"everything in moderation"

jnettiedotson

Am I the only one who reads this and wants to throw my keyboard? I don't blame anyone, it's just that some of us don't have the "moderation" alarm that goes off in our brain. Some of us are compulsive (over)eaters, and once we start it's over with! I can't have just one piece of pizza and be ok with that, or cookie, or chip, or fry, or brownie, or scoop of icecream. I hear all the time "never make anything off limits, or you're depriving yourself". I have to deprive myself, there's no other way. I know that I'm not the only one like this...

mrmanmeat

Am I the only one who reads this and wants to throw my keyboard? I don't blame anyone, it's just that some of us don't have the "moderation" alarm that goes off in our brain. Some of us are compulsive (over)eaters, and once we start it's over with! I can't have just one piece of pizza and be ok with that, or cookie, or chip, or fry, or brownie, or scoop of icecream. I hear all the time "never make anything off limits, or you're depriving yourself". I have to deprive myself, there's no other way. I know that I'm not the only one like this...

Learn self discipline and control.

xoAmyxo

No your not..im right there with you! Although when i wasn't dieting I could just have one piece of pizza and walk away...now I can't..kinda odd? So i have to just say NO to it completely

YukonJoy

Haha! I used to be like that for sure. I still am with candy. I will eat it until it's gone. But after not eating pizza, chips, ice cream etc for a while I'm now okay with one a small portion. I don't actually want to eat more. The taste of food changes.. It's like I have quit smoking or something.

My boyfriend gave me a piece of bacon and I guess I made a funny face when I was eating it, he asked if my mouth hurt. I said "No. Greasy :sick: " Bacon!!! I made a face while eating bacon!!! What is the world coming too...

SweetStrawberry

NOPE! You're not! I'm in the same boat as you girlfran!

miadvh

YEP! Once I start eating something, it's so dang hard to stop! Especially the really-bad-for-you-but-so-yummy stuff!! I'm working hard to get moderation set in my head, but it's tough! I really would love to be able to eat a little bit of the good stuff and stop so that I don't feel guilty later..but I'm just not quite there yet!

YukonJoy

Learn self discipline and control.

Learn not to quote the frickin' topic in your answer. Everyone knows you're responding to the OP!!! :explode:

isyslove

Oh am I like that, I worked at a Chocolate for 3 years! Imagine how much calories I was consuming a day (If a serving of truffles is 2 and it was 210 calores per serving. I had at least 8 truffles during my shift ). The store closed and, now I rarely eat chocolate. BUT, since I started logging in my calories (MFP) I've only eat half or enough to not go above my goal.

LenaNicole15

I'm definitely the same! I love food too much to control myself at times. But I've come to the conclusion that each time I cut everything that I considered bad for myself out of my diet, I crash 2 weeks later and binge like crazy. So I have to agree with the above comment...I'm learning to control myself through self discipline, hard work, and the idea of a healthier me. You can do it!

questionablemethods

Learn self discipline and control.

Agreed. But I think "everything in moderation" (for those who can do it) and simply making some foods off limits -- or limited only to VERY rare occasions (for those who can do it) both take self-discipline and control.

NoAdditives

I used to think I was like that. I always tried the moderation thing and it never worked, I always went overboard. But, once I kicked my sugar addiction all those bad habits were broken. Now (well, maybe not right now because I'm pregnant) I can have one piece of chocolate and leave the rest of the package for a few days down the road. I can have a small serving of ice cream and not want more. My body doesn't (normally) crave sweets or junk food anymore but when it does I can have a little and be done with it.

I think at first it can be helpful to deprive yourself of the "bad" foods you were addicted to. Once your body is fully committed to eating healthy foods only chances are good you won't even want the junk, but if you do you should be able to have just a little and be satisfied. You'll know when you get to that point. You'll stop having cravings and you'll feel great snacking on some carrots. And if you never get to that point, it's just fine. You don't need the junk food. It is ok in moderation but if you can't handle it and honestly don't want it, there's no reason to give in to other people's pressure.

Of course, I've been thinking about junk food this entire time and now my pizza craving (that I've had since Saturday) is out of control! And I want Doritos and caffeine free Coke too. Thankfully, I live to far away from the store to justify going on a craving run!

Happy0326

it really has to do with LEARNING how to eat for the rest of your LIFE. Don't look at it as a diet. This is a CHANGE for your health. I know because I too can eat the entire tray of brownies or 4 slices of pizza. But I"m learning NOT to. I also find because I'm loggin in I can SEE how much calories 4 slices of pizza is or more than a serving of brownies are and I don't want to eat it. Also eating all day Breakfast Lunch & dinner along with snacks makes it soooo much easier not to even want the junk or lots of it if I do have it. I will only eat the SERVING size. Little changes little by little will happen.

efcdcdb

I agree with the OP, sorta, but "moderation" is still what I am STRIVING for. :bigsmile:
I don't wanna deprive myself forever. :sad:

infamousmk

I used to be a major over eater .. and if I don't watch myself, I still do it. But, I'm not about to give up pizza or beer for the rest of my life, so I had to find a way to work around it. So, I practice self control. Note I said 'practice'... I still struggle, and I still have days where I pack in eight beers and a large pizza, but those days are getting fewer and farther between. I practice moderation so that I can enjoy things I love while getting fit. AND, I don't have to foreverandeveramen give up on any single thing that makes my mouth and my heart happy.

So, I mean, maybe instead of saying, "I can't do moderation", you give yourself a little credit, try to be positive, and say, "I'm going to try to be better at moderation" and see how it goes.

trilikeagirl

Learn self discipline and control.

I'm still trying to figure out how this answer was helpful. I mean, we can get obtuse comments from strangers on the street.

I try to log stuff before I eat it, then at least if I binge it is not without full knowledge/consent. Some of my patients use www.foodaddicts.org also and find it super helpful.

brit49

Rare occasions I will have chocolate, the other day I said no to kit kat, I have come along way, Its all or nothing with me.

jnettiedotson

Am I the only one who reads this and wants to throw my keyboard? I don't blame anyone, it's just that some of us don't have the "moderation" alarm that goes off in our brain. Some of us are compulsive (over)eaters, and once we start it's over with! I can't have just one piece of pizza and be ok with that, or cookie, or chip, or fry, or brownie, or scoop of icecream. I hear all the time "never make anything off limits, or you're depriving yourself". I have to deprive myself, there's no other way. I know that I'm not the only one like this...

Learn self discipline and control.

Sounds easy doesn't it? Not for those who take a food ADDICTION seriously, but you wouldn't understand that. You probably don't believe in it, which is fine. But it has nothing to do with self control, that's like telling an alcoholic "just don't drink you *kitten*, what's wrong with you". If it were that damn easy, we'd just stop now wouldn't we?

NoAdditives

Learn self discipline and control.

That's exactly what it takes to avoid certain foods. It takes a lot of discipline and self control to realize that certain things can't be a part of a diet. The cravings are there but knowing that one won't be able to have "just a bite" and be satisfied is the self control.

For a lot of people, losing weight isn't just about eating right and exercising. There are a lot of psychological problems that can factor into why people are overweight. The first step is overcoming those issues so that the effects (emotional eating, compulsive eating, etc.) don't control a person's life. And if there are certain foods that someone needs to avoid while they're working on the psychological aspect of their weight loss, so be it. There is only so much work a person can put into this journey at one time. For a lot of people it takes working in phases or steps.

You shouldn't be so glib about something that is a real struggle for so many people. It may be easy for you and that's great. But for others, it isn't. Especially for people who have been lifelong emotional or stress eaters, who have legitimate addictions to things like sugar, etc. If it were easy our country wouldn't have the weight problem it does.

vim_n_vigor

I have to cut out the trigger foods for quite a while to reset my cravings and tastebuds. Once I do that, those foods aren't so hard for me to handle. I believe everything in moderation at the right time. If I am not ready to handle it, then it isn't the right time to test the in moderation part. There isn't anything I will say that I will never eat again, but I may say I won't eat it for x amount of time.

katythemommy

Am I the only one who reads this and wants to throw my keyboard? I don't blame anyone, it's just that some of us don't have the "moderation" alarm that goes off in our brain. Some of us are compulsive (over)eaters, and once we start it's over with! I can't have just one piece of pizza and be ok with that, or cookie, or chip, or fry, or brownie, or scoop of icecream. I hear all the time "never make anything off limits, or you're depriving yourself". I have to deprive myself, there's no other way. I know that I'm not the only one like this...

Learn self discipline and control.

Sounds easy doesn't it? Not for those who take a food ADDICTION seriously, but you wouldn't understand that. You probably don't believe in it, which is fine. But it has nothing to do with self control, that's like telling an alcoholic "just don't drink you *kitten*, what's wrong with you". If it were that damn easy, we'd just stop now wouldn't we?

:drinker: You are so right!!

jnettiedotson

I used to be a major over eater .. and if I don't watch myself, I still do it. But, I'm not about to give up pizza or beer for the rest of my life, so I had to find a way to work around it. So, I practice self control. Note I said 'practice'... I still struggle, and I still have days where I pack in eight beers and a large pizza, but those days are getting fewer and farther between. I practice moderation so that I can enjoy things I love while getting fit. AND, I don't have to foreverandeveramen give up on any single thing that makes my mouth and my heart happy.

So, I mean, maybe instead of saying, "I can't do moderation", you give yourself a little credit, try to be positive, and say, "I'm going to try to be better at moderation" and see how it goes.

Nope, I've tried that and it doesn't work. I give myself tons of credit for losing what I've lost and keeping with it. I've tried moderation, and I **** up my whole day. I'm not talking about all food that is bad for me, or you...just trigger foods, the ones that trigger a compulsive overeater like myself to want to keep eating. The ones that make the voices in my head start yelling at me "just start over tomorrow, you deserve this, it's ok, just have a little" ... and then when I'm done, I wish I never touched the food in the first place, so now I just don't, or try really hard not to.