How fit is "too fit"?

The debate, it seems, rages on.

Female fitness was redefined around the time of the invention of step aerobics, a discipline I never did manage to master. Back then, the idea was to lose the post-pregnancy spare tire or the freshman fifteen. We toned down to fit into our favorite pair of acid-wash jeans and swore by control-top pantyhose.


I'm reminded of the scene in Pretty Woman where Julia Roberts' character is mentioned as a size 6. These days, vanity sizing makes that a 2 ... or was it 10? No matter; we can simply look to women we admire these days for a frame of reference.


Tyra Banks tells us to own our weight. On the other hand, Hollywood mamas snap back to pre-preggy sleekness before Baby's graduated out of newborn-sized nappies, and geriatric stars (read here: those older than 30) are resetting the bar for fitness over 40.


Exercise enthusiasts take one look at Dara's abs, Sarah Jessica's biceps, and Madonna's booty and throw themselves into a fitness regime with gusto, while celebrity gossip hounds snicker about bulging veins and gaunt cheeks. And while you're angrily munching a handful of Double Stuff Oreos, ranting about personal trainers and private chefs to no one in particular, you can't help wondering if this is something worth chasing.

Do you have the time to devote to an extreme exercise regimen? Dara has been a professional athlete for over 20 years, scrutinizes her diet, and has a team of professionals to assist.

Can you be strong and feminine at the same time? Sarah Jessica certainly is, but not everyone finds the Ms. Universe types classically attractive. Will you intimidate your man (or for that matter, the guy you're trying to land) if your six-pack is better than his?

Could you be risking your overall health by focusing too much on bulking up? Madonna's critics have had a heyday these last few weeks with pictures of the star looking strained and pale (gloriously toned shoulders notwithstanding).

Google the term "ideal BMI for women" once and you'll get a slew of hits showing the preferred Body Mass Index to range from 19-25. For argument's sake, let's choose the lower end of this range, a BMI of 20. If you are:

5'2" - ideal weight is 110 pounds
5'5" - ideal weight is 120 pounds
5'8" - ideal weight is 130 pounds

I am in better shape than I thought I was. Are you?

But wait! you protest. The BMI ratio does not take fitness into account, and we know muscle weighs more than fat. But at the end of the day from where I sit, I like that my weight is very close to my ideal and I can always squash the parts I'm not loving into my Levi's.

Do you admire women who push themselves to the max to look muscular? Is this a beauty ideal that'll stick, or just a fad? Share your 2¢ in the comments!