Hello I'm a 22-year old picky eater whose diet essentially boils down to pizza, french fries, and ham and cheese sandwiches. I decided to post here because I feel like I need to start making a change. I've read about AFRID and I have no doubt that my picky eating falls in that category. I also wanted to post here because I do feel alone as a picky eater but I also feel like a hypocrite. I recently graduated from college with a degree in Exercise Science. I am supposed to be promoting healthy lifestyle choices and here I am unable to eat a healthy diet. Another reason for this feeling is that I have recently started gaining weight and with my knowledge base of how the body functions I worry all the time that that I'm going to drop dead from a heart attack due to unhealthy eating for the past 22 years. I don't like feeling like a fraud but it is so hard for me to try new things. Like i used to be the picky eater who would order mozzarella sticks and take off the breading, why I have no idea but I did. And overcoming things like that strangely make me feel like I'm taking a step in the right path but I just feel like a joke to those around me who don't understand. I feel like I see way too many walls up for trying something new where maybe there aren't really any. I would like to mention that I have reached out to a therapist about working things out and that is honestly why I am posting here. I feel like by speaking out into the void that I'm trying to make some progress might hold me accountable in to keep it up. It's nice to know I'm not the only one out there and that there are others out there who know the anxiety going to a new restaurant brings. I'm interested in hearing any ways any of you have made small successful steps to introducing new foods into your diet!