I know that everybody must learn to love their body just the way it is.

I agree. We must love it.

We must love that it allows us to function, move, run, and dance. But I also believe we must be allowed to change it, whether it be to feel even more confident in our skin or just to be healthier.

I am someone who has struggled to lose weight her entire life. Let's just say food and I have a very, very, very close relationship. But what I am really proud of is the fact that I have moved my goal of losing weight to look better for others to wanting to shed a few pounds to feel better and healthier for myself. So it's OK to want to lose weight, but I believe one shouldn't be focused on the end result.

The first step to losing weight should be to acknowledge why you want to lose weight. Trust me, if you do it for anyone besides yourself, you lose motivation faster than the time it takes you to down a cupcake. Come to terms with yourself, accept yourself, and move on from there.

Do not, let me capitalize that, DO NOT rush it! I've tried that, limiting myself to 600 calories a day, pushing way too hard at the gym. I tried to follow all those magazines that promised I would lose 10 pounds a week if I go on some crazy diet. It doesn't work. By the end of the day, I always stuffed whatever I could find into my mouth. And after one terrible workout session, I didn't go to the gym for three weeks!

Make yourself a written plan, start off slow, and work harder and harder as your body gets more and more used to working out. And don't be too hard on yourself if you do indulge in a plate of noodles once in a while.

If you take anything away from me right now, it should be this: Do NOT make it work! Make exercise fun! Make eating healthy fun! The best way to do this is by finding activities to do with your friends that get you moving. I find that I am way more conscious of what I eat and make better choices when I'm eating with my friends. Join clubs, like dance club or volleyball club. Go to Zumba classes or spin classes together.

You won't even notice when your shirts start getting looser. I lost the most weight when I was a part of this dance club back home. I would dance for two hours a day three times a week and looked and felt so much better than when I just went to the gym.

The best part of the journey to losing weight is how much better you feel. Your body gets stronger, you're not tired anymore, and you are more focused on your work. All is well.