Since my junior year in high school, I have not stopped obsessing over how much I weigh. I have probably lost somewhere close to 30 pounds over this period of time, and throughout this journey, I eventually lost my goal of achieving a specific number and instead tried to see how much more weight I could lose.

It had once gotten to a point where during my senior year, I could not get through the day without stepping onto the scale at least five times. This eventually became a habit of mine, and even though I was aware of how obsessed I was, I couldn't stop myself from doing this routine, because I just had to know my weight.

It had become such a defining factor in my life that I let it control how I perceived myself: if I was above a certain number, I was disgusting, but if I was below that number, I felt somewhat confident.

However, it's taken me awhile to realize that this mentality is not a healthy or beneficial way to live my life, especially since it has continuously stressed me out on what I can and can't eat, or how many times I have to hit the elliptical in order to get to a certain number on the scale.

Although I still have days where I feel self-conscious about my body, I have been applying the multiple tips and advice I have received from friends and family to my own perception of my body.

Here are a few of these lessons.

1. The numbers don't define who you are.

This has taken me awhile to realize, and sometimes I still have trouble accepting this, but at the end of the day, the numbers on the scale have nothing to do with how you are as a person. It does not signify your worth, your success, etc. It is only one tiny aspect of your life out of the many other more important factors, such as your achievements, your goals, your passions, and the people you love and surround yourself with.

2. No one else knows or cares about how much you weigh.

Unless you specifically mention in a conversation your exact weight, no one will truly ever know how much you weigh. When you're in the middle of a conversation with someone, they're most likely not even thinking about anything near to what your exact weight is. In fact, they're probably more concerned with their own issues and other things on their mind. Plus, your family and friends will love you regardless of your weight.

3. Everyone is built differently.

If someone says that they're 10 pounds less than you and barely workout, it probably has to do with how they are built. Everyone's body is different, from the size of their bones to the size of their muscles, and are often the factors that contribute to the numbers you see when stepping onto a scale.

And unfortunately, some of these factors are ones that you can't change, because those are the genes that you were born with. No individual metabolism is the same, so there really is no point in stressing over comparing yourself to others.

4. Enjoy your meals instead of stressing over them.

Don't skip plans with friends and family because you're afraid that something out of range with your current diet will make you gain all of the weight you've lost. Eating out once in a while won't largely impact your weight.

If you've been putting yourself on a strict diet, treat yourself with your favorite comfort food or sweets, because cutting these out entirely of your diet will only make you crave them and miss them more. Plus, you don't want to look back on your college experience and think about how you restricted yourself from going out and experiencing new things because of a strict diet.

5. You're only young once.

College is supposed to be the greatest four years of your life, with many new memories. Why waste this time worried over something that does not define you? Enjoy yourself, go out to parties, discover new restaurants or stores downtown, and have fun with your friends. Don't let your weight keep you from enjoying the tiny things in your life.

All of these tips might be easier said than done and are things that I'm still trying to teach myself currently. But never forget your self-worth and how amazing you are, and that your weight has nothing to do with this at the end of the day.

Whether you are a size 0 or a size 10, you are beautiful, you are important, and you are so much more than the numbers on the scale.