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WelghtAmerican women are hyper-focused on extremes. Have we lost sight ofthe fact that being fit and healthy is what's important? FITNESS reports.

idolize fit wslnsn-gslsna Williams and Gabrielle Reese andHilary Swank-but more often, we 1et red-carpet celebs andrunway models set standards of beauty without really thinkingabout how they got the bodies they have. "We hear of beautyinside and out, but I tell you, beauty takes work. Having to workfor my new body has made me a stronger person on all fronts.

WE'RE A PRETTY SFIARF. GROUP OF WOMEN in this coun-try. But our ranks are suffering, it seems, from a lack of focus,partrcularly when it comes to our own health and happiness.Regardless of our size, we all seem to be staring into the mirrorfeeling too "this" or too "that." This extremism is zapping ourability to see ourselves for who we really are: strong, free to makechoices, intelligent, creative and beautiful. Sure, sometimes we I have worked tirelessly to change my entire state of bei

spiritually," Kirstie Alley told FITNESS recently "Ifbeautiful to ourselves it would be very difficult forus that way"

This month, wipe yourmind clean r preconceived notionsof skinny, lat or obese-and nking about calorie burn-ing or slimming or ver your goal!) as crucial toyo:ur health. We help support the idea of healthy, fitwomen. There be a stipulation that if you're healthy and

a role model. "Regular exercise can reduce-stress, stabilize your mood, improve immune function,

lower blood pressure, improve cardiac function, boostenergy and improve sleep. And did I mention it can make

you feel sexy, strong and powerful?" says Sarah Harding, Ms.Fitness USA (2004 and 2006) and spokesperson for theFoundation for Chiropractrc Progress. "The aesthetic bene-

fit is the lcins on the cake."

While lor'rng the way you look is a f,ne goal, we need to aim forour owrl personal best (not someone else's image), and recog-nize that beauty can come in all shapes and sizes. When FIT-NESS launched its real-women campaign last year, vowing not

to put ceiebrities on the cover but to showcase, instead, real

women and athletic models on our pages, we got overwhelm-ingly positive feedback. Feeling enlightened but in need of more

information, FITNESS began further testing of images and head-

lines: We showed women "get healthy" messages alongsidepromises of quick weight ioss and body toning. Guess what hap-

Tell Us How You Really Feell We know you have opinions about womenand weight-lots of 'em-and we want to know every last one. Co towww.fitnessmagazine.com/weight and share, share, share!

)! rn

l-lAL)tr,pened? Women overw ingly chose the quick fix

human nature. It's American. But, its a problem

We asked I experts how to solve the split

between we think (make me skinny too!) and what

't show us unhealthy models!)-here's what they

you to know. Their main point: Never forget that feeling

well and fit is the key to happiness. It's about movement, being

able to do what you want and maintaining good health. But

we're not all there yet, say our experts: "Americans are in denial

We need to begin a journey of mental and physical transforma-

tion. We need to recognize that berng fit or being a healthy

weight is about wellness-not about a number on the scale.

Wellness is a gift you give yourself. Ask yourself, if not now,

when, are you going to stop searching outside for an answer to

how you should look inside?" says Pamela Peeke, M.D., a FIT-

NESS advisory board member and author of Body for Life JorWmen and the new book Fit to Live.

Another problem experts identified: When it comes to our bod-

ies, we're always reaching for that unreahstic brass ring. We can

never achieve it, so we think, Why bother, right? "In the U.S.

theres a tiny segment of the population-the super-slim-that

has incredible ability to influence the rest of us. lt shouldn't,"

Martin Binks, Ph.D., director of behavioral health at Duke Uni-

versity Diet 6c Fitness Center, told FITNESS. "When it comes

ing yourself a simple definitron of wellness and remind your-

self of it daily Wellness means being fit to live, not just to sur-

vive but to thnve: eating on a regular schedule, exercising daily

(even for just 20 minutes) and not obsessing over the hot diet

book or shockingly skinny celeb of the moment.

lf you need a fast fix to get you jump-started on the road to

body positiveness, well then, maybe a headline like "Get the

Body You Want" or "Drop Inches Ali Over" isn't a bad reason

to pick up a copy of FITNESS. The quicker we can get you

started on a path to health and wellness-whether that be drop-

ping weight because your BMI is over 25, working in 5 or 10

minutes of tomng moves in the moming or finding inner con-

fi.dence-the better.

Our mission at FITNESS: To help you start truly believing that

beauty comes from the inside out. "l've started exercising and

eating right and I've started to love my self-image, which I think

WELLNESS MEANS BEING FIT TO LIVE, NOTJUSTTO SUWIVE BUTTOTHRIVE ITTAI(Es WORI(!

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to body image, the key is to focus on how you feel, not on the

number on the scale. Theres a broad range of numbers and

weights that are healthy. Some skinny, some heauer. Not just

one. Exercising and eating right-if you do those things, then

you're at your healthy werght," says Rene Zweig, Ph.D.' direc-

tor of eating disorders and weight management at the Ameri-

can Institute for Cognttive Therapy in New York City

Experts that FITNESS spoke with said that we need to look

in.^,ard qnd rackle the nrohlem mrnd and soirit. Start bv giv-

is closely related to beauty," one reader recently wrote. Anoth-

er explained, "Three words come to mind when I think about

beauty: natural, healthy and fit." View yourself as a work in

progress, says Leslie Bonci, R.D., director of sports nutrition at

the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, "Figure out things

you're willing to do to achieve your goal, to improve yourself,

and say, Aren't I worth it?"

Remember the words of curry-proud Queen Latifah the next

time you look in the mirror: "My body is my body and it is

MI{J I IVAI IUi\ ilTNI RAL

more of a question of heaith and not a question of becomingsomeone else. I think health is not jusr about weight but it isabout mind, spirit and emotions. I have accepted me," she toldFITNESS.

Be inspired by positive role models-Rachel Ray Meryl Streep.Ellen DeGeneres. Jennifer Hudson. America Ferrara. SerenaWilliams. Penelope Cruz. Denise Ausrin. Diane Keaton. HelenMirren. Queen Latifah. Tyra Banks. Christy Turlington. Mar-garet Cho. Jamie Lee Curtis. Meredith Vieira. Kate Winslet.Beyonc€. The list goes on. Just like you, rhey wanr ro be rec-ognized for who they are and how hard they have worked toget there, not just for how they look in a bikini or strollingdown the red carpet. Or, to put it another way: A healthy atti-tude-not slzes or labels or eating plans or workouts or theskinny starlet and model of the moment-will help you bethe best you can be. r

OUR COVER MODEL: SHE EATS! SHE WORI$OUT!FIINESS cover model Cinthia Moura, 25,dropped her unhealthy eating habitsalong with fashion shorrus four years ago,and she couldn't be happier or fitter.

WHO, ME STARVE?When I started modeling, I rememberalways trying to lose weight. l'd watch theskinny 13- and 14-year-old models starvethemselves to become even skinnier-even in Brazilwhere curves are a way of life.But when I stopped working fashion shows,my mentality changed. I was tired of diet-ing and tired of doing nothing physically.

BODYPARTILOVEMy stomach. lt used to be flat and skinny,but now that I work out, I can see moreshape on the sides and around my lowerabs. The definition is slight, but it's proofthat l'm healthy and fit, notjust skinny.

BODY PART I 5TRE55 OVERWhen my trainer asked me what I wantedto work on, I told him, my booty. lt's thefirst part to surrender to gravity, and inmy culture, it's the most important.

AMERICAN WOMEN ANDBODY IMACTIn America, everyone wants to be skinny

ARE YOU A FIT 14? (OR 10 OR 12 OR 16?) rhe average American women is five foot fourand weighs 140 pounds, and we want to celebrate you-all shapes and sizes. Submit photos ofyour fit, fabulous self at www.fitnessmagazine.com/photos,

and stick-thin. But in Brazil, we have meaton us. There, it's important for women toget a healthy, toned body by going to thegym and eating well. That's why Brazilianwomen absolutely glow.

MY FiEALTHY ROLE MODELMy best friend, Erica Redling. Neither ofus can eat whatever we want and not gainweight, so we support each other in mak-ing good decisions. We pick yogurt andfruit over giant pretzels when we're snack-ing in the airport.

MY FAVORITTWORI(OUT t\ilOVES

FQR l-lER St,lTT: squats,resistance bandsFCIR HER AB5: medicine andstability ballsFOR HfR ARMS: 5- to 7.5-poundweightsFOR HeR HEART:30 minuteson the elliptical, two timesa week

]S Errr.lrss MAy 2oo7 FITN ESSMACAZINE.COM