In a message dated 2/3/01 9:43:13 PM, ibracamonte@y... writes:
<< We were made to be thin. The whole
"fat acceptance" or "my body just wants to weigh 10
pounds over the charts" thing just allows for people
to rationalize being in sub-optimal shape. >>
<<Carol Vaness said she had to re-learn her
support when she lost about 70 pounds (i.e., it's
harder when thin; you can get lazy about it when fat).>>
Whoa! There are many, many scientist who would call this sort of statement
preposterous (and I agree). On the contrary, our bodies evolved in times of
uncertainty as to the availability of food sources, and have evolved to store
fuel (as FAT) with a great deal of efficiency. Today our food is more than
plentiful and all too often laden with extra calories. Restaurant portions
are immense. No wonder people gain weight.
While I am not advocating morbid obesity, I find think that advocating the
idea that a healthy, active young woman should consume only 1000-1200
calories a day (and probably almost no fat) is asking for trouble. You are
teaching your body to function in starvation mode.
While I admire your determination to keep yourself in good shape for the sake
of your instrument, I don't believe that it's a necessity to be fashionably
slender (many fashion models, despite the industry denials, are very
unhealthily thin--one recently confessed that she had cancer at the height of
her careeer--that's the only way she was able to maintain the low body
weight). And there are just too many great singers of considerable physical
heft (Caballe, Voight, Pavarotti and Eaglen, to name just a few) for that to
be true.
In my experience, a little more body weight (I've never gained or lost 70
pounds) can help to "anchor" a singer, but implying that heavier singers are
somehow lazier about their technique is presumptuous, insulting and (based on
how hard these people work) probably untrue. I think Vaness' statement (and
others like it) is based on the fact that we experience our bodies
differently when our weight changes. It's unfair to make this kind of value
judgement based on a singer's weight.
My own theory is that the obsession with weight, calories, charts and
"cultural ideals" is the problem. When I eat when I'm hungry, drink plenty of
water and exercise (moderately--a mix of old-fashioned calisthentics,
crunches and free weights) my body does a nice job of regulating my weight,
and I look and feel fine.
Also, it's my considered opinion that if you're going to be a secure singer
in a professional career, you'd better learn to accept and value yourself as
you are, no matter what your weight, whether or not you fit some idealized
notion of beauty. We have enough to worry about! People like people who like
themselves--they exude confidence. And audiences have a way of sensing when
singers are uncomfortable with themselves, it detracts from the performance.
So lighten up a bit, have a cookie or a slice of pizza once in a while. Don't
worry about what the fashionazis think. Life's too short to live by some
dreary insurance chart!
Judy
PS--My personal experience has been that most men prefer women who are at
least somewhat voluptous (Marilyn Monroe as opposed to say, Callista
Flockhart). It's off topic, but I'd be interested to know what the men on
this list think.
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