Have you ever heard the phrase, “everything in moderation”? Chances are you probably have and this may be an unpopular opinion but that’s maybe the worst advice on the planet. What is moderation? How much is too much and how little is too little? Is a Coke a day too much? How about once a week? Is a salad a month enough?
The reason why moderation does not work is because it is completely subjective and it takes a lot of work to figure out what moderation is for each of us. Lara feels like crap if she doesn’t move her body everyday, at least for a long walk while Viviana enjoys her rest days on her couch watching TV. Who’s wrong? Who’s healthier? Answer: Neither and both!
Moderation, balance - it’s all yours and it changes day to day, even hour to hour. When someone recommends “moderation” it really doesn’t mean anything. You need to find what works for you - that’s what moderation is.
Let’s break it down a little more:
MODERATION IN FITNESS
Look online and you will find everything from taking one rest day is optimal to taking two to never ever resting. Some say active recovery is best and others say full rest. Why the huge amount of conflicting infromation? Because, as much as you probably don’t like hearing this, IT DEPENDS. On you, your fitness level, your goals, what you will sustain over time, your schedule, your time, your energy, you nutrition, your genes, your likes and dislikes. Literally depends on YOU. So how in the world are you supposed to find what works?
First, you have to learn how to listen to your body and yes, we know that’s the hardest thing in the world and takes lots of practice. But learning to listen and then being honest with yourself will allow you to really figure out what works and doesn’t work. Need a rest day? Or want a rest day? Both are fine and valid but you need to face both and own it. Results come from the work you put in, there’s no escaping that, but depending on your goals and what you’re after - how much work can vary vastly. There’s a time and a place for rest and there’s a time and a place to go really hard. But, you will only get the results you work for, whether that’s just keeping a fitness routine or training for a marathon, the work you put it is what you’ll get out of it, mentally and physically.
MODERATION IN NUTRITION
Unfortunately, it’s more of the same - IT DEPENDS. And the key is listening to your body. But, really, should you listen to your body when it’s screaming for donuts? And then a bag of chips? Followed by a massive Coca-Cola? Do you think you’re lacking self-control or motivation? Maybe. And probably. Your body has no physical need for those things, but maybe your emotions do. Ultimately, you’re an adult and you control what goes into your body. In nutrition, moderation doesn’t really exist. Consistency exists. There’s a time and a place for emotional eating because if it’s truly rare and on occassion, it won’t harm you. It’s when you do it consistently that it starts messing with you. Just like eating a broccoli on occasion won’t give you much nourishment. But eating it consistently, will.
Again, there is this myth of moderation - only have three bites of dessert! Have one soda a week! Truthfully, finding balance in nutrition is probably the hardest thing you’ll ever do. Do you really know what works and doesn’t work for your body? What causes bloating or a headache or a breakout? Probably not. The path to discover this is full of ups and downs and many don’t have the patience to go through with it in this lifestyle of quick, immediate satisfaction and results. It takes trial and error. Lots and lots of errors.
We know this is probably not what you want to hear (#sorrynotsory) but anyone out there offering you a quick solution that sounds too good to be true, it’s probably too good to be true. Your body has an innate ability to tell you what it needs if you just listen and override all the habit that you’ve built over your lifetime. Shameless plug - working with a nutrition consultant, that is working for you and your individual needs and goals, is the quickest way to results.
MODERATION IN MINDSET
Balance when it comes to mindset can be a little more difficult because our minds are usually all or nothing and we can get so wrapped up in ourselves that we can’t see other perspectives. Take it a day at a time and give yourself grace. But again, you have to do the work to get the benefits, whether that’s therapy, meditation, practicing mindfulness, etc.
In psychoanalysis, a form of therapy, patients go to therapy anywhere from 2-5 times a week, sometimes for years. A supervisor of mine told me that it all depends on how fast they want to get to where they want to go. Think about it, if you want to go to Alaska (we are in Texas so it is kind of a long walk), and you walk once a week for an hour, it might take you three years to get there. What about if you walk for 3 times a week? You’ll get there faster and you won’t have to spend time getting ready for the walk because it’s already done! Imagine how fast you’ll get there if you walk daily? In therapy, I use this so that patients come to their sessions ready to work and if they come more that once a week, we get the “what happened this week” out of the way and focus on the good stuff. When it comes to our minds, we need to work on it daily, I don’t believe we get to take a break from this one, that means taking care of your emotions and recognizing them!
Moderation is a myth, we strive for this perfect balance but the truth is, there isn’t one. There are seasons and you evolve and change and that may be more difficult to hear because it’s not an easy fix but we have to start getting away from that and doing the work and enjoying the journey.