Okay, can we clear up this "moderation" thing?

The argument is vague because moderation is personal. For someone who used to drink a bottle of wine a night, a glass of wine a night is moderation, to someone who only drank a glass a night, a glass a week is.

I just finished a large box of luxury chocolates, I've had 3ish a day within my macros, that's moderation for me as previously the box would have been gone in a day or two.

If you know you can happily live without something then of course it's not deprivation, if you are going to spend your life thinking I really, really want 'X' then you're depriving yourself.

Do what's best for you, not what others say you should.

Figure out what works for you This whole diet thing is a process.

For me, I know having a bag of cookies or whatever around would be nothing but trouble, so I keep those sorts of things out of the house. However, if I'm at an amazing restaurant I may order whatever I feel like, including a dessert. My "in moderation" means not surrounding myself with temptation, and eating clean as much as possible because I know I feel better when I do; but it also means not depriving myself of an amazing splurge meal from time to time.

I think it boils down to how aware I am of what I'm doing - I'd mindlessly eat the cookies, but I savor the kickass meal if that makes sense

I personally feel like you need to try both options, and do what works for you.

"moderation" for me is using portion control in everything i eat.

For instance. I like fruit. Why not have it for breakfast, instead of pancakes full of sugar and tons of syrup? (save that for a cheat day! Not to mention, that will give you a major sugar crash. However.. if i want mash taters, mac & cheese and french fries for supper.. so? just have a serving size.. and as long as you can fit it into your calories.. go for it.

Typically, for me, if you make "better" choices in your life, you can fit in just about anything you want.

An example for a day for me will be fruit for breakfast.. and a light lunch, like lean meat, some cheese and more friut if i want it. (i am a very light "day eater" i prefer & like to eat in the evenings.

My supper is the same exact things i have always eaten & fed my family, with only slight changes..

For instance.. say we are having.. meatloaf, mash potatos, brown gravy, peas and dinner rolls.

in the meatloaf, add a veggie. (mash it if you want, just add it.) use half the bread crumbs by adding the veggie!) also, add egg whites, not the whole egg. eat A SERVING, not a pile.

in the mash. use light butter, and no salt. pepper them up!! want more flavor? add a teaspoon of sour cream!

gravy. one tablespoon (or just pass that up!)

veggie - light butter

bread.. pretty easy. eat it LAST, so you will be full. eat half, and very easy on the butter.

and the best part? MAKE YOURSELF A REALLY BIG SALAD AND EAT IT FIRST!! A cup of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, black olives and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese is less than 100 calories. add 2 tablespoons Vermont farms balsamic vinegarette dressing TO THE LETTUCE) not to the top of the salad and its 115 calories total!

HUGE MEAL for 650 calories, and my daily goal is 800 calories. plenty left over for snacks, and thats just on a 1200 calorie diet!!

I have a blog on eating "real" foods on moderation, with recipes if you are interested!! Send me a friend request! The blog address is on my profile page.

You can sign up for email alerts on the blog. (only like 2 per month) A friend of mine made a folder in her email called "recipes" she saves the email there... then, when she is at the store, she can access my recipes on her email by phone, and has the ingredients with her!! (now i send all my recipes to my email! LOL!)


Good luck!

You need to have will power before you can achieve moderation. Everyone seems to have a food that makes them lose that will power, so eliminating that food when you start your new life style or dieting might be a positive step in the big picture. You can introduce that food back as you get a hold of your food intake, cause hopefully you have gotten a hold of the concept of moderation.

If you look at it from a "depriving" view point then you are looking at it wrong, since technically you are "depriving" your body from all the extra calories the body was use to getting whenever it wanted.

So Moderation can be achieved by removing an item from your diet for a little bit until you have control and the will power to eat that item in moderation.

For example for me that item was ketchup, I would eat ketchup with just bread. So when I started MFP I stopped Ketchup all together and then once I got control of my eating habits I started using Ketchup every now and then with burgers.

I think it is entirely up to you. "Know thyself", they say. If you know a particular brand of cookie is like crack for you and you have a history of binging on them and you don't think you could ever be satisfied with just two or three, sadly I think it's time to say goodbye to them. (It is for this exact reason that I no longer allow Oreos in the house. )

As far as "moderation" goes, I interpret it as: if you have the calories to eat it, go for it! There is nothing I really cut out of my diet completely, but that is only because I am pretty good at keeping my consumption of unhealthy foods in check. I may not ever buy a certain food anymore, but to tell yourself "you can never have it again" is a surefire way to crack and stuff yourself full of devil forbidden food in a moment of weakness. I allow myself have Oreos and Cherry Coke on occasion, but it's so much easier to resist if I just don't have it in the house.

You might want to try cutting out certain things completely and then adding them back in. I found that once I cut out everything but protein, veggies & fruit, I appreciated the taste of other things much more and smaller quantities was all I needed to be happy. However, I know this doesn't work for everyone so do what feels right to you. Just remember: eat to live, don't live to eat.

Hi,

I truly recommend The Mindful Appetite or any book by Dr. Albers. Her book and philosophy center around eating in a slow and mindful way and staying present to gauge if you're eating for hunger or for emotions.

By the way, she does not advocate to cut anything out, just to be very aware when you're eating something that is a trigger for binging.

Good luck,

Liz

If you dont do exactly like I do, you're wrong.