for me to be bigger than a size 4. With exercising I’m a 2 and with totally pigging out I can get up to a 6. This is after having gone through menopause at the age of 44. I’m almost 47 now. I don’t watch what I eat, no food group is off-limits, you will never catch me on some specialized eating plan, etc. However, I am consistent in the way that I eat. I don’t clean plates, I don’t drink sodas of any kind, I don’t drink anything sweetened of any kind, I drink very little alcohol, I don’t eat heavy meals, etc. That’s what I mean by consistency and that is what I believe keeps me fit. That and just a natural predisposition for being thin. I don’t see how my experience could offend anyone. It’s just as relevant as anyone else’s experience. I understand that it bothers you to hear what people tell you, but frankly it bothers me for the notion to be put out there that if your thin that you’re somehow Itorturing yourself to be that way and that’s all you can think about. That’s not always the case.
I completely agree that naturally thin people shouldn’t be harassed for their bodies. It’s not your fault that you have a slim figure. I’m not angry that some people just have it easier in that regard, and I don’t begrudge people their health. I’m not even really mad about the idea of having to work hard to maintain a body like that if it’s required. My experience isn’t everyone’s, but it’s the only one that I can personally speak from.
The problem isn’t thin people themselves, it’s a society that extols thin as a virtue, to the extent of extending the judgement to people beyond their physical appearance. The problem is a society that reduces women to physical components and invalidating their worth otherwise. Women are going to get shit no matter what direction they take their bodies, but there is absolutely a difference in how thin and fat people are treated by society as a whole. And I certainly wasn’t aware of it as well as I should have been for somebody in the medical field until I got kicked to the other side – and now it’s something that’s always on the forefront of my mind when something like this comes up because it’s a real issue in the medical community.
Ok, Veronica, but knowing this, what else can you do other than work on yourself to the best if your ability, whatever that may be? It’s like when I, as a black woman, spend all day arguing with racists on websites. I know I’m right but not a single mind gets changed. A certain segment of society will always be racist and sexist and hold thinness as the ideal, etc. All you can do is share your views, try to educate and like I said, find ways to feel good about yourself. I just think we have to let people have their own experiences. Just because it’s hard for a person who is not thin, that doesn’t necessarily make things easier for a thin person. I live in Kentucky after having lived in California for nearly 26 years. Kentucky is ranked 8th in obesity. I am constantly subject to comments about my weight, what I eat or don’t eat, everyday. I get comments such as:. She is white girl skinny (said to others in front of me); oh, so you eat cake? I didn’t know you did that kind of thing; people like her can eat like that (again, I’m sitting right there); I can’t believe you are eating that; do you even eat, etc.? I have had to learn to tune out any voice but my own. I neither encourage nor criticize the women in my office, some of them bordering on 300 lbs, so why do they have the right to make comments about me? I don’t talk about food or exercise at all around others and only offer input if it is asked. How many pounds a person weighs or what they do or don’t do with their health is personal and should be respected in my opinion. No one should have to feel bad for voicing their own opinion about their own weight or setting a standard for THEMSELVES on how they look or want to look. Sarah’s comment and picture about not overeating is about her and her only. It’s a person’s choice to be offended by it. I share her opinion, not because I limit my food but because overstuffing myself causes digestive problems that sometimes carries on a day or two after the event. I think women would feel better overall if we focus on a life that feels comfortable to us as individual women.
You have a fair point, there. I think I feel strongly about it partly out of past guilt and because of the focus of my medical education has been on dealing with public health issues like obesity – and I’m becoming more increasingly aware of how complex the socioeconomic factors are in that. I suppose all women are going to have to find some measure of satisfaction in personal confidence at an individual level until we manage to evolve enough as a society to destroy the beauty complex women are always upheld to.
Veronica, thanks for the conversation. I’m going to assume you are an American and if so, America is a faster, better, bigger, and more society so I, personally, do not ever see this changing. I think we just have to rewrite things on the level that we are at. If we have young girls/women in our lives, educate them about health but also model self love and self worth. Teach them that thinness is not the magic solution to anything and that real life conditions and situations can change their bodies and lives. Help them to build lives that are not focused or depended on the superficial. Instead of taking girls to the nail shop (not that there’s anything inherently wrong with that) take them to a museum. I met this married couple with 3 young girls (ages 5-9) in a hotel my family was staying in prior to our cruise. This was in Florida. So, I asked the dad if the family was going on the cruise or to Disney World and the dad said they were going to the Kennedy Space Center. I thought that was awesome. I think girls/young women need to know there’s more to them than a number on a scale and us full grown women need to feel good enough about ourselves to be able to show them the way.
This is what happens when people, especially celebrities, post everything in their lives on social media. Since she posted a sexy picture of herself and says it’s a reminder for her not to overeat tomorrow, she might have just been joking, but now people jump to conclusions that she meant something else, and she ends up having to explain what she really meant. This wouldn’t happen if people didn’t post so much. I don’t think she’s ‘fat shaming,’ she was just trying to be funny
Clearly just an excuse to post pictures of herself in her underwear so that her 2.2 million followers (!!) can tell her out fit and gorgeous she is.
Yawn.
Celeste Barber would get something very funny out of that post.
Celeste Barber gives me LIFE!!
This is what I thought, as well.
People really have to stop taking people’s personal anecdotes and self-deprecating comments as a reflection or criticism of others. This is ridiculous.
I agree. You’re making yourself miserable at this point.
Yes!! I feel like people are just looking for a reason to be offended. If she had posted that she was planning to read a book on the holiday, would she offend people who have trouble reading? Drinking tea could offend caffeine intolerant people? I, personally, don’t do well with dairy products. Should I object to milk ads? Where do we draw the line?
People forget that she has an ED early in her career that she has spoken about in the past so there is no way she would body shame anyone.
Once again social media is overreacting. The comment was directed at herself and was a joke. It’s not like she posted a photo with the caption “everyone! Don’t eat too much on thanksgiving.”
exactly! she talked about herself only!
Yeah this wasn’t the best post from her, but SMG has been in the public eye for so many years now and she really doesn’t seem like the kind to fat shame. I think she just didn’t come across as she meant to. She does seem like she champions all people.
How does, “I’m going to pin these up all over my house as a reminder not to overeat on Thursday,” translate to, “All of you out there, EVERYONE READING THIS POST, needs to pin my sexy photo everywhere in your houses to force you to not pigify your holiday by shoveling food down your fat, ugly throats.” Too much lol?
She’s quite the assh*le.
How?
Yikes. I looked at my own photos from when I was at a weight where I felt most ‘me’, and told myself to look closely and remember that pic during christmas when I’m likely to scarf everything on the table, and then the table, and then the cooks and the entire house if I’m still not sated. It’s a self-deprecating joke.
Would probably even post it on social media because frankly, I could use some validation when the inner well of my self-confidence runs dry sometimes.
Nothing about this post reads to me as fat shaming others, it’s the most bog standard SocMed post that some people saw and decided: “I’m gonna make this woman’s insecurity/self-deprecation about me.”
“It must suck to be so tunnel-visioned on your appearance and your diet that days ahead of Thanksgiving, you’re already thinking about how you don’t want to gain weight.”
But this is the message I’m seeing , most especially from the fitness industry. The classes I’ve gone to the over the past week or so are all about “burn those calories now to offset the big meal on Thurs!” People whose livelihood depends on their appearance do think this way, not just her.
People today are much too easily offended; it borders on the ridiculous. Everyone should be up in arms about Donald Trump destroying America, not an actress posting hot pics so she’s motivated to refrain from overeating.
This!!
Who?
I have such mixed feelings about it because…there is definitely an issue with women feeling the need to live up to impossible standards, and choosing a picture that is obviously photoshopped is vaguely uncomfortable. Young girls see that stuff. It definitely influenced me and was probably the source of my body issues as a teen and young adult.
On the other hand, I’d rather celebrities be honest about the fact that their bodies do have to be a central concern and often require restrictive diets and intense exercise routines to maintain in ways that the average person doesn’t have the time to afford.
nope, she was discussing her own personal standards for HER body. i don’t see anything wrong with prioritizing staying slim if it’s important to you, and it clearly is to SMG. it’s easier to eat sensibly to begin with than to overeat and then be stuck trying to exercise the weight off.
As someone that struggles with their weight and is an emotional eater, I don’t have any issue with SMG talking about her plans to not overeat until she makes herself ill.
The holidays are a challenge for some of us that are emotional eaters due to family situations. Sometimes hearing someone else talk about this issues, even in a joking fashion, can help some of us find the language to use to help us with some boundaries.
Additionally, I’m happy for people if they are comfortable in their bodies, regardless of size. Currently, I am not because my weight makes it hard for me to live the way I want. I have the right to want to be thinner and healthier. My body, my choice. If someone is happier being “fat”, I have the right to be happier being “thin”.
People getting upset over nothing if you ask me. I hate overeating no matter what time of the year. It makes me feel bloated and sluggish. I see nothing wrong with someone setting goals to avoid it. I suppose if SMG posted about planning on gorging on a Thanksgiving feast, no one would get upset and accuse her of promoting obesity.
I don’t care what other people do but in reality, ONE day of eating more than usual won’t make anyone gain actual fat.
Yes, it does. Any plus calories over your metabolism is gained weight. It might not be noticeable but it’s there.
Overeating is bad. Always. In more ways than just adding fat. Just like smoking is bad, no matter how much people try to convince yourself that just one won’t hurt.
Eating fat isn’t bad for you. Eating the wrong kinds, and in combination with processed foods, is.
They’re talking about body fat gained, not eating fat
I see this as actually more about health – one does have to think about not overeating in advance and come up with some sort of motivation as there’s going to be too much tasty food around to resist! and you won’t believe how many people end up in emergency rooms over holiday overeating – it’s not about weight, it’s about digestive system health
Not sure how that’s fat shaming. I also don’t want to overeat in thanksgiving (but I know I will). There’s nothing wrong with reminding yourself about moderation and taking care of your health.
Ok ok ok…as a fat person…I have this conversation in my head every holiday and birthday. You have to remember that in a month it’s Christmas, and a week after that it’s New Year’s Eve and the next day is New Year’s Day….and then you’re like I want MOAR and all that hard work just goes away. It’s not hard to lose muscle and become complacent. I didn’t take either the post or the response as fat shaming. She was talking about herself and probably trying a little self promotion with her super hot body…she hasn’t had a hit in a while.
She doesn’t even act anymore. She runs a company.
She should not have apologized. There was nothing offensive in that post. Now those morons will feel validated and continue to bully others because of their insecurities.
I don’t think she’s fat shaming, either. Realistically, a lot of us do have to watch what we eat during the holidays because those are higher calorie meals, and losing weight is a lot harder than gaining it. What I do worry about, however, is the use of photoshopped images to promote “thinspiring” posts. I get why she’s doing it, but there is always this element of concern I have for how large of an audience it reaches, how young or influential they may be. Because I certainly had pretty serious body and mental health issues in my twenties growing up in the “heroin chic” look of the nineties as a chubby kid.
How much can you really gain by over-eating just one day? I can see if you eat A LOT every day, but one damn day won’t make you overweight.
There are other reasons to not overeat. Some of us don’t have cast-iron stomachs (or cast-iron colons….). Eating too much at once can result in pain and discomfort.
It is harder to know when you are full when eating in larger groups and it has been shown that the amount people eat in such circumstances is significantly more than when eating in smaller groups or alone. Socializing in general can distract from the signals. Whether or not you would gain weight from an overage depends on how well your appetite is in tune with your needs. I tend to be much less hungry the next day if I eat a lot. But I also am in the pain and discomfort category….
Anyway, people are different and need to eat according to their own needs, but it can be hard when Aunt Nellie is pushing you to eat more all the time because you’re “wasting away” or your mom thinks you don’t love her any more because’you didn’t want seconds. Family can be the worst whenever you’ve changed any habits. They often try to sabotage you back to the old ways, even though the old ways didn’t really work well for you.
Oh no I understand if people have health issues that cause them not to be able to “overeat”. I’m talking about healthy individuals who normally eat healthy but want to splurge on Thanksgiving or on Christmas. Those people most likely will not have significant weight gain by overeating just one day.
People will find absolutely anything to be offended by these days. Sheesh. Fat shaming? Really? Nowhere is she shaming the fat, the chubby, the obese. She is saying she is using past photos of herself when she looked damn good to keep her appetite in check over Thanksgiving. Ridiculous!!!!
This seems like a tempest in a teacup. I’m trying to lose weight for my upcoming wedding and yeah, I’d be tempted to post skinny pictures of myself too if I thought it would help. But it won’t, because I’m about SMG’s age and bodies just change over time. Sorry – even the best diet and fitness routine in the world can’t stop aging and gravity. We can still look good, but my body is not going to look like it did in 2007 (or whenever she did that photo shoot) because that was ELEVEN YEARS AGO. It can look good, but I’m never going to look like I did in my twenties again. Sigh.
I’m honestly shocked there are no responses to this from our 40 and 50 somethings who are constantly mistaken for middle school students. I love those! I get such a good laugh from them. I’m kinda sad they didn’t catch your post.
This is so stupid; she did not have to apologize. She was only talking about herself and even then it was “don’t overeat on a day know for overeating,” not “stop eating and deprive yourself entirely.”
No… She’s talking about herself. I realize that she is repeating a certain message that, when directed at another, would be considered fat-shaming, but I don’t know if I’d call it that here.
It’s just a joke.
I have no idea if she was shaming or just showing off her body but why get your knickers in a knot. More important issues right now than some vapid star nattering on about overeating.
Too many people going without. Maybe some volunteer work at a food kitchen for the less privileged is in order.
Intent is always a funny thing especially when it is in text. I have been blasted for emails that I intended as one thing and the reader took as another. I see her intent and I see how people could take it another way as fat shaming. You put shit out there you will get shit on right back. Just own it and move on.
It’s important to take care of yourself and be healthy, but life is way too short and sucky not to indulge often and with no shame!
My psych meds make me fat. I eat EXACTLY the same as when I did before i started taking certain ones and I gained 75 pounds. I eat EXACTLY the same amount of calories, fat, carbs and protein a day.
I am battling this now with my 13 year old son.
So calories really mean nothing in some situations.
I’m 5’10, I eat 1900 calories a day, I walk 2-4 miles a day (yay! Pokemon Go) and not only do I not lose weight but I still gain.
God, that photo feels so retro now. It’s like, oh yeah, remember when women weren’t allowed to act or sing or really do anything unless they were prepared to pose in their underwear constantly? Thank God we’ve moved on since then. I know 2018 society still has a LOT of problems with treatment of and portrayal of women, but looking at those 90s/noughties men’s magazines photos is like looking at Victorian portraits of women in corsets, or women with their feet bound.
Those mag’s didn’t die because of sudden enlightenment..the internet killed them..everything from scantily clad to abusive porn probably gets millions of clicks every day
For starters let’s stop bringing up the people on the African continent – it’s yet another Western myth that everyone on the continent is starving and malnourished. It’s not true.
As for Westerners – It’s mostly about diet not CICO. What you eat makes a huge difference. Poor people in America tend to be overweight not just because they consume too many calories but because they eat a diet full of processed foods, simple carbs, and sugar. Also, you can be obese / overweight and still be malnourished.
If it were just about CICO, no one would lose weight ever because in order to lose one pound, one, you need to burn at minimum 3500 calories. A 185 lb person burns less than 300 calories on a 30 minute run. Also as you lose weight your resting metabolic rate naturally decreases since you require less energy to function. In addition no matter your weight cutting calories will impact your metabolism. The best way to lose weight (if you do not have a metabolic, hormone, thyroid, adrenal, etc disorder) is to consume enough calories to meet your body’s energy needs, to make sure most of those calories come from whole food (veggies, fruits, plants) with a healthy amount of protein and healthy fats. Cut out processed foods and sugar and you are almost guaranteed to lose weight.
That’s why Keto, Atkins, Paleo, Whole 30, etc can lead to weight loss with out modifying physical activity – you are essentially elimating most processed foods, simple carbs, and sugar from your diet with each of those.
I’m sorry, but what you said makes no sense. You are bringing up 2 different issues – processed foods and high calorie foods, but they are not synonymous. Let’s break that down:
1.) It is possible to lose weight eating processed foods. There’s actually a whole movie about it, called Fathead, where a guy loses weight by eating entirely fast food. Is it ideal? NO. It’s not ideal because processed foods tend to be high in sodium and nutritionally devoid of many positive things, but ultimately, it totally comes down to Calories In, Calories Out. Your body is not adept enough to recognize a calorie from a burger vs. a calorie from a salad. A calorie is a calorie.
2.) ANY diet can produce weight loss if it creates a caloric deficit. Paleo, Vegan, Mediterranean, etc. ALL have been documented to produce weight loss.
Please don’t spread misinformation. Most people lose weight on “unprocessed diets”, but not because of anything fancy. It’s because unprocessed diets tend to have higher fiber content, and fiber promotes feelings of fullness and saity. That is why they work. They also have other health benefits beyond weight, but since we are discussing weight here, that is what I am focusing on. But please don’t spread untruths.
I get what you’re saying but what you’re saying just isn’t true anymore. Maybe twenty, heck even ten years ago, people still believed that a calorie is just a calorie but we now know that it’s just not true. Anyone can do a simple google search to see what new research is saying about diet (what you eat not the other type of diet), caloric intake, how our bodies process calories, and fat storage.
Love me some SMG. I remember being a young girl at the height of her teen fame. She was always reallys supportive of body image issues. I don’t think she meant any harm here. There are people who genuinely don’t get it, SMG isn’t one of them.
Honestly I see no offense for anyone trying to lose weight or stay in shape you need motivation. Just like some people like being the way they are some prefer to be fit or thin. Nothing wrong with either its up to everyone’s preference. I use photos of people in shape for inspiration Britney, Audrina, Jessica Alba just to name a few and yes it helps. But everyone may have a different method.
This is easily the stupidest celebrity-related “controversy” of the year.
It’s h e r instagram. She can post and say what she wants.
If she wants to show off old photos – what’s the harm?
She’s an actress – her livelihood depends on a certain physical image. People are free to eat as much as they want and weigh what they want, but blowing out on a fat and sugar binge at holidays doesn’t work for everyone-not for me either. In fact, most of the time I get thin-shamed by everyone for knowing my limitations and eating accordingly. The culture may fat-shame, but individuals thin-shame to your face.
I mean…how many women have not made that kind of a joke? I think people are reaching here… She’s talking about herself, she’s not trying to tell every woman that they are fat pigs who overeat on Thanksgiving or something.