Eating in moderation is a good goal to have, unfortunately most of us don’t. Eating in moderation does not look identical to everyone. The challenge is to find the balance that allows you to reach your weight, health and performance goals while enjoying life.
Eating “good” during the week and eating the “junk” stuff throughout the weekend is what some people think is eating in moderation. I myself eat according to that model but with Saturday as “eating day”. For me it works fine. But it does not suit everyone as overeating can create cravings for several days which can sometimes be difficult to resist. What you have to do is find your path that works for you long term.
Balance is key—eating in moderation lets you enjoy your food while nurturing your health.
Bodyweight Team
To figure out what moderation means in your daily eating, here’s some help:
Try following a 90/10 method, which means you make 90% of your food choices healthy and wholesome, while 10% can be a little or a lot more unhealthy. Eat most of the time fruits and vegetables, lean meats, fish, beans, nuts, eggs, whole grains. Once you’ve eaten 90%, there isn’t much room left for the less nutritious junk. If you are counting calories, try to limit junk foods to 150 calories per day!
Perception is crucial when eating in moderation. Here are some tips to help you.
Become aware of the situations that trigger overeating and identify trigger foods, then decide how to deal with them. Maybe divide them into single-sized portions so you don’t eat them all at once.
Keep a food diary for a week and record everything you eat and drink. This way you see what you are and are not eating. Then try to eat good food at least 90% of the time and track for a week or two. Here I recommend the Myfitnesspal app. Easy to get started with. But wonderful when you get the hang of it all. There are also Swedish apps. I write for a food diary a week, personally I always keep a food diary. Over time it has been very valuable. I have both gone up and down in rounds. The diary gives me a clear picture of why it happens and what I am doing right and wrong.
Try to remove your emotions from the picture. If you normally value yourself, positively or negatively by what you eat, become aware of it and work to change it.
If you eat out, plan ahead and decide what you will treat yourself to. For example, you can choose to have an appetizer but no glass of wine. Planning is the key to long-term success.
Eating in moderation can work for you. Take the time to learn what best suits your lifestyle and preferences.