Twins discuss body image

By Janis Lange
Special to the Daily Forty-Niner

Former Playboy models the Barbi twins presented a lecture on body image and eating disorders to more than 300 Cal State Long Beach students Tuesday at the University Student Union.

The lecture was part of a nationwide promotion tour for their new book "Dying to be Healthy" which deals with the twins' personal struggle and triumph over anorexia and bulimia. They also addressed body image cosmetic surgery and healthy alternatives to dieting.

"Our eating disorder began when we were 10," said Shane Barbi. "The only thing that made us feel better was our modeling."

"Dying" was spawned after enrolling in numerous diets and consulting doctors.

In the lecture the twins stressed the importance of a healthy diet, and advocated their personal "Barbi Formula" which is a diet of 40 percent protein 40 percent carbohydrates and 20 percent fats. Commercial diets as Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and Slim fast, give women a false sense of accomplishment and steer them away from exercise and proper diet, according to the twins. They also condemned other means of cosmetically losing fat, especially liposuction.

One of the more interesting aspects of their discussion was their comprehensive scientific knowledge of the human body.

Ninety percent of the crowd, majority women, raised his or her hand when asked how many had been on a diet. The females present expressed sympathy and admiration for the twins, mainly during the discussion of dieting.

The twins made a stunning entrance wearing matching pink blazers, blue jeans, tan timberland boots, Jackie O-style sunglasses and was introduced by a Fabio look-a-like image consultant. All eyes seemed glued to the former Playboy models as they daintily crossed the room to the stage to begin the lecture.

"I just wanted to see the Barbi twins in person," said Luys Melliz, a freshman computer science major. "They are hot."

Students understood the twins' message of being content with who you are and not to take your health for granted.

Some students did not like the portrayal.

"Those girls look so fake," said Marya Markie, a freshman design major. "There is no way that I want to try and emulate them."