A Weight Loss Mistake Beth Maitland Regrets Till This Day: Real-Life story of Y&R veteran

We’ve always had a soft spot for Beth Maitland, but after hearing this throwback story she just shared about weight loss, our love for her just hit another level. Want to know what she still regrets from back in the day? Then, let’s get into it right away.

Beth Maitland appeared in a weight loss commercial

Beth Maitland has been in the entertainment industry for almost half her life, so you know, she has seen it all. She has had her ups and her down. Many of which also reflect in her character in The Young and the Restless as Traci Abbott. She has many experiences and memories that she absolutely adores and there are also some that she regrets till this day. And recently, she just shared one incident that she will never forget but at the same time has taught a very important and valuable message.

In an interview with the Soap Opera Digest, the Emmy award winner shared a story from her early Hollywood days, back when she was just starting out, trying to make it big in Tinseltown, and it was quite the gig. It all started when a friend hooked her up with an audition for a non-union commercial promoting the Schick Center, a weight-loss clinic that used aversion shock treatment to help people shed pounds.

Yep, you heard that right – shock therapy for weight loss!  This was way before Jenny Craig offered up less shocking alternatives. She did the commercial with a photoshoot and  it even got her the golden ticket to join the Screen Actors Guild union.

But, oh boy, did it give her way more exposure than she ever bargained for. She said,  “Here I was, a 20-year-old hoping to break into show business, and I found myself in full-page ads in the L.A. Times, holding out my clothes at the waistline with a pained expression, for a shock therapy center”.

Beth Maitland struggled with body image issues

 

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A post shared by Beth Maitland (@bethmaitlanddqb)

Now, this commercial turned out to be more than just a job; it was a major life lesson and an eye opener for the beloved actress. First, it was like a sneak peek into the future storylines her Young & Restless character, Traci Abbott, would dive into – dealing with issues like bulimia, diet pill addiction, and bullying. But beyond that, it taught her to think through her choices carefully. She said, “And secondly, I learned to think through my choices. I had done something a bit embarrassing, so I had to really process what the consequences would mean to me.”

Now, she’s older and wiser, and she’s secure and confident enough to open up about accepting jobs carefully. 

But here’s the real gem she walked away with: a profound truth about body image. She discovered that it’s heavily influenced by advertising and judgment, and it has absolutely nothing to do with who’s residing inside that body. Beth has said how she used to struggle with body image too and how she was treated by the agencies in her early days for being overweight. One of them even said, “Until you lose weight we’ll have a terrible problem with you,” which sounds totally absurd now. All those experiences have shaped Beth into the strong and confident woman she is now.

It’s no surprise that we still adore Beth Maitland, both inside and out. These experiences might have been an unexpected detour on her Hollywood journey, but it taught her lessons that have stuck with her throughout her career and life. 

Beth’s weight loss journey has made her stories even more fascinating and relatable. And don’t forget to let us know your thoughts in the comments too.