THANK YOU! 

I love the support (both in the chest area and on the blog).

Joanie- I totally understand your point about JA. This is probably the first time anyone has really articulated the issue people take with her so I had to respond.

But here is my question: JA has made a point to "lifecast" and reveal all sides of herself which in it self, yes is narcissistic and yes, maybe schizophrenic. But what if you made the same decision: to lifecast and reveal all sides of yourself. What would that reveal? 

I certainly have my moments of contradiction and insanity. Swinging from total confidence to total despair. "God I am fat" to "God I am idiot and never going to succeed in this world." And yes, sometimes I "twitter like a teenager about a blind date."  I would challenge anyone watching this show to say they haven't felt or done the same things. 

The only difference is that JA puts it out there for everyone to judge or applaud. Now that is a brave and yes , terrible thing. In the truest sense of the word. 

What you take from that depends on your perspective. I guess I take a softer stance and don't feel the need to take her down for her imperfections personality or otherwise.  I roll my eyes when she posts something I don't agree with, but I appreciate that she is out there. 

And yes, it is suspect because she is a magnificent PR machine. But that opens up a whole another can of worms about her "persona" versus her as a person. Is there a difference? Are we looking for honesty or entertainment? Does it matter if she lies as long as we're intrigued by it? I kinda think it's awesome that people are so challenged by her.

I mean really how different is she from Mark Cuban- the original web PR machine? Would people be criticizing her if she was a guy going on about her conquests both financial and personal? That guy really airs his laundry and people seem to embrace it. And he is a nutcase.

Oh and before anyone attacks me for comparing Mark Cuban (a billionaire) to Julia- it's the closest analogy. Perhaps maybe Nick Denton would have been a better example?

Mark Cuban? Really? You don't see a difference? How about this. He's loaded and he's built successful businesses that generate revenue ten times over. You're comparing a glorified blogger to an actual business person.

yeah, well, I admitted it was a bit of a weak argument. 

But I am sure there is some male equivalent of JA out there somewhere. And I am pretty sure no one is attacking him for looking his PR stunts.

"You contradict yourself constantly and swing back and forth like a yo-yo on just about everything."  That is to say, omg, Julia, you're such a f'ing HUMAN. How dare you?

I think Katy makes an important point when she notes that the difference between JA and the rest of us is that she puts it out there for us to obsess maniacally over.  Honestly, I'm a little confused as to why a discussion about workout gear turned into a JA hate-on.  At this point, the conversation has blown past "constructive" and can no longer even count as "critical".  It's just plain mean.

For my part, forget Team Blair.  I'm on Team Julia.  For those of us not wholly ensconced in a flurry of bitterness and mean-girl cruelty, where can we pick up our tshirts?

No, Lindsey, I disagree that that is a normal, human thing to do. I have read her blog long enough to see her make shit up, reinvent history, misrepresent herself constantly. She's also a hypocrite, once famously railing against "Obama Girl" for being demeaning to women for prancing around in a satire video in her underwear. But she sees no problem with posing in her underwear on Gawker and posting pictures of herself in a bikini or mini-skirts with substantial cleavage almost constantly. Why is that not demeaning to women? She wants to be taken seriously, doesn't she?

Also -- I find the constant posting of photos of old boyfriends to be downright creepy.  Someone said in the QOTD that if the genders were reversed, we'd think the guy was a stalker for doing it. She does it all the time. I find it to be an invasion of privacy (one guy whose photo she posted has not spoken to her in years and doesn't want to) and likely quite hurtful and offensive to the new women in her old boyfriends' lives. Again, I don't think this is "normal" behavior. It's childish at best, and evident of some kind of illness at its worst.

If you want to build a business around your personality, as she keeps publicly saying she does, you have to make sure your personality isn't a dishonest and hypocritical one. Make sure your personality is likeable. JA is failing on miserably on that front.  Mary and Meghan, on the other hand, are succeeding. That is my point.

The posting photos of the ex is also extremely disrespectful to the current girlfriend. It's so hysterically funny how women pull out the  you go-girl/women should support women hoodles in these threads when there's blatant girl on girl hating going on on Julia's blogs.

Please note that all of those locations are in the south.  I've heard through the grapevine they don't want locations on either coast.  Could be a rumor, but it's what I've heard.  

If you don't like the food, ok.  I love it :)

Mary, 
I live in Bethesda, Maryland (5 minutes outside of DC) and there is a La Madeleine right in town -- definitely the east coast.

The part about fabrics got cut out unfortunately.  But you are right.  Cotton is the worst!

Nike's Dry-fit is amazing and so is Under Armour.  The only problem is they are REALLY expensive for most people.  That's why I reccommended Aspire and C9 by Champion for Target.

Oh. So I guess this was posted in an attempt to get people to tell you how pretty and slender and pink and amazing you are and feel bad for daring to assert you need to lose weight? It's weird how you only manage to bring out these so called experiences when you're under fire. Like that mediabistro interview where the interviewer asked you why you had to change your last name and you said it was because you were date raped? Yet, NOBODY at Georgetown could corroborate your story and you used that story frequently with professors to get out of taking exams?

You need to lose weight. Your ass and thighs are heavy. You're not being accused of being a serial killer. Suck it up and stop being such a drama queen. It was a fitness episode, for pete's sake.

Giselle, why would you EVER tell someone who has had an eating disorder that she is heavy?  

To all the people posting consistently negative posts, what is your motivation to watch this show?  Don't say anything else.  Just respond about why you're here.

I responded with plenty of positive feedback originally. I already said that I wanted information on work out gear. The girls also asked for workout regimes and tips, and I offered them. I suggested, in a constructive way, that Julia shouldn't wear pants like that without a loose top that came below her hips. I didn't just criticize, I offered a solution. I didn't call her fat or obese or chunky. But to not acknowledge her very obvious lower body issues would be dumb. Sorry, not going to blow kisses julia's way. It was a show about work out gear that flatter your body and encourage you to work out. her outfit did not flatter her figure. Period.

So you are telling her she's heavy out of compassion?  You're concerned for her welfare?  Because mocking her with "Oh. So I guess this was posted in an attempt to get people to tell you how pretty and slender and pink and amazing you are and feel bad for daring to assert you need to lose weight?" isn't very compassionate.  It sounds like you post things about her body simply to make her feel badly.

Julia,... I can call you Julia, right? Because it's more than obvious that you're monitoring this site carefully and posting comments in your own defense. Nobody else cares enough about you to be glued to this site.

Let me explain how the internet works. You "put yourself out there, warts and all" and people respond. Why? Because you're fishing for a response. The topic was flattering and comfortable work out gear. My opinion was that what she wore did not flatter her figure. Despite the fact that these girls seem to think that there are only stick thin women in the world - more like their world which is devoid of any substance -there are actually other sizes of women out there. Maybe, and I realize this might be hard for you Jules because you seem incapable of wrapping your brain around the fact that the world doesn't revolve around you - maybe my feedback wasn't just for Julia, but for women with her similar body type. Want to create a substantive piece that will actually make an impact? Scratch below the surface. Talk about body image issues,  talk to your audience as though you and acknowledge that there are other body types out there other than size 2. Nobody likes to hear they need to lose weight. But pretending someone doesn't isn't helping them.

To say that you have kicked your eating disorder is optimistic; you are in denial as many addicts to food or whatever are.  What you do now is compensate (e.g, banning foods from your household, doing a cleanse to work off the garbage you inhaled).

At some point (the point at which they get tired of the mental energy devoted to them) you'll do some real work (not with your keyboard and an audience, which a therapist) to figure out what happened emotionally to make you turn to food.  You sought and still seek food to thwart your loneliness or some other state of sadness that afflicts you.  

I write this not to call you fat or crazy to tell you that you really do sound sick.  Please take your parents advice, spend some money on some big birthday bash but on several visits to a therapist.  It really works.

If this was some weird fabricated admission to as suggested by someone else--you should still go to the therapist--all of this behavior originates from the same problem.

Very good point. There are some obvious serious issues here, evident not just in the blatant dishonesty about herself but the outrageous narcissism ... something really ails this woman, and if she weren't so dishonest and vain, I might care. But I just find her so tiresome, fraudulent and unpleasant (see the entire "Mary's a bitch" ridiculousness). If I didn't like Mary and Meghan so much, I wouldn't be here. On her own, she's going nowhere, because she so consistently violates the trust she must have with her readers/followers.

I clearly have typing issues:
1) I'm not calling you fat, crazy, etc. I'm saying you sound like you need help.
2) Don't spend your money on a huge party, spend it on therapy it's a gift that keeps on giving.
3) I forgot to say that your seemingly over-attachment to men and even your "sisters" is a coping mechanism--just like the food.

Julia, just like the analogy with alcoholism that you made in your post, I think that you are not really "cured" or as "OK" as you might think - addictions are a lifelong struggle. I think it would be a really good idea - as others have suggested above - to use the money you spend on parties, etc. to seek therapy and help. Repressing your problems will never make them go away... you'll just crash harder down the road. 

And no, I am not Kiley. Believe it or not, there is more than one person who has problems with some of the fraud and hypocrisy presented here.

Anybody who likes to look "cute" at the gym does not nor ever has rowed crew. Nice try, Julia.

For the record - Rowing crew bulks you up, not slims you down. For men, it's okay because broad shoulders on a man is attractive.  It gives a woman "linebacker shoulders. " (Not a shot at Mary!) It also bulks up your thighs. 

"If I don't look cute and feel good about what I'm wearing while I'm there, why would I feel motivated to do anything. "

That is quite possible the most shallow and "girlie" thing I've ever heard. Why be motivated? Well, there's that whole living longer thing doctors talk about. You do not work out regularly, it's clear. While I do not wear ripped t-shirts or torn sweats, I do look presentable. But I do not really care how "cute" I look. I plan on sweating, plugging in to my ipod and just getting through my workout and keeping my heart rate up. What I care mostly about is how the clothes fit. The shirts or tanks that ride up will distract me and make me pull and tug at clothing mid-workout.

Everyone knows that men go to the gym to work out, not hook up. What's next? Telling women to go to sports bars all decked out in heels or mini-skirts and then ask guys dumb questions about the game?

I don't think Julia is fat, but she's not toned. If she had a butt like J-Lo I'd say go for it. But she doesn't. She has what's called "the middle age spread." Like someone else said, it's from sitting down too much and eating too much sugar. Anybody who consumes a lot of sweets AND is sedentary for a good part of their day and does not regularly exercise will begin to see their stomach, butt and thighs grow. That's where the fat cells are being deposited because you're not moving around enough. Once she hits 30 it will be brutally hard to rectify the situation. She needs to start changing her diet and incorporating real, consistent exercise into her schedule. I disagree with someone who said she isn't naturally an ectomorph. Her body type seems to be one that very easily can plump up if not attended to properly. That butt is not from squats or lunges. Some butts and thighs do bulk up from those types of excercises. That butt and the tops of her thighs are due to poor diet and lack of exercise. Plain and simple. It's a hard thing for women to hear but if she doesn't do something about it now, it will get out of hand.

Um.  I really have rowed crew or why would I suggest it.  It seems like a rather random sport to suggest if I had never done it.  And yes it did bulk me up, but I had some crazy SEXY legs from it and was toned with little body fat.  

Second, I am in a committed relationship and I do not look cute to get a guy at the gym.  I do it because I like to look good for myself.  Also, If you do have to keep pulling down your clothes, you need to go up a size.  You can look cute and comfortable.

Yes, I understand it is good to work out to be healthy, but is that enough motivation.  There are SO many other ways people pass.  So when you are at the gym, it is much easier to think "Just 1 more hour and I can look sexy in those jeans."  Or "Score! This is healthy and might add some extra years when I'm eighty."  Both are good motivations, but when you are working out more than what is really needed to be healthy, then you need the extra motivation.

Before you bash my suggestion of rowing, think about what is good for your body.  Little body fat and lots of muscle.  If you don't think women should have a lot of muscle...then that explains why you are critical of these women's bodies.  Not everyone wants to be shapeless.  Horray for women not being twigs.

Oh. P.S. I'm glad you know everything about me and about the sport of rowing.

I know about rowing crew because my ex-boyfriend in college rowed for MIT and was actually on the US Olympic team in 96. I frequently partied with him and his team mates and the woman's team members. There wasn't a slender one in the bunch. Rowing at the gym is not the same as rowing crew.

"Also, If you do have to keep pulling down your clothes, you need to go up a size."

That was my point and something not mentioned in the clip. Depending on the fabric and brand, you may have to go up a size in a work out top. Champion tops are the WORST and do not stay down. I love Gap Body because they don't move and still provide good support for my chest.

"If you don't think women should have a lot of muscle...then that explains why you are critical of these women's bodies. "

Mary is the only one with muscle tone and definition. Meghan's body is perfect to me, but I wouldn't say she has muscle tone. Julia is without muscle tone. So your comment is pointless. That's an excuse women use when they're in denial about their weight. "Oh, I'm mostly muscle and muscle weighs more than fat!" When you have to live in sweats with elastic waistbands and poofy skirts, then that's a pretty good sign that your mid section is expanding. She wears that red and black plaid skirt every where because it hides her lower body. Look at the photos of her in thigh his that she posted while partying in Chicago. Sorry, but her thighs are spilling out over the tops because the thigh his are too tight.

Yes, Rowing bulks you up, but burns SOOOOO much fat.  So if you really are into being healthy then its great.  Plus its a great place to start if you really want to work hard to get your body in amazing shape.  Then you can work to tone up the muscle mass you get.  You might not be skinny, but you will be fit.  Fit to me isn't fitting into the smaller size.  I actually got skinnier rowing in my waist, but have to wear bigger sizes to compensate my thighs, but they look amazing.  So it depends what kind of girl you are.  If you want to be healthy and fit and look amazing, row crew.  Plus it helps with any other sport you want to do.  When I switched to track, I was worlds ahead of the other girls in the weight room.  If you want to be a size 0 or 2 because thats whats "In."  Then find another work out.   It was just a suggestion.

Plus, I do know rowing is different on the water than on the ergs.  But still, the ergs do burn mega calories.  Therefore if you were the girl who wanted be tiny, use that machine at a low setting.  Its great cardio and only builds muscle when there is high resistance (aka. the water). I was on a rowing team for three years and am looking for another one.  I'm REALLY glad that the ex-girlfriend of a rower would know SOOOO much more than someone who actually rowed and continues to use the machine

Well, that's what DISCOURSE is about, love.  Posting your thoughts and responding to people's reaction to it.  Did they not teach you that in college?  

I will respond to your argument, btw.  How are any of my comments ignorant?  Again, as I've said ad nauseam on this site, if you are going to make your ENTIRE BLOG be about your appearance, you should expect that people are going to judge you based on it.  This whole episode was about what to wear to the gym!  Mary's entire persona is about fashion!  Julia is obsessively focused on her appearance and posts picture after picture of herself posing.  So, i'm sorry, I didn't realize then that the only comments they are allowed to receive are positive.  

I posted my honest opinions in response to viewing their show.  a) Mary looks too skinny and not feminine.  b)  Julia has packed on the pounds  c) the content is ridiculous, as most people who work out are focused on just that - working out, not looking cute.  Nor do most people have  to spend on yoga pants.  

When this site and these women start posting actual, helpful, amusing or funny content instead of "look at how cute we are!" bullshit all the time, you can expect fewer reactions like mine.  Until then, blow it out your ass.  I'll say what I want to say, because these women are hideous.  

And trust me, if all the people who were only coming here to laugh or criticize them were to leave, the pageviews would decrease by 80% at least.   So they need people like me here.  Again, I'm not going anywhere until the narcissistic one who posts crotch-shots of her skinnier days and harps incessantly about her ex-boyfriends stops being so.  goddamn.  irritating.

Thanks Shanna for articulating exactly how I feel!

I guess it would require the same level of interest as that of someone who feels compelled to write something coming to their defense. My comment had plenty of valid and insightful suggestions and points. Sorry, this was a fitness episode. I really don't feel like taking workout wear advice from someone who clearly doesn't work out. I wanted to hear Mary. I wanted to hear her input because she obviously knows what she's talking about. Instead, I got multiple interruptions by Julia who even went so far as to obviously LIE about having a pair of workout pants just so she could have something to say.

Whether or not these videos are cute or informative is debatable, but I post (and reply to posts) to foster discourse, not disrespect. For Julia to chase off people who show interest with trite comments about how we all need to "chill out," "get a life" or "spend our time somewhere else" shows just how little business sense she has. This business model depends on page views. Telling people to go away is foolish. Instead of fostering discourse, Julia squashes it. 

I am only pointing out that as someone who wants to garner respect as a female entrepreneur (instead of just a stale spectacle), it's incredibly foolish to post classless pictures of yourself spread eagle in a bathtub.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Kasey and Kiley are the same person...perhaps you're just a little too committed to encouraging obsessive hate disguised as "discourse."

Gee She.Star, it must have taken a lot out of you to come up with that A+ comment.  You are right.  There is only one Julia hater out there.  Even though, unlike these girls, I actually have a full-time job, I somehow manage to post 100 messages a day on here and the "Question of the Day" about how much I hate Julia.  Really.  It's just me.  Everyone else in NYC LOVES her.  You got me.

I'm going to look into the band.

In the past I've been a huge hater, but now I'm in love with the elliptical machine.  I tailor my workouts like I would on a spin bike: climbing hills, sprints on flats, running with heavy resistance up hill, and all to the beat of the music. It really helps keep my mind occupied for 30-45 minutes.

Mary's spin classes are almost dark - you can't see anyone at all.

From following their blogs and show, it seems to me that all three of them (although it seems Meghan at least got help) have MAJOR body image/self esteem issues. This show would be much more interesting and relevant if they acknowledged it and talked about it honestly instead of focusing on completely trite and tired topics like what to wear to the gym.

What are you saying?  Look at Julia, toned arms, flat belly, shapely lower body.  Using the euphemism "looks like the butt of someone who sits a lot" is a kinder way of telling her she has a fat ass and it is obvious she does not.  Hater.

So we're being blunt? She has a big ass, and it's not because she's just built that way. Even she knows it, which is why she wears those same flared mini skirts. Sorry, her butt is disproportionate to the rest of her body and has grown significantly in the past few months.

Also, her arms aren't toned. She has no muscle tone to her body. Flat belly, yes.

Seriously, her arms are flabby.  Don't know why she's doing that muscle pose in the beginning.  Between her chubbiness and Mary's anorexia I'm not sure who I should be gazing upon here.  What a sad display of women's figures.

She's doing the muscle pose to attract attention to herself because Mary has the spotlight. Way to be 14.

Get after it Bonnie!

I miss spinning so much :(