If the "before" Zora was fat, I'm Sophia Loren. We really have to be careful what messages we send our young women about body image and media-induced self-hatred.

In the Before shot, it looks like she could've benefited from a strength training-cardio routine paired with a normal diet, i.e. to gain some muscle definition, lose inches. Plans like NutriSystem don't ultimately work because they rely on a restrictive selection of pre-prepared foods you buy from the company.

In sum, I guess if you like the bony weak look, she's more attractive now!

Zora's gorgeous: both before AND after. But, call me a sentimentalist, call me old fashioned, call me sexist, but I love a woman with a little meat on her bones - healthy but soft and curvy...

Hey Daily News - got her phone number?

Wasn't Zora working at a local gym while she was competing for the half mil and a chance to tell everyone she was Joe's girl?

I think we live in a culture where no matter what a woman sees in the mirror, she feels like she's got to lose that extra poundage to meet the Elle cover criteria. These pictures are an prime example of this...

I think Zora looks terrific now! Not weak, but strong and confident...her body language speaks volumes. Plans like Nutrisystem DO work because you learn proper portion size as well as healthier eating habits - the keys to weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight. Roughly 60% of the adult US population is overweight, what message is that sending to young women and young men?

While it may be true that Zora was not excessively overweight as some people "perceive" overweight status, there was undoubtedly a personal battle that she was having with herself and her self-esteem, in which she wanted to take the step to make herself look and feel better, inside and out. She has done this through NutriSystem, and I think it's fantastic that she took control of her body, and made the lifestyle eating changes for herself and no one else. After all, if you are not happy with your own body, how can you make anyone else happy? You have to love yourself first, and I'd just bet that Zora feels on top of the world now, due to the lifestyle changes she's made for herself. No matter how much weight you need to lose, the principal remains the same....you have to take the initiative to change your lifestyle, and better yet, stick with it for life. The NutriSystem program helps you do this. It not only helps you lose weight in the short term, it TEACHES you how to eat for life. Once you learn the basics through participating with the NutriSystem program and portion-controlled foods, you learn how to control the portions of whatever you are eating, and also gain invaluable knowledge of proper eating habits and the importance of regular exercise. I say, "WAY TO GO ZORA, AND WAY TO GO NUTRI/SYSTEM FOR SHOWING HER THE WAY!"....Keep up the great work!

Why should the size of a woman's butt matter more than her character and what she contributes to the world? Being obsessed with weight and other physical issues is what distracts women from focusing on really important things, things that matter in the long run. Still, I understand Zora's plight. My body type is not unlike her before picture and I'm under constant pressure from friends to lose weight. (Usually men.)

The bottom line for me is: Why did she lose the weight? If her answer is to feel better about herself or to get healthier, how can anyone fault a woman for that?
But I do agree that negative pressure from others to lose weight can contribute to unhealthy goals.
Honestly, to me, she looked great before and after.

Guys often say they like women with "a little meat on their bones." Women have a hard time believing it. I know my husband digs domestic goddess Nigella Lawson, and she's a big, beautiful woman. (I also like how she really delights in wonderful food!)
I think Zora looks great right now, and apparently she's lost about 17 pounds. If she's healthy and feels better about herself, great. If she's still working to lose more weight, that's probably not so great.

I think the biggest difference is the great haircut. Obviously nutri-system gave her a make-over too. She didn't need to lose weight in the first place. She looks great now but the biggest improvement is the clothes, hair and make-up not the weight.

Yup, Zora was indeed fat in the before pic, probably should be "big boned". But as a man, yeha, she needed to lose those dress sizes to look good.

Sure compared to the average, she may be okay...but the average woman is fat. The problem with Zora is that she is very plain looking and no matter how much she diets, she will never be beautiful--but burning off all that fat is a start.

The pictures are kind of misleading. In the first, she's wearing light colors and her body language is timid; in the second, she's all in black (with no background) and striking a sassy pose: She's empowered. Of course the second image is going to appeal to women more.

Is the "before" Zora too fat? Not even close. And there's something about the "after" Zora that reminds me of Gumby.

I agree with Dave. It looks like we've got some photo manipulation going on here.

I am fascinated with the guys piping up here and saying they groove on the curves. My teenage daughters get this. I'm beginning to think it's the baby boomers who have some unhealthy need to be thin.

I think Zora looks good in the before picture...but the way she is standing shows she was not confident with the way she looks. She is standing kind of sideways. Looks like she is trying to hide her hips...also her arms are in front of her...again...trying to hide. In the after picture she looks vibrant and confident. Very pleased with her appearance. Because she is sleek and slender does not mean she is bony and weak. Yes...most of us agree she looks good in the before picture as well as the after...but it all comes down to ...how does she feel about herself. We should not worry what we thing other peoples image of us is...we should be more concerned about how we feel about ourselves. Skinny may not be right for everyone...but it looks to me like she is confident with the way she looks in the after...Just look at the glow in her face...that is what is important. I think Nutrisytem is a great way to get the weight off and learn things like portion control...how important exercise is and good eating habits for the rest of your life. In a fast paced world that we live in now...the big key is convenience and Nutrisystem has hit the nail right on the head...Thank you Nutrisystem. And Zora...You look great !!

I agree that the light colors tend to make people look bigger. Notice in the NFL which colors the home team favors - light colors to look bigger and intimidate. Also, I agree with whoever mentioned that "health" should be the focal point - not what a man or society thinks is sexy. Furthermore, we should take into account that most of what we post is culturally specific (i.e. heavier women in some countries are considered beautiful). Finally, my own take on the two pictures is this: the first picture, especially from the posture, lends itself to a more (as someone said earlier) homely depiction; the second picture reveals a different attitude, as seen in the hands-on-hips pose, and this demeanor contributes to her arousing a man's sensual appetite. As for the weight difference, yes, she appears thinner, but once again, that's a personal/cultural preference.

It's all good -

Everett (smile J)

Zora was a beautiful women then and just as beautiful now. Her losing weight doesn't make her look any better or worse in my opinion. Her real beauty came from the way she carried herself through the entire series. She was respectful and is a very intelligent woman - these are the aspects that make her look great!

I think she looks beautiful before and after. She is such a hotty.

I personally think that Zora looks better before. I think we as a society have a distorted view of what "healthy" really is. Skinny does not necessarily mean healthy. I cannot wait until this anorexic fad fades...women with curves are definitely sexier!!

As a man who weighs over 300 pounds myself, I feel the need to comment. This might be long, but I find myself with a lot to say.

Originally, I clicked this article because I was shocked to learn that a person like Zora felt the need to lose some weight. Having my own personal battle with it my whole life, and I admit I've generally lost those battles, the whole idea bothered me. I thought to myself why would a woman like her who looked great to begin with feel the need in the first place to lose weight? It has always bothered me whenever I heard a person who seemed to me in healthy shape complain about their own weight. My response has always been to say "when you start getting as big as me, then you can complain". Probably not the healthiest attitude for me to have, admittedly, but that has usually been my reaction.

Though now, I do see the other side of the story. If a person has confidence issues with their own body type and they do something about it, then they should be commended. So Zora does deserve some recognition for that. Although reading some of the responses up here, some of those commendations I've seen have looked more like Nutrisystem infomercials than genuine praise. Just my opinion.

The bottom line of all of this is that it seems that on all sides of the issue, our priorities are not where they should be. The weight issue in our society has been a big one, too big in some ways. The one thing we should be concerned about is personal health, period. If people want to discuss health issues with weight, I have no problem with that. Lord knows I am aware of them, and it is a concern to me as well despite my own failures. But I am at least mindful of it.

If you simply want to discuss butt size, then there's a problem. Hey, I'm a man, and I appreciate physical looks as much as anyone. But that's all they are really, simply physical. While they are nice to look at, you have to have more mentally to really attract me.

I'll admit that I tend to be a fan of the curvier look myself. I saw Zora's before photo and found it very attractive. I bet if she were wearing that black outfit and striking that same pose with the before body, she'd look just as good (I do believe photo manipulation is in use here). But if I were fortunate enough to get the chance to date her, she'd have to have a great sense of humor and an ability to hold a good interesting conversation to keep me around, which has nothing to do with an extra 20 pounds. Again, that's just my view.

And admittedly, like many women, some men have the same issues when it comes to weight and attracting the opposite sex. I will also admit that I have gone through most of my life thinking I am too big to attract women on a regular basis. I've been proven wrong a couple of times in my life and I am thankful for that. But generally, I battle that perception everyday and still do. I'll be the first one to admit that the perception is probably created within myself. But issues like that are not just a woman thing. I feel like I don't hold up to the ideal of what a man should look like either. I do try to make up for it with personality, and I hope I have succeeded. But that is a battle I need to come to grips with myself.

The post earlier by Stacy intrigued me. While I agree that loving yourself is the most important thing, I would also counter by asking why one would need to drop 30 pounds to do it? I bet Zora had a lot of great qualities that could have helped her find that self love without having to drop the weight. And granted, you're talkign to a guy here who has spent most of his life disliking himself over his weight. I'm just as guilty of it as anyone. I just feel that 20 pounds should not be the difference between self love and hate. And while I agree with your sentiment of applauding her for her accomplishment, and if losing some weight did truly help her feel better about herself I can't fault that, I wonder if you would have posted the same applause if she had done it with the Atkins diet for example. The Nutrisystem praise at the end made me wonder if you worked for the company.

And the further post by Tammy actually proved to me that photo manipulation was at work, though I'm sure that was not the intention of the post. Yes, she's standing two different ways in the pictures, and I do agree that body language is important to convey how you feel about yourself. But it is an easy thing to manipulate when you have a photographer telling you how to pose. I don't know if that was at work here or not, but it is possible that it was. Just something else to consider.

I just wish that people would look at issues such as weight a little differently. To people like Jenice, who posted that she feels pressure from male friends to lose weight even though her body type is like Zora's used to be, I say that I hope you don't take them seriously. They may be serious when they say it, but they're misguided. My advice is to laugh at them when they say it. They may be good friends, but when I hear people saying things like that to people who don't need it, it makes me a bit ill. I don't know those guys, and they may be nice guys otherwise, but I want to tell them to shut up. Don't you listen to them. I'm sure you're beautiful the way you are.

And to people like Michael, your post wasted this board's space. Enough said there.

Anyway, I'm done ranting. I admit this was very long, but maybe it will spark some more conversation on the board which isn't a bad thing. Something made me want to write this, and it was a bit theraputic I will admit. To those battling the weight problems, whether they be small or large, I do sympathize more than you know. Peace to all, and happy holidays!

I'd like to caution everyone against looking at this as *just* a confidence/self-image issue. There's probably some of that going on, but remember, this is an attractive woman who has a chance to extend her 15 minutes of fame by pairing up with Nutri-System. She clearly has financial gain in mind in addition to any desires she had to drop some pounds. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Nutri-System approached *her* first with something like "we saw your dress-size fiasco on TV, how about you lose some weight and we pay you some money for endorsing us?" No-brainer, right?

As for the self-image thing, I think women who feel the need to be that rail-thin are dinosaurs. The waif thing is over, curves are coming back, and me and my friends would prefer the one on the left. I think it's more the women that are perpetuating this look nowadays, because the guys I talk to have gotten tired of it. I know it's not all about what guys want, but it seems to me that some women are setting the bar even higher (or smaller, in terms of body type) than guys are, and that seems wrong to me.

It seems every girl is interested in losing a few pounds, but please, ladies... If you have a body like the girl on the left, your weight loss quest is complete. Get out and enjoy it instead of trying to chase some outdated ideal of perfection.

Zora was a model before coming on the show and according to the reporters at the Inquirer,
outstanding in tights where she appeared way
before the show.

I am dissappointed to see that she had to be a whore for NutriSystem. But money is money and she was very poor.

I also notice some posters here touting NutriSystem. Have you all no shame working for that company, selling that packaged garbage and posting here?

Well I, for one, commend the wardrobe department at NutriSystem for NOT giving her baggy clothes to make her look fatter in her before. Why do all before and after photos have to look like a pale blob who turns into a tan bodybuilder? She's a naturally beautiful girl either way, but I get the impression from her photos that she feels better about herself now...and that's all that really matters. Way to go Zora and NutriSystem!

Worse than whatever "messages" Zora may be "sending out," by losing weight and doing promos for NutriSystem is the constant analysis of her decisions by discussion forums just like this one.

Look, the lady lost some weight, okay? She looked pretty good before, and by the pictures posted here, she looks even better now (in my opinion). And as a followup question, try this: if you disapprove, is it because you really think she looks worse (in which case, how is that any better than thinking she looked too zaftig before?), or is it because you disapprove of her desire to change in the first place?

I don't think Zora looked bad before or that she needed to lose weight, but as far as I'm concerned weight loss is a personal choice. My mother turned to Nutrisystem because she really did need to lose quite a bit of weight and I've seen how the program works. It really is about healthy eating and portion control. I think it is so much healthier than those that heavily restrict types of foods such as carbs or those that allow you to starve all day so that you can eat what you want at night. It's all about balance. I'm glad Zora chose to lose weight in a healthy way and I hope she is happy with her weight loss.

I'd definitely be more attracted to Zora in the before picture. I think that most men actually feel that way. Women seem all to obsessed with becoming thin, when in actually I believe men are attracted to some curves.

I mean, come on people, the new Zora is slim, trim, and ready to rock. I'm a 25 year bachelor with a keen eye for talent, and I would ask out the new Zora in a heartbeat. Girl is hot!

I think Zora looks great in both pictures as far as her weight goes. She's not too thin, and 17 pounds (if that's what she lost) isn't a huge amount on someone her height (same as mine). I don't know that NutriSystem is the best route to lose weight, because you don't eat "real" food, but if she's in better shape and feels better about herself as a result, I'm all for it. Like others, though, I think that's as much a result of the makeover as the weight loss.

Speaking for myself, I've been moderately overweight most of my life, and I've been happy to find in recent years that there are plenty of men out there who are perfectly happy with my size. The last two men I've dated (one of whom was very athletic and quite slim) have made a point of saying they like my curves. Of course, I think several things contribute to that: I'm more confident than when I was younger; the men I've dated recently have mostly been somewhat older than me, in their early 40s; and, well, in my case, "curves" equals "nice bustline," and few men are going to object to that. ;)

As a woman who is 5',2" and weighs 152 pounds, I am constantly in an effort to lose weight, and by any medical standards, I am honestly considered overweight (in other words, I'm not just doing this simply for my own aesthetic compulsions!) So I am trying to lose about 20 pounds (I've chosen a diet plan different than NutriSystem so I won't mention it here). I do have a desire to lose weight to look nicer in clothes, look "sexier", etc. I feel I am well within reason for doing so--even though most of my family and friends think I am overly concerned about my body image, and think I'm nuts for dieting and hitting the gym as often as I do.

So---they should meet Zora! Jeez! Not for a million years would I go on NutriSystem or any other diet "plan" to lose weight if I were her "before" photo. She looks fabulous in both pictures--and I have pretty high standards concerning looks in both guys and girls, I think! I can understand wanting to maintain a great figure and a healthy weight, but to actually do NutriSystem and tell potential users that this helped her lose 17 pounds is a bit much. I agree with one of the guys above who posted--this is an attempt for her to get a paying deal that will keep her pretty face on TV and in advertisements. When the Duchess of York, Sarah Fergeson, stumped for NutriSystem, she DID have a good amount of weight to lose, and she did lose it and looks good. She is a much more realistic example of someone who needed to lose a few pounds (and did). Zora is not!

I also agree with Tony above, who said that WOMEN are the real emphasis behind compulsions to look like rail-thin actresses, etc., NOT men. Most men like sexy women no matter how many pounds they are carrying--it is women to take the weight loss concept to total excess, thinking they are "fat" when they are really slightly underweight. Believe me, I work out with women like this, who weigh about 102 pounds and who think they need to lose about 20 more to end up looking like toddlers. It is often a pathetic attempt to gain attention.

Jenice - here's one man who thinks you're wonderful the way you are! Don't even listen to the haters, male or female, who think you need to lose weight. IMHO, Zora looked wonderful just the way she was - she didn't need to lose an ounce.

Thanks, Kevin. I needed that. "Everett" told me earlier to drop some weight. So, the kudos was right on time.

Looking back on my comments above, yes, they may be a little too "hones". But this is how men think.

I'm a 25 yr old bachelor and I work hard to stay fit. It isn't easy, it takes work.

That's what I ask for in return....someone who works hard to stay fit.

Steve, no kiddin you don't share my point of view, you have let yourself balloon to 300lbs ! You are fat. All it is is laziness and control issues...stop putting food into your mouth!!!

If this is too honest for you, sorry. This is how most men think.

Whoa, Michael! Steve's comments were thoughtful, and he doesn't deserve cheap shots in return. I totally commend your own hard work at staying in shape-- I respect that. But I also respect how tough a weight battle is for many people, and I think Steve's absolutely correct when he says that personal health ought to be more important than personal appearance. In an ideal world, no one would hate themselves because they think (rightly or wrongly) that they weigh too much. They'd come to know first-hand all the healthy rewards (not simply cosmetic) of eating right and exercising.

I believe it's up to the individual to decide what's best for him or her. I am a person that has had a fluctuating weight issue. While I never let myself get to the extreme of even 50lbs over weight, I did at one point carry around an extra 30. Over eating is still an issue with me at times. It is what it is. To counteract this I exercise daily and hardcore. I have a size 32 inch waist. At my extreme I was a 36. When I looked in the mirror I did not like what I saw, nor did I like the fact that I felt unhealthy. I'd say the majority of us are appearance conscious or we wouldn't be so diet obsessed. There are many diets fads out there. Some them I agree with, others I don't. I know what works for me and I go with it. NutriSystem is not an option for me. We live in an addictive society, food being one of them. If Zora inspires a person that has a weight issue to try NutriSystem and shed those unwanted pounds, then way to go. Regardless if you are losing weight by NutriSystem or some other diet, it's all about learning to discpline ourselves in some form. Some of us need the coach of a program like NutriSystem to get us through it. Now who can be the judge of that other than ourselves. Good going Zora for getting rid of that 20lbs now. That 20 now could turn into 40 later. Keep up the good work!!

If anything should be said on this issue it's that if you work out and eat right you have the ability to lose extra (often times detrimental) weight. Zora's few extra pounds would never intervere with her personal health, in fact she was probably within her ideal weight class. This was an act of vainity and appearance driven (purhaps even paycheck driven) which should be separated from folks who need to lose weight because of overweight conditions leading to health concerns.

I'm a health nut, I think she looks better after losing the weight, especially if a good portion of fat was replaced by muscle.

Again, this may be too honest for people like Theresa and Steve so maybe you should skip this post....

But if you want the honest truth, here it is:

Fat people stick up for other fat people and talk about inner beauty, health, self-esteem, etc. blah, blah, blah. All of this is very simple, don't eat but what you need to live, exercise and you'll be fine. All of this overconsumption just boils down to the fact that people are trying to fill a void in their lives and they do it by shoving food down their throat. Then, they're fat and don't take responsibility. Instead, they blame critics for their perceptions and judgethe critic's value system by saying people should look at inner beauty, etc.

Its all crap. We're animals. Appearance is the first thing people notice and take interest in. i cant tell if the girl walking down the street has a nice personality just by looking at her. But I can see that she has fat thighs and a gut and that tells me something about her personality right there--she has self-control issues and low self-discipline. Not my style. It takes a lot of discipline to wake up at 6am to work out before my day at the office. It sucks. i hate it. But I do it bc I know that it pays dividends when i feel good about myself. And that's what I ask in return.

And Theresa, I did not try to hurt Steve's feelings by stating that he is fat. The guy weighs 300 lbs. he is fat!!! Of course he doesn't share my point of view--he's in denial.
I suspect you are fat too.

Hey, Michael -- gotta tell you, you'd SO lose that bet on Theresa. She's in amazing shape.

Heh. Word to the wise, michael - try checking out the rest of the site before making any more ill-informed comments. Ad hominem attacks are usually a bad idea, but especially so when they prove your own point wrong.

Vanity is an ugly quality in man or woman. Prosletizing your vanity as a positive belief system is self-destructive and quixotic.

The most important thing that we can do for ourselves is to disabuse each other of the belief that commercial media can help us to achieve happiness. It cannot.

We can follow all the trends - and have abs of steel (and teeth of porcelain)- and try hard to believe that the lust of others and our own narcissism add up to happiness, but it's highly unlikely they will.

Learning to truly encourage others to achieve substantive happiness in their lives, and genuinely wishing for all people to be happy is the only healthy start.

On a long enough timeline we will all stop being attractive for our looks; just as all great athletes retire, all hot bodies become old bodies. The key is to devlop one's self such that the things that make us most "attractive" to others are never lost. This path distinguishes knowledge from wisdom.

Developing a negative and critical perspective towards others is a clear sign that the path one is on will not lead to wisdom, health or happiness. Becoming compassionate, and desiring to develop the potential in others is a sign of positive growth. Real self-improvement develops the body, the mind, and each person we come into contact with.

Whether "we" think Zora needed to lose weight or not is not the issue here. The issue, is that she felt the need to lose the weight to feel healthier and better about herself. Obviously, she picked the right plan because it worked well for her and she looks great. Whether you have 17 pounds to lose or 75, dieting is a serious commitment that many find hard to stick with. Congrats to Zora for sticking with it and taking care of herself!

Hey,

Mike knows the truth of the matter. I know he sounds harsh and crude, but at least he zeros in on the key word for most of the problems, discipline and responsibility. The buck stops here. Good luck being PC. I have to admit that Micheal has a few good points, and whether people like it or not, he tells it like it is without the caring about PC. Kudos. One thing to consider, I've noticed that really lean people have an edgy attitude that may relate to the absence of fat in their body. The opposite seems to be true as well. There's a reason for a little fat. Check this out and see if it's correct. But it's no excuse to avoid your responsibility to yourself.

Matt

You're probing way too deeply in looking for self-esteem/confidence issues. Zora is essentially a part time model/spokesperson looking for work. Her agent likely said lose some pounds and maybe we can leverage that gown hook. She lost a few pounds. She did not risk her health or do something stupid. Though Zora seems to have her share of causes, I don't think she's into carrying any torches about body types. She just wants work that is legal, professional, and average or best on the taste meter.

I think Zora was beautiful and had a lovely, curvy, and NOT AT ALL overweight figure before! I think she looks too thin now and find it unbelievable that she thought she was at all overweight before, but then again, I shouldn't be surprised given the standards set by television and movies with rail-thin actresses...my question is, what is her height and what was her weight before and what is it after? She just looks like a bag of bones to me in the second picture - not to mention, how long can one exist on prepackaged foods if you plan on maintaining your weight for a lifetime? Not very practical as a permanent, lifetime, lifestyle change anyway, is it?

I think she looks great both ways. I thought she was beatuiful on the show... Mainly because I thought she portrayed more of a 'real woman' It is a shame that we women do fall prey to society's 'ideal' rail thin female..with of course..big boobs..go figure. We need to learn to be happy with ourselves and be happy because we're in a healthy body..and the 'healthy' should be the focus. If healthy means thin-er then so be it. Feeling healthy-I believe, makes you feel that your more in control of your body's appearence be it in a size 5 body or size 16.--Excuse me I have to get back to my workout--just kidding !!

PS to my above comment....I just turned forty...that was a rude awakening...and I am not overweight-in a normal range for my height-5'6"...BUT I am rejoining the gym..I slacked off for the past year and a half to focus on my business. I can honestly say I felt better about myself when I worked out BECAUSE...I was in control. I gave myself time...me time...I definitely felt better, not only mentally...all the stress disappears during my workout, my time is just that.. 100% MINE..no phones, interruptions etc. but also physically. I was more flexible, more toned..yes and I was two cans short of a 6 pack...the 6 pack was not a goal..but it was nice to see it was within my reach if I wanted it. Bottom line, I'm going back. My plan is to get in better shape. I'm going to Vegas in July and I plan to go rock climbing, muscles are required for that and I'm not seeing them right now..I do know they're beneath my clothes..just resting.. and if I choose to shed some clothes I will feel GREAT about myself, my hard work and the mental and physical payoff..all worth it...a big smile on my face. And a very happy husband....a great day to all of you.. Love your bodies and take care of them !!

As someone who's been on Nutrisystem for four months and lost 20lbs, I'm here to tell you that Nutrisystem is a GREAT company with a great product.

I don't like hearing such negative comments about something they haven't even tried.

Nutrisystem's program of selling pre-prepared meals is easy and convenient and requires no calorie counting, shopping for new food, or preparing diet meals. And their food tastes very, very good.

The new program based on a low glycemic index is great and, in my opinion, is the "next generation" in weight loss knowledge.

So, please, before knocking Zora or this company, give it a try.

Carl

Hey Carl,
Nice to see you here & sticking up for NS & Zora! I have still yet to see her commercial...what channels is it on?
Teri

I think Zora was drop dead gorgeous before the weight loss. I think she's too thin now and it really shows in how gaunt her face is. I think it's too bad she thought she had a weight problem to begin with because she was perfectly healthy before with a beautiful body. But maybe it was the endorsement deal that got her into it. I wish her the best. I did have a little crush on her when she was on Joe Millionaire.

When I saw the commercial for NutriSystem, I thought "Why the heck is ZORA the spokes person? She was NOT over-weight!"

I liked Zora on the Joe-show (she was way too good for him!) Not once did the thought even enter my mind that she needed to lose weight. As a matter of fact, I thought the opposite when she was worried about being in her swim suit in front of the entire world. What normal women wouldn’t be? I know her self image was low, that happens even when you are beautiful, and she is, inside and out. Zora had the shape any women would be proud of. Now her shape seems is somewhat unrealistic. Yes, it looks great in print, as do some of the movie stars, but if you saw these people in real life you would say "GEEZ! HAVE A TWINKY WOULD YOU! IT HURTS TO SEE YOU SO THIN!"

ZORA and the dress ~ I never gave that a second thought other than at the time I thought it was EXTREMELY un cool to give the gaggle of proportionately different females a rack of dresses to go through only one for each. Everyone clambered for what was pretty, not necessarily what fit. That was just poor thinking on the producer’s part, and I am sure they thought they were SOOOO clever and FUNNY for doing it! But it was not at all fun to watch. BEAUTIFUL and ELEGANT, INTELLIGENT and FABULOUS Zora, refused to stoop to the trampy, greedy, selfish level of the other girls, and she ended up in a dress no one wanted. It was probably intended for a shorter girl as well. I did not see it as “She’s too fat to fit in that dress.” That wasn’t the case AT ALL. Had she gone to a dress shop, she wouldn’t have gone to the rack for petites when she is 5’8” and she wouldn’t have grabbed one 2 sizes too small. Yet, that is what she was left with. As a matter of fact at that point I knew she was the only one worthy to be picked (Joe M. wasn't worthy of her, but she was the BEST one there!)

Zora, you are a Beautiful person, and you deserve the best, especially from yourself. Be happy with yourself regardless of size. Leave past bad experiences that affected your self esteem in the past and know you are an exceptional person! If you want to meet great guys, don’t leave it to the producers of reality shows. They don’t know a thing about love.

Good Luck!
Shelly

Michael,

You don't have to be fat to side with someone who is overweight. I am not fat, yet I am well rounded in mind and spirit to know that the value of a person has very little to do with the outer wrapper. Case in point the Average Joe show... You have average men, below average looking men and models. The fact is, to most women the average Joes are the more attractive ones. Why??? Because the models seem to spend so much time looking in the mirror that they haven’t worked on anything beyond that. There is no substance to many of them. They may be physically appealing at first, but once you have to sit and listen to how perfect they think they are, right from their own mouths, the image fades pretty fast.

Before you start dumping on yet another person, let me re-state I am not fat and let me add that I am not ugly either. But regardless of my looks I have had self esteem issues based on a past relationship with a man who because of HIS lack of self esteem felt that the only way he could keep me was to make me feel like I wasn’t good enough for anyone else. He would call me fat even though I was 5”10’ and a size 7 at the time… too small for my bone structure and I can not stand to see pictures of me then, way too thin for a normal person of my height.

You are NOT “most guys,” I promise you that. You are young, and in your limited knowledge of the world you think that most people, most men are like you. I thank God that isn’t true. MOST people, men and women alike do not judge people purely on their size. Yes in Hollywood perhaps. And maybe we judge movie stars as well, but we do not usually judge our peers so harshly because we know them and we know the true value they have isn’t just skin deep. When you put all your value into the physical, then you are limiting yourself. You will only find superficial relationships and the women who aren’t, who may end up gaining some weight, are sure to be verbally reprimanded by you (this is abuse by the way) and the relationship will end. When your looks are your only value, if that should change by age or accident, illness or weight gain (thyroid conditions etc.), then you will end up being depressed and your self esteem will go to pot. If you are with an equally vain and superficial person, will they be there for you when you are ill, if you loose a limb, if you get some wrinkles??? BUT… you reap what you sow! So you keep right on sowing there Michael! LOL! I’m pretty sure I know what the outcome will be! LOL!

I would have to agree with Markia on the "most guys" issue. On the average joe hawaii, I find myself getting disgusted with the models! From Larissa's dates it seems like they have nothing to say, no personality...perfect answers. These men are obsessed with being perfect and that's the very trait that makes them totally dull and ugly. It is not the end of the world if you don't go to the gym at 6am every morning! I agree with the European lifestyle; they ENJOY their lives. Nigella Lawson is an inspiration and I'm not saying 300lb is cool, believe me I agree with the self respect issue but those athletic fanatics who are completely addicted are filling a void themselves! You need to face reality and start working on personality issues. The exercising all the time is a cop-out. Foster relationships, read books, visit animal shelters, visit your parents... and don't you dare make people feel bad for not being as "disciplined" as you.. There are no "rules." The fitness regimen can be varied so many ways. The way you feel people should take care of themselves is your opinion. I think people are the most happy when the people they love accept them and they are enjoying their life by a steady balance of deprivation and rewards. Don't be so quick to praise yourself either. It's a tell-tale sign that YOU are the one with the self-esteem issue.. OH yea and Markia, 5'10 and size 7 is a relative term because some people wear their clothes tight and some, baggy.. What did you weigh at the time?? I am 5'10 and weigh 155lb. I am a size 10 but my ideal weight is 135 and size 7.

I have a large bone structure, so I weigh more then I look. My ideal weight range based on height and large bone structure on the Blue Cross Blue Shield weight chart is, believe it or not, some where between 143 to 167. I think at the time I was like 135 lbs maybe less, and you could see every bone sticking out of my body. Being a large framed person, it wasn't pretty. I suppose if I were a model or an actress and the camera was adding weight perhaps, but even then the pictures of me were far too thin! Nicole Kidman, how she looks NOW, that was pretty much how I looked. Like a 5’10” walking skeleton, someone who was wrapped in skin with no muscle or underlying flesh. I was Gaunt and I had lost all my womanly curves. Basically, I looked unhealthy and most everyone BUT the ex, who wanted to live his Rock Star image with a “model that was starving for her art” type, thought I WAS starving myself intentionally. But in actuality, I was always stressed out because I had an ex that kept our lives in financial turmoil with his spending (my income and his on musical equipment), and he added stress with his treatment of me as well. I just wouldn't eat because I was always feeling basically sick to my stomach with stress and worry.

Now I am a size 11/12 and have my curves again. I look healthy and fit in photos, no more Gaunt Girl! I weight 150, so if that gives you an idea about my bone structure. I was recently in for my girly check up, and the nurse was trying to weigh me in the 130’s and was utterly confused because she couldn’t get it to balance there. I told her to move it up, and she was in complete disbelief that I weighed more than I looked. I told her "big and heavy bones!" Also, people who work out may also have a lot of muscle weight on them. I think people concentrate too much on size and weight. I think you have to find a place where you are comfortable and happy with your body.

I work out with Body Flex for lean muscles; lord knows I don’t need to add muscle weight by working with weights. Body Flex is basically like Palates but lots more breathing within it. I try to be consistent, but not to the point I am obsessed, it's an easy 3 day a week 15 minute work out. that's about all I have time to commit. I have a family and I believe that you have to have a balanced life, I think the family is #1 and when the kids are at school and I have some free time I try to be good and exercise, but I am not always good about it, believe me I am a good excuse finder. Like most of us it’s hard to stay in a routine, and basically the majority of us are not so vain that we feel it’s our duty to the world to have a 6 pack for the world to lay their eyes upon. If I was a fanatic about it, I am sure I could work my way down to that bony starlet image again but I like the way I look now, so what’s the point? I like having curves and looking like a women, plus that body flex gave me a flat tummy back in 2 weeks (I swear!!!) and after having 2 kids I thought that was pretty cool... BUT, I feel like that is a bonus, not a “YEAH LOOK AT ME, I am the work out QUEEN, WHORSHIP ME”… That work out King position has been taken I think by Michael.

As with many of us women and probably most men, we fluctuate in our weight. I believe as long as we are happy in mind or spirit, it’s nothing to want to freak out and throw yourself out the window for. But Michael would have you do that. When you have nothing more than that in your life, I suppose you cling to it with all the fiber of you being, and convince yourself that's what life is about. HARDLY!

We all come in various shapes and sizes. I mean you can be 5’10” and be 2 different weights or pant sizes and be equally trim. You can’t just label people in size and weight categories without looking at an overall picture. There are many variables.

What idiot image consultant told Zora to cut her long hair? It's gone from riveting to mundane with a few big snips. Her hair was PERFECT before. If Zora had *gained* weight, and kept her tresses, she'd look 100% sexier.

I think this is a classic case of blaming the victim for a societal plight. Sure, Zora looks great in both pictures. But let's be real here. This is a world in which skinny wins. This is a place where you never hear a 'few extra pounds' without the term 'unwanted' right along with it. There may be an occasional man that claims he likes a little more meat on a woman's bones but I still don't see too many super models hurting for dates! If society needs to adjust the lens on what is considered a 'good figure', point the finger at society. Zora has every right to get into the kind of shape in which she feels most comfortable - regardless of what the peanut gallery thinks is appropriate.

It's ridiculous, she looked absolutely fantastic before she lost any weight. Hey Nutri-System: If you ever try to approach Kelly Clarkson to be your next spokesperson, I hope she tells you to F--- off.

I'm a guy and I for one thought Zora was insanely hot when she was on the show. She looks REALLY hot in that before pic up there. An earlier poster said men like women with "meat on their bones." Well I for one do. If you ask me, Zora had a perfect figure AND perfect weight. She was in perfect proportion. Now she's gone and gotten skinny... GOOD JOB STUPID NUTRI-SYSTEM! (not)

I think she looked pretty both ways.

But, Markia and Juicy made me think of my own little quest today. I was trying to find "ideal body weight by height" websites. So ridiculous.

I'm 5'9" (a little shorter than you girls) and currently 146 lbs and about a size 8-10. I'm still looking to loss another 10/15 lbs and get down to a six. (I just had a baby 6 months ago-- hence the "get down"). Anyway, the whole *appropriate weight for your height* thing is such a joke. I did a lot of weight lifting in high school and college -- and at 5'9" and 150 lbs, I was dipping under a size 6 and had less than 10% body fat for a time (not so great on a woman), plus ribs and hip bones that jutted out. Now I weigh less but am two clothing sizes bigger. Muscle mass and bone structure are completely overlooked when comparing heights and weights.

I also have another pet peeve -- those stupid "eat less" diets. What usually happens, and what is probalby going to happen to Zora -- is that dietting like that almost always makes you gain weight back. Your body realizes that you are getting a lot less to eat and starts slowing down your metabolism. This is most of the reason so many dieters "yo-yo." I bet she gets bigger than she started in at most a couple of years. I know no N/S or WW people who have kept the weight off for more than 5 years. Maybe she'll be the exception. I don't knock her wanting to be really skinny -- I like being really skinny myself, I'm striving for it right now. But, I think she went about it the wrong way.

As for Michael. Hey, it's all about priorities. When I was working (now I'm home with my baby), I would also get my butt out of bed at 4:30 and head to the gym. I felt good doing it, and had the time for it. Other people may not place quite the emphasis on their vanity as you (or myself, for that matter). Why do you insist on looking down your nose at them for it? I admit -- I had to stop working out when I was pregnant -- I didn't even go for the long walks I intended to. I was working full time, needed 8 hours of sleep for the baby (in the beginning I tried to get up early and work out -- but felt so bad for the rest of the day I stopped doing it), was taking care of/living with my mother who was wheelchair bound, and didn't have my husband's support because he was off fighting a war. Consequently, I gained more weight pregnant than I probably should have (got up to 200 lbs). So, according to your logic, I was a piece of human crap with no self control. The fact that my entire life was filled up with more important things really didn't matter -- because I didn't pay adequate attention to my body fat percentage?
Another example: I have a very good family friend who is overweight. She has a son who is severely handicapped to the point where she has to do EVERYTHING for him (feed him, dress him, change diapers, everything). I've taken care of him a few times myself, and it is the most time consuming job I can think of (I would know -- I've been a personal assistant for more than one handicapped person). This woman also worked, because her insurance covered her son's medical expenses. And, she has another, younger son. However, according to you, you would see her walk down the street and would think "no self-control -- piece of human filth!" ???

How stupid. Open your mind man. Realize that some overweight people ARE lazy and have no self control. But, a good percentage of them just have more important things to do with their lives than to worry about how they look.

Michael, I know it's been a long time since you posted, but if you happen to read this:

No! That is not how "MOST" men think! "MOST" men are human beings who understand that no one is perfect, and if looks are your biggest priority (which they apparently are since you specifically state that you require a women who is fit) then you are pretty shallow. I feel sorry for you.

Oooh, flesh..flesh....flesh, gotta'get it down, get it down, get it down to an appropriate size of svelteness. Puhleeze, you should be satisfied that you live in a segment of the world in which food obviously isn't scarce. I could show you in other places of the world in which whole families can eat for weeks out of your cubbards, where you say, "I need to go grocery shopping, I have nothing here to eat". Do you that even the homeless person here in America needs to shed 20lbs of fat. Face it, we're glutons and people who are lovers of self and selfish people who only can focus on ourselves and our "burdens" of self flesh love, despite our malnutritous spirit. You may think your flesh is hungry, however, it is not that the flesh needs to be fed, it is the spirit. Don't you want to never hunger again?