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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Arkansas chapter.
Have you ever met someone soooo obsessed with being thin, like its absolutely all they talk about? The type of person that makes you want to tally every time they say the word calorie and eat that many slices of pizza? The people whole fill your timelines with crazy diets like “baby food only for 75 months” or workouts like “bench press live tigers to get a Beyonce bod”. This is all about how to maintain a healthy life without going overboard. 
Diet
This is a public service announcement. Eat the damn waffle fries! There is absolutely nothing wrong with sinking into a juicy, blue cheese crumble, bacon garnished burger every so often. What’s wrong is depriving yourself from things you desire just because you are a little over your calorie intake. I mean are we not the generation of YOLO? You only live once and if eating a piece of cheesecake when I feel like it is wrong, I most defiantly do not want to be right. This dose in no way mean inhale a family size bag of M&M’s like you are taking form of a vacuum cleaner. It doesn’t mean find your largest shovel from the garage to scoop the maximum amount of cheese dip into your mouth. It means enjoy your life. Its gonna be okay. OWN that fudge brownie. 
Exercise  
Going to the gym on the regular is often just a pain in the ass (literally). I mean you take 15 minutes to find the right ‘I workout in style, but not too much to where it looks like I’m trying, but enough so people think I’m an avid gym goer” outfit. You know the one. Then you arrive to the gym full of meat heads with residue of their pre-workout protein shakes still in the corner of their mouths. Then you start out with 30 minutes of cardio as you try to catch a stare at the screens of the people next to you to make sure you are going a little bit faster with a little more incline. Then you have to go do squats and try not to look like a new born deer as your legs buckle every time you come back up.  Routine can be boring. Spice it up. Disguise your workouts with things you enjoy. Go power shopping, take on the Lambda Chi’s in a sand volley ball game, join an intramural team, maybe even start a dance off. stay active by doing things you love.  
Learning
The brain is an amazing organ and people often forget the feed it. These days we spend our time scrolling through our fellow tweeters meaningless, fragmented babble. “Katy had a Slims Salad from Slim Chickens with a side of honey mustard”, riveting. “Alex dumped Liz because she kissed a Sigma Chi pledge.”, neat-o. I mean whooooooo realllly caaaaaressss. Fill your brain with a brilliant book, write a brilliant book. Sit in on a friends Comparative Politics lecture even though it has nothing to do with your major. Research things when you have a question. The brain is capable of holding infinite amounts of knowledge so learn as much as you possibly can! 
Friends
Friends are an important vitamin in the diet of life. They fill your life with nutrients that nothing else can. Don’t neglect to make time with your friends especially when you are swamped with work or studying. Friends can often relieve you of your stress, take away some worry, and bring you back to reality. Text your group chats, catch a movie, study together, have a sleepover.  
Family
Family is comparable to the main course of a meal in this life diet. They are the meat, the protein, the part that fills you up and keeps you going. I mean you have this group of humans that are made of the same stuff you are. That’s pretty cool. And they are forced to love you too which is the best part. Family always has your back even when you are wrong and they guide you to be right.  
Alone time
Extremely important. This is your glass of water, once a day minimum. This is your time to recharge. Its important to have alone time to reflect on yourself. Think about things like who you want to be and who you are. It also can bring you back down to earth. Sometimes when you are around a bunch of people, things like Jake not texting you back for 46 minutes and 29 seconds truly seem like the end of the world. But spending some time alone often makes you realize that there could be worse things. Alone time humbles you. Spend some time with YOU so that YOU can give the world the best version of YOURSELF. 
Sunshine 
In a world full of electronic devices and vitamin D supplements, actually going outside is sometimes a second option. People who soak in those natural rays are proven to more happy than people who don’t. Study outside. Find a local park. Even nap outside. Just turn off Keeping up with the Kardashians and go outside. 
Laughter
Laughter is proven to boost immune systems. It gives your body endorphins which admit anti bodies which fight germs and increase immunities. Laughing creates a more efficient blood flow which is good for your heart. I mean haven’t you seen The Grinch? His heart imminently grew the very first time he laughed. This is probably why comedians live for like, ever. I mean Joan Rivers was like 104 I think and Bill Cosby has been around to see the mullet come back 5 different times now. Laughing is good for you okay? Do it a lot. Life is better when you can find the humor in things.  
 
 
The Life Diet is all about balance. Eat the cookie, but not too many. Go to they gym, but don’t make it mandatory, punishable by death. Spend time with friends and family but don’t neglect to spend some you time. Go outside but never skip the Ellen Show at 4 o’clock. Learn and expand your brain but know that fart jokes are always funny. Enjoy your life. Feed your soul! 
Sydney Sanders is a student at the University of Arkansas though she calls Kansas City, Missouri her home. Sydney is studying visual design and plans to minor in marketing. She comes from a family of five- six if you count her fluffy white pooch, Charlie. When she isn't spending her days ingulfed in Netflix, homework, pinning apartment DIY's on Pinterest, and giving her girlfriends guy advice, Sydney likes to laugh. I'm not talking occasional giggles either! I'm talking crying, rolling on the floor, knee-slapping, snorting, really ugly laughing. She enjoys people and music of all kinds. She is the kind of girl who looks for fun everywhere she goes! Sydney is always ready for an adventure.