America's new top model ...or top skeleton

[Tuckervill]

I hate these threads......

Why?

Karen

[silver]

Why?

Karen

because I'm a skinny disgusting bag of bones with a boney butt

[Tri Girl]

because I'm a skinny disgusting bag of bones with a boney butt

But.... you're fit and healthy. If you're a bag of bones who exercises and is healthy, then it's OK. Just those bag of bones who are sooo unhealthy that we're referring to (although maybe you feel you're being lumped in that category- which is a shame).

Me and my athletic build (for me that means big hips, thighs, and calves) would love to shimmy into a size 4, but then I'd lose my cycling legs. Not worth it- I'll take my curvy swervy healthy body anyday.

[missymaya]

I actually watched part of the show last night and one of the things that really really bothered me (either than the whole super skinny aspect) was that the third woman kicked off apparently was kicked off because she looked "too old". What the heck?!! She looked as "old" as me and I'm 23!! They said they could see beginning signs of aging with the "wrinkles" by her eyes. Uh, what wrinkles? Am I blind or something. And even if she did have wrinkles, what's wrong with that. It's normal and everyone gets them. And yes, there are wome out there that look good and have wrinkles.
As for the whole weight issue, I've had a weight problem my whole life and when I was younger (more naive and not as self-confident as I am now) I had an eating disorder to counter my weight. I looked to the women in magazines because I thought that they were "perfect". Boy, was I wrong. It took a long time for me to get over that and it still takes a lot of work for me to not to fall into that trap. Shows like this have great potential to change the way things are and they started out in the right direction (they had 2 "plus size" models, but they got kicked off). But, unfortunately, it's just running in the same direction as the industry. I want to see change! I want to see something different too and maybe going against the grain will accomplish both.

[stacie]

Several months ago I was reading the paper with my husband. Two high school senior athletes were being profiled. The male athlete looked like he could pose on Men's health. The female athlete looked like a female athlete. My husband pointed to the pictures and commented about how fit he looked while she did not. I was shocked. Somewhere along the way he started believing a fit woman looks like a super model.
Women are no different. I am constantly asked to get my husband's opinion on training although I could probably help them more. We recently had an open house and people asked my about my "pro" athlete husband. Another neighbor asked me to ask my husband where she should buy running shoes. I had just completed a marathon. This happens constantly and I really believe it's because he looks like the ideal fit man and I look like a female athlete. They think I should look like a model.
Stop watching this garbage. It has to get in your head when you are constantly subjecting yourself to it.

[Jolt]

But.... you're fit and healthy. If you're a bag of bones who exercises and is healthy, then it's OK. Just those bag of bones who are sooo unhealthy that we're referring to (although maybe you feel you're being lumped in that category- which is a shame).

And a healthy skinny person usually doesn't look like the aforementioned unhealthy type. I'm on the skinnier side as well but have never had anyone think that I have an eating disorder (at least no one that I know of). The same is likely the case for you.

[CR400]

You know in a way this is so ironic. We participate in a sport where usually the thinnest person wins the race up the 3 mile hill. Where if you weigh more then 115 pounds you are going to get dropped on any climb by all the other small ladies. Which are by the way healthy for there weight usually altough most of us will never see 12 to15% body fat. Ladies we participat in an anorexic producing sport everytime we get on our bikes.
It just some of us will never be the 105 5'3 elite hill climber. Its just as bad for the men I have a friend who looks great at 190 pounds 6'1 (almost to thin sometimes) but he wants to weigh 175 pounds so he has a better chance climbing. He is already super fast but can't beat the cycling ideal up a hill 5'10 and 150 or less.
So hay put that woman on a bike for a few months she'll put on a little muscle in her legs and likely beat most of us up that 3 mile climb because she has us beat power to weight.

[michelem]

Hmmm . . . CR400 . . . true to an extent, but she's going to have to fuel/refuel herself properly in order to build that muscle and endurance necessary to support her cycling! And, who knows, maybe she does (we don't know the particulars about this "Top Model" - whether she is "naturally" thin or starves herself or whatnot). I'm just pointing out that in order to really succeed at this sport, it is largely dependant on how well one cares for oneself (food, water, rest, etc.) in addition to training. Big, small, doesn't matter if you're not caring for yourself in a healthful manner. The big (heavier) guys were blowing me away this past Saturday 'cause I didn't hydrate/fuel properly . . .

[Jolt]

And then there are those of us who ARE about that 5'3", 105 lb. size (well, actually an inch shorter) but STILL stink at hills...size isn't everything, not by a long shot. I think probably most people on this forum would drop me on a climb, even if they're heavier!

[HappyAnika]

You know in a way this is so ironic. We participate in a sport where usually the thinnest person wins the race up the 3 mile hill. . . . Ladies we participat in an anorexic producing sport everytime we get on our bikes. . . .So hay put that woman on a bike for a few months she'll put on a little muscle in her legs and likely beat most of us up that 3 mile climb because she has us beat power to weight.

But not all of us race. Some (most?) of us just ride for fun and fitness, and because I enjoy riding my bike and it adds to a healthy lifestyle, I say I win over the model (even though I wear a size 12). And like what michelem said, she's not going to be able to climb very far when all she ingests is vodka, celery, coffee, and cigarettes.

My athletic friend said to me recently, she's proud of the fact that due to genetics, she's capable of carrying herself over far distances for long periods of time on very little fuel. Her ancestors were survivors. She's proud of her strong heritage, and to be strong herself.

The last time I was getting my hair done, I picked up some fashion magazine and was shocked at the numbers of skinny unhealthy women in the pages. It sort of made me feel chunky and ugly. Then I thought about how I used to read Seventeen and Vogue when I was a teenager and wondered if I might have been happier with a higher self esteem at that age had I not read those magazines. Bleh! Looking around the room and seeing the normal people in the salon snapped me out of it and reminded me there's nothing wrong with me. I won't be looking at that sort of magazine again anytime soon, if ever.

And for the record, I don't think seeing someone's ribs is attractive, on either a woman or a man.

[Eden]

But not all of us race. Some (most?) of us just ride for fun and fitness, and because I enjoy riding my bike and it adds to a healthy lifestyle, I say I win over the model (even though I wear a size 12). And like what michelem said, she's not going to be able to climb very far when all she ingests is vodka, celery, coffee, and cigarettes.

I must say I'm with Silver and GreenTea about this thread. It is a bit disturbing how many people think that it is OK to comment/criticize about body type if the person is small/thin. I think that many people are making a lot of assumptions about that woman because of her body type...., you assume just because that woman is thin she has an unhealthy lifestyle! How is that any better than assuming that all larger people are sedentary and eat fried foods all of the time.