If you took a look at me, you would never expect that I struggled with my weight. Today I am an athletic, healthy gal. But that wasn’t always the case.

I was always an active, healthy kid.  I loved sports – soccer and swimming were particular favorites, and I had been known to climb a tree or two.  But, once I hit adolescence, all of that changed.  As with many other teens, my body and my social life were huge sources of stress. I was deeply unhappy and uncomfortable in my own skin. Rather than facing the social gauntlet that was middle school, I retreated to kitchen cupboard to fill an emotional void with the one thing that would truly give me comfort – food.

By the end of my sophomore year of high school, I was clinically overweight.  After a 6-week trip to Israel that summer, I walked off the plane to my parents, who barely recognized me after the 20 pounds I had put on in that short time.  When I looked in the mirror, I could barely recognize myself.  I was literally hiding behind my weight as a way of coping with my own unhappiness.  I had to make a change.

I started making little alterations.  30 minute jogs around the neighborhood.  Cutting out sugary drinks and juices.  I switched to whole grains instead of white bread.  I started to read more about nutrition and health.  Slowly, the weight started coming off.  As my jean size shrunk, I became increasingly confident and outgoing, proud of my hard work.  By the end of my freshman year of college, I had lost almost 40 pounds.

Over time, I began to realize that changing all these habits wasn’t just about losing the weight, although that was my original motivator. It really was about changing my lifestyle and achieving balance. Fitness and nutrition became not only a way of life, it became my passion!

I am a Registered Dietitian currently completing my Masters in Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics at New York University.  We are all constantly bombarded with mixed messages when it comes to nutrition and health. My mission in life is to show others the joy of living healthy, balanced lives through greater awareness and simple, easy changes.  This blog isn’t about being “skinny” but rather giving you the skinny on health. After all, knowledge is a powerful thing.