The Reach Out: Cathy Ladman
The comedian, actor, and writer explains her journey from "compulsive exerciser" to "healthy exerciser," and why she is sharing it all in her upcoming solo show.
Cathy Ladman is a comedian, actor, and writer whose stand-up material offers an autobiographical perspective on aging, relationships, and recovering from anorexia.
In a memorable segment on The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Ladman poked fun at her experience with an eating disorder.
She created an HBO comedy special, One Night Stand, and was awarded the American Comedy Award for Best Female Stand Up Comic. Her upcoming solo show, Does This Show Make Me Look Fat? will premier in June (more on this below!).
Ladman appeared on Mad Men, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Everybody Loves Raymond, and wrote for The Caroline Rhea Show, Caroline in the City, and Roseanne. Ladman’s film credits include Charlie Wilson’s War, The Aristocrats, and White Oleander.
I spoke with Cathy Ladman about how her exercise routine has changed, what she listens to while walking, and why she hopes her new show will help others.
What role does exercise and fitness play in your life?
It is very important to me. As a recovering anorexic, I’ve had to learn how to go from being a compulsive exerciser to a healthy exerciser. A lot of the material in my upcoming solo show — “Does This Show Make Me Look Fat?” — is about being a perfectionist who tried to control the way her body looked for over thirty years.
But my exercising has changed a lot. I currently do cardio a few times a week, mostly walking, which I love. Occasionally I will hike with a friend.
My sister gifted me some personal trainer sessions and they have been amazing. Even over Zoom, it makes such a difference when somebody is supervising my workout! I know that I’m being far more efficient.
I was doing yoga for a while, but stopped because of my osteoporosis. I have to be careful when doing certain poses. It’s the same reason I don’t do crunches anymore. But I’m still active, and that is what’s important.
Do you prefer to exercise outdoors or indoors?
Definitely outdoors. I live in Southern California, so I’m grateful to have this option. During COVID, I certainly wasn’t exercising indoors. Gyms are reopened now, but I still prefer to be outside.
Do you listen to music or podcasts while walking?
Right now, I’m actually memorizing my show while I walk. I do a lot of my best work when I'm moving!
That was my next question! Does being active help with your creative process?
Yes, for me, exercising outdoors is a creative stimulant. Being active outside — where I can enjoy the scenery instead of staring ahead at the gym — brings out my creativity. I come up with ideas much more easily when I'm moving around.
Do you prefer to exercise in the morning or afternoon?
Well, I'm 66 now, so I get up very early, but it's not by choice! My body clock has changed a lot. When I started my stand-up career, I was a night owl, not going to sleep until 2 am and sleeping until 10 am. Now I get up early to take care of the dog, and I really like to exercise in the morning.
After suffering with an eating disorder for so many years, what is your current motivation for exercising?
The anorexic mentality never goes away, so the motivation to “not gain weight,” is still there, sadly. The irrational part of my mind thinks that if I try hard enough, I can look like I’m 30 again, but that’s obviously not going to happen.
One of the best lessons for me has been learning to accept myself. Who I am is good enough. Compared to how I was 35 years ago, I’ve come a long way — I eat three healthy meals a day and I’m at a healthy weight.
So today I’m motivated to exercise because, like everyone, I know it’s good for my heart, muscles, and bones. I really want people to know how important weight bearing exercise, in particular, is for bone health and preventing osteoporosis.
Do you wear a fitness monitor to remind you to get up and move?
Not really. I don't even wear my Apple watch. If I want to know how far I've walked or how many flights of stairs I’ve climbed, my phone can tell me, but I’ve gotten better at not being so hard on myself. It’s also why I don't exercise on the weekend — this is recovery time for me.
Is there a sport or fitness trend that you think you’d like to try?
Swimming is such a great form of exercise. If I had a pool, I would like to think that I would swim a lot. It's easy on the body and I wouldn’t worry about falling and breaking a bone. My sister and her husband enjoy Pickleball, so that might be a fun option.
You mentioned that you’re preparing for your show while walking. What more can you tell me about Does This Show Make Me Look Fat?
I've been working on this show on and off — I’m embarrassed to say — for 20 years, so it has gone through many iterations. It's a departure for me because it’s not a comedy club kind of show. It's not stand-up and it's not all funny. It's very autobiographical — parts of it are funny, but parts of it are pretty intense.
It covers perfectionism, control, and how anorexia became my drug of choice. I talk about my childhood, being a compulsive eater as a teenager, and developing a very unhealthy friendship with a college roommate. When this roommate decided to ‘drop’ me as a friend, I was so traumatized that I moved back in with my parents. That’s when I decided I would take control of my life — lose weight and get very skinny.
So I cover a lot of issues in the show, and I’m really excited about it. It’s the first time I’ve produced a show myself. I’m co-writing with Laura Philbin Coyle, who is directing me, and I’ll be performing it at the Pico Playhouse in Los Angeles on June 3, 4, and 5.
Would you like to take your show on the road, and if so — of course I have to ask — will you make time for exercise?
Whenever I travel, I look for opportunities to work out, whether it's in a gym, outdoors, or just doing floor exercises in my hotel room.
I would definitely like to bring my show to other cities. I’d also like to perform it in schools because I think my experience could help young people who might be dealing with an eating disorder. Maybe something I say will make them feel less alone. I also would love to do it as a television special so that I can reach a larger audience.
I really appreciated hearing Cathy Ladman’s honest and personal perspective on healthy exercise, and I hope that her show will air on television.
Thank you, @CathyLadman
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