So many people struggle with feeling confident in their body. People determine how pretty or good they look by how their body looks. This is a struggle that women specifically have a hard time with. Another struggle is being able to lose weight. Men just naturally lose weight easier than women. This can be a big discouragement. Another challenge is finding the right diet for you and your habits. Some people go the hard core way with strict diets such as keto. This can be successful, however it is unrealistic to keep this diet forever. When you lose weight, you want to keep it off and still be able to eat what you want. This is why you have to find a diet that balances everything and still lets you enjoy food. In order to lose weight, you still have to have a healthy relationship with food.

     The recommended calorie intake for a normal adult is 2,000 calories. There are about 3,500. The average human burns around 2,000 calories a day depending on your gender. Even though 3,500 is a lot, it can be very easy to eat. Think about sodas. Almost everyone, especially teenagers, drink multiple sodas a day. A can of Dr. Pepper has 150 calories which does not sound like much. On the other hand, it has 39 grams of sugar which is 78% of your recommended daily value. Most everything has sugar so in just that one can, you have almost your days worth. You also have to think about how hard it is to burn those calories. From my experience, running and jogging a mile burns around 120 calories for me. All of that work for me not to even be able to burn one can of soda off. Losing weight does not have to be the hardest thing in the world. If we just exercise and watch what we eat, it is possible.

     A little less than a year ago, I decided I needed to lose weight. I have always been an athletic person, I was just eating way too much. I was not happy with myself and decided to make a change. I started exercising almost everyday by going to the gym and volleyball practice. I did not do any crazy diet, all I did was simply watch how much I ate, watched my calories, and tried to limit my sugar intake. This has been successful for me as I have lost over 40 pounds in less than a year. I lost all of this weight while still eating my favorite meals from the Mexican restaurant and Chick-Fil-a. Finding healthier foods that are more filling and have less calories is key. Fruits are a great way to do this. They not only have less calories but also have fiber.

     Losing weight is something that can change your life. It truly has changed mine. I enjoy working out and bettering my body. While losing weight I kept a good relationship with food which helped more in my opinion. Anyone can lose weight if they put their mind to it and do it in the right way. Finding the right balance is the main factor. Losing weight is something that can better your physical health and also your mental health.