DR. WALLACE: I'm 19, a sophomore in college, and things are going reasonably well for me so far. I've got a comfortable place to live near campus, and I have a decent part-time job that pays enough to support myself. My current challenge is that although I'm going back and forth on what I want to major in.

I realize I'll be facing major life decisions soon enough, and although nothing in life is guaranteed, I know the choices I make soon could determine the trajectory of the rest of my life to a great degree.

Do you have any advice on how I can best make decisions going forward? I mean, not only for my college major and my career path, but also for life in general? — Seeking Good Decisions at My Crossroads, via email

SEEKING GOOD DECISIONS AT MY CROSSROADS: It's great that you're thinking about your future in such a proactive way. My advice is to speak to as many people as you can, hopefully from a diverse set of backgrounds. Seek people that are older than you that have been through life decisions, and ask how they came to make them.

Learn what career paths most naturally attach to each field of study you are considering, and then think about your personal aptitude and preferences. Overlay this with the advice you get from the people you speak to, and you should have a good foundation for considering your options.

As for any other major life decisions, always take your time and think through big decisions carefully. Even once you've decided, monitor your progress and be prepared to change paths if necessary. It's far easier to do this earlier in life than later. One of the great benefits of being young is that you have time on your side, so if one idea doesn't work out, it's possible to make course corrections.

I CAN'T STICK WITH INTERMITTENT FASTING:

DR. WALLACE: I'm a teenager, and I'd like to lose about 25 pounds. One of my friends told me that I should try intermittent fasting, so I tried it for a few weeks, but I could never make it past a couple of days because I would be too hungry before noon.

Also, I've been trying to take brisk walks twice a day in conjunction with fasting, but the weather is absolutely brutal right now. I don't want to wait until spring to make a serious attempt to lose weight! — Finding It Hard To Stick With It, via email

FINDING IT HARD TO STICK WITH IT: I wouldn't be too hard on yourself regarding the fasting, especially since I don't recommend fasting for any teenager anyhow. At your age, steady nutrition is necessary, so focus on eating healthier foods and managing your calorie intake at a reasonable level, not on what hours you are eating.

I fully understand that it's difficult to exercise outdoors now due to cold weather.

Do your best to set up some indoor activities where you can get daily workouts. If your family has a treadmill or access to one, that's a good start, but there are many other ideas you can consider as well.

If your home has stairs, try climbing them for exercise. Jumping rope is another great activity for indoor cardio, provided you have a room large enough to accommodate it. You can also consider jumping jacks, push-ups, squats, leg lifts and a variety of mild to moderate strength training and aerobic exercise exercises.

Focus on eating appropriate amounts of healthy food and getting 20 to 30 minutes of a workout once or twice per day, and I trust you'll soon see some progress toward your overall goal.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Vladislav Babienko at Unsplash