This certainly! I've worked out 3-5 times a week for at least the past couple years, but it's only since February that I started monitoring my portions and calorie intake. While before I was probably eating 2200-2500+ kcal a day (using the excuse that I exercised, therefore I can eat more...), I should really have been sticking to around 1800 kcal (with plenty of protein!). Eliminating pretty much all sodas, chips, and sweets, it was super easy to stay within this range. I could probably lose more if I stuck to a stricter diet, but I really like ice cream and I like to treat myself every now and then...

Ever since I've started this, I've begun to appreciate fruits, veggies, nuts, oats, etc. way more. One day I was standing in the store looking at different oat mixes for my breakfast yogurt, and I never thought there'd be a day that I'd be absolutely ecstatic about my new oat mix. It was almost like someone had handed me a gallon of Marble Slab ice cream. Almost.