Today, I’m thrilled to have a Q&A with Leslie Goldman, author of Locker Room Diaries: The Naked Truth About Women, Body Image, and Re-imagining the "Perfect" Body and body image blogger extraordinaire over at iVillage's NeverSayDiet.com. Leslie, thanks for stopping by!
Q: Tell us a bit about your own body image history. What’s your journey been like?
A: I developed an eating disorder during my freshman year of college in 1994. I was a bit of a cliché: The perfectionistic, straight A overachiever who suddenly found herself a small fish in a huge ocean. I lost 30 pounds very rapidly through overexercising and undereating. It was all very textbook and ironically, I was a nutritional sciences major. It took a long time to get over and I had a few relapses along the way – throughout college and when I was graduating and going out into the real world.
Today, I have a new appreciation for my body. I’ve been dealing with a neck injury and I can’t work out like I used to. I go to the gym, but I don’t push myself and I do my physical therapy exercises religiously every day.
Q: Did your mom’s body image have an effect on the way you feel about your own body? What did you learn from watching and listening to her?
A: Growing up, I looked very different from my mom. Her, and my dad, are shorter, heavier, with dark hair. I was originally chubbier but I had hypothyroidism and my mom recognized the symptoms when I was in the fifth grade. As I started to take medicine for the condition and grew, I got taller and thinner and I was almost praised for not looking like my mother. People actually used to ask if I was adopted.
Now, my mom has multiple sclerosis and that’s been a big eye-opener. There are a lot more important things in the world than, “How big is my butt?” when you’re asking, “Can I walk today?”
Q: You interviewed a lot of women while writing Locker Room Diaries. What was the most surprising thing you learned about the way women relate to their bodies?
A: I interviewed identical twins while writing the book and that was really fascinating. We women look at each other and compare ourselves to women we see in the locker room or at Starbucks or out on the street. But how many of us actually have another person who looks exactly like us – an instant objective reminder of how our bodies look? Talking to them was really interesting.
I also loved talking to the older women and hearing the appreciation they have for their bodies. I remember thinking, “I hope I don’t have to wait until I’m 80 to have that kind of appreciation.”
Q: What advice would you give to readers who continue to struggle with feeling good about their bodies?
A: I’d say reach out to older women in your life and talk about your body image struggles. Listen to what they have to say and to their perspective. If you let it sink in, you can gain a lot from their wisdom. I’ve learned a lot from my mom by watching how she copes with her MS.
Q: Any advice for moms of young girls?
A: When I was 13, I was horrible to my mom! She lived her life for me and I’d say things like, “Please pull around to the back entrance so no one sees me.” I was in a clique in junior high school with the pretty popular girls – most of whom had thin moms -- and I’d think, “Why can’t you look like Jennifer’s mom?” But when I hugged my mom, she felt warm and cuddly. She wasn’t worried about me messing up her hair.
I’d tell moms whose girls are pulling away from them that they will come back to you. I did by 17. In fact, I’m about have a “girls weekend” with my mom -- sometimes, you just want the comfort of your mom, and I can’t wait to see her!
Thanks for stopping by, Leslie. Hope it’s a great weekend for you and your mom.
Great interview! Locker Room Diaries is so good. It's wonderful to see people embrace their bodies and appreciate all parts of themselves.
Posted by: Sagan | 01/21/2009 at 06:54 AM
hi leslie!!
Your new Never Say Diet site hates me and wont let me comment most of the time. Im still reading though!
Kelly Turner
www.everygymsnightmare.com
Posted by: Kelly Turner | 01/21/2009 at 07:09 AM
It was a pleasure being interviewed, Dara - I LOVE the new book title and cannot wait to read it. Thanks for the feeback Sagan and kelly...sorry the site is giving any trouble. I'll email you personally and find out what's happening.
Take care and can't wait to see my mom!!
x,
leslie
Posted by: NeverSayDiet | 01/21/2009 at 08:03 AM
Leslie is a goddess. As are you, Dara. We're SURROUNDED by Goddesses of Awesomeness up in here!
Posted by: Alyssa | 01/22/2009 at 11:02 AM
First - great interview! Locker Room Diaries has long been one of my most favorite books. I love Leslie and her writing and her honesty!
Second - DARA!! How did I not know you have a book coming out?!? This is fantastic news, girl! Please keep me posted on it. I'm dying to read it. I'd love to interview you for my site too to help promote it:)
Posted by: charlotte | 01/22/2009 at 02:03 PM
Thanks, everybody. I wholeheartedly agree on Leslie's awesomeness and I'm touched by your kind words.
Posted by: Dara Chadwick | 01/23/2009 at 06:10 AM
That was a great interview. I can relate to the body image issues completely but it came internally..I don't remember my parents saying anything to me good or bad about my body- just remember comparing myself to others all the time.
Looking forward to your book as well, Dara!
Posted by: Fit Mommy | 01/24/2009 at 07:42 AM
Thanks, Fit Mommy!
Posted by: Dara Chadwick | 01/26/2009 at 06:02 AM
great interview,thank you!
I can totally relate to that stage of being mean to my mom, and now that I am a mom it breaks my heart when I think of the stuff I said!
Now, I wish I could spend more time hanging out with my mom.
Posted by: workout mommy | 01/26/2009 at 06:44 AM