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 
Amazing blog..amazing person..amazing words. Keep ut up!
I’ve been very busy and have missed keeping up with a lot of my favorite posts so I just now saw this. It has continued to amaze me the truly sad and hateful people who feel the need to blast bloggers for literally ANYTHING, regardless of the subject. They are the “expert” at every subject imaginable…when in reality, they are truly control freaks, mad, sad, coveting persons. If I were in your position, Katie, I’d have a hard time just turning a blind eye. But you have my undying admiration because you DO. Thanks so much for your blog, your WONDERFUL recipes, and your words. You are “da bomb” baby!!
Hey Katie!!
In a way this is ironic to me, because I stumbled over this blog when I was up to my neck in an eating disorder, looking out for super-low calorie recipes. I went through your blog alost everyday looking at the photos and trying to figure out substitutes for ingredients that were even lower in calories, and when I went into recovery I avoided this blog for ages.
Now, two years later, I’m recovered and looking to transition to a vegan diet, and returning to your blog!! You can’t believe how awesome it is to look at your recipes for future reference and not care about making dumb substitutes. So really, if anyone else is here just for the low-cal recipes, you’re missing out on so much.
(is it okay to post some of your photos on tumblr and link to your recipes? I want to make a collection blog of vegan/vegeterian recipes from different sources mostly for myself there and want to make sure if you’d be cool with that or not :))
Excellent blog and spot on – great recipes and inspirational attitude to life.
Ignore the haters as they are the ones with a problem and their opinion is insignificant. Most of your readers love you and are thankful for all your wonderful recipes and blogs!
You’re a beautiful girl, inside and out, with tons of talent. I am happy that you support healthy eating. Your recipes ate good, healthy, and tasty. Thank you for supporting healthy body image and eating.
Haters gonna hate. Unfortunately there are too many insecure people in this world with too much time on their hands. I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been at the receiving end of their negativity, but honestly, you are gorgeous (inside and out)! Just keep your head high, and keep doin what you’re doin.
Also just wanted to say that I really enjoy your blog! Thank you so much for continuing to share your delicious recipes and quirky stories.
Hi, Katie,
I am continually shocked at the nasty and ignorant things people say on the Internet, and I’m sorry you’ve been the subject of anyone’s hateful behavior. As far as I’m concerned, you spread a lot of joy in the world and you deserve to get nothing but joy in return.
I have been enjoying your recipes for a couple of years now, and when my doctor recently recommended a vegan diet for me, your website is the reason I didn’t panic (okay, maybe I panicked a little). My first thought on hearing my doctor’s recommendation was, “Bacon! What will I do without bacon?!” I cannot even remember the last time I ate bacon (20 months ago?), but as soon as I thought that I might never have it again, bacon suddenly seemed supremely important. I was definitely feeling some plant-based paralysis, along the lines of “I like meat, and I won’t say no. I like meat, and I won’t let go.” I largely prefer vegetables to meat, but at that moment, I would have taken an oath that I’d never met a vegetable I liked. Then I suddenly thought about your website and all the lovely vegan recipes I hadn’t had a chance to try yet, and I relaxed. I started thinking about all the delicious new dishes that I would be cooking instead of dwelling on foods I hadn’t eaten enough to really miss.
I’ve cooked five recipes from your site in the last two weeks, and my family has loved them all. You not only saved me from bacon panic (not pretty at all), but helped me move forward with a plant-based diet. I am profoundly grateful.
I know you get more supportive comments than negative ones, but when I read this post, I wanted to be sure that I let you know what a positive difference you and your blog have made for me. I am cheerfully embracing veganism, and I really appreciate the help you provide through your recipes and blog.
Regards,
Julia
P.S.
Are those people crazy? You look healthy, happy, and fabulous.
Katie your hair is gorgeous! It looks great.
I find it interested that many times we like to blame a male-centric media for body image pressures, however – look at how much of it comes from other women! It is a natural part of the human psyche to categorize and compare, however, taking it that step further to name call is sadly hilarious in a way, because it’s pathetic. I am so happy that you found your peace and realize your self worth. You are naturally gorgeous, so there will ALWAYS be haters. That negativity is on them, not you.
I have bought two of your books. One for me, and one for my mom and it is still a go to for heathy treats.
Thank you and Much Love – Kristi
Hi Katie,
I have referred back to your recipes on several occasions. I appreciate your work…even when you have to deal with so much negativity. I have been cooking what I believe to be healthy for over 20 years. But in that time, my learning and researching has caused me to change some things along the way that, at the time, seemed good. I do agree with most of what you speak of, but in some of your recipes, I would caution your use of certain ingredients. I know you are dairy free, but the substitutes seem so much worse and artificial than the real thing. You advertise you use whole food to cook with. My son works at Trader Joe’s, so I know what is in the fake cheeses and meats.
Please take this in the manner that it was meant, to encourage and share info with.
Again, thank you for what you do, but please don’t ever stop learning and researching.
Hi Dina, thanks for the comment. For the cream cheese, you can always use cashew cream cheese too! I can’t think of any of Katie’s recipes that calls for meat substitutes. Is there a particular one you are thinking of?