My Fitness Pal is my best friend and my greatest enemy. I recently re-downloaded the app after over a year hiatus and so far, this go-round has been better, but it’s certainly a process.

For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, My Fitness Pal is an app for tracking what you eat and your “macros.” Macros are the breakdown of food into fats, protein, and carbs (it can get way more complicated than that but that’s the gist).

When I had the app before, it was not a healthy thing for me. I’ll be the first to admit I became obsessive. It was genuinely an addiction. I could not let one meal go without tracking it and honestly all it really did for me was cause a whole lot of guilt. I got rid of the app after realizing it was becoming more detrimental to my health than beneficial.

After that, I got more serious about what foods I was putting into my body without necessarily “counting.” I started trying to eat as naturally and as wholesome as possible. After doing research I cut out all meat but seafood and began limiting dairy as much as I could. I get quite a bit of negativity about the way that I eat but it works for me and I can’t say enough for how much it has changed my life.

Once I became more comfortable with what I knew I did and didn’t want to put into my body, I started considering getting back into tracking. My workouts are stronger and better these days than they’ve ever been, and I wanted to compliment that in my nutrition. So, I took the plunge. It’s been a week, and honestly my experience this time has been an entirely different world.

I enjoy tracking my food now. I don’t mind having a “cheat day” anymore. I have so much confidence these days in how I take care of my body that there is no room for guilt. I am proud of my body. It has gotten stronger and better every day over the last few years since I began my journey with fitness. I take care of it because I love it, not because I hate it.

An app can’t make you love or hate your body. Only YOU can do that. Your body is beautiful and strong and limitless. Love it and treat it well (and if an app helps you do that, more power to ya!)