Chihiro（Chichi） Life and Timeline
2001-2020: Japan
Born and raised in Ibaraki, Japan
Spent elementary school days playing tag with friends after school
Started tennis in junior high—and completely fell in love with it
Watched Pitch Perfect and began dreaming about going to college in the U.S.
2020-2024: College
Moved to the U.S. for college (a longtime dream come true!)
Joined the college tennis team and kept playing
Majored in International Relations & Political Science
In sophomore year, realized I wanted to become a Registered Dietitian
2024-present: Grad school
Started my master’s in clinical nutrition
Learning, growing, and still chasing my dream of becoming a dietitian:)
Slowly building a life and career that feel aligned and meaningful
Message
My Relationship with Food Story
I started dieting in high school, believing that I would be prettier if I lost weight. Each time the number on the scale went down, I felt proud—and I began eating less and less. As I lost weight, friends told me I looked “skinnier” and “good,” but instead of feeling satisfied, I became increasingly afraid of gaining weight.
To keep losing weight, I continued restricting my food and eventually realized I could no longer eat what felt like a “normal” amount. Food began to feel scary, and my thoughts revolved around how to control it.
Not long after, I started binge eating on weekends. At first, it happened only during dinner—I would eat an overwhelming amount until my stomach hurt. Even then, I couldn’t stop, because I told myself that I wouldn’t be allowed to eat much during the week anyway. This cycle continued: barely eating on weekdays and bingeing on weekends. Around this time, my period stopped.
I was constantly anxious about gaining weight, deeply ashamed of binge eating, and always thinking about food. Because of the shame, I hid my bingeing from others. I would wake up at 4 a.m. before anyone else in the house and eat snacks in secret. I bought large amounts of sweets and ate them alone in library study rooms. Sometimes, when I felt physically unable to eat any more, I threw away “bad” foods—hoping that this would finally stop the bingeing.
After a few months, restriction became impossible to maintain. I began binge eating whenever I was alone, stressed, or overwhelmed. This continued even after I moved to the U.S. for college. I knew something wasn’t right, but I felt unable to talk about it—with anyone, even my family. It was painful, lonely, and full of shame.
During my sophomore year of college, I came across a video by a registered dietitian talking about binge eating. For the first time, I felt seen. The symptoms she described matched exactly what I had been experiencing. Through learning more about binge eating and its underlying causes—and with time and support from others—I began to heal.
I believe there are many people struggling with their relationship with food in silence—just like I did. When I was at my lowest, I didn’t know how to help myself, and that loneliness stayed with me for a long time.
Because I’ve been there, I deeply understand how confusing, exhausting, and painful this journey can feel. That’s why I’m committed to supporting others through their healing—with compassion, understanding, and care. I believe no one should have to go through this alone.