My Relationship with Food and How Asking this Magic Question Can Bring You Closer to the Best Version of Yourself.

Oh, how I adore warm chocolate chip cookies and those delightful hand-crafted lattes! Chick-fil-A waffle fries? Yes, please! My kids’ Halloween candy, eggs benedict, movie-theater popcorn, stuffed artichokes, and cookie dough ice cream smothered in hot fudge—I’m all in! I’m a carb enthusiast through and through. Sweet, salty, you name it, I love it all! Need a dinner date? Count me in! Just say the word, and I'm there!

Now that I've shared my love for food, let me open up a bit more. My relationship with food is quite complex. It all began in my childhood, as many things do. My mom expressed love through food. A cookie when I was sad, brownies when I was hurt, and cake as a celebration when I made the team. Food was more than just sustenance; it was love, comfort, and joy.

So now, when I feel emotions, I eat. When I don’t feel emotions, I eat. When I need to feel something, I eat. It might not be ideal, but it’s my reality. Maybe you can relate, whether it's food for you, or perhaps something else like a drink to calm your nerves, endless notifications to stay connected, or work to earn more.

We all have something, and here’s what I’ve discovered helps me strive to be my best self. It’s a question I ask almost daily because food is a constant presence, and that’s not changing. But knowing what I want (to be my best self) and what to ask gives me a fighting chance.

So, what’s the question? What’s my secret sauce? Here it is: Does (fill in the blank) bring me closer to becoming the best version of myself, or does (fill in the blank) take me further away? Does it align with who you aspire to be, or does it lead you astray? Aren’t they just French fries? Yes, but also no. They affect how you feel in the evening when you’re drained and wish for more energy to play with your kids. They impact how you see yourself in the mirror when you aim to be more toned but don’t see results. They open the door to having that extra slice of cake after dinner because, well, "I already had fries, so…" When I think about the best version of myself, she is confident, energized, alert, awake, ready, social, impactful, fun, looks healthy, feels healthy, and her hair is on point! French fries have never made me feel alert, awake, impactful, or energized. What does the best version of yourself look like? Feel like?

It’s the conscious choice, time and again, every single day, to either indulge in instant gratification (because those fries smell heavenly) or opt for delayed gratification (because I want to feel and look my best). I’ve tried both. You probably have too. But even as I savor the fries, I feel like I’ve let myself down—my future self, the one yearning to be healthy and look healthy. The fries are scrumptious, but they don’t bring me closer to my best self. They make me feel defeated, like I’m clogging my arteries, like I have to eat a stalk of celery for dinner. That doesn’t feel good. Not at all.

So, what is it for you? What’s something you could change to bring you closer to your best self? Have you ever pondered that? Making wise food choices helps me feel like the best version of myself both mentally and physically. It’s tough, and I wrestle with it daily, but I refuse to give up because, ultimately, I just want to be the best version of who God created me to be—and I can’t achieve that if I don’t feel good.

Let’s be clear: I still indulge in cookies, and I still love all those treats—so if you catch me enjoying a slice of cheesecake, please don’t knock it out of my mouth! But I’m sharing this because my story isn’t finished, and I continue to struggle every day to make healthy choices. I’m sharing this in the midst of my journey because I believe that you, or someone reading this, will find hope in what I’ve learned. The simple act of pausing and asking myself if the Oreo is bringing me closer to a better version of myself might seem trivial, but it has become a powerful tool in my quest to create and be proud of my future self.

You have the power over your future self too. You know what holds you back from being the best version of yourself. If it’s challenging to make changes for yourself, add to the question: How does (fill in the blank) make me a better version of myself for (fill in the blank). You got this. I believe in you - let's go!