A mountain of personal and professional stress snuck up on me at the end of this school year. In the past, I would have blown off the gym and eaten whatever I wanted to satiate my anxiety – feeling worse than when the stress started! But instead of making excuses and not taking care of myself, this time I continued to exercise and make healthful choices most of the time. In fact, I ran my sixth half marathon the day after graduation! When I was obese, I never could have imagined running a half marathon, let alone six. I exercise regularly, eat well (like the pear and peanut butter sandwich I always enjoy after a long run, yum!), and appropriately manage triggers that lead to overeating.  This sort of behavior is what nutrition professionals call lifestyle change; it takes time, patience, and determination, but the reward is a richer, fuller life!