My first byline in a national magazine appeared in the August 8, 1995, issue of Woman's Day under the headline 'What's Sabotaging Your Diet'' Woman's Day, that bastion of the checkout line, was known for unironic covers featuring decadent desserts under headlines about healthy eating. This particular issue's cover featured the title of my article over a photo of a chocolate cake frosted to look like a sunflower. I was 23, newly married, living in a studio in Brooklyn, and making $18,000 a year. I'd been an editorial assistant at the magazine for eight months and was eager for my first story. When the features editor said she needed a writer for a diet piece, I stuck my hand in the air. Almost as much as the byline, though, I wanted the advice. I was just under 200 pounds at the time and anxious to avoid crossing that dietary Rubicon. For the story, I talked with doctors and dietitians and got their best tips on staving off cravings, eating healthy, and keeping the number on the...
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