This isn't rhetorical. I really need to figure this out. I'm fairly certain the answer is moderation.
Moderation.
Moderation.
Um . . . except for alcohol (which I can and do excercise moderation with), I have almost NEVER been good at moderation. I can't take just one bite. I take a bite of something delicious and the endorphins (evil endorphins) get released--and they have a PARTAY and say "OOOOOH Yeah! We like it! More, more, more!" and then a voice in my head says "just eat it all--destroy the evidence!" Like I'm the suspect at a crime scene.
Which isn't far off from the truth. Except the criminal and victim are all rolled into one here.
In years past, when I've tried to eliminate certain foods or completely avoid entire categories (like carbs . . .dear sweet i-love-you-forever-carbs), I do well for awhile and then crash. and BURN. and GAIN. and Argh! I can't do that again.
So, this year I am sincerely going to need to LEARN moderation--it has to be a learnable skill, right? Right.
I found a great post from the Atlanta Journal
At a deeper level, moderation is a commitment to balance and wholeness. It is rooted in the recognition that each person has many different (and often competing) needs, desires, abilities, and goals. Living up to your full potential means finding ways to incorporate all of them into your decision-making processes and choices.
And Lord knows I do need balance in my life. Do you? I am almost always out of whack and working too much and not focusing any time on my health. I honestly believe balance and Moderation is also a matter of Faith--to depend on God and not food to fulfill me. And at the heart of it, THAT is what my goal needs to be. To live on Faith and not Food!
A few friends of mine and I who are on a leadership team for Women's Community Bible Studies are going to be starting a First Place 4 Health Bible Study and I am SO EXCITED to get started learning how to live differently--from a place of Faith, Moderation and Balance. I'll let you know how it goes!
As for my cooking--I'll be blogging about the struggles of being me, doing what I love, and trying to eat in moderation.
What about you, how do you reconcile the two? Or have you mastered the Moderation matrix? I want to hear how!
Lemme know your thoughts!
NO girl I have not a tip in the world. I struggle so much with moderation. I have tried eating on smaller plates and all kind of things and it is so hard. I look foward to reading your journey and hoping to gain alot of tips from it. Hang in there girlie
ReplyDeleteI am so the same way, moderation is hard! This is something my husband and I are working on too with this whole 'being healthy' thing. Some things we are doing...using our small plates, I will dish up what I want and literally put all the leftovers away before I start eating so that I don't get seconds, and measuring! It sucks having to measure but it's AMAZING what *I* think is a serving and what actually IS a serving! And now we are realizing and seeing that more. Hang in there girl, we are all doing this together! I will give you my number, if you feel like eating a bag of oreos call me instead! I try to do that, pick up the phone and get distracted. I've done this whole diet thing before (like everyone else and their mom) and the first few weeks are definitely the hardest but after that it gets so much easier and you really feel so much better! You can do it!! {hugs}
ReplyDeleteModeration is very hard! Some days I am so good and the others um not so good. One good tip- dont have junk in the house. I mean I cook just enough to feed us and thats it. We never have sweets or candy or deserts of any kinds. It when we eat out or at party's! The holiday season is the worst. Good luck let me know if anything works.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking if they put the holidays in the summer we might all be more motivated to eat less and exercise more. I always weigh less in the summer time vs winter!
Thanks to you both! Laura--wow--putting away Leftovers BEFORE you eat--that is hardcore and a GREAT idea! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI'd totally take your number Laura! oreos I can walk away from .. . but a loaf of sweetbread? or no bake cookies? not so much!
:) Just that. :)
ReplyDeleteI love that you make me smile!!