Opening My Mouth

Rebekah @Rebeltarian

Wise words!

Natalie

You definitely got me back into the kitchen! I made ur pancakes last wknd, but because I couldnt find canned pumpkin or squash, I used sweet potatos! They were so good!

marisa

long time reader, first time commenter. Love this response to the article. And being a porkatarian myself I have to agree- bacon does make everything better 🙂

Kara

Great response. 😉

Laughter-Loving Stacy

Nicely said, Jenna!

Elisabeth

I thought it was very classy of you not to respond with both barrels to the article…or “article,” as I felt it was more like a manifesto written by someone who struggled or struggles with food and exercise and was looking for a scapegoat upon which to grind her ax.

But that is neither here nor there, as before the article I was really only fully aware of and in love with *this* blog. Still am. I love food.

I hope that the only thing that comes out of that article are positive things for the all of the blogs mentioned. I’m glad you’re forging on and giving your readers what we came for: Good food and a glimpse of your wonderful life.

Liz @ Tip Top Shape

Haha, wonderful rebuttal that fits your blog perfectly! By the way, I love the transition that your blog has taken. There are hundreds of blogs out there that talk about daily meals and workouts (not that I don’t like them-I do) but the recipes that you create and share are truly unique.

Becky

I totally love all the changes you’ve made recently! Everything you write feels honest and relateable.

I have been cooking an obscene amount recently and well over half of what I make is something I found here. Beth’s perfect chocolate chip cookies? My goodness! You have changed lives with the browning of butter. Seriously.

Keep ’em coming!

AllieNic @ Frisky Lemon

I totally agree with everything you just said…I’ve been thinking about the article and wanting to share my feelings about it, but for some reason, I’ve had a hard time articulating myself. I think this post says it all.

I’m a pretty regular reader of ELR and I can honestly say that I’ve been inspired by your blog. Inspired by your cooking/baking and inspired by your underlying message. I heart this blog– You are truly a talented lady. Keep up the good work!

kelly

You rule ????

Katie Heddleston

Thanks for providing insight into your feelings about this Jenna! Can I ask a question? How come you’ve stepped down from Healthy Living Summit?

Ali @ Food, Fitness, Fashion

Well said Jenna!

Carol

Simply said – “THANKS for being you !” An inspiration to life and FOOD !

Bethany @ More Fruit Please

You certainly have inspired me to get in my kitchen and enjoy myself – thank you!

Maya

What a great response, I think it’s good that you took the time to choose your words carefully. Kudos to you, Jenna, you’ve been through so much on this blog and I commend you.

karen

Yes, bacon does make everything better! I hate that you all were misled as to the intent of the article. It just seems so wrong.

hiplip

If you felt it was necessary at all to explain yourself, this was the way to do it. I really didn’t enjoy the other “rebuttals” (besides CNC) b/c they were a little too “fly off the handle” and defensive for me. I’ve made several of your recipes from the last few weeks and they are winners. Keep it up!

MaryBe

As another long-time reader, I agree your blog has changed immensely. Perhaps it’s time for a name change, as Meghann did? The name itself indicates a healthy living blog, even though you say it no longer is. May I suggest Eat, Live, Bacon? 😀

Ellen

Jenna,

Thank you so much for your post and your blog! I just discovered it a few weeks ago. I really enjoy your blog, and it has helped inspire me to live a happy, well-rounded life! And I love the message you give about feeling good just being me! 🙂 God bless you!

Ellen

liane

I don’t tend to comment much, but I read every post and try about 90% of the recipes you post. I receive so many compliments each and every time I bring an item made from your site to party or to share among friends.
You make me look good 🙂 🙂
Thank you!

Amber K

I was saddened again when I took a second look at the article and saw that they added a note at the end about standing by the article and its content. And THAT made it even worse to me.

It just makes me so angry that the article was misrepresented to you girls and it didn’t have to be. It could have been about the same thing, but also have included some AMAZING things exactly like Operation Beautiful which has made a profound positive influence on my life.

Even though I blog just for fun and not regularly, I felt personally attacked because of how much I love the bloggers they brought down. I feel like someone has called me stupid for liking you all!

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I really hope to find out that they print some of your responses!

Kat

Jenna – love the blog, love your spirit. The MC smear campaign will pass. Stay true to your beliefs – that will last forever.

Lauren

Truly a remarkable rebuttal! You are amazing Jenna!

Marie @ ReciPeas & Musings

Love this, and your blog. Oatmeal scones are in the oven as I write this 😀

Krista

I’ll be honest, I have subscribed and unsubscribed to your blog several times. For a long time I just didn’t get you. But since you’ve moved toward this culinary focus, I’ve loved it! I think it shows your true personality more and it’s much more fun to read!

McKella

Beautiful. I think everyone’s blown this a bit out of proportion and I’m glad you’re handling it so well!

Natalia - a side of simple

<3 That.is.all.

Sarah @ See Sarah Eat

Great post Jenna! Yours was the third food blog I ever read and I still love it 🙂

I like how you said yours is not a “healthy living blog” and it makes me wonder if that label is not right for me either. I certainly don’t want anyone reading my blog and doing exactly what I do, I just want to share my love of food, exercise and most recently veganism. Tempeh bacon makes everything better, hehe 😉

Ally

I have an eating disorder and I never would have started reading these healthy living blogs if I did not. I did notice that reading the blogs (particularly the ones that were more like food journals) everyday was making me way more obsessed with food and not helping me at all. Really, an eating disordered person needs to stop making food the primary focus of their life and, let’s face it, these blogs are hugely focused around food. However, having an eating disorder makes you attracted to the blogs because you are thinking about food all the time anyway. It’s kind of a double edged sword.

That said, I enjoy your blog and like you as a person. I feel like the way you convey your life goes beyond food so it’s almost like we know you. I also feel your blog is healthier for me than most and I enjoy it more now that you incorporate more of your travels, life in wine country and recipes/cooking love of food into it without getting into the nitty gritty details of how you workout/eat every day. I think it’s funnier now too!! I still enjoy seeing meals, but obviously you know what works for you and that might be different than what works for me so I don’t need to compare your breakfast/lunch/dinner everyday with mine.

I think the “this is what I did” and “this is what I ate” focus on perfect eating was unhealthy for me. Having a bite of three different cupcakes isn’t really a “binge/splurge” for me, eating three cupcakes more likely is – so it is hard to read things like that and not feel bad about yourself. Trying to eat perfectly all the time just seemed to make me slip up more because I started to feel bad about things I used to be okay with eating. But I had an eating disorder before I started reading blogs, it didn’t cause me to be obsessed – I already was! So I guess you can take this whole comment with a grain of salt, just wanted to give some of my thoughts.
For the record, I think you do a great job with your blog. I think you take great photos and convey your life in a very compelling way. I also appreciate your recipes, reviews and wine suggestions.

stacey-healthylife

Well said, I agree. I also agree is time to move forward and we all know the truth.

Andrea

That article was ridiculous and way off base. I’m glad you addressed it. Don’t let it drag you down…

Sara

Jenna I have never commented before either but I wanted you to know how much I love your blog. I’m not much of a cook but I love food and I love to eat. Your recipes and the way you write them inspire me to get into the kitchen more and try things. Thank you for your inspiration and your amazing personality that always brightens my day.

Excellent rebuttal.

Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes

This is such a great and thoughtful post.

Vaala ?

Love your work. It is always guaranteed to make me laugh 🙂

Liz

Your blog rocks! Your recipes really make me want to expirement. I made your brown sugar buttercream frosting for my brothers chocholate birthday cake this weekend. My mom about blew a lid when she saw the three sticks of butter on the kitchen counter (health freak)…. but needless to say it was fun and one of the creamiest icings I’ve ever made! touche!!

Oh and in my opion, sausage makes everything better!! (but bacon is still good)

Becca@ Start Over From Scratch

You always find the perfect way to say things!!! Very classy unlike a certain journalist! I love your food blog, and it helps me through culinary school everyday! I cried when my hollandaise broke and laughed when I thought of you doing the same! I think it’s time for another culinary school chronicles!

Gretchen

You’re awesome! I love your blog and look forward to your positive up beat attitude and beautiful pictures when work and life have got me down. Keep being awesome!

Caitlin

I think your response is the best of the bloggers that I have read..thanks fotr sharing.

sarah

Since I was a teen I’ve struggled to grasp what my mother has always had as a philosophy for moderation, eating balanced meals but having the real ingredients in the right size portions (cream, butter, sugar, etc) and I’ve stayed away from the “unhealthy” ingredients for fear I might just blow up someday, but as I’ve been following ELR I am starting to understand and grasp it better. I’m getting a better appreciation for it, so thank you for sharing. And, I know that your blog has taken a new direction and the posts today are not like they were last fall, but that evolution is quite an art itself. You should leave them up and not feel like you have to defend it.

Heather

Well said, Jenna. Over at Hollaback Health, we actually discussed many of the points you brought up. Yes, people are going to do what they’re going to do. But, on the flip side, anyone can get this information and all bloggers should keep that in mind when writing and hitting ‘publish.’ I’m not calling out any of those ladies, but in the blogging community we need to remember that health does not always equal crazy exercise (I’m a trainer! I’ve been known to overdo it too!) and eating just the right amount of calories. It’s about balance and showing that balance doesn’t always equal working off every little indulgence, which you demonstrate wonderfully.

I commend you for the changes you’ve made to your blog and for being so much more honest and open in the past year. I’ve always enjoyed your blog, but even more so lately, because as a reader I feel that I know you and understand your mission (as much as one can without physically knowing you). I think it was unfair of MC to lump you into the same category, but I do appreciate the diplomatic stance you took in your response.

In short, keep blogging and doin’ what you’re doin’, girl!

Alyson @ Your Nourished Life Blog

I think “food should be celebrated” sums it all up perfectly, and is exactly what your blog portrays every day.. just love it! 🙂

Jen

I read this blog because it promotes healthy foods and great recipes. I chose to read this blog over others because it doesn’t tell me I need to run 80 mpw and eat carrots all the time…you are right, there are a lot of those out there but this is definitely not one of them. Also, Katie should understand wanting to run through injuries…any runner, disordered eating or not, tries to run as much as they can for the shear love of the sport and the freedom you feel when out on the roads! Kudos Jenna, for all that you do and for your fantastic food recipes!!

Diana @ frontyardfoodie

Thanks for rising above and reacting like this. It’s really encouraging. I was also shocked when I read the article but mostly because of exactly what you said…..it seemed she acted all ‘buddy buddy’ with you ladies and then completely blind-sided and betrayed you. So low.

I love your blog:)

Chase @ The Chase Project

Jenna, I love your blog. I feel like you channel the spirit of Julia Child in your love of food. Food is a wonderful thing and I really enjoy your perspective on it: that it’s not some crazy evil thing, but rather a source of enjoyment from so many different perspectives. Don’t stop what you’re doing =)

Jillian @ Reshape Your Life

Jenna, I love your blog and the recent changes because it shows that you can be healthy and balanced (because you can obviously tell in pictures how great you look) while still eating delicious food!

And I love that I know nothing about cooking or baking and you inspire me to get in the kitchen and make some homemade rolls or pies from scratch!

Toronto Girl West

What an even keeled and fair response you wrote!

Honestly, I’ve been reading your blog for years and you come across as totally well balanced. You exercise and you’re fit but that doesn’t define you. It also doesn’t stop you from indulging in some spectacular food.

In fact, I daresay that over the last while your blog has far become my favourite! 🙂

BTW – when is your book coming out?

Marika

Good response, Jenna. It makes me sad that you felt betrayed by an article written by somebody you know and trusted.

Nicola (Pointy Pix)

I actually only found you thanks to Cakiebelle’s blog and her response to the Marie Claire article which I hadn’t actually read. I was intrigued enough to go on to each of your blogs to find out if there was any truth to the story. I now follow your blog because I find you interesting and I love food . I’m not interested in excercise addicts as I am not one myself if I can make myself be healthy along the way so much the better but I fall off the exercise wagon as often as I jump back on and so wouldn’t want to read about some smug exercise junkie running for 6 hours a day. Your blog isn’t like that and anyway, the upshot is, thanks to Marie Claire I imagine you have a whole heap more followers than you did before as like me people can make up their own minds about what they read on the internet!
I salute you and your photos are making me hungry!!

Allison

I’m glad you responded. I read the article over the weekend and was shocked, to say the least, and slightly angered. While I don’t read the others’ blogs, I have been following yours for awhile. I think the negative portrayal of your blog was completely off base because, to me, it’s a place for people who are passionate about cooking and living a great life to come together and share ideas. I’ve been mulling over a letter to Marie Claire about the article because it makes me doubt the integrity of a magazine I subscribe to each year. I mean, what if every article has such an unrealistic slant? Perhaps nothing I have read in there the last 5 or so years has been completely accurate? Either way, I will continue to follow your blog; it’s a bright spot in my work day and a great place to find cool, easy-to-follow recipes. Keep up the great work!

Catherine

I only found your site because I read the Marie Claire article, and was curious to see what all the fuss was about. Having now seen for myself I don’t understand how the article can have got your blog so wrong. I’ve bookmarked it and will be back soon! Please don’t be discouraged,

Elise

If you truly believe bacon makes everything better…

You should check out Baconfest (http://baconfestchicago.com/) in Chicago every April. 12 course feast…every dish includes bacon in some way, shape or form — from some of the best chefs in the city. Just sayin,’ ‘cuz its like heaven on earth.

Ozlem

I do like yor blog and Kath’s blog and Heather’s blog and I visit them as often as I can. I do not, however, appreciate that people embark on selling stuff or promoting stuff on their blogs purely to make money. Somehow it just seems unethical to me. Like the open sky etc. Therefore I do not buy stuff from there. However, many times I will buy something in the store that I see that you liked and the results vary. It is all good though.
I think we have an obesity/overweight epidemic in this country not the other way. So I do not agree with the MC article either. Thanks.

Ashley

Thanks for writing so openly and candidly about this. I agree with you on the state of some food blogs out there… and also agree that it is up to the individual to make the choice that is right for them.

I adore your blog and applaud you for your strength in the journey you have gone through. I love seeing your food pictures, even if I won’t be making any of the dishes! They are beautiful works of culinary art!

Liz

Brother! I only just saw that article, and I can’t believe it. It seems really hypocritical for Marie Claire to run and article like that, anyway… wouldn’t “vulnerable” readers of that magazine potentially become obsessed by appearance and weight, based on some of what they include in their magazine? You can’t be responsible for what readers do. I also didn’t quite understand the point about how your disclaimer for eating-disordered women implies sick women read your blog. I’m not sure where the author was trying to go with that.

I love your blog. You’re obviously fit and healthy, and some of your recipes are really healthy, but you throw butter (and bacon!) in frequently. You’re about eating well, in the full sense of that word – reasonably healthily but also GOOD food. You exhibit a real zest for life which is really in contrast to any unhealthy weight-obsessed bloggers.

Leticia

Jenna, I began reading your blog this summer and it has become part of my daily routine. I am in graduate school right now, working on my MS in clinical nutrition on my way to becoming a registered dietitian and I was thrilled to read a blog that not only featured delicious food, but also celebrated food’s greatest purpose: to nourish us body AND soul. I think that as a nutrition expert I would be doing a disservice to my patients by ignoring the sheer bliss that can be experienced by a well plated dish full of vibrant color and flavors. To loosely paraphrase Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food, a meal is more than the sum of its parts (carbohydrate, protein, fat). Would it be responsible to prescribe a diet of butter, bacon, and white bread 100% of the time? Absolutely not. Can these ingredients be incorporated (in moderation) into a healthy diet and lifestyle? Absolutely yes. You are a breath of fresh air; life is too short not to enjoy a brownie or a glass of wine every once in a while.

MelanieF

Love the way you’re going with your blog. I didn’t use to read your blog all that much, because I didn’t sense it was really you. But now, WOW Jenna! I come here for the recipes and the fact that you do eat real food (butter anyone?).

Aimee

Jenna, I’ve been reading your blog for almost a year now. I’ve never commented before, mostly because I’m just a little shy like that. But. Your blog is great, your spirit is awesome, and I’m happy to see so many people letting you know that. To be honest, I may never have visited the other blogs listed in the MC article otherwise, but I’m glad that I did. They’re all on my Reader now. I feel article is sensationalist at best. It’s a shame that such a serious and important topic wasn’t discussed with the respect and truth that it deserves. It was used instead to make a catty, unhelpful and inherently obtuse observation.

SharonyintheSunshine

Jenna, I can already see that you have a TON of devoted fans and followers, however I feel compelled to throw my two cents in as well. I believe you may appreciate knowing that I found your blog BECAUSE of the Marie Claire article (I have a passion for magazines similar to your passion for food), and have since (in the past two days) become a huge fan of your writing and your blog! I researched the blogs out of curiousity and because I am a health nut with a foodie on the side. While the Marie Claire article may have made a valid point regarding other blogs, it is obvious they were offbase commenting on the Big6. It only takes 10 minutes viewing any of the blogs mentioned to see the intention of health and positive self image. Just know that you have another fan because of the magazine. I may never have come across your blog without the reference. And I quickly found your blog to be uplifting and beautiful to the eye. Your character (you I guess!) is magnetic. You have another fan! Keep up the great work! Sharon

Alissa

Hi Jenna,

I have to say I stopped reading most of the “Big 6” blogs including yours after reading all the recaps of the Healthy Living Sumiit. While I love both running & food, I was sick of the 3x’s per day food posts and everyone seemed so concerned about weight and worried if they missed a workout. Even though no one claimed to be an “expert” about food or fitness many come off that way in the way they write.

Anyways, I saw the Marie Claire article recently and clicked through some of those blogs. While her article was way out of context, she did make some vaild points and I don’t think you should have been included as your blog has changed so much. It was very refreshing to see that yours has completely changed from when I used to read it. I guess if nothing else. this article has won you back an old reader! Keep up the good work and congrats on the book deal!

ljb

Jenna! where is that blazer from in the second to last picture? want it!