For Karen, eating less food was becoming an obsession.
She cut back whenever she could and then overly rationalized her behavior with comments like this one from 1973: “When you’re on the road it’s hard to eat. Period. On top of that, it’s rough to eat well. We don’t like to eat before a show because I can’t stand singing with a full stomach. . .”
Always a Tomboy at Heart
As a drummer, Karen was a rarity. Drumming has always been a sort of glass ceiling of the rock ‘n’ roll world for women, but she banged and busted through. She liked to call herself a drummer who sings. As a kid, she loved to play sports. She loved the New York Yankees and she loved playing ball in her old New Haven neighborhood. It was Karen who was into sports while her brother was inside playing the piano or listening to music.
Karen grew up in a very conservative family. President Nixon once referred to the Carpenters as “young America at its best.” And so, she probably took her mother’s view when it came to women’s liberation. Her mom stayed home and cooked for her husband and family, and Karen approved. They had an idyllic childhood, after all.
Karen Doubles Down on Dieting
Before Karen tried the Stillman diet and hit the perfect weight, she had always been a little chubby. She did not want to go back to her childhood chubbiness again. She saw a picture of herself performing at one of their shows, she thought she looked heavy and decided to put a stop to it right away. She hired a trainer, but it didn’t work out.
The trainer helped her lose weight, but the high-carb, low-calorie diet and exercise regiment resulted in her gaining muscle. She wanted to look thin, so she took things into her own hands. She lost 20 pounds in no time and was heading toward the days when her weight would become the concern of everyone around her.
Losing Weight Becomes an Obsession
Karen was slim and trim and looking good. But inside, the obsession about her weight was getting bad. Those around her were beginning to worry.
Her ex-boyfriend’s sister and record executive Carole Curb said, “She weighed 110 pounds or so, and looked amazing.” Adding, “If she’d been able to stop there, then life would have been beautiful."
Richard Gets Concerned
At first, Richard thought nothing of it. Assuming her weight loss was the result of successful work with her personal trainer, he congratulated her saying, “You look great.”
Karen replied, “Well, I’m just going to get down to around 105.” Worried about her response, Richard said, “A hundred and five? You look great now.” Karen was not convinced.