Addressing the elephant in the room.
It’s not something I ever wanted to address; the subject of eating disorders has nothing to do with my website nor what I stand for, which is why I’ve let the rumors go unchallenged for so long.
But readers have recently been leaving an even higher number of weight-related comments than usual, now calling me both too thin and too fat. (I’ve even been called pregnant and anorexic in the same post.)
As I know girls are using photos of me for “thinspiration” and citing my blog as a reason it’s okay to eat 100 calories a day and starve down to 70 pounds…
I feel addressing it at this point is the right thing to do.
If you’ve ever googled “chocolate covered katie,” you’ve probably seen the search engine’s lovely (I say this facetiously) list of related searches, which includes “chocolate covered katie anorexic” and “chocolate covered katie eating disorder.”
It’s self-perpetuating: curiosity will cause people to click on the terms, and therefore the suggested searches will most likely never disappear.
Although I don’t have an eating disorder and have always eaten well, I did have an unhealthy relationship with exercise in the past that took a toll on both my appearance and mental health.
While I’d thought I was happy during those years and was technically healthy—with normal lab work and a good relationship with food—the over-exercising was sabotaging my efforts to gain the curves I desired. I wouldn’t allow myself to entertain the possibility my running routine could be partially responsible for my inability to gain weight.
When I finally did make the choice to give up running (that story is linked above), I gained about 10-15 pounds quickly, easily, and happily. Imagine discovering, almost overnight, that you suddenly have the body you’d always wanted.
Looking back, I wonder why I didn’t realize sooner the extreme exercise was not the healthiest thing for me: it had become a source of stress in my life and was draining me of energy, which was manifest in my appearance.
I am a million and a half times happier now, and it shows.
It’s difficult to make guesses about a person’s life simply by looking at a photograph or by judging his or her online persona.
No, my life is not all about food; and yes, I occasionally do indulge in “unhealthy” meals and desserts. I just don’t post about these occasions because it isn’t relevant to the theme of my website.
Hateful things are written on the internet under a cloak of anonymity, and it’s unfortunately women putting down other women all too often, writing words they would never feel comfortable saying in real life.
In my years of blogging, I’ve been called everything from “skeleton” to “fat slug” to “anorexic with a boob job” (neither of which is true; but even if they were, would it mean someone had any less worth as a human being?). The comments eventually forced me to realize my self worth needs to come from something other than the opinion of a stranger on the internet.
The routineness with which I receive these acrimonious messages has at least given me the ability to shrug them off.
Although… when I saw the “fat slug” comment, I could not stop laughing.
I completely stopped reading the internet rumors and conspiracy theories about myself a long time ago, even if that means letting some false claims about my life go unchallenged. While I could defend myself against the rumors, doing so would become a full-time job, and I’d rather focus my time elsewhere.
The people who know me in real life are easily able to tell the truth, which is all that matters.
However, the one thing I feel I do need to clear up is that anyone who tells you my blog promotes eating disorders is grossly mistaken. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The Chocolate Covered Recipes have healthy fats, whole grains, and real-food (non-artificial) ingredients, and you’ll never find me promoting dangerous cleanses, calorie restriction, or touting any one food as a “miracle” cure.
I’ve turned down so many high-paying offers from companies to promote such things on the blog.
In consideration of the readers with a medical need, lower-calorie and sugar-free options are included in my posts when available. But the recipes are not specifically “diet” choices; just healthier choices, and you can choose the ingredient options that suit your own personal needs.
I go further into detail on this topic in my Chocolate Covered Katie FAQ Page.
Please, the next time you read any kind of gossip online, take a moment to consider the source before believing it as fact. And if you ever come across something written about me that you don’t understand, please always feel free to ask.
I’m one of the most candid and open people you could ever meet, and I don’t get embarrassed easily. If a stranger really wanted to know everything about my life, I’d have no problem leaving in every detail.
At the risk of sounding clichéd… all of the stupid mistakes I’ve made in my life have made me who I am today, and I’m not embarrassed about a single one.
If you want to use me as thinspiration, keep in mind that the thinspiration you are using is a healthy woman who eats a balanced diet heavy in calories, healthy fats, and carbs.
I’d hope that what people can get out of my blog is the message it’s important to treat your body kindly; to nourish it with real-food ingredients; to truly enjoy the foods you are eating; and to take in enough calories for the strength and energy to live your best life possible.
No crash dieting. No cutting out food groups. No starving. Please take good care of yourselves. ♥
I also wanted to write this post because I know there are many other girls out there (and guys too) who receive similar online comments. To anyone who might need to hear it, please do not take any of the messages you receive to heart.
Most often, people just like to write things online because they can (especially if it’s anonymous), and it has nothing to do with your worth, no matter whether you are underweight, overweight, or have anything else about your physical appearance that makes you feel insecure or less than.
Now, can we put this subject to rest and get back to the food?
I’m going to hashtag this photo #fatslug 
Such a beautifully considered post. Well written and dignified. People will always judge regardless, but that is to their own misfortune. Keep strong, you are an inspiration to you loyal followers and we will always be behind you every step of the way.
Thank you for sharing your story. it adds another level of transparency to your already open character, making you as honest as they come. Maybe your story will help others to look deeper into their own wellbeing.
You are a great inspiration and a role model,
Thank you Katie!
I think you look great. Some people are just naturally thin. I can’t understand why people pick on others. How awful. I am glad you are above that and sorry that you had to deal with the haters. Stay strong and continue to make your yummy treats. I love reading your blog and trying out new things. Thanks for all your delicious creations.
Katie, you are lovely and always have been. Good to understand that we can Never please and accommodate everyone’s opinions and ideas for us. And even better to know we shouldn’t try. Physical beauty is fleeting, but a beautiful heart is forever <3 Bless you dear one on your journey in being exactly who God made you to freely to be.
Katy,
You are a talented young woman. Don’t let the haters get you down. Your recipes are fabulous and as you can see you have many admirers!
I normally lurkingly enjoy your posts/pins etc, but this one has brought me out of the woodwork. My first thought upon reading it was “Wait, what?!”. I must be utterly out of the loop or something because a) I’ve never seen anybody write anything like that and b) I’ve never thought anything like that. Your blog is one of the “good, healthy food” blogs I read. I love it that there are treats that are not overloaded with sugar/fat etc, but they’re still yummy! To me it’s an inspired balance between delicious treats and healthiness. It’s truly a gift of yours to be able to make these things up.
I’m absolutely appalled at some of the past comments you have received. Kudos to you for dealing with them in a healthy way. You keep doing what you’re doing, girl, cos you’re doing awesomely. Don’t let the crazies get you down. From the looks of most of the comments here, there are many people who accept and love you for who you are.
And appreciate you for the yummy noms. Mmmm. =)
Katie this is a terrific post. I’m glad you pointed out that too much exercise can cause you to not gain weight. When I was in high school, I ran track. I was often teased and told I was anorexic. High school kids can be cruel sometimes. After I stopped running, I actually had to learn to watch what I ate, so I did not gain too much weight. Now I am in my forties and glad that I can enjoy a healthy treat once in awhile. Body image should not matter. Being healthy, which is what your blog promotes, is the most important thing. Everything in moderation, right?
AMEN! Thank you for taking a stand and speaking truth! I recently lost about 50lbs and have had everyone asking me what I’m doing. I worry because I don’t want anyone to think I’ve starved myself or been unhealthy. I have tried to eat healthier and move more. It’s that simple. I have never thought of your blog as a “diet” blog. It’s always been a “healthy” blog. A “healthy” blog that let’s you still enjoy wonderful foods 🙂 Thanks for being an inspiration period 🙂
Thank you for your openness – I really appreciate it and also your approach for rumorous. For me your posts are always interesting – I like your recipes, your sense of humour, I also glad to see your personal posts – cause they are posts of thoughtful person, who respects words, who respects others and who respects himself. You are a really inspiration – and though there are people who misunderstood you there always be some of them. But I’m sure that for most you are a person with an interesting attitude to life, with a gift of chocolate creativity, not just “physical object”. Wish you a very happy smile. Right now:)
Katie, you rock! Thanks for such a refreshing post. I’m really tired of our society making snap judgments about people based on what the shape of their body is. Eat healthy most of the time and have fun. That’s all. 🙂
Hi, Katie, just wanted to add my kudos for your terrific post on this topic. I think you are absolutely beautiful and am so very grateful for your blog!
As someone with severe gluten sensitivity, eating gluten for half a century totally messed so badly with my metabolism that I am now quite fat. And the road to self acceptance after years of brutal teasing and bullying from others has been agonizing. I too, like you, have been on exercise binges which damaged my knees and did very little, in the end, to serve my interests of how I wanted to look and be.
There are so many mean people in the world! I too have been attacked on the internet which has often left me bewildered. I have had to accept that there are sociopaths who use such attacks as a game which they enjoy. We must see the for what they are, feel pity for them, and move on, doing what we need to do, in spite of them. Listening to them and taking it to heart gives them what they want. We must not give them what they want.
Having spent my entire life learning about calories, fats, carbs, etc. I could easily recognize your posts for what they are, sharing fantastic recipes for healthy balanced snacks that are not about dieting, but about being whole and having fun! I LOVE your blog.
Please keep on writing and doing what you are doing. You have the support of far more readers than you probably realize! 😀