Diet and exercise may be the single biggest challenge American adults face today when it comes to their health. I can certainly be the first to admit that the phrase “It’s not easy” is an understatement for many adults. While there are many “born athletes” out there, some people face undoing a lifetime of bad choices and habits formed before they were even aware their habits were bad. I knew I was forming bad eating habits and not exercising, but I never took the health threats seriously-much like a smoker thinks they’ll never get addicted to cigarettes. I was 5 foot 10 inches tall by the end of eighth grade and of course skinny as a rail because of my drastic growth spurt. So for the years that the rest of my body tried to catch up to my height, I was able to eat whatever I wanted. By the end of high school I weighed a whopping 135 pounds at 5’11 and thought I was fat. I settled into a healthy weight of 150 lbs. in my first year of college. Imagine my surprise two years later when, after stressing about maintaining that weight, I had gained 35 lbs! I struggled for two years to lose that weight through fad diets, not eating and sometimes even a slip into purging, before I finally admitted to myself that none of it was going to work. I had to accept what everyone was telling me and change my lifestyle. I was no longer the high-schooler who could stay up late and eat half a pizza without paying the price. So I finally took control and have since lost 22 lbs., mostly through exercise, portion control and better food choices. I exercise 5 times a week for an hour at a time alternating cardio and weights, and many times doing circuit training. I read countless weight loss success stories and fitness articles—spent hours educating myself about the physiology of the human body, and really getting down to understanding how my body works to burn fat, store fat, digest food and maintain good health. Don’t get me wrong…IT IS NOT EASY FOR ME. It doesn’t come naturally unless it involves some fun activity like hiking or sports. I don’t like exercising, but I LOVE the feeling afterward. I love seeing muscular arms and feeling like I have control of my life. Doctors always check my blood pressure twice because it’s so low! Trust me--you’ll feel great, and improve your mental health because you won’t be so down on yourself. Accept that the images portrayed in today’s media and magazines are unrealistic and even dangerously unhealthy in some cases. Shoot for your own goals. Aim to please yourself and fall in love with being healthy! Take control!