Awesome Post On Foodie Site

I am not really a joiner of online communities.  

I've activated and deactivated my Facebook account enough times to feel embarrassed by it (and to leave it deactivated). And I only have 1 toe in Twitter.  Truthfully, my toes would all be free and clear of Twitter if the company didn't keep the electricity pulsing through the veins of my house and if I wasn't sort of obsessed with Emily Maynard and Jef Holm's relationship- but anyway...

14 weeks ago, to the day, I joined an online community called Calorie Count.  At the time I wasn't losing weight, despite my low carb efforts, and I felt aware of not having a good grasp on my nutrition. Since that day, I have logged every bite of food that has gone into my body.  The site has taught me about being honest, feeling strong, working out, healthy portions and has ended my food guilt.  It has taught me how to stop dieting and stop allowing food to control me and it has really taught me how to eat in a way that makes me happy and healthy.  I have had many days when I said, "You know, I'm not going to care about how many calories I eat today.  I'm going to drink some beer and eat a burger..." but I still logged them.  I can not emphasize to you enough how logging the "poor food choices" that I've made has destroyed all of the shame I had around food.  And for me, that is a HUGE accomplishment and a battle won.  

There are a lot of aspects of Calorie Count that I didn't get involved in.  Each food that you log is given a nutrition grade and at the end of the day you are given a final grade.  You then have the option of publishing your food log publicly and writing a little something about your day.  At first, I'd always keep mine private.  I read through the experiences of the other members, but I never commented on their day, struggle or accomplishments.  As time went on and I felt more and more inspired by the community members, I decided to publish my own journals and food diaries.  

All I can say is that people are so amazing and I feel incredibly supported by the community there.  No one is ever hurtful.  People rally around the members who have had an off day or are riding a terrible plateau or a are struggling to eat enough or are struggling to maintain their weight.  People post inspiring things and Calorie Count has become my go-to when I want to read something that makes me feel good about myself.

Today, a member posted this and it has been resonating with me:

Here's to us. Here's to ordering a salad when you really want a burger. To making an ass out of ourselves in combat cardio class. To drinking more water than seems possible. To going 5 minutes more on the elliptical. To working out twice as much as your skinny roommate. To saying "Screw You to the old you. To falling in love with the you that you really are, the you that you want to become. To looking in the mirror and not seeing any change, throwing on your running shoes, and hitting the gym anyway. Here's to carrots, and shin splints, and sweat shirts, and perseverance, and sore muscles, and stinky socks, and 6am conditioning class, and falling down, and getting back up. And here?s to getting up tomorrow and doing it all again.