Among the series of articles I have written about happiness, friendships, and all of life's profound crap that I find so fascinating, I've yet to discuss an issue that I've dealt with almost my entire life. I've talked about how I used to correlate happiness with how thin I was, because for a long time, I wasn't being told that thinking that way was unhealthy. Luckily, our society has been progressing rapidly, and there are so many different ways that the "healthy ideal" is replacing the "skinny ideal."

The freshman 15 is a very real thing. So real, in fact, that I was unpacking boxes this semester and found six cups of easy mac and thought, "Wow, how much of this did I eat during my freshman year?" Quickly, I threw it away, because I’ve learned that I don’t really need to eat that anymore (not that there is anything wrong with Kraft Mac & Cheese, because let’s be honest, that stuff is liquid gold). But over the time that I’ve learned how to switch from “being skinny” to “being healthy” I’ve learned what I like to eat, and what makes me feel good, and that has overridden my usual “oh, I can eat healthy later" mentality.

There are a couple things that I want to clarify about losing weight in college, because, in reality, I’ve entered adulthood, and I enjoy knowing that I have been able to make these sorts of lifestyle changes for the bettering of myself, and for no other person in my life. Sure, it’s nice when people notice that you’re happier, healthier, and generally in a better place, but I do it for myself, and that’s one thing I try to remind myself of daily.

People will try to tell you that you “look better.” I generally find this an insult, as there was never a time in my life that I looked better or worse than I do now. I might have looked different, but that doesn’t invalidate the way I felt about myself then. There was a girl recently who saw a picture of me from my freshman year (a year ago, might I add) and a picture of me more recently and said those exact words to me: “You look way better.” I looked at her and replied with, “I think I looked fine back then, and I look fine now. Please don’t say that a lighter me is better than a heavier one.” Obviously, she apologized, but I think we should start abolishing the assumption that you “look better” when you’ve lost weight. I certainly feel better, and that’s what matters.

Boys notice – unfortunately. Though I’m flattered when a long-lost hook up or potential thing says that I “look good,” I realize that they start taking interest when I’ve lost a few pounds. I had the same mind back then as I did now, and if you were just waiting for me to look a little more like the impossible version of a girl that you have stuck in your head, then I’m sorry – this isn’t going to work out. Again.

The assumption is that you’re not “treating yo self,” but you actually are. There is no one on this entire planet that loves hot dogs more than I do, but I know how to limit how much I have (except for tailgate days, because there is no stopping me when they are free and open for the taking). I enjoy eating healthy because of the way it makes me feel rather than how it tastes. Have you ever had lemon grilled chicken? Do you know that it tastes the way that singing angels sound like? It’s really easy to chip in for cheesy bread (and whenever it’s around, I usually have to have one piece), but it also says something when you can say no, and save it for when you feel like eating it will make you feel better.

Working out becomes a habit – you do it when you can. Let me tell you that my schedule for this upcoming semester is brutal (yay, music education), but I’m determined to fit four to five days of hitting the gym, because I know that I’m celebrating my body rather than punishing it. You can do some cardio here and there, and spend a small fraction of your day doing something that requires effort but ultimately pays off in the end. If I end up going to the gym at 9:30 at night, know that I’m wearing my dad’s old t-shirt, I look like a train wreck, and I am doing what I know my body needs – regardless of whether it’s two hours of lifting or thirty minutes on the elliptical.

You generally become a happier person.

Watching yourself change physically is going to do a lot of things to your mind – whether your weight goes up or down. People will notice when you’re happier, just like all of my friends and family have mentioned when I see them. And when I do get sad (which is pretty seldom and I’m grateful it doesn’t happen often) more people notice, and are more inclined to help you get back to yourself.

You learn how to love your body for all the right reasons. Our bodies are so incredible (again – they HEAL themselves), and I’ve begun to be conscious of what I put in it and how I treat it. I see myself naked every day – and that makes it harder for me to see all the changes that are happening. But I never forget to realize that I only have one body, and I make sure to find the things about my body that make it so great.

Overall, there are so many benefits, and this time, I’m not even trying. I’m just doing my own thing, and it’s paying off in all the right ways. For those who have taken notice of my weight loss, I appreciate all of the kind words, because I know that whatever I’m doing is paying off. Just as a reminder, though, it’s not the only thing about me that has changed, and I hope that in the future, everyone can see that weight loss is just another way of learning how to love yourself.