I needed to understand why food and weight was such a problem for me. In my early 20s, I lost nearly 100 lbs. Then began the struggle to keep it off; I used fad diets, constantly feeling hungry and crashing back into snacking, overeating, and emotional eating.

The fear of an unplanned pregnancy was one of my earliest adult thoughts. I remember feeling grown up for having such a mature concern. Doctors, teachers, and family had been warning me and other girls for years that “it only takes one time to get pregnant!” We were taught that pregnancy was something that must be avoided until you were absolutely sure you were ready for a child. But years later, when I was absolutely sure, I struggled to get pregnant. Then, when I did, I was unable to keep the pregnancy.