Are you a moderator or an abstainer?

Onesnap

I myself am a moderator! I come from a candy store family (no joke) where I have family members that *need* chocolate daily (mind you they are in excellent shape). I learned at a young age to not deny yourself treats, just don't overindulge. I've also been gardening organically and growing my own veggies my whole life.

The reason I'm on MFP is because my work habits (read: free food at work and going crazy on business trips with fancy dinners out) have led to 20 lbs of weight gain despite being healthy and in good shape. I came to MFP because I needed support to get my weight back on track.

Anyway, check out this post from The Happiness Project. For those of you not familiar the author Gretchen is wonderful. Check out the post about moderating or abstaining here:

http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2011/04/quiz-are-you-a-moderator-or-an-abstainer-when-trying-to-give-something-up.html

So, are you a moderator or abstainer? Are you an all or nothing type person? I have a friend that says he has trouble with candy because for him he can't stop at just one.

Mrs_TrimWaistFatWallet

I cant do all or nothing - it drives me batty. So, Im definitely a moderator. My fiance is definitely an abstainer and it seems to work well for him because he's losing more weight! But, he doesn't mind the same healthy meals over and over...

tonedover

work travel is a huge obstacle.
Ive been re-learning that the expensive piece of fish on the work acct is just as good as the expensive steak on the work acct --- and i feel good about my positive choice!

more to the point - im a moderator. i recently had some cheetos!! my fav !!! it was so good but i felt guilty the entire time i was eating them.

cathcakey

Moderator, definitely!

epj78

Depends on the food and my mood. Luckily, I have begun to learn when I can be a moderator and when I have to be an abstainer. Candy is something I good at being a moderator with, pizza is something I have to be an abstainer with (or only eat when I'm out with others). Doesn't make sense, I know, but for me, it's learning who I am and paying attention to my feelings. If I'm eating because I'm hungry - I can be a moderator, if I'm eating for any other reason, I have to be an abstainer.

Clear as mud, huh?

angievaughn

work travel is a huge obstacle.
Ive been re-learning that the expensive piece of fish on the work acct is just as good as the expensive steak on the work acct --- and i feel good about my positive choice!

more to the point - im a moderator. i recently had some cheetos!! my fav !!! it was so good but i felt guilty the entire time i was eating them.

Me too.....had cheetos that is!!! Just last night!!! I was eating tuna...and measured out one portion of cheetos...the crunchy kind....and it was like a total treat for me!!! MMMMm....makes me want more!!!!

Onesnap

Thanks for the tips. I don't often order the steak when out on a work trip. But I drink more than I normally do and I eat more courses than normal. I also skip my normal workout routine. I've started to pack a workout DVD on biz trips since I joined MFP so that's a huge change! I think since I travel alone a lot it's just me sitting there eating and I tend do do crazy stuff since no one is watching.

Onesnap

mmm, cheetos. For me it's Pirate's Booty. Mmmmm.

dad106

I'm a moderator... If I abstain it just leads to disaster. My weakness foods are cheeseburgers and chocolate... and I try to have a little of each every week and so far I've lost 15 pounds.

DOTY1

Im a moderator I feel that if I say no Ill be ok for alittle bit but eventually I go crazy so I would rather say ok to small piece of cake rather then the whole thing.

WattsJA

Really depends on the food .. but I would have to say I am more of an abstainer than a moderator because I find it easier not to start than to stop.

Nigel99

Definitely a moderator on most things. I have pretty much given up sodas completely, and other than dark chocolate, I have pretty much stopped eating candy. For the most part, however, I have continued to eat my beloved pizza, ice cream, movie-style kettle popped popcorn, etc. I just don't eat them nearly as often, and I'm watching the portions I eat of those items. Just cutting down the portions from what I used to eat makes a big difference all by itself. Eating them less often helps even more. I'm not giving some of those favorites up forever entirely, however.

Somehow I found a way to give up sodas without a problem though.

blackdragonclare

I'm an abstainer its not that I go crazy but I just slip back into eating the wrong food if that makes sence

SaraTonin

All things in moderation!!

It seems to me like a lot of boys around me like to abstain in their diets. My boyfriend's roommate will go on kicks with no eating at restaurants, no bread, no sugar, no this, no that. Usually no scientific reasoning behind it either.

Maybe he should find MFP.

EDesq

Combination. But sounds like some conflict in who you think you are and actually are...relative to food. Hope you get back to who you were.

anubis609

I'm an extremist. There's a moderate balance within my chaotic harmony.

AngelicaDulas

mmm, cheetos. For me it's Pirate's Booty. Mmmmm.

Ooooh, I LOVE the white cheddar Pirates Booty! It's terrrriibleee...y good!

And definitely a moderator. Got to have my dark chocolate and a glass of wine!

musicoflife08

I'm not sure actually. I would say I'm a moderator, but when my first free meal came up it kind of made me fall off the wagon.... So, I've had a really hard time with eating out since that one free meal. Before then I was actually do really well. So, since I'm just kinda starting out, I'll have to wait and see. Maybe a should be an abstainer?

spacecase76

Moderator. I *can* eat 2 pieces of candy and stop. I don't want to wolf it down, I want to taste it, enjoy it, and savor it...

I am here because I sit on my butt all day for work, eat fast food often, and I gained weight when I quit smoking last year

CharlieJuliette

I'm an abstainer. I have to be because I know myself too well - if I allow myself one, I'll finish the packet! I wish I could be a moderator because I think this a far healthier way to live.

bmontgomery87

moderator with junk food. I'll have ice cream once a week on my cheat day.

Abstainer to overindulger on alcohol. I don't do well with moderating and having a drink or two a week. I usually abstain for a month or so at a time, and then go out and overindulge.

CaraRadz

I'm a moderator for sure. Here's the thing... I love food. Just because I'm losing weight, that doesn't mean I'm going to deprive myself of the things I like. I've just learned to eat modified versions or smaller portions and to make sure I'm burning off any excess calories at the gym.

I actually think this approach is why I've been successful on MFP. During previous attempts to lose weight, I would just cut out a lot of things. That would work for awhile, but ultimately I couldn't sustain it for extended periods of time. Since I'm now still eating food that I enjoy, I feel like the lifestyle I've adopted through MFP is something I can really stick with.

clem7444

I'm an abstainer learning to moderate because I know that I can't avoid foods forever. When I eat something that I have to "moderate," I really try to focus on how my body feels. Am I hungry? Or am I eating cake because it's CAKE!!!? I also think about the other things I could eat. Do I really want cake? Or, would I rather have a york peppermint patty and some popcorn later?

I cake, obviously. 3 layer birthday cake with delicious icing and little flowers on top. Yellow cake, with chocolate frosting. I love texas sheet cake, and.....Okay, I have to stop now. I just drooled onto my desk.

melsinct

I'm a moderator for sure. Here's the thing... I love food. Just because I'm losing weight, that doesn't mean I'm going to deprive myself of the things I like. I've just learned to eat modified versions or smaller portions

I completely agree!

Since starting MFP I have never denied myself birthday cake at a party, I still eat pizza, pasta...I just keep portion sizes smaller and if I know I will be having birthday cake, I try to structure my calories so it fits in without going over my calories. If I deprived myself I would not be able to keep this up for long.

MinnieInMaine

Somewhere in between. There are things I cannot keep in my house or allow myself to eat on a regular basis because I just don't have any control when it comes to these certain foods (ice cream is the worst). But there are other things, like pizza or chinese take-out, which I refuse to give up and so I make sure there's room in my calorie allowance for a treat like that once a week. When it comes right down to it, having treats like that is my motivation for working out regularly. I know I'll still lose the weight if I"m burning enough calories every week!

Onesnap

Oh, I'm not in conflict! I just started a job 1 year ago that requires more work travel than ever (compared to a decade+). I'm true to myself, supporting local farms, growing my own veggies. Making a lot of healthy recipes with my hubby. The only conflict is HOW to find balance with this new life. It's my first job with a FULL kitchen, lots of free food and lots of biz trips all by myself.

The other thing that changed in the past year is that my Mom's been battling breast cancer. It's made me realize more than ever how important it is that I stay healthy.

Onesnap

Thank you for everyone who has replied in this topic. It's very helpful to read all of your feedback! It's funny how one year at a new job can change everything in regards to habits!!

MyNameIsNotBob

Moderator! I could never cut out chocolate, alcohol, cheese, fried foods, or mayonnaise completely. That would just be a sad life for me! I just try to make healthy choices 99% of the time, and then let myself have treats when they fit into my eating plan for the day.

amuhlou

Moderator! I like food too much to totally abstain from anything altogether and I know I'd get frustrated if I couldn't have those things from time to time.

The toughest item to moderate was the "treat" type things like cookies, chocolate, or specialty coffee drinks. Once I learned how many calories they have, I was able to moderate and plan for them so that they really are "treats." We don't really keep stuff like that in the house anymore, so it's really a special occasion to buy or bake it.