How To Start A Weight Loss Blog To Lose Weight

Though I was a skinny teenager, I've been battling my weight for most of my adult life. I've tried every diet plan imaginable and have lost -- and gained -- more pounds than I care to think about. I attempted to stick to these plans as well as possible, but always failed.

This time around, however, I'm trying something new: I've decided to start a weight loss blog. I've kept a food journal to document my meals, but my problem is that I'm an emotional eater. Therefore, I also wanted to do something that let me keep track of my feelings the weight came off. Besides, by giving myself something to write, it keeps me away from the snacks!

So far, my plan to eat right, exercise, keep a food journal AND a weight loss blog seems to be working pretty well. I'm still overweight and have a long way to go, but as of now, I've lost about 30 pounds. The beauty of keeping a weight loss diary is that when I'm angry or upset, I can vent about it on paper (or in this case, on the computer). It's a great way to get emotions out and to also get a sense of how I'm dealing with my life. When I look through my old food journals, it's just lists of foods and numbers, but this gives me a clearer picture of my weight loss journey.

Another great thing about keeping a weight loss blog, especially one online, is that you're allowing others to see it. For me, I like being held accountable by an "audience." It gives me the encouragement to keep going. Plus, I love to write, anyway, so it's a very useful way to have others see my work.

If you've been struggling with your weight and are looking for an additional way to deal with it, besides eating well and working out, try starting a weight loss blog. Here are some tips on how to start a weight loss blog to lose weight.

1. Sign up for a blog on a site where you can create one for free, such as Blogger or Wordpress. Many, such as Blogger, will even let you add channels, such as Adsense or Amazon to it. I've actually made a little money from mine, though that's not why I started it. Still, I'm not complaining! Make sure you register your blog with Google, so it turns up in the search engines.

2. Choose a title and description that fits your personality. One big decision you'll have to make is whether to use your real name or remain anonymous. Personally, I prefer using a nickname because I feel like I can write more freely and comfortably under a pseudonym. But that's my choice. I know other weight loss bloggers, who are open about their identity.

3. You also must decide exactly what you want to include in this blog. I try to write mainly about my weight loss journey, though I have included some personal things. Meantime, some of the other weight loss blogs I read include entries about the author's political views, love life, children. For me, I feel like I'm already sharing something extremely personal by writing about my body, so I like to leave some mystery. Remember, though, you're not really writing for an audience -- the idea is for this journal to help you sort through your feelings.

4. Keep track of your weight and be honest about it. I'm kind of a wuss and haven't let on as to what I actually weigh (hint: it's a LOT), but I do at least note that I've lost X amount of pounds every week. As I lose more and feel less self conscious, I intend to let the cat out of the bag and make a chart for my Web site. I'm also going to include some before and after shots. I find these especially inspirational to look at on other writers' blogs, but want to wait until you can see a true difference in my appearance.

5. Be honest about your feelings. If you're having a bad day, say so. Don't sugarcoat it. As I said before, the idea of keeping this weight loss blog is to help you deal with emotional aspect of shedding pounds. Writing is great therapy, I find.

6. Periodically read old entries. Every couple of weeks I like to go back and see how far I've come. I've had a lot of ups and downs, especially since I was seriously inured recently, but I figure that reliving these times when I am stronger will only make me appreciate all that I've gone through.

7. Finally, write regularly. This might mean every day or twice a week or once a week, but try not to leave huge gaps between entries. You want to keep a steady log of your progress in your weight loss journal. Keep at it and before you know it, it'll become a regular part of your life, just as -- hopefully -- your healthier eating plan is.