Source: BBC NewsWhat's a self-respecting mother of the bride to do? Besides (perhaps) helping to choose the dress and hold her daughter's hand through the stress of wedding preparations, every good MOTB absolutely must go on a diet.
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few years, you've no doubt recognized the lovely Kate Middleton in the photo above, who is set to marry England's Prince William in April 2011. Kate is seen in this photo with her mother, Carol Middleton, the very picture of extreme obesity.
Yes, already looking quite glamorous and svelte is definitely not enough for the soon to be royal Kate's mum. Word has it that she has decided to go on the "Dukan diet" to lose those unsightly pounds (read: you can't see any excess weight but it must be there) before the big day.
I googled the Dukan diet and without putting too fine a point on it, it's Atkins to the nth degree. During the initial phase of the diet, you are severely restricted in your food choices, allowed to eat lean protein ONLY to produce rapid weight loss...and vitamin deficiency, constipation, bad breath, etc. Yes, you do then start re-introducing various foods, but the extreme nature of the diet makes it unhealthy, both from a nutritional and a psychological point of view.
I think this article from WebMD sums up the madness quite well. I suggest reading the whole article, but here's a little excerpt:
There is no question this very restrictive diet will lead to weight loss, if you can actually follow it. But the elimination of healthy food groups, and the unpleasant side effects, makes The Dukan Diet an unlikely choice for the long haul.
My husband just peeked over my shoulder to see what I was writing and made an, as usual, intelligent comment: "Anyone going on TV in front of a billion people might consider going on a diet too." Yes, he's right. But Middleton's mother is also a role model for billions of people by virtue of the fact that she's the mother of the future Queen of England. And in my books, she's setting a bad example.
People that go on diets that have no weight to lose in the first place piss me off, lol. It's like the size 0 girl in high school asking you if she looks fat? gimme a break!
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I agree! I understand wanting to look "nice" in front of a billion or so people, but I'd feel much more supportive if she said she was going to have to ramp up her workouts or lay off the biscuits.
ReplyDeleteYikes! Guess I've been living under a rock...LOL. I just don't follow popular media, and seem to be happier as a result of my ignorance.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the woman in question has chosen to diet, and thus grow smaller, as a way to cope with inner feelings of powerlessness. How she eats, and what she weighs, are things within her ability to control. She cannot stop the horrible and inevitable public gossip, rude comparisons, constant lack of privacy, photo ambushes, downright lies about her/her family, and cruel remarks based on social class snobbery, but by god she can control her food intake and weight!
As a former flight attendant, she was probably used to controlling her weight as part of her employment. Not everyone has the ability to manipulate the size of one's body. But since she apparently has that knack, or gift, or talent, or genetic disposition, then she has learned to depend on it during times of stress to help her feel more in control and less powerless. Of course she is simply creating an illusion of control and power, and will not be able to control any of the things that truly make a difference in one's life and in the lives of one's loved ones (illness, love, accidents, death...). Yet sometimes illusion is all a person can manage to keep a tight grip on, even if she's the mother of a queen.
Rebecca