Celebrity Mom Interview: Courtney Thorne-Smith

Posted on 02. Dec, 2009 by Becky in Love Your Body

During a recent visit to the Pediatrician’s office, there was a rare moment when my children were quietly playing in the waiting room, and I had a moment to myself.

What to do with myself if not wiping a nose, shouting a reprimand or sticking a binkie in?  I opened up an OLD copy of the magazine FitPregnancy, and found a delightful article about expectant celebrity mom, Courtney Thorne-Smith.

Some of my favorite quotes from the article included:

Q: Have you been working out?
“Well, I used to be a compulsive exerciser, but I’m over that. For the past several years, I’ve been walking 40 minutes and doing Pilates and yoga stretches at home, so that’s what I’m doing now. I used to run 8 miles a day, then go to the gym, do weights and then yoga, until I realized that I was so hungry and tired all the time. So I stopped doing all that and started just walking. I feel so much freedom now: I don’t have to stay in a hotel with a gym and I’m never so hungry that I panic.

“A lot of women are in a crazy exercise cycle; they’re so afraid they’ll gain weight if they stop, and it’s especially hard when they get pregnant. What they need to realize is that if you’re not exercising so much, you don’t have to eat so much, and your body adjusts. It sounds so simple, but you really do have to listen to your body.”

I loved Courtney’s response to this question for several reasons.

1. There are so many messages in the media that imply that more is always better when it comes to exercise.  It’s easy to feel that you can’t consider yourself fit unless you are killing yourself at the gym every day.  (Not true!)
2. I love how she talks about listening to your body.  This is the philosophy that has really balanced my life.  I have seen firsthand that the more I exercise, the hungrier I get.  This doesn’t mean that I should stop working out, but it does mean that you can have your best body at a range of different activity levels if you listen to your body.

Q: I know you struggled with body image for years; how are you feeling about your body now?
“I feel great: I wanted this so badly. One day I was with one of my friends, and I was rubbing my belly, and she asked me, “How does it feel?” I told her, “It feels really good.” And she said, “Great! I hope you keep rubbing your belly with love even after the baby is born.” And that was so powerful, because my belly has always been the spot I obsess over.

I have come to appreciate my body so much—and I think that’s why I was able to get pregnant, because of that appreciation. Now, the baby is kicking and it’s all working. It’s a miracle what this body can do, and I want to treat it with respect, always, even when I’m not pregnant. And it gets better and better: I know I had a better body when I was 20, but I hated it so much that it feels better now.”

I REALLY loved Courtney’s response to this question because:

1. It’s comforting to realize that even beautiful movie stars struggle with body image.
2. She is so full of mom-power.  You can tell that she understands that her baby is more important than anything else.
3. I also felt that I was able to finally get pregnant on my own with baby #3 because I am finally at a place where I am coming to appreciate and respect my body.  It has been a miracle and a long and difficult journey.

Courtney had her baby boy last January 11th.  Hopefully she has kept her healthy outlook through her recovery!  Looks like Courtney Thorne-Smith is one Movie-Star Mom who is actually Down-to-Earth!