The Five Health "Rules" I Break as a Health Coach: Everything in Moderation

For 5 weeks, I am breaking down the top five “health rules” that I BREAK. 

One thing that I pray for you is that you never take any person’s opinion as fact.  While some of these “rules” might work for you, I would say the majority of people it is actually hurting rather than helping them.  Even when I tell you my opinion, you need to decide for yourself if you will benefit from this or not.  You need to test it out by applying it to your life, listen to how your body reacts and then by making YOUR OWN DECISION.

Last week’s rule was EAT WHEN YOU’RE HUNGRY.  I’d love to hear your opinions so don’t forget to stop by my Facebook page and leave questions or comments!

This week is one I am sure to ruffle a few feathers about:

EAT EVERYTHING IN MODERATION.

Seems logical right?  Paul does write, “Everything is permissible for me” in 1 Corinthians 6:12a.  We can eat anything we want, right?  As long as we don’t go overboard, right?

Did you read last week’s post?  Even a “moderate” amount of flour and sugar can really mess with your hormones and make you think you are hungry when you’re not. 

Yes, I agree that nothing should be off limits, but “moderation” may still be too much.

Let’s break this down a little further.  First, what is moderation? Merriam defines “in moderation” as in a way that is reasonable and not excessive.  What is reasonable?  What is excessive?  My point being, what is reasonable to one person means something very different to another.

Take for example alcohol.   I have a friend whose father is an alcoholic.  Her father believes that moderate is a case of beer a night.  She believes moderate is one beer. They are very different definitions.

When I hear a client tell me, “I can have anything I want in moderation.”  I make them break that down for me.  What does moderation look like?  How does your body respond to that moderation?  Is it really something you need or just something you want?  Why do you eat it?  Is it for fuel or for pleasure?

Asking these questions can really help you clear up if you are using the excuse of “everything in moderation” to eat anything you want.

Let’s ask ourselves another question.  Is there anything I want to have more than a “moderation” of?

I don’t want vegetables in moderation.  I want more vegetables than anything else in my diet.  Why?  Well, let’s head to the book of Daniel to find out.  Daniel was ordered to eat royal food and drink wine but he requested,

“Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.  Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” Daniel 1:12-13

Guess what happened?

“At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.” Daniel 1:15

I eat all the vegetables and drink as much water as I can tolerate.  I do NOT moderate myself in this.  I feel AMAZING when I eat this way.  So why would I moderate that?

Here is the main point I want to make:

“‘Everything is permissible for me’ – but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible for me’ – but I will not be mastered by anything… Therefore, Honor God with your body” 1 Corinthians 6:12, 20b

As Paul writes, yes, we can have everything.  But not everything is beneficial.  Sometimes when we say we eat in moderation it is our excuse to have it.  The problem is, many of us have become mastered by cravings for sugar, breads or fried foods.  That is when we need to stop and re-evaluate.  Sometimes, we need the self-control to limit these foods below “moderate” levels. 

Easy?  No. 

Worth it?  Yes. 

Here is the first step, stop telling yourself “everything in moderation”.  It isn’t useful and so many of us use it as an excuse that leads us down a road we don’t want to go down. 

Instead, capture the thought, “everything in moderation”, and make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).  Test this thought by asking the questions I posed above.

Do you consistently eat out of "moderation"?  Are you struggling with your weight or your mindset?  Sign up for a FREE 45-minute coaching session to gain some clarity.