Victoria’s Secret Models: Too Ethereal, Not Realistic & Not Athletic

Much attention has been given to the diet undertaken by Adriana Lima, a Victoria’s Secret model, in preparation for the company’s annual fashion show. Many media outlets covering the story criticize the diet’s extreme wherein Ms. Lima cuts out solid food, consumes only liquids and does not even drink water for twelve hours before the event. While it was stressed that the model works with a nutritionist during her dieting phase, others questioned the diet regardless. Shape magazine spoke with a nutritional expert for his opinion of the regimen. Mike Roussell, PhD claimed the diet was not harmful long-term, yet he also stated, “I wouldn’t recommend this diet to anyone.” He then points out that there are athletes who, before a competition, follow extreme diets, cut water intake and pursue extreme fitness routines. Later in the Shape article, Roussell admits the digestive tract will stop working and require a slow change back to normal eating after such extremes.

I looked into various websites that have information about wrestling fitness, a sport wherein Roussell claims people do things like the Victoria’s Secret models, such as ceasing water intake before a weigh-in. Most of the sites I found strongly advised against such tactics. They focus more on proper nutrition and hydration for optimal performance. Athletes are warned against attempting drastic water weight-loss, in fact, due to the negative health impact dehydration has on the body.

Personally, I see a big difference between someone training for an event of physical exertion and one training to wear outlandish costumes that offer unrealistic depictions of the female form. A wrestler training for a match works on strength, skills and tactics. He or she works toward being in top physical form to use his or her body in a competition that pits muscle form, skills and mental fortitude against an equal rival. With whom is the Victoria’s Secret “Angel” in competition? For what is she training herself? Her entire goal, it seems, is to be “thin enough” that the company will continue to pay her exorbitant amounts of money to parade around in what one might call underwear. (Judging by the previews of the show, no one wears this stuff off the runway, though. It wouldn’t fit beneath most clothing, for one thing.)

I believe there’s a difference between my friend who trains to run marathons, who has a muscular yet thin body, and a Victoria’s Secret model. My friend is thin due to her level of physical activity, and she does not do anything extreme before the marathon itself. She isn’t running merely for her physical form, but rather her health long-term and her feeling of accomplishment at completing such a challenging athletic event. I would be willing to bet that most marathon runners would be considered too muscular and/or too “heavy” for modeling, in fact. This is what I find so wrong with the advertising, fashion and modeling industries.

When will advertisers stop using images of women that are entirely impossible, even for women like Ms. Lima, who are born with genes that allow them to be quite thin normally, which is still not thin enough? Even these top models cannot maintain that “image” on a regular basis. I suppose there is some solace in Victoria’s Secret referring to these women as “Angels” since the company clearly indicates the ethereal nature and lack of corporeal existence of their models through this nomenclature.

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