Victoria Sinitsina: In America I learned to stand up for myself. Marina, Diet, Tough-girl.

[DimaToe]

Tonight, we had skinless chicken breast seasoned with fresh basil and fresh cucumbers and tomatoes.

The basil, cucumbers and tomatoes were from my own garden.

So explain to me exactly what part of that meal was bad quality ingredients that I am too dumb to understand are horrible for me and have caused me to have bad taste and allegedly be obese? The hand trimmed chicken breast (one piece sliced into three thinner pieces, by the way)? Or did someone sneak into my garden and add corn syrup to my cucumbers?

Here's the thing...you don't know what every single person in this country is eating. A lot of us are eating meals like I did tonight and have been cooking and serving all summer. And the assumptions get old. I don't like American exceptionalism but the "we totally suck and are awful people with horrible habits in all things" routine is just as stupid and uncalled for.

Not my conversation but could not help it. Not all those living in the states have the luxury of having their own garden, some work several jobs and do what they can with the money they earn and the limited time that they have, the most accesible meal might be to just get items from a dollar menu at the fast food place, or buy the items that are most accesible to them at their grocery store. Depending on where you are able to shop, canned or frozen items might give you more per dollar than buying certain fruits or vegetables per pound, yes not all those living in the U.S. fit the unhealthy stereotype, but a good number do, which results from a combination of affordability, lack of time and education on nutrition.

 

[hanca]

I think the Canadians have it right. So many of their skaters have muscle tone to die for, from Duhamel and Rochette to Osmond and, in her later years, Virtue. They look healthy and great even if they weighed a bit more than the Russian/American ideal.

I am not sure why the discussion must turn into Canadian versus Russian/American ideal, but if I name concrete skaters like you did, thin Medvedeva has been beating muscle toned Osmond for the past few years.

 

[Tinami Amori]

I think the Canadians have it right. So many of their skaters have muscle tone to die for, from Duhamel and Rochette to Osmond and, in her later years, Virtue. They look healthy and great even if they weighed a bit more than the Russian/American ideal.

they all about the same to me...... all healthy.... https://www.instagram.com/p/BhAzRl3hOS_/?hl=en

 

[Mad for Skating]

I don't know anything about Canton, but in most cities of a reasonable size, there are plenty of choices for food that doesn't have corn syrup, empty carbs, hormones, GMOs, etc. You just have to know how to read a label and go to stores that sell natural foods (which includes most large supermarket chains - there's always a section for natural/organic items). I don't eat any of that garbage at all. Of course, Victoria is not a native English speaker, so I can imagine reading labels would have been more difficult in her case. And natural foods are generally more expensive - unfortunately it does get tougher to eat well if you are on a strict budget.

I can understand the importance of weight for skaters, but there are different approaches one can take that are not as extreme as Marina's. It's too bad that (some) coaches don't educate themselves first or have someone on their staff that can help the athletes make good choices and count calories without veering into highly unhealthy behaviors.

This is perfectly said, @zebraswan.

 

[mysticchic]

Over by Canton there is at least 10 fast food places within 5 minutes of there. American food has a lot of fat, and salt in it. It's cheap and easy. most of it has cheese all over it. French fries have sugar on them. Marina is not alone with weight.
I call BS about Nikita getting physical with her. Marina didn't want to deal with it any longer and that is why they left. There was the slap heard across Detroit right before they left. Several of the male skaters wanted to kick Nikita's ass.

 

[allezfred]

skinless chicken breast

I like how you emphasised that the breast was skinless so we knew that the chicken itself lacked any flavour.

In countries with a proper food culture, chicken thighs are more popular than the breast and they tend to leave the skin on for its flavour (chicken breast is more popular here in Ireland too before you jump down my throat ). And even though they eat more of the "fattier" cut the average person in for example Japan (and many other countries) still lives longer than the average American. Those are just facts.

 

[Japanfan]

That said... there are some basic facts that can't be ignored. As an elite athlete, a certain diet is needed in order to perform at the highest levels. And, like it or not, so are specific weight parameters. Especially when it comes to dance and pairs where the girls are being lifted.

But strength and power are also needed to perform. Thinness is not the only requirement.

Also, boys/men experience the same sort of "enforcement" as the girls/women do when it comes to their weight. Sometimes, with pairs and dance, it's that they don't have enough muscle, etc. And with the single skaters, they too face weight restrictions.

Do you have any concrete evidence of this? If so, please share it, I've not ever see any such evidence.

For example, do you have evidence of male single skaters being weighed daily like some female single skaters have been?

Or, do you evidence of male pair and dance skaters being required to demonstrate that they could bench press x amount of pounds or do x number of leg curls?

 

[snoopy]

I don’t know that he was weighed daily but Javier lost weight for the Olympics.

Baker Mayfied is a recently recruited pro football quarterback - everyone questions if he’ll be successful because he is only 6 foot. Not the right body for a successful football career.

Pro Sports are at such an level that body types do matter. If I want to be OGM in mens skating, I’m hoping I’m built like yuzuru hanyu.

 

[Japanfan]

I don’t know that he was weighed daily but Javier lost weight for the Olympics.

I know that male skaters watch their weight and sometimes diet. I remember Stojko commenting on how much he was looking forward to eating whatever he wanted when he retired from competition. And Chan commented on feeling the need to be thinner because Javier and Uzu were so much thinner than him, even though that was because they were built differently than Chan.

What I don't know is whether men are as concerned about it as women, which I doubt. And whether they are required to do daily weigh-ins, as some women are - which I also doubt.

And as mentioned, I wonder if the fitness of male pair/dance skaters is monitored as heavily as the weight of their female partners.

 

[hanca]

I know that male skaters watch their weight and sometimes diet. I remember Stojko commenting on how much he was looking forward to eating whatever he wanted when he retired from competition. And Chan commented on feeling the need to be thinner because Javier and Uzu were so much thinner than him, even though that was because they were built differently than Chan.

What I don't know is whether men are as concerned about as women, which they doubt. And whether they are required to do daily weigh-ins, as some women are - which I also doubt.

And as mentioned, I wonder if the fitness of male pair/dance skaters is monitored as heavily as the weight of their female partners.

Obviously I can’t talk about all males, but from the occasional comments in the interviews I would say they are as concerned about their weight as females. From my head, Voronov, Weir, Chan...all made some remark about eating or being thinner in their interviews.

 

[mysticchic]

they all lose weight for the Os and worlds. None of them eat more than a carrot and a bottle of water.

 

[Mad for Skating]

In this recent interview, Maxim Kovtun discusses managing his weight. However it doesn't sound nearly as strict as what Sinitsina was saying. https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/vaytsekhovskayas-interview-with-kovtun.104299/

 

[lala]

Obviously I can’t talk about all males, but from the occasional comments in the interviews I would say they are as concerned about their weight as females. From my head, Voronov, Weir, Chan...all made some remark about eating or being thinner in their interviews.

I add Plushenko to your list. When he was competitor he lost a lot of weight before his every competition even though he was not overweight. He talked about his diet not once.

 

[blue_idealist]

During the Olympics, there was a bit on TV with Rafael Artunyan, and it talked about how Rafael put Adam Rippon on the elliptical trainer for hours once he was his coach in order to take some muscle off him and make him thinner. I don't know about any other male skaters, but when I've seen them in person, most are very tiny people (as are most of the females, too).

 

[PDilemma]

I like how you emphasised that the breast was skinless so we knew that the chicken itself lacked any flavour.

In countries with a proper food culture, chicken thighs are more popular than the breast and they tend to leave the skin on for its flavour (chicken breast is more popular here in Ireland too before you jump down my throat ). And even though they eat more of the "fattier" cut the average person in for example Japan (and many other countries) still lives longer than the average American. Those are just facts.

We eat thighs, drumsticks, and whole roasted chicken all with the skin on in this house as well. Oddly enough, in spite of apparently not having a "proper food culture", those are all regularly sold in our local grocery store. We just happened to have a leaner cut on the day I posted. We also tend to eat lighter in the dead of summer when average temperatures are typically over 90 F (32 C)--although, this month has been a bit cooler than usual.

But, of course, I'm sure that I don't cook any of it properly and am a pretty pathetic human all around as all Americans automatically are on account of the accident of birth.

 

[Japanfan]

We eat thighs, drumsticks, and whole roasted chicken all with the skin on in this house as well.

A roast chicken without the skin is a sad thing indeed.

We sometimes eat skinless breasts, but I do prefer breasts with the skin on.

My mom used to make a 'kiegel' with chicken fat, spaghetti noodles, and lipton onion soup. It was so yummy but I do feel it has become 'culinarily incorrect' and make it but rarely.

 

[Japanfan]

I don't know about any other male skaters, but when I've seen them in person, most are very tiny people (as are most of the females, too).

But being tiny doesn't have anything to do with whether or not a skater struggles to keep her/his weight down. It's just a type of build, and one that is suited to figure skating.

Most male skaters tend to be slim and short, although there have been some exceptions.

 

[NinjaTurtles]

they all about the same to me...... all healthy.... https://www.instagram.com/p/BhAzRl3hOS_/?hl=en

Tessa and Meagan have way more muscle definition; look at their arms and stomachs. Abs and biceps are cut and poppin'.

 

[MrMystery]

But strength and power are also needed to perform. Thinness is not the only requirement.



Do you have any concrete evidence of this? If so, please share it, I've not ever see any such evidence.

For example, do you have evidence of male single skaters being weighed daily like some female single skaters have been?

Or, do you evidence of male pair and dance skaters being required to demonstrate that they could bench press x amount of pounds or do x number of leg curls?

Of course, I'm certainly not indicating that female skaters need to be frail and thin. Just that there are certain parameters. As has been discussed, Linichuk had Belbin build muscle following their decamp from Marina (and Shpilbond). Look at skaters such as Duhamel, Savchenko, hardly stick thin, but supremely successful.

In terms of evidence in male skaters, yes absolutely. It's something I've certainly witnessed. That said, as I said in my original post, it's not as widespread as it is with females, but something that is still certainly prevalent.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Tessa and Meagan have way more muscle definition; look at their arms and stomachs. Abs and biceps are cut and poppin'.

Seriously...... it is simply shocking, that the two (out of five) girls, who are required to perform with partners many holds, lifts and acrobatic elements, would have developed arms and abs muscles (more than the 3 remaining single skaters)..

https://amp.businessinsider.com/images/5a85840cd030721c008b45db-750-524.jpg

https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/t3H...s/chorus_asset/file/10242617/virtue_moir1.jpg

 

[NinjaTurtles]

Seriously...... it is simply shocking, that the two (out of five) girls, who are required to perform with partners many holds, lifts and acrobatic elements, would have developed arms and abs muscles (more than the 3 remaining single skaters)..

https://amp.businessinsider.com/images/5a85840cd030721c008b45db-750-524.jpg

https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/t3H...s/chorus_asset/file/10242617/virtue_moir1.jpg

Interesting point that pairs and dance may require, or at least benefit, from increase muscle definition and athleticism. Still, Meagan and Tessa stand out among their discipline peers in this area. Plus, Rochette (as PRLady mentioned) was a singles skater and quite cut. Similarly, Daleman is insanely ripped for the average Ladies skater.

Maybe it's all glamour muscles and not an indicator of strength differences, but the top Canadian women (across all disciplines) are seemingly much more defined compared to other skaters. Maybe Skate Canada encourages a vigorous strength training regime?

 

[Tinami Amori]

Interesting point that pairs and dance may require, or at least benefit, from increase muscle definition and athleticism. Still, Meagan and Tessa stand out among their discipline peers in this area. Plus, Rochette (as PRLady mentioned) was a singles skater and quite cut. Similarly, Daleman is insanely ripped for the average Ladies skater.

Maybe it's all glamour muscles and not an indicator of strength differences, but the top Canadian women (across all disciplines) are seemingly much more defined compared to other skaters. Maybe Skate Canada encourages a vigorous strength training regime?

Your comments are drifting from the original exchange that "the 5 girls in the foto look very close in size and form"...

Rochette is from another era. Daleman misses jumps quite often.
Tessa and Meagan use, in total, a different group of muscles to different extent, because they use arms and abs differently than single skaters.

 

[twizzletoes76]

Imagine if Sinitsina had not made the comment about Marina's weigh-ins in the interview given, then this thread would have only been about ten posts long and everyone would be like "Victoria Sinitsina who? Was that a pairs skater or an ice-dancer? I don't remember."

 

[Meoima]

In countries with a proper food culture, chicken thighs are more popular than the breast and they tend to leave the skin on for its flavour (chicken breast is more popular here in Ireland too before you jump down my throat ). And even though they eat more of the "fattier" cut the average person in for example Japan (and many other countries) still lives longer than the average American. Those are just facts.

Aw ha ha I do not know that. Here we prefer chicken thighs and always wonder "why the other side they like the breast that much it has no flavor".

 

[kwanfan1818]

Aw ha ha I do not know that. Here we prefer chicken thighs and always wonder "why the other side they like the breast that much it has no flavor".

It's an aversion to animal fat that became nationalized after Dwight Eisenhower had a heart attack, and his physician claimed that this was because of animal fat, without evidence to support his claim. That's been exacerbated by numerous diets that are fat-phobic.

 

[Meoima]

It's an aversion to animal fat that became nationalized after Dwight Eisenhower had a heart attack, and his physician claimed that this was because of animal fat, without evidence to support his claim. That's been exacerbated by numerous diets that are fat-phobic.

Ok so they claimed the thighs were fatter and dangerous?

 

[kwanfan1818]

Thighs have more fat and are dark meat, so, yes.

 

[Meoima]

Thighs have more fat and are dark meat, so, yes.

Thighs are gooooooddd. When I was a kid, adults gave me all the thighs. Now I am older I have to give the thighs to the kids.

 

[jiejie]

Read the interview and the thread, which has devolved into diet drivel. What I want to refocus on is her statement that there was "no physical altercation" between her and Nikita. Does this mean that she's denying being smacked by him at the rink (even though there are uninvolved witness reports to the contrary)? Is there an alternative meaning or nuance in Russian that isn't coming across in the translation? She's obviously avoiding fingering this as the reason for being dismissed from/leaving Detroit abruptly, in favor of the more respectable but less convincing budget problem excuse. I'm trying to read between the lines of how solid this partnership is, and not coming up with any enlightenment. There's more time spent discussing her previous partner than her current one, though I suppose she could have laid down some ground rules to avoid certain lines of questioning about Nikita, before the interview started.

 

[Mad for Skating]

Read the interview and the thread, which has devolved into diet drivel. What I want to refocus on is her statement that there was "no physical altercation" between her and Nikita. Does this mean that she's denying being smacked by him at the rink (even though there are uninvolved witness reports to the contrary)? Is there an alternative meaning or nuance in Russian that isn't coming across in the translation? She's obviously avoiding fingering this as the reason for being dismissed from/leaving Detroit abruptly, in favor of the more respectable but less convincing budget problem excuse. I'm trying to read between the lines of how solid this partnership is, and not coming up with any enlightenment. There's more time spent discussing her previous partner than her current one, though I suppose she could have laid down some ground rules to avoid certain lines of questioning about Nikita, before the interview started.

I do really worry about this part. But if she is being abused by Nikita, she may not see the way out right now. She might think he is her only shot to go to the Olympics, particularly if she is being told every 5 minutes that she's the lucky one to be skating with him and she'd be nothing without her big talented Olympic medalist partner. And she might be afraid that he will come after her if she leaves him. So she might be sidestepping the issue.

Or it's all rumor, I honestly don't know.