As a traditionally trained, experienced journalist, who now blogs daily about the subject of my upcoming book SUGAR SHOCK!, I’m intrigued (and perhaps a bit chagrined) by — the attitude of some members of the mainstream media (called the "MSM" by blogger/author Hugh Hewitt) about us bloggers.
Specifically, a recent article, "Weighty Blogs Dish on Diets," by the Washington Post’s "Lean Plate Club" columnist Sally Squires, got me thinking about the credibility and background of bloggers covering health and obesity topics.
Squires — a nationally known, award-winning medical and health writer, for whom I have respect and admiration — blasted a particular genre of these scribblers — "weight-conscious bloggers."
She describes them as "amateurs willing to share their own experiences and tips, which may — or may not — be smart, scientifically verified or even safe."
To stress her point, Squires singles out some mighty unprofessional blogs, including one (Hello, I am Fat) where the writer, Anne, lost 50 pounds but regained 48 of them. (Oh goodness! That’s the example she picked?)
Squires then goes on to rattle off certain, unflattering traits of weight loss bloggers.
They "agonize over food cravings, struggle to find time to work out and often give themselves a public flogging — make that a webflogging — for taking a nutritional detour. They vow time after time to steer themselves back onto the road of doing better — tomorrow. And they share their triumphs and their tragedies, from eating the whole bag of peanut butter cups to becoming one with their couch."
Frankly, I was struck by the unprofessionalism of the blogs she singled out, and I was flat out embarrassed to even call myself a blogger.
Yikes! If this is the company I’m keeping, then who the heck will believe that I’m a bona fide reporter — even having a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and thousands of clips from mainstream media outlets such as the Los Angeles Times?
Even if I’m surrounded by rank amateur bloggers, I’m nonetheless heartened by the ideas author/blogger Hewitt puts forth in his riveting (at least to me) book, Blog, Hewitt, also a syndicated conservative radio show host, 
convincingly asserts that bloggers are revolutionizing our information landscape and dismantling the old media monopoly (which I mentioned previously).
But back to the Washington Post reporter’s condemnation of the dieting (or not dieting) bloggers.
The dilemma is that Squires doesn’t highlight some of the better weight-loss blogs. My new new online buddy Jimmy Moore makes this point in his Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb blog, when he’s venting his outrage over the deficiencies in the Post article.
In fact, Jimmy berated Squires for not doing her homework, because if she had, she’d know that "not all weight loss blogs are the same."
Jimmy bristles at the health writer’s use of the word "amateur" and insists that people who’ve lost weight should not be automatically dismissed.
Interestingly, Jimmy seems to represent yet another genre of weight-loss bloggers that Squires neglects to mention.
These bloggers repressent a very small, select group of astute, "successful losers" (as the National Weight Loss Registry calls them), who become impassioned and evangelistic in telling and pursuing stories that will support their particular weight loss approach. And they do often write some darn compelling stuff, which might be well researched or not (depending upon the particular post).
Although I’m a journalist by training (having worked both on staff and as a freelancer), I’ve come to appreciate and greatly enjoy several of these blogs — even if their pieces are often biased and journalistically lacking. Actually, generally, the more a blogger takes a stand, the more compelling, the post.
Sure, as Squires points out, at times, the posts are not based on solid information. But it basically becomes a fun challenge to figure out which posts to discard and which ones to embrace.
These weight losers-turned-pseudo diet experts/bloggers — like many other bloggers — tend to blur the lines between reporters and bloggers, who gain recognition because they decide they have something to say.
These newly slim or close-to-trim writers are self-designated, weight-loss observers and experts by virtue of the fact that they’ve lost lots of weight. It seems that the bigger the weight loss, the greater the status they’re accorded by other suffering people, usually obese. (At least that’s an intriguing theory, I think.)
These successful losers-bloggers also tend to be opionionated columnists with insistent, I-know-best attitudes, but who often crank out thoughtful, insightful analysis and commentary.
And, these bloggers all clearly have their hearts in the right places — they’re insistent that sharing their fat-to-trim stories can motivate others to do the same. This drive to help other suffering obese or overweight people helps give their blogs some punch and pizazz.
To be journalistically accurate, some of these bloggers do maintain decidedly un-objective views that sometimes blind them or lead them to erroneous conclusions that aren’t always based on solid research and information. Sometimes they just conclude whatever it is they want to believe.
But ultimately, these weight loss blogs with a mission are intriguing. They engage you in discourse, dialogue and debate. The best of these weight-loss blogs force you to think and act.
To be honest, it’s been a challenge for me to find some good nutrition and health blogs. Unlike the political arena, health blogs (not just weight loss ones) are a wide open field. (As you’ll see, I don’t list that many on my blogroll, because I just haven’t found many that are good. Besides, I’m very picky in which blogs I’ll single out — I reserve my blog roll only for ones that pass or almost pass journalistic muster.)
Anyhow, here are some of the better weight-loss blogs, in my opinion.
FYI, to get on this list, a blog has to be dedicated to helping others lose weight and to dispensing useful information (even if it’s not always accurate — for example, I think all of these blogs miss the boat when it comes to discussing the dangers of artificial sweeteners.)
- Jimmy Moore, who lost — and kept off — a whopping 180 pounds following a low-carb diet, now writes his often-entertaining, periodically provocative Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb blog. (He’s also self publishing a book of the same name.) I love Jimmy’s feistiness and opinionated stance — they’re garnering him both an audience and the respect of fellow bloggers. Jimmy’s also pretty good at marketing and getting the word out about this blog. (Full disclosure here: I’m kind of indebted to Jimmy for helping me become a columnist for Low Carb Newsline, a fruitful affiliation that’s gotten my posts often picked up by Google.)
- Regina Wilshire, who also lost a bunch of weight using an Atkins diet, now writes her Weight of the Evidence blog. What impresses me about Regina is that she really does strive to present thoughtful, well-measured conclusions. She comes up with some really good topics, and like Jimmy, she’s also quite articulate. Despite what Squires says, neither Jimmy nor Regina obsess about body image or food cravings or any of that stuff; rather, they’re in pursuit of studies and information that support their low-carb way of eating.
- Julia Griggs Havey, a formerly overweight mother who peeled off 130 pounds after divorcing her philandering husband, now runs a successful weight-loss business and she maintains her Take It Off! blog. She’s also e-Diets.com’s "Master Motivator," and her 1999 self-published book was picked up by Warner Books in 2003.
- Michael R. Eades, M.D. is best known as co-author with his wife Dr. Mary Dan Eades of Protein Power, but in June he became a blogger, too, where he dishes out some fascinating, analytical posts. (In August, Dr. Mary Dan Eades joined in and started her own blog, too, but her husband writes more regularly and posts more interesting items.)
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Diet-Blog: no more big fat lies contains many short, interesting nuggets of weight loss information, studies and developments.
Perhaps you’re wondering why I didn’t put my blog on this list. First off, I don’t want to come off as conceited; secondly, this site really isn’t a weight-loss blog.
Sure, kicking sweets and refined carbs can help you lose weight, but I envision the SUGAR SHOCK! Blog as your informative, inspirational, provocative online venue to keep you up to date on recent research relating to sugars and artificial sweeteners, junk food in the schools, food marketing to kids, political lobbying, and much more. Furthermore, you periodically get tips to kick sweets, and you hear my raves, insights, musings, observations and commentary related to my subject. (Only occasionally do I steer off the subject matter of this blog.)
But, all said and done, in spite of my decided point of view, I’m still first and foremost a journalist, and I draw my conclusions based upon the information I’ve gathered. (Bear in mind that I spent four years doing research and interviewing 250-plus experts for my upcoming book, SUGAR SHOCK!)
Know of any other good diet or health blogs? I’d love to find some. Let me know.
14 thoughts on “Weighing in On Astute Bloggers With A Weighty Mission”
What a great post! I am very humbled that you mentioned Diet-Blog on your list. I make it very clear on my blog that I am not a journalist. Blogs are Web Logs – a form of journalling. As such they can vary from the most introverted cynical rants to being pseudo-news sites that occasionally even break an original story.
While much of what Sally Squires said was dead true – unfortunately she missed or neglected the other side of the coin – such as some of the fine and articulate writers out there who are “blogging” – such as yourself Connie.
I have made a decision recently to become “less-journalist” in writing style – I do not want anyone to mistake Diet Blog for being an accurate/official “news” source. It is not – it is a blog that includes my observations on the world of dieting and weight loss. There are particular issues that I’m passionate about – such as body image, seeing thru some of the fraud in the diet industry, and how nutrition is something that (I believe) can be very individualistic in it’s application.
Diet-Blog has now been going for two years and has almost 900 entries – so I guess Squires comment “Many blogs appear and disappear faster than a box of Junior Mints at the movies” doesn’t quite hold true for everyone!
Anyway all my best regards to the some of the great and inspiring bloggers and writers here – keep up the good work!
Hey Connie,
THANKS so much for the mention in this post. I think this other commenter hits the nail on the head. Bloggers aren’t supposed to be journalists, but rather one long op-ed piece. Therefore, they should not be treated like you would read the Wall Street Journal, but more like the National Enquirer. I know that makes an experienced journalist cringe to hear that, but take a look at readership among traditional newspapers vs. these entertainment ones. There is no comparison which is more popular today.
I say all that to say it is best to keep letting bloggers put out information that can incite conversation. If we can get people to start talking about weight loss and controlling their sugar intake, then that’s the first step in getting them to understand and appreciate all the intricacies of their health. It makes what we do all worth it at the end of the day.
THANKS AGAIN, Connie, and take care!
Jimmy Moore, “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Man”
http://livinlavidalocarb.blogspot.com
livinlowcarbman@charter.net
I personally didn’t read Sally’s article as being critical or dismissive of diet bloggers, and I don’t think that was her intention.
Also, I think the blogs you mention, while excellent, are not quite “diet blogs” in the sense that the term has been used for many, many years.
For present purposes, let’s call this sense of the term “traditional diet blogs.” Traditional diet blogs are created by people who are going on a diet or trying to lose weight, for the purpose of keeping themselves honest and motivated. The content functions partly as a diet journal, recording weight, food eaten, and exercise, and partly as a way to get a little feedback via comments from others, specifically, from people they don’t know. Traditional diet blogs are often, but not always, anonymous, and can therefore be very personally revealing.
There are several dedicated blog hosts that specialize in offering blogging tools to diet bloggers, although any blog software will do. I would trace these traditional diet blogs to the diet discussion boards that preceded them, and still exist.
I also think you’ve perhaps missed something when you say that the blog by the person whose weight bounced back is therefore not a good diet blog. While I can’t really comment on that particular blog, I can tell you that many traditional diet blogs have avid followings, and fans follow them like soap operas, with the various plot twists (like rebounding weight) adding to the interest.
The blogs you mentioned are more professional in that a major goal is promotion of a business, product, service, book, or overall career aspirations. Obviously, bloggers with such goals put a lot of work into their blogs, and the content is excellent.
So traditional diet blogs may or may not be of practical use to dieters by giving reliable, actionable advice, but I think you’ve judged them by the wrong metric, and I think the blogs Sally chose were more along the lines of traditional diet blogs. I’m sure she’ll do an article on the more professional weight loss blogs sooner or later — hold tight!
Connie, congrats on the book — can’t wait to read it.
I would like to take the debate a step further and think you are the ideal one to shed some insight into the issue for me! What makes a “real journalist”?
According to Merriam-Webster:
1 a : a person engaged in journalism; especially : a writer or editor for a news medium b : a writer who aims at a mass audience
2 : a person who keeps a journal
I have my own idea of what the weight loss blog/journalist criteria should be–having actually been overweight and THE MOST important aspect–actually lost weight or trying to.
To me, it seems as though there is much to be gained (or lost!!) from reading the thoughts of an overweight person and their daily struggles–we realize that we are not alone in our journey, and we share the common experience of what works and what doesn’t.
The media is changing and sadly, old institutions and the older writers they have aren’t changing with the times.
Matt Drudge taught the news folks a thing or two about what people want. I think that us unprofessional “bloggers” in the trenches trying to help ease the burden of Obesity may end up teaching a few old dogs new tricks as well.
Any person who has a message to share and takes energy to do so via his or her WEB-Log or journal, is in my humble opinion, a journalist–by definition and design!
Carpe Diet!
Julia
http://www.JuliaHavey.com
http://www.juliahavey.typepad.com
Connie, thank you for mentioning my blog in your article!
For years I’ve followed Sally Squires columns and she remains fixated on one dietary approach as the end-all-be-all for everyone – low-fat. Now granted, it does work well for some people. However, it simply is not the only effective dietary approach nor the only one that can work in the long-term.
I believe that the tide is slowly turning as more and more people are seeking out weight loss methods they can live with long-term — weight loss is the easy part, keeping it off requires an approach that one can enjoy for the rest of their life and for many that approach is controlling carbohydrate intake with a strong emphasis on restricting sugars and refined carbohydrates. The evidence to date strongly supports such an approach and more data is emerging!
Keep up the great work Connie – your focus on sugars and added sweeteners is on-target and people need to hear more about how they can reduce their intake and still be satisfied with their diet in the short and long-term!
If the approach that Sally Sqires swears by works, why is she overweight? Just a thought. She has a diet book coming out next year — maybe that is why she is trying to posture herself as an expert and everyone else as a wannabe?
Let’s consider this: A NEWS journalist covering a war from the war zone is NOT a soldier, but rather on the sidelines reporting what he sees. The same could be said for Sally. She is covering what she sees in the weight loss business but she herself is not a weight loss success story nor authority!
Val
I think that Sally missed the point of at least one of those blogs (the most unprofessional one), and then in turn so did you. Maybe you should have taken the time to actually read even the introduction to the blog before commenting?
First, I’ve successfully lost more than 80 pounds and am well on my way to finishing off the last 20 pounds. I’m not a nutritionist, I’m not a diet coach. I’m not hawking any books or selling any services. I’m just a gal who wants to lose weight, eat right and be healthy.
One of my many support mechanisms during this process has been reading blogs. Amateur blogs. There is not one “professional” blogger who made an impact on my weight loss journey.
Professional advice usually boils down to “exercise more, eat less.” The challenge is how to actually *do* that. It’s a struggle. It feels like I’m going uphill both ways.
I want to know that there are other people out there who struggle and regular people who have success. I want to know that I’m not the only one who, after a stretch of eight great months of on-plan dieting and quality exercise, can eat systematically eat a whole bag of Reese cups or visit Mom’s house and scarf down 10 crescent rolls. I’m not as professional or perfect as you seem to believe you are.
Some of these “mighty unprofessional blogs” have given me the best tips, best recipes and best ideas for success. Yeah, some of them may be a little too “amateur” for your taste (by the way, “amateur” isn’t actually an insult. Look it up, o reporter. It originally meant someone who does something for love – not to earn a crust, but because they want to).
These blogs are the equivalent of chatting with a Weight Watchers group or finding someone out there who just understands what it’s like to exercise beside the skinny chick, to mourn the loss of Dairy Queen blizzards and overdose on cucumbers. Who knows this struggle better than some chick in Chicago trying to lose weight, too? Certainly not some holier-than-thou journalist.
If I want to read a news piece, I’ll (shock, gasp) pick up a newspaper or click the links that most blogs provide to whatever evidence or new finding they are discussing.
Looking forward to seeing your book- in the remainder bin.
I try to stay away from the political stuff because, quite frankly, it wears me out. I like a well-written journal about whatever interests that person. If it’s funny, all the better.
Can someone tell me what a “professional” blogger is? There are actually blogging businesses around (e.g. wonkette, jossip, engadget etc. where the company pays people to blog). Anyway it all seems a storm in a teacup. People write. People read. Write what you want. Read what you want.
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Can someone tell me what a “professional” blogger is? There are actually blogging businesses around (e.g. wonkette, jossip, engadget etc. where the company pays people to blog). Anyway it all seems a storm in a teacup. People write. People read. Write what you want. Read what you want.
http://www.publicweightloss.org/
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