I should probably point out that the conversations I mentioned above occurred while we were all standing around having beers so it was a significantly more casual atmophere than at a typical medical evaluation. But still, I think it shows something about the thought process involved.

However, it seems to be a growing problem for thin women. La Wade, that story is awful. Nice to know that nowadays doctors are likely to either say “you’re too thin!” or “you’re too fat!” rather than actually putting any effort into figuring out what is wrong with you and treating it.

My employer blocks dlisted, but I am skeptical that the contestant is really taking in all that many calories. If it were anyone other than a pageant contestant, I would also be outraged that she was being forced to stuff herself to get her body into an unnatural (for her) shape. But the pageant world is notoriously full of eating disorders and people who think normal people should eat like 1000 calories a day max. So it’s quite possible that she is just eating normally (‘specially if it’s nuts, avocados, fish, and other good stuff) and attaining the size that she should be without the crazy pageant influence, which would be a good thing in end if not means.

That being said, either way I am not in favor of someone controlling another woman’s body size by forcing her to take in too much or too little. I believe that the idea that you can and should control your weight to the pound through caloric intake, rather than listen to your body’s needs, is what has caused so much havoc among women’s eating habits these days. So even though I suspect the amount the contestant is eating may well be quite reasonable, it is not really any more “healthy” as a philosophy than whatever she was eating before. Women are not prize pigs to be fattened up or slimmed down on someone else’s say-so, even if the “authority figure”‘s intentions are good.

But also, if you click through to the whole story, she’s actually not gorging on chocolate and twinkies. She’s eating plenty of fish, nuts and avocados. I’m currently pregnant and having a hard time eating enough (first time in my life, I swear!) and I’ve learned it’s not necessary to resort to junk. I’m eating more nuts, cheese and dried fruit… stuff with NUTRITION. I hate that the media thinks fat/weight = tons of junk food and skinny = eating only lettuce and veggies. What we all need more of is healthy nutritious food instead of mostly sugary depleted junk.

And the occasional cupcake. :-D