In Moderation

Also known as my first step to health: purging the pantry.

I don't follow diets or diet fads. My opinion is that if I won't be following it for the rest of my life as a lifestyle change, why would I follow it now? Plus, some fads are unhealthy and can actually slow weight loss.

Low-fat diet? Don't you dare. Enjoy your butter and full-fat milk - in moderation. Low-carb diet? That's just silly. Just don't indulge in simple carbs (like from bread) every night, and make get plenty of complex carbs (like from whole grains or potatoes), but never forget to do so in moderation. Cabbage soup diet? Ew. Fasting diet. That's a fast way to binge eat. Eat a ton of small meals diet? More like eat a ton of calories diet. Diet food diet? Urg. Blech.

There is no magic bullet. There is no diet that is fool-proof. And the only way to stick with a healthy diet is to eat things you enjoy. You just have to reteach yourself to eat more of the healthy things you enjoy and less of the unhealthy things you enjoy. Easier said than done? Maybe. But I was a hardcore junk eater 12 weeks ago, then I decided to make a change, and 11 weeks ago, just prior to the start of this, I bought fish, fruits, and veggies I loved, and threw away two TRASH BAGS full of junk from my fridge and cabinets. I gave away all the canned food that was bad for me (which was pretty much everything - even canned veggies, as they are usually loaded with salt).

I made it hard to get my hands on unhealthy food without extra effort... and you know what? I changed my diet. By keeping the junk out, I ate more of the good stuff. By eating more of the good stuff, my palate changed until I either didn't want the bad stuff, or I wanted it, tried it, and then hated the taste so I didn't want it again.

Case in point, McDonald's french fries. I'm pretty sure they're coated in something addictive, because I could eat them by the bushel. Do you know what happened? On Saturday, my son and I went to McDonald's. I wanted to see if it was still a place that triggered me into bad eating, or if I could eat in moderation there. So I got a kid's meal with a plain McDouble and a small fry. The McDouble was DELICIOUS. The fries, on the other hand, tasted disgusting. I'll never get McDonald's fries again. Those same fries that I was slavering all over 12 weeks ago.

I didn't have to fight a willpower battle. I just drove routes that didn't take me past a McDonald's when possible, kept junk out of my house, and learned to crave healthy food. And now, I've conquered McDonald's fries. They no longer have a hold of me.

I think the point to this is that when you hear the term "diet" don't think of it in terms of cardboard-tasting food and crazy fads, think of it in terms of what you plan on putting in your body for the rest of your life. Then find healthy stuff you love, and throw out the rest. If you are like me and can't resist eating more chips than you should, or more ice cream, keep it out of the house and go have it as a treat now and then. And for the love of all that's good, cut out soda, fruit punch, and other sugar-laden drinks. When you're eating healthy, you crave healthy... you just have to give your tastebuds time to adjust. For me, it was about 4-5 weeks.

By cutting out sugary drinks and removing unhealthy snacks from the house, you will cut out so many calories that you will surely lose weight and feel better.

Remember, nothing is off-limits in moderation - but you have to set yourself up for success to achieve moderation, and that may mean cleansing your pantry and fridge. And what is moderation? Eating out once a week for one meal is. Having ice cream a night or two a week after dinner is. Enjoying a piece of fried chicken with your veggies is. I follow (non-strictly, of course, because then it's too much like a diet) a 90/10 rule. 90% of the time I eat healthy, and 10% of the time I don't. But 100% of the time, I eat things I want to eat that taste delicious.

Do you still struggle with non-healthy foods and drinks? Do you have the motivation to grab a couple of trash bags and take that first step of purging your kitchen? It's freeing to the soul - seriously. It was the best thing I ever did for myself, and it was my first step towards where I am today and where I'll be tomorrow.