Tracey Gold's Extreme Diet Story: 'Growing Pains' Producers Tell Her to Lose Weight
It was a diet that began with compliments and then spun out of control. Tracey Gold shares her story with Anderson about what lead her to suffer from years of anorexia.
"Growing Pains" producers asked Tracey to lose weight. After seeing an endocrinologist, she chose a short-term and extreme weight loss diet of approximately 500 calories a day.
She says after such a dramatic initial weight loss and receiving so many compliments, it messed with her head.
"It really made me feel like, 'Did I look that bad before? Were people talking behind my back? Was my perception of myself wrong?' I never wanted to be anyone's fool again," says Tracey.
She then decided she needed to control this, her weight, and her diet spun out of control.
In this clip, Tracey explains what happened to Anderson...
Tracey is now reaching out and helping women one-on-one battling anorexia in Lifetime's new series, "Starving Secrets." To find out more about the show, go to MyLifetime.com. "Starving Secrets" premieres December 2.
Comments
I also dropped ALOT of weight after I quit drinking in 1989. I know exactly what Tracey is saying about the compliments ! They are a dangerous thing cause I wanted to keep going with the weight loss because food was something I could control. I LOVE Tracey's message and honestly I don't think she has ever been prettier than she is right now. To me, she is a success story for child stars !
I love anderson's show..first of all, he is very intelligent. I tivo it all the time so that just in case I am not at home i can watch it when i get in...I loved his show a few weeks ago on CHILD SEX ABUSE...the whole Penn State mess.
i had anorexia for 10 years and got down to 60lbs and i was 5'1/2' in and out of the hosptials a lot my family put me in the last time with two policemens which came and pick me up at the house. in which i could not check mysself out. i was 29 at the time. with my family and the lord i would't be here today. if you know anybody that need help or need someone to talk to email me.
Thank you for taking on the topic of body image and self esteem. It is good for girls and women to learn to embrace their bodies and love themselves just as they are. I loved Melissa McCarthy on Monday and her take on things. I wish every girl or woman could feel that comfortable with themselves. It would've been nice to see a little more time devoted to this topic as it seemed very interesting.
I'm a huge Anderson Cooper fan and have not missed ONE show so far! I have to tell you, the Anderson staff, though that as a viewer, I think sometimes the show seems disjointed and rushed, like you're trying to cover too many topics per show. I would have loved to see a whole hour on the eating disorder subject and body image, and I was so into it, I didn't care about the Elton John segment very much. Also, I LOOOVE the "Ask Anderson" segments, I think Anderson is so funny and comfortable in them, so thanks! XD
i have been dealing with bulimia for over 7 years now. it is hell feeling so guilty for eating, i have got to the point now that i can eat and the purge without any physical or chemical help, i can just purge on thought like it is a common thing.
it scares me to think i can die from this, it started out as just a way to help loose weight and then it become such an easy way out that i did it more and more; i was 300 lbs and now i am under 150 lbs, i have learned and conditioned myself to love the taste of food, but get my gratification from the purge rather than the food.
i really really want to seek help and look up locations to go to, and want to remain anonymous, i have only told one friend of mine about this, but i am sure others have the idea that i am by now.
please anyone who is going down this road talk to someone before it becomes habit and a secret, ur life is not worth this torment.
<3
Hi there,
I am a little disappointed and surprised after watching the show about eating disorders...not one time throughout the segment did Anderson or guests mention that men and boys also suffer from eating disorders. I understand that it is predominantly women who are affected, but I think an opportunity was missed to address the male side of eating disorders.
Love the show!
Thanks
Your show with Tracy Gold brought back some hard memories. My daughter became anorexic when she was 14 and about to go into high school. Unlike typical scenarios, I noticed nearly immediately and brought her to the pediatrician repeatedly. I was told, "she is just slimming down for high school" until February when the cardiac arrythemias had the doctors admit her into a hospital. Then twice over a period of year I had to admit her into a psychiatric hospital for treatment. My daughter stopped talking to me because she refused to acknowledge her problem as a problem. But luckily, she has survived and is now happily married.
She has since been diagnosed as bipolar and narcoleptic and unfortunately the medications she has to take to treat these problems has caused her to gain weight. And I now am worried that this will trigger a relapse of the anorexia and bulimia. Is there anything I can do to help her. The weight gain from the medications (which are essential for her to work and stay stable) has created a lot of anxiety over her weight and size.
Thank you for your thoughts on this perplexing matter
Karen DeWillers