julia - weight loss

[PrussianRed]

I've always struggled with weight to some degree. I lost a lot in my early 20s but have had fatter/thinner periods since although I have never been larger than a size 12. I'm short and would say I was hourglass shape. I used to smile if anyone mentioned 'middle-aged spread' and thought it must be a bit of a myth. Well, almost overnight, my trousers started to feel tight round the waist, and on it crept in its nasty, insidious way. I always used to be able to lose a bit of weight fairly easily, but since the menopause it's become devilishly difficult, especially that dreaded midriff area! So now I don't snigger at 'middle-aged spread' cos it's TRUE :sun:

 

[ohnonotshoppingagain]

One should never assume anything!!!!! I was just stating a fact.

According to you - you are 'just stating a fact'. Someone who reads too much so-called facts.

I think voicing this kind of opinion is very hurtful to anyone larger than a size 14, who not only looks good but is in excellent health. I personally don't find skinny attractive in any woman and certainly have no wish to copy or aim for that look.

I am 5ft on the button and have never been a size 14 in my life, no matter what I do.

Getting back to Julia I disagree that she is the best QVCpresenter, but I think she is lovely whatever size she is.

 

[candycane]

See, I think there's size small and then there's QVC size small. I don't think for one minute that every time Julia has said over the years that she was wearing the size small that she was lying, in fact I find her to be one of the most truthful of all the presenters. I totally believe that if she says she is wearing the small then she is. It's just that QVC garments are notoriously stretchy and the sizes generous so we compare to High Street sizes and it skews our perception of what she is saying. When she put on weight a while ago I often heard her say that she was wearing a bigger size as she was heavier than usual.

Correct. I can take a size 12 in M&S but I need a 14 in Sainsburys (yes I know) and a 16 top in Next or high street fashion stores. I take a size 10 Asda jeans but I can't even get into a size 16 in New Look. So hey ho. I find the designer ranges on QVC are very small and other ranges very large so if you need a small in say, Casual and Co or Quacker (I don't buy those) you might need a large or XL in Mark Bower. Julia might well be in a small, but a big small - if you know what I mean. Let's just wear what looks good.

CC

 

[May]

According to you - you are 'just stating a fact'. Someone who reads too much so-called facts.

I think voicing this kind of opinion is very hurtful to anyone larger than a size 14, who not only looks good but is in excellent health. I personally don't find skinny attractive in any woman and certainly have no wish to copy or aim for that look.

I am 5ft on the button and have never been a size 14 in my life, no matter what I do.

Getting back to Julia I disagree that she is the best QVCpresenter, but I think she is lovely whatever size she is.

I've got muffin top for sure ....I'm 51 October ..not stone :mysmilie_1: i walk as much as poss and I have a zumba DVD ....I would love a rebounder ...had one before ..it's great fun .....I'm generous up top ...always have been ....I would rather stay as I am now because if I don't I'm in danger of getting obsessed and I really don't want to ...I love choccy ...my main downfall...but life is too short so i allow myself some ..not been told I'm obese by doc so far ....but I'm not Kate moss either ...i eat as healthily as poss with a little choccy thrown in...no smoking or drinking so that's my treat :mysmilie_5::mysmilie_50::mysmilie_17:

 

[Bettyboo]

According to you - you are 'just stating a fact'. Someone who reads too much so-called facts.

I think voicing this kind of opinion is very hurtful to anyone larger than a size 14, who not only looks good but is in excellent health. I personally don't find skinny attractive in any woman and certainly have no wish to copy or aim for that look.

I am 5ft on the button and have never been a size 14 in my life, no matter what I do.

Getting back to Julia I disagree that she is the best QVCpresenter, but I think she is lovely whatever size she is.

i think you should get off your high horse and realise we are all entitled to an opinion. You don't have to read the posts on this forum. End of.

 

[Totally Loopy Lou]

My word that all got unnecessarily heated!
I hadn't seen the thread and only came to read it after I caught a bit of Julia presenting Kim and Co earlier today and I had to smile to myself as she was wearing a shift dress which she mentioned repeatedly was a size small...!
She said she could've worn a medium (and maybe it would've been more flattering but hey if she feels good and happy in a dress who are we to say otherwise?!) And it must be horrid for her and the other presenters on qvc and elsewhere to have their appearance commented on and judged the whole time.
I nearly died of anorexia nervosa (not being dramatic just truthful) as a teenager and suffered for many years afterwards so I do feel 'qualified' to say that you have no idea the damage you can cause someone in making flippant remarks about their weight or appearance.
And being too skinny and obsessed is just as un-healthy as the overweight...

 

[May]

" I've been good I've been good" is all a lady kept saying to as we were looking at some cream cakes in sainsburys today .....she was not huge ...she was tall.....and said she weighed 11 stone ...in those short seconds ....we chatted ...because of food and weight!!! I had never ever seen this lady before ....i do like a chat but ....she really sounded like a little girl .....I've been good ....makes me think a lot of our eating guilt is stemming from childhood .... What on eat his going on that a lady has to confess she has been good and weighs 11 stone ...? ...the media have a lot to answer for ....I confessed that chocolate was my downfall ....and another lady serving at the bakery said she had hidden all the choc .....:mysmilie_5: I really don't know if this is funny or a very sad indictment of what going on in the nations psyche ..........

 

[DMS]

My word that all got unnecessarily heated!
I hadn't seen the thread and only came to read it after I caught a bit of Julia presenting Kim and Co earlier today and I had to smile to myself as she was wearing a shift dress which she mentioned repeatedly was a size small...!
She said she could've worn a medium (and maybe it would've been more flattering but hey if she feels good and happy in a dress who are we to say otherwise?!) And it must be horrid for her and the other presenters on qvc and elsewhere to have their appearance commented on and judged the whole time.
I nearly died of anorexia nervosa (not being dramatic just truthful) as a teenager and suffered for many years afterwards so I do feel 'qualified' to say that you have no idea the damage you can cause someone in making flippant remarks about their weight or appearance.
And being too skinny and obsessed is just as un-healthy as the overweight...

I agree with you. I also saw Julia on that show and thought that she would be better in a medium or even a large. I am a 12/14 and wear a medium in Kim & Co now as I have put on a couple of stone. When I was a size 10 the size small was fine. Sure, I could still fit into the Kim & Co size small as it is stretchy, but I am realistic and do not want something that fits like a second skin on me so have sized up and you know, even some of this size still clings. Julia is a lovely person but needs to know there is no shame is sizing up. I could never understand her wearing size small anyway, her bust area surely needs a bigger size than a size 36"

 

[srhgts]

I agree with Betty boo - the sad fact is that most people don't like to admit they are overweight, but they are. I am a slim 10/12 at 5'2" but I am overweight. Not going by some chart, just by looking at my body. We should carry as little excess fat as possible, most of us don't. Jill Franks is actually a healthy weight, we are not meant to be fat! I don't know why people insist they are healthy and happy carrying excess weight - you are not healthy! Happy you may be, but you are most definitely not healthy, or fit. Sorry, but it's true. It's science, it must be ;-)

It's perfectly fine to have a few excess pounds for goodness sake, it's hardly morbid obesity. It's actually better healthwise to be half a stone over than under.
If Jill is a healthy weight I'm a banana, she looks seriously ill.
You can't possibly judge someone's state of health accurately purely from their weight, it's just not possible. And you certainly can't judge their level of fitness from it. Weight, fitness and health are so much more complex than that. Not to mention all the different health issues, medications and so on that affect weight and metabolism. No amount of judgemental barbed comments and protestations of truth will change the actual facts.

 

[ohnonotshoppingagain]

i think you should get off your high horse and realise we are all entitled to an opinion. You don't have to read the posts on this forum. End of.

Yes, and you remember that you are also entitled to your opinion every bit as much as I am - whether you like my opinion or not, matters not a jot to me, just as much as mine matters not a jot to you - which you've made completely obvious.

Get Off Your High Horse and Smell the Roses - or better still, get a life! Leave other people's body image alone. As for me, well i think I look pretty darned good for a woman of my age, and have no desire to look skinny or be a size small, or even a medium. I go to the gym five days a week, have done for seven years. I'm a vegetarian, I never eat chocolate because I don't like it (rare I know). I take strong medication, have done since 1970 which affects weight, as this med does with many people men too - so there's nothing I can do about that, because the medication is my life saver.

Should Julia be a small or a medium - depending on what items she's wearing from ranges on QVC that could certainly vary.

You don't have to read my posts, you can read the others and skip mine if that's what you'd prefer, some people have a huge chip on their shoulder, so miss mine out - end of!!!

 

[Bettyboo]

So srhgts what are the ' actual facts' I would be interested to hear as I have to have some blood tests next week and I'd hate to think I've been taking care of my health in the wrong way. Eg to avoid things like Diabetes, heart attacks, strokes etc I have been told to keep my weight down and do more exercise. So are you saying I should eat as much as I like and sit around doing nothing all day and just blame my medication/ metabolism?

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

Hold on here. This has all become far too personal!

Most of the lighthearted posts were tongue in cheek at Julia's insistence that she is always in a small and not an open invitation for the health police to go full steam into other forum members.

Life is too stressful as it is without causing grief to fellow members. United we stand against Q! Power to the people!

 

[whitesnake]

The trouble with Julia is she will insist n wearing a 'small' when she would probably look better in a medium. I would say a woman who is only 5ft 4ish and is bigger than a size 14 is obese regardless of what the earlier poster said.

I find this comment extremely offensive. I struggle so much with my weight and since I have hit my forties trying to lose weight is a nightmare. We are all entitled to our opinions but some of what you have said on here is quite hurtful.

 

[Bettyboo]

Hold on here. This has all become far too personal!

Most of the lighthearted posts were tongue in cheek at Julia's insistence that she is always in a small and not an open invitation for the health police to go full steam into other forum members.

Life is too stressful as it is without causing grief to fellow members. United we stand against Q! Power to the people!

I agree I just wish some people would realise I was making a general observation and could not possibly be referring to any of the members on here as I don't know any of them and therefore couldn't possibly know who is fat or who is thin. I just wish Julia would not insist on saying she is a small as it could be very misleading for people ordering clothes.

 

[May]

I think a lesson has been learned here ...never mention weight when women on a forum ...very emotive subject it seems .....shall we draw a line under it all ......if I could id offer a choccy or a bit of a donut ...this always makes things calm down ironically ....when I worked at a nursery if a bit of chocolate was on offer it calmed the atmosphere a bit ....brownies were made one day ...complete silence ...and the children were asleep ....it really can make amends ....not lots and lots ...just a taster ...we should all embrace ourselves ...look at our good points ...not deny a treat ...and make a healthy smoothie :mysmilie_3:....( with a couple of choccy shavings) ....:mysmilie_488::mysmilie_492:

 

[Tinkerbelle]

Weight, fitness and health are all completely different things. They may influence each other but one doesn't guarantee the other. Just because someone is a dress size 16 doesn't mean they're either unfit or unhealthy. Neither does being a size 10 mean someone is fit or healthy.

 

[amn]

So srhgts what are the ' actual facts' I would be interested to hear as I have to have some blood tests next week and I'd hate to think I've been taking care of my health in the wrong way. Eg to avoid things like Diabetes, heart attacks, strokes etc I have been told to keep my weight down and do more exercise. So are you saying I should eat as much as I like and sit around doing nothing all day and just blame my medication/ metabolism?

I don't think that anyone, at any point, has said that anyone should not try and be healthy and avoid the things you've listed, nor do I think I've read anyone condoning 'sit(ting) doing nothing all day', though I'll stand correctly if I've missed that advice in a post. I think the issue could be the inferrence that anyone bigger than Jill Franks is overweight, and that anyone who is bigger than that is that way because they don't try. As I think most of us are aware, not everyone is made the same, and there are many and varied reasons why people are different shapes and sizes. Being so does not necessarily make us fat, lazy, unhealthy or wrong.

 

[May]

Lots of people deny themselves treats.....sit on their hands ..." Must not eat it must not eat it " ....well that "ain't gonna work ."...( thought I was not going to add to the posts but ...what the heck ) ....there is no Perfect way to eat ...and as for the 5:2 diet ..the people making money out of this must be chuckling all the way to the bank/ building society ... Along with slimming world ..weight watchers etc.....sometimes people just need to have a bit of counselling to address the eating issues we have ....but I think the most common thing is ....being controlled And told what you can and cannot eat ...is not the way ....big slab of cake sitting on table ...with a label ..DO NOT EAT THIS DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE CAKE .... What are most peoples reactions going to be ...or a fair few anyway ....I must have that cake .!! ......if given the choice ....and if not given the choice ...it makes it worse ! ...you cannot eat it ...makes it more attractive .....so many factors make me crave sweet stuff....stress ...pms ....a whole range of things ..it's not cut and dried ...and for me personally having a person sitting in front of me ..dictating from a large corporation about wether I've been Good or bad ...is insulting and humiliating ......for me personally ......I think the little Britain sketch with Margery Daws is excellent ....there are many people out there who need so much support that a slimming club just skims the suface if you ask me .....and skims money left right and centre ......

 

[jacqualina]

Weight, fitness and health are all completely different things. They may influence each other but one doesn't guarantee the other. Just because someone is a dress size 16 doesn't mean they're either unfit or unhealthy. Neither does being a size 10 mean someone is fit or healthy.

I agree that being a size 10 does not automatically make you fit and healthy and you may well be fit as a size 16, but in the long run you will not be healthy. Being overweight dramatically increases your risks of diabetes, cancer, stroke, heart disease and a whole raft of other ailments, so a few extra lines on the face seem rather trivial to me. The NHS is overburdened with preventable diseases and I recently heard a doctor say that fat is not a cosmetic issue, it is a health issue. I am very sorry if this post is upsetting to some, but ultimately for the vast majority it is everyone's own choice what they eat and what lifestyle they lead.

 

[SuziQ]

When I had colon cancer 5 years ago I went painfully thin after the operation ( I lost my whole colon). I could not believe how old I looked, having always been a BMI of about 22/23 ( so not skinny.) since then I have had to change my whole diet to accommodate the fact I now have a J-pouch . I put on 20lbs in 3 years and have now hit the menopause - I CANNOT shift this bliddy spare tyre! I have always been an active person, go to the gym, do body pump and mix uo the other excercise such as running machine, bike, cross trainer etc. to no avail. My BP, blood glucose etc are normal and my specialist and GP have told me to not worry ( despite a BMI of 29!) but I HATE being a size 16 at 5ft 5
Some here would look at me and think 'obese'

I counter this with my sheer gratitude at being alive , 5 years post cancer and no longer having a temperamental loop ileostomy! I have to say my skin is very good- maybe the sub-cut fat hides any wrinkles lol!

Weight sure is an emotive subject however!

I love Julia and admire the way she carries on working despite her illness and treatment. I CANNOT stand Jill ( or craig) but they seem to dominate the shows more and more!