Hello and Happy Monday 
Let’s make this a great week!
I really need to get back to some moderation with my eating. It’s definitely been way too indulgent all week (including last night when I just stopped gave up on taking pictures). So, instead of overdoing it for another day I’m back on track today. Hopefully, this bloated “post Thanksgiving dinner feeling” will go away soon!
I started my lil’ Monday with a 6 miler. I have a lot going on right now and it was just what I needed for some good thinking time.
After my run I made a quick pit stop at our hotel for some money and headed out for iced coffee.
Yesterday I discovered Stonewalls. Their iced coffee was surprisingly good!
I love the look of their menu too, but only brought enough money for coffee. 
Why you so happy when you smell so crappy?
I ate this “courtesy of the buffet” cereal while making toast and an egg patty. Because you know, Heaven forbid I wait 3 minutes for toast to be done!
Thank you Barney Butter, for making packets for my traveling needs 
I’m hoping to get in a bit of swimming before we have to head to the airport.
I am tragic and didn’t realize Marco Island is super south of Ben’s family’s house, which is already super south of the airport. We’ve got a l-o-n-g drive and then a l-o-n-g flight ahead of us!
Your thoughts?
Even though I am a food blogger and intend to post all my eats, I don’t. I never leave anything out on purpose, it’s just that I’m very snacky and random with eating. It’s something I’m trying to work on, but that is the reality of why things get on the blog and others don’t.
I hate feeling like I share a “full day of eating” blog, but actually don’t show everything. Right now I’m considering what I want to do about that, lots of things are going through my brain.
So, I’m curious…
1. What do you think about blogs that show breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks? (Do you like that some blogs post 2 or 3 times a day or is it ever too much?)
2. Are most of the blogs you read “daily eats” blogs / food or recipe blogs / general healthy living? Do you prefer a certain type?
3. Any other random thoughts you want to share?
I’m in it to win it! I mean I’m in it for the Real Housewives stuffs & Intuitive Eating. Leave the blog as is. But more Bravo, but of course!
I like all types of blogs but I can’t imagine posting 3x a day so that’s just personal choice. It’s hard to keep up on those type of blogs. I do like yours a lot because you are so real and someone that I relate to so I think whatever you decide to do I would totally be behind you on. I prefer mostly weight loss/fitness blogs over food blogs but I follow both.
One of the things I have loved about your blog is your honesty. I think you have a healthy relationship with food. I love seeing you eat crazy combinations and extra snacks… that is REAL. Some of the blogs that I read make it seem like every meal has to be “perfectly” healthy. I love how you are portrayed here 🙂 You are beautiful and healthy and strong and “real”… which is why your blog has become one of my favorites!!
I read a variety of blogs – some with daily eats, some not. I find that whatever the blog writer chooses to do fits their personality and it works. Authenticity cannot be faked. I can tell if someone is not being authentic and I stop reading. After a while I tend to check back to see if the blogger has evened out. Everyone has ups and downs. Your blog is one of my two favorites (do you read Running off the Reese’s? – she’s my other must read blog) because you own who you are. You, like me, get hungry and either eat or the hunger takes over. I find reading about your ups and downs helps me keep my life in perspective. Thank you for being so honest – especially on vacation. I have to vacation with in-laws too. I love them and we get along great, but that doesn’t mean every moment is a bunch of roses.
okay, let’s be honest here, since you did ask for our thoughts. i mainly read blogs for lifting advice, high-protein/low-carb recipe ideas, etc. i hate ketchup, have never craved a donut, and could walk by cereal without a second glance. so, i don’t necessarily read your blog for the food. i do, however, share with you a struggle with intuitive eating and eating for emotion/stress/boredom paired with binging. i read your blog because you make me laugh out loud (and that’s hard to do), your honest, genuine & sincere & i look forward to your posts. i like them when they’re upbeat or talking about more serious topics. so, do what ya like with the food. i think most readers know that daily eats aren’t all inclusive. i’ll read either way!
I <3 your blog just as is! You are hilarious and your blog has a good mix of fun, food and running. Who wants to see EVERY random handful of grapes/nuts/candy…I'll just assume it happens. 🙂
I read your blog because you crack me up! I don’t think of you as a food blogger–more a lifestyle, and as that you don’t need to post all meals/snacks–just the memorable ones. I am a 40-something runner and I have loved your blog for its ups and downs. I find much inspiration in what you do. Keep it up. XOXO
I love your blog as is!!
I don’t expect to see every single bite. I’m a snacker too, and I can’t imagine blogging about EVERYTHING I ate during the course of a day, which now makes me think maybe I’m eating a tad too much. hmph 🙂
I read a lot of different blogs … some that are “daily eats”, recipe focused, running related, fitness/health oriented … and some that are just plain random.
I love your blog b/c it’s so honest. I feel like I know, which I hope isn’t too creepy 🙂
Safe travels …
Honestly, I couldn’t care less what you ate. And that goes for all the blogs heavy on foodie photos – unless it is a new creation, restaurant or recipe it doesn’t really appeal to me. I read for the other things your write about and honestly skip right over the food photos.
Just keep the running and life aspect of the blog and I’ll be back! 🙂
I find the blogs that post more than once or so a day to be overwhelming and far too difficult to keep up with! I read blogs for more than just food journals. 🙂
I really REALLY like your blog how it is. I like how you focus on food and fitness but throw in other aspects of your life as well, and make it more normal and relate-able. Also love your writing style and sense of humor. Keep blogging how it makes you comfortable!
I felt really constrained by the 3x a day blog posts so I stopped doing those. I read both types of blogs but the common theme between the blogs I frequent is that I’m interested in their lives/they have a good sense of humor/they’re great writers, etc…not because I get a complete picture of their daily eats. I’m super snacky and had the same trouble as you when I used to try to blog everything I ate. I also wonder sometimes about the people who blog “everything” like Rachel (above me) said…is it really everything? I’m sure some people have more control over eating a handful of cereal here, a bite of a chip there, but it’s just hard for me to wrap my head around it.
I think “quality” over “quantity” is important to consider. I would much rather read a quality blog with tons of information, experiences, and food rather than a 3-post a day blog. I love you blog the way it is! If you don’t make rules for yourself and your blog, then less stress for you. Also, I think it comes from the heart more.
The blog that show every bite consumed make me anxious because I’m like, where are the 5 handfuls of cereal? Extra glasses of wine? Even bloggers who admit they don’t show every little bite (but still post regularly 3x/day and include snacks) make me feel uncomfortable, or just somewhat abnormal I guess?
I know this is maybe a personal problem, but I do think blogging everything you eat can create some pressure for both the blogger and the readers. I prefer a more relaxed approach, though I do still read some of the 3x/day-ers (though most of the time, I just skim for real content or particularly pretty pictures).
And by “the” blog I really mean “any” blog…
I would read your blog regardless of if you posted daily eats or not!
But, as a general rule, I like blogs that do that. That’s not ALL I want to read, and I certainly don’t ONLY want to read blogs that do that, but I have no problem with it and I enjoy/appreciate that type of content occasionally. For me, it helps me see that everyone eats differently and there’s no “right” way to eat.
I appreciate that you are always up front about not posting everything, or you often make a reference to other bites/nibbles you may have had. I do NOT appreciate blogs that make it SEEM like they post everything and then turn around and say “oh by the way…”, just the same way I don’t appreciate blogs that post a ton of food and then make a brief comment about how they left half of their meal, or something.
I don’t understand blogs that post HIDEOUS meals, or random bites, and then say “don’t worry that’s not all” (mainly seen in “recovered” blogs). Um…then why are you posting this random crap? I understand if someone has a real recipe/food/cooking blog where they are showcasing certain meals but of course it’s not everything they eat, but I don’t trust a lot of blogs. I follow one blog where the author is super skinny, and claims to eat more than she posts, but she will post a picture of a couple triscuits or something. I’m like…if you aren’t posting everything, that’s fine, but then why do you need to take a picture of three triscuits? That implies it’s worth photographing, as opposed to something else you ate, which is just weird, or you are lying and there IS nothing else. I feel like this point was totally rambling, but hopefully it’s clear what I’m saying…
Thanks D – I’m re-reading all the comments on this post for some direction 🙂
I read more general healthy living blogs. I like your blog because while you show what you eat it’s a blog about you and your life too. I’m never interested in seeing every little thing that a blogger eats.
I like daily eats blog because it gives me an idea of what to prepare for myself. 😀 It’s hard as a college student and I run out of ideas! So a mix of daily eats+food recipe blog is muy bueno
1) I enjoy your blog as is! I like to see what you eat – what fuels you, what you indulge in, what you have tried and hasn’t worked so well.
2) I’m a foodie and a baker, so I read blogs that involve recipes and some that don’t.
3) Two quick thoughts:
a) Is there a way to get the e-mails that you send out to have your posts in chronological order? I always have to read from the bottom up so I don’t “spoil the suprise” of what Monica has been up to!
b) What brand of sunflower butter do you buy? I’ve found several at the store, but to pay $7.99 a jar seems a little much. Is it that good? (I tried making my own this weekend….GRINDING FAIL!)
Thanks for the great blog!! You rock! 🙂
Hey Nicole 🙂
You’re question about getting the emails in order has been on the back of my mind all week. Unfortunately, I don’t have a good fix for this 🙁
Just wanted to let you know that it wasn’t ignored and I totally think it makes more sense if it was in “eating order” too!
I get the Sunflower Butter from TJ’s – it’s the only one they carry, not sure of the brand.
when i started reading blogs, the “daily eats” were what i read mainly, but the longer i follow the more i enjoy the blogs that post less frequently as much as the daily eats guys. i wish i had the time to show everything i ate- honestly i think i will have to get over the taking pics of everything i eat aspect of that!! you’re awesome and i LOVE your blog.
I rarely post everything I eat too. I usually do my breakfasts, but lots of lunches get skipped. Rarely are snacks on there. I think that doing that actually helps people from assuming I post everythign I eat and getting all worried or up in arms about it.
I read a variety of food/fitness blogs, some of which are daily eats type, some of which include that and other stuff, and some of which are focused more on the fitness aspect. I actually enjoy the variety and like all three.
I like to see the daily eats because I get new meal ideas that way, and I think it helps me put into perspective different ways of achieving whole nutrition.
I like blogs that post 2 or 3 times a day because I usually go through my google reader three times a day, so it always gives me plenty to read through!
Hey Monica!
I love your blog just as it is. I don’t feel like it’s necessary that you take a picture of every single thing that touches your lips over the course of a day…that would be more time-consuming than blogging probably already is for you (since you post very regularly which I wish I had the time to do myself). I agree with a lot of the other commenters that I find blogs that detail every meal and every snack, every day, are boring and quite frankly…where’s the soul in that kind of blogging? Your blog has soul because you are still you, you don’t hide behind the pictures of you meals and your workout stats. I think you do a great job with balancing out how much you share personally and how much you share about your food/ running etc.
Keep on doing what you do 🙂
Monican, I’m responding because I love your blog and love that you listen to your readers 🙂
1. I get sick of reading the blogs that only post what they are eating at each meal because it becomes SO monotonous and predictable. People are more than what they eat; I appreciate a person who actually puts themselves in their blog, not just their food.
2. I like blogs that are real…my favorites are currently yours, Hungry Runner Girl and Running Off the Reese’s…I like the ones who keep it real. I read the typical healthy living blogs for a while and then they just made me feel bad about myself as a person or I didn’t like their style of writing, so I stopped reading. I have found that the blogs I read regularly are the people I wish I knew in real life!
I personally dont enjoy the 3 meals with 3 separate posts idea ESPECIALLY its the same stuff all the time. Makes me think that its just done for more traffic.
However, if you are posting about your DAY and center it around your meals then it doesnt seem to be so bad.
For instance, you dont just pop on and say “Heres my cereal mountain . . . See ya for lunch!”
You post about what you did and actually SHOW us what you did which is more interesting. I like reading about peoples lives too.
I think that some of the 3x a day of food are so popular because some people think they can have that persons life if they eat the way that they do which brings up a lot of comparing yourself to others and insecurities.
That used to be the case for me at least. I post my meals but I also post about my life too.
Its not just about whats in your plate, its about whats in your head and your doing a great job 🙂
Hey Monica,
Your blog is great. I read it for the honesty and the entertainment. I do subscribe to a lot of blogs tht use details of the daily eats. Those are fine, but for myself, I know that I would never be able to chronical all of my meals. And I think this is truly mostly because I don’t know that every meal is worth going into pictoral detail. A lot of times, my breakfast is the exact same as the past seven days. So unless there’s a massive change, I tend to only do a meal…or two.
hmm I don’t at all read your blog to see what you’re eating all day so it makes no diff to me whether you include it all or none of it….when blogs are too food-heavy they get boring, i usually skim those parts…so really whatever works for you! if you feel better including for accountability purposes, by all means include! happy monday 🙂
monica, i love your blog because you just chat 2-3 times a day and share parts of your life, whatever is going on. blogs that only post meals of the day bore me to tears. i skim over photos on everyone’s blogs because it’s the writing/chatting/visiting/sharing that draws me in.
and your cartoon inclusions are good for a chuckle, too.
keep doing what you’re doing!
sad that you have to leave marco – i was enjoying recognizing where you were!!
Monica,
I read your blog almost daily because I love your sense of humor and your honesty. I am actually more interested in your work outs/running and your feelings about food rather than what you ate. I think right now you post a good mix of food pictures and other pictures. 😀
I agree that seeing what you eat all day every day would get a bit repetitive, but I would really like seeing the odd complete day. One thing I enjoy about your blog is that it feels much more like a real person is writing it who isn’t a freaky perfectionist–I get VERY tired of endless photos of “and then I ate this pile of flawlessly healthy vegetables, and then I ate this two-gram piece of chocolate for dessert! SO FILLING!” on some other blogs. I think the odd post of “here are four photos in a row of my smoothie as I slowly ate it and refilled it with toppings” (not, uh, that I’ve ever done that), is nice because it shows that healthy living and enjoying food aren’t mutually exclusive. (Because let’s be real, a LOT of healthy living blogs that insist they love food really…don’t.)
I read both kinds of blogs. Sometimes it gets really boring at work so I like to read blogs that post often. But I also like the blogs that post every once in a while. It makes me crave a post and then end up commenting like crazy when they do.
I don’t get triggered by any of the blogs but I do get some good food ideas!
Most of the blogs I read do NOT include daily eats.. and when daily eats are posted.. I either skip the whole post or skip the part of the post that the daily eats are mentioned. I’m just honestly not interested in that, but understand that if people are posting it for their own accountability, then fine. Hope my opinion helps Monica!
Like most everyone else, I read your blog for the “you” in it, not the eats. I enjoy seeing the different creations, but it never really entered my mind to wonder if you ever eat anything aside from the posted foods, etc. I think hitting the highlites is good enough! That said, the blog is really mostly for you, so its more about how you find your voice as a writer for what you would like to share. What keps me hooked is that through your voice, I see someone who I would, in real life, enjoy to hang out with-you’re hilarious, ery real, and totally relatable. keep rockin!
hey, sunshine! just read through all your posts. looks like your time in florida has been amazing. you are looking damn good in all those bikini shots! go you! and i loved what you said about living life for the now–not worrying about the last 10 #s because now is all we’ve got. so true.
questions on this post..
1. i like to see all the meals occasionally–but not every day. especially not when the meals are the same thing. i mainly read blogs for the words, though, so if a blogger does show her every meal.. i am OK with glancing at it and skipping to the words.
2. i read all the types you mentioned! and then some. i have them all categorized in my google reader so i can read the type i want, when i want. but every day at lunch (now) i read my google reader category called “BEST BLOG FRIENDS FOR LIFE”. yes, you are in there.
I love your blog! I enjoy food posts, and get ideas from them. But it is the real life and fitness stuff that keeps me coming back.
I had to unfollow a “daily eats” blog because I was so sick of seeing her eat the same mexican food day after day. My issue, not hers, but it just didn’t sit well with me. Too much redundancy, I guess.
The whole “I had OATMEAL for breakfast and it was YUM-O!!!” thing is so done.
I personally like blogs with a unique angle. I’d be more interested in reading a blog written by someone who photographs all their eats and then also their shits to look for patterns than I would be to read a blog of someone who just records the same meals all the time.
Exactly!
You gotta have your own edge . . . even if its shit! 😀
I read all of those blogs above, but I have to say I don’t really “care” when bloggers post their snacks. I feel like its just posting for the heck of documenting it but honestly it doesn’t add much to the actual post for me. I like when people post about food that I want to make and a larabar or some granola here or there to tide you over is not what I’m after when I read blogs.
I totally love the style of your blog! I think you should follow your heart. I read some blogs for the recipes, some for laughs, some for inspiration, some for fun, etc. The best ones are the ones like yours, where the author is true to herself and to her readers.
Keep it up! 😀
I totally prefer the random-snapshots-of-food-mixed-with-more-life-and-running stuff you’ve got going on now. I’m not sitting here calculating every morsel of food you eat throughout the day to figure out… what exactly DO people use this information for?! I like seeing random healthy meal ideas and special meals out but I don’t care if you miss posting some meals or snacks. I much prefer your musings on life and running instead!
I totally agree with Chloe. My favorite thing about your blog is your sense of humor (you so funny, Gurl!) and your honesty and being real. I like your healthy eating ideas and it’s just really fun to read about your journey. Keep posting what you find interesting and like to share 🙂
Love, love to read what other healthy, running, wanna keep weight off/down, help me!! ladies do. I enjoy reading blogs that are once a day or several times a day posting. Just keep em’ coming with great ideas for running and eating!!
You’re the first blog I ever followed. (Read that as I’ve been stalking you for a year, if you will) I know one person who tried to be a food blogger, and I follow another food/running blogger, but I usually skip all of the food stuff. I like your blog and visit it every time I see an update because I know it won’t be boring “this is what I had for lunch…” but there is a lot of personality thrown in it.
Since I’ve been your virtual stalker for so long I can say it just wouldn’t be a RER blog if every. thing. was. perfect. Those chicks who can do that scare me … a little. Who has time for that? I think a lot of us (stalkers) like the human aspect to your blog- it makes me feel ok if I’m not a perfect eater, or if one of my runs suck. You’re a life blog, and in that inspire me to keep getting back up when I want to throw my hands up.
I like seeing some of what people eat, but I definitely don’t care about seeing all of it. My favorite things to hear about are daily life, fun activities, and struggles. Yes, struggles. When you talk about overeating or trying to lose weight or how you’re dealing with the crap that comes up in life, I love it!
While I do like some of the ideas I get from blogs I’ve seen that post their daily eats, it can definitely get boring and repetitive. And while I don’t mind 1-2 posts a day it’s when it creeps into 3-4 that it seems a little over the top.
But, I’ve always loved your blog because you are always very open and…I guess real is the world? Not that other bloggers aren’t real people, but sometimes it can feel like a big piece of the picture is being covered up and I just don’t know what that part is! But you seem very honest and I really like that!
I don’t blog about everything I eat some days because it’s embarrassing. For example, this weekend I made brownies AND soft pretzels, but I didn’t post both recipes yet. My pants are not amused. I don’t think you should blog every snack you ever eat, but a discussion like today’s is a good idea when you are feeling out of balance.
i’m a big fan of your blog and style of posting. i like seeing what people eat on a daily basis, but am totally content with seeing some meals / snacks and knowing that others get left out. that seems like a normal and balanced life to me — being overly concerned with photographing and listing every single thing you eat seems like too much.
also, i’m usually skeptical of people who DO list every single thing they eat. i mean, if i’m reading a healthy food blog for months and i see ZERO evidence of ever indulging in anything beyond one bite of sorbet or 1/4 of a blueberry muffin, i just don’t buy it. and don’t really consider that “healthy living.”
i think you strike a great balance and i appreciate your honesty with your readers about when you have a particularly snacky afternoon and you simply note it and move on (rather than obsessively dwell on it and post tons of photos).
I tend to err on the side of “it’s boring to see what you eat all day everyday”. That being said, sometimes seeing you try new things and/or things that are different from what I eat inspires me to try something new.
I love reading about your fitness goals and race recaps. Mostly, I love seeing you set a goal and really try to achieve it. I’ll be honest — I was pretty close to cutting your blog loose from my google reader awhile back because I felt like you were setting goals out there and then sabotaging yourself or just not trying. And I don’t have a problem with the way you live your life, but it’s very uninspiring to read about someone’s goals and then see them sell themself short of the goal.
I see a lot of similarities between you and myself and so I love to see what challenge you’re on to next! Mostly — I just want to see you succeed at your goals! I want you to be real with your blog and if you’re not succeeding at something — put it out there for us that you’re not “winning”, don’t just gloss over the failure and pretend like you never had the goal in the first place.
Anyway — I love your humor, Vegas, and Natalie Dee. Keep those up! Keep striving to reach your goals!
what I ABSOLUTELY love about your blog is your honesty. It is not about what you include or don’t include…it is about the fact that you are like SO SO SOOOO Many women/girls and sometimes struggling with a love of food and knowing that you cant just eat what you want to eat whenever you want it!
I think that you should blog in a way that is comfortable to you and fits your schedule. but what you shouldn’t change is your honesty! If you overindulge (and want to share) SHARE, but I dont think you have to take pics of everything if you don’t want to.
I started reading healthy living, exercise, training blogs about a year ago and many have dropped off of my google reader because they aren’t “real.”
Keep it real 🙂
I think seeing what others eat can be interesting, but I guess I never assume I’m getting the full picture. What I really like are the more inventive meals (like your protein cake in a mug one) or things that are super delicious. I think a lot of people know what they should be eating already- personally the running and such interests me more. By the way, do you still use your little calorie counting Bug?
If you’re blogging for enjoyment and to just share, I don’t think it’s necessary to include everything. I like more general healthy living blogs myself and I definitely agree with what others have said. I think it’s easy for some people to start comparing themselves to those who blog about every morsel that goes in their mouth, and that can be dangerous.
I honestly love your blog the way it is. You post just enough eats to give us insight but not so many that it bores me to tears. I enjoy your humor and honesty most of all. You seem like a real human so much more than many of the others. I don’t really know another way to say that. Some just seem so mechanical and redundant where you have real struggles, real humor, real issues, and that keeps it very interesting!
Your blog is definitely one of my favorites, and not because of what you eat necessarily. I love reading about running and racing. I like to read about fun new recipes to try, but reading about every single thing someone eats is a bit overloaded. And I always think “That’s all they eat?!” Makes me feel like a little piggy!
I would rather read about the emotional side of your life. I feel like I get more out of hearing other people’s decision making process. Because if I ever go through those moments of self-doubt I can read how someone else got out of it. And I like to be able to encourage and support others, since that always makes me feel better! Don’t put so much pressure on yourself to make the blog what you think others want. Keep up the great work you are doing!
I’m not a huge fan of the daily eats type of blog. I gravitate towards running/healthy living in general blogs because I feel like the writers share the exciting and best tips they have, not just every piece of PB toast with banana. I get bored with 5 days of reading about the same breakfasts!
That being said, you should do you. If you feel like posting your eats everyday, well it’s your blog! But I like your blog just the way it is. 🙂
As someone who has previously suffered from disordered eating, I prefer seeing healthy living blogs as opposed to ones that post all eats/meals from the day because I think it’s healthier to promote a healthy lifestyle instead of concentrating on every morsel ate. I do like reading both, as it’s fun to see what others eat for each meal and gives me meal ideas, but for me personally I could never do a “everything I ate in a day” blog, but that’s just me!
Hey- you’re a Monica with a “c” and I’m a Monika with a “k”!
I read the daily eats blogs, but that’s because I enjoy reading about what’s going on in their lives besides what they eat. I usually skip the recipes unless it looks absolutely divine. I read more if there’s more fitness involved rather than food. I find it very hard to keep up with bloggers who post more than once a day. But that’s all just me and my opinion. If it works for you, stay with it. But if you’re feeling like delving in to something else.
CUTE bikini, by the way!
Monica, I love your blog! I stumbled on it recently and, like many others here, I think I most appreciate your honesty and authenticity. Most of the blogs I read are general healthy living blogs – I’m most interested in new ideas for workouts/training and the occasional new recipe idea. I usually just skim the eats for something that strikes my fancy, and try to avoid the excessive comparisons that can be a trigger for those of us who have had troublesome relationships with food in the past.
I prefer to see daily eats. Not to compare myself to others but because I find it interesting to see what others eat throughout the day.
I think it’s fine not to post everything you eat in a day as long as you make it clear that you’re not posting every last bite. I think it’s interesting to post your entire days worth of eats every once in a while. I like blogs that post 2-3 times a day. My favorite blogs are blogs that feature recipes, work out plans, and general healthy living topics.
Sometimes when my favorite bloggers post 3 times a day I feel like I am just scanning their posts because I have so many to go through!
Personally I love the style of your blog! I love seeing “daily eats”! It’s just fun to see what others eat… 😛 Weird I guess but hey I’m not the only one!
Love your blog, Monica! You post the best cartoons!
I think that as long as you’re honest with your readers about the fact that not all of your eats show up on your blog, it doesn’t matter how many pics you post. That said, I really like knowing what foods fuel someone who does as much running as you do.
I read some blogs for their endless oatmeal recipes, but I read yours for the running inspiration, witty banter, and cartoons.
Happy Monday!
I LOVE your blog. It is fun, human, and sincere.
I like to see the daily eats b/c I like the ideas and the concoctions you come up with. I like the running b/c it’s fun to see what others are doing for their workouts. I like your multiple posts b/c it’s almost like a chat with a good friend three times a day. I like your humor. You are one funny girl! I laugh each time I read it!
A blog is an extension of ourselves. If others feel a competition with the eating or running that’s their issue. You aren’t posting for those reasons (or are you?). What is a blogger’s responsibility seems to be the thing out there now, and my feeling is that as women we can choose what we read, write, wear, run, eat without needing to get an okay from someone/blog.
Your blog seems to be FOR you and the rest of us are invited for the ride. Do what you want – some of us will jump ship after a while and some of us will hang out as long as you can!
I agree exactly with Frankie your blog is real which is why I enjoy reading it!!
“Your blog seems to be FOR you and the rest of us are invited for the ride.” <- Loved that, thanks 🙂
Personally, I started my blog in that “here’s what I eat all day long” style. I got bored, so I could only imagine what my readers thought.
I like when blogs show the occasional “I ate this really cool thing” pic, telling me where to find it or how to make it.
I guess it depends if you want the blog to help you keep accountable – so you can look back and see what works and what doesn’t. One thing I love that you do is that you are uber-honest about your eats. I feel like some bloggers out there aren’t and don’t post everything, even though that is their style.
final thought: i’m jealous of all your FL vacation running! it’s my favorite thing about going to see my in-laws… feel free to read into that as intended…
Vacations and in-laws…no comment
best reply ever. we can continue reading each others minds on that topic…
haha – i love it!!!
I read tons and tons of healthy lifestyle blogs, and my favorites are the ones where it’s sort of a mix of eating, training, personal anecdotes, etc., and there aren’t necessarily any rules about what exactly is going to be in a post. I like reading what people eat, like Rachel said, for ideas, but if it’s the same thing for lunch every day for 3 days, I just sort of skim over it.
I started following a bunch of these types of blogs mostly for race recaps and training ideas, so anything else is sort of a bonus! I do enjoy reading about what a blogger eats when s/he is training for a marathon or a half, just because that sort of fueling and nutrition is new to me. But if posting what you eat daily is too hard to keep up with, or too boring and redundant, and you don’t want to do it, then don’t! You’re funny and inspiring, and people will read your blog no matter what. 🙂
I was going to do a separate post, but I completely agree with you assessment on healthy lifestyle bogs, Jenny! Variety is the spice of life, and Monica, your blog has a lot of ‘spice’ (haha!), which makes it entertaining and not redundant. I don’t think you should feel bad about not posting everything…as long as you acknowledge to yourself how much you are eating, and then say on your blog that you don’t post every snack then beyond that is really none of our beeswax ;).
I am personally obsessed with reading fitness blogs that post their eats! It is so interesting to see what others fuel up on! And to see what they are doing for fitness! Thanks for this honest post! When I think about posting my own food, *gulp* that would be hard. I’m not always the picture of nutritional perfection…I like cereal a little too much! 🙂
I’ve never met a cereal I didn’t like 😉
A lot of blogs do an “eats” tab at the top of the page. I like that, when it’s broken up from the rest of the blog posts. That way, if I feel like looking at it, I will. It also would give you the accountability for your snacks that you might be looking for. I don’t mind if people post 2-3 times a day, as long as what they’re posting is interesting! If it’s just a meal update…meh, I’ll skip it.
Can you give me an example of a blog with an eats tab? I don’t think I read one of them 🙂
some of the blogs I read are “daily eats” type, but i usually find myself skimming the food sections since its usually the same foods every day. do i care that you ate a sandwich thin with pb? not really! i’m more interested in the fun recipes and the restaurantd you eat at! i blog the same way. occassionaly I will post an interesting eat of the day, and most of the time I write about what i get at restaurants, but sometimes i’m afraid it looks like i eat out constantly! hopefully readers realize that I don’t! btw, i’m a new reader of your blog and i’m loving it! 🙂
Hello Jen, Glad you found my lil ol’ blog 🙂
I personally love blogs that have daily eats. Not only am I interested in health and nutrition but it’s fun to see new snack ideas and realize that its okay to sometimes have four snacks during the day. I’ve struggled with an eating disorder and whenever I see blogs with a full day of eats, it motivates me to keep working at my eating disorder and increase my intake of food. If you can look so amazing and good and still be eating ice cream every now and then…then so can I! I love your blog also because you have some of the same eating issues as I do, so whatever I can learn from you, I truly appreciate! : )
Thanks Mary and Yah for ice cream!
Firstly let me say how much I love your blog! I love your sense of humour Monica! 🙂
I find it interesting to see what people are eating for new ideas. I think a post just for the latest meal picture is a bit pointless though. Having said that, I love multiple daily posts as I pop on and off my favourite blogs during the day at work. I’m far more interested in the running and racing than the egg sandwiches though! 😉
Thank you Rachel 🙂
I tend to agree with this! I think the food stuff is better for when you have something new and interesting to report. It’s interesting, for sure, to see the crazy salads you have for lunch every day, but I’m personally skimming that stuff. I think if your only reason to post is that you (the proverbial you) ate lunch, then you should probably re-consider why you’re blogging 🙂
The blogs I read daily focus primarily on the authors’ daily lives in totality, not just their eating habits. I tend to just skim the “I ate this, then I ate this” entries people write because they just don’t interest me.
I’m not a huge fan of “daily eats” type blogs, never have been. After a while they are kind of boring and redundant… and dare I say it, competitive? I don’t always feel they send a good message, because it’s so easy to get caught in the trap of comparing oneself to others. I admit that sometimes reading those types of blogs drums up my own bad feelings about myself because I’ll think, “I could eat a lot more than that!” or “dang, how come that girl can eat so much more than me and not gain weight” depending on the post. So for me, “daily eats” blogs are somewhat of a trigger I try to avoid. I also have no interest in taking a photo of every meal/snack I eat and posting it, so maybe that’s part of it. I read mostly food/recipe blogs.
Thanks for this – I remember one of my friends in real life checking out a blog I linked to one time (a while back) and telling me, “She barely eats anything!”. And she has no prior issues, but it still kinda bugged her.
I like when people post everything they ate every once in awhile (maybe once a week) but when it’s everyday it’s 1) boring and 2) redundant and 3) kind of unnecessary. At least, that’s what I think. 🙂