I Measured Everything But My Worth

The holidays meant leftovers, and leftovers meant decisions I wasn't ready to make. I started treating my kitchen like a laboratory. Every container labeled with dates and times. Internal temperatures checked twice. Two-hour rule enforced like my life depended on it. But really, I was measuring my worth in degrees Fahrenheit. 145° for the turkey I'd weigh three times before eating. 40° for the storage that kept me "safe" from overeating. 165° for the reheating that somehow never warmed the cold anxiety in my chest. I could tell you the exact shelf life of every leftover, but I couldn't remember the last time I ate without calculating. The thermometer measured everything except whether I was actually hungry. Even now, staring at day-three stuffing, I know the food is safe. I'm just not sure I am. #FoodGuilt #ControlIsExhausting #MaintenanceMode #Health #Diet