The Tiny Goals I Set That Helped Me Drop 40 Pounds—and Deadlift 255 Pounds! 

The summer after my sophomore year of college, I finally felt like enough was enough.  I’d been hitting the gym a couple of times a week and trying to go for healthy meals, like turkey sandwiches and salads, when I could. But I knew I needed to make a serious change.

I came across a 21-Day Challenge on Twitter that suggested cutting out pastries, donuts, cookies, chips, and soda for three weeks, and I decided to try it out. After a month, I lost about 10 pounds. That's when the motivation to change my lifestyle really kicked in.

When I first started cranking my fitness game up a notch, I focused on building my running endurance. In the beginning, I could only run about a mile at a time. As I got better, I signed up for a few 5-Ks and eventually found running to be fun—not torturous. (Kick your fitness routine into gear with these moves from Women's Health's Look Better Naked DVD.)

RELATED: 5 Strength Moves That Double as Cardio

I lifted weights with some friends, but never felt fully comfortable strength training until I started working with a trainer (about two years into my fitness journey). He taught me about proper form, how to use different kinds of equipment, like kettlebells, and how to plan out my workouts. I totally fell in love with lifting and even learned a few power-lifting moves.

The gym became a place of empowerment, instead of a place of intimidation.

My body felt so good after kicking refined carbs and sweets to the curb. Adios, bloating! 

I started cooking for myself and finding ways to get more veggies into my diet. I ate zucchini noodles instead of spaghetti, and even nixed burger buns for portabella mushrooms.

After years of not eating breakfast, I realized that eating five or six smaller meals throughout the day kept me feeling satisfied. I made sure each of my meals had lean protein like chicken or turkey, and I pumped up the green veggies, too.

RELATED: 15 Healthy High-Fiber Foods That Make You Feel Full and Satisfied

One of the toughest changes was cutting back on alcohol as much as possible, saving it only for special occasions.

After three years, I’ve lost 40 pounds and transformed my entire outlook on life. I was always  an energetic and loud person, but worried that people saw me as the funny fat kid. On top of that, I never had the confidence to wear a two-piece bathing suit growing up, but I bought my first bikini last summer!

Now I push myself to be better every day and reach the goals I set. I feel physically and mentally stronger than ever. I can even deadlift 255 pounds!

You don’t have to try crazy diets and cleanses to feel better and fitter. Just try to cut one type of junk food at a time. It’s a slow process, but it’s OK to take it one step at a time. Your body and your life won’t change overnight.

It’s taken me three years to come this far, and there’s no stopping me now.