These Are the Exact Steps I Took to Lose 30 Pounds in One Year

BEFORE: 152
AFTER: 118

As a kid, I preferred to spend my time curled up with a book or experimenting with watercolors. I had asthma, so sports weren’t my thing. In high school, my weight started creeping up, and I dealt with a lot of struggles with food during those hormonal years. Not to mention, my mother was a phenomenal cook, so it was hard not to devour everything she made.

When I got to college, I learned to enjoy the gym and tried to work out a few times a week. A few pounds came off—just in time for my study abroad trip to Italy. During those four months, I ate my way through Europe and loved every bite. But by the time I came home, my clothes barely fit.