I grew up dieting. One morning, in middle school, I ate half of a grapefruit and cottage cheese for breakfast. Both were bitter and tasteless, but I ate them anyway. It was all I was allowing myself. That day, I was starved well before the lunch bell.

In high school, I chose frozen yogurt over ice cream. In college, I ate white low fat bread. Early in my professional career, my roommate and I spent countless hours running and in the gym. She and I snacked on Baked Lays and drank lots of Diet Coke.