Have you ever gone on a diet only to fail? Have you ever tried to cut out sugar, meat, or flour, only to crave it so bad that you wind up binging? I don’t believe in diets. They rarely work. I do believe in healthy lifestyle changes, but deprivation often backfires. I suggest eating in moderation.
I’m not a calorie counter. I’m not a vegetarian. I’m not a vegan. I believe in eating healthy, but I’m not afraid to eat an occasional pizza or cheeseburger. When we focus on diet, we usually set ourselves up for failure. It gets back to slow change vs. fast change. Rather than cutting out certain kinds of foods completely, I favor eating in moderation.
I’ve spent periods of time focusing on eating extremely healthy foods. I followed Dr. Fuhrman’s Eat to Live diet for an entire summer. I’ve found that each time I get on a healthy-eating kick, I’m slowly learning a secret. It’s not just what you eat, it’s how often and how much you eat, that makes the biggest difference. When we are mindful of our eating habits in general, we can kick the need for dieting forever.
4 Keys To Eating In Moderation
- Limit your portions: I used to eat large meals. That usually led to gaining weight. Over the past five years, I’ve kept my weight steady because I chose to stop eating huge portions. I only eat moderately-sized portions, and I rarely eat until I’m completely full.
- Snack generously: I was brought up on three square meals per day. I still eat that way. I’m a firm believer in a good breakfast as the most important meal of the day. I’m also a snacker. Snacking is okay if you’re eating the right kinds of snacks. My snacks are usually nuts, fruits, and raw vegetables. Healthy snacking is the perfect way to keep yourself feeling satisfied without eating too much fat.
- No late-night eating: This is a rule I’ve had for years. Unless it’s a special occasion, I rarely eat after 6pm, and I almost never eat after 8pm.
- Variety is your friend: I believe the reason most people fail to eat right is simple. When they diet, they restrict themselves too much. This backfires and they go back to eating too many bad foods. Variety is your friend. It’s okay to have pasta, fries, or ice cream, as long as you don’t make it a daily habit. When you eat a variety of foods in moderation, you allow yourself to enjoy simple pleasures without going overboard.
I’ve watched a plethora of food documentaries. I know that much of our modern food supply is over-processed, steroid-induced, and genetically-modified. I believe we should be mindful of these problems with our food. I think we should make an effort to avoid certain products. As a busy single dad, avoiding everything unhealthy is impossible.
Don’t Be Too Hard On Yourself
We’re human. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be perfect. Do your best to eat healthy. Accept yourself when you eat an occasional pizza or milkshake. Just don’t do it on a regular basis. Eating a bit of everything in moderation is okay. Lean toward the healthy foods, but treat yourself to something yummy once in awhile.
See my post on 14-simple foods that I always keep stocked in my kitchen. If you keep good stuff on hand, you’re more likely to eat healthy.
If you’re new to Hip Diggs, I’d like to suggest that you check out my 10-Step Challenge To Simple Living. Most everything I post here stems from a simple challenge to myself. I want share my journey with you. I hope you’ll come along. Let’s learn to live more simply together.
Dan Erickson
