Before: This is a before photo, notice my sister standing behind me and my grandmothers arm(shes sitting in the chair)After: This is me after all my hard work paid offHow I Got My Thin Gene to Kick In

By Krystal Bennett

In my immediate family, my grandmother and my younger sister have always been naturally thin. They have what I like to call the "thin gene." They never worry about weight gain, calorie intake, stretch marks, or finding that perfect sliming outfit.

My thin gene never kicked in. So since my younger years, I've had to worry about all those things they never have to think about. Always being a tad larger than average, my petite stature makes me look more than a tad--way more than a tad--larger.

I recently got tired of being the odd woman out in my family. I decided to do a complete lifestyle change. My upcoming trip to Miami may have had to do with this decision, to change to a healthy lifestyle. Okay, okay, okay, it had a lot to do with my decision to change lifestyles. I have to admit that looking at that two-piece bikini lit a huge fire under my butt. Not only that, but I was tired of starving myself to only see results for a quick minute. That wasn't cutting it for me anymore. I wanted lasting results.

I stopped sitting in the house reading or watching television while my younger sister went to basketball practice, burning more calories in a few hours than I had burned in a whole month. No more McDonald's^TM for lunch, because it's the most convenient thing to grab throughout my busy-- and I do mean busy--schedule. Instead I started working out three to four times a week. And I mean full-body workouts. Four days a week I try to incorporate cardio, muscle, weight, and strength training. I began eating healthier; no more fried foods, more veggies and lean meats, more balanced meals. I cut the snacking to a minimum, and packed my lunch along with various healthy snacks to have throughout the day.

It was hard at first really hard. I'm not going to lie: Not a day went by that I didn't want to stop in Micky D's and pick up a quick Mac Wrap, or stop in Starbucks for that delish Vanilla Bean Frappuccino.

I had to also learn other stuff:

Portion control is important. The smaller the better, but not too small because you don't want to eat and feel like you haven't eaten anything. Eating just enough to feel fulfilled, and not full.

Guilty pleasures are okay but in moderation. I make cheat days. Mostly on weekends, on those days I allow myself to indulge in the things that make me happy. Hello double fudge brownie that I missed so.

Water is key. I try to drink as much water as possible throughout the day. It turns out to be a lot cheaper, because it stops me from getting the sugary calorie packed drinks, and my skin has never looked better.

In making these small changes in my life, I have slimmed down tremendously. I now can finally fit in those skinny jeans, which are really borderline leggings. I don't have to worry about those slimming clothes that come in flattering cuts and colors anymore. It took some extra work and more time, but I guess I can say my thin gene, even though I had to artificially create mine, has finally kicked in.