Two years ago I wrote a blog with the same title which was when I was last working here in Malibu California home to many ‘celebrity’ types; a very affluent society which always astounds me when I am here, particularly given the type of work I do.

For anyone who has spent any time in America it is pretty safe to say that Americans reign supreme in terms of being fat, unhealthy and creating lifestyles to accommodate this. Movie cinema seats are built bigger, cars are bigger, and in fact most things are ‘bigger’ or ‘larger than life’. All except in places like Malibu, Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the more affluent ‘high profile hangs’.

Each time I work in Malibu I see more ‘kooky’ concepts and ideas in terms of health and fitness. It is a given that the majority of men and women will have some sort of plastic surgery, a place that ‘anti-aging’ is high on the list of priorities and people will do and pay almost anything to get what they think will keep them young, wrinkle free and looking only what I can call looking out of proportion and down- right scary! I work for a high profile client here and fortunately he is not so naive in terms of ‘quick fixes’. We often joke about the fake blondes with big lips and plastic everything else. I must say as a redhead with all my own body parts (besides a metal hip) I feel somewhat alien in this culture at times!

Something of interest I see is the Size 0 concept which is very highly sought after by women of all ages and there is a pretty hefty emphasis on fitting into size 0 skinny jeans whether you are 20 or 60! Yes that’s true and correct. I have found on this visit to Malibu that the notion toward unhealthy body image is worse than ever and it is the extremes that stand out in this country from morbid obesity to the extreme underweight. Whilst visiting a high end shopping area in West Hollywood the other day, I was amazed by the tiny sizes of clothes and the very underweight looking women dripping in diamonds and sporting ‘trout pout’ lips, larger than life breasts and very ‘unhappy’ expressions even when stepping out of the Porsche. Oh well, this is Hollywood after all! Oh I did see Cindy Crawford in Malibu the other day and she is a minority here. By this I mean she looks natural and healthy. Maybe she is doing it the right way!

Over the years of visiting Malibu and working here I have met lots of people and constantly get asked what new methods of diet am I working with – am I doing raw food, vegan, low/high carb, coconut water and I was even asked by a woman if I was using this specially filtered Japanese water which is supposed to make you younger….not to mention how expensive this water is! I might add that I never use or recommend any of these ‘gimmicky’ concepts. One week to go. Time to play paparazzo! Then back to a more ‘normal’ existence…..