I'll never forget the words that changed my life, the words that changed the perspective I had of myself.
The words that led to a six-year struggle with anorexia and depression: A friend said to me, "I finally got the abs I've always wanted, and look at you with all that belly fat."
The word "fat" was punctuated by the same person pinching my stomach trying to show me just how "fat" I was. I was too bewildered to respond. It threw me for a loop.
I was never an overweight child. I was a fit, somewhat muscular and thin 15-year-old at the time. I practically lived outside, either on my bike or the back of a horse.
My mom always kept healthy food in the house and cooked every night, but we still ate a reasonable amount of dessert. She never uttered the words, "I'm going on a diet." Instead, she said, "Everything in moderation."
My dad routinely worked out, showing my brother and me the importance of physical fitness. When we were young he used to take us in the jogging stroller or out on bike rides, and those are some of my fondest memories. Dad also encouraged us to play sports; it didn't matter which ones, but he understood the value of them.
Unfortunately, growing up in an environment that emphasized a healthy well-being was no match for the comment. It completely changed my life.
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