All things in moderation.. or none at all?

Stilllosing26

Are you someone who eats things in moderation(treats, etc), or do you just avoid them completely? What do you avoid? What do you eat every day in moderation?

NNora06

I do have treats/desserts in small servings as I think I would be more prone to cheat in a HUGE way if I cut them out all together. I have learned to savour every bite and enjoy food all the more!

ChronicOptimist

I'm all about moderation, and there's nothing really that I completely avoid. There are, however, some things I know I can't have in the house.

Granola bars, of all things, are a no go for me. If I buy a box of granola bars they will be gone in a day. Things like the Fibre One Brownies also fall into that category for me. Also low calorie ice cream bars. I know a lot of people who do great with them, but I'll be like, "Wow, that 100 calorie ice cream sandwich was awesome!" Then I will eat 9 more of them. Which sort of destroys the point of them being low calorie. Pasta also seems to be a bit of a trigger for me, but I recently seem to be doing better with whole wheat pasta in moderation.

When I want ice cream, I'm obsessed with McDonald's vanilla cone. It's 170 calories and delicious! I also love organizing my day around an extra special meal in a restaurant. Treats like that are what keep me from feeling like I'm denying myself and keeps me happy!

Really it's about knowing yourself and what things are triggers for you.

Kalikel

Nope. Who eats ALL things? There thousands of things in the grocery store. Nobody eats all off them.

I eat some things every day.

I eat most things on occasion.

Some things I never eat.

jameselam12

Neither. I have a game with myself. If I used to like something, say chips for example. I find a creative alternative I can make to satisfy that craving. In the case of chips, I go for kale chips, or lightly salted, shaved sweet potato broiled until it's crisp. healthy alternatives for previously bad habits.

that being said, I'm also a kitchen ninja. if you don't thoroughly enjoy food and cooking, moderation is key - if you have the willpower for it.

Stilllosing26

I'm all about moderation, and there's nothing really that I completely avoid. There are, however, some things I know I can't have in the house.

Granola bars, of all things, are a no go for me. If I buy a box of granola bars they will be gone in a day. Things like the Fibre One Brownies also fall into that category for me. Also low calorie ice cream bars. I know a lot of people who do great with them, but I'll be like, "Wow, that 100 calorie ice cream sandwich was awesome!" Then I will eat 9 more of them. Which sort of destroys the point of them being low calorie. Pasta also seems to be a bit of a trigger for me, but I recently seem to be doing better with whole wheat pasta in moderation.

When I want ice cream, I'm obsessed with McDonald's vanilla cone. It's 170 calories and delicious! I also love organizing my day around an extra special meal in a restaurant. Treats like that are what keep me from feeling like I'm denying myself and keeps me happy!

Really it's about knowing yourself and what things are triggers for you.
[/quote

Very smart to get the cone at mcdonalds! Then you can't have more to overeat on! Very smart!

misscem94

Moderation works for me! Although today, my moderation was 8 segments of a Terry's Chocolate Orange!

I tried to cut things out at the beginning, but I started getting a bit too obsessed with it all. By adding treats in moderation, I felt I was eating more normally and could enjoy the calorie counting lifestyle.

Spnneil06

Moderation for sure. i don't like sweets soooo I am okay on that!

Raynne413

I try not to avoid anything anymore. It just causes issues for me. So sometimes I end up overeating on some things, but it all evens out in the long run. Peanut butter is usually something I end up overeating on. LOL One thing that helped me at first was to buy single servings of things, like packaged Goldfish Crackers and single serving ice cream. It can be more expensive, but it is an easy way to know what a serving is. If you enjoy something, eat it, or you'll just end up ODing on it later.

brower47

Are you someone who eats things in moderation(treats, etc), or do you just avoid them completely? What do you avoid? What do you eat every day in moderation?

Moderation, all day, everyday. I've done exclusion diets in the past, probably all of them. None of them were effective because I was never going to give up those foods forever. I prefer to teach myself new habits for the long term to up my chances of keeping it off long term.

CyberEd312

Moderation is my preferred method and the only thing I don't eat are those foods that I just don't like..... Best of Luck

michikade

I don't have any "off limits" foods. I'm having brownies and home made ice cream this evening. BUT we don't keep store bought sweets in the house - if we have them, they're made from scratch so we only have them sometimes when we feel like baking.

rose_mortem

if I have ONE dessert, it quickly leads to 2 or 3 or 4 servings, or more. Same with pasta and granola bars and even whole wheat crackers. It's much easier to avoid them. Popcorn is the go-to snack if I absolutely need some carbs, sprinkled with measure for measure Splenda (raised in a diabetic house, deal with it) if I'm craving something sweet. Once in a while I let myself have 2 bags of popcorn -- the kind I buy is 250 calories per bag.

TheBookSiren2316

We don't buy junk food so I don't worry about it.
When I stopped drinking pop it had to be complete and cold turkey, I've tried other ways in the past and it didn't work. I usually don't crave bad foods or anything so it's not a big deal to me. I never crave chocolate or desserts or candy. Sometimes I crave pizza, or pop but for now I'm staying away while I work on myself. I don't want to reward myself with food or even worry about it. Out of sight out of mind for now. If one day I'm out and decide I want a slice of pizza that's not homemade I'll probably go ahead, but I don't personally need those types of foods in my diet. And my husband and I don't want to teach our kids it's necessary to have unhealthy foods just because it's a norm for society, it's worked so far. We've never been the types to have dessert after dinner anyways.
I personally do better just forgetting those foods exist and there are plenty of things I don't plan to ever eat again. This is a life change, I think I can live without some of these over processed junk "foods", I get plenty of pallet pleasure from the food we pick from our garden

Stilllosing26

We don't buy junk food so I don't worry about it.
When I stopped drinking pop it had to be complete and cold turkey, I've tried other ways in the past and it didn't work. I usually don't crave bad foods or anything so it's not a big deal to me. I never crave chocolate or desserts or candy. Sometimes I crave pizza, or pop but for now I'm staying away while I work on myself. I don't want to reward myself with food or even worry about it. Out of sight out of mind for now. If one day I'm out and decide I want a slice of pizza that's not homemade I'll probably go ahead, but I don't personally need those types of foods in my diet. And my husband and I don't want to teach our kids it's necessary to have unhealthy foods just because it's a norm for society, it's worked so far. We've never been the types to have dessert after dinner anyways.
I personally do better just forgetting those foods exist and there are plenty of things I don't plan to ever eat again. This is a life change, I think I can live without some of these over processed junk "foods", I get plenty of pallet pleasure from the food we pick from our garden

I don't think it's quite fair to ban your children from having a treat, or something sweet. I would feel terrible to do that to my kids, as it is a part of being young, and a fun childhood, but that's just my opinion! And I don't see ANYTHING wrong with a slice of pizza nutritionally speaking. Infact, it can be quite healthy if it's homemade.

Meerataila

Neither. I have a game with myself. If I used to like something, say chips for example. I find a creative alternative I can make to satisfy that craving. In the case of chips, I go for kale chips, or lightly salted, shaved sweet potato broiled until it's crisp. healthy alternatives for previously bad habits.

that being said, I'm also a kitchen ninja. if you don't thoroughly enjoy food and cooking, moderation is key - if you have the willpower for it.

I'm trying to learn to do this, too, although I'm less a kitchen ninja than the guy who sweeps the floors and is probably named the ninja equivalent of Grasshopper.

SLLRunner

Are you someone who eats things in moderation(treats, etc), or do you just avoid them completely? What do you avoid? What do you eat every day in moderation?

Moderation. I no longer have to have three or four scoops of ice cream, but I can certainly have two scoops of so many grams as long as it fits in my calorie goals. This last year is the first time I've tried moderation to include ALL the foods I love, and it's worked so far.

asphaltflower

It depends. I had 20 grams of dark chocolate and craved sweets for the next two days.
But i've made my own icecream from fat free greek yoghurt and can have veggies with homemade dip without any problems,

gregpack

I vote moderation, with treats usually saved until the end of the day. If I eat them early it can lead to a bad eating day. I typically eat light for breakfast and lunch, then have a pretty substantial dinner with treats afterwards.

Exclusion might work for a few weeks, but won't likely work over a longer term.

nam985

For the most part I'm a firm believer in all things in moderation, including moderation. I haven't completely cut out any of the foods I enjoy. If I want a burger, wine, ice cream, chocolate, etc. I have it, as long as I can I make it work into my macros. If I couldn't indulge in the things I truly enjoy I would be completely miserable.

That being said, there are certain things that I will not keep in my house, one of them being Nutella. If I bring a jar of that stuff into my house the next thing I know I'm waking up in an alley somewhere with a spoon and the empty jar wondering what happened and how I got there.

nicailyzee

I love love love moderation but sometimes I cut things out but only for short periods of time because I either get tired of them or I am overdoing it. Then I reintroduce into my diet but I never fully give something up unless I will never eat it again. And I am the person who quit eating chicken for more than 10 or 15 years and now I eat it so I don't demonize any food if I want it I have it and forgive myself!

nrida

good Q. I see everything in moderation...even moderation...Its ok to binge once it a while...only human....just need to balance out like someone...good tip

Stilllosing26

good Q. I see everything in moderation...even moderation...Its ok to binge once it a while...only human....just need to balance out like someone...good tip

I know exactly what you mean by binge! But be careful with that word on here. People get really defensive and crabby about it!

eurochick64

Once every now and again is the way to go..lets face it.....are you NEVER EVER going to eat the things you like to eat , EVER AGAIN?

Because lets face it.....no point giving things up to lose weight, then once the weight is lost you go back to eating those things!!:huh:

So i'm not on a diet, I have just changed what i eat, and i eat lots & lots Of fruit & veggies, and some times,,,, Pizza & Ice Cream:laugh:

I from time to time, go to Sanders ice cream parlor , I have Pizza....... but the rest of the time, I joke because I consider my junk food is Hummus ha ha ha

But the point is, I could happily live the rest of my life eating what i eat now !!, :bigsmile:

Francl27

I eat all the things. Sometimes I go a bit overboard but overall, I don't want to give anything up (except the stuff that just can't fit easily in my calories).

Kate7294

I'm on day 50 I think. So far I try to eat healthier all the way around. Though if I really want something like I craved cheese cake the other week. I like a little cheese cake with my chocolate in I don't care for plain. I looked at the calories in a slice at the store and then went and picked out a weight watchers smart ones dessert instead.
I try to make better choices but if I want some potato chips I'll eat the one serving of 11 chips.

Right now I've been thinking about sausage gravy or just pepper gravy. Haven't found a healthier alternative yet though.

Kalikel

We don't buy junk food so I don't worry about it.
When I stopped drinking pop it had to be complete and cold turkey, I've tried other ways in the past and it didn't work. I usually don't crave bad foods or anything so it's not a big deal to me. I never crave chocolate or desserts or candy. Sometimes I crave pizza, or pop but for now I'm staying away while I work on myself. I don't want to reward myself with food or even worry about it. Out of sight out of mind for now. If one day I'm out and decide I want a slice of pizza that's not homemade I'll probably go ahead, but I don't personally need those types of foods in my diet. And my husband and I don't want to teach our kids it's necessary to have unhealthy foods just because it's a norm for society, it's worked so far. We've never been the types to have dessert after dinner anyways.
I personally do better just forgetting those foods exist and there are plenty of things I don't plan to ever eat again. This is a life change, I think I can live without some of these over processed junk "foods", I get plenty of pallet pleasure from the food we pick from our garden

Good for you, teaching your children to have healthy habits! Wish to God my parents had. It is hard to switch to healthier food when you're raised eating and drinking crap.

I think you're doing it the smart way. If you make lifestyle changes to healthier food, the whole weight loss experience is easier, IMO. It is for me, anyway. Your cardiovascular system will thank you, too.

People who say you can't lose weight without eating junk food are wrong. Maybe they can't, but some people CAN make lifestyle changes. It's been done before and will be done again.

AmyRhubarb

I'm no good with cutting something out completely - as soon as it's off the list, it's all I want. Plus there's nothing I want to go without forever (except cilantro, but I never ate that stuff before - yuck! LOL).

Moderation for me. I still eat burgers, pizza, ice cream, cookies, chips, beer, wine, margaritas, etc. It all fits into my goals (most of the time), and there's NO WAY I'm giving those things up forever. :noway:

I lost the fat and reached my goal while still eating these things, and I've kept it off for over two years now. :drinker:

maidentl

And my husband and I don't want to teach our kids it's necessary to have unhealthy foods just because it's a norm for society, it's worked so far.

I know you mean well, but you can take this too far and have it backfire. I can tell which of my kids' friends aren't allowed "junk" at home because they come over to my house and clear out my pantry. :laugh:

TheBookSiren2316

We don't buy junk food so I don't worry about it.
When I stopped drinking pop it had to be complete and cold turkey, I've tried other ways in the past and it didn't work. I usually don't crave bad foods or anything so it's not a big deal to me. I never crave chocolate or desserts or candy. Sometimes I crave pizza, or pop but for now I'm staying away while I work on myself. I don't want to reward myself with food or even worry about it. Out of sight out of mind for now. If one day I'm out and decide I want a slice of pizza that's not homemade I'll probably go ahead, but I don't personally need those types of foods in my diet. And my husband and I don't want to teach our kids it's necessary to have unhealthy foods just because it's a norm for society, it's worked so far. We've never been the types to have dessert after dinner anyways.
I personally do better just forgetting those foods exist and there are plenty of things I don't plan to ever eat again. This is a life change, I think I can live without some of these over processed junk "foods", I get plenty of pallet pleasure from the food we pick from our garden

I don't think it's quite fair to ban your children from having a treat, or something sweet. I would feel terrible to do that to my kids, as it is a part of being young, and a fun childhood, but that's just my opinion! And I don't see ANYTHING wrong with a slice of pizza nutritionally speaking. Infact, it can be quite healthy if it's homemade.

Fair?
There are plenty of healthy foods in life that are sweet. Where did I say my children never get anything sweet? Of course we consider treats something much different than many pop culture parents. Im fine that my kids dont know what a pop tart is and dont have a high fructose sugar filled "treat" with every lunch. My kids are not animals, they dont need "treats" or to see food as a reward. But that is just my opinion. Id feel bad if I were the type of parent who thought they needed candy, desserts, or ice cream to be a healthy well rounded child.

DaughterOfTheMostHighKing

right now? nothing is off limits! lol!!! I eat what's around and do with what I have. I try to eat healthy, but if there's something delish around, it's mine!!! lol!!!