‘Hot Facebook Mom’ defends latest controversial photo

[Suzie]

Wow, saw her picture from 2005 compared to now and she looks amazing!

‘Hot Facebook Mom’ defends latest controversial photo | KSL.com

[Guest]

Well pin a rose on her nose.

She was never fat. She's just more fit. Even at my most fit, I'm not as slender as her "before" picture. She has a small body type, and presumably those enviable islander genetics. I'd like to see what she could do with my sturdy German stock to deal with.

[Wingnut]

I'm looking at the photo at the top of the article, and I can't tell you how altered it is. I don't know what the original looks like, but I can tell that it is heavily Photoshopped.

(Okay, back to finish reading the article...)

[Suzie]

I am sure she was "retouched" here and there but the woman looks super fit!

[Wingnut]

Okay, finished reading. I also took the opportunity to look at the full current photo, instead of just the head part. As she indicates in the article, the lighting is quite heavily altered, which makes her appear unhealthily skinny. And I still don't believe her that nothing else has been done. It looks to me as though the space between her thighs has been widened at the top (the gap looks unnatural). Stretch marks are supposedly pointed out, but aren't actually visible. The skin of her torso looks like it's been smoothed out digitally, a process which would hide any stretch marks. Finally, her face is awful. It looks completely plastic. It's overprocessed, shiny, and not even the same color as the rest of her skin.

This doesn't even touch my own insecurities and disagreements with how she goes about things. All that I've said so far addresses only what I can see in the photo, being a photographer myself. I can see how much it's been altered, despite what she claims.

[Suzie]

Thanks for sharing your perspective as a photographer Wingnut. :)

What I don't understand though is the hateful comments she is getting and people saying things like "I rather be a size 12 and spend time with my children" and so on. Why are they bashing her so much?

[AngelMarvel]

I am just wondering what the point of this post is. Is it to make us get off our butt and exercise? Is it to make us feel like we could look like her? I just don't see a point.

Now... if you were showing us a picture of you because you have worked really hard to get into shape and tone up and all that... and you were trying to help us get it in gear and motivate us...then maybe I could understand what the post is about. But, to point out this stranger (yes I know you are a stranger to me..but we are part of this forum) the post seems meaningless to me.

I have dealt with my weight since I turned 50 years old... I am now 60. So for the last 10 years my weight and body structure has haunted me no matter how many times I tried a diet.

FINALLY... I was led by the spirit and was able to slowly lose 36 lbs. It took me 1 full year to do that! Does my body look like this lady's body? Heck NO! Never did and never will.

But... I can show you a picture of me BEFORE I lost the weight and show you the same picture photo shopped and show you how I too can look all thin and wrinklie free.

So... what is the OP about?

No offense...but, I did find it an odd post.

No pot shots at me for this post please. I won't respond to them.

[Suzie]

Is it to make us get off our butt and exercise?

No, of course not.

Is it to make us feel like we could look like her? I just don't see a point.

No. I posted the link because one, it was news and second because I saw her before and after picture and I thought she looked great and I wanted to share with others. Is there a problem?

Now... if you were showing us a picture of you because you have worked really hard to get into shape and tone up and all that... and you were trying to help us get it in gear and motivate us...then maybe I could understand what the post is about. But, to point out this stranger (yes I know you are a stranger to me..but we are part of this forum) the post seems meaningless to me.

If the post was meaningless to you, no offense but why bother to reply?

I have dealt with my weight since I turned 50 years old... I am now 60. So for the last 10 years my weight and body structure has haunted me no matter how many times I tried a diet.

FINALLY... I was led by the spirit and was able to slowly lose 36 lbs. It took me 1 full year to do that! Does my body look like this lady's body? Heck NO! Never did and never will.

But... I can show you a picture of me BEFORE I lost the weight and show you the same picture photo shopped and show you how I too can look all thin and wrinklie free.

No pot shots at me for this post please. I won't respond to them.

I never expected you or hinted that any poster reading this should compare themselves with this lady and if they do that it is something they are choosing to do and nothing to do with the OP.

[Wingnut]

What I don't understand though is the hateful comments she is getting and people saying things like "I rather be a size 12 and spend time with my children" and so on. Why are they bashing her so much?

I think it might be different if this was just some model being put out there by an established brand. I think the hate comes from perceiving this woman as having an attitude of "look at me and how awesome I am! Don't you wish you could look like me, too, suckers??" She also doesn't seem to acknowledge genetics, which play a big part, as Eowyn mentioned above.

[estradling75]

Thanks for sharing your perspective as a photographer Wingnut. :)

What I don't understand though is the hateful comments she is getting and people saying things like "I rather be a size 12 and spend time with my children" and so on. Why are they bashing her so much?

Lets see... First there is the tendency to shoot the messenger. Then if you get pass that then you have the fact that she is also the message. Her message comes off as demanding everyone compare themselves to her. People don't like coming up short in comparison, it feels like an attack. And a very natural response to an attack is to attack back. Thus you have all the personal attacks on her. It is a typical tit for tat response.

Now this woman has clearly made fitness a high priority in her life, and she should be congratulated for reaching and maintaining that goal, but it does not follow that anyone else should feel bad because they choose differently. Yet that is the message many receive from her posts

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

What I don't understand though is the hateful comments she is getting and people saying things like "I rather be a size 12 and spend time with my children" and so on. Why are they bashing her so much?

I think I know what the problem is.

Maria Kang caused an uproar last October when she posted a picture to her Facebook asking moms who don't excercise "What's your excuse?

Posting a picture of herself looking great and asking the question in that manner is bound to put all all but the most confident women on the defensive. And because they are feeling defensive they return the attack.

I'm not defending that behavior (on either side), just sharing what I see. I barely skimmed the article but it seems her intentions are good, she wants to encourage moms to help their children be healthy by setting an example of a healthy lifestyle. But the way she did it "what's your excuse" comes across as haughty taunting, rather than encouragement from a peer. For the people that don't care for her style, why not just ignore her?

I am on a related note; I'm taking some time off of Facebook myself (taking my own advice of not responding, and taking a personal "time out")...I live in a fairly wealthy area thanks to Microsoft and Boeing....and I am not wealthy. I'm tired of all the posts about people's vacations to exciting places. When you have an urge to tell your FRIENDS, quit showing off...it's time to take a time out. LOL! (And no I don't really think they are showing off, I'm just jealous. Still it's obviously not bringing out the best in me.)

[Guest]

I love Mrs. Kang! She inspires me.

What's my excuse? Exactly. This is the problem with most unfulfilled health-related New Year's Resokutions. I give myself way too many excuses. Health is a priority. It is important in every aspect - from being able to serve to being able to manage the finances. I need to stop my excuses!

[prisonchaplain]

Wow, saw her picture from 2005 compared to now and she looks amazing!

‘Hot Facebook Mom’ defends latest controversial photo | KSL.com

OK...for a second there I thought Suzie was just highlighting her avatar again (which I'm told is really her, btw )

[Suzie]

OK...for a second there I thought Suzie was just highlighting her avatar again (which I'm told is really her, btw )

Oh yes, that's why I like you prisonchaplain. You are an intuitive man.

[mnn727]

From the article "Kang, a freelance writer, fitness blogger and director of a nonprofit fitness organization"

So she has plenty of time to workout. I'd like to see her look like that after working 8 hours a day at a desk job and then come home to cook dinner and take care of 3 kids.

Plus as other have said genetics play a really big part in body shape.

[Guest]

From the article "Kang, a freelance writer, fitness blogger and director of a nonprofit fitness organization"

So she has plenty of time to workout. I'd like to see her look like that after working 8 hours a day at a desk job and then come home to cook dinner and take care of 3 kids.

Plus as other have said genetics play a really big part in body shape.

My best friend is a retired Marine who now works at a civilian desk job 8 hours a day. He is in his early 50's with 3 children. His wife is a programmer in her mid 40's sitting infront of a computer 8 hours a day. Both of them can be models for Shaun T's videos. Yes, she's Japanese, but he's white blue-eyed blonde dude. Okay, so he was a Marine until 10 years ago so his body is Marine developed.

They don't eat crap food. They do the Japanese cuisine kind of thing where everything is fresh. And they run as a family. All 3 kids are in soccer, so they both run around the soccer field for an hour while the kids are doing practice. And they have free weights at home that they use while watching TV... yes, the weights are right there in the den infront of their TV and right next to the kids' homework table.

When their kids were babies, my friend was getting deployed all over the place as a Marine. His wife still worked as a programmer... she would wake up at 5:30AM put the kids in the jogging stroller, jog around the block for an hour, feed breakfast (fresh breakfast here folks, no cereal or pop tarts) get dressed, and drop off the kids at the sitter and be at work by 8:00AM! Meanwhile, I'm dragging my butt to work at 8:00AM bleary eyed (never been a morning person) and had to sit next to her wide-eyed chipper... used to annoy me! We'd go have lunch together and do girly stuff like getting manicures on our lunch break. Then she'd get off at 5:00, pick up grocery and kids and have dinner ready by 7:00PM while watching TV at the same time... and have the babies bathed and put to bed by 9:00PM. And she'd be cleaning and doing laundry and preparing stuff until 10PM when she goes to bed. When the older kids got big enough to care for themselves, she got herself a presidency spot at the HOA. All this... by herself... with a husband out fighting in Afghanistan or somewhere...

So yeah... no excuses just about sums it up.

[Suzie]

My best friend is a retired Marine who now works at a civilian desk job 8 hours a day. He is in his early 50's with 3 children. His wife is a programmer in her mid 40's sitting infront of a computer 8 hours a day. Both of them can be models for Shaun T's videos. Yes, she's Japanese, but he's white blue-eyed blonde dude. Okay, so he was a Marine until 10 years ago so his body is Marine developed.

They don't eat crap food. They do the Japanese cuisine kind of thing where everything is fresh. And they run as a family. All 3 kids are in soccer, so they both run around the soccer field for an hour while the kids are doing practice. And they have free weights at home that they use while watching TV... yes, the weights are right there in the den infront of their TV and right next to the kids' homework table.

When their kids were babies, my friend was getting deployed all over the place as a Marine. His wife still worked as a programmer... she would wake up at 5:30AM put the kids in the jogging stroller, jog around the block for an hour, feed breakfast (fresh breakfast here folks, no cereal or pop tarts) get dressed, and drop off the kids at the sitter and be at work by 8:00AM! Meanwhile, I'm dragging my butt to work at 8:00AM bleary eyed (never been a morning person) and had to sit next to her wide-eyed chipper... used to annoy me! We'd go have lunch together and do girly stuff like getting manicures on our lunch break. Then she'd get off at 5:00, pick up grocery and kids and have dinner ready by 7:00PM while watching TV at the same time... and have the babies bathed and put to bed by 9:00PM. And she'd be cleaning and doing laundry and preparing stuff until 10PM when she goes to bed. When the older kids got big enough to care for themselves, she got herself a presidency spot at the HOA. All this... by herself... with a husband out fighting in Afghanistan or somewhere...

So yeah... no excuses just about sums it up.

I am a big believer in a good healthy diet (okay, I believe this in theory because I enjoy my occasional "junk" food). I think it is probably the number one reason your friend has so much energy, it is definitely not easy, it requires lots of discipline. Having said that, generally speaking, I think it is hard for people to accept the fact that there are people out there who live regular lives like the rest of us and yet keep themselves looking very fit.

[apexviper]

I'm looking at the photo at the top of the article, and I can't tell you how altered it is. I don't know what the original looks like, but I can tell that it is heavily Photoshopped.

(Okay, back to finish reading the article...)

As one who has taken classes about images, including a Photoshop class in college, I agree. There is definitely some editing in the picture. Even if it wasn't, why is this a big deal?

[Guest]

I spent a long time eating very clean and doing hard workouts 4 days a week. I never got below a size 12. I was healthy though and looked great for my body type.

I will never, ever be able to look like her. The message her attitude gives me is that that is my fault. Even when I was working really hard and being so careful about what and how much I ate, it was my fault that I wasn't a size 0/2 with washboard abs. Nevermind anything genetic or the fact that I carried twins or anything else. I have no excuse not to do and be just like her.

This is the kind of crap women do to each other that I just hate.

[Suzie]

I spent a long time eating very clean and doing hard workouts 4 days a week. I never got below a size 12. I was healthy though and looked great for my body type.

I will never, ever be able to look like her. The message her attitude gives me is that that is my fault. Even when I was working really hard and being so careful about what and how much I ate, it was my fault that I wasn't a size 0/2 with washboard abs. Nevermind anything genetic or the fact that I carried twins or anything else. I have no excuse not to do and be just like her.

This is the kind of crap women do to each other that I just hate.

Perhaps (giving her the benefit of the doubt), she is just trying to say "You know what? You can look fit even after having kids". I think is unreasonable if she expects people to look like her but I think the overall message is "even after having kids, you can still try to do your best to be in shape" or something along those lines.

[Bini]

Based on the pictures alone, I don't find this very controversial, but that could be because I've seen some pretty amazing "before" and "after" pictures of women that have just given birth or have had lots of pregnancies. But if it's the message that has people outraged, I would say that there isn't really an excuse for not taking care of your body, at least to the best of your ability - that doesn't mean I'm going to look like you or that you're going to look like me.

[estradling75]

Perhaps (giving her the benefit of the doubt), she is just trying to say "You know what? You can look fit even after having kids". I think is unreasonable if she expects people to look like her but I think the overall message is "even after having kids, you can still try to do your best to be in shape" or something along those lines.

First time... sure. People say things all the time that they don't fully understand how others might react.

Doing it again after what she should have learned the first time... That tends to kill any kind of reasonable doubt about what she should understand about how many will understand her message.

[Just_A_Guy]

I think I know what the problem is.

Posting a picture of herself looking great and asking the question in that manner is bound to put all all but the most confident women on the defensive. And because they are feeling defensive they return the attack.

I'm not defending that behavior (on either side), just sharing what I see. I barely skimmed the article but it seems her intentions are good, she wants to encourage moms to help their children be healthy by setting an example of a healthy lifestyle. But the way she did it "what's your excuse" comes across as haughty taunting, rather than encouragement from a peer. For the people that don't care for her style, why not just ignore her?

Will I get in trouble if I point out that if a man deployed this tactic against other men, the result would be "Dude--you're a jerk." "I know, man. Hey, wanna go get a [root] beer?" "Sure."

And nothing more would be said about the matter by either of them.

[Suzie]

Will I get in trouble if I point out that if a man deployed this tactic against other men, the result would be "Dude--you're a jerk." "I know, man. Hey, wanna go get a [root] beer?" "Sure."

And nothing more would be said about the matter by either of them.

Bleh, men are boring. Women always try their best to make things a little more dramatic.

[MorningStar]

Will I get in trouble if I point out that if a man deployed this tactic against other men, the result would be "Dude--you're a jerk." "I know, man. Hey, wanna go get a [root] beer?" "Sure."

And nothing more would be said about the matter by either of them.

I think this would be kind of like a guy posing with his pile of money, expensive cars, etc. and asking, "What's YOUR excuse?"

It's pretty annoying when people have an attitude of, "I can do it, therefore you can do it too!" No, that's not true. We all have different strengths, weaknesses, trials, genetics, health, etc.

I can appreciate the message that there is a way to take care of yourself after you have kids, but it comes across as, "What's your excuse for not having this perfect body?"

But I also know moms whose children have special needs and practically every waking hour is devoted to them. It's hard to imagine them even having time to eat, let alone do a great workout often.