Health is something that is often taken for granted. It’s something that tends to be blown off pretty easy on a stressful day or even our laziest days. It is so easy to say no to the gym and yes to pizza. I mean we are in college after all, right?

While one pizza isn’t going to make or break your weight it can be the thing that sets back your overall progress. Being healthy is something that has been a struggle ever since I got to college. Between making time for the gym and saying no to carbs and yes to veggies. The thing is eating healthy doesn’t always have to mean fruits and vegetables. You just have to think outside of the box!

Beginning of freshman year, I feared the freshman 15. I would go work out at 11 at night if I had to. The only thing was when my friend and I would justify our bowl of cereal or french toast sticks because we had gone to the gym. I am here to say that your food choices are the biggest part of staying healthy. The question is how do you make the right choices when you are given crap food options.

I don’t know about you, but eating a turkey burger with no bun every night gets old pretty quick. Came Sophomore year living off campus with no car made it impossible to make it to the gym. I also hated to cook. Pasta and pizza were my best friend and being healthy was low on my priority list.

By the end of sophomore year, I had a moment of clarity. I needed to stop taking my ability to be healthy for granted. No more late night snacks and skipping the gym because I just didn’t feel like going. All you need to do is take one hour a day for yourself. In the grand scheme of things, it is not that hard. So why do so many people struggle with being healthy? Life can be chaotic, but I will tell you right now the day I decided to start putting my health first again was the day I became a way more successful person. I started hitting the gym every day after work and making sure I was eating a balanced diet.

Mentally this transition was hard. I went from eating the worst food and no exercise to no carbs and daily runs. My mentality had a huge role in helping me become healthy again. I started believing in myself again and feeling good about how I looked. Once I started seeing results it was a no-brainer to continue the path I was on.

I started having more success at work, I woke up ready to conquer my day, and I was happier overall. When I think about it our health is something that we can control. So why not take advantage of that and make it count? Our bodies can do amazing things if you just give it the power. Healthy living is a lifestyle choice and I promise you it's one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.