On a cold December night, Marié Digby is perched on the piano bench of a small performance space in New York City, about to launch into “Feel,” a song she says is about the low moments of being in love. As the subway momentarily roars past, Marié pauses her set to ask if anyone else in the audience “felt their ass vibrating.” The crowd laughs along as she quickly quips, “I have that effect sometimes.”

It was always all or nothing: I can pinpoint the exact date I stopped eating, when I went from a normal life to doubled over in the gym, tired everywhere in my muscles, my blood, my bones. In hindsight, what seemed like a snap judgment then was only the tipping point of a lifetime of cultural factors that drove me to the worst years of my life.

Dear Readers,

How do you feel about Mochi’s new look? For our winter body-themed issue, we’ve given ourselves a makeover as well. This season, with the cold weather making us sluggish and a little lazier than usual, we’ve turned our minds to all things body- and health-related. We talked to a range of celebrities to weigh in on body image—singer-songwriter Marie Digby, “So You Think You Can Dance” contestant Karla Garcia and “Fame” actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle.