It just amazes me that society has promoted the waif thin figures of 0-2 size models as being healthy and normal. Besides the designers and Hollywood, who finds that attractive?  And when you read about what the models and entertainers must do to remain slim enough to stay competitive, I wouldn’t tout that as healthy living, either. Unfortunately, through the fashion, media, and entertainment industry, society has promoted an entire generation of kids to feel unattractive if they’re average, and many have turned to eating disorders as a solution. Others who are overweight struggle to find acceptance, which cycles into unhealthy eating habits because of emotional eating and yo-yo dieting.

I say kudos to those models and entertainers that have stepped out of that mold and become comfortable in their own skin.

Finally, magazines like Glamour are stepping up to the plate and giving us “average” women something to relate to. So big was the response to a feature of full figured, size 12 model, Lizzi Miller, that they are devoting another fall issue to Plus-size fashion. It seems America, and maybe the world, is ready for the curves to make a comeback.

So, what does that mean for those of us trying to lose weight? Well, contrary to those who believe it encourages obesity, I think it gives most women a realistic and healthy image to shoot for. It supports finding an ideal size for your body type and lifestyle…something you can live with and maintain over the long term. And it means that women can be beautiful at any size. Self-esteem, after all, is part of the success in reaching your ideal size and becoming fit and fabulous for life.

I’ve been as big as a size 18 (just a couple years ago) and as small as a size 8 (in my twenties) in my life. Right now, I’m a 14 and working my way down to a comfortable and toned sized 12.  As a baby boomer woman, my goal isn’t just to look good, but to be as healthy and fit as possible as I age, and encourage other women of all ages to live their best life.

Do you celebrate “normal” sized women gracing the pages of fashion magazines? Do you think it encourages being overweight? Do you even think size 12 should be labeled as a “Plus” size? I’d love to know what you think, so feel free to comment either way.

According to data just released in July, 2009, obesity climbed to new highs in 23 states, with Mississippi remaining the fattest state for the 5^th year in a row. Nearly 1/3 of its residents are obese. Three other states topped 30%, and even Colorado, with the lowest rate, has nearly 1 in 5 residents who are obese. No states showed a drop even though US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has said that it aims to reduce obesity rates to 15 percent in every state before 2010. It just isn’t happening regardless of what the government is doing to reverse the trends.

It appears diet is the biggest factor in what is becoming America’s #1 health concern. Americans spend about $95 billion a year in expenses directly related to obesity like diabetes, certain types of cancer and heart problems. According to a new study presented at the European Congress on Obesity in May, 2009, increased calories remain the major factor in weight gain over the last 30 years worldwide, but especially in America, where “super size me” seems to be the norm.

Americans on a budget are turning to foods that are calorie dense because they’re typically more filling and less expensive than fresh, more nutritious choices. Inexpensive fast food meals tempt people on the go to eat out instead or preparing healthier meals from scratch. However, you can eat even fast food without consuming huge amounts of calories. Click here for a list of fast food meals that weigh in at less than 500 calories.

Study results showed children are just as active as they were in the 70s but energy intake has risen daily by about 350 calories. Adult activity has increased beyond what was normal in the 70s, but caloric intake has increased, as well, by 500 calories a day. Eliminate those extra calories and weight will return to the averages of the 70s. In fact, if you slash 500 calories a day from your diet, you can lose as much as 1 pound a week.

There are some easy ways to slash 500 calories a day through a combination of exercise and diet. In the long run, you’ll save money and expand your wallet while shrinking your waistline.

To start, the IOM is saying that the changes in the guidelines are due, in part, to the fact that more women are overweight or obese prior to getting pregnant and many are waiting until later to have children, which puts the mother and child at a greater risk when the mother gains too much. The IOM recommends overweight women be offered prepregnancy counseling and education about weight, diet, exercise, and contraception, so they can lose extra weight before getting pregnant.

Once pregnant, she’s supposed to keep her weight gain within the following limits, based on her Body Mass Index before pregnancy.

Pregnant women tend to follow hormonal cravings and don’t always monitor their daily caloric intake. Most women are under the impression that they can eat whenever and whatever they want and follow the “eating for two” diet plan.

Don’t go there, says Melissa Goist, MD, a clinical assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Ohio State University Medical Center and one of the experts who wrote the IOM’s new guidelines. She, and the others involved in the research, say the public hasn’t gotten the message that pregnancy isn’t a time to ignore weight or eat with abandon.

A normal-weight woman only needs about 300 extra calories per day to maintain a healthy pregnancy unless she’s having a multiple baby pregnancy. That’s equivalent to one additional balanced meal a day, or a couple extra snacks.

What happens if you’ve gained too much already? Pregnancy is not a time to lose weight, said guidelines co-author Dr. Anna Maria Siega-Riz of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

I may not be the norm, but I had three pregnancies and ended up at the same weight, give or take a few pounds, at the end of each pregnancy even though I started at a different weight with each. I gained 50 lbs. with my first, 23 lbs. with my second and 35 lbs.with my third. All the baby’s birth weights were within a few ounces of each other, so it didn’t seem to affect their size, nor mine. However, the weight was easier to lose after the second one was born and hardest after the third.

What about you? Do you think these are reasonable guidelines? Do you think it will change the cultural norms of eating during pregnancy?

How much weight did you gain in your pregnancy? Did your doctor give you guidelines beforehand or during your pregnancy?

Did you gain more or the same amount if you had more than one pregnancy and would you gain more or less weight if you had to do it all over again?

Were you encouraged to get or stay active during your pregnancy? Were you active and, if so, did you find it easier to lose the baby weight?