As a Health Coach, one of the most common excuses comebacks I hear when justifying sub-par eating habits is “Everything in moderation.” And I’d be lying if I said I haven’t used it myself from time to time.
But here’s what struck me recently.
We only flash the “everything in moderation” card for certain kinds of food and drink. Namely, the highly processed, insulin-spiking, empty calorie “treats” we can never seem to actually eat in moderation – the wine, the chocolate, the chips, or in my case, the cheese!
We never say (in that sheepish tone), “Everything in moderation” as we’re about to down our kale smoothie or dig into a spinach salad or guacamole dip. Why not? Because we can actually eat those foods in moderation.
As Dallas and Melissa Hartwig describe in It Starts With Food, kale, spinach, and avocados are foods with “natural satiety brakes” because of their high nutrient density.
When the calories we eat are packed full of nutrition –vitamins, minerals, fiber, and healthy proteins and fat – then we simply stop eating on our own.
No excuses necessary.
Now I’d love to hear from you. Have you ever played the everything in moderation card? Does it tend to help you or hinder you? I can’t wait to read your thoughts in the comments below.
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