Earlier this month, Jessica Simpson told Extra she’s indulging her pregnancy cravings by eating a high-sugar diet, including buttered Pop Tarts…which sounds disgusting, but hey: I’ve been known to favor weirder food combinations, and I’m not even pregnant. Here’s the thing, though: I haven’t signed a deal to get paid millions of dollars as a future Weight Watchers rep. And as someone who has, Simpson sounds more like she’s promoting disordered eating than the balanced approach to weight loss that Weight Watchers promotes.
Jessica Simpson’s attitude is almost refreshing for a Hollywood mom-to-be; she doesn’t seem obsessed with counting calories or keeping a low weight, which is about right for a woman who’s expecting. She says she isn’t afraid to give in to cravings:
In fact, it sounds more like she’s going on a pre-diet binge, which sounds more like disordered eating than a healthy approach to pregnancy.
Weight Watchers prides itself on a balanced approach to weight loss. Unlike other diets, they’re not into restriction or deprivation, and they promote eating nutritious meals. But hiring Simpson as a spokesperson is making me like them less by the minute. Not only does it imply that pregnancy equals obesity, but they’ve also chosen a spokesperson who’s openly more concerned about her looks and PR than her actual health.
Weight gain during pregnancy is a natural–and necessary– part of becoming a mom. Many mothers lose the weight naturally through breast-feeding, returning to a normal diet and engaging in regular physical activity. But that’s assuming you haven’t been binging on junk food for your entire pregnancy. Not only are buttered Pop Tarts and Kraft Mac N’ Cheese not delivering great nutrition to Simpson and her child; they’re also setting her up for much more difficulty losing weight and returning to a healthy diet post-pregnancy.
Binging on junk food before starting any weight loss effort is a bad idea all around. You’re not only setting yourself up for failure; you’re also engaging in what many would consider disordered eating. Let’s all do ourselves a favor and look to Weight Watchers’ other spokespeople for inspiration instead of Jessica Simpson.