With New Years just passed, it's likely that gym memberships, yoga classes, and tennis shoes will be hot on the market; purchased in the upcoming weeks because what's the most popular resolution? Of course, to lose weight, to diet more, to get in shape.

And, this can be a really great thing. Being active and healthy is a wonderful promise to make to yourself, and a worthy change to your day to day routine. But, it can also be a sad phenomenon, because though it's nice to want to look and feel better, you really should be able to love and accept the way you are before starting such a journey.

Chances are, you aren't going to turn into Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in 2016. You may find yourself working your butt off and still be a little doughy around the edges-- and THAT'S OKAY. Not everyone is meant to have the same body type or appearance, and in shape and thin or muscley are by no means the same thing. That body type is just not in the cards for some of us, myself included. So what your real goal should be is to make realistic changed to your work out and eating habits that you can stick to, and in the mean time learn to love the skin you're living in. Healthy is beautiful, and healthy manifests itself in all sorts of ways. Besides, if you love yourself truly and fully, you'll radiate that outer beauty you're searching for.

So instead of having your goal be to lose 20 pounds by spring, how about making it to run a marathon, or to climb a mountain. These are things you have to train for and be in great shape to do, and through that training you will push yourself to being a more tone, fit person. That is the goal, to be in good shape, because not all of our bodies are meant to be 120 pounds, and working towards a number on a scale encourages unhealthy habits.

Let 2016 be the year you learn to love yourself, take care of yourself, and work towards health, because that's beautiful.