8 of the Most Inspiring Stories From People Who’ve Also Happened to Lose a Lot of Weight

Personally I think he rocks the heck out of this pose. This is why #awesomesauce was invented.

I love me a good weight-loss story! I’m convinced they’re our modern version of the morality play, fairy tale and fable all in one (Greek Chorus at no extra charge!). But here’s the thing about me: being a recoverING eating disordered girl, reading weight-loss stories can be very triggering for me and so I generally avoid them. But this past week for Shape I got to do a different type of weight-loss story: it still has all the happily ever afters but these all include a “messy middle” – the part that many people don’t like to share. I found 8 extraordinary bloggers however that are amazing not for their weight loss but for all the life events they had to survive while trying to eat healthier and exercise.

Weight loss doesn’t happen in a vacuum unless you are on The Biggest Loser (or literally live in a vacuum but that would be weird… ah, I has a tired) and these 8 bloggers prove that life doesn’t stop just because you’re trying to overhaul it. One blogger lost her mother/best friend in a horrific accident. Another had to deal with past sexual violence. Another decided to get bariatric surgery and to actually be open about all of it. And one blogger ripped my heart out (in a good way) when he wrote about losing weight so he and his wife could conceive a baby – only to lose that baby halfway through the pregnancy. These are real people opening up their lives and showing what it’s like to lose weight when you don’t have a team of doctors, nutritionists and personal trainers. And they do it magnificently. The living, that is. Honestly by the end of their stories, I could care less about their weight loss. That is just one teeeeny little part of the big life they are living. As it should be. Check out their stories: Most Inspirational Weight-Loss Bloggers I promise it will be a highlight of your day!

How do you guys feel about weight-loss stories – love? hate? Love to hate?

And, in the world of other things I’ve written recently:

Fitness Stuff

Top 10 Health Blogs Written by Pros

Edible Cosmetics Redefine Inner Beauty

Zumba? Me? I’m an awful Dancer! (You have to read this one just to see the pic of my gorgeous friends Anna & Cassie!)

8 Benefits of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT me baby, one more time!)

Parenting Stuff

Why I Fired My Son’s Pediatrician (And How it Saved his Life) (This one still stops my heart)

Foreign Parents are Mean – And why I want to be mean too

New Research Says School Lunches Aren’t To Blame For Childhood Obesity – You Are.

Why Moms Can’t Get Sick (Seriously, we’re not allowed. It’s like a rule and everything.)

Gwyneth Paltrow Still Bathes With Her Elementary School-Aged Kids – Would You?

When Babies Get Messy: Which do you grab first – a towel or a camera?

The Moment I Realized I Never Gave My Mom Enough Credit

Top 10 Things My Kids Say That Make Me Feel Guilty

Great Mom Debate: Is it harder having 1 child or 9? This mom’s answer will surprise you.

Confession: I don’t know how to play with my kids

 

12 Comments

  1. I also have a love/hate relationship with weight loss stories. I cannot resist reading them, but if I have to sit through another account of a 19 year-old cutting our soda and french fries and “magically” losing 40 pounds in 3 months, some poor editor is gonna get hurt!
    Having said that, I am off to read the ones you’ve posted here. They sound pretty amazing!

  2. At this point, I’m over the weight-loss stories, only because I haven’t been able to write my own. Sigh. . .

    I love your confession that you don’t know how to “play.” I can do it, but I don’t like it. I’d much rather do board games, read books or some sort of Play-Doh thing. Those have definite beginnings, middles, and endings. I think as long as you’re spending quality time with your child, it doesn’t matter if you are “playing” or not. That’s why there are dads, grandparents, friends, and siblings! 🙂 Everyone around your child helps foster creativity and he/she can learn from everyone. Thankfully, it isn’t all on you to do it all! 🙂

  3. So many interesting things to read!! Thanks for all the awesome links! And I love weight loss stories. Especially from busy, every day people. Very inspiring.

  4. This blog its really good for me..Thanks you for sharing this inspiring post..I know those who want to loose weight will inspire to this..

  5. click click
    awe awe
    HOW DO YOU DO IT?! 🙂
    and yes. I am entirely a sucker for a good weightloss story.
    especially in memoir form 😉

  6. oooh. I’m gonna be all over that sweat science fitness blog…thanks 🙂
    SCIENCE!

  7. I posted my own weight loss story on my blog this week! http://www.justkeepsweating.com about loosing 40 pounds and starting the journey to the last 30 🙂 Happy Friday!

  8. Always so much in these Friday posts! I like REAL weight loss stories – not the stars & things like that! 😉

  9. this makes me more inspired in losing weight.. I know it’s not easy but I’m on my way! 🙂

  10. It’s all love. You love the people who are brave enough to share their story and you love them for inspiring you.

  11. Thanks for sharing this inspiring article..It really help to motivate those who want to lose their weight..

  12. That’s freaky about the pediatrician. Was that your son’s pediatrician. You did a really nice job with the Hiit article too!!!