How to Avoid (Too Much) Weight Gain as Food Bloggers

I’d say the #1 question that Kacy and I get asked about when we mention having a food blog is “How do you not weigh 400 pounds?” Despite the obvious hyperbole, the question touches on a very good point – how do you stay fit and healthy and avoid weight gain as food bloggers when you are constantly seeking out your next great post? How can you practice moderation when your hobby and passion is driving you to eat and try all of the things?

Such is the struggle for brave foodventurers such as ourselves. We have chosen a life of fried chicken, ice cream by the pint, biscuits that come with flights of gravy, and burgers the size of my head.

So how do we keep the weight off and maintain some shred of balance with this type of lifestyle?

Walk It Off

Whether we are in DC, OKC or on one of our escapes, we walk anywhere and everywhere we can. There’s a couple reasons why the do this. First, we are trying to get in some light exercise and add some movement to our day. Weather and time permitting, we always try to walk to whatever restaurant or activity we are heading to. We’ll usually be up for anything that is within 40-45 minutes and we’ll even stretch it to an hour on particularly nice days.

The second reason we opt to walk to so many places is because we think it really is the best way to experience a city or new place. You get a more intimate view and perspective of where you are and can witness things that you would’ve missed when whizzing by in an Uber. We have been able to see and experience a myriad of unexpected people and places by strolling about including sidewalk vendors, street art, and historic homes.

Kacy and I also both have Fitbit activity trackers to keep track of our steps and distance traveled for the day. We pretty much always have a Daily Challenge going where we compete to get more steps than the other person for the day (Kacy always wins). Just a little something to keep us on our toes and get us out of our seats if we’ve been sitting for too long.

Tricks When Eating Out

Order Something Green

When we dine out at a restaurant we always try to include salads, sides of vegetables, or lighter appetizers to help balance out some of the heavier items we’ll be having. These dishes don’t always garner as many likes on Instagram or even make it into a write up on the blog, but we are eating them up just the same.

In addition to supplementing our meals with some healthier items we also mix in some breakfasts and lunches with healthier, plant-based options like smoothie bowls and fruit juices. We’re big fans of Wheeze the Juice just a short walk from us in OKC.

Appetizers and Doggie Bags

We’ve learned that ordering several appetizers and small plates over entrees is not only a better way to explore more of the menu, but can also help to keep a meal lighter. You get to try out more of the chef’s creations without filling up on a large protein or heavy starch.

And then there are the leftovers. We end up taking a lot of food home from our meals out. Our eyes have a tendency to be bigger than our stomachs and we are notorious over-orderers. Sometimes everything just sounds so good and FOMO gets the better of us. No worries though, we just bag it all up and have extra meals for the next day. And trust me, having leftover roasted duck and mashed potatoes to bring to my office for lunch definitely beats out a standard turkey sandwich.

Behind the Scenes: What We Eat at Home

A big way we try to combat the extra pounds is done behind the scenes with the meals that we make for ourselves at home. We both love to cook and despite what you would see on our social media posts we do actually eat most of our meals at home. We mix in some recipes that are vegetarian and low calorie to make ourselves feel better about the gluttony that takes place when we dine out.

Some of our favorite items include salads or power bowls (see above), chicken dishes made with our air fryer, spinach stracciatella soup (and dozens of other dishes from Skinnytaste), and homemade smoothie bowls (see below). We’ll probably never be recipe bloggers, but we know our way around the kitchen and make sure to eat healthful meals at home as often as possible.

Oh Yeah, Exercise

While neither of us would be mistaken for gym rats, we do try to exercise and workout on a somewhat regular basis. Whether in our own home or in the apartment gym, we (although mostly Kacy) partake in yoga, barre and weightlifting exercises whenever we can. We are also currently searching for a new gym to help motivate us and keep us active with classes and access to more equipment (have we mentioned that OKC has a lot of tacos and burgers?).

Every Little Bit Helps

In the end, yes, you are probably not going to be someone in peak physical shape if you are also a food blogger. And although it will always require some level of indulgence and excess, it doesn’t mean that you have to let it get out of hand. By doing enough of these little things. we have found balance with this lifestyle by making our healthy a priority. Plus doesn’t it just feel better when you have an excuse, such as you worked out that morning or had a salad at lunch, when you know you want to order the most fattening, delicious item on the menu for dinner?

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