My weight has fluctuated a lot in the past, mostly because I've been an emotional eater who used to treat my anxiety with binge eating. At the end of 2016, I had hit rock bottom, and I was at my heaviest weight. I had just gone through an intense period of my life where I survived a fire that nearly burned down my house and left first- and second-degree burns all over my face and body. Additionally, I moved across the world and finally ended a toxic relationship. There was a lot going on, so it was hard to take care of myself. I didn't ever get on a scale, but my guess is that I tacked on about 20 pounds. More importantly, though, I felt like an empty shell of myself. When 2017 hit, I was ready for a serious change. I wanted to work hard, feel better every day, and get physically stronger. All my weight-loss attempts in the past had fallen flat (I've tried everything from raw to Paleo), so I knew I had to do something different this time around. These are the four chan..

Victoria Beckham's Dress Will Confuse the Hell Out of You, and You'll Totally Love It Victoria Beckham has a knack for creating fluid dress silhouettes that seem complicated at first glance. But this tan pleated number she sported in Paris is actually quite simple. The buttons that run down the bodice lend the look professional flair, though Victoria bared a hint of her bra for a sexy touch. The folded skirt is just a fabric overlay, which mutes the effect of the design's pleating. Yup, this is a breezy Spring dress through and through, but it's got Victoria's posh signature on it, and no one quite masters the style like the designer herself. Victoria amped up her outfit with green accents, from her olive boots and purse to the emerald stones in her ears. She wore her sunglasses as per usual, a silver watch and delicate necklace providing the finishing touch. Read on to see all angles of this very elegant, completely exciting midi, check out a variation of t..

Our Hearts Skipped a Beat When We Saw These Stunning Celebrity Engagement Rings When it comes to engagement rings, it's safe to say that celebrities own the most jaw-dropping styles. While 2018 still has a long way to go, we've already seen plenty of envy-inducing diamond rings. Princess Eugenie gave Meghan Markle a run for her money with her royal bling, which contained a padparadscha sapphire surrounded by diamonds. On the other side of the spectrum, comedian Amy Schumer surprised us not only with her whirlwind romance with husband Chris Fischer but with her elegant round stone ring as well. From Lady Gaga's sparkler to Paris Hilton's 22-carat ring, read on to see the most stunning engagement rings of the year so far. Related: Meghan Markle's Engagement Ring Will Forever Be One of a Kind For This 1 Reason

These Weight-Loss Before-and-Afters Will Convince You to Try a Vegan Diet There are a plethora of reasons that veganism is becoming increasingly popular. Even athletes and celebrities (like Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus) have turned to a vegan lifestyle. Not only does becoming vegan help save animals and the environment, but it also touts many health benefits, helps clear skin, and increases fitness performance. Several people have also turned to a vegan diet to promote weight loss. Losing weight isn't always easy, but documenting progress by uploading pictures on Instagram has helped everyday people share their personal journeys and success stories to keep themselves and others motivated. We're definitely feeling some serious inspiration from these Instagrammers who have shown us their transformations after following a vegan diet. Related: This Is the Food Shandra Stopped Eating to Jump-Start Her 92-Pound Weight Loss

4 Weight-Loss Rules For Your Morning Meal Skipping meals is not the best weight-loss strategy, especially when it comes to breakfast. Eating in the morning wakes up your metabolism, helping you burn more calories throughout your day. A solid first meal of the day also helps keep you feeling satiated so you eat fewer calories later. If you're working to drop pounds, keep in mind these four breakfast rules. Related: This Is Exactly What You Need to Eat For Breakfast to Lose Weight

Calling All Bread-Lovers: Here Are the Healthiest (and Tastiest) Brands Out There There are times in life when your woes can only be cured with a slice of fluffy bread, and you shouldn't be deprived of that joy just because you're trying to maintain a healthy diet. Bread is a highly accessible food wherever you go; you can get your hands on a sandwich or avocado toast at any given time, and there's an entire aisle of the grocery store dedicated to bread. But it can be difficult to sift through all the choices and figure out which is best. These are the main characteristics you want to look out for when you're bread shopping: 110 calories or less per serving Two or more grams of fiber Three or more grams of protein Four grams or less of sugar Zero grams of saturated fat These selections meet all of those criteria — and they taste so delicious, it'll make your head spin. Related: These Tasty, Healthy Snacks Will Get You Through the Afternoon Slump

In those first years out of college, I struggled with the transition into "real adulthood." Adulting is hard! But as I started to make health and self-care more of a priority, I realized that I was lacking a solid morning routine. Fast-forward to today, and the routine I've established has helped set the tone for a healthy day every day. Aside from the universal tip of "eat breakfast," here are the top five things that have helped me rise and shine; try these for a morning of wellness! 40286877 Oil Pull Before you start saying "oil pulling is so 2014," hear me out. I grind my teeth at night, and I know I'm not alone in this. In addition to the possible oral health benefits, oil pulling exercises a stiff jaw to alleviate pain, forces you to get up 20 minutes earlier, and acts as a chemical-free mouthwash. Stretch While I oil pull, I stretch. I take this time to relax, meditate a bit, and warm up my body for the day. If I have time or get up early enough, I go to yoga or do ..

When you take a look around the weight room, men almost always take up the space. We've been conditioned to believe that guys like to pump weights while women go for a run or do yoga. This is a dangerous stereotype to believe; there are some serious benefits to be earned from lifting weights on the regular, especially if you're a woman. Whether you're trying to lose weight or grow some lean muscle, it's time to get friendly with that barbell. Let's start by debunking some common myths. Myth 1: Weightlifting Makes You Bulk Up "Most women don't have enough testosterone production in their body to put on huge muscle gains and 'get big,'" explained Lauren Clare, personal trainer and certified holistic health coach. That's because women have way less testosterone in their systems than men do (20 times less, to be exact), and testosterone is one of the primary hormones that promotes muscle growth. So when you see those big, bulky guys at the gym..