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As someone who was significantly affected by media, attaining the ideal body type, dieting and exercising to lose weight, and taking it to the extreme, I know how celebrities influence millions of people. Whether it be through behaviors, public statements, or even photographs, they are followed and aped so closely. However, when a person, like myself, is replicating similar actions to that of a celebrity, and has a genetic predisposition and a particular personality, then one becomes susceptible to developing an eating disorder. According to an article in Huffington Post, “Dying to be thin in our celebrity-driven culture has become prevalent not only with yourRead More →

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As I approach the 12th anniversary of my Rock Bottom Car Accident AND a historic snow storm expected to bring “crippling conditions” to Baltimore, I reflect back on my journey of developing anorexia nervosa, and living with it. I try to recall the vivid thoughts that floated through my mind at the most critical points of my disorder. People often ask what helped most in my recovery process. I don’t believe there is a clear, definitive answer to this question, but I can tell you that multiple aspects contributed to the change of my attitude, thoughts, and motives. The first, and probably most significant, aspect that drove me in the direction of recoveryRead More →

Gained weight? You look great! ... Nobody ever says.

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Ready. Set. Go. My entire life has seemed like a race. A race to finish my homework and go outside to play. A race to get from one class to the next before the bell rang. A race to get to soccer practice despite the rush hour traffic. A race to see how quickly I could run an errand. A race on the soccer field to track down a ball. You get the point, and to this day, I feel like I am still racing, but now, with kids in tow. It, obviously, is my competitive nature, but it never stops, even outside of theRead More →

The Louis Vuitton "Tootsie Roll" Handbag

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“Oooh! I love your bag!” is a frequent compliment I receive when out on a Saturday night with friends. I smirk, and my response back is a very simple, “Thank you.” I tend to be a very dramatic, animated, and expressive individual, so when given a praise, my exclamation back would usually be an, “Oooh! Thank you so much!” However, this Louis Vuitton “Tootsie Roll” handbag is not your typical, “I went to the Louis Vuitton store, wanted a bag, so splurged and purchased one.” This bag has far more meaning and significance, with an overwhelmingly life-altering experience behind it. Literally, this Louis Vuitton handbag turned on a switchRead More →

Hypothermia in Hot Temps?

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It was an unseasonably sweltering fall day at Michigan State. As I entered the auditorium that housed a room full of college students, I looked around to find a seat. Six hundred students were assigned to this particular biology course for that fall semester of 2003. We were in an overpacked room, sitting elbow to elbow. Students were using their sleeves to wipe the dripping sweat off their foreheads and drinking water like they had been sitting for hours on a scalding beach. Let’s put it this way – it was evident that people were uncomfortably hot, sweaty, and parched. I looked around and noticedRead More →

Learned Behaviors that led to Extreme Obsessions

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It was a beautiful Monday afternoon in East Lansing, MI. I was a month away from completing my freshman year of college. As I was headed back to my dorm after my final class of the day, I smiled thinking how great  it was I became an expert on navigating my way through the huge campus of Michigan State. After trekking down the path of the Red Cedar river, I thought I would stop, say hello, and visit with my coaches as I was coming up to Jenison Field House. I took in a breath of fresh spring air, and appreciated it was our oneRead More →

Dreams

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From the time I was a little girl, I always dreamed of playing soccer at the highest level. Of course, playing for the United States Women’s National Team in the Olympics or World Cup is a dream for most young athletes. Other than that, the absence of a women’s professional soccer league during my childhood made college soccer the pinnacle of success. So from the very beginning, I aspired to one day receive a college scholarship to play soccer and represent a prominant university. At the age of 13, my middle school English teacher assigned us a task one day. She had each student write a letter addressed to him/herself. The assignmentRead More →