What Does Moderation Look Like For You?

I initially decided to try giving up processed sugar for an undeclared amount of time. Yeah, that didn't work. I'm hearing a lot about moderation, and as stupid as it may sound...I barely have an idea of how to do it. To me moderation is eating just a serving of something (I'm talking about the junk foods).

The hard part is I eat one cupcake, and I want 2 more. I think I know HOW to moderate, but I don't know HOW to not go back for seconds, thirds, etc.

So, my question to you is how do you eat in moderation? What keeps you from over indulging?
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Replies

  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    I stick with serving/portion sizes when I can fit them in. Things that come in pairs (Pop-Tarts, Hostess snack cakes, etc.) can be hard for me to leave the other one because my silly brain is "worried about the other piece being alone and going stale by itself".

    I don't really have any trigger foods (foods that I can't stop eating once I start). For me, it was just practice and teaching myself that I can have it tomorrow when it fits in. Today, I built my lunch around a blueberry muffin I bought yesterday. Not hitting macros well, but my brain will be happy.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    For me moderation means eating an overall healthful and calorie appropriate diet and within that including some higher cal/lower nutrient items (or higher fat meats sometimes or adding in some ingredients to a recipe just for the taste addition) that fit within the calories and I otherwise meet my nutrition goals. Or, it can mean wanting an indulgent restaurant meal and so planning ahead during the week or having a big workout or just not doing it very often. There are many ways to do it.

    I tend to eat dessert type food (which for me can mean a serving of good cheese, too) after dinner and generally eat a serving, but focus on calories. If it doesn't fit in the calories, I don't eat it. I never had trouble keeping it to the amount I wanted -- I put it on a plate/bowl and put the rest away (for me it's often ice cream) -- and if I did I'd probably switch to something else until I developed more control. I find knowing I can have it tomorrow too if I want helps me not want to overeat.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    I eat treats that I otherwise find hard to moderate, only on special occasions and out of the house. On a day to day basis, I eat food I like but can eat to satiety.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I want not to be fat more than I want the extra cupcake. I do also have days when I eat less so I can afford to have 2 cupcakes when I really want them.
  • Budjola
    Budjola Posts: 148 Member
    burn more then you eat
  • Eleanor_82
    Eleanor_82 Posts: 57 Member
    Some things I just can't have in the house or office because I know I'll slip up, like crisps. I'm hoping my willpower will improve over time but that's just where I'm at right now. I try to have enough healthy alternatives easy to hand and visible- fruit everywhere!

    For occasional afternoon treats I tell myself I'm allowed a biscuit with peanut butter once I've had a litre of water, or finished two cups of herbal tea. That helps me realise whether I'm really hungry or just bored or having a craving. Wee mind tricks!
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,611 Member
    When I'm on my diet, I just simply keep within my calorie limit.

  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    If you build a "moderate" diet and hit your macro and micro goals and fiber it is pretty hard to not have an overall, balanced, healthy diet, regardless of whether there are some cookies and cupcakes sprinkled throughout that diet.
  • samchez0
    samchez0 Posts: 364 Member
    Saying no to seconds, getting smaller portions of foods I love, only drinking pop once a week (which I've been failing at), saving candy and sweets for special occasions. It's about not completely cutting myself off from food I love but not making them an everyday occurrence either.
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
    Log before you eat. Fun-size. A Hershey kiss is 25 calories. A 'serving' is 11 kisses. No, a binge is 11 kisses. A serving is a kiss. That's what moderation looks like.
    A cupcake, depending how tall the pile of sugared lard is on top, is at least 400 calories and could be as much as 800. Once you have a ballpark clue of the cost of food, it's easier to decide that it's too expensive.

    ^ Definitely not this. If you shop for cupcakes at the grocery store and not some ridiculous $6 cupcake place you'll find that you can easily find ones that are 200-300 calories. And yes, 11 kisses is a fine serving. If you're cutting on 1400 calories or less then it's more difficult and you may need to eat just a mini cupcake. The point though is that you eat a serving and walk away. That takes discipline until you form the habit. If you have a serious sweet tooth then no, it won't be easy, but you get out what you put in. Good luck!
  • ElvenToad
    ElvenToad Posts: 644 Member
    Moderation was a skill I had to learn on my journey after a lifetime of disordered eating habits. It also helps to know that eating too many sweets at once will make me feel sick to my stomach, and overfull. I hate that feeling now, so for me it makes choosing moderation much easier.

  • Nicklebee93
    Nicklebee93 Posts: 316 Member
    Moderation: not eating in excess. For me that's eating something "bad" once in a while. Made blueberry muffins, i had ONE that week. Eat a couple squares off the candy bar, not the whole bar. Have a scoop of ice cream, not 4.

    It's not so much about denying yourself the food you love, just eating it in less amounts. You could honestly eat something "bad" everyday and not go over your calorie limit. Eatings less, but more often i feel helps with the binge eating. Everything can be harmful if we overdue it. So eat happily, just be aware.
  • 85Cardinals
    85Cardinals Posts: 733 Member
    edited July 2016
    If you have zero self-control over some things, you might want to choose abstinence over moderation. Similar to how alcoholics choose not to try to be social drinkers cause they know they can't.

    Of course, people with self-control will respond by saying just control yourself! Would it were that easy for everyone. Be a lot fewer fatties around, that's for sure.
  • BreakinChains
    BreakinChains Posts: 18 Member
    Log before you eat. Fun-size. A Hershey kiss is 25 calories. A 'serving' is 11 kisses. No, a binge is 11 kisses. A serving is a kiss. That's what moderation looks like.
    A cupcake, depending how tall the pile of sugared lard is on top, is at least 400 calories and could be as much as 800. Once you have a ballpark clue of the cost of food, it's easier to decide that it's too expensive.

    I love this last sentence!
  • BreakinChains
    BreakinChains Posts: 18 Member
    Thank you everyone who responded. I'm really starting to believe moderation is possible now. Hard, but possible. It's really helpful to know so many people struggle with it, but are able to do it.
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
    Moderation for me : eating no cookies most days, one or two occasionally, and then skipping one or more meals to make all the cookies I want fit.

    I make very good cookies.
  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
    Moderation is having a bite or a bit or a serving of something I like, or something I'm offered by someone I care about. It's about making room for that in the larger picture of my life.

    Sometimes it means pre-logging when you know there will be treats you'll want to have. Sometimes it means stopping yoruself after your bite or bit or serving and logging it, and realizing that if you stop now, you'll still be near your goal.

    Sometimes it means "Oops, I had some of that peanut brittle my coworker brought in to share, so now I really should not have one of those cupcakes my kid just won on the cake wheel!"
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    For whatever reason, I can't have foods like cupcakes during the day. They make me sleepy and crave more. But I can have one after dinner and feel fine. I can't address the stopping at one question, cuz we get them from bakeries or 'ridiculous' cupcake places so there is only one serving each available. Normally I have Ghirardelli squares after dinner and can stop at one despite there being plenty more in the house.

    Some foods I moderate and some I abstain from, and don't even have them in the house. http://gretchenrubin.com/happiness_project/2012/10/back-by-popular-demand-are-you-an-abstainer-or-a-moderator/
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    I don't really use the term "moderation" but if I did it would simply mean not overeating.