A message to my readers

Posted on November 23, 2011 by Viv

I am really grateful for each and every one of you who reads my blog, especially those who comment and support me. It is a great outlet for me to write about everything that is going on in my head with my health, fitness, and weight loss.

While I have told a few of my friends in the blogosphere about this blog, I chose to keep quiet about it to my real-life friends. I am not sure how well they could relate, or how much they would even care about the ins and outs of losing weight and getting healthier. And with some, it simply never came up.

Many of my real-life friends do know about my personal blog, even though I think not many of them read it, and I know that there is a possibility that they have found their way to this blog as well. I don’t mind that because while I did not actively advertise my blog to any of my friends, on my personal blog or Twitter, I did also not keep my weight loss a secret nor is this blog secret.

I would, however, appreciate if my friends let me know if they found my blog and are reading it. If you know me, and did not find out about my blog because I told you about it, I would appreciate a comment, a quick email, a text, a call, anything to let me know you are reading it. I don’t mind that you do, but I would like to know that you do.

Anyone who doesn’t blog may not understand this but it makes me feel a little uncomfortable knowing that someone I know may be reading my blog without my knowing it. Of course I publish my posts for the whole world to see, and there are lots of people who will read it without my never finding out who they are. But it’s different when it’s someone I know. And my blog, especially this one, despite being public, is still very personal.

I promise, I won’t bite, I won’t be mad, and you can keep reading my blog. I genuinely don’t mind. I’d just like to know that you are reading it. Thanks.

On the numbers

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Viv

In my first post, I mentioned how I wanted to focus a little less on the weight loss, i.e., the numbers, and a little more on everything else. But of course this blog is about weight loss. It is definitely a big part of what this blog is. I just don’t want to reduce my progress to numbers.

I have been thinking about how to incorporate it into my blog. I do weigh in every week on Wednesdays, and I record my weight in the Weight Watchers plan manager.

Because of my weight gain, I have considered resetting the plan manager because I am currently over my starting weight. I’d have to lose nearly 30 pounds to get to where I was (in December 2010) to even hit any new milestones with Weight Watchers. That idea is a bit daunting – I loved hitting new milestones, they were a great motivation to keep going. Have you hit the reset button on WW Online before?

I used to have a separate page dedicated to my weigh-in results, but I am not sure I want to put that much emphasis on them anymore. I will still be weighing in weekly, but I remember how I ended up having to update my weight in five different places which definitely got too much. I definitely want to simplify things a little as I don’t have as much time for blogging as I used to and I’d rather use the time I do have for writing actual content rather than just updating numbers.

How do you handle the numbers? Do you track your progress in your sidebar? Have a separate page for it? Use one of those graphic tickers? Do you publish your weigh-in results for every week at all?

On disappearing acts

Aside

One of the things that sucks most about falling off the weight loss band wagon* is losing the online support community I had been a part of. Coming back to the blogging community a few months and several pounds later always makes me feel a bit ridiculous. Because here I am again, having failed again, trying yet again.

But you know what? No matter how often you fall, the most important thing is to pick yourself up again. And that is what I am doing. I just hope some will find their way back here and haven’t given up on me. I haven’t. Have you?

* Aside from the weight gain obviously.