Hello, my name is Kelly and I’m chubby.
I’ve been chubby since I was about 16 years old. I wasn’t a chubby child and I have fond memories of being a thin teen – but those memories are distant.
I’ve been gaining weight steadily all my adult life. (One diet at a time.) I married chubby. I divorced chubby. I worked chubby. I volunteered chubby. Today, I work at home chubby.
It’s a chubby life 
I asked a question on the blog yesterday, ‘Do You Have to be Thin and Beautiful to be a Popular Mom Blogger‘. I wasn’t really asking this from a personal perspective but some of my friends of Twitter and readers were very sweet with their private messages and emails. They wanted to tell me that they didn’t care about my weight at all and that I shouldn’t give it another thought.
I didn’t ask the question because I needed encouragement – though it’s always appreciated.
I wasn’t asking the question because I feel left out for being chubby. Far from it. I’ve never let my weight hold me back. I’m not shy. I have never been and never will be a shrinking violet.
Do I hold back from posting pictures of myself? Yeah. I only show headshots and a rare head and shoulders shot. I cringe at the idea of posting a full body shot – {shudder} – I really, really don’t want to do that.
I haven’t been to a blogging conference – travel just hasn’t been on the agenda for me in the past. But that’s going to change in the future. I have a LOT of travel and in person events planned in the next 12 months. One way or another there will eventually be a full-chub shot of Kelly – and I’ll have to live with it.
Do I wish that I were thin? Yes! Am I going to hold me breath and wait for it to happen before I reach for my dreams? Hell no!
Back to my question though:
Do you have to be thin and beautiful to break into the upper crust of the blogosphere?
After reading all the comments and tweets, it’s apparent that there are two answers.
First, the answer is yes. It’s clear that being thin and attractive AND talented opens a lot of doors. Our culture does value beauty. Advertisers demand pretty faces for their ads and websites.
But then, the answer is no. There are stand out exceptions where chubby women have broken through into the big time. There are some top level mom bloggers who are chubby. I believe that talent, charisma and personality can and will trump chubby in many situations.
10 Responses to “Confessions of a Chubby Mom Blogger”
Monica
1 year ago
Kelly, I’m far from being chubby and have never managed to weight more than 110 pounds, even when I was pregnant. I’m tiny and small, even around Ecuadorians
But that’s fine with me and I’ve got used to my size. Tall people might not know, but for us smalls it’s sometimes hard to keep up with conversations among tall people. Sometimes in a meeting or conference I find myself with a neck ache – true!
I’ve been also mistaken by a high school or college student. This might be fun sometimes but when pople doesn’t take me seriously it does bother me.
This to say that I don’t have an idea of what being chubby is like, and from outside I don’t think there’s a reason this could become a big obstacle for anyone’s blogging biz. It might just be inconvenient in some situations, but nothing that can really hold you back.
I know how I feel among tall people, especially when everybody is taller and talk among themselves without looking at me. Still, I attend meetings if those are of my interest and manage to get people look under their shoulders, or even bend to listen what I say…lol
I think you rock and would love to meet you in person, even if I have to step in a chair to avoid hurting my neck.
Monica´s last blog post..Middle Name Pride Day
Marya
1 year ago
I know the feeling about not wanting to be photographed. I’m always the one behind the camera and I’ve often thought if I were to pass on, my kids don’t have too many recent pictures of me. Oh, vanity!
Kudos on not letting it hold you back from anything. I need to learn to do that.
Marya´s last blog post..New Classifieds for Families of Children With Special Needs
Gwynne
1 year ago
I know the feeling of growing up thin, and then gaining. I was always the super skinny, couldn’t gain weight no matter how much I ate, kid. Until my junior year of high school. Been chubby ever since!
I don’t let it hold me back. I have no problem posting full body pics of myself on my blogs, and have done so many, many times.
But I’m also aware that being heavy has limited me in some ways. People look at me differently, and treat me differently. And it’s a cultural perception that is unfair. We just have to ignore it and live our lives without worrying about that though!
Laurie
1 year ago
I am chubby and not happy at all about it. But I don’t like dieting or exercising much – so it’s kind of hard to fix!! I know it bothered me thought to see myself on tv this week and see how round my face is and the rolls under my t-shirt. I wouldn’t let the concern with my weight hold me back from opportunities though – and some day I may put a picture of myself (more than a headshot) on my blog. We’ll see!
Kelly
1 year ago
I can’t believe I wrote this post without making mention of my 48 Days to a Better Me project! LOL!
Laurie – I have never liked diet and exercise either – but somehow in this challenge I’ve put myself in I’ve found a new love for physical activity like rebounding and walking and free weights. I’ve been on Weight Watchers for a month then switched to lo-carb this past Sunday. As of yesterday I’ve lost 21 pounds. Whee!
I have six more days to my challenge – hoping to kick my behind and make it to 25 pounds lost
48 Days to a Better Me
Angie (Losing It and Loving It)
1 year ago
Congrats on your success Kelly!
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Not So Average Mama
1 year ago
Excellent post!
Not So Average Mama´s last blog post..4H County Competitions
Lisa D.
1 year ago
Kelly, it’s like I said the other day, “Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter.” We cannnot put savvy, personality, and intelligence aside. They RULE! There are some waifer thin people I work with in the corporate world who have no savvy, and therefore, no credibility. They have no personality, and therefore no friends. They have little intelligence, and therefore little trust. Keep rockin’ in the mastermind world, and like minded people will see only your attributes. I hope to meet you someday, Kelly, and that some of your savvy will rub off on me. I could only be so lucky!
Lisa D.´s last blog post..A rolling stone gathers no moss!
krista colvin
1 year ago
I think it’s a tad easier to ebb + flow your way to the top when you’re thin. I don’t think I’ve spotted a ‘baby got back’ kind of gal on Donny Deutsch
But then there’s our girl Oprah…
Girlfriend, I’ve got on my big girl panties and occasionally bust out the spanx. I think blogging has added to my bottom line-yet *pun intended… I haven’t let my new found weight.. ok. ok. it’s been lingering for a while now, since the mid 90′s… sorry, I birdwalk now + then. As I was saying, I haven’t let my weight get in the way of my pursuits. I think it makes me more comfortable chattin’ it up with whomever and has somehow helped me find my sass inner voice.
I thought after doing a segment or 2 of tv, I’d be all over dieting. NOPE. 2 years of monthly organizing + lifestyle segments later… I’ve only put on more Lbs.
So here’s to cropping pics, blogging away with coffee and tons of real cream + sugar. Cheers to you + me and the rest of the cheerleaders that got fat along with me. *kick, jump, hurkie, + pom pom shake in the air…. and a good chin nod to boot!
Kelly
1 year ago
Krista, that is so awesome
You’re an inspiration to see on television!