The Magical, Mystical Interwebs

I started blogging because I wanted transparency, honesty & the accountability that comes with laying yourself bare.  I wanted to acknowledge my problem publicly & stop hiding in the shadows of embarrassment & shame.  I also knew that my battle was primarily a mental one (as opposed to a physical issue) & I needed to hash out my thoughts & pick apart my stumbling blocks.  At the time I was about 50 lbs down & in the middle of a slump.  I didn't care if anyone read a single word I ever wrote because I was doing it for me.

I maintain that my blog is one of the most selfish things I've ever done.  It's narcissistic, it's hedonistic & it's just plain self-absorbed, but it has been a HUGE tool in getting me where I need to go by giving me a "safe" place to have a brain dump.  Sometimes the act of writing something out makes an idea clearer than if I just left it rattling around in my head.  Just as I originally hoped, blogging has helped propel me through that initial slump & two more that followed. 

What I wasn't prepared for was how the online community would play such a role in bolstering me during hard times, cheering me on in good times & being an endless source of inspiration & motivation along the way.  So here, in no particular order (& in no way is this an exhaustive list) are just a few of the online people that I steal inspiration & ideas from daily:

12 to 13[.1]: formerly "Ashleyanne is Doing It," I think I love this because she represents someone reclaiming her 20's.  I started my journey on my 30th birthday & there are times when I ride the bitter bus whilst wishing that I had picked myself up by my boob-straps in my 20's & experienced youth AND health at the same time.  Ashleyanne is a non-stop fountain of determination & I LOVE reading about her tackling & achieving her goals.  Plus, she's a little sassy, which is ALWAYS a plus in my book.

Workout Girl: It's not a mistake that I've linked to her Facebook page as opposed to her blog.  While her blog is great & definitely worth reading (she's very no-nonsense & honest about her ups & downs), Tiffany's strongest asset is her ability to be a ceaseless cheerleader & coach to those around her & she uses her Facebook page as a fantastic tool to spread the word that "you can do it!"  I smile every time I visit her page...& then I feel like I should go for a run...while still smiling.  Impressive.

Inspired Chunky Mama: There are a lot of food blogs out there.  I wouldn't say that this is an exclusively food blog, but I will say that most of her food posts (along with their accompanying pictures) make me want to lick my monitor & are EASY to make.  That's a must for me.  When she's not posting her wonderful recipes, she's talking about her struggles & running & posting great play lists.  I find her incredibly relateable...possibly because we're in a very similar stage of life, but also because of her writing style.

Fat Girl Fights Back:  I love this blog because she is in the trenches, she is brutally honest & she is fearless.  She regularly is pushing the boundaries of her comfort zone in order to reach her goals (two words: roller derby).  I love that she is done letting her weight steal opportunities from her.

This is Not a Diet-it's my life: I have only recently found this gem, but it is absolutely speaking to me right now.  Authored by a woman who has met her weight loss goal, it's a nice look at life on the "other side."  I've been digging through her old posts & am struck by what focus & clarity she has.  She is incredibly well informed & clearly well read & a top-notch writer.  Her perspective on healthy living & clean eating as an attainable lifestyle for everyone is just what I need right now.  And she delivers it all without sounding preachy.  Wowza.

Sara-Use it 2 lose it: Another Facebook gem, Sara is the definition of supportive.  Feeling down?  She'll perk you up.  Her Facebook notes about body image, self esteem & team work remind me that there is so much good in the world, even when I'm having a pity party.

I could go on & on.  I expected the online portion of my journey to be very isolated & one sided.  Today I'm feeling overwhelmingly thankful for the community & support of the invisible people on the interwebs--a big thank you to you all!