I got a call early this morning from a Yahoo writer, asking my opinion about Snooki and her "miraculous" 42-pound weight loss only a few months after having her baby. My first thought was, "who gives a sh*t about Snooki?" Apparently, a lot of people do. She landed the cover of US magazine in a bikini top sporting her tiny and toned post-baby body, as all good celebrities do.
I have to say, "good for Snooki." Sadly, I am guessing she was under tremendous pressure. I think that kind of burden would be awful while caring for a newborn! I feel blessed that I was able to gain my 35-40 pounds with each of my three babies and lose it quietly, slowly and sustainably. And now, Snooki says she's eating 1,300 calories a day? Sounds like a short-term fix that will be hard to maintain if and when she goes back to her partying ways.
I also worry about breastfeeding, as it's recommended that you increase your normal caloric intake while breastfeeding, not decrease it. I couldn't even train for a half-marathon when my first child was nursing because my milk production dropped dramatically when I ran over five miles. My body was trying to tell me something: Slow down! Chill out! Rest more! Conserve your energy! You've got more important things to do right now!
My bigger issue is why our culture is obsessed with famous women rapidly losing weight that they gained while pregnant... like being a little round after growing for nine months is repulsive. We take nine months to gain the weight and grow a healthy baby, so why shouldn't it take nine months to lose? For most of us, the first months with a newborn are full of enough exhaustion and overwhelming moments that we shouldn't have to stress about losing weight quickly. It all comes off naturally (albeit sometimes slowly) if you eat well and exercise. It's simply "enough" to deal with caring for a new baby and recover from childbirth, much less keeping up a home, feeding our families and oftentimes, going back to work outside the home.
Maybe we are obsessed with Snooki because like everything else "celebrity," it's a fantasy. We regular women fantasize about having a chef, full-time nanny, trainer and team of support. It's the unrealistic aspect that makes it so fascinating. Do any of us really want Snooki's life or the scrutiny she's continually under?
I personally will let Snooki have her moment in the sun related to her impressive weight loss, and I'll continue to coach women to show themselves compassion, take it slowly, love their bodies and attain their ideal weight in a fashion that is realistic and sustainable, considering the busy schedule and hectic lives most women have.
What do you think about Snooki's weight loss? How do stars losing weight so quickly make you feel about your own postpartum weight loss experience?