When I started my first year of college, I weighed 128 pounds. When I ended my first year of college, I weighed 143 pounds. The “freshman 15” hit me hard, and I had already gained all that weight before realizing that my body was changing and not in a good way. My overall health was not good, and my clothes definitely did not fit me the same way. Over the summer before my sophomore year of college, I was determined to lose all of the weight I had gained and get my health back to normal. Eating healthy can be very difficult when you consider pizza a vegetable, however all it takes is a little determination and some hard work.

When you want to start transitioning into a more healthy lifestyle, tell a friend or family member about it and ask them to join you. When you have your own little support system, it makes it a lot easier. It often helps if you make it a little competitive in order to have a little extra motivation.

After you have your mind set on changing your ways, give yourself a deadline and think about how you want to look at the end. Look up pictures of some “body goals,” things you’re going to treat yourself with after you complete your goal, anything to keep you motivated.

Often associated with healthy food is food that doesn't taste good, but that is far from the truth. There are times when I’ve tried healthy food that tastes so much better than processed food. It can be hard to get used to training your mind to focus on healthy instead of what is fast and easy to get, but once you get the hang of it, you begin to realize that eating healthy is not as difficult as it seems. Fast food places can even be on the healthier side, for example Chipotle or Panera. Regular fast food places offer healthier choices too, such as salads, wraps, and you can even indulge at In-N-Out by ordering your burger “protein style” and you’ll get it wrapped in lettuce instead of having the extra calories of the buns.

I started at 143 pounds at the beginning of that summer and now am at 125 pounds, and I’m fitter than I have ever been. I got so used to eating healthy and working out over the summer that now it’s just something I do, and wouldn’t have it any other way. Of course, I still indulge on some chips, or eat a large meal when I got out for dinner, but it’s thanks to being as healthy as I am on the daily that I can do it and not feel guilty.

Being healthy really is a lifestyle in these times where a burger and fries can cost less than $5 and obesity is on the rise. Remind yourself of those goals every morning and, little by little, you’ll start to see results; you just gotta take it day by day.