In all things, moderation. 

You’ve heard me say it, repeatedly. “Enjoy it in moderation.” “All things fit in a healthy lifestyle in moderation!” Such an easy thought, but not as easy to implement. 

What is moderation?

According to Merriam-Webster it means: in a way that is reasonable and not excessive 

Once again, not a very clear definition to apply to nutrition. 

Why is it a difficult term? 

Most people know that eating 10 cookies at a time is not moderation, but other times it can be hard to decipher. Moderation looks different for everyone. For the 5’0 tall women weighing 100 pounds eating 4 eggs is not moderation. For the 6’0 tall male athlete, 4 eggs can be moderation. Sometimes it can be easy to know, but sometimes emotions get in the way. 

What’s the solution?

You have to have some basic nutrition education and you have to follow mindful eating. 

What does that mean?

Mindful eating encompases alot, but for the purpose of this article the important aspect is paying attention to your hunger cues. Simply eat when hungry, and stop eating when full. (Okay, maybe it’s not really that simple, but it’s at least the principle behind it.)

The other piece of the moderation puzzle is nutrition education. Most of us already have the knowledge that we need from our basic nutrition education in classes. Simply knowing the food groups and knowing which foods are high energy (aka high calorie) gives us good boundaries for moderation. Moderation for ice cream and broccoli is going to look quite different. (Please note I said moderation for ice cream and not elimination of ice cream.) Using your common nutrition knowledge and mindful eating combined gets you very close to practicing a healthy moderation. 

Moderation can be difficult to define and difficult to implement. I understand it’s easy to say, “eat it in moderation” but sometimes it can be difficult to follow that advice. Moderation is very individualized. If you need help discovering what moderation looks like for you, consider working with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.

If you are interested in joining my customized nutrition coaching, click here to fill out an application and get started!