I didn't grow up eating meat - I was a vegetarian until I was 18.

When I was young and growing up overweight, I believed the "eaten" was more powerful than the "eater," meaning the food was more powerful than I was.

Growing up in my family, it wasn't important that we always be the best; it was important that we were going to try to be our best and give it our all.

My mom is a great cook, and family dinners were a must growing up, even if that meant eating at 10 p.m. when my dad got home from the hospital. It's where we did our family bonding.