Everything in Moderation!
“Everything in moderation, even moderation.” -Oscar Wilde
Easier said than done in today’s culture. We are being marketed to, being told to absolutely not do anything in moderation.
It simply isn’t American to act in such a way. It is tragic but true.
If a little is good, a lot must be better.
A story of a lack of moderation
When I was in 3rd grade, back in 1972, my sister, Kathy, came home with something very special (at least back in those days!): a new package of Oreo cookies.
Now, back then, kids simply didn’t think to do that on their own. Most wouldn’t have the wherewithal to even consider such a big purchase. But my sister thought outside the box. She made a mistake though… Kathy didn’t realize that I had seen her come in with the bag of treats.
She hid them in her closet, way up high, unaware that I was watching her every move.
My sister eventually went to hang with friends. As soon as she left the house and after I was confident that she was gone for a good long time, I made my move.
I absconded with the Oreos and laid on her bed, eating to my heart’s content. I ate as fast as I could and as many as I could because I didn’t know if I’d ever have the opportunity again to such stomach expanding folly.
I was eating so fast that I became nauseous and then my stomach actually started to cramp.
She came back in about 30 minutes and I had eaten most of a perfectly full package of Oreos and couldn’t get off her bed. I was crying from the pain and, as most big sisters would probably do, she laughed at me. She was crying because she was laughing so hard. She wondered why I was so rushed and so determined to eat so fast and so much. I remember telling her that I wasn’t sure when I’d see that many Oreos in one place again and then I couldn’t seem to stop.
That day was another poor example of a lack of moderation.
We do that with food
In the last few years, a new movement is beginning to take root in America. It’s this idea that simplifying or living a more moderate and simple life is ok; even preferred. This is something that can be practiced in our eating habits and our relationship with food.
Most people aren’t starving currently in this country. Most have all they want to eat and then maybe some. More and more of us are overweight, some even morbidly obese.
It’s time to look at food with the idea that there’s plenty and that there’s no need to horde or rush or panic around food. It’s not finite… there’s plenty.
We know that moderation of the foods that you eat, otherwise known as diet diversity, does not tend to contribute to better health.
The real moderation solution
Limiting the amount of food and the speed at which you eat that food, however, can truly be helpful.
Here are some easy methods to allow you to eat with plenty of time, plenty of ease, and lots of moderation.
1. Portion Control - Look at how large or small the portions are. Is what you have on your plate truly necessary? Every meal should not be Thanksgiving dinner. Take it nice and easy.
A great strategy is to divide you’re your servings in half. You can always go back for more.
2. Slow Down - Turn the TV off and just let your food be food. Not your enemy or your nemesis, just your food. A thing that gives you energy and health.
Practice mindful eating by enjoying your food. Taste every bite. Chew thoroughly. Let mealtime be a sacred and peaceful time where you nourish your body through nutritious food and your soul through meaningful conversations with friends and family.
3. Re-evaluate What Your Body Needs - Most people don’t realize that their stomach is actually only supposed to be about the size of their fist. Yes, that small.
It is the nervous lining which expands and tells us that we are full. Put your fist in the middle of your plate and make sure that the amount of food on your plate is about the same size as your fist. When you do this, you will begin to understand the amount of food that your body really needs rather than simply what it wants.
4. Watch for Cues - Look for the “sigh” in your meal about 10 minutes in. The sigh is something that tells you that you are almost full. Perhaps you have space for one more bite, but not two.
The sigh is the indication that your stomach is pressing on your diaphragm, which means that the stomach is full. If you will listen, you’ll begin to notice it every time. Look for it, study it and use it.
Now you have a method to tell you when you’ve eaten enough and that you are actually full. Everything after that is packing on the pounds for no real reason.
The Skinny Up!® Protocol is a method of teaching you that moderation is a great way to look at food and that the simplification of your approach to food is the first step in winning the fight against the demons of over-eating causing you to not maintain a healthy relationship with your food.
Less is more.
Developing simple approaches to eating is essential to begin the journey of a lifetime of listening to your body; listening to the signals that moderation physically brings to our minds, allowing for a calm relationship between you and your body so that you can be confident in your future weight goals.
Article Written by Dr. Venekamp
Dr. Kenna D. Venekamp graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic, in 1988 with a degree as a Chiropractitioner. Dr. Venekamp’s interests are in the natural methods of helping the body heal without the judicious use of medications or surgery. Over the years, he has worked with experts in the field of nutrition and biology to create Skinny Up!®’s line of weight loss supplements.
