Why Gwyneth Paltrow isn't 300 lbs.

Hollywood- the land of hopes and dreams... along with drug problems, alcoholism, eating disorders, and image-consciousness. But for now, let's just stick with that last one.
It's no surprise that some of the leading names in Hollywood just happen to be fit and attractive- in this business, success is equated with body image, specifically in terms of weight. Actors and actresses are constantly pressured by the media, agents, directors, and yes, even each other, to lose weight in order to become successful. And despite the success of "larger" women such as Queen Latifah, Mellissa McCarthy, and Octavia Spencer, this pressure to be thin isn't going away.
Although this trend of "sizeism," as it's commonly referred to, is generally frowned upon (just look at Ashley Judd or Tyra Banks), some actually encourage it. Several actors have come forward, citing Gwyneth Paltrow, someone known for her thin figure, as their chief motivation to shed weight, quoting her saying "you are your best advertisement."
Besides other actors, a large portion of this pressure is put on by agents and directors themselves- we all remember Christian Bale dangerously losing over 60 pounds for his role in The Machinist:

 

So why does this unhealthy pressure remain? Simple as this- actors know that if they aren't willing to lose the weight, someone else will. And while some fight the sizeism that comes with Hollywood, many succumb to it, if not for the positive attention, then for the job security.
If so many are willing to go along with this trend, though, how will it be stopped?

Source-
Sirs: The Skinny on Hollywood Peer Pressure