So many of us have the idea in our head that being healthy is about reaching a "goal weight" and staying there. Understandable. However, it's much more complex than just shedding the weight. Health is not black and white. It looks different for everyone and has multiple dimensions. A big thing to consider when trying to get healthy again is to ask yourself why you're doing it. What are your goals? What is driving you to make this life change? How can you improve not only your physical health, but also your mental and social health?

These are all factors to put into perspective in order to get the most out of a new lifestyle change.

Giphy

Starting this new chapter of college has made it clear to me how I want to feel in going about my day-to-day life. I want to make sure that I feel healthy and happy going into these next few years of my life. It's very important, to me, to engage in a healthy lifestyle to maximize my potential going into the future. The same is true for many people. You want to make the change, but don't understand that the weight isn't the only factor of health. Don't get me wrong, it is great to get back to a weight that you are comfortable with. Getting to that place requires a lot of hard work and determination. Try not to neglect the areas of your life that don't have a tie to your body image. It's equally as important to maintain healthy relationships, healthy values, healthy thoughts, and healthy boundaries.

It's not an easy thing to do, to be healthy in all areas of your life. As a matter of fact, I don't feel like that's really possible to ensure health in every single part of your life. Try not to make perfection a goal. It's not something that you'll ever reach. If you're striving for perfection, you've already lost the battle. Instead, try to strive for progress and positivity. Most importantly, love yourself enough to live a healthy lifestyle.