How to Prevent College Weight Gain
I Gained 40 Pounds My Freshman Year — These Are the 6 Things I Wish I Did Differently
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At the end of Freshman year in 1996 and continuing through 2002, I became obsessed with losing the 40 pounds I had gained, and achieving the "perfect" body. It wasn't until I shifted the focus from the scale to how I felt, that things started to change for me.
My diet shifted from tons of refined carbs, to insane amounts of veggies, beans, fresh fruit, whole grains, nuts, and healthy homemade treats. I woke up early to run because I loved the time alone, breathing fresh air, and how that set up my day on a positive note. I loved how doing yoga made me feel more calm and grounded, and in love with myself.
I also realised that in my mind I felt like I looked enormous, but looking back on these old photos, I wasn't. I definitely had a distorted body image, and once I stopped weighing myself and obsessing about what I looked like, I was able to enjoy life more, and ironically, that's when the weight started to effortlessly melt off.
If I had a heart to heart from my present self to my Freshman self, I would say eat healthier because it'll make you feel good, spend more time creating relationships and experiencing life, do something active every day that fills your heart and feeds your soul, and above all else, love yourself!