"Everything in Moderation"

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  • mariposa224
    mariposa224 Posts: 1,269 Member
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    I would have found it much more difficult to practice appropriate moderation on sweets and refined white carbs when I started...but a couple years later I can handle it.

    Moderation for me, is necessary, because it's a lifestyle change and I am not going to think "I will never have X again".

    For me, moderation is primarily paying attention to when I am full. Not eating when I am not hungry. Only having the item if it is a true craving...sometimes a day or two later (on free day). I PLAN for the item...and I generally have up to two servings (some serving sizes are still nuts...so sometimes, I feel two servings is appropriate for me).

    Yes! This is it exactly for me too! I wanted to add to my previous post anyway, that the "junk" foods aren't ALL the time. I *am* eating better now. But if I REALLY want something, rather than being ridiculous about it, I allow myself to fulfill the craving, but without going "hog wild."
  • B_Running
    B_Running Posts: 158
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    There are no "bad" foods, only bad eaters.........:wink:

    (or, to paraphrase the NRA..............Food doesn't make people fat, people make people fat)

    Lol, so true.
  • HeidiHoMom
    HeidiHoMom Posts: 1,393 Member
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    If it fits into my calories and macronutrients for the the day then it is in moderation.
  • peteb79
    peteb79 Posts: 386
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    If it fits into my calories and macronutrients for the the day then it is in moderation.

    Exactly what I was going to say.
  • BabsPerl
    BabsPerl Posts: 18 Member
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    The book called The Portion Teller has this wonder chart of food portions in coloration with everyday items such as a deck or cards (fish steak size or chicken) ... to a baseball is the same size as a cup. If all else fails, I use my fist. :)
  • amanda8o
    amanda8o Posts: 352 Member
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    If it fits into my calories and macronutrients for the the day then it is in moderation.

    Totally agree,this is supposed to be a lifestyle change and I could not go through life giving up simple things like a small piece of cake at my kids birthday parties or a glass of wine on my anniversary,I'm doing this to enhance my lifestyle and happiness not make myself unhappy by cutting out everything that I enjoy,including some foods on special occasions!
  • lkcuts
    lkcuts Posts: 224
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    moderation to me, is I don't fully cut that item out. My theory is, I am eating way better than I did a month ago, the changes I ammaking are still better than the ones I had before. So instead of taking away that great side dish of rice I love so much, I don't put a serving size on my plate, but I put a tablespoon or less. So I can still have the taste of it. I still eat mac and cheese with the kids, but like anything else I put enough on the plate for taste, sometimes if I know I have not met my carbs for the day then I might spurge and have a full serving, but most days, I don't.. In a way, I do the weight watchers points theory..I bank it..Not that I am following WW, but if we are running errand and I know my kids are hungry or we just want to go out to eat, we go. But the difference now, is that I don't tkae that double quarter pounder, fries and large sweet tea..Kinda makes my stomach churn now after not having it, but I will choose the chicken sandwhich..yes I know it has just as much fat and cals as the others, but I dont eat a whole sandwhich I pick at the bread, and nomrally only eat a few fries, and I get water or I get a small tea. I have actually kicked the tea habit too, so I do their bottle water. one of my fav places is Chic Fila, for breakfast, and if you see my diary I still go, but Imake up for the rest of the day, and actually as of last friday, it just doesn't taste as good as it used too..I ended uip eating the chicken and a bite of the biscuit, the hashbrowns, blah! never thought I would say that about it..But I think with me not taking things completly away, has helped..I am more conscience, and as time goes by my taste buds are changing...

    Just my two cents..

    This^ ever see the 30 day on Mcdonalds diet? the guy ate it for 30 days and said he actually craved it and ate more of it because of that. after he gained 45 pounds in a month he had to go back on a diet to lose it. His quest was to see why people eat so darn much of it.. he said he actually felt energy drain, but had to have it again to reboost himself. I am with you on the craving thing. I think they put something in it to make you want more. once off it, the taste buds DO change, at least mine have. i can't stand the taste of any of the fast food hamburgers they are tasteless to me.The fries are like cardboard now, but I think its all the condiments they slop on there that actually gave it flavor. I was craving a Burger King whopper awhile back cause I liked the charbroil. I got a junior and IT even tasted blah. mine at home on the grill are WAY better. Like home food better now for sure,and even that can be trying with homemade goodies, but I eat them and figure them in. I figure this is a lifetime thing not a quick fix
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
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    It makes me laugh when people say "everything in moderation is good for you"... What a nonsence statement... cyanide even in small quantities isn't 'good for you'.

    But that aside, I think some folk have a very wide interpretation of what 'moderate' means.

    For someone who used to eat a 6-pack of jam doughnuts every day, they might argue that 2 doughnuts a day is being "moderate". However that's still 800+ calories (of which 36g of pure sugar - a whole days allocation) with zero beneficial nutrients. Doesn't look all that 'moderate' to me.

    There's a difference between good for your body and good for you. I like doughnuts. I don't have'em often, but when I do, I loooooove them. It makes me happy, even though it might be rubbish nutritionally. That's moderation. Having a treat, and feeling like it's a treat.

    God, why is everyone so eager to suck enjoyment out of food? Part of the reason for using a calorie counter is to really get a grasp on what moderation is.
  • KateL1969
    KateL1969 Posts: 98 Member
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    Love the idea that up to 20% of total net calories a day can be treat foods. That would be 240 calories for me which is moderate!
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
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    Moderate is in regards to your daily allowed calories. Not according to your eyeballs.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,306 Member
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    moderation at goal or before goal are two seperate things. Right now, to me moderation is figuirng in a half ounce of feta cheese for my salad and include it in my daily caloric allowance. oh yeah..and tablespoon of olive oil is a treat too. haha.

    But if I were at goal.. a meal once or twice a week off plan..anything I want would be moderation as long as I worked out that day.

    Long ago..I stayed at my goal weight for a good peiod of time doing that..working out extra on a day when I'd eat out without thought.

    But..when moderation becomes habit or a daily thing..that is when the old weight comes back.
  • lap012165
    lap012165 Posts: 24
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    As I'm reading everyone's comments I have realized that not one of you has addressed alcohol. So no one out there drinks? This is really odd to me. I know I have a drink at night either a glass of red wine or a Vodka w/sparking water and boy is it tasty! It's something I enjoy so I choose not to give it up. It goes right into my daily log just like everything else I put in my mouth.

    If you want a cookie, eat it. If you want a piece of chocolate, eat it. But what ever you do, chart it. Then what will happen is you will start to see what you can and can't live without while staying in your calorie count. Only you can do this.

    We've discussed moderation until hell froze over and really no one has given her the response she is looking for. It's not moderation, its self control. Everyone who is talking about eating out only 3-4 times a week, are you kidding me??? That's possibly the worst thing you can do to your body. We've been sold this bill of goods that if we work hard we deserve to eat out. What a bunch of crap! One night of eating out can ruin all the progress you have made in a matter of seconds. So I choose not to eat out, ever! Most wouldn't believe me but I would rather know whats going in my body than pay someone an over priced meal that God only knows whats in it. Plus I've worked to hard to get where I am to blow it on something that I know I can cook at home and taste better and is better for me.

    Just saying........
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I don't use the term "everything in moderation" to mean moderate amounts of something. I use it to mean eating foods that are less healthy only occasionally.

    IMO unhealthy or "bad" foods are foods that are high in animal fat, overly processed grains, artificial ingredients or contain a lot of sugar and very little other nutrients or fiber.
  • mirandamayhem
    mirandamayhem Posts: 772
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    I mentioned alcohol. I said I couldn't moderate it
  • lap012165
    lap012165 Posts: 24
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    Sorry I missed your comment, but I really liked it and it does ring true for some people. Can't lie, been there myself a time or two.
  • mirandamayhem
    mirandamayhem Posts: 772
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    There are some people who apparently can limit their alcohol intake But I believe these people are super human, possibly otherworldy, maybe even Atlanteans. Me, I will have one and then another and then another.
    Chocolate though? Meh
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
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    But..when moderation becomes habit or a daily thing..that is when the old weight comes back.

    It's not moderation if you're gaining...
  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
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    There are some people who apparently can limit their alcohol intake But I believe these people are super human, possibly otherworldy, maybe even Atlanteans. Me, I will have one and then another and then another.
    Chocolate though? Meh

    Even without being healthy or trying to lose weight I could not take a sip of alcohol for the rest of my life and be absolutely just fine. I have no problem going out with friends and it's not a religious or a health thing; I just don't like it.
  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
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    "Everything in Moderation" sets me off for the same reason as "calories in, calories out".

    It takes the focus off actually eating healthy foods and it quickly gets to justifications of what you can get away with.
  • Koldnomore
    Koldnomore Posts: 1,613 Member
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    The food industry has a LOT to answer to

    Like what? All the information is on the box. The only reason they do what they do is because people are too lazy to figure out how much they're eating. There's nothing complicated about splitting a pizza in several pieces.

    Just take responsibility for what you eat rather than give that responsibility to the food industry... If they don't have responsibility (except providing correct info on the box) then they have nothing to answer for as well.

    I found out the other day that just because it's on the box does not make it true. The package said 1 bun (56g) = 1 serving. Of course I weighed it and found the bun was NOT 56g but closer to 80... The package said 336g - which was a flat lie since ALL the buns in the bag were as big or bigger than the one I weighed. Trust no one..

    I've been very lucky to have never been an 'emotional eater' and to have grown up in a home where food was cooked regularly so I am very comfortable making meals and not eating entire bags of chips or pints of ice cream. My problem was eating too much of EVERYTHING.. Now I am working on only having a portion (weighing it of course). So if I want something "bad" I will have some and log it. But before I eat it I make sure that I absolutely can't live without it :P

    Honestly..I'm not going to kill myself to deny every food I like. This is for the rest of my life and I am sorry but I am not going to say that I will NEVER have a drink, desert, a treat, diner with my boyfriend or birthday cake again. I'll make it work!

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