Comments on: Returning Home

By: Erika Nicole Kendall

Erika Nicole Kendall — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 23:05:01 +0000

Girl! Lived there for ten years before I packed it up and headed out! ROFL

I’m still back there a few times a year just to check up on my Mom, but yeah.

Oh, and you forgot the COLTS! LOL!

By: Tiera

Tiera — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 22:46:23 +0000

Girl! What do you know about the Naptown? (besides the brutal winters, humid summers, and terrible roads?) lol

By: Andrea

Andrea — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 20:57:15 +0000

Im so in love with this site. I just found this site on yesterday via facebook! I just recently had a baby and lost a significant amount of weight. I considered the weightloss Gods way of giving me a second chance!! lol! So as soon as i was given the ok from my doctor i hit the track to keep it up and hopefully lose more. Well i had to go back to work and soon after, school started for my 6 year old, my routine was shifted and I went from walking the track everyday, to only going when i can in between work, school and my daughters cheer practice!!! I went to visit my mom one day and the first words out of her mouth is you look like youre picking up the weight again! That was such a downer and now i find myself giving up on the inside. I still hit the track when i can, but i find myself going back to my old habits of eating all the wrong things! I read an entry that you wrote and you mentioned the crab barrel syndrome! I needed to hear that!
Sometimes what people say to you can keep you or bring you back to your low place. Im striving everyday to make it out to that barrel that others have decided to stay in!!! Sorry so long! God bless you

By: Hilda

Hilda — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 22:38:10 +0000

I’ve recently discovered your blog and I LOVE IT! I’m so glad my niece turned me on to it..Thank You.

By: asada

asada — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 21:20:48 +0000

This happened to me when I moved back home from college. You will find the strenght to do something only when YOU are ready.

All I ask is that you be honest about WHY, even if your resoning is shallow, but at least don’t project it on others. My reasons are simply to fit in with my friends again, my clothes again and regain my peace of mind. Thats it.

I used to be in shape through an exersize program and through eating well. I pumped iron and did exersize videos. I would dance in my room ( to radio music) and do crunches each day ( 25 each). I know how to do that , so its just a matter of doing the things I used to do. Find a program ( even if you have to buy it online ) and work at.

By: nettid

nettid — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 14:39:32 +0000

Thanks for writing this. My mother was like that to a certian extent. But it was the other way around. She would show pics of me when I was alot smaller and ask me” What happened to THAT girl?” *smh*

By: Netherland

Netherland — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 16:20:48 +0000

Wow, Erica! This is just what I needed to read, and I am now intriqued (sp). I think this journey is not only the excercise, and food, but understand the full picture through literature, and informational and inspirational stories, like you have shared here — Thank you, for sharing and developing this space for sisters like us! God Bless You and Yours!

By: BAnjeeB

BAnjeeB — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:45:57 +0000

You are very insightful and I appreciate the candor with which you share your story. It’s hard to discipline yourself but it’s harder to deal with all the health problems that come with being overweight/obese. I’m still working on coming down, I’ve hit a plateau but I’m going to keep on doing what I need to do. Thanks for this forum and for sharing your experiences.

By: Peach Cobbler

Peach Cobbler — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:04:51 +0000

Thank you so much for posting this. I came across your site via http://www.MADAMETHEJOURNEY.com. Both of you are an inspiration. I feel so behind because I have yet to begin my weight loss.

Your story hit home for me, because my current situation is in reverse. For the past 7 years, I lived in Hampton, VA & due to the loss of my job & the bad economy, I had to move back home to GA in with my mother. Her including my family & old friends all have asked me “What happened?”. I wish Obama had a stimulus check to mail me everytime I heard that question. Before I left GA I was between sizes 12-14, now I am 22/24.

In VA, I thought I was a DIVA. I loved fatshion blogs, clothes/makeup/hair, and men hit on me all the time. Now that I’m back home, I feel like there’s is something wrong with how I look.

I know nearly 300 lbs is not healthy (for me) & puts stress on my body, but aside from that no one wants to accept my new, bigger body. Sorry I wrote so much. Your post just made me think about why I really want to lose weight. I hope people’s opinions in my hometown doesnt have a negative effect on my motivation.

By: Inkognegro

Inkognegro — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:16:20 +0000

This was amazing and insightful. So often there is a lot of Harrumphing about Getting in a bikini and what men say/think.

Self perception and what WE see as the Scale rises and falls, is what I find more illuminating. Thank you for sharing that.

By: Erika

Erika — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:41:45 +0000

@Helena, She sure was. Nothing like seeing tears form up in your Mom’s eyes.

@Andrea, Wow! Thank you so much for those words. I’m so honored!

By: Andrea (AJ) Plaid

Andrea (AJ) Plaid — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:23:30 +0000

Hey Luvie–

I really dig this piece b/c it does get to how we learn to talk about our bodies and fat–mostly from our female relatives, esp. moms. Most of all, I love your continually opening up about the realizations about weight loss as it affects quite a few of us Black women. I feel like I’m following a trailblazer b/c we don’t hear what you say so eloquently too much of anywhere.

By: Helena Thornton

Helena Thornton — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:08:35 +0000

She was glad that you took steps to get healthy, Right?

By: MaroonDawta

MaroonDawta — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:49:14 +0000

@ Erika

Well done on your weight loss hun and thanks for sharing.

I’m at the stage where ‘Tracy’ is at, where I’m looking at pics or just remembering how much I weighed 5 years ago and just cannot believe I used to eat 2 double whopper meals in the space of 30 mins thinking it wouldn’t catch up with me.

Love your blog btw!

By: Ilyasha

Ilyasha — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:57:55 +0000

Thank you for sharing! You are a brave soul and your stories continue to motivate me (and many others I suspect). Blessings!

By: Erika

Erika — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:36:54 +0000

Aww, thank you, Tracy!

The hardest thing about writing this was what I didn’t say… and while I’m coming from a different perspective on this, I understand where you’re coming from because I’m seeing it in my Mother, which is the real reason why I’m here. So trust me… I can feel you 100%.

Don’t worry, pretty girl – you’ll be all good before you know it!

By: Tracy

Tracy — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:15:46 +0000

I’m not crying… I have something in my eye. *tear*

Girl, this story is touching because I know what it’s like. Of course, I don’t REALLY know, as I haven’t reached my goal yet; however, I can imagine what it’s like to be faced with the old you via pictures. I currently feel it in reverse. I look at old pictures of myself from when I wasn’t as big as I am now and wonder how/why I allowed myself to keep growing in girth. And once I lose the weight, I can only imagine what it will be like to look at who I am now.

You have made AMAZING changes, Erika! I’m so proud of you and happy that you are helping others fight the battle!!