Daisy Fuentes in Celebrity Diet and Workout in Fitness Magazine September 2007. Winsor Pilates? What does she eat? She had a lot to say and good insights about body image and pressures to be thin. Great Interview! These are some of our favorite Highlights!
Fitness: Do you think our society has an obsession with thinness?
Daisy: Yeah. There was a time when I was caught up in it too. I had to stop myself from saying, “I’m fat.” It’s not good for your self-esteem, and it’s not good for the people around you. I see moms with little girls who say, “I’m fat. I can’t eat that.” We need to stop doing that. We have to set an example for younger girls.
Fitness: Do Hispanic women feel the pressure to be thin?
Daisy: I think we do. There’s a part of you that really wants to embrace your curves, then there’s society saying no one likes curves. It takes someone as confident as Jennifer Lopez to turn a body part that’s often considered a flaw into something hot. The lesson? Stop listening to society and focus on yourself.
Fitness: Did you ever worry about the way you looked?
Daisy: When I was younger, I used to worry about it all the time. Now I know that I’m doing the best I can. I don’t care about the criticism.
Fitness: When do you feel best about your body?
Daisy: When I’m exercising. For this shoot, I did a lot of circuit training, and I really felt my body working. I didn’t obsess about calories. I just made sure all the basic food groups were in my diet.
Fitness: What is your typical diet?
Daisy: I try to make healthy choices. I keep cookies and chips for guests, but I also keep veggie sticks and salad fixings. I’d say 90 percent of the time, I go for the healthy option. If I’m really full after I eat, I feel like crap. So I’ve learned to eat just until I’m satisfied.
Fitness: How do you think the image Hispanic women have of themselves will change in five years?
Daisy: I like the multicultural celebration of body image that is going on now. [I’m happy] that we’re all starting to see how beauty shines through no matter what you look like. I’m also a big supporter of charities that boost girls’ self-esteem. Girls on the Run, a group that helps preteens develop healthy lifestyles through running, is one of my favorites.
Source: Fitness Magazine