The post about unplugging...

• I posted this to Instagram, Twitter and my Poonapalooza Facebook page. I'm taking a social media break. To be honest, I've no idea when I'll be back. And I'm not 100% sure that I will write here again. Over the past few months I've had some negativity towards my blog via mostly anonymous comments that never make it past my eyes. I've been called narcissistic, vain, uncaring, the usual stuff. And it gets to me much less than it used to. I accidentally deleted 4 comments I received earlier this week. One of them asked me what happened to me and said I've likely lost a lot of readers because of the direction my blog has gone (being vain with all the selfies). I appreciate my readers, especially the one's that have hung around for the long haul. But I've never written this blog for them.
• My blog has always been written for me. I started it 4 years ago to keep myself accountable during my weight loss. And although the focus changed after I went on maintenance, I still wrote because chronicling how much work maintenance is was important to me. Everyone focuses on the weight loss portion of lifestyle change, but no one wants to know what is involved with maintaining the weight loss. That is the most important part. Everyone has this skewed idea about how life will be perfect once the weight is off. It doesn't work that way. I had that same fantasy in my head. I wasn't prepared for the major self esteem issues or the on going planning and effort that came with maintenance. 
• I take a lot of pictures of myself. And I do that for me. No one else. The truth is, I've never paid any mind to how many followers I have. I've gotten quite a bit of media exposure over the past few years. And with that comes offers from companies to promote products in exchange for more exposure and financial gain. I have never accepted any offer that has come my way. I have always wanted to keep the integrity of my blog. I lost the weight through diet (Dr. Poon's Metabolic Diet) and exercise. That's all I would ever promote on here. I don't care to mislead anyone by shilling diet products that I have never used to make money. So the fact that my blog, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram has stayed at a relatively small following is perfectly fine by me. I have never called myself an inspiration or tried to market myself as one.
• I am flattered that some people are motivated by my weight loss success. But I am no one special. I am just a woman who has lost weight and continues the daily struggle to keep it off. Many share my story. The person you should find inspiration in is yourself. That's why I photograph myself. I am inspired by my achievements over the last 4 years and seeing myself as I am now, inspires me to keep moving forward. Because the day I stop photographing myself and being proud of the way I look, is the day that I have fallen back into my old habits. And that would also be the day I put my health and fitness on the back burner. My ultimate goal is to never see that day again.
• I am a genuinely nice and caring person. I work in a field where all I do is care for others and part of the reason I'm unplugging right now is because I need to find balance in my family, work and personal life. Sometimes it all becomes overwhelming. I may not respond to every comment posted because keeping up with 4 forms of social media while working full time and commuting and mothering can be daunting. But I do respond to each and every email I receive (I try to respond within a week of receiving it). I even respond to the negative ones that attack me. And even those I respond to in a respectful manner. 
• I will not shut this blog down, and I may return to it. Or I may start an entirely new blog once I start boxing training which would focus on that part of my life. Who knows? I've some planning and soul searching to do. Whatever I plan to do, I will be writing for me again. You are more than welcome to come along for the ride though. Peace out:-)