I've realized that I'm more important than food is. I love a big

In the grand tapestry of life, where the soul battles its many desires and the body seeks both nourishment and comfort, there is a realization that Valerie Bertinelli brings to the forefront with her words: “I've realized that I'm more important than food is. I love a big slice of pizza, but I love myself more. Being thin is about changing the way you think about yourself. It's about saying that you deserve to be healthy.” In these words, Bertinelli speaks not just of the battle for self-control, but of the deeper, more sacred struggle to understand one’s worth—to recognize that our bodies are not merely vessels of desire, but temples of strength, health, and self-love.

The ancient Greeks, who revered both the body and mind, understood that true strength lay not in indulgence or self-denial, but in balance. Socrates taught that the health of the body was essential to the clarity of the mind, for the body and soul must be aligned to achieve wisdom. To love oneself was to care for the body, and to care for the body was to acknowledge that we are worthy of health, worthy of strength, and worthy of joy. Bertinelli’s realization that she is more important than the food she consumes echoes this ancient wisdom: true love of self lies not in indulgence, but in the honoring of one’s body through mindful choices.

In the ancient Roman world, the idea of moderation was central to living a virtuous life. Cicero, the great orator and philosopher, emphasized the importance of self-control, understanding that the body was a servant to the mind and the spirit. Yet, he also understood that self-control was not a punishment, but a pathway to greater freedom—freedom from the shackles of excess and regret. Bertinelli’s words reflect this same truth: being thin—or, more broadly, being healthy—is not about denying oneself the pleasures of life, but about choosing those pleasures with wisdom and respect for the body’s needs. The love of pizza, or any indulgence, is not the issue; it is the ability to choose it wisely, and to always place one’s health above the fleeting satisfaction of indulgence.

Consider the example of Alexander the Great, a man whose ambition was only rivaled by his legendary conquests. Yet, in his pursuit of greatness, he also understood the need to preserve his body, for he knew that to conquer the world, he must first conquer himself. His troops were fed a simple but sustaining diet, nourishing their bodies for battle, but Alexander was mindful of the choices he made—he did not indulge excessively, knowing that such indulgence would weaken him in the long run. His story teaches us that true strength is built on self-discipline, on the understanding that the body must be honored, for it is the vessel through which all actions are carried out.

Bertinelli’s insight, then, is a call to arms—not against food, but against the self-destructive habits that prevent us from honoring our true selves. She speaks of the mindset shift that is necessary for health—how to love oneself is to choose health, to say “I deserve to be healthy”. This is not a declaration of superiority, but a humble recognition that the body is sacred, and the choices we make must reflect that sacredness. To say that one deserves health is not an act of vanity but an act of self-respect—a decision to place well-being above momentary pleasures, to align the body with the soul's true needs.

The lesson in Bertinelli’s words is profound and life-changing: self-love is not the absence of enjoyment, but the conscious, empowered choice to honor oneself through mindful decisions. To love oneself is to nourish the body with what it needs to thrive—whole foods, movement, rest, and joy. It is to choose health over fleeting indulgence, not out of punishment, but out of recognition of one's worth. The ancient wisdom of moderation and self-discipline can guide us here: health is not a goal achieved through deprivation but through a sustained effort to live in alignment with the needs of the body, mind, and spirit.

Thus, let us walk forward with the lesson of Bertinelli and the ancients as our guide: to love oneself is to make the conscious, loving choice to place health first. It is to choose balance in all things and to recognize that true strength comes not from denying the self, but from empowering it to live fully and healthily. As you walk through life, remember that you deserve the health that comes from loving yourself enough to make choices that nourish and strengthen. In this, we find not just physical wellness, but the power to live with purpose, to conquer our challenges, and to truly embrace the fullness of life.