I mentioned in an earlier post about the common misconception of only females struggling with their weight.
Read this post and this post.
The Anti Jared is a perfect example and proves that men can be successful weight loss bloggers too.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Overall Thoughts.
This project has been particularly enlightening for me. I've been able to explore things that I never would have known about otherwise.
Some of the blogs that I spent time reading over the course of the semester didn't turn out like I had expected them to, so I didn't get to include then in the final blog. Some of the bloggers stopped regularly updating, some just started posting really boring posts.
With that said, there are a lot of the blogs that I've been following that I will continue to follow. I have found myself relating to the notion of the hyperreal because I know I've formed relationships with these bloggers, but they obviously don't know that. Although I think I'm perfectly able to separate my real relationships from the one's I've formed online throughout this project, I still think it's important to note the overall nature of the blogging community.
Through this journey I've found that there is something out there for everyone, whether you are interested in weight-related blogs, life in the middle of North Dakota, remedies to clogged drains, etc.
I definitely believe that I will become a better blogger [starting this summer after my exams!] because of this project. I really admire some of the relationships that have been formed between the bloggers that I've been following. I can only hope that I'll have such a positive experience once I fully dive-in to the world of blogging!!
Some of the blogs that I spent time reading over the course of the semester didn't turn out like I had expected them to, so I didn't get to include then in the final blog. Some of the bloggers stopped regularly updating, some just started posting really boring posts.
With that said, there are a lot of the blogs that I've been following that I will continue to follow. I have found myself relating to the notion of the hyperreal because I know I've formed relationships with these bloggers, but they obviously don't know that. Although I think I'm perfectly able to separate my real relationships from the one's I've formed online throughout this project, I still think it's important to note the overall nature of the blogging community.
Through this journey I've found that there is something out there for everyone, whether you are interested in weight-related blogs, life in the middle of North Dakota, remedies to clogged drains, etc.
I definitely believe that I will become a better blogger [starting this summer after my exams!] because of this project. I really admire some of the relationships that have been formed between the bloggers that I've been following. I can only hope that I'll have such a positive experience once I fully dive-in to the world of blogging!!
Did You Know?
The word "blogger" wasn't in the dictionary until 1999?
And Microsoft Word 2007 STILL doesn't acknowledge that it's a word.
And Microsoft Word 2007 STILL doesn't acknowledge that it's a word.
Misconception.
I also failed to mention in my post yesterday that not all the weight loss bloggers are middle-aged, while females.
Perhaps my favorite blogger: Jack Sh*it Gettin' Fit is obviously male. And I've already discussed The Anti-Jared [who is also male].
I think that the online blogger weight-loss community is very open to males. I've always gotten the impression that males never felt welcome at Weight Watchers meetings [my mom used to drag my dad to the meetings] and other weight-loss ventures.
The weight-loss blogs are helping men who should lose weight understand that it's okay they aren't able to go into the gym and start lifting massive amounts of weight and run super long distances on the treadmill.
----------
However, with that said, I'll relate female misconception to Pro-Ana.
I spent quite a while searching and I was never able to find a male Pro-Ana blogger.
----------
Also, the prominent Fat Acceptance blogs I have found that I haven't previously mentioned are all updated by females.
Perhaps my favorite blogger: Jack Sh*it Gettin' Fit is obviously male. And I've already discussed The Anti-Jared [who is also male].
I think that the online blogger weight-loss community is very open to males. I've always gotten the impression that males never felt welcome at Weight Watchers meetings [my mom used to drag my dad to the meetings] and other weight-loss ventures.
The weight-loss blogs are helping men who should lose weight understand that it's okay they aren't able to go into the gym and start lifting massive amounts of weight and run super long distances on the treadmill.
----------
However, with that said, I'll relate female misconception to Pro-Ana.
I spent quite a while searching and I was never able to find a male Pro-Ana blogger.
----------
Also, the prominent Fat Acceptance blogs I have found that I haven't previously mentioned are all updated by females.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Pro-Ana.
These blogs have been the most difficult to read. It's difficult for me to understand how people could live such a lifestyle, but I keep trying to remind myself that I probably do things that Pro-Ana wouldn't understand.
Glancing back over the introduction of the Pro-Ana blogs in an earlier post, I have decided a great approach to them is the concept of the hyperreal.
The concept of the hyperreal is part of the post-modernism theory. Basically the hyperreal is the inability to separate what is reality and what isn't.
As I've kept up with these blogs I have noticed that many of them speak of "Ana" as though she is a real person. I suppose I'll never really know if the bloggers actually consider her a person [I emailed questions but never received a response.] but their writings certainly hint at that.
There was a Pro-Ana blog [I think it was called Pro-Ana: My Struggle] that posted conversations between Ana and herself. I wish I were able to locate the blog now, but many of the Pro-Ana bloggers will delete their accounts and set up news blogs with different web addresses so their family and friends won't find the blog.
The sense of community is present within the Pro-Ana blogs, but I have been surprised the more I have read. Most of the bloggers post their daily calorie intake and I have gotten the impression that other bloggers read those intakes and try to "beat" them by consuming less. Some of the blogs even host "friendly" competitions like the one over at Yummy Secrets.
The most interesting Pro-Ana blog I've read over the course of the semester is definitely The Looking Glass. She seems as though she is on the road to what I would consider to be recovery. I will continue to read her blog, simply because I've become somewhat attached to her narrative.
Glancing back over the introduction of the Pro-Ana blogs in an earlier post, I have decided a great approach to them is the concept of the hyperreal.
The concept of the hyperreal is part of the post-modernism theory. Basically the hyperreal is the inability to separate what is reality and what isn't.
As I've kept up with these blogs I have noticed that many of them speak of "Ana" as though she is a real person. I suppose I'll never really know if the bloggers actually consider her a person [I emailed questions but never received a response.] but their writings certainly hint at that.
There was a Pro-Ana blog [I think it was called Pro-Ana: My Struggle] that posted conversations between Ana and herself. I wish I were able to locate the blog now, but many of the Pro-Ana bloggers will delete their accounts and set up news blogs with different web addresses so their family and friends won't find the blog.
The sense of community is present within the Pro-Ana blogs, but I have been surprised the more I have read. Most of the bloggers post their daily calorie intake and I have gotten the impression that other bloggers read those intakes and try to "beat" them by consuming less. Some of the blogs even host "friendly" competitions like the one over at Yummy Secrets.
The most interesting Pro-Ana blog I've read over the course of the semester is definitely The Looking Glass. She seems as though she is on the road to what I would consider to be recovery. I will continue to read her blog, simply because I've become somewhat attached to her narrative.
Weight Loss and Maintenance.
I have chosen to comment on Prior Fat Girl.
I emailed Jen a few questions and I had hoped I would have gotten answers from her, but I have been lucky enough correspond with her via email.
I'll share those:
Hi Jen, I am a junior at UNC-Chapel Hill and I'm currently completing a final project for a Media and Popular Culture class. I've chosen to focus on blogging, and more specifically blogs related to weight. I've been following your blog for a couple of months and I have truly been inspired by your hard work and dedication throughout your weight loss journey. I've attached a few questions related to blogging and I would be so grateful if you would answer them. I really hope to have a better understand of how blogging forms a certain sense of community that can't necessarily be established through face-to-face interactions. Thank you in advance!
Kayla
----------
Hi Kayla!
Tell me more about your project & the capacity you would use my work in.
Is it in a paper you are submitting to your professor or something that
will be published online?
Also, how soon do I need to get this back to you? I actually have the
answers but they are written down on my computer. We just moved and I
haven't figured out how to get the wireless up and running on my computer
so I've been using Carlos' computer. Can I have until this weekend to
respond?
Let me know!
Jen, a priorfatgirl
sugar coating not included
www.priorfatgirl.com
----------
Hey Jen! Waiting until this weekend to respond is totally fine with me! The project is due May 7, so anytime before that is great. As far as the project goes, I've been following blogs like yours over the course of the semester knowing that I was eventually going to have to put together a final project, but I just wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I met with my professor a couple of weeks ago and she recommended that I blog about the things I've noted throughout the semester. I'll be incorporating general observations I've made throughout the semester, as well as tying in some of the scholarly theories we've learned about in class. I've got several posts saved as word docs and I'm going to be posting those between now and the due date on my blog http://1of3kgirls.blogspot.com and using the label "final project." I've sent similar questions to a few other bloggers and I'm trying to better understand the sense of community and friendship that develops through blogging. I think it is fascinating the way bloggers (no matter what their blog may be about) connect with one another and form bonds that I don't necessarily think could be created through face-to-face interaction. And in the case of weight-loss and maintenance, I hope to truly understand and convey how blogging helps some individuals continue down the path to a more healthy lifestyle. I'll also be submitting a short, abstract-like paper. If there's something that you don't feel comfortable broadcasting all over the internet, let me know, and I'll just include those in the paper! Once I have the entire project done I don't mind sending you a copy of the paper, and obviously the blog will be online, so you'll be able to see that too! On a sidenote: your 5K post really inspired me! It has motivated me to get back out there and start running again, even though I am by no means a great runner. My sister keeps asking me to sign up for a local 5K with her, but I always tell her I'm too tired/busy/stressed. In reality I think it's because I've just been lazy! She's probably going to run one in the beginning of September and I hope to be running right beside her! Thanks so much for your email! Kayla
----------
Dear Dear Kayla, Your sidenote below is the exact sense of community the blogging world is about. I will write more in my response to the questions but blogging is about not only sharing your feelings and experiences, but being connected with others who are at the same place in life. The internet has created this sense of antonomy in which most of us can let our guard down. We can drop some of the walls we've put up in real life and truly admit to something...even if it is through a comment on someones blog. It is about realizing that the human race isn't about working 8-5, isn't about this whole front we seem to put up in the face-to-face world that everything is all right, and that we are all super human. It's about realizing that, when it all boils down to it, we are all struggling to figure out our place in life. Alright...I'll keep the rest of my thoughts for my response to your questions. I don't mind sharing through your assignment - HA, I practically bare my soul to the world on a daily basis. I would love to see the end result, including the abstract-type document you turn in. Like you, this whole internet/blogging phenomenon is truly fascinating! Sincerely, Jen, a priorfatgirl sugar coating not included www.priorfatgirl.com
----------
[I stated in the emails that I would be submitting an abstract, but the more I think about it, I don't think I'm going to. I think in the spirit of a blogging project it would be best to keep it all online and in the public blogosphere.]
----------
Symbolic interationism is important within this sector of the weight blogs. I don't think we ever discussed this theory in class,but I have a TA in another class that recommended I look into it.
A quick definition of symbolic interactionism is: people act toward things based on the meaning those things have for them; and these meanings are derived from social interaction and modified through interpretation. [I realize I probably shouldn't use wikipedia for this project, but I thought the site provided the best short summer of what symbolic interationism actually is.
I think the best example of symbolic interactionism was from The Anti-Jared a few weeks ago. He challenged every reader to exercise for 60 minutes. Prior Fat Girl and Jared set up a 99 minute stairmaster challenge between each other for the same day Jared challenged all readers. Prior Fat Girl asked readers to send in pictures of their post-60 minute workout and I was really amazed at how many people sent in photos and commented!
The motivation between all the weight-loss bloggers is a great example of people "doing things based on the meaning those things have for them." The readers are able to interpret what the bloggers have written about an then in turn...act on it.
I emailed Jen a few questions and I had hoped I would have gotten answers from her, but I have been lucky enough correspond with her via email.
I'll share those:
Hi Jen, I am a junior at UNC-Chapel Hill and I'm currently completing a final project for a Media and Popular Culture class. I've chosen to focus on blogging, and more specifically blogs related to weight. I've been following your blog for a couple of months and I have truly been inspired by your hard work and dedication throughout your weight loss journey. I've attached a few questions related to blogging and I would be so grateful if you would answer them. I really hope to have a better understand of how blogging forms a certain sense of community that can't necessarily be established through face-to-face interactions. Thank you in advance!
Kayla
----------
Hi Kayla!
Tell me more about your project & the capacity you would use my work in.
Is it in a paper you are submitting to your professor or something that
will be published online?
Also, how soon do I need to get this back to you? I actually have the
answers but they are written down on my computer. We just moved and I
haven't figured out how to get the wireless up and running on my computer
so I've been using Carlos' computer. Can I have until this weekend to
respond?
Let me know!
Jen, a priorfatgirl
sugar coating not included
www.priorfatgirl.com
----------
Hey Jen! Waiting until this weekend to respond is totally fine with me! The project is due May 7, so anytime before that is great. As far as the project goes, I've been following blogs like yours over the course of the semester knowing that I was eventually going to have to put together a final project, but I just wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I met with my professor a couple of weeks ago and she recommended that I blog about the things I've noted throughout the semester. I'll be incorporating general observations I've made throughout the semester, as well as tying in some of the scholarly theories we've learned about in class. I've got several posts saved as word docs and I'm going to be posting those between now and the due date on my blog http://1of3kgirls.blogspot.com and using the label "final project." I've sent similar questions to a few other bloggers and I'm trying to better understand the sense of community and friendship that develops through blogging. I think it is fascinating the way bloggers (no matter what their blog may be about) connect with one another and form bonds that I don't necessarily think could be created through face-to-face interaction. And in the case of weight-loss and maintenance, I hope to truly understand and convey how blogging helps some individuals continue down the path to a more healthy lifestyle. I'll also be submitting a short, abstract-like paper. If there's something that you don't feel comfortable broadcasting all over the internet, let me know, and I'll just include those in the paper! Once I have the entire project done I don't mind sending you a copy of the paper, and obviously the blog will be online, so you'll be able to see that too! On a sidenote: your 5K post really inspired me! It has motivated me to get back out there and start running again, even though I am by no means a great runner. My sister keeps asking me to sign up for a local 5K with her, but I always tell her I'm too tired/busy/stressed. In reality I think it's because I've just been lazy! She's probably going to run one in the beginning of September and I hope to be running right beside her! Thanks so much for your email! Kayla
----------
Dear Dear Kayla, Your sidenote below is the exact sense of community the blogging world is about. I will write more in my response to the questions but blogging is about not only sharing your feelings and experiences, but being connected with others who are at the same place in life. The internet has created this sense of antonomy in which most of us can let our guard down. We can drop some of the walls we've put up in real life and truly admit to something...even if it is through a comment on someones blog. It is about realizing that the human race isn't about working 8-5, isn't about this whole front we seem to put up in the face-to-face world that everything is all right, and that we are all super human. It's about realizing that, when it all boils down to it, we are all struggling to figure out our place in life. Alright...I'll keep the rest of my thoughts for my response to your questions. I don't mind sharing through your assignment - HA, I practically bare my soul to the world on a daily basis. I would love to see the end result, including the abstract-type document you turn in. Like you, this whole internet/blogging phenomenon is truly fascinating! Sincerely, Jen, a priorfatgirl sugar coating not included www.priorfatgirl.com
----------
[I stated in the emails that I would be submitting an abstract, but the more I think about it, I don't think I'm going to. I think in the spirit of a blogging project it would be best to keep it all online and in the public blogosphere.]
----------
Symbolic interationism is important within this sector of the weight blogs. I don't think we ever discussed this theory in class,but I have a TA in another class that recommended I look into it.
A quick definition of symbolic interactionism is: people act toward things based on the meaning those things have for them; and these meanings are derived from social interaction and modified through interpretation. [I realize I probably shouldn't use wikipedia for this project, but I thought the site provided the best short summer of what symbolic interationism actually is.
I think the best example of symbolic interactionism was from The Anti-Jared a few weeks ago. He challenged every reader to exercise for 60 minutes. Prior Fat Girl and Jared set up a 99 minute stairmaster challenge between each other for the same day Jared challenged all readers. Prior Fat Girl asked readers to send in pictures of their post-60 minute workout and I was really amazed at how many people sent in photos and commented!
The motivation between all the weight-loss bloggers is a great example of people "doing things based on the meaning those things have for them." The readers are able to interpret what the bloggers have written about an then in turn...act on it.
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