A Must-Read Tale of Beating the Odds--and Winning Big

By , SparkPeople Blogger
A round-up of the most interesting and thought-provoking stories of the week.

Wheelchair Racer Could Be First to Win 3 Major Marathons in a Season
What a feel-good story! Born with spina bifida, Tatyana McFadden spent her early years in a Russian orphanage. With no wheelchair, she walked using her hands. Now she's a decorated long-distance wheelchair athlete who has taken up skiing! If you've ever had someone tell you "you can't do that," you'll love this story of perseverance and triumph! (Update: She won Chicago, too!)

Feeling the Burn: How I Dealt with Mean Girls in Spin Class Fitness magazine
This blog shares an interesting first-person tale of grown-ups bullying at the gym. Have you ever experienced "mean girls" (or boys) at the gym?

ELLE Magazine Under Fire for Melissa McCarthy Cover Yahoo! Shine
While ELLE has been praised for putting a plus-size actress on the cover, critics say the wardrobe choice (oversized trench coat) is an insult  and a missed opportunity? What do you think about the Bridesmaids star's magazine cover?

Do customers overshare on Instagram? Restaurant Hospitality
While this story is aimed at restaurant owners and operators, read it to find out interesting new info about the effect of food photos on your appetite. Contrary to what you might think, the longer you look at food (on Instagram or other social media platforms), the less desirable eating that food becomes. Is this a viable weight-loss tactic?

5 Things Nobody Wants to Hear Mind Body Green
Read this list before you update your Friend Feed, chat with your co-worker at the water cooler, or catch up with a friend over coffee. Does anyone really need to hear that?

The 'Corset Diet' Is Not A Diet At All. It's Just Scary. Huffington Post Healthy Living  
Um, yuck. This "diet" is just flat-out dangerous (not to mention weird). Have you heard of this fad weight-loss tactic?

In Struggle With Weight, Taft Used a Modern Diet NYT
William Howard Taft is known as the country's largest president, weighing in at 350 pounds at one point. What many don't know is that Taft did try to manage his weight, in a surprisingly modern way--even tracking his food as SparkPeople recommends!  
 
Which stories topped your "must-read" list this week?