As we evolve into the wonderful human beings that we are, our eating habits have changed. Forty to fifty years ago, processed foods and microwaves were non-existent, and fast-food restaurants were still a new concept. We didn’t have quick little snacks like energy bars, Twinkies, or Weiner sniglets. With all of these easily available choices, we need to keep in mind one simple word. Moderation.
I’m all for convenience, but at what cost? How about the moniker of being the fattest nation in the world? How about the steady climb of childhood obesity? Or the rising number of heart disease and other health-related issues caused by a poor diet?
How many people googled Weiner Sniglets?
We all love a good meal, especially me. I have a sweet tooth that demands to be fed daily along with a nice rare steak. The whole stigmata of dieting where you can’t enjoy your favorite foods are thankfully going out the window. Sure, you still have those extreme diet plans and pills you can take. Those can have their own negative side effects, or you can train yourself to eat in moderation.
Portion Control
Portion sizes are out of control in the US and several other countries now. When I started working with my personal trainer, I was shocked at the small portions. My first thoughts were of starvation, but it turns out not to be the case.
For some reason, our portion sizes have grown over the decades. Just go to your local grocery store and look at the steak, chicken, pork, and fish’s normal size. 8-10 oz cuts are the norm, and you can always find bigger. A 3-4 oz cut of meat is all most people need for dinner.
Restaurants are even worse with their insane portion sizes.
24oz porterhouse steaks
7 layer chocolate cakes
A quadruple bypass burger
Even dishes could be cut into two or three portions.
Eating Until You Are Full
In my journey to a better and healthier life, I am learning how to eat in moderation. This is not a diet; this is a way of life. It’s better to think of it that way. When you hear the word diet, you think temporary.
Before I started down this road, my daily intake of food would consist of:
Breakfast Burrito from a local deli; these are full-size manly burritos with enough calories for the entire day.
Fast Food lunch with an equal number of calories.
A snack in-between just because.
And dinner would be an 8-12 oz portion of meat, some veggies, and 2-3 pieces of bread.
My sweet tooth would scream for attention before bed. A bowl of ice cream and some cookies were the norm.
Wow! I feel sick just reading about how much I used to eat! Try it yourself. Write down or take photos of every meal you eat and then look at it the next day or two. When you take a hard look at what you are eating, it can be a little disturbing.
Eating in moderation can reduce health problems
Because of my poor diet and lack of exercise, I have more than a bit of a spare tire. My energy levels dropped, my lack of motivation grew, and I kept eating more and more. I topped the scales around 240. With a family history of diabetes and heart problems, I knew I needed a change. So I joined a gym, bought a juicer, and had big plans to change my lifestyle.
The first week I was all gung-ho and eating healthy and going to the gym. Life was great for about three days. Then my body did what anybody would do when thrust into a workout program without any supervision. I was one big walking (shuffling is more like it) knots for several days. The gym membership was barely used, and the juicer started collecting dust after that.
This went on for several years. I would lose a little and gain it all back and then some. I yo-yo around 230-235 for a long while, and my health continued to decline. My knees started to ache. My lower back would start hurting with minimal effort, and my energy level was non-existent. I needed to break out of this routine but did not see a way out on my own.
Nothing Wrong With Getting Help
There are as many nutritional experts and physical trainers out there as there are doughnut shops. Trained to help meet your goals the right way. The safe way. Remember the three or four days of knots from earlier? That could have been prevented if I started with a trainer.
He put me on a 1500-2000 calorie diet, and we work out every day of the week. My meals were broken up into six meals: three main meals and three snacks. The main course never more than 400-500 calories. This helps in several ways.
No more Food Coma feeling. And I never felt hungry.
As the pounds come off, your spirits will lift, and your body will thank you. Your energy levels increase, and you get rid of those chemicals that are in processed foods. There is a reason you crave fast food as the chemicals in them have addictive traits. Casein and MSG both have addictive qualities and are used in the majority of fast-food restaurants.
Eating in moderation does not mean sacrificing taste
Another stigmata healthy eating has is taste. Broiled chicken, steamed vegetables, and plain rice do not sound very appealing. Only bodybuilding and fitness competitors need to go to such extremes. And even they get a cheat day! Healthy eating is far tastier than eating fast or processed foods.
Not a good cook? Neither was I, but as with anything, the more you do it, the better you get. Pinterest is a lifesaver for finding healthy meals. You’ll find thousands of healthy meals and even meal plans. If that is too daunting of a task, meal delivery services are growing.
Home Chef is one I used personally and would recommend. Sun Flower and Freshly I have heard good things about and offer gluten-free alternatives. There are a lot of services out there these days, including directly from your local grocery store. Do your research and find the right one for you.
Nothing Worthy Is Easy
All in all, it’s an easy thing to do to move to a better way of eating. You will have a couple of days of cravings as you stop eating so much. It will be tough, but you have to push through it to reach your goals. And stop calling this a diet. You’re not dieting. You’re changing your lifestyle for the better.
This isn’t something you want to do for a while then stop. You’ll just gain the weight you worked so hard to keep off back, sometimes even more. Stay committed and believe in yourself that you can do it.