Why Moderation Didn't Work for Me

I have been using an online food logging program (myfitnesspal.com) as a tool to aid in my weight loss for the past 3 months. In order to aid in the weight loss process, you can add friends and give each other words of support and encouragement. You can also get on the forums and share your successes or debate the various diet approaches. There is one commonly expressed philosophy that I used to believe in that I no longer subscribe to. That is the simple idea of "everything in moderation". It sounds so great. You can eat whatever you want as long as you control the portion size and frequency. I've lived over 40 years trying to follow that philosophy and still, I ended up out of control and morbidly obese.

The reason this practice didn't work for me is because there were certain foods that were addictions or triggers that kept me eating out of control. I really couldn't stop even when my stomach had enough. I think one reason might be that since my body wasn't receiving the nutrition it needed, I continually craved more. Or maybe it was just a simple addiction to food I considered yummy. Unfortunately, the foods I was craving weren't the foods that would fulfill my nutritional needs. For years, I had eliminated meat and fried foods from my diet. I didn't eat a lot of refined sugar. I was trying to include some vegetables, particularly at dinner time. There was always some fresh fruit on the counter, but I never reached for it. Instead, I was eating lots of pasta, eggs and cheesey foods. Mexican, Italian and Chinese were my favorite foods and eating out was always a treat. I thought the way I was eating was healthy. All I needed to control was the quantity consumed. Therein lied my problem.

My first attempt to reign in my total consumption was met with a bit of success. I limited myself to only two meals a day. That way, even if I ate 1000 calories in a single sitting, I could still maintain or lose weight. That worked during the week, but became too difficult to manage on weekends when I was around the kitchen all day or having to eat out. Nevertheless, I was able to get the meal sizes down a little and I began to include a modest breakfast. It was actually working and I was losing about a pound a week. Then I joined MFP (myfitnesspal) and the act of logging and recording my food and exercise was a fun novelty that further spurred my commitment. Had I continued along this path, gradually moderating my portions, I just may have reached my goal. Many people do. But I had done this approach time and time again. Each time it ultimately failed for me.

In order to make this work, you have to have the "mindset". It is hard to get there, but once you do, you know you have it. At any point the mindset can wane, especially after a cheat meal or binge. That's one reason I don't permit myself to cheat, period. And should you get lucky enough to reach your goal, that "mindset" gets replaced with complacency.

I am so excited now because I really feel that nothing can stop me from reaching my goal of a healthy weight. I am no longer living to eat, but rather eating to live. Food is a means of administering nutrients and sustenance to my body and nothing else. For that reason, I eliminated all cheese, dairy, eggs and high fat cholesterol-bearing foods. Once I adopted this philosophy, an amazing thing happened. The moment I quit turning to food primarily as a source of pleasure, I began to enjoy it more than ever. The healthiest foods available began to taste wonderful. I now feel that I am eating like royalty at lunch and dinner. I can eat all I want and still stay under my calorie goals. I jump started my metabolism and can still lose about 2 pounds a week. If someone had told me any of this, I would have dismissed them handily, because as everyone knows, moderation is the key.

Sometimes when you make a major change for the right reason, unexpected benefits arise. When I quit looking to diet as a way to lose weight and instead as a way to become healthy, both happened. For me, it is all or nothing. No cheat days, no planned binges. That doesn't mean I won't occasionally choose to eat something not on my plan. Sometimes I will be at a restaurant or someone's home where I don't have control over how the food is prepared. I will do my best to keep true to my plan and not worry about the occasional misstep. That's different than intentionally "cheating" as a reward for good behavior. Food is no longer a reward in my life. It is a responsibility, just like putting on my seat belt when I get in the car.

I feel better and happier now than I have in years, and for me, that is the reward for eating well. [To date, I am down 31 pounds from my high and I have 118 pounds to lose to reach my goal.]