Well known as an American author, socialite and former editor of Elle Accessories and a former model is Kelly Killoren Bensimon. She has appeared in magazines such as Elle, Cosmopolitan, and Harper’s Bazaar. She was once the face of Clarins. She is the editor at large for Hamptons Magazine, a free weekly with circulation of 40,000 to 50,000 and Gotham Magazine. can’t do.
In her interview to Women Fitness she talks about her career, diet, exercise etc. Read on to learn more..
Namita Nayyar:
1. You have been a model since the age of 16 years, having been discovered in Elite Model’s “Look of The Year” contest. Starting off as a model at a young age what motivated you for the same?
Kelly Killoren Bensimon:
Back then, what I call the ice age, the trend for models was a healthy blonde blue eyed girl. I was a competitive swimmer with long legs and dark hair. Cindy Crawford and Elle MacPherson were already successful and started to change the new look and trend. They paved the way for girls who looked like me to be in the business. How did you overcome the inhibitions to face the camera? I wasn’t intimidated by the camera, I would just smile. And, I admit to practicing with a Polaroid camera to see how my face looked doing different poses. I remember vividly sitting at my white wicker legged desk in my pink and white bedroom. I was trying different facial expressions while listening to the Violent Femmes song, ‘Kiss Me on the Bus.’ I was wearing a freshly cut grey sweatshirt, which exposed one shoulder. My makeup was Indian Earth bronzer, which came in a pot.
Namita Nayyar:
It was a college professor that encouraged you to start writing for the magazines in which your pictures were appearing. Starting at Hamptons magazine, you later went on to become Editor of Elle Accessories. Share your journey from being a model to a content writer?
Kelly Killoren Bensimon:
I was at the right place at the right time. I met a Creative Writing professor at Columbia University, Professor Alan Ziegler, who liked my storytelling and my fresh, unique, and raw way of describing my experiences. He was such a pioneer in his thinking and encouraged me to write for magazines for free. I was the model in the image, and the text was my experience. He literally made me a content provider, and encouraged me to write my opinions and impressions of the subject matter. He gave me a voice. I created columns to connect advertisers to incredible demographic areas like the Hamptons. It was crazy for we could see the following Monday how many dresses/ shoes/ watches were sold after the magazine hit the doorstep of The Golden Pear in Southampton. It was really exciting. I brought that same infectious enthusiasm to Elle Accessories. I hired more aggressive writers who were later stolen by Harpers Bazaar and, I had men talk about women in a woman’s magazine (Proust style)- which was unheard of. I was obsessed with Proust, and I wanted women to hear what men thought of them. I was always interested in how men saw women.
Elle Accessories was powerful because the messaging was different from other magazines. Accessories are democratic and don’t have an age or size. So, the 14 year old girl was reading the magazine and the 40 year old mom was buying the products- when that happens, you have a brand. The anthologies were different. I didn’t have Google. I had libraries, librarians, and incredible story tellers who shared their memories with me. I had the incredible luxury to synthesize all of these incredible stories and color the pages with my friends personal family photos, and images from the incredible photographers I worked with. All of Assouline anthologies In the Spirit of the Hamptons I,II; American Style, and the Bikini Book are very special to me.
Full Interview Continued On Next Page
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Namita Nayyar:
Share more input on The KKB 3-Day Supermodel Diet which is “a three-day diet, (in) which you can actually lose three to five pounds.”?
Kelly Killoren Bensimon:
First you literally lose water weight as we all know. The Supermodel Diet from I Can Make You Hot (healthy options today) consists of no sugar, no carbs, no dairy, no caffeine, and no alcohol for three days. The takeaway from the Supermodel diet is you finish with bright eyes, hydrated skin, and a relaxed mindset. Feeling beautiful makes a woman a lot more beautiful than not eating and overworking their bodies. If the dress doesn’t fit, wear Spanx. I was athletic and am a mother of two girls, healthful living and mindset are very important to me.
Namita Nayyar:
You lost 50 pounds twice. When did that happen and how did you manage that? Provide your input on an idle fitness regime to lose extra weight post-pregnancy?
Kelly Killoren Bensimon:
I gained a lot of weight for both pregnancies. It wasn’t like I was overeating or indulging, my body just needed the weight. I saw myself as a vessel for my child. I never was obsessed with my post body weight. Though I did give birth around the same time as both Madonna and Elle MacPherson-one was in a bikini days after and the other was doing headstands. I just don’t identify with pushing myself to be a certain weight, I also didn’t have the social pressure that celebrities have.
I was a writer. So, my process had to be my own. For Sea, I lost a lot of weight very fast for I had a lot of fear raising my daughter alone while my ex-husband traveled. And for Teddy, I just couldn’t get the weight off for a while. People would ask me if I was pregnant again after giving birth- I would respond, ‘No, just working and trying to raise two kids on my own.’ Its rare to hear anyone talk about the new schedule (balancing work and sleep), the dynamic of having two young kids under two, and trying to work at the same time. We only hear about the baby clothes- not the tactile how do we do this ! I really have a lot of empathy for full time working mothers. So, weight for me with Teddy was going to come off at some point- it wasn’t my focus, and it shouldn’t be yours.
Namita Nayyar:
In order to shed weight women go on to try all kinds of fad diet. You too as a model might have faced similar challenges what’s your say on the same?
Kelly Killoren Bensimon:
When I was a model, I had limited funds and would walk everywhere and eat an apple a day-which didn’t work. I also tried the white diet which was only carbs- so you ate oatmeal all day. I was also a vegetarian for a bit. I tried it all, unsuccessfully. Running the cities is what kept my weight down, made me happy, and showed me the new environs I wouldn’t have noticed. Just me, Nike sneakers and a Walkman.
Namita Nayyar:
You have recommended drinking a warm liquid, such as miso soup, before a meal to feel full faster. How does that work in managing weight?
Kelly Killoren Bensimon:
I like warm camomile tea or a miso before a meal. Liquid fills you up, so you are less prone to overeating while you are out.
Namita Nayyar:
How do you manage your skin and hair routine?
Kelly Killoren Bensimon:
My skin and my hair are a direct correlation to my healthful lifestyle. You can really tell a lot about persons eating habits by their skin and hair. The healthier you are, the more vibrant your skin appears and feels. It’s also DNA and genetics. I have good Austrian and Irish genes, so I’m not going to preach false truths. But I do encourage women to be vain, and take care of themselves. Make sure you wash your face every night, use a face scrub. Think of it like a man shaving every day. Exfoliate every day, and always moisturize.
Namita Nayyar:
Share 5 motivational weight loss tips for women across the globe?
Kelly Killoren Bensimon:
Wow! 5? I really stick by my food uniform during the week. 5 days a week you eat fruits, vegetables, and proteins.
Sunday is your Fun day to cook whatever you family loves and enjoy making a meal. I strongly believe in eating together as a family and cooking with your family. Sea makes the most delicious pancakes. They are our favorite family birthday treat!
My daughter Teddy is a vegan, and I eat vegan with her when she’s back from college. Being an empty nester has been hard on me and my diet. I really have to be mindful of what I eat. It’s only me and my dog Fluffy at home- dining with a dog is complicated.
Namita Nayyar:
Person you always look up to?
Kelly Killoren Bensimon:
For myself, I look up to and admire my dad. He’s the most hardworking and kind man. He would take me to swim meets, traveled with my mother to meet me when I modeled, and always took my international phone calls. He’s nurtured me to be the best version of me.
I also look up to my kids. They inspire me daily and push me to think out of the box. Just last week, my oldest daughter told me to write another book for Assouline on fashion to celebrate and authenticate bloggers, and to write a novel on real estate. I have a lot of stories about real estate and bloggers…
Namita Nayyar:
Being a mother especially a working mom requires great time management skills? How do you manage your personal & professional life?
Kelly Killoren Bensimon:
Time management is crucial. Exercise really helps me manage my time well. I like to run for 20 mins before I start my day, and that really keeps me motivated and even tempered throughout the day. I am also keen on working smarter, not harder. So I create lists I can actually do versus just writing down things I will never get to. My office was my coat closet. I put a chandelier inside to make it glamorous, and when I’m done with my work, I literally tie a bow on the outside of the door. I’m a KISS kind of person: Keep It Simple, Stupid!
Namita Nayyar:
Message for Women Fitness Viewers?
Kelly Killoren Bensimon:
I would love for every woman to be as vain as possible. Believe in yourself and be the best version of YOU. With that confidence, you can then help others.
It’s been a rough road to get to this point for me, and I understand how much negativity can get to us. We all need to believe in ourselves, first.
All content on this site is copyright of Women Fitness and no part of any article found on this site may be reproduced without an express permission and highlighted, do follow link crediting http:// www.womenfitness.net/ or preferably the original page as the source. This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2019 Women Fitness