There’s only a small handful of people who’ve never in their life struggled with weight. I’m definitely not one them.
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve often had thoughts whether I’m the right size. The sad truth is — I was never really ‘a big kid’ in my school years, yet I believed I needed to drop kilograms. I even remember my dad suggesting to do extra sit-ups so that I would lose my gut. I think I was 10 years old at the time.
I don’t think my dad meant it in a mean way. I just think he didn’t really know how to inspire me to do better, how to train better.
Having a sense of support and community as you move along your weight loss (or for some people — weight gain) journey is such an important part of the whole process. It motivates you to get through the ups and downs. It helps you recognize what’s healthy for you personally.
Luckily, it’s easier than ever to find such people — even if you don’t have them around physically. Thank you, Internet!
And so, without further ado, here are my favorite people and communities online that will inspire anyone to keep going despite the not so occasional bumps on the weight loss road:
1. Chessie King
You might have noticed Chessie from her funny and honest “Instagram vs. Reality” photos that have been shared across media. Chelsie is a London-based TV presenter, as well as a health and fitness blogger who often speaks out about body positivity and confidence.
As a tall girl herself, Chessie has often been conflicted with typical beauty standards. Until she realized that every body is beautiful, made peace with herself and now encourages other people to do the same.
Chessie often shares bits from her training, and she’s not afraid to reveal the ‘not so beautiful’ behind the scenes moments as well.
But what I love about Chessie the most is the fact that her online presence is a daily reminder to not take yourself too seriously. Trust me, we should all be doing that more.
Find Chessie on Instagram: @Chessieking
Find Chessie on YouTube
2. MyFitnessPal blog
If it’s not your first time around the block with weight loss, you’ve probably heard about MyFitnessPal at one point or another.
MyFitnessPal is an online calorie counter that helps you track your caloric intake — whether your focus is to lose weight, tone up, get healthy, or just change your habits.
Helpful calorie tracker aside, MyFitnessPal has a really cool blog that covers topics like nutrition, weight loss, fitness, as well as inspiring victory stories (for example, how an amusement park ride spurred a 150-pound (60 kg) weight loss).
Note: For the social media savvy people, I’d recommend following MyFitnessPal on Facebook and adjusting your settings so that you see their posts on your feed first. That way, you’ll be starting your day with a fresh batch of health inspiration.
Read MyFitnessPal blog online
Follow MyFitnessPal on Facebook
3. Fie Friedrichsen
I’ve often thought that I’d love to have a doctor say to me — you HAVE to eat healthier, otherwise, your life will just go downhill from here. Probably not the healthiest weight loss strategy, right?
Well, that’s what happened to Fie. She experienced a 180-degree life change when her doctor told her she wouldn’t live past 40 if she kept going the way she was. At that point, Fie realized she has got to make the right choices, and with healthy eating and exercise transformed her body from 140 kg to 70 kg. Today, she’s even studying to become a personal trainer.
On her social media, you’ll often see Fie talking about self-love, empowerment, and dealing with mental health issues after weight loss.
Just to let you know, Fie is from Denmark, so you’ll be seeing a mix of Danish and English on her social media.
Follow Fie on Instagram: @fiefriedrichsen
4. Alex Baker
Alex is a radio and TV presenter who hosts the show “Fresh Blood” on Kerrang! Radio where he speaks about the very best emerging bands from the UK and beyond. Thanks to Alex, I now have Enter Shikari on my Spotify playlist and even saw their show in Riga a couple of years ago.
Alex is also the reason why some of my colleagues in the previous workplace found me a little odd. I’d listen to his show at work and laugh for seemingly no reason. Little did they know — it was all because of Alex’s awesome British humor.
So I was really excited to see Alex post on Facebook that he’s starting a new podcast called #365 — and it’s about his weight loss journey!
Alex plans to limit his calorie intake to 1600 calories every day of this year, and there will be a brand new episode coming out daily. Alex has just started, so make sure to follow along with his journey as he progresses.
Follow Alex on Twitter: @alexbakerman
Listen to Alex’s podcast on iTunes
5. HASfitTRIBE
If you prefer working out at home instead of going to the gym, but never know which exercises to pick — HASfit will rock your world.
HASfit, standing for Heart and Soul fitness, is a fitness and health platform that offers over 1000 full length, free workout routines for all goals and fitness levels. It has also been named Top 10 Fitness Channel by YouTube for 4 years straight.
What’s cool about HASfit is the sense of community the creators — coach Kozak and his wife Claudia — have built around their workouts. You’re welcome to share your progress on social media using the hashtag #HASfitTRIBE and follow along with others who’ve joined the fitness journey, too.
Join the HASfitTRIBE
6. Zanna van Dijk
Zanna is a health and wellness blogger and global ambassador for Adidas. I actually found out about her from one of the workout videos for Adidas Women YouTube channel.
Aside from that, Zanna has written a book called “Strong”, co-hosts BBC’s Fit and Fearless Podcast and is one of the creators behind the GirlGains community (you might have noticed the hashtag on social media).
Zanna posts about fitness, how to live your healthiest and happiest life, and is passionate about protecting the oceans. On her blog, you’ll find plenty of yummy plant-based recipes starting from breakfast foods to chocolate and fudge, as well as travel guides from all around the world.
If you’re looking for someone who’s down to earth and speaks openly about achieving a balanced mind and body, Zanna is your go-to person. No unnecessary pomp added!
Follow Zanna on Instagram: @zannavandijk
Check out Zanna’s blog
7. The Reddit community
For those who have not heard of Reddit, it’s a massive collection of forums where people can share news and content in different topic boards known as “subreddits”. Reddit also takes the spot of the fifth most popular website in the USA, and the 18th worldwide.
And for a good reason. Simply put, Reddit is like the front page of the Internet where everything surfaces and people find out the news before they are posted elsewhere.
For health journeys specifically, my favorite subreddit to follow along is r/loseit. It’s a forum with over 1.3 million subscribers where people of all sizes discuss healthy and sustainable methods of weight loss and share their success stories.
The subreddit is full of inspirational before and after photos, tips on how to get through food cravings, and much more. The best part is — you’ll get support and encouragement no matter if you want to lose a couple of kg or half your weight.
Check out the r/loseit
Final words
Staying on track with your weight and health goals can prove to be a huge challenge. If dedication comes naturally to you, great! But more often than not, it’s the people around you who’ll keep you going.
I’d love to hear who inspires you to live healthier and feel happier. Is it someone on Instagram, a YouTube channel, perhaps a friend who’s training for the Ironman?
Let me know in the comments, I’ll make sure to check them out.
Comments