I’m moving to Orlando, Ryan is moving to Orlando… 🙂

Caitlin, you are awesome for addressing this issue and being so real and honest in all of your posts. YOU make blogging a positive experience for me and other readers!

When I get down about blogging I turn to the blogs I know will be positive, honest, and supportive. I agree that the downside to blogging is there and it can be dark, but I think that like anything else that is worthwhile, we have to look past the bad and keep going if we want to get to the good. Easier said than done, but I’m working on it 🙂

I don’t think the negative people realize that there is a real human behind each blog and that that person is taking time out of their day to share a part of themselves with readers. Most of my negative comments have come from non-bloggers and I don’t think that is a coincidence…if they had something nice and productive to share they would do it on their own blog, but since all they have is negativity, they just blast it on ours. Not cool. NOT COOL!

I read blogs for the purpose of finding new recipes/food combination ideas. I have discovered so many new products (hello Vita tops or tempeh) that I would have never tried on my own.
As for ED, we have our ups and downs and helps me to read other’s struggles and their positive thinking.

anon – thank you. you and others recovering from EDs have taught me a LOT about life, too!

I don’t think bloggers have much responsibility. Most blog readers are adults (yes?) so they should be able to make a good decision on whether they should read or not read a blog. If a blog is crap, I don’t read it. If it’s a trigger, I don’t read it. Does that mean that the blogger should stop blogging? Absolutely not. It might be a good outlet for them, but for me it’s not healthy to read it. Delete from reader, exit page, whatever. It’s not the bloggers problem if I don’t like their stuff.

I think the negative people are just out to ruin someone’s day. Whoever gets on their nerves on that particular day is going to have to deal with it. And that’s sad, but a lot of time that’s also life. I think posting about it and looking like it really did bother you is feeding into the negativity. The negative Nancys see that it got to you, feel powerful, continue to do it. I think your way is best. Cuss ’em out and move on. 🙂

I think the food blogging community is great and my life would definitely be a lot more boring without it.

I love food blogs, especially to learn recipes! I think negative comments come from those with jealous feelings or else they would politely disagree or share their view. There is no excuse to be intentionally hurtful to another person,

Hmm, interesting. I’d never really thought about the whole ED thing; for me, blogs are definitely more likely to make me want to eat everything in sight than they are to make me obsess about food. But I guess I do that already in my own way – my relationship with food is constantly evolving and being repaired after a lifetime of overeating. Blogs like yours and the multitude of others that I subscribe to inspire me to eat better, and to exercise more.

I’ve been a blogger for many, many years, but have just got back in to the food blogging thing. I really hope I can stick to it, because it certainly makes me think twice about what goes in my mouth!

What I do wish is that there were more Aussie girls doing the same thing. You guys seem to have an amazing blogging community! And that’s certainly one huge positive to come out of the whole food blogging phenomenon.

I enjoy food blogs for the different perspectives it puts out there, the recipes I get, and being able to enjoy what other foodies and active people have to say about different things. I learn a lot.

However, I totally know what you mean about the bad and the ugly. I can see how some blogs would affect those recovering from an ED in a negative way.

The thing is, we’re all human. And no matter how “good” the blogger in terms of their attitude towards health and fitness, I feel like we need to be somewhat consistent and firm with what we already believe in terms of our own health.

We’re all different…we each have different activity levels…each of us has a different metabolism that demands less or more food. Food blogs, in my opinion, shouldn’t be used as a “eat exactly what I eat and exercise exactly as I do and you too can look like me.” Sadly, some blogs do just that. 🙁

That being said, I *love* your blog because you’re so honest and full of GOOD advice, recipe ideas, and you have a healthy outlook on food and activities in general. I really enjoy it. 😀

Caitlin,
I love your blog, especially for your honest approach to issues that I think a lot of people can relate to. I just recently started a food-related blog because I thought it would be kind of a fun outlet. At first I started writing about all of my meals, but I found that it made me way too self-conscious. So then I sort of shifted the focus and am made it a little bit more based on recipe and my experiences abroad. I think it’s really brave of people to go ahead and show all of their eats. I tried and just didn’t feel comfortable. I guess it just depends on the person 🙂

For me, food blogs have inspired me to be more realistic about eating and exercise goals. In fact, I have been so impressed by the supportive community that I started a blog myself. I haven’t had many comments yet, and no negative ones, but I know that it will happen eventually. Thanks for addressing that topic.

andrea – no i meant i literally tell someone to fuck off sometimes in the comments. if you’re going to be mean, i can be mean right back LOL. but mostly i just delete them because i dont think downright nasty comments have a place on my blog.

I only recently started food blogging (we are talking like one week here!) so the true results remain to be seen, but I have found that by reading others’ food blogs, I have learned so much about nutrition and simple ways to eat healthy. You mean I can drink spinach? And I can put almond butter (oh sweet, sweet almond butter) in my oatmeal? Such simple revelations, but so meaningful to me and my health.

I have read Self Magazine’s Eat Like Me food blog for years, but only started reading food blogs written by us common folk. I enjoy them more because they seem more experimental with food than Eat Like Me (again with the drinking of the spinach!).

So it’s only been a short experimental period for me, but I feel like I have already learned so much and feel healthier because of food blogs. Oh, and they do provide a nice break from work every hour or two as well 🙂

I love that you tell people off in your comments 🙂 It’s YOUR blog after all and you have the right to respond.

I think it’s such a mixed thing – I love reading food/fitness/trashy gossip blogs and others, and the food/fitness/healthy living blogs have made a big impact on my life over the past year that I’ve been reading and the almost 6 months I’ve been blogging. I like reading them for food ideas, creative recipes, workout tips, health tips,…it’s like I have a group of friends I’ve never met that are all interested in the same things I am!

I don’t like getting harsh comments, and thank goodness, I haven’t had many yet, but I’m sure they’ll happen. Unless they are completely ridiculous or vulgur, I probably won’t delete them, but I will comment.

As much right as I have to blog about everything I do, other people have the right to say what they want. That’s what I’m opening myself up to by having a public blog. I have to accept that. But mean just for the sake of mean is never good.

I can only speak to my own blog and my own experience reading blogs. I’ve never had an eating disorder and reading blogs has taught me so much about the dark world of eating disorders. It’s down right scary and I am thanful that I’ve never been there.

I always try to be careful about what I say on my own blog because I would never want to encourage that behavior or make someone feel bad about herself. I think of my blog as a place for me to talk about my recipe creations and great things I’ve eaten, but also as a place for me to encourage healthy behavior, which includes eating well, being active and loving and accepting yourself THE WAY YOU ARE! I will never talk about feeling guilty or fat. I am neither of those things!

Honestly, if I stumble across a blog where the author seems to me to be battling something and is in denial (i.e. not in recovery or talking about recovery), I move on. It makes me nervous and uncomfortable as a person and fellow food blogger. I don’t want food blogs to be associated with abnormal behavior because I think many are positive examples of healthy living, or simply have great recipes!

I agree with what you wrote about the good, bad and ugly of blogging.

I have a history of an ED, and I find that it is my responsibility to delete a blog from my Reader if it becomes triggering or influencing me negatively in any way. I don’t place the blame or anything on the blogger, but simply just stop reading the blog for my well-being.

With that said, there is so much good in the blog world that it out weighs any of the negative! I have made so many friends (real life and internet) and I believe the blog world has had a really positive impact on my life!

At the end of the day, I do my blog for me. It’s an added bonus that some things I do inspire others, and it’s also an added curse that some things I may say may negatively impact my readers. But, it’s my blog, my journal. It has brought me friendships, given me new ideas, allowed me to cultivate my culinary skills, and consider running a half marathon. Just as in “real life” you have to take the good with the bad. When you’re driving on the road and someone flicks you off based on something you may or may not have done whilst driving – or how they interpreted you to be driving – it’s all how you deal with it. Do you chase them down and flash your lights? Do you flick them off back? Do you slow down and let them pass? Do you let it bother you all day? Not sure if that’s a great analogy or not – but regardless, I love this blog community and embrace it, warts and all.

I don’t have a food/fitness blog but I like reading them, in part because it’s nice to see people doing the same things I do. Not that I eat oatmeal for breakfast every morning, but it’s made me more aware of my food choices and given me some great ideas! (like spinach in smoothies, yum yum)

I usually don’t read the comments (simply because I don’t have time!) but nasty comments are everywhere in the blog world. I’ve only gotten a few, but some of my blog buddies get them all the time! I don’t understand why people think they can be assholes just because they can hide behind a computer.

Hey Caitlin,

I blog for fun, pure and simple. For that reason, I stay away from heavy topics and issues and try to be very lighthearted in my writing. Luckily, I have’t had to deal with negative comments, but I don’t get the volume of commenting that some blogs do. Blog reading and writing has inspired me to make healthier food choices and to be more committed to being physically active. At one point I did realize that I was trying to keep up with a lot of runner’s which is not all bad but I have to remember that I’m a 35 yr old mother and wife and my schedule just dosen’t permit the time I need to keep up with the younger gals.

All in all, blogging has been a positive experience for me so far and I hope to keep it that way!

Thanks for the great post.

I agree with you about food blogging. It can be both a blessing and a curse, depending on who is doing the reading and who is doing the blogging.

For me, it’s a way to find new ideas for both workouts and meals, but also it’s nice to connect with an entire community of people who have the same interest in health that I do. I hate seeing people take blogging to an unhealthy extreme, and my main goal is to always keep mine open, balanced, and honest 🙂

Caitlin-
I’m so glad you addressed this topic- I feel like it’s often the elephant in the blogosphere room, so to speak. I enjoy blogging because it’s an outlet through which I can share my passion for food and health, and connect with like-minded people. I’ve only been at it for a couple months but I already feel like I “know” so many of my blog friends and have picked up tons of new recipes and ideas.

That being said, I try to stay away from blogs that don’t project a healthy outlook on life and food. I don’t have an eating disorder, but I just don’t need that sort of negativity (nor does anyone else).

On the other hand, there are a lot of AMAZING blogs written by people recovering from eating disorders. You’re right, they do have a special insight into health. Their positivity, courage, and grace in the face of a serious mental illness is truly inspiring.

I feel like if I was a recovering ED food blogger, it wound hinder me in recovery. Obviously, It helps at lot of people in recovery. It is also really hard for me to tell others about my blog, other than close friends and family. No one seems to understand and they probably think it is a little obsessive, but I don’t feel like it is, so I guess that is all that really matters?

Blogs have opened my eyes and really encouraged me to not be afraid to experiment in the kitchen. However, I wonder if people think I don’t eat enough (I am only 5′!) or I don’t work out enough, or eat too much, etc. etc.

Also, When I take pictures in a restaurant and get weird looks, I wonder if people think I am a food critic and maybe I will get better service 🙂

Caitlin,

Thanks so much for this post. As someone who has recovered/is probably still recovering from an ED, I find food blogs to be helpful in coming up with fun recipes that stimulate my new foodie passions! I also love to run, and I decided to run a half-marathon upon reading blogs like yours.

That said, I avoid blogs that could be triggering in any way and I do not have my own blog, because I do still have mixed feelings/occasional guilt and I don’t really want to put that out there.

I don’t find it so hard to believe that food blogging would conjur up some nasty comments from other women because look at how critical some women are of themselves/others in the “real world” when it comes to eating! I’m sure a lot of this has to do with their own food insecurity, which is unfortunate.

I always appreciate your honesty and just overall good attitude toward healthy living! Thanks!

As someone who is in recovery from an ED, I can tell you some blogs definitely are triggering. That’s one of the reasons why I loved yours. Your recent posts on stopping fat talk is a great example. I started reading a few food blogs as a way to try and get a more healthy perspective on what to eat. There are a few I have stopped reading because the writers seemed hell bent on being perfect, and all the frowny faces over minor indulgences was driving me crazy. Food is something we should never have to apologize for. It’s not something we should allow to take so much power from us. I appreciate that you encourage healthy eating, while celebrating your beer and anything else that might be considered not so healthy!

And that said, in the end, we with EDs are responsible for our own choices. I appreciate that you try not be triggering, and while we can’t always control what upsets us, we can choose to walk away when something does. We are responsible for our own actions, and you shouldn’t change something to protect someone else! Whew, I’m long winded this morning! Anyway, thanks so much for this post, and all your posts. I look forward to them and think you’re doing a great job. Take care!

Oh I love this topic. First off, I think everyone has their own opinions and if you want to start a blog – it’s YOUR space.

I know putting yourself and your food (such a personal topic) out there is scary but I think negative commenters have no right to bash you for a hobby that you enjoy. Who is forcing them to read it??

I love the blog world, I’ve discovered so many new foods and recipes. I feel like I have girl-friends for the first time since high school (although I’ve never actually met them in person.) I love the support and the fact that 99.9% of them are so sweet and helpful whenever I ask a question and I try to do the same for my commenters.

I’ve struggled a little with the whole “Is this meal balanced enough to post? Maybe I should add some whole grains to it…?” but I’ve realized that it’s MY blog and MY food and if I want to just have a bowl of fruit or a bottle of champagne (true story) for dinner then I WILL not worry about what others think…

negative nancys can eat it! *pun*

honestly, this post was fantastic, as are most of yours caitlin. i love this blog and how you address issues. as someone who delved into distorted eating habits, i find it refreshing and helpful to read the healthy blogs. there are some that trigger regret and guilt, so i just quit reading them. i have found tons of great ideas on new recipes and food which has been wonderful.

all bloggers do their job, and if someone doesnt want to read what they type, then dont! that easy!

I sent this post to my boyfriend. When I read food blogs, he goes on and on about how they are a sign of an eating disorder. He feels that anyone who photographs all their food has some kind of ED. I disagree. I think yes, some do. But others, like you, are just trying to maintain a balanced and healthy lifestyle and motivate and encourage others to do the same — and show them how easy it can be, and how you don’t have to give up the food you love.

I don’t think he will ever change the way he sees it though! I do see some blogs where the author clearly has an ED and might not even admit it to herself, and those are the ones I try to avoid. Yours is just about a healthy balance!

I think the food blogs can be all things at once: a trigger, an aid, and an inspiration! Sometimes if I can’t decide what I want to eat, I surf the blogs to see if anything looks good.

OH! Guess who was at Borders here yesterday? The entire cast of Twilight!!! I should have taken a picture for you… I’m sorry!

When I first started reading food blogs I was obsessed! I’d bookmark any and every new blog I came across. I loved looking at how girls my age ate and how they exercised. However, I feel like recently it’s taken a toll n how I see myself. I wonder how all your ladies can eat so much (not that you eat lot, just more than me) and maintain such a slim figure and positive self image. I work out like a fiend and watch what I eat, yet sometimes I feel terrible if the scale goes up, my pants feel tight, I’m bloated, or I can’t run as far or as long as some bloggers. It’s like I look up to you, and when I don’t live up to your lifesytles, I get discouraged. I know comparing myself to others will get me nowhere, and I should be happy with how I am, sometimes it just gets to me you know? I suppose having underlying issues with food has a lot to do with this, but my eating isn’t as restrictive anymore because I see how you ladies incorporate treats without feeling bad. I guess I just can’t do it as often because it certainly shows on the scale.
I feel like some bloggers set such high standards and I feel like I need to live up to them myself.

julie – i think its really important that you decide what works for YOU. what works for you food wise and eating wise is not necessarily what works for me. the one thing that DEFINITELY works for all of us is having a positive mindset and working on our self-confidence. that is something we all need a little bit more of! i wish you the best of luck. XOXO

I could talk about this topic until I am blue in the face!
What I have concluded is that each person takes away something totally different from each blog, each post…
There is no way we can fully ‘protect’ our readers because what we may think is innocent and harmless may be interpreted differently by someone else. I know what you mean though- sometimes I think VERY carefully about what I say and how it comes out.

I started my food blog because I saw so many dieters thinking they had to eat light bread, fake sweeteners, fat free cheese, etc. to lose weight. I wanted to demonstrate that you can eat real food — food that actually tastes good. And you’re more successful when you love what you’re eating.

I guess I don’t feel any particular sense of responsibilty. I don’t pretend to be an expert, I don’t preach and I’m pretty much just sharing what I’ve eaten lately.

As for negative commenters, I haven’t gotten any, but I wouldn’t delete them. It’s an open forum and when you choose to accept comments you choose to open yourself up to criticism. Besides when someone’s really nasty, the community usually takes care of it.

Caitlin,

When I first started reading blogs, I DID get caught up in trying to eat and be just like the people I was reading about daily. I made ginormous bowls of oatmeal, indulged in a morning and afternoon snack, and usually dessert too! I was in the process (very long process) of trying to get rid of those last 10-15 lbs from my initial weight loss years ago and assumed that since the bloggers had such success (you, meghann, kath, tina, etc)and were able to eat this way, I should too! Unfortunately for me and my body, eating this way did NOT help me loose…I might have gained a few!

In the past few months I have finally been discovering what is right for MY body and MY eating habits. I’ve learned that it is ok to get ideas from you guys, but to try to do everything like you is just not realistic or even right for my body. Once I started figuring out what my body needed to get it though the day as well as adding in some new exercise techniques (hello, Your SHRED challenge!) I have finally lost those 10 lbs and am working on the last 5!

Weight loss is so personal and specific to each persons body and through trial and error, I have finally found (i think!!) my balance!

Thank you for being so honest and real as well as giving us a bit more than just “what you ate that day”. I’ve been wanting to start my own blog but have been nervous that I can’t do it quite as well as some of you guys so for now I’ll just keep reading 🙂

You know you have made it big when u get negative comments! Perezhilton (i think u said u like gossip blogs) gets like 90 percent mean comments, but look at him rackin in all that money! That being said, ppl still need to get lives other then going around and writing mean things.

Gosh – I think everyone covered exactly what I wanted to say! I agree with so many commenters above. I do want to add that I think there’s a fine line to negative comments. Sometimes I receive comments that seem strange in tone, but then I realize it’s just a person’s way of writing. I have actually taken these personally – which, over time, I realized was just their style – and nothing hurtful at all. At other times though, it’s clear that the comment is meant to intentionally hurt.

I have always found the internet world hard in terms of communicating emotion. However, the blogs I do love and read daily – all seem to have that distinct voice, one I trust and believe in. Yours included!

I LOVE your blog and many others. I eat mostly the same things as you, but I like the different ideas and ways to switch it up.. like my new fave snack is the Kashi heart to heart with a wholesoy yogurt and banana together. Before I never would have thought to put the cereal on top(as sillly as it sounds)

Caitlin!!! I could go on and on about how inspiring you have been to all your readers these past few weeks, but I won’t bore you!! You’ve always been such a great example of balancing health, happiness and fitness….but lately you’ve been posting topics that really NEED to be addressed, and I appreciate it! You’re impacting all of our lives in a very positive way, so thank you!! 🙂

i try to be really honest in my blog. sometimes it might seem like i’m harping on one thing but if someone doesn’t want to hear about that, really, they dont have to read it! i started my food blog for MYSELF. it was really important to paint a picture of what i really eat every day. i try to be honest because i am being honest with myself. right now i am trying to lose some weight and i honestly love looking at a post and seeing clean, healthy eating. it can be a great reminder of how well we are doing.

i do think that blogging can affect what i eat and when, but i think there are both positives and negatives to that. i also think that we are human and ive come to terms with the fact that i eat decently healthy, homecooked meals most of the time. i don’t want to feel guilty that i use splenda every day, or that i love lean cuisines, because i really dont feel badly about those things.

as far as negativity on blogs, i just try to stay away from reading ones that prompt a negative response in myself. for the most part, i love the honest, funny ones and try to stay away from ones where people eat a bite of cake when they really want the whole piece. i am trying to get to a point where food is entirely for celebration, not punishment or a detriment, and i think there are lots of great blogs that can help move my mind in that direction!!

I agree that food blogs are really a strange creature. On the one hand, it’s great to showcase your daily eats so that others can learn what is a “balanced” days worth of healthy food and exercise. This is great, and there is no better community than this to share and learn from. That is why I read, to get new recipes, learn about new products.

But on the other hand I think that logging each bite of food you eat every day can constantly feed that obsessive need to always be thinking about food.

I do agree with some others, I think that if you have a public blog you should be open to some criticism. I think it’s hilarious when bloggers openly comment about the negative commenters, or directly address it. However if it is really offensive, then I see no problem in deleting.

For me personally, I would never be able to photograph each bite of food and write about it. Mainly because I don’t have the time and I’m too lazy to do all that! But I do like to showcase some of the foods I make, or good recipes I stumble across. I’m also not afraid to blog about eating an (almost) entire bag of chips or two huge cookies from Whole Foods. We’re all human!

I think you all do a good job with balancing it all out, but I guess what I am getting at, is that I can definitely see how ANY healthy food or exercise blog could be a trigger for someone with ED.

i think that you’re right–there is a good, bad and ugly to the food blog side of things. on one hand–i’ve learned so much information! my own blog has been a vehicle for me to look at my food choices and to express my opinions on food, wellness, lifestyle, etc.

but you’re right. some -are- triggering. and sadly, too, some of the blogs i read i think–i don’t know, that they’re not eating enough (if they’re posting everything they’re eating), or they work out obsessively. And it’s celebrated as health–but really, is it? Or is it that weird sense of perfection, verging on disordered behavior?

I’m a stereotrype as well–a food blogger that is recover(ed)(ing) from an eating disorder, so I might be extra sensitive to these behaviors.

However, on the whole, I think food blogging for health, wellness and pro-food enjoyment is a healthy thing. It’s healthy for people to see and when the information is accurate and helpful it enriches lives.

More good than bad, I say. The best thing that people can do is look out for their e-pals and perhaps gently challenge them on what seem to be destructive behaviors.

I have to say as a reader of a few blogs I think that some negative comments keep it interesting and sparks debate. I don’t mean name calling and just being downright cruel, but if no one is allowed to disagree it becomes really silly and boring. (ie.YUMMY SWEET POTATOES!!!)

Putting yourself out there on the internet is a CHOICE. If you’re doing it for yourself, keep it a private blog. If you want others to read, allow us to respond in the way that we feel/wish/think.

I will say I do appreciate that you have drinks, eat desserts, and get grumpy. I hate the whole, “I had 2 bites of hubby’s dinner and a sniff of dessert and now I have a food coma!” type blogs. Kudos for that!

Wonderful post Caitlin!
I think its very commendable that you, VeggieGirl, Angela and others speak up when something in the blog world offends you, upsets you, or makes you ridiculously elated. With food blogs comes great responsibility but it should also be fun and lighthearted. I’ve thought about starting up a blog again (I had one once before but now its gone.. long story) but I don’t think I’d have the patience or the tolerance to update it as frequently as you guys do. Keep up the good work.. I seriously love reading all of the insightful information you ladies post… also the gratuitous R-Patz pics make for a happy lady! Mmm sparkly shirtless vampire.. mmm

Hi Caitlin! Just got back from Florida and my first eating-disorder free vacation in 15 years! Wow, it was amazing!

First of all, I think it’s so responsible of you to address and write about this issue. So many people (with or without eating disorders) do not realize how triggering what they say and do can be. It’s something that we all, myself included, must be so careful about. It’s awesome that you do that with your blog, which I don’t find triggering at all. And I’m a person who gets triggered pretty easily.

I think healthy food blogs are extremely helpful to a person who is READY to recover or almost ready to recover from an eating disorder. I’ve known for the past year that I really wanted a different life for myself, and your blog (plus your advice) really helped me to understand what balanced eating looks like.

I have been going to an RD for a month-and-a-half now, and I can proudly say that I am eating-disorder free, with a few lingering “symptoms” that I’m working on. I am amazed at how quickly I’ve recovered, and I really think blogs have assisted me.

Don’t get me wrong, before I was recovered, there were times that blogs were triggering, and not due to anything “wrong” that you or any of the other writers said. It was simply because I so desperately wanted to be “normal,” I was not eating enough, and just seeing all the food made me feel hungry, deprived, and all sorts of other feelings that all stemmed from within me.

Once I was in the right frame of mind and getting help, though, you and the other bloggers were great role models of balance. I use your recipes and ideas, and I’m eating healthier and more balanced than ever! So thanks, and keep up the great work!

By the way, I promise my new blog is coming soon!

Being new to the whole blogging world, I had no idea that it could have any adverse effects. but, yes, it’s a strange new world. i have found myself at times feeling inadequate for not eating as little as some of you guys do or working out as much as you guys do. It was those feelings of inadequacy that led to my recent blog/rant. But it was a great, cathartic moment that came from it all. Keep on, keep on, Caitlin!

Great post of course! This is a topic that has been on my mind alot. I just started blogging mainly because a wholesome lifestyle is a big interest of mine that I don’t really share with alot of my current friends and its great to be able to connect to people that do! I’m sure that this community could trigger some bad feelings for some people, but for the most part I find it very inspirational.