This Former ‘Glamour’ Cover Model Is Banning the Words ‘Skinny’ and ‘Fat’

In August 1991, Catherine McCord appeared on her first cover of Glamour magazine (followed by the coveted September issue cover a year later). A successful model in the ’80s and ’90s, McCord also appeared in campaigns for Victoria’s Secret and Calvin Klein. Now in her mid-40’s, she’s the founder of heathy-eating website Weelicious and organic family-friendly food delivery service One Potato. McCord is also a mom of three—two girls and a boy—and is navigating what it means to be a parent in the digital age. Particularly, how to make sure her kids avoid some of the pitfalls she experienced working in looks-based industry.

Here, in what she calls a “beautiful, full-circle” moment (“Glamour was my first cover, and it’s so dear to who I am and what did it for me,” she says), she opens up to West Coast editor Jessica Radloff about those lessons and more.

Up until I was 13 or 14, I was Long Legs Lucy. It was, “Oh, you’re so skinny,” or “Oh, you’re so tall.” And people didn’t mean it in a good way. I was 5'11", and there was a lot of teasing, which was so painful. I always wanted to be cute and shorter. But then when I hit high school, it all changed. People started saying, “She’s so pretty!” I didn’t necessarily trust those comments, but people started encouraging me to try modeling and eventuall, I agreed. I ended up winning the best personality award in a prestigious modeling contest, and that helped build up my confidence. I could do this, I thought.

At the end of senior year of high school, I started doing runway modeling, which is basically the equivalent of throwing your clothes off every two seconds. My body, and being comfortable in it, became such a big focus. Eventually I started modeling for Victoria’s Secret and doing lingerie shoots. The focus on my body got even more intense. Before my first VS runway show, I booked a lymphatic drainage treatment to help me lose every ounce possible. I roll my eyes now, but when you are walking on a runway in your underwear, it definitely makes you self-conscious.

Still, I loved eating. In fact, I was fascinated with food. But I also remember the diet craze feeling pretty inescapable.