If you’re working to lose weight, no doubt you’ve heard the phrase “Everything in Moderation.” I feel like it’s an ever-popular buzz-phrase, and frankly… it makes me cringe every time I hear it.
I’ve been trying to lose weight for something like 30 years… so, I know what works for me. I know what doesn’t. I even know what I try to pretend works for me…
I also know what I can keep in the house, and what I had better not buy. I also know that when I need an unexpected road trip snack, I had better go ahead and dump most of the bag of pop chips into the trash before I get into the car or that I’ll eat the whole thing in one setting. If there’s one thing I know, it’s my eating habits…
While it may be a fun phrase to utter, know that not everyone can moderate. I am one of those people who can’t. If I had been able to moderate, I don’t know that I would have arrived at 256 lbs five years ago.
There’s a list of foods that I truly try to avoid. There are ones that I’ve convinced myself make me sick (i.e. most fried foods, anything laden with butter) And, there are ones that truly do make me sick (i.e. onion rings) that I just won’t eat anymore. Bottom line: I’ve got food issues, but I know exactly how they work.
So, I don’t have cheat days because for me, they can lead to cheat weeks or cheat months. I also tend to avoid my trigger foods, because it can turn into a huge pitfall.
In the end, you have to know what you’re working with. If you can manage through moderate indulgences, go for it. I’ll cheer you on. If you want me to participate, I’ll likely pass.
I know it’s easy to toss around the phrase “Everything in Moderation” and even to use it as a justification for eating completely off your plan. Just know… you won’t hear it from me.
Do you struggle with “moderation”?