In 1998, I worked in a law firm in midtown Manhattan. I spent too many long days and nights at my desk, unsurprisingly gaining weight. I wanted to diet, but it turned out to be a bigger challenge than I had expected. Until then, I had lived most of my life in Israel. The Israeli diet is very different from the American diet. I grew up regularly eating vegetable salads with light dressings. My American friends are often amazed when they realize my family and I still eat vegetables for breakfast. I recall, then, my disappointment as I tried out many lunch places around my office. These lunch joints offered mainly sandwiches. When I spotted a dish that resembled a salad it usually floated in mayonnaise.