5 6 7 nuggets of wisdom from weight loss bloggers
A few weeks ago, I decided to discover the world of weight loss bloggers.
Since then, I’ve been reading blog posts about motivation, about weight loss progress, struggles, diets and so on.
I looked at these weight loss bloggers’ before and after photos or like Annabel likes to say : her before and forever photos.
I also saw photos of their families, their children, their dogs, their cats or even read about Catherine’s love of bunnies.
Some of them even share the size of their waist, hips or thighs.
So one thing is for sure, weight loss blogging can get really really personal. And that’s what makes it special!
***
Weight loss is often seen, by those who don’t understand it, as an easy thing to do. JUST eat less ! people would say.
But after working 9 years in my private clinic, I can tell you that one thing is for sure : it is NOT that simple !
I actually find it ironic that people understand how difficult it can be to stop smoking but don’t understand how difficult it can be to change eating habits.
Cigarette smoking IS a bad habit. Full stop. Either you smoke, or you don’t smoke. That’s it.
But eating is NOT just a bad habit. It is not either you eat or you don’t. You still have to eat, you still have to deal with food every day. We make an average of 226.7 food-related decisions per day. And THAT is a lot to handle and to change.
And that is why weight loss bloggers exist. Because it is a journey, it is a process.
These weight loss bloggers started out wanting to share their story, maybe find some support. But in the end, THEY are the ones providing this support to their readers and followers.
What’s interesting also is that many of these weight loss bloggers have progressed in front of their readers’ eyes. For example, Andie wrote a book, Emily is now a plus size fashionista and Roni has a food blog.
I find all this very positive and inspiring. This part is great !
Now let me give you my experienced nutritionist’s point of view.
Not all weight loss bloggers are good for you to follow. Not all weight loss bloggers have a positive message. Not all weight loss bloggers will help you achieve a better, healthier life, and you should be aware of that.
And here is why : It’s all about the mindset !
During all these years working, I have noticed that there is one major component that makes a huge difference.
This is what separates those who succeed and manage to maintain results on the long term and those who tend to struggle more.
This major component is, once again : the mindset.
If the weight loss blogger you are following aims for global health, for self-love, for a happier, healthier life then this is a good thing.
But if the weight loss blogger you are following is obsessed with just his or her weight, will do anything to shred a few pounds, will ignore his or her body signals, will risk his or her health and general well-being to get to his or her goal then this is a bad thing.
Of course I didn’t read all the blog posts of all the weight loss bloggers out there. This will take me years !
But I did read a lot and you can very quickly get a general feel of what is going on and what the message is.
So what I did is ask a few of them if I could share some excerpts from their blogs. 5 6 7 gorgeous women answered 🙂
Here are excerpts that I find good, that I find encouraging, that help you go in the right direction.
***
‘Ten years ago, I began my weight loss journey — one that lasted for 13 humbling months and concluded with me losing 135 pounds. It was the most transformative experience of my life — and not simply in the ways one might expect. Of course, I had changed my body dramatically. But once my body changed, the work wasn’t done; I had to transform my relationship with my body and eating. ’
‘The media gives the impression that health is defined by a six-pack or long lean legs and because my aim was to always be healthy, but I was not getting that six-pack or long lean legs, I thought I wasn’t healthy. Then I realised – that isn’t what healthy means to me. To me, healthy means being able to be active without getting out of breath, being at a weight that I am happy at, and having found a balance where I can still enjoy eating some cake or having a bottle of wine and knowing that it hasn’t ruined anything. Once I figured that out, every time I look at my body and think it isn’t “perfect”, I remind myself that I am healthy, because I have found a balance that I am happy with. ’
‘It has become more than apparent to me that my transformation has to be both inside and out.
And maybe this is why I can only get so far in my weight loss before I regress and regain.
I have been taking two steps forward and three steps back for a long time.
But I have learned so much along the way.
My transformation will include weight loss because I am truly trying to reach overall HEALTH. But it will also include overall self-improvement and stepping out of my comfort zone.’
‘I no longer buy diet or fitness-centric magazines, I don’t peruse weight loss books at Barnes & Noble, I immediately turn off any infomercial making any kind of body or weight-loss claims, and weight-loss supplements don’t exist in my world. They just don’t. (…)
I can’t be apart of the madness any longer. ’‘Carrots ‘N’ Cake is where I share my love of food, staying fit, and living a healthy life. While I try to pack the most nutrients possible into each meal, I have a number of favorite foods that are not necessarily “healthy,” but are still delicious and fun to eat. If eaten in moderation, I believe that the “bad” foods can be part of a well-balanced diet– hence, Carrots ‘N’ Cake!’
‘This was about me. I did this to myself, I was the only one who could fix it. It took years to get me to the morbidly obese body, it was going to take just as long to get rid of it.
Everything you hear those nutty nutritionist’s say – DO IT…they actually know what they are talking about! It’s hard – it is a pain in the ass. But guess what? It works! I ‘‘What I do know is that eating right and moving my body makes me a happier person and therefore, a better mom. I know that I feel awesome in my own strength, and I want others to feel the same. It’s easy to go around not changing anything, and change is scary, but damn, is it ever worth it ’
Please participate in the conversation and leave a comment below.
I’ll be very happy to read what you have to say.
Do you follow a weight loss blogger ? Do you have any suggestions ?
If you want to be part of my weekly newsletter I suggest you go HERE and subscribe. I would love to count you in!
All the best,
Sofia Abdelkafi Registered nutritionist.
Andie Mitchell
Thank you for featuring me, Sofia! Excellent advice from fellow bloggers here, and I agree with you that mindset makes a difference.
We might not all arrive to the same understandings at the same time, but eventually I think we all come to realize that self-acceptance is a big part of the journey.
Andie
Sofia (Post author)
You are welcome ! And yes acceptance IS a big part of the journey. All the best, Sofia.