23-inch waist? You're too fat to model

Here's a heartwarming story:

Ali Michael, 17, walked all the major catwalks in Paris last year, from Chanel to Karl Lagerfeld. Oh, she also had an eating disorder. Which was encouraged by her employers, she said.

In an effort to get healthy (you know, something simple like regain her period), she put on five pounds with the help of a nutritionist.

Her reward for taking small steps to boost her well-being? Being banned from nearly every runway show this season, and being told her legs were "too fat." (BTW I don't know her thigh measurements but her waist is twenty-freaking-three inches around. That's about the size of my cankles.)

Watch the Today Show segment below...your bonus is that yours truly is the expert!

They actually taped my segment in our home on Monday so what you see in the background is my family room. I did my own hair and makeup and am very proud that I didn't end up looking like this.

A few notes about what's happening in the fashion industry to help stop the insanity, after the jump...

-In Nov. 2006, Brazilian model Ana Carolina Reston dies from complications from anorexia. She weighed 88 pounds and reportedly was subsisting on apples and tomatoes. At that point, she was the second model in months to succumb to an eating disorder…a model from the same region had died of heart failure minutes after finishing a fashion show.

- This prompted Madrid & Milan to ban "thin" models. A BMI of 18 is used as a cutoff but, as I mention in the Today Show segment, that's still painfully thin - I could lose 25 pounds and still pass muster, which is frightening.

- In Feb. of this year, three models were sent home from Spain’s top fashion show after being rejected as too thin - they had BMIs of less than 16. That's about 5’11 and 115 pounds.

- According to the CDC, today's average woman is 5'4" and weights 160 pounds.

- Most models are 5'9"-5'11" and weigh about 120 pounds.

PS On a totally selfish note, I need to tell you it was quite surreal to see myself on TV as I was blogging about, well, myself. Also, I got a call from an editor of mine at Women's Health, saying she was doing her makeup and heard my voice and was, like, "I know that voice!" Apparently it is that bad. Be thankful we communicate mostly via blog....

Comments

I wish you had done your hair like that! You did a great job today...you are the expert! Haha...cankles.

What happend to the days when Marilyn Monroe was considered hot as a size 10??

Great Job Leslie! :)

Fantastic job, Leslie! I have a question for you: what do you think about the "average woman" stats from the CDC? BMI-wise they're overweight but the model stats are way underweight. I wish we could have a happy medium...

Super job, supercute. Lurve, the hair and makeup ;)

http://doesthisblogmakeuslookfat.com

Great segment by Today. You looked great, Leslie!

As for the 23 inch waist being "fat," I must be morbidly obese then. That is crazy!!

Great job as always, Leslie! I like that the model pointed out that this goes way beyond simple body image -- there are serious health consequences associated with being that thin. It's sad to think that models are asked to put their health and potentially their future fertility on the line to keep their jobs.

great clip and i think you looked amazing, as always. it is such a sad day when someone tells a size 0/2 that they are too fat. what does that say about the rest of the world?

Thanks everyone!!
Rachelle, you're right in pointing out the shocking difference between the average woman and the models. It's just another example of how back-asswards the indistry is - the clothes they're selling won't even fit any of us! (especially with my new rear end!)

too late to the soiree to do anything but ECHO the above.

next time please to have your hubby stagger across behind you as you are chatting away uber professional like.

rachelle- i was thinking the same thing. 5'4", 163 pounds is not healthy either, but id rather be overweight and happy, than underweight and still feel like im not good enough.

that girl is so adroble....17 and an international model? i didnt even have my license at 17. they grow up so fast...

I was walking by on one of those high class stores on 5th Ave and a pair of pants on stick figure mannequin caught my eye. My first thought was, "Who the hell would those pants fit...A 4 year old?!?!" I really don't think they would fit any "normal" woman out there. They were so tiny. Of course, many of the women who shop at these stores are models, actresses, have a lot of money, etc. Which also brings me back to the "you can never be too rich or too thin" statement we hear all the time. Kind of does all go together, doesn't it?

Something has to change in this world. People are clearly dying to be thin, and telling a teenager that she is "too fat" at ANY size, especially at a size 0 is detrimental to all women, particulary that one girls who look up to these models and actresses. Good thing we have people like you, Leslie, trying to educate and help change things.

Omigosh, LOOK AT YOU! You're ADORABLE! And, what an EXPERT expert. CONGRATS!

We would TOTALLY be friends IRL!!!

Great story, too.... Society is so messed up.

It's amazing that the people who are our role models, athletes, actresses, models, are the people who put their bodies through all kinds of hell. I was watching a show about football players, and some of them have to keep their weight at 300-plus pounds in order to keep their jobs. Even when their doctors are telling them that they are putting their health at risk.

(And don't even get me started on steroids!)

What a great segment! And you look beautiful. How cool that you were on the Today Show!

Great article! The interview was great and I give krudos to the models who turn down the jobs who requires them to lose weight.
The runway models are just like zombies.
A real woman has curves and looks healthy.
By the way, thanks for your encouraging words. I am back on the train and things are going well now :)
Cheers,
Mari

That was one of the best segments I've watched in a long time. I think Ali is extraordinarily brave to speak out about this. I imagine it could be career suicide in her line of work. I really appreciated her honesty. After seeing all teh runway pics of her, I was completely shocked by how young she looked there in the studio. I hope she gets her message out. It's an important one.

And of course you rocked it, Leslie! You were wonderfully articulate, your house was beautiful and your hair and makeup looked awesome. Seriously - the Today show just needs to hire you on staff:) Great job!

Nice expertising there.

How articulate is that girl, she was so mature. I think it's great she's opening up about all the detrimental effects her habits played on her health as it really reinforces how unhealthy some/most of those girls must be!

Ugh. I find it so hard to wrap my head around the idea that there are people out there who are horrible enough to say things like "23 inch waist is too fat" and all.

I'm 5 ft 10, and I have only ever been something like 130 lbs when I was very sick with a major illness in college that depleted my energy, stole my appetite, and pretty much sucked the life out of me and I had hair coming out, too. And this was not something I had "a choice" about. My doctor said I was very underweight nutritionally for my build (due to illness) and I needed to weigh about 150 to be healthy. That was my "target weight" he determined in his office. And anywhere between 150 and 165 he considered a proper range for me. I weigh 160, at least I think, today. And these girls at my height are expected to be even thinner than I was when I was really sick. During the worst of my illness all my size 10 and 12 clothes were extremely baggy on me, but I didn't buy smaller sizes because I knew I wasn't going to remain at that small size. I took vitamins, drank protein smoothies, and did everything I could to gain weight. And I did, and though I'm not exercising enough, I'm content with my looks.

Wow! I hope Ali continues to be offered such platforms to reach the public with her message. She is amazingly poised and can address the issue with credibility without seeming to have a one-sided perspective.

I happened to see this clip the other day, and was like wow! there's Les ;)

I like this girl Ali. Man what a confident and upstanding young lady. I was shocked too that Teen Vogue was behind her, but hey, I'll give em credit. It would be great to see more young models stand up like this!

I just found your blog today through a link, and though I haven't watched the clip yet, you struck a chord with me.

I'm 6'1" tall, and in highschool was a whopping 130#, and was told to lose 5 pounds if I wanted to continue modeling.

I quit. But the mentality has stuck with me, and I can't break it. I maintained 155-165# for years after college. Only recently, with some health issues, have I gained any significant weight. And now I'm 190#, which is not too unhealthy, but I feel tremendously fat. I can't stand that I'm tall and wear a 12. I want my 8s back! I'd even be OK with getting back to my 10s...yet I know that 12 isn't fat. It's all in my head.

But I can't get it out.

Wow, if these girls are fat than I am a flipping COW! No wonder runway models fall all the time, they're too weak to hold up their own body, which is sad considering they weigh less than most 13 year olds.
In all seriousness though, I feel more confident each day that most people see the ridiculousness of the fashion industry and their unrealistic views of reality (have you SEEN some of those clothes?!). Its the actual 13 year old girls that I worry about; the ones who are too young and too impressionable to understand what real beauty is.
Anyhow, great segment! Keep it up!