With welcoming in the new year, many of us have welcomed new resolutions and new goals that we'd like to meet throughout 2015. Being one of those people, I have decided to officially welcome fitness back into my life! The first semester of my sophomore year brought so many new changes: a new school, new people, and new opportunities. Between getting involved, joining a sorority, making friends, and getting school work done, I definitely strayed from the path of keeping fit and staying active. No one ever warns you how hard it's going to be to choose between staying healthy and eating Chipotle every other day (am I right or am I right?).

Since deciding that a fit and healthy lifestyle is going to be one of my priorities, I went and downloaded Kayla Itsines Bikini Body EBook along with her H.E.L.P Bikini Body Nutrition Guide EBook*. Her first Bikini Body EBook is a 12-week program, so for the next 12 weeks, I will be posting all the different experiences I have on this fitness journey. As I prepare for my first week, I have come up with five important ways to get excited and started for the road ahead.

This can often be one of the toughest things to face when it comes to working out, especially when you haven't walked into a gym in so long. But I put it as number one because I feel like it's the most important. The body you want and the healthy lifestyle you aspire to have will only come to you if you put in the work. And this work won't happen unless you motivate yourself to get off your butt, put on your gym clothes, and actually go to the gym. So post inspirational posters around your room, set motivational reminders on your phone to go off throughout the day, and surround yourself with people who are going to support you and all of your fitness goals!

One of the most stressful things for me is walking into the gym and not having a set plan on what I'm going to do for the next hour. And no plan either leads me to just running on the treadmill or half-assing a workout that I think I'm doing correctly. So before you step foot into the gym, plan out your workout! Write down all of the things that you plan to do during your work out, including how many sets and reps you'll be doing. Make sure you're as specific as you can get when you write down what you'll be doing, so you're not questioning yourself during your workout and wasting time. 

This can seem difficult for those living in a dorm (like me) to do, with the lack of space in your room and mini fridge and not having a kitchen to prepare meals in. But that does NOT mean that it's impossible! With my lack of space, cooking utensils, and a convenient kitchen, I have decided to alter meal prepping to fit my living situation. Purdue University has a Purdue app that allows its students to see what each dining court is serving for each meal. So for those of you who are currently relying on dining courts as your main food source, I encourage you to find the menus at your university for each dining court and look to see what they are selling each day. By doing this, you can plan out which dining court to go to for each meal that best fits your nutrition plan.

The most common thing that happens with new year's resolutions and fitness goals in general is giving up. So it's extremely important to always keep yourself accountable with the goals you want to achieve and how you plan on getting there. Always remind yourself of what is important to you and your healthy lifestyle, and always remember the things that aren't. This may mean you might have to opt for a healthier snack when your friends want to eat chips and cookies, or choose to drink less at a party rather than getting out of control. It might take some time to adjust to a new, healthier lifestyle, but the more you keep yourself accountable, the better your results will be and your body will thank you.

Always remember why you are choosing to pursue a better lifestyle for yourself! The last thing you want to do is become consumed with negativity and doubt, and not continue to reach for your goals. So my last piece of advice to get started on your journey, is to always ALWAYS stay positive. Never let people bring you down with their doubt, and always remember why you chose to do this. It's important for you and your progress to wake up every morning reminding yourself why you are deserving of a better, healthier lifestyle. So greet each day with a positive and confident attitude, do what you need to do to reach your goals, and always remember that you are worth it.

So to those of you who are currently on their own fitness journey or are thinking about pursing an active lifestyle, work hard, always have fun, and remember you're not alone! *More information on Kayla Itsines EBooks can be found on her instagram at @kayla_itsines or on her website at www.kaylaitsines.com