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.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Fat Acceptance.
Wow.
Take a look at these posts. I should warn readers that the posts aren't appropriate for the younger crowd.
Had I discovered The Pervocracy sooner, I could have done an entire project analyzing this one blog.
I found The Pervocracy as part of the Fat Acceptance movement. I wish I had found the blog sooner because I've discovered I could have probably done an entire project on this one blog!
Not only does Holly support acceptance of every body type, but she also seems to be very active in the sex-positive feminism movement.
As we discussed in class sex-positive feminism centers around the idea that sexual freedom is essential part of a woman's freedom.
Throughout the entire blog Holly documents her sexual fantasies, sexual partners, sex toy reviews, etc. She comes across as a powerful woman that has clearly taken charge of her body, but she is most definitely aware of societal pressures to conform to a certain lifestyle.
I admire her for her willingness to broadcast her personal bedroom activity over the internet. I recognize that she blogs anonymously, but I still think that it takes a lot of guts to blog about things of the nature she does.
Take a look at these posts. I should warn readers that the posts aren't appropriate for the younger crowd.
Had I discovered The Pervocracy sooner, I could have done an entire project analyzing this one blog.
I found The Pervocracy as part of the Fat Acceptance movement. I wish I had found the blog sooner because I've discovered I could have probably done an entire project on this one blog!
Not only does Holly support acceptance of every body type, but she also seems to be very active in the sex-positive feminism movement.
As we discussed in class sex-positive feminism centers around the idea that sexual freedom is essential part of a woman's freedom.
Throughout the entire blog Holly documents her sexual fantasies, sexual partners, sex toy reviews, etc. She comes across as a powerful woman that has clearly taken charge of her body, but she is most definitely aware of societal pressures to conform to a certain lifestyle.
I admire her for her willingness to broadcast her personal bedroom activity over the internet. I recognize that she blogs anonymously, but I still think that it takes a lot of guts to blog about things of the nature she does.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Upcoming Posts.
Over the course of the next few days I'll be selecting a blog[s] that I believe is particularly insightful.
I will choose blogs from each of the three groups that I have previously discussed.
In the mean time here's another funny cartoon:
I will choose blogs from each of the three groups that I have previously discussed.
In the mean time here's another funny cartoon:
I Need To Get A Life.
I haven't yet described just how I've gone about this entire process, so I think now is a good time to do that.
I sort of brushed the surface in this post, and I mentioned Google reader, but now the blogosphere is going to get a dose of my magic.
This is what I wake up to almost every morning:
In all fairness, all those new updates aren't from weight-related blogs. I've had to maintain my loyalties to Perez Hilton while "researching" for this project. I've already decided that I'm going to blame my grades in other classes on this project. I spend no less than 30 minutes a day reading updates from the blogs that I mentioned earlier. [Add Perez Hilton and there goes an hour of my day!]
While I'm reading them I have a few things in mind:
I sort of brushed the surface in this post, and I mentioned Google reader, but now the blogosphere is going to get a dose of my magic.
This is what I wake up to almost every morning:
In all fairness, all those new updates aren't from weight-related blogs. I've had to maintain my loyalties to Perez Hilton while "researching" for this project. I've already decided that I'm going to blame my grades in other classes on this project. I spend no less than 30 minutes a day reading updates from the blogs that I mentioned earlier. [Add Perez Hilton and there goes an hour of my day!]
While I'm reading them I have a few things in mind:
- What does this blogger have in common with other bloggers in the same category?
- Does the blogger only blog about weight issues? If not, what other types of things do they blog about? How do those things relate to their particular view of weight?
- How has society affected the blogger? Do they feel pressures from society to look a certain way?
- How has this blogger gone against the status quo?
- Does this blogger attempt to make connections with other bloggers that have a large amount of followers?
- Does this blogger make themselves available to their readers? Do they provide a public email address? Do they have an "About Me" section? Do they invite readers to friend request them on Myspace, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr?
- Does their blog solely revolve around their journey [whether it be weight-loss, Pro-Ana, or Fat Acceptance]? Or does it incorporate stories from other bloggers or friends?
Another Visual.
I just couldn't resist posting this:
Just think...without being an avid reader of Fat Acceptance blogs, I would have never known there was such a thing as No Diet Day!!!
I'll celebrate on May 6!
Just think...without being an avid reader of Fat Acceptance blogs, I would have never known there was such a thing as No Diet Day!!!I'll celebrate on May 6!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Weight and Emotion.
Today's post isn't going to be particularly scholarly, but I think it's important nonetheless.
Lyn's post a few days ago was a particularly emotional one that forced me to rethink the ways in which I view the weight loss process.
Although I've never been on a strict diet and I've never been obese, I've wanted to lose a few pounds here and there [you know, during those all important moments in life, like prom...which now seems rather stupid] and I've always been elated when I actually saw the the number on the scale decreasing. I've never thought about the emotional nature of a decreasing number for someone that's been used to being so large for quite a long period of time.
Questions I'm pondering today:
The more I think about it the more I think weight loss is probably like an emotional rollercoaster. I think blogging is a way for people to connect with other taking part in the crazy ride.
Lyn's post a few days ago was a particularly emotional one that forced me to rethink the ways in which I view the weight loss process.
Although I've never been on a strict diet and I've never been obese, I've wanted to lose a few pounds here and there [you know, during those all important moments in life, like prom...which now seems rather stupid] and I've always been elated when I actually saw the the number on the scale decreasing. I've never thought about the emotional nature of a decreasing number for someone that's been used to being so large for quite a long period of time.
Questions I'm pondering today:
- What would it be like to look in the mirror and not recognize myself? Surely I wouldn't be comfortable with that?!?!
- What would it be like to know that all the clothing I had cherished and loved to wear no longer fit me??
- What would it be like to deal with the issue of wrinkled/sagging skin?
- Along those same lines, would I want to surgically want to alter that skin [a la Kate Gosselin]?
The more I think about it the more I think weight loss is probably like an emotional rollercoaster. I think blogging is a way for people to connect with other taking part in the crazy ride.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Introducing the Bloggers.
In order to better understand the things I'll be posting over the next few days I thought it would be helpful to provide a short bit of information on the blogs that I've been following. When possible I've tried to include the "About Me" section from the blogger's own profile.
Weight-loss and maintenance:
The Anti-Jared
Age: 34
Occupation: Restaurant Manager
About Me: After losing over 200 pounds, gaining a lot of muscle, having a baby (Well, wife had baby), changing jobs, inspiring people and eating right I have one thing to say. What's next?
Jack Sh*t, Gettin' Fit
About Me; Come and listen to a story 'bout a man named Jack, Who never quit eating 'cept to stop and have a snack. Then one day he was standing on his scale, And he realized he'd really let his body go to hell. (Obesity that is, black fat, Texas toast) Well the first the you know old Jack made a vow, He'd ratchet up the exercise and show down on the chow. He wanted to get his weight back to where it oughta be, So he loading up his stuff and he move to Bloggery. (Google Blogger that is, writing posts, makin' jokes) Well now it's time to say hello to Jack and all his sh*t As he chronicles his adventures on his journey to get fit. You're all invited back each day to the locality, To have a heaping helping of health and hilarity. (Jack Sh*t, Gettin' Fit, that is.) Y'all come back now, ya hear?
Prior Fat Girl
About Me: Growing up, I was always overweight. I have always been on diets. In fact, I can remember my mom buying me those Richard Simmons dancing movies to help workout. For the most part, in high school, I was only moderately overweight. After I moved out and on my own, I realized I could eat anything I wanted and no one would stop me. So I did. Within a few short year, I had eaten myself to my all time highest weight of 240lbs. I was morbidly overweight and although I smiled often often on the outside, I was miserable.
For the year prior to my healthiness re-birth, I knew something had to change. I remember calling a good friend every couple of weeks saying "I just have to do something, I can't be like this for the rest of my life."
Escape from Obesity
About Me: I am 38 years old, female, a degree-holding stay-at-home mom, and I weigh 278 pounds. I have been obese for ten years now. Time to get out this fat prison I have made for myself.
*Bitch Cakes* A Neurotic Glamour Girl's Weight Watchers Experience and Fitness Adventures
Bitch Cakes is 39 years old. She had been on and off the Weight Watchers program since 1989, and she has been consistently attending meetings since September 2006. She decided to join Weight Watchers because she realized she had wasted way too much of her life being fat and unhappy. She typically blogs about Weight Watchers and her exercise routines.
----------
Fat Acceptance:
Living ~400 Lbs
Height: 5 feet 8 inches
Bust: 58"
Waist: 57"
Hips: 67'
BMI: 60
Fat Heffalump
Unfortunately Heffalump doesn't have an "About Me" section. Fat Heffalump's post usually only deal with the issues that fat people face and the Fat Acceptance movement.
The Rotund
Hi! I'm Marianne Kirby! I'm fat!
How are you?
I'm on a mission here to let you know that fat people are not your enemy. And skinny people aren't your enemy either.
Here, the body is a political one no matter its size or shape. We are going to unpack society's standards of beauty, the oppression of the dominant social paradigm when it comes to body conformity, and talk about clothes. Maybe even makeup. Because I do love makeup.
Here, I hope, we will come to a place of acceptance. Acceptance for our own bodies and for the bodies of others.
I AM in shape. ROUND is a shape
April D blogs at I AM in shape. ROUND is a shape. She mostly blogs about things she finds interesting in the media related to fat acceptance and oddly enough...belly dancing.
The Pervocracy
This blog definitely shouldn't be read by anyone that's easily offended. She blogs about her sexual encounters, feminism, and fat acceptance.
[sidenote: I didn't discover this blog until about two weeks ago. I wish I'd had more time to read all her posts!]
----------
Pro-Ana:
The Looking Glass
About Me: I'm sort of your average teenager, except I have a few goals and I know waht I want to do with my life. I love music, and I'm kind of nerd about it. I can name almost any recent rock song from hearing a few bars. I'm slightly claustrophobic. I love to be social but large crowds make me angsty. I can talk in a flawless English/British accent. I'm a bit of a masochist. I love it when guys cry. Not because I'm sadistic but because it's so sweet and I want to make them feel better. I wish I could save the world. I support Gay rights completely, but I'm straight. I often enjoy teenage boy humor. Sometimes I even start "that's what she said" competitions. I'm obsessed with perfection. Except for scars. I think they're beautiful. I appear very uncaring and tough on the outside, and I act like it too. On the inside I promise I try to be a good person.
Statistics:
Start Height: 5'1"
Start Weight: 117 lbs
Current Height: 5'3"
Current Weight: 99
Goal Weight: 95
CHOKE ON AIR
Kemper doesn't have an About Me section, but she does provide some statistics.
Age; 20
Height: 5'10"
Start weight (8/09): 147 lbs
Current weight: 117 lbs
BMI: 16.8
Goal weight: 112 lbs
Goal BMI: 16.1
Goal measurements: 34-24-35 or US size 0
Yummy Secrets - A Proana Blog
About Me: Like many of us, I have romantic ideals. I want to be the Poetic Waif, the starving artist, a princess, a fairy, something ethereal. I want to be Shakespeare's Ophelia, the Labyrinth's Sarah Williams, Goethe's Gretchen, a nostalgic, tragic figure, living in a world of air and dreams.
Instead, I have always felt the opposite. I am logical, earthy, contained, responsible, boring.
I am choosing to live in a dream world, because I cannot live in the real one.
I'm slipping slowly away.
----------
Knowing a little bit about each of the bloggers that I've been following has allowed me to better 'connect' with each of them.
Weight-loss and maintenance:
The Anti-Jared
Age: 34
Occupation: Restaurant Manager
About Me: After losing over 200 pounds, gaining a lot of muscle, having a baby (Well, wife had baby), changing jobs, inspiring people and eating right I have one thing to say. What's next?
Jack Sh*t, Gettin' Fit
About Me; Come and listen to a story 'bout a man named Jack, Who never quit eating 'cept to stop and have a snack. Then one day he was standing on his scale, And he realized he'd really let his body go to hell. (Obesity that is, black fat, Texas toast) Well the first the you know old Jack made a vow, He'd ratchet up the exercise and show down on the chow. He wanted to get his weight back to where it oughta be, So he loading up his stuff and he move to Bloggery. (Google Blogger that is, writing posts, makin' jokes) Well now it's time to say hello to Jack and all his sh*t As he chronicles his adventures on his journey to get fit. You're all invited back each day to the locality, To have a heaping helping of health and hilarity. (Jack Sh*t, Gettin' Fit, that is.) Y'all come back now, ya hear?
Prior Fat Girl
About Me: Growing up, I was always overweight. I have always been on diets. In fact, I can remember my mom buying me those Richard Simmons dancing movies to help workout. For the most part, in high school, I was only moderately overweight. After I moved out and on my own, I realized I could eat anything I wanted and no one would stop me. So I did. Within a few short year, I had eaten myself to my all time highest weight of 240lbs. I was morbidly overweight and although I smiled often often on the outside, I was miserable.
For the year prior to my healthiness re-birth, I knew something had to change. I remember calling a good friend every couple of weeks saying "I just have to do something, I can't be like this for the rest of my life."
Escape from Obesity
About Me: I am 38 years old, female, a degree-holding stay-at-home mom, and I weigh 278 pounds. I have been obese for ten years now. Time to get out this fat prison I have made for myself.
*Bitch Cakes* A Neurotic Glamour Girl's Weight Watchers Experience and Fitness Adventures
Bitch Cakes is 39 years old. She had been on and off the Weight Watchers program since 1989, and she has been consistently attending meetings since September 2006. She decided to join Weight Watchers because she realized she had wasted way too much of her life being fat and unhappy. She typically blogs about Weight Watchers and her exercise routines.
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Fat Acceptance:
Living ~400 Lbs
Height: 5 feet 8 inches
Bust: 58"
Waist: 57"
Hips: 67'
BMI: 60
Fat Heffalump
Unfortunately Heffalump doesn't have an "About Me" section. Fat Heffalump's post usually only deal with the issues that fat people face and the Fat Acceptance movement.
The Rotund
Hi! I'm Marianne Kirby! I'm fat!
How are you?
I'm on a mission here to let you know that fat people are not your enemy. And skinny people aren't your enemy either.
Here, the body is a political one no matter its size or shape. We are going to unpack society's standards of beauty, the oppression of the dominant social paradigm when it comes to body conformity, and talk about clothes. Maybe even makeup. Because I do love makeup.
Here, I hope, we will come to a place of acceptance. Acceptance for our own bodies and for the bodies of others.
I AM in shape. ROUND is a shape
April D blogs at I AM in shape. ROUND is a shape. She mostly blogs about things she finds interesting in the media related to fat acceptance and oddly enough...belly dancing.
The Pervocracy
This blog definitely shouldn't be read by anyone that's easily offended. She blogs about her sexual encounters, feminism, and fat acceptance.
[sidenote: I didn't discover this blog until about two weeks ago. I wish I'd had more time to read all her posts!]
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Pro-Ana:
The Looking Glass
About Me: I'm sort of your average teenager, except I have a few goals and I know waht I want to do with my life. I love music, and I'm kind of nerd about it. I can name almost any recent rock song from hearing a few bars. I'm slightly claustrophobic. I love to be social but large crowds make me angsty. I can talk in a flawless English/British accent. I'm a bit of a masochist. I love it when guys cry. Not because I'm sadistic but because it's so sweet and I want to make them feel better. I wish I could save the world. I support Gay rights completely, but I'm straight. I often enjoy teenage boy humor. Sometimes I even start "that's what she said" competitions. I'm obsessed with perfection. Except for scars. I think they're beautiful. I appear very uncaring and tough on the outside, and I act like it too. On the inside I promise I try to be a good person.
Statistics:
Start Height: 5'1"
Start Weight: 117 lbs
Current Height: 5'3"
Current Weight: 99
Goal Weight: 95
CHOKE ON AIR
Kemper doesn't have an About Me section, but she does provide some statistics.
Age; 20
Height: 5'10"
Start weight (8/09): 147 lbs
Current weight: 117 lbs
BMI: 16.8
Goal weight: 112 lbs
Goal BMI: 16.1
Goal measurements: 34-24-35 or US size 0
Yummy Secrets - A Proana Blog
About Me: Like many of us, I have romantic ideals. I want to be the Poetic Waif, the starving artist, a princess, a fairy, something ethereal. I want to be Shakespeare's Ophelia, the Labyrinth's Sarah Williams, Goethe's Gretchen, a nostalgic, tragic figure, living in a world of air and dreams.
Instead, I have always felt the opposite. I am logical, earthy, contained, responsible, boring.
I am choosing to live in a dream world, because I cannot live in the real one.
I'm slipping slowly away.
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Knowing a little bit about each of the bloggers that I've been following has allowed me to better 'connect' with each of them.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Blogging: Popular Culture???
I started blogging over at Flip Flops and Pearls in September 2009. My posts really didn't become anywhere near regular until this semester. I've been trying to be a little more regular about my blogging habits. Part of that steams from the fact that I'm taking a class on Media and Popular Culture. I had originally planned to blog through my Flip Flops and Pearls account, but I think it will much easier blogging on a completely different blog.
We were able to choose what we'd like to complete a final project on and since I had started dabbling in the blog world a few months prior, I thought it would be really fun to explore more about Perez Hilton. For those of you that know me, you know I HAVE to read his blog at least once a day for all my entertainment news. In my mind, who needs Entertainment Tonight when you have all the juice on the celebrities with a couple clicks of your mouse?!?! Well...I kept that topic for all of 2.5 seconds. I soon discovered what I'm going to label as "the weight blogs."
It's been a really intriguing process that I think has really helped me better understand how blogging has affected the lives of certain people. Through this process I've chosen to focus on three types of blogs:
The sense of community between bloggers [most notably the weight-loss and maintenance] has been almost overwhelming to me!
Weight-loss and maintenance blogs: The Anti-Jared, Jack Sh*t, Gettin' Fit, Prior Fat Girl, Escape from Obesity, *Bitch Cakes* A Neurotic Glamour Girl's Weight Watchers Experience and Fitness Adventures
I started following The Anti-Jared and was really impressed by what he had done and how far he had come on his weight-loss journey. A couple of weeks later my Google reader recommended Prior Fat Girl and Escape from Obesity to me. I read their blogs pretty much independently of each other, but then I made the connection that they all "knew" each other. When I say "knew" I don't mean they are all from the same area...they are hundreds of miles apart, but they have been connected through blogging.
Fat Acceptance Blogs: Living ~400 LBS, Fat Heffalump, The Rotund, I AM in shape. ROUND is a shape., The Pervocracy
I first stumbled upon Living ~400 pounds after I'd heard the story about the woman trying to become the fattest women on earth. After reading through tons and tons of posts on a variety of Fat Acceptance blogs I've found that people responsible for the phenomena really and truly believe they are healthy individuals. Most of the blogs have disclaimers stating they will not tolerate any commenting that suggests otherwise.
Pro-Ana Blogs: The Looking Glass, Yummy Secrets--A Proana Blog, CHOKE ON AIR
The Pro-Ana blogs are perhaps some of the most intriguing of all the blogs I've been following. The sense of community is rather strong within this movement and all the girls seem to reach out to one another. The support system usually includes "thinspiration" photos and tips on how to deceive people into thinking you are eating more than you actually are.
I have a pretty awesome T.A. for my class and she's given us a ton of freedom when it comes to our final project. This would be great if I were a more creative individual. I couldn't for the life of me come up with any type of structure for the project. I just knew I had a ton of ideas and a running lists of fun/interesting/weird/crazy/stupid/etc. things that I'd uncovered during this process. I really didn't know how to put it all together. I met with my T.A. and she helped me figure it out. If I'm studying blogs WHY THE HECK DON'T I JUST BLOG ABOUT IT!?!? As soon as she suggested that, I thought "God almighty I'm the dumbest person alive for not thinking of that sooner!"
So with that said over the next few days I'm going to be blogging about things I've discovered and learned about over the course of the semester.
Would it have made more sense to be blogging about this all semester...YES, but I have to start somewhere right?!
We were able to choose what we'd like to complete a final project on and since I had started dabbling in the blog world a few months prior, I thought it would be really fun to explore more about Perez Hilton. For those of you that know me, you know I HAVE to read his blog at least once a day for all my entertainment news. In my mind, who needs Entertainment Tonight when you have all the juice on the celebrities with a couple clicks of your mouse?!?! Well...I kept that topic for all of 2.5 seconds. I soon discovered what I'm going to label as "the weight blogs."
It's been a really intriguing process that I think has really helped me better understand how blogging has affected the lives of certain people. Through this process I've chosen to focus on three types of blogs:
- Fat Acceptance
- Weight-loss and Maintenance
- Pro-Ana
The sense of community between bloggers [most notably the weight-loss and maintenance] has been almost overwhelming to me!
Weight-loss and maintenance blogs: The Anti-Jared, Jack Sh*t, Gettin' Fit, Prior Fat Girl, Escape from Obesity, *Bitch Cakes* A Neurotic Glamour Girl's Weight Watchers Experience and Fitness Adventures
I started following The Anti-Jared and was really impressed by what he had done and how far he had come on his weight-loss journey. A couple of weeks later my Google reader recommended Prior Fat Girl and Escape from Obesity to me. I read their blogs pretty much independently of each other, but then I made the connection that they all "knew" each other. When I say "knew" I don't mean they are all from the same area...they are hundreds of miles apart, but they have been connected through blogging.
Fat Acceptance Blogs: Living ~400 LBS, Fat Heffalump, The Rotund, I AM in shape. ROUND is a shape., The Pervocracy
I first stumbled upon Living ~400 pounds after I'd heard the story about the woman trying to become the fattest women on earth. After reading through tons and tons of posts on a variety of Fat Acceptance blogs I've found that people responsible for the phenomena really and truly believe they are healthy individuals. Most of the blogs have disclaimers stating they will not tolerate any commenting that suggests otherwise.
Pro-Ana Blogs: The Looking Glass, Yummy Secrets--A Proana Blog, CHOKE ON AIR
The Pro-Ana blogs are perhaps some of the most intriguing of all the blogs I've been following. The sense of community is rather strong within this movement and all the girls seem to reach out to one another. The support system usually includes "thinspiration" photos and tips on how to deceive people into thinking you are eating more than you actually are.
I have a pretty awesome T.A. for my class and she's given us a ton of freedom when it comes to our final project. This would be great if I were a more creative individual. I couldn't for the life of me come up with any type of structure for the project. I just knew I had a ton of ideas and a running lists of fun/interesting/weird/crazy/stupid/etc. things that I'd uncovered during this process. I really didn't know how to put it all together. I met with my T.A. and she helped me figure it out. If I'm studying blogs WHY THE HECK DON'T I JUST BLOG ABOUT IT!?!? As soon as she suggested that, I thought "God almighty I'm the dumbest person alive for not thinking of that sooner!"
So with that said over the next few days I'm going to be blogging about things I've discovered and learned about over the course of the semester.
Would it have made more sense to be blogging about this all semester...YES, but I have to start somewhere right?!
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