Thanks to the reader who (wait for the cheesy joke here...wait for it...) lifted my spirits! 
Even though I’ve never met any of you, reading your comments and emails makes me feel like I’m getting to know you bit by bit. You guys are turning HealthyGirl.org into exactly what I hoped it could be: A source of support for any girl or woman who’s emotionally eats or binges and a real community! I get notes once in a while thanking me for starting the site…but this morning I want to thank YOU.
I’m going through an incredibly busy, stressful and emotionally wrenching time right now (working long hours at my job, being newly married, writing the book)—and you guys are kinda keeping me going. You give me the inspiration not to pick up whatever food I’m tempted to stress-eat. You help me remember that there are more important things in the world than my to-do list!
I worked late last night and had had a bit of a tough talk with a family member yesterday—on the subway on the way home, I was feeling exhausted physically and emotionally. I was slipping into a really bad mood. And thoughts of what foods might make me feel better were sneaking into my head. Then I opened my HealthyGirl.org emails. This one in particular—from a woman who wished to remain anonymous—pretty much saved my night and made me so grateful for the opportunity to talk to all of you through this site:
“I wish I could thank you in person for your blog. It’s the first time I’ve ever read anything like this before. I, also, am recovering from a multitude of types of disordered eating. Evenutally I realized that I didn’t want this to control my life anymore. I am a strong, funny, smart, attractive women and I have more to offer the world than being consumed by this constant obsession with food. I am trying to sort out my triggers—and I’m also seeing a psychologist who specializes in eating disorders. I am on the track to getting better. And thanks to things like your site—it is helping me. So please keep blogging. I appreciate this more than I can explain through email: I was thinking of binging right before I came upon your blog today.”
You know what’s crazy, Anonymous reader? I was daydreaming about comfort foods right before I came upon your email. So, as much as HealthyGirl.org may be helping you, you (and every other reader and commenter out there) are helping me.
Today, I’m grateful for support, and for the honesty and loving kindness of strangers who are no longer strangers! What are you grateful for?
xo…Sunny
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“I am a strong, funny, smart, attractive women and I have more to offer the world than being consumed by this constant obsession with food.”
I love this!
Me too-we should all memorize that line!
In just the few days that I have been a part of this group it has become evident to me that this was something I desperately needed. I don’t feel as if I need to censure myself, nor do I feel as if I’m being judged for rambling. It is very freeing. I don’t know how I will do long term. I have a tough time sticking w/things, but I am going to my very best to make this different because I believe this could be a lifeline.
This is my first time back here in what I think is a few weeks. I have been incredibly busy at work and helping a friend though some health/emotional issues, and I reverted back to my old habits for about 90% of that time: junk food, eating out instead of cooking, not enough exercise, not enough water … you know the drill. The worst part was that every time I would see a post here come up in my blog reader, I could not bring myself to read it because I knew it would be full of good advice and reason, two things I was not able to face in my stressed-out state. I am hopeful that next time I am faced with that kind of stress, I gravitate toward supports like this, instead of wandering away. It sounds like a lot of us are in the same boat (I could have written the words Kristin Fritts wrote to describe myself) and it is comforting to know that I am not alone in this war.
well, the past 2 days have been a challenge. On one hand, I followed thru & went to the gym 2x(@ Curves), however, I took my husband out for a belated birthday dinner and ate not only what I normally eat(which is quite a bit), but a lot more. I think in some odd way I felt “justified” or something bizarre like that. Of course I felt guilty, but I also had this perverse sense of elation?? I don’t usually experience that. Truly confusing.