I have been an athlete for a majority of my life. Before high school I played soccer, softball, and even participated in gymnastics for awhile. Once I got to high school I played four incredible years of lacrosse and practiced all year round. Sports were my passion, and I was in the best shape of my life. Going into my senior year of high school I really pushed myself to make sure I was stronger, faster and better than in years past, and I was. All my muscle and strength stayed with me until my freshman year of college and then things took a turn for the worst.

Unlimited dining passes are a beautiful thing, as are some of the cafs on campus. Learning I could snack pretty much all day everyday became a problem. I didn't really limit myself on anything either, so pasta for dinner was happening on a regular basis. I didn't really have a workout outlet other than yoga once a week but once I began working I had to miss those classes. I began putting on weight, for someone who is 5'2 it is rather noticeable when that happens. I began working out slightly but never taking it too seriously, and once sophomore year rolled around I began my career as an RA which caused working out to completely fall to the wayside. Tantalized again by a new caf, I began eating food that really was not good for me and with no athletic outlet more weight appeared. In the first month of my sophomore year I was the heaviest I ever had been. I was feeling like garbage, and just wasn't feeling confident in myself at all. I had switched my major to kinesiology that summer and got excited when I saw that I could take workout classes for credits! I enrolled in my first one: step aerobics. Let this be known my grad assistant did not make this like step aerobics at the YMCA, we were working hard for an hour every single day doing high intensity workouts using our steps as a tool. During that class I began to fall in love with working out, it stopped feeling like a chore. I got roped into going to the gym with my friend after my step aerobics class had ended. I began my journey to become healthier.

Getting back in shape was a battle I was no where near prepared for. Besides working out I had to change my eating habits as well. I struggled for weeks just begging to see some progress. My first compliment came from my mom who noticed I was looking slimmer during a day visit. My boyfriend began telling me I seemed more confident than in months past. A few more weeks of work and my co-workers began seeing a difference. After a couple months I really began to notice myself feeling better, looking better, and just feeling more confident again. By the end of my sophomore year I had lost 10 pounds and I was so close to my goal. I worked my butt off during the summer to reach my goal, sure enough during my first week of junior year I hit my goal. I have officially lost 17 pounds since my freshman year. I am so much happier, energetic and healthier than in years past and I am not stopping here. Working out has become therapeutic for me, part of a weekly routine, and a time where I can just be by myself working on building a better me. Eating healthy is just as simple as eating crappy foods, its about the choices you make. I had to make a large mindset change to allow myself to become healthy again, and it wasn't easy.

To anyone out there who wants to become healthier I encourage you to tell/enlist some friends. By telling people that you love what goals you have, they are more likely to help you stick to them and encourage you through your struggles. If anyone would like someone to keep them accountable please reach out to me! I am more than willing to help. Lastly, I would like to thank those who kept me on track through this journey! Thank you to my mom (my favorite workout buddy), Tim (for being a great trainer and friend), David (for being encouraging, loving, and for working with me), James and Matt (for allowing me to help with your nutritional goals, and work on my on during it). I am no where near the end of my journey, I still have lots of work to do and I am excited for the possibilities that the future holds.