A Little Blog-spiration

I did a little digging.

Out there, in the Blog Garden, I found a few ripe for the picking.

As I can certainly attest to, reading a real person's struggles similar to mine reminds me that I'm not alone in this. Whatever this is.

The following blogs caught my attention, spurred some inspiration, and therefore I decided to pass them along:


Can You Stay For Dinner?

www.canyoustayfordinner.com

The reason I love this blog is... because she has loved herself at every size. You have probably seen a referece to her blog before. I love her. I think she is wonderful. Her writing style is fantastic, her food photos make me drool, her journey and place in life are very similar to my own, and she has a great love of food - despite her previous obesity. Her blog is one of the first I discovered in the Blog Garden of Weight Loss. Her book comes out next year. I am so pre-ordering that memoir!


Escape Frome Obesity

http://www.escapefromobesity.net/

  

The reason I love this blog is... because she made a very difficult change in her already very busy life. And, she has gained back some of her lost weight - which I can also relate to. When I first started losing weight, I was working part time, living at home, and losing weight was my 'real' job. Now, I am so busy with life and have to make my health a priority; it isn't convenient much of the time. This woman did just that; and as a mom, no less! Her honesty and perseverance inspire me to keep going.


The Token Fat Girl: Seeking a Bigger Life in a Smaller Body



http://www.myallnaturalweightloss.com/



The reason I love this blog is... because she's not at her goal weight. She hasn't ever reached her goal weight. She's still on the journey. As am I. And what a long journey it can be. In her words, "The Token Fat Girl is a melting pot of food, fashion and fitness. I've struggled with being overweight or obese my entire life and while I don't agree that I can be obese and healthy, I do believe that it shouldn't stop me from living a pretty decent life." She has a recent post about caring too much about what others think and how that can stop her from doing the things she really wants to do. Wow, that sounds so familiar! Preach it, Sister!

The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl!


http://www.dietgirl.org/dietgirl/

 
The reason I love this blog is... because she addresses her relationship with food in a way that resonates with my story. As she put it, "Food has never just been food for me - it's been an escape from the world; a comfort and a coping mechanism. It's taken me a long time but I'm finally understanding my relationship with food and I've developed a healthier attitude to both my body and the way I eat." This is what I'm striving for! Also, she wrote a book - I'd like to read it!


Fit to the Finish: 150 Pounds Gone Forever


http://www.fittothefinish.com/





The reason I love this blog is... because she has kept off the weight for over thirteen years and through three pregnancies. One of my fears is that I will reach my goal weight and won't be able to maintain it. Her story is indeed inspirational. A mom to seven! One thing I noticed, however, is that she is pretty hard on herself in her "before" pictures. Her captions paint a picture of self-loathing. Making cookies isn't a bad thing. Making them all the time might be; but I hope to find a balance between maintainence and moderation. Nevertheless, this Dr. Oz featured lady has great advice and offers hope for success! In fact, she now teaches others how to lose weight and get healthy. If the opportunity arose, I think I would be a good weight-loss coach/teacher/counselor. Pipe dream, perhaps.


The World According to Bitch Cakes

http://abitchcakesworld.blogspot.com/

The reason I love this blog is... because she is funny and excentric. This blog, Explicit Content warning, details a self-titled Glamour Girl who spends most of her days riding around New York City on her pink bicycle showing off her tattoos (which she hates, check out her blog for her reasons) in skirts, high heels, and a pink boustier. She joined Weight Watchers years back and has documented her journey in full color and with loads of personality. I can't relate to her at all! - Except for her desire to be healthy. She's vegan, wears skirts on a bike, swears, is covered in tattoos, and wears red lipstick - and she has lost weight, which she has thus far kept off. You go, Girl!






I do not know any of these women personally, but I know their struggle. In that, we are kindred spirits. Their words and photos inspire me. Their vision for success, their willingness to push through tremendous obstacles, their fire and passion to be themselves - in one way or another they all tell a piece of my own story.

So go check them out and let me know what you think!


So tell me: What great blogs are you reading? Pass them along!

Book Review: J-Hud

Because of my crazy schedule, years of forced reading, and tendency to stare into space when I could be reading - I do not read nearly as much as I used to. And I love to read! Once in a while, though, a book or series will capture my attention, and I will devour it as quickly as humanly possible. All of the Harry Potters and the Hunger Games were like this.

While reading Jennifer Hudson's blog via the Weight Watchers website a bit ago, I discovered that she put out a book this January. As I think she is fabulous and a great inspiration, I decided to add it my my iPhone Kindle app and do some digital reading!

After finishing this book in two days, I can tell you this is not a literary revolution. It is simple, to the point, and written by a singer-slash-actress, not a writer. It shows. But this is what drew me in quickly enough that I spent the majority of a drive to the in-laws with my iPhone shining in my face instead of making conversation with my husband and his aunt. It felt like I had sat down to coffee with Jennifer, who goes by "Jenny" in her family, and listened to her recount her story. A story much like mine. I felt the same way when I read Kristin Chenoweth's autobiography. Less like mine, but absolutely hilarious and intriguing.

Much of Ms. Hudson's book is about her journey with Weight Watchers; while it is certainly a huge endorsement, it is so much more than that. Jennifer's story with weight could be anyone else's. She didn't lose weight by paying a huge staff to cook for her and do all her shopping. She did this on her own - which is why I respect her as a role model in weight loss.

Jennifer grew up as a bigger girl. She didn't necessarily see herself as "fat", her whole family was large (not to mention, centered around good food), and she was more focused on her emerging talent than her appearance. This I can relate to. I thought the adobe-colored leggings and coordinating flannel button-up shirt were stylish. I had clunky boots to match. The other kids were well aware of my size, though to me it was simply being part of my family. It took me a while to realize I was different, or at least viewed as such.

After I got through Jennifer's childhood and high school years, I got to experience her journey to fame through her eyes. American Idol, wedding gigs, Disney cruise, Dreamgirls, an Oscar, an album, a Grammy, and so much more. (It's funny - even though I, too, love to sing - I would never have wanted this life. Performing a musical theatre number brings immense joy to my heart, and I have been on stage since I was little. Hopefully, music and theatre will always be a part of my life in some capacity, but I do not envy the constant travel and life-under-a-microscope.)

What struck me most about this book was Jennifer's focus on why she got healthy - and how she did it. In the long run, it really had very little to do with Weight Watchers. That is just a program, a vehicle. Without the motivation, the drive, she would not have been successful. She made it very clear that she has loved her body at every size she has been at. Getting to a healthy weight had more to do with her desire to be energetic and involved with her son and less to do with a number. (However, we share an obsession with the scale; I weigh several times a week, usually out of curiosity.)

I may never get to the same proportional size as Jennifer did, or wear the stunning dresses that she has modeled on the red carpet, but I do believe that I am changing my life for the right reasons and in the right way.

Since I re-started Weight Watchers at the beginning of January, which is to say I re-started my weight loss journey (over two years and counting), I have had a loss nearly every week. But it has been slow going. When I started in 2010, my losses were more dramatic, which allowed me to see more for my work. This time, my losses are slower, but more consistent. I haven't binged since January 26th. No food group has been cut out of my diet. In fact, I'm not really on a diet. Yes, many consider Weight Watchers a "diet", but I see it as a way to structure my relationship with food - something I've never been good at. It is a tool, not a quick fix.

This journey is now about long term health, not a fad diet. Even if it takes me another two years to reach the healthiest weight for my body (not just my current goal weight), it will be well worth it if I can keep it off. If my maintenance can last, if I can keep from yo-yo dieting, if I can focus on practicing a healthy relationship with food, then I'll give it all the time in the world.

I'm not giving up or quitting. This change is for good, in more ways than one.

As Jennifer would say, "I got this!"