When I first started writing this blog back in February it was really just an exercise in getting my thoughts out and sharing my story. I had already lost all the weight. I wasn’t interested in documenting my weekly weigh-ins or sharing my milestones.
When I first started reading other blogs, I realized there was another “world” out there of bloggers who documented their food! Being new to the community, I thought that was what I “should” do. I started taking pictures of my food (to the great annoyance of my supportive BF ð ) but I quickly realized a few things:
âĶI eat really boring food.
âĶI eat the same food for weeks on end. Seriously. Michael and I are happy campers to eat scrambled eggs for breakfast every day. ð
âĶI do not like cooking. I like cooking with Michael but really, I just do the prepping, the chopping, etc.
âĶI don’t have any creativity when it comes to cooking. I wish I did. I wish I could think up recipes, or figure out substitutes for ingredients.
So in the last few weeks the food pictures have dwindled a bit and I now only take photos of dinner usually. That’s because dinner is usually varied night to night (unlike breakfast which is the same thing every day). I realized that I was bored writing about the same food–and knew that meant people would be bored reading about the same food.
That left me wondering, what kind of blog is this?
Hollaback Health posted an article recently about defining your blog. I found it an interesting read because of the things I stated above. So where does my blog fall in the spectrum of “Fit Blogs”?
I think my blog is different for a lot of reasons. To name just a few:
1. I lost the weight on my own, with counting calories, exercising, and no “program.” I think this can appeal to a wider audience who maybe can’t afford to do Weight Watchers/Jenny Craig/join a gym, etc.
2. I am interested in different kinds of exercise. Not a runner? That’s okay–I write a lot about my hikes, biking adventures, my swimming routine, and also running. I was apparently Cross-Training and not even aware of it!
Still, I don’t know how to define my blog.
The way my blog is evolving lately, it’s becoming more about the events I’m training for and participating in. Reach the Beach, Hood to Coast, and previously: Run Like Hell and the Shamrock Run. I love sharing my hiking adventures, and I’m learning to look at food as FUEL in order to do these things.
QUESTION: If you have a blog, do you feel like you need to define it? Or do you just write what you feel?
Kellie
I’m in the same boat as you. I am not one to cook, so there is never interesting recipes. I also like to eat the same thing everyday. I enjoy seeing the different ways you excercise and stay active. Even though it might be the same thing, I still like seeing what people eat everyday. I like reading your blog no matter what you do.
hundredtenpounds
Thanks Kellie! I love your blog because I can really relate to your story in many ways. ð Glad I’m not the only one that doesn’t like cooking, too!!
Julie @ Pickley Pear
Just this week, I had this conversation with myself. What makes my blog so special? What is the mission/goal? I started it for my own motivation to eat healthy, cook more often and share my workouts/races, etc. It’s getting to the point where I don’t have a focus for my readers. I totally know what you mean. On a positive note, I love reading your blog, your stories. Maygbe I’m too interested in other people’s lives ð I find your story very motivating!
hundredtenpounds
Julie, I like your blog because you’re honest about your WW experience. I don’t do WW but I count calories and that’s essentially the same. So I can relate. ð
Beth
I do think about this often because there really are SO many blogs out there. I do really try to vary my eats a lot and feel that i’m pretty creative with foods. I’m a good cook, and luckily have a chef for a boyfriend who gives me a lot of tips. I like documetning all my meals/snacks to show that people can really maintain a substantial weight loss (80 pounds) while eating delicious and nutritious food. A lot of the other health bloggers have lost 10-20 pounds, which is still a LOT, but not something people who have 50+ pounds to lose can relate to as much.
hundredtenpounds
I agree with you, Beth. I did a “spring cleaning” with the blogs I was following and decided not to continue reading the ones I couldn’t relate to.
And even though I don’t cook, I love seeing your recipes! The Eggplant Parm looks amazing. ð
Susan
I like to think my blog is always evolving. It’s very much a “lifestyle” blog, mainly about my own life. Since my life always seems to be in a state of flux these days, my blog follows. But it’s always primarily been about food and fitness. When I sit down to write at the end of the day, it’s what I focus on. Hopefully it’s stuff people can relate to. Especially the food – I eat pretty damn simply! ð
Ivie
I started my blog when I started my weight-loss, and still have a long ways to go. So by posting my food, it keeps me accountable. I probably won’t take pictures all the time when I am in Maintenance mode. I’ll probably switch over to Featured Recipes and my posts may become less frequent. I only post once a day, so I add food, thoughts, and workouts into one post. I use my blog more, for easy directions to the ones I read for encouragement (in my blog roll)……I love reading yours, so whether it is defined or not, you keep it interesting.
hundredtenpounds
Thanks. ð I like reading your blog because I can relate to your journey. I remember being where you are AND you live in Seattle which is awesome!
Lori (Finding Radiance)
My blog has evolved over time a lot. I don’t necessarily want to pigeon hole it because it can change. It started as just a weight loss blog. Then it became more geared towards maintenance. Then last year it was very fitness oriented with all my training. Now it is pretty much healthy living.
I feel like my blog is different in a lot of ways *because* of where it is now. I don’t quite fit any category as I am older than most healthy living bloggers, I am mostly a maintainer instead of a loser (although I would like to lose 10 more).
hundredtenpounds
I think it’s normal for the blog to change because we change as people. The trick is keeping it interesting!
Toni McAlister
I typically write what I think about when I’m running. I like your blog, its encouraging cuz I just started too ð
Alan
I can relate to this! I am experiencing an evolution with my blog, too, trying things on and so forth. I’m also finding the whole experience eerily reminiscent of my dissertation, which I had to decide if it was for others or for me, how narrow or broad the focus should be, etc. My only clarity so far is that great blogs tell a great story and have a great story to tell. The latter is so important. Reach the Beach gave you that great story. For me, I’m at 22 pounds down, but if I don’t really get in shape, there aren’t enough blogging gimmicks for anyone to care. So I’m working on building a great story for now…and we’ll see where the blog goes.
hundredtenpounds
I think your blog can appeal to more people because you’re currently in the journey to lose weight. I think everyone can relate to that struggle!