Gracie Gold opens up about body standards

[Taan]

Olympian Gracie Gold opens up about body standards, pressure in figure skating
http://www.today.com/series/love-yo...e-gold-talks-body-image-2018-olympics-t114216

Last year, Gold appeared to, at least partly, blame her weight for her fifth-place finish at Skate America, in an interview with USA Today. While some fans were surprised by her comments, Gold stands by what she said: Figure skating is a "lean-body sport."

"I just found it interesting that everyone kind of gasped at that, because we don't talk about it very much in skating, although it's a very real fact that there is a certain look to our sport," she told TODAY Style. "It's important for our sport to be rather wiry and lean because of what we do."
"A lot of us struggle with (weight issues)," she added. "And maybe it's a bit closeted — I don't want to speak for all figure skaters. But I don't blame the sport for it. I think that we all have to take responsibility for ourselves. That's the game I got into, and it comes with the territory."

 

[skylark]

Good for Gracie! Excellent, thoughtful remarks from her throughout.

 

[mrrice]

She's completely right and it happens in many sports. It certainly happened in professional dance while I was touring. I don't know how many skaters have eating disorders but, I knew several dancers who did. I knew several dancers who smoked cigarettes because they said that smoking took away hunger pains. I have never smoked and don't know if that's true but, smoking would be hard on a skaters lungs and would have an effect on their stamina. Skating is an exhausting sport and when you're tired after a long practice, it can be tempting to head over to Taco Bell for some nachos and a burrito. Like Gracie says, we ALL knew the score. Heavy dancers don't get work and as "The Fat" dancer in our cast, I can say that she's right. I was told on more than one occasion that if I hadn't been a good vocalist, I would never have been hired to play Ritchie in A Chorus Line.

Gracie has been at this for years and I find her candor very refreshing.

 

[Mathman]

Whatv exactly does this part mean?

Gold, who spoke to TODAY Style on behalf of Red Bull,...

Does it mean that Red Bull energy drink paid Gracie to accept the interview, provided the transcript mentioned Red Bull?

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Whatv exactly does this part mean?



Does it mean that Red Bull energy drink paid Gracie to accept the interview, provided the transcript mentioned Red Bull?

She does promos with them from what I know so yes probably.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

I found this statement interesting: "I just found it interesting that everyone kind of gasped at that, because we don't talk about it very much in skating, although it's a very real fact that there is a certain look to our sport," she told TODAY Style. "It's important for our sport to be rather wiry and lean because of what we do."

There seem to be two very different things brought up. First, it seems she is talking about weight as being important for the "certain look" of figure skaters, while the second part seems to be more about how a slender build may help rotate triple jumps. It's an unfortunate fact that how athletic a skater looks has an impact in her score, and I think we'd all like to see that change. However, Gracie is right that any added weight make it much more difficult for the skater to execute the technical elements. It's a tough topic to approach, but I think she should be applauded for her candor.

 

[jFarrisFAN]

She also looks fantastic in the photo of her doing the splits. Looks like she's in much better shape now.

 

[Gullygirl84]

Whatv exactly does this part mean?



Does it mean that Red Bull energy drink paid Gracie to accept the interview, provided the transcript mentioned Red Bull?

I follow Gracie on Instagram, she was posting some footage on her Instagram live of her attending a fitness(?) convention in Las Vegas on behalf of Red Bull this past weekend.

If you go to the https://www.facebook.com/ideafit/ page on Facebook, on 7/21 they posted an interview with Gracie on her workout and fitness routines, that looks like it was filmed at the convention (if people want to see what Gracie looks like now).

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

She also looks fantastic in the photo of her doing the splits. Looks like she's in much better shape now.

The photo of her in the split is from the locker room at TSC where she used to train with Carroll. So that isn't recent lol!

 

[brightphoton]

I've seen Red Bull sponsor other fitness events and athletic competitions. I guess it's like McDonalds sponsoring the Olympics ...

 

[tars]

Gold also responded to TODAY Style's "Why I Love My ... " series, in which we ask celebrities, athletes and people we admire to tell us what they love about their bodies, in an attempt to encourage acceptance and confidence.

That's the weirdest thing ever.
Why would anyone LOVE particular part of his/her body? Is it some kind of fetish or sth?
"Oh, I love my lips so much I wanna kiss them!"

 

[el henry]

That's the weirdest thing ever.
Why would anyone LOVE particular part of his/her body? Is it some kind of fetish or sth?
"Oh, I love my lips so much I wanna kiss them!"

Huhhh??? I think you would need to really mis-read that sentence, and the sentence after, to interpret it that way. Folks are being asked to feel confident about themselves and their bodies, like: I love my strong muscular legs, cause they run really fast when I want them to. (In my case, I wish)

Nothing here at all about the use of the word "love".

And I'm glad to see Gracie interviewed and talking and with all the criticism she's taken, I wish her the best the season.

 

[Barb]

Gold, who spoke to TODAY Style on behalf of Red Bull, is on the ice five days a week, for three to four hours a day, in addition to weight lifting and cardio throughout the week.

Some people was blaming her weight to she being lazy. It definitely seems a food problem.

 

[gravy]

Gold, who spoke to TODAY Style on behalf of Red Bull, is on the ice five days a week, for three to four hours a day, in addition to weight lifting and cardio throughout the week.

Some people was blaming her weight to she being lazy. It definitely seems a food problem.

Do you really have to start with this crap again?

 

[mrrice]

Gold, who spoke to TODAY Style on behalf of Red Bull, is on the ice five days a week, for three to four hours a day, in addition to weight lifting and cardio throughout the week.

Some people was blaming her weight to she being lazy. It definitely seems a food problem.

I agree, and things change when you get older. I have been addicted to Pasta my entire life and until I was in my 20's, I could eat it when ever I wanted to. Unfortunately for me, I had to give it up as it began to make me fat. I think she might have to work a little harder to get herself back into fighting shape but she sounds like she's doing all the right things. If we could see one clip... Just one clip of her landing her jumps again, I know it would put many of our minds at ease.

 

[tars]

Huhhh??? I think you would need to really mis-read that sentence, and the sentence after, to interpret it that way. Folks are being asked to feel confident about themselves and their bodies, like: I love my strong muscular legs, cause they run really fast when I want them to. (In my case, I wish)

I've never met a person, who'd say "I love my muscular legs". Maybe for laughs or sth.

 

[Barb]

I've seen Red Bull sponsor other fitness events and athletic competitions. I guess it's like McDonalds sponsoring the Olympics ...

by the way, someone know if this kind of drinks are prohibited during competitions?, when I have drunk only half of the bottle I get a lot of energy and I can stay up all night easily, I even can´t sleep if I try, I would honestly drink one daily if it were not because it causes me tachycardia and loss of concentration. I don´t know, I notice that the Shibs are doing a lot of things all the time, it seems they have much energy, I was thinking that maybe they drink those things

 

[LiamForeman]

She's completely right and it happens in many sports. It certainly happened in professional dance while I was touring. I don't know how many skaters have eating disorders but, I knew several dancers who did. I knew several dancers who smoked cigarettes because they said that smoking took away hunger pains. I have never smoked and don't know if that's true but, smoking would be hard on a skaters lungs and would have an effect on their stamina. Skating is an exhausting sport and when you're tired after a long practice, it can be tempting to head over to Taco Bell for some nachos and a burrito. Like Gracie says, we ALL knew the score. Heavy dancers don't get work and as "The Fat" dancer in our cast, I can say that she's right. I was told on more than one occasion that if I hadn't been a good vocalist, I would never have been hired to play Ritchie in A Chorus Line.

Gracie has been at this for years and I find her candor very refreshing.

I agree with everything you said. I was the opposite of you, meaning I started in ballet first then started skating. (I also was a state winning vocalist....!) When you are knee deep in dance or skating you just KNOW that thinner is better. In high school once my body started changing I'd eat a full breakfast for the day, and drink three or four Slimfasts. I'd eat my dinner in front of my parents, and excuse myself and throw it up. I was so good at it I only had to think of vomiting and I could. And I thought that was just par for the course. Certainly not an ED, maybe 'disorderd eating' but I only did it when my ideal dance/skate weight wasn't correct. I admire Gracie for her candor, and I think she knows she's 'skater overweight'. Maybe she just doesn't care anymore, and is doing this to get out of all the pressure.

 

[4everchan]

I've never met a person, who'd say "I love my muscular legs". Maybe for laughs or sth.

I love my muscular legs... just saying... and i am very serious.

 

[karne]

I've never met a person, who'd say "I love my muscular legs". Maybe for laughs or sth.

I love my muscular legs. True, I don't love the layer of fat and cellulite on top, but I know my legs have more strength than the rest of my body combined.