Surrounded by nutrition; Cornell CALS - experiences/interest in Nutrition

This is a pretty rough draft, sort of a "train of thought". I just want some feedback on where I should start editing. Also, it's pretty important to me to include the fact that I run a nutrition/health blog in there but I don't know how to fit it in without it being awkward. Please help!

How have your interests and related experiences influenced the major you have
selected in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences?

I have always been surrounded by nutrition. My mother works for a weight-loss surgery clinic (I refer to them as the anti-gym). My older sister was always trying fad diets and my father is diabetic. Being a vegan, I also have to be fairly educated about nutrition so I don't hurt my body. But my personal interest in nutrition started about 5 years ago when, like many unfortunate pre-teen girls, I was unhappy with my body and wanted to lose weight. Because my family was very pro-McDonald's, I had to take it upon myself to make choices and being the uneducated 12 year old that I was, I chose to simply not eat. My mental and physical health deteriorated and I was miserable. I fluctuated between trying to be healthy and trying to be emaciated for quite a while.

Two years ago, I started running in an effort to burn extra calories. I didn't know this would be what saved me. Running is addicting. I joined the Cross Country team and I started to get competitive; it became less about beating the fat and more about beating my race times. I wanted to be the best that I could be, and for that to happen I knew I had to work on my nutrition. After hours upon hours of research and experimenting, I found nutritious foods that worked for me and my body. I felt amazing and my running showed it.

After this experience, I became even more intrigued. Food is such a powerful thing. A wonderful philosopher once said "In health there is freedom. Health is the first of all liberties." I think it is so fascinating that we live in a world where the people with an overabundance of healthy, natural food refuse to eat it while people overseas would likely give anything for that same food. I plan on working to fix both of these problems in my life; by studying Nutritional Science and Global Health at Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, I believe I can make a real difference in the world.

I thought your essay flowed well and really liked how you embedded your entire health story in it. It makes it very personal and relatable. The beginning is the only part where the sentences might seem a little choppy..Aside from that I think it was great and really liked the ending as well. Good luck! :)

My life has always been surrounded by the topic of nutrition.


... why do you call it the anti-gym?


Being a vegan, I also require a fair knowledge on nutrients to stay healthy.


I was worried about my body weight.


.... being immature twelve year old, I chose simply to skip meals.