update: 10-18-00: Courtney Thorne Smith recently told the tabloids that she was planning to cut down on her drastic diet and exercise program - she wants to gain about 15 lbs. Credits Camryn Manheim's healthy attitude toward girth as being her model.
We are told daily that 'all' we need to do is exercise 30 minutes a few times a week (moderately)... some say less exercise will do it - as little as 15 minutes a day... and either watch our food intake or take 'fat blockers' or Xenical and the fat will drop off.
What? You say your fat is not just "dropping off"?
Well perhaps an article in Conde Naste's "Woman's Sports and
Fitness" might shed some light on the subject.
A detailed description is given of a young starlet's exercise
schedule and it's not 30 minutes a few times a week of moderate
exercise. It's ONE to THREE hours a DAY, SEVEN days a week
of intense exercise including high rep weight training,
running 70 minutes at a time, or stairmaster at level 7, PLUS calorie
restriction (less than 1000 calories a day)!.
Courtney, a busy actress, gets up at 4 in the morning on days she has to be on the set by 6:30 am and describes several mind games she plays to force herself to follow her grueling exercise schedule.
She doesn't 'count' sports (like golf) as part of her workout either!
Here is a typical week in Courtney's life, exercise-wise:
MONDAY: (She had to be on the set at 6:30 so got up at 4 am): ONE HOUR: recumbent bike at level 5 TUESDAY: ONE HOUR on the stairmaster at level 7 ONE HOUR of Pilates (stretching calisthenics exercises) WEDNESDAY: ONE HOUR, 10 minutes of running (ran 6 miles on the treadmill at 2 percent incline) ONE HOUR, UPPER BODY WEIGHT TRAINING: 3-5 lb weights Sixty 'reps' each arm: bicep curls Triceps kickbacks one arm rows ONE HOUR - Kathy Smith Yoga tape THURSDAY: ONE HOUR, 10 MINUTES: running ONE HOUR, Pilates FRIDAY: (she describes this as an 'easy day' because she's tired): ONE HOUR - stairmaster at level 7 some stretching SATURDAY: ONE HOUR, 10 MINUTES running on the treadmill, intervals of sprinting and jogging. ONE HOUR, Yoga class (with some friends) SUNDAY: EIGHT MILES on the treadmill (80 minutes?) ONE HOUR, UPPER BODY WEIGHT TRAINING: 3-5 lb weights Sixty 'reps' each arm: bicep curls Triceps kickbacks one arm rows some stretching
To combat genetics and achieve the "Hollywood" slim figure, many stars keep up a similar schedule. In addition to all the exercise, many starlets and models use substances to 'hype themselves up' like drinking many cups of coffee daily for the caffeine or taking 'energy supplements' containing ephedra, a base for amphetamines. This is to compensate for the fatigue and hunger caused by their calorie restricted diets.
Stars and models admitting to very low calorie intake include Kate Moss, Callista Flockhart, Carre Otis (who now intakes a more healthy 1200 calories a day and is a size 12 plus size model). Naomi Campbell has been to drug rehab several times for a cocaine habit.
WOMEN'S SPORT AND FITNESS MAGAZINE, July/August, 1999: "Solo training - to stay fit, actress Courtney Thorne-Smith relies on the one person who knows her body best: herself"
Descriptions of other stars, regimen's were
found in various magazines including SHAPE, MUSCLE AND
FITNESS and FITNESS. (Most magazines describe how the stars stay
slim from time and time) as well as:
Fraser, Laura: LOSING IT
Childers, Greer: BE A LOSER (Greer describes
running 'enough miles to go around the world')
Descriptions of female athlete triad: AMENORRHEA, ANOREXIA and OSTEOPOROSIS can be found in:
Ryan, Joan: LITTLE GIRLS IN PRETTY BOXES
Descriptions of the effects of
semi-starvation (1200-1500 calories a day):
Fraser, Laura: LOSING IT
Vogel, Shawne: THE SKINNY ON FAT
Other references to studies etc are available on request.
article by Sue Widemark
or...
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