So, recently, I’ve decided to lose some weight. About half a month ago, I went out dress shopping with family for my grandma’s wedding dress. My sister and I tried on a few dresses ourselves, but when I looked at my body in the mirror and didn’t take pictures of the ones that made me look like a pot-bellied pig, I realized I wasn’t happy with my size. That afternoon, I went to the gym to weigh myself, and, to my dismay, discovered that I was 10 pounds heavier than I thought I was.

That’s a lot of weight, folks.

See, I was WAY overweight in middle school, a whopping 192 lbs at the peak. That was in eighth grade. I got teased, taunted, and even ridiculed in front of a bus full of students. Some people were worse than others. However, I had friends that were either in the same position as me, or didn’t care about weight as much as heart and mind. So, I didn’t really bother with dieting or exercising that much.

Come the middle of ninth grade, I started losing weight like crazy. Puberty is a crazy thing, you know? By the time sophomore year ended, I was 165 and down 4 pants sizes. I stayed pretty much at that weight ever since.

So, when I learned a few weeks ago that I was ten pounds heavier than my old standard, I knew I had to do something. Dieting, for me, wasn’t really an option, and I have difficulty committing to anything that isn’t my writing or schoolwork. So, I just decided to try dialing back the snackage and start hitting the exercise bike.

In the three weeks since that weigh-in, I worked one week at my internship the week of the 4th. The base throws a big 4th at the Fort celebration every year, and this time, I got to help the main guy in charge of it (as he’s kinda my main boss). It was hours in the heat everyday, and running around like crazy the whole time. When I weighed in two days ago, I was both shocked and happy.

I’d lost about 7 pounds.

So, my advice to those of you struggling with dieting: There are other options. Eat enough, but don’t gorge yourself. Try healthier options, or dial down the snacks. Exercise on a regular basis, whether it’s at a gym, walking trails in your neighborhood, or using your Wii games, like Just Dance or Wii Fit. Also, try to find organizations and events to volunteer with. Not only will the rushing help your weight burn off, but it will make you feel happy inside too.

Stay tuned, and hopefully I’ll reach my goal weight soon. After all, I need to look pretty in a dress.