Blogger brings body-acceptance journey to the stage

The topics of body image and self-acceptance often dominate headlines, but one north Belfast woman is hoping to spread the message that there is more to life than how you look.

For many years, Nuala Moore documented her own personal weight journey through her blog "From Phat to Phabulous".

She is now bringing her own experiences to the stage by adapting her online journey into a play.

Moore said her online followers encouraged her to tell a story and "My Phat Life" was born, making its debut at this year's Féile an Phobail festival in west Belfast.

"Social media can be a blessing and a curse," she added.

"What's really good about it is, I've been really lucky in that it has brought strangers into my life who I now consider as friends, who have been so supportive from the beginning.

"But with social media because it's faceless essentially, people feel that they can sit behind a keyboard and throw words at you, they can walk away and it has no impact, but it does - words can be destructive.

"As powerful as words can be in building someone up, they can also tear someone down."

Moore said her blog initially focused on weight loss after she put on weight following the death of a relative, but the focus changed due to issues with her mental health.

"I was trying to nurse this grief through the gym, so I wasn't sticking at it.

"It started off as weight loss documentation through the page and it has grown to life, love, mental health and everything in between."

Moore said that to be able to reach so many people at the Féile an Phobail festival has been incredible.

"I would love people if they are struggling to reach out and ask for help – or on the other hand if someone sees someone struggling – offer help – because sometimes it's really difficult to ask.

"There is a universal message that men or women can take home – and it's that it's okay to ask for help."

"My Phat Life" is a one-person play that follows the character Ciara who is played by the actress Caroline Curran.

Curran said she was not aware of the blog before she auditioned for the part.

"I read it as a script with loads of heart, loads of humour – with a really good message at the end of it .

"With it being a one-woman show I knew it was going to be a lot of hard work: I play nine different people – men and women.

"I think the positive message from this play is that the character did get help and other people wanted her to get help."

Caroline added that "body image touches all aspects – all different types of people".

"We have had a lot of men in [to watch the show] which is great, from all ages, and sometimes men find it hard to talk about mental health as well, as some women do, so I think it's great that we can all strike up a conversation."

If you have been affected by the issues in this story, support is available on the BBC Action Line.