She Strengthens

The Unlikely Origins of a Lifelong Friendship

My closest friend and I didn’t meet at a trendy coffee shop or through mutual friends. Instead, our friendship was born in a Facebook group for women seeking fitness and weight loss support. It was 2013, and I was training for a half-marathon, desperate for accountability and encouragement. I stumbled upon the group, thrilled to find like-minded women cheering each other on.

A Community Built on Restriction

At first, the group’s collective motivation seemed to be that weight loss was the key to happiness. Members followed strict diets, obsessing over “good” and “bad” foods. I got caught up in the frenzy, tracking every morsel I ate and sharing photos of my meals. The congratulations poured in when I reported weight losses, but beneath the surface, I felt hungry, tired, and unfulfilled.

A Kindred Spirit

That’s when I met Lynsey, a witty and self-deprecating woman who stood out in the group. We bonded over our shared frustrations and exchanged numbers, eventually meeting in person. Our connection was instant, and we spent hours discussing the weight-related bullying we’d endured as kids and how our self-worth was tied to our weight.

Breaking Free from the Cycle

One day, I confided in Lynsey about my growing unease with the group’s focus on restriction and negativity. To my surprise, she felt the same way. We both realized that we were trying to shrink ourselves to fit an unrealistic ideal, but happiness remained elusive. Within a week, we’d both left the group, freeing ourselves from the toxic environment.

Finding a New Passion

To fill the void, I introduced Lynsey to cross-stitch, a hobby I’d taken up to manage anxiety and hunger pangs. She was hooked, and soon we were sharing stitching projects instead of diet progress. We even joined a new Facebook group, one that celebrated creativity and self-expression.

A Lasting Bond

Six months later, Lynsey gifted me a stitched message that read: “RIOTS, NOT DIETS.” The gesture and message were so poignant that I burst into tears. Our friendship had blossomed in a space where we could support each other without the burden of weight loss goals. Today, we cherish our handmade gifts and the wholesome joy of working together towards a common goal – one that has nothing to do with weight.