Christina Applegate, the comedic actress known for her roles in Married…With Children, Anchorman, and Dead to Me, has been in the public eye since she was a child. Her journey with body image, diet, and exercise has been a complex one, marked by early pressures, eating disorders, a battle with breast cancer, and, more recently, navigating life with multiple sclerosis (MS). Through it all, Applegate has remained candid about her struggles and triumphs, offering insights into self-esteem, motherhood, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Early Struggles with Body Image and Diet
Applegate's issues with body image began early. She recalled that her mother put her in Weight Watchers when she was just 15 years old. Applegate noted that her mother was always competitive and had body image issues. The actress admitted to severely restricting her diet, at one point eating only five almonds a day and becoming distraught if she ate one extra. Looking back at her time playing Kelly Bundy on Married…With Children, Applegate mentioned that it was her idea to wear revealing outfits. She also shared that she would refuse to eat on set, a behavior that was noticed by the cast and crew. It wasn’t until years later that she realized she had a problem. "I was sitting on the toilet and I saw only bones and it scared the shit out of me," said Applegate.
Applegate is not alone in her experiences. Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Applegate's podcast co-host, shared that when she was 16, before starring in The Sopranos, her friends were fixated on calorie counting and sabotaging their own meals. Sigler explained that she developed “exercise bulimia,” where if she ate anything, such as a piece of gum, she would ask to go to the bathroom so she could burn the calories.
Finding Self-Acceptance
Despite the pressures of Hollywood and her early struggles, Applegate eventually found a sense of self-acceptance. She recalls a conversation with a girlfriend in her twenties who assured her that she would eventually feel comfortable in her own skin. "I did feel like: I am who I am. I don't care what anyone thinks. That was a great moment when I realized it." She tells DuJour in a recent interview: “I’m not going to lie to people about who I am. If I’ve been lazy for the last month, then you’re going to get to see what I look like after being lazy. I wish that people didn’t put that kind of pressure on themselves. What a burden,” she says. “You’re lucky if I have the energy to shave my legs. That’s about as strict as I get before a red carpet.”
Applegate's secure, relaxed attitude has made her an ideal partner for FabKids.com, a new girl's clothing line. Applegate recently teamed up with the company as a creative partner, saying she likes FabKids' mission to encourage girls to shine in their own unique ways.
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Motherhood and Instilling Self-Esteem
As a mother to her daughter Sadie, Applegate is determined to instill a strong sense of self-esteem and individuality. She encourages Sadie to express herself through her clothing choices, even if they are unconventional. "Self-esteem is something you as a parent want to instill in your kids, to be an individual," she says. "That's what it was for me [when I was younger], when I finally felt like I was following no one. And Sadie is such an individual! I don't make her wear anything. Sometimes her outfits are ridiculously awesome. Some are ridiculously ridiculous and beautiful. She'll insist on wearing two differently colored shoes to school… And I'll say: 'Great! Do it!' I love watching her be independent."
Applegate and her husband also focus on praising Sadie for her intelligence and humor rather than her appearance. “We don’t sit there and say, ‘You’re beautiful’ all the time. We say, ‘You’re so smart. You’re so funny. You’re so interesting.’ We praise her for things that she does and not what she looks like. We give her individuality."
Healthful Eating and Exercise After Cancer
Applegate had a widely reported encounter with breast cancer in 2008 that resulted in a bilateral mastectomy and reconstructive plastic surgery. After her cancer diagnosis, "I did a macrobiotic diet for 4 years," she says. "I'm not [strictly] doing that anymore. I always gave myself days off from it, but -- because I know how it makes me feel -- I try to follow those principles as closely as possible." (The macrobiotic diet consists primarily of healthy grains and vegetables, with beans and legumes lending necessary protein, along with small amounts of fish and nuts.)
She has also been a vegetarian since she was 15. "I stay away from things that don't make my body feel good. That's not to say I don't like a good pizza, but I'll have a gluten-free pizza," Applegate says. "I have a taste for weird stuff. My taste buds are well-trained. And my whole family avoids preservatives and toxins. We eat organic, including Sadie."
Like many mothers, Applegate says finding the time for exercise is no easy task. "It's been a struggle for the last couple of years to get into a rhythm again," she says. "Before, when it was just me, I could go [indoor cycling] or see my trainer, or take a 2-hour dance class, or whatever. Since Sadie, it's been hard. I'm still struggling to leave behind the last remnants of being pregnant. I try to do some kind of cardio: [indoor cycling], elliptical, or treadmill. I go between those three things. And my trainer does weight training and core-strength work with me. After I [gave birth] my back gave me a lot of trouble, so I've been working hard to build core strength to make it strong again."
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For several years, Applegate tried to squeeze in her workouts during her daughter's naptime -- and didn't always succeed. "Now I can drop her off at school and race home, maybe get in some cardio and core-strength work before I need to turn around and pick her back up." "I drink a green drink every morning," she says. Research shows that colorful vegetables such as kale, carrots, and beets in green drinks and blender smoothies provide powerful antioxidants and may offer cancer-fighting properties. Green teas boast similar benefits, and may help fight weight gain, too.
Living with Multiple Sclerosis
In 2021, Applegate was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune condition that affects the nervous system. She has been characteristically frank in interviews about her experience of MS - and often highlights the added difficulties faced by those living with the condition. With the disease of MS, it’s never a good day. You just have little s** days. People are like, “Well, why don’t you take more showers?” Well, because getting in the shower is frightening. You can fall, you can slip, your legs can buckle … It’s frightening to me to get in there. There are just certain things that people take for granted in their lives that I took for granted. Going down the stairs, carrying things -- you can’t do that anymore. It f*** sucks.
Despite the challenges, Applegate has become a vocal advocate for those battling chronic illness. She has also been blunt about the misunderstandings that come with it. “I think that the first thing that I hear from people is, ‘How did you get it?’ Meaning I must have done something wrong in my life to have this disease,” she said. “That stigma is-I'm used to it now-but for a while it was so hard to swallow. Because this is the worst thing I’ve ever gone through.”
Applegate has also vented about the unsolicited advice she’s received over the years-from snake oil “cures” to outright absurdities. “You’d be surprised at the cures that I get told about,” she said. “Like, ‘I have this holy water and I know it will cure your MS.’ I’m like, ‘Really? That’s amazing because there’s millions of us across the globe who still have it.’”
Key Takeaways for Managing MS and Maintaining Well-being
While there is no cure for MS, a holistic approach to managing the condition is crucial. This includes medication, healthy lifestyle choices, and addressing specific symptoms.
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- Early intervention: Many experts recommend initiating disease-modifying therapies early in the disease course to guard against disability.
- Symptom management: Treatments that combine medication and physical therapies can help manage specific symptoms such as muscle spasms.
- Exercise: Some studies suggest that exercise may have disease-modifying effects, preventing attacks and progression in a manner comparable to MS medication.
- Diet: Maintaining a healthy, varied diet is essential. Consumption of fruits and vegetables has been linked to a potential protective effect against MS. Vitamin D deficiency and obesity are both potential risk factors in the development of MS.