Living a healthy and active lifestyle is very important for me. I have made physical activity part of my regular daily routine. My relationship with food is at a very healthy place compared to how it has been in the past. When I was in high school, my view on food was either black or white. It was either good or bad. I do recognize that there are foods that are not as nutritious as others, but I believe that super strict diets are not sustainable especially for the long term. I believe that the simple act of complete restriction itself is unhealthy. I am no expert in nutrition or a gym guru, but I have researched and followed many health and workout enthusiasts and influencers to learn that you can eat anything you want. The key is all about portioning. You can allow yourself a treat. What makes the difference is how much and how often you indulge in those less nutritious food items. With everything that I eat, I try to be conscious and thoughtful. I always try to make informed and smart decisions about the portion and try to choose healthier options that are still very delicious and fulfilling. I always believed in staying active, but it wasn’t until I experienced trauma that going to the gym every day and making it part of my daily routine that I realized how important a healthy lifestyle really is. I went from wanting to feel and look a certain way, but not doing anything about it to completely needing it for my sanity. Working out at the gym has been a way of me working on myself physically, mentally, and emotionally. It has honestly been really well for my mental health. Yes, I would love to look a certain way and I believe one day I will get there, but I also believe that I must love my body no matter what. It is on those bad days that the gym has always made me feel so good. Thinking back, my health journey has been a long road. It is very different now then what I believed it to be when I was much younger. I used to believe that the less you ate the better and that when you did eat, it would have to be like a salad or something similar. I have learned that having a healthy relationship with food, accepting which foods are healthy and which are not, not restricting myself to unrealistic long-term goals, and actually working out to achieve daily physical activity is a must to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Keeping all these things present will allow my healthy lifestyle to be successful in the long run.