We’ve all been witness to Ricki Lake‘s outward struggle with her weight over the years, but we don’t really know about was happening inside while it was all going on.
It will probably feel instantly familiar, as everyone has body image issues — Ricki’s journey is still inherently her own, and a really interesting thing to hear in her upcoming memoir called Never Say Never.
All of it started when her mother criticized her eating habits as a kid. This led to many weight fluctuations, actually landing her at 260 pounds at one point.
She then dropped about half that.
Here’s what she says:
“I’ve gone on crash diets. I’ve tried crazy exercise regimens. Once, while working on a film, I ate so little in my effort to appear skinny that I became anaemic and was forced to check into the hospital. The experience of measuring my own value inversely – the less the weight, the more I am worth – (is) one (I’ve repeated) throughout my life.
“As I inched my way towards puberty, my mother became openly concerned about my weight. It came through in the bitter way she looked at me each time I reached for a cookie or second helping… Finally, my mother opened her own pinched mouth, seething – ‘Do you really think you need that, Ricki?’ – in the hopes that I’d learn to shut mine. When, after seeing Annie on Broadway, I told her I wanted desperately to audition, she quickly squashed my hopes, rolling her eyes and saying, ‘You’re not exactly the starving orphan type.'”
Wow, Ricki’s mom! That’s so classy!
There are ways to shape your kids’ eating habits without being a total jerk about it! That’s so totally offensive to us!
We’re really happy to hear that she’s feeling MUCH better now, especially after getting healthy on Dancing With The Stars last year, where she lost 8.5 inches on her waist!
Ricki — we know it will always be a struggle for you, as it is for everybody. It’ll be constant, but we know you can stay strong! As long as you’re happy and healthy, it’s YOU we love, not your waist size!
[Image via WENN.]
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