It's the summertime which means we are constantly obsessed with our personal fitness and (inevitably) how our bodies look in swimsuits. However, as we venture into our later teens into our twenties, many of our bodies (mine included) fill out in ways we hoped they never would and our weights reach numbers we hoped they'd never approach.

Take it from my own experience: just because you are gaining weight does not necessarily mean you are falling out of shape.

In high school, I stood between 5'5" and 5'6" and I was borderline underweight. I was a (pretty mediocre) runner but with all of that exercise, I continued to run my mediocre times and lose weight. In all honesty, at that point, I was the most content with my body--my smaller bust, my lean legs, and my perfectly flat stomach. If I had the choice to keep that physique for the rest of my life, I absolutely would. In fact, I still watch running footage of myself at that time and yearn for that build again.

Flash forward to now. I am nearly 5'7" and have gained 30 pounds in 3 years. In fact, I weigh more than many 6'0" men and my BMI classifies me as borderline overweight. I have what many people would call "thunder thighs," large breasts, and unfortunately not the lean figure I had back then. Basically, I am "bigger" than I was in my high school days. However, I am a much faster runner than I was during my thinner era. I am probably in the best physical shape of my life.

Wait, what?

You heard me: I run much faster when I casually run for my college club team than I did during high school track--and I am 30 pounds heavier. Now, believe me, I am no physical phenomenon (I've had countless running-related injuries). However, I have worked tirelessly to maintain my fitness and have learned that the number on the scale is not a rating of how "in-shape" I am.

First of all, always remember that muscle weighs more than fat.

Many doctors and trainers have told me this as I panicked about my weight gain. When I was injured, I would turn to weightlifting to rehabilitate my legs. During that time, the number on the scale increased because I was building muscle, but I was also stronger. With stronger legs, I could run faster times--faster than when I had skinnier and weaker legs. Yes, it seems pretty paradoxical that our bodies are getting stronger but the number on the scale keeps increasing. However, while we might be gaining weight, we are also gaining strength.

Also, know that if you exercise consistently, you are able to adapt to working with a heavier body.

As a busty female, it is sometimes uncomfortable to run when your breasts move all over the place. However, because I kept running as my chest got larger, I am not running any slower than I did when I was flat. When working out became my lifestyle, I was better able to work with a changing body. Our bodies hold onto more weight, but we may still see physical improvement with consistent exercise.

Don't forget that "skinny" and "fit" are not synonyms.

We don't use those words interchangeably, do we? That's because a heavier body could be a stronger body, a heavier body may still be better conditioned to run higher mileage and lift heavier weights, a heavier body may maintain a more balanced diet than its skinnier counterparts. Weight does not always take the form of excess fat--it could be muscle mass that makes us "bigger" but also better able to perform physically.

The bottom line? You can't measure fitness by a number on a scale. So seriously, stop panicking.

The scale may not lie, but the stopwatch does not either, so while my weight increased, my times in track decreased. Fitness is not watered down to a single number. Fitness consists of how you feel, your personal capabilities, and your progress in handling physical challenges. So step off of the scale. The number should not alarm you that you are falling out of shape. You may be in better shape than you ever were--despite what the scale reads.