January 1st rolls around and the inevitable happens, New Years Resolutions flood the streets. People vow to get organized, to stop having one night stands, to eat healthier, to exercise more, and to lose that "holiday weight".

Nothing wrong with setting those goals, right?

Wrong.

The worst thing you can do for yourself is set yourself a strict weight loss goal. Eating right and exercising properly is a far cry from the self-loathing cries of skinny-seeking desperation that floods the gym as the new year rolls around.

One in five college students suffers from an eating disorder. That's 20% of our young adult population. The mainstream media fuels our self-hatred and criticism, telling us to look like the photoshopped girls on the cover of Victoria Secret's latest magazine. Advertisements for miracle pills flood commercials and everywhere you look there's a get-skinny-quick solution.

Is there anything wrong with exercising and eating right? No. But there is something wrong with over-exercising and under-eating.

Here's a short Myth Buster for you on weight loss:

1. Cutting out carbs will lead to a successful diet.

WRONG.

Cutting out carbs denies your body of key nutrients. You may lose the weight, but as soon as you re-introduce yourself to the food group, your body will cling to the nutrient as though it's life depends on it (because it does) and you will put on more weight than you lost.

2. A juice cleanse will help my body get back on track.

WRONG.

Again, when you deny your body of key nutrients, you will experience hyper-alertness and euphoria in the short-term. That is your body screaming for help as it begins to starve. It is a similar feeling to the beginning of anorexia, and though tempting, you're going to want to avoid it at all costs. Juice is, in no way, adequate fuel for your body or your brain. Don't deprive yourself of key nutrients for survival.

3. Doing cardio every day will help me burn fat and lose weight faster.

WRONG.

Your body desperately needs recovery time. Exercise the recommended 3-5 days a week and let your body rest the other days. This doesn't mean you can't go for a walk/swim/bike ride on your recovery day, but drilling your body over and over again with the same high intensity workout will cause overuse injuries and you will regret it.

4. Eating healthy means eating less and eradicating junk food.

WRONG. WRONG. WRONG. WRONG. WRONG.

As a survivor of anorexia, let me tell you this: there are no good and bad foods. There aren't. Food is fuel for your body. Period. End of story. While some are more calorically or nutritionally dense than others, it is all necessary to survival. EVERYTHING is okay in moderation. Also, stop starving your body, it needs fuel to perform, so thank it for all it does for you with a nice meal.

5. Picking areas of my body I'm dissatisfied with and trying on clothes that I plan to fit into will help motivate me.

NO. NO. NO. NO. NO.

Stop. Torturing yourself in that way is just wrong. Look at your body and be thankful. Think of all it does for you throughout the day, it is an incredible machine, and for that, it deserves your love. So love it where it is and stop trying to change it. It's okay to want to be stronger or faster or more muscular, but true health and fitness comes not from aesthetics, but from performance. Focus on what your body can do for you, and not on what it looks like, you'll thank me later. Also, hate to tell you, but bodies change over time, the size you were at 16 is not the size you will be at 20, and the size you are at 20 will not be the size you are at 30, just love and accept yourself for who you are.

When you set weight loss goals for the new year spurned by a desire for change because of dissatisfaction with yourself and your appearance, you become the biggest loser. Because you rob yourself of joy and happiness and self acceptance. Eating that cookie that you're craving will not cause you to gain ten pounds anymore than that extra high intensity cardio workout will help you lose ten pounds.

It's okay to set goals and change the way you eat or move your body, but it's not okay to do those things to the extent that they harm you. Your body is an incredible machine and it deserves nothing but the best fuel: whether that is a cheeseburger or a salmon steak is up to you, and doesn't define you or your worth, just your food preferences.

So make your resolution to be healthy, but let that stand for fueling and moving your body in pursuit of acceptance rather than depriving and abusing it in an endless cycle of self hatred.

Happy 2017. Let this year be the year that you fall in love with yourself.