Growing up, I was always pretty active. Up until college, I danced over 20 hours a week. But coming to college, I decided to not join a dance team to focus on my academics. I started becoming really insecure about the way I looked and wanted to see and feel a change. I missed the feeling dance gave me, so I decided to start going to the gym.

For the longest time, I thought that I had to run my way to fat loss. I would run on the treadmill every day thinking that cardio was the only way to burn fat and to look good, and I hated it. I hate running.

It wasn't until a little over a year ago when I discovered weight training. I saw videos on Instagram and YouTube and was fascinated by it.

It was definitely very intimidated at first, and I looked like a fool trying to figure out the machines and how to train my body. I failed countless times. But the more I went back and tried, the more confident I became.

I love the fact that I don't feel like I have to compete with anyone while I'm at the gym. There's no competition. The only person I'm competing with is myself. I love the fact that I have found a form of exercise I love and look forward to each and every day. I love finding new personal goals and seeing the progress I have made.

The gym became my escape; an escape from reality and anything and everything that was bothering me. This became the place that I could let everything go.

I started to see results, which become the most motivating part of it all. I started to love my body and gain confidence. Yeah, I'm always going to have insecurities. There are always going to be things I want to change, but that's the beauty of what I do. I can change up my workouts to something different to see different results.

I have changed a not-so-great lifestyle into a healthy lifestyle. I cheat at least once a week, but I get right back to it the next day. I have realized it's all about your mentality and creating healthy habits for yourself in order to reach your goals.